The Blessing of Encouragement

   Romans 15:5-6  "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ."



         We all face trials in this journey called life.  We were not called or ever meant to suffer through it alone.  We  are commanded to 'love one another' and that includes encouragement.  When we are in the midst of a trial, Satan looks for a foothold to bring upon us depression, doubts, fear and blame.  God, on the other side, wants to use our trials to build our character, faith and dependence on Him.  We can each use our own personal experiences to help build each other up from falling into those tempting low points.
          I have been blessed recently by a world-wide support group of family and friends, near and far through my kidney stone trial.  Encouragement comes in many forms and the variety has blessed my heart, mind and soul.  The prayer support has been phenomenal and if a prayer for me opens a conversation between someone and God, then it reassures my belief in that there's purpose in the pain.  To God be the Glory!  Encouragement came in a jar filled with notes and verses for each day to remind me that I wasn't alone.  Encouragement came through visits, not just for me but my parents too.  Encouragement came through messages by both snail mail, phone calls and social media.  I was not only encouraged spiritually, but in humanity.   God is alive and working in the lives and hearts of others, as well as my own.
          Another great encouragement to me was my friend, Lisa Jones, sharing her journal study notes on suffering and trials with me.  She has graciously allowed me to share this with you here on my blog...

 The Bible  Says This About Suffering

1.       Suffering silences Satan (Job 1-2)

2.       Suffering gives God an opportunity to be glorified (John 11:4)

3.       Suffering makes us more like Christ (Phil. 3:10, Heb. 2:10)

4.       Suffering makes us appreciative (Romans 8:28)

5.       Suffering teaches us to depend on God (Ex. 14:13-14, Isa. 40: 28-31)

6.       Suffering enables us to exercise our faith (Job 23:10, Romans 8:24-25)

7.       Suffering teaches us patience (Romans 5:3, James 1:2-4)

8.       Suffering makes us sympathetic (II Cor. 1:3-6)

9.       Suffering makes and keeps us humble (II Cor. 12:7-10)

10.   Suffering brings rewards (II Tim. 2:12, I Peter 4: 12-13)

 Suffering People in the Bible

1.       Job (Job 1-42) Job had greater knowledge of God and understanding of self.

2.       Miriam (Exodus 15:20-21; Numbers 12:26:59)  Got leprosy from God as a chastisement for rebellion.  She repented and was healed and restored.  She learned that God  sometimes uses suffering to chasten His disobedient children.

3.      Ezekiel’s wife (Ezekiel 24: 15-27) She was the wife of a major prophet. She had an illness that resulted in death.  Source from God to illustrate God’s dealings with the nation of Israel.  The result was that God was glorified, and that God sometimes uses suffering and even death to accomplish His purpose.

4.       Mephibasheth (II Samuel 4:4; 9:1-13)  Young grandson of King Saul, he was crippled through a fall.  Source and reason not given.  It resulted in a lifetime of affliction with no cure.  The lesson is that God doesn’t always tell us the reason for our suffering.

5.        Paul (II Cor. 12:1-10) A great apostle to the gentiles who had a “thorn in the flesh”.  Implied that it was a gift from God.  The reason was to keep Paul from exalting himself because of his unique spiritual experiences.  It became a blessing because it increased his dependence on the Lord.  The lesson is that God doesn't always bring temporary healing, even to the most devoted children.

May our trials help us to be more compassionate with others, more aware of God's presence and work in our lives, and develop a greater dependence on God than ourselves,

            

God's Undeniable Sovereignty

        Welcome back, blog readers!!  What a journey and struggle it has been to end 2017 and bring in the new year , 2018.  Someone asked me, "Do you any life changing thoughts or moments to share from your kidney stone trial?"  Yes, and that's what I would like to blog about today.
         We often acknowledge that 'God is in control' of things in the big picture, but do you believe He controls the details as well?  Yes, He makes the sun rise and set, the tides flow to and fro, and has predetermined the end of each of our days.  But, does He orchestrate the details of our lives?  The answer is a profound, thankful YES!  Romans 8:28  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
          My entire kidney stone experience was filled with I would call "God Highlights" [GH], where I could see God controlling details for my benefit and peace of mind.  I just want to share these moments where I didn't even know anything needed changed, fixed or reassured.  I began this saga with a doctor with 20+ years experience.  His plan involved a 3 week ordeal of hospital/home, back n forth stays.  Probably due to my numerous questions and his rushed bedside manner, he handed me off to a new young, right out school doctor. [GH]  Dr. Gerald Heulitt was the best... thorough, kind, unhurried, and confident in his delivery of his 3 day hospital only plan. [GH]  Even tho I had been waiting since late October for a plan of action, I believe the delay was purposeful so that I could not only enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas but the surgery schedule for Dec. 26th and 27th was pretty empty. [GH]  My pre-op nurse was one I had as a home health nurse years ago and her presence was a reaffirming assurance that things were going to be okay. [GH]    One of my greatest fears was having to lay on my stomach for 2 hours of surgery, but the plan changed when the tube placement setup failed. [GH}  The surgery was completed sucessfully on my back, with no incision and without repeated procedures needed. [GH]  I also want to say I had an excellent team of doctors all watching out for me in every aspect involved. [GH]  These are just a few undeniable moments of God's sovereignty in this specific trial of my life.
       "Thankfully, God guides believers through times of turbulence (Ps. 23). He is the Good Shepherd, who constantly abides with His world-weary lambs. Jesus vowed to His disciples, “I will not leave you as orphans” (John 14:18). And His promise was fulfilled in the person of the Holy Spirit, who was sent to indwell and care for each of God’s followers. Paul poetically described the Spirit as a seal placed around believers until they are called to their heavenly home. In other words, He provides a protective barrier against evil forces desiring to snatch us from God’s hand." intouch.org
         As God guides me through my trials and tribulations, I believe He has chosen me to be a voice to praise Him in the storms.  Though my voice may be a whisper, I use my resources to point others to Christ in whatever way He wants to use me.  The poem above "Not Just Any Life" was written by Lynda Vu for a friend of mine but he thought it applied to me as well.  It blesses me that he would think so.  I pray my life and actions do make an impact on others, so they too will consider a surrendered life and an everlasting life for and with God.

You are called with a holy calling
The light of the world to be;
To lift up the lamp of the Savior
That others His light may see. —Anon.

        As you endure the woes of life, are you able to lean on His everlasting arms?  Can you thank Him not 'for' all circumstances, but 'in' all circumstances?  Are you a reflection of Christ to comfort others in their trials of suffering?  Be the Light to another's darkness.

10 Favorite C.S. Lewis Quotes to Ponder This Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2017! 

     Christmas should be a time of personal reflection about the past year and your walk with God throughout it.  Count your blessings, remember God's faithfulness, repent of any unresolved sin separating you from God, and thank God for sending the greatest gift of all--Jesus--for each of us to receive as our personal Savior! 
     May you take the time to grasp the full meaning of my top 10 C.S. Lewis quotes below:

Jesus Paid It All, All To Him I Owe

"Jesus Paid It All" lyrics

1. I hear the Savior say,
   “Thy strength indeed is small;
   Child of weakness, watch and pray,
   Find in Me thine all in all.”
   • Refrain:
     Jesus paid it all,
     All to Him I owe;
     Sin had left a crimson stain,
     He washed it white as snow.
   • 
     

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim;
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calvary’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him,
My robe, His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

1. Lord, now indeed I find
   Thy pow’r, and Thine alone,
   Can change the leper’s spots 
   And melt the heart of stone.
2. When from my dying bed

My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.

Here’s a story about the song: [cyberhymnal.org]

On New Year’s night, 1886, some mis­sion­ar­ies were hold­ing open-air serv­ic­es in or­der to att­ract pass­ers­-by to a near-by miss­ion, where meet­ings were to be held later. “All to Christ I owe” was sung, and af­ter a gen­tle­man had giv­en a short ad­dress he hast­ened away to the miss­ion. He soon heard foot­steps close be­hind him and a young wo­man caught up with him and said:
“I heard you ad­dress­ing the open-air meet­ing just now; do you think, sir, that Je­sus could save a sin­ner like me?”
The gen­tle­man re­plied that there was no doubt about that, if she was anx­ious to be saved. She told him that she was a serv­ant girl, and had left her place that morn­ing after a dis­a­gree­ment with her mis­tress. As she had been wan­der­ing about the streets in the dark, won­der­ing where she was to spend the night, the sweet mel­o­dies of thi s hymn had at­tract­ed her, and she drew near and listened at­tent­ive­ly. As the dif­fer­ent vers­es were be­ing sung, she felt that the words sure­ly had some­thing to do with her. Through the whole serv­ice she seemed to hear what met her op­pressed soul’s need at that mo­ment. God’s Spir­it had showed her what a poor, sin­ful and wretch­ed crea­ture she was, and had led her to ask what she must do. On hear­ing her ex­per­i­ence, the gen­tle­man took her back to the mis­sion and left her with the la­dies in charge. The young, way­ward woman was brought to Christ that night. A si­tu­a­tion was se­cured for her in a min­is­ter’s fam­i­ly. There she be­came ill and had to be tak­en to a hos­pi­tal. She ra­pid­ly failed and it became ev­i­dent that she would not be long on earth. One day the gen­tle­man whom she had met on New Year’s night was vis­it­ing her in the ward. Af­ter quot­ing a few suit­a­ble vers­es of Script­ure, he re­peat­ed her fa­vo­rite hymn, “All to Christ I owe”…and she seemed over­whelmed with the thought of com­ing to glo­ry…Two hours af­ter­ward she passed away.

               As I write this blog and reflect on the words of this song,  I am reminded of my weakness in myself, but also of the strength I have in Christ as a believer.  Christ is my all in all because I am nothing but dust without Him.  I do watch and pray to see God working in my life for His will and purposes.  My sins have been paid for and one day will be ransomed and traded in for righteousness.  Glory will be revealed and praise to my Heavenly Father will be forever more.
              My prayer is for anyone who is feeling lost and alone in this broken world that they would come to seek and know that Jesus came into this world to save them from their sins and give them a relationship with Him that will last throughout eternity.  Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."   Ephesians 3:16-19 " I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,  and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  I pray acceptance of this gift from God will be your ultimate treasure, because we owe everything to Jesus for His sacrifice for us.
             My prayer for fellow believers is that Christ would be acknowledged, praised and submitted to in your every day life.  May your life be one of service that glorifies God in every way.

God Listens and Speaks

Psalm 40:5  "Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare."




"Word Of God Speak"

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay
The last thing I need is to be heard
But to hear what You would say

[CHORUS]
Word of God speak
Would You pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see
Your majesty
To be still and know
That You're in this place
Please let me stay and rest
In Your holiness 
Word of God speak

I'm finding myself in the midst of You
Beyond the music, beyond the noise
All that I need is to be with You
And in the quiet hear Your voice

[REPEAT CHORUS 2x]

I'm finding myself at a loss for words
And the funny thing is it's okay

          More than ever lately, I have been asking God to speak to me.  Lead me, Lord and guide me in which way to go.  Now when one asks such a request, you must be willing to open your eyes and ears to His voice.  Studying Scripture is the best way to learn how to apply it to your own life.  The Bible is full of testimonies that are directly related to whatever each of us is going through in some aspect.

           Some people don't want to hear what God has to say because it is convicting and they have yet to surrender themselves to become a part of God's family.  John 8:47  "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”  John 10:27-28  "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand."  As a believer, these words comfort me and I know when I read verses like these that God is encouraging me at that very moment.

          "Most of us won’t hear Jesus speak in an audible voice. But He communicates with us through nudges. Thoughts that we know we’re not smart or wise enough to have on our own. Mental pictures or whispers, and stirring in our hearts that connects something we’re going through with the truth of His word. That’s God speaking."

         Romans 8:38-39 "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."  As the C.S. Lewis caption above says, God is speaking to us in different tones and in different circumstances.  He will not ever quit speaking out of love to correct, encourage and comfort us.  

         "The love that exists between God and true believers is through Christ. He is the Mediator of our love: it is in and through him that God can love us and that we dare love God. This is the ground of the steadfastness of the love; therefore God rests in his love, because Jesus Christ, in whom he loves us, is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." [M.Henry]  

         "God has communicated in various ways throughout history (Heb. 1:1). One way God speaks today is through our conscience (Rom. 2:14–16). Our conscience is like a moral monitor. An important way we discern whether a spiritual communication has God as its source is to ask: Does the message agree with the Bible, God's written Word? If it does not align with God’s previously revealed truth, then we cannot put our stamp of approval on it." [odb.org]

          As for myself, I've been seeking and listening for God to direct my path.  Through Bible reading and devotionals, I have definitely heard the Word of God speak to my heart, mind and soul. I've been reassured of His presence with me always, His sufficient grace to carry me through all things, His mercy to watch out and work for my good and His love that is all powerful.

        May God's voice be louder than anything around you and that you will listen.

God speaks through His Word when we take time to listen. [odb.org]

Let God Shine Through You

Matthew 5: 14-16 "“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Philippians 2: 14-16  " Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain."

Ephesians 5:8  "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light."



        Christmas is now 3 weeks away.  It comes faster every year, I think, as an adult.  With the Christmas season, the manic shopping frenzy comes too.  The Bible encourages us to let God's light shine through us to glorify Him.  There is no exception clause to the time of year or the circumstances we are in.  We can never give grace and mercy in abundance like God supplies each of us, but we can try to give an ample measure of it.
         We've all seen examples of grace, like letting the last be first in a long grocery line or letting someone else have the coveted parking space at the mall.  'Who does that' or 'They must be a saint' might run across your mind as you grumble that it wasn't you getting the prize spot.  So who really is a 'saint'?  "When a translation of Scripture uses the word saint, it is actually referring to anyone who belongs to God through faith in Christ. In other words, saints are people like us who have the high calling of serving God while reflecting our relationship with Him wherever we are and in whatever we do. That is why the apostle Paul prayed that the eyes and understanding of his readers would be opened to think of themselves as the treasured inheritance of Christ and saints of God (Eph. 1:18)."  Christians are often called hypocrites, because we claim to be saints but act as anything but saintly.  Repentance and God's forgiveness are the answers to that fallen nature in us.
        The best part of all is that we don't have to be like the light bulb that said, "I have to find a way to shine!" The light bulb went to a self-help meeting to learn about its inner capacity for light. It read books about how to get brighter. Each morning the light bulb would get up and recite positive affirmations. "I am a light bulb. I believe in myself. I will shine!" But nothing happened.  Eventually the light bulb became weary and discouraged. It began to doubt who it was and what it could do. It almost burned out completely. Fortunately, one day the light bulb was carefully placed in a fixture. Light burst forth and filled the room. The light bulb finally understood. The key was not to try harder but to plug into the source.
        Trying to shine on our own can be exhausting. Instead, we're simply called to be closely connected to God and remain in Him. When we do, His light pours forth through us in powerful, brilliant ways that change the world. The ways we shine might not make the news, but they make even more of a difference than we can see.

        "If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, you’re never truly alone, because the Light of the World is living inside you. He hasn’t singled you out for adversity; at some point, every human life is touched by hardship or sorrow. Your response is what matters. Instead of drawing inward, reach out for the Savior’s hand, and let His light shine in your heart. I pray that you experience the peace only He can provide this season and that you will be greatly blessed in the year to come." [intouch.org]
         May each of us, who have been saved by grace, exhibit the fruits of the Spirit and the Light that dwells in us to everyone around us all year round.  We are 'children of light.'

Letting God shine through us in our lives, we should consider three things: [intouch.org]

1. Glorifying God. We are commanded to let our light shine before men so we will bear spiritual fruit that glorifies the Lord. As our life increasingly follows the pattern of the Savior’s, our thoughts and responses will bring Jesus praise and point other people to Him.

2. Conforming to Christ’s likeness. In considering any decision, we should ask ourselves, Will this help me become more like Jesus or tempt me in my weaker areas and cause me to turn away from Him? If we submit our minds and emotions to the Lord, His Spirit will build Jesus’ character qualities into our life. As we rely on the Holy Spirit, He will help us make wise decisions and guide us safely past temptation.

3. Following the Lord’s will. When deciding how to proceed, it’s wise to ask, Is this in line with God’s known will? Throughout the Scriptures, the heavenly Father has revealed what pleases Him. His commands are clear regarding the way born-again believers should live. Our home, business, and community life are to function according to His will.

Lord, help us always put You first In everything we say and do So that Your light will shine through us And show the world their need of You. —Sper

As people of the Lord we’re called To follow in His way; And then all those who watch our lives Will see Him on display. —Sper

Risk/Reward Situation

Joshua 1:9  "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

1 Corinthians 16:13  "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."


       Courage is a desire of all of us, but it can waver based on the situation at hand.  It is the act of follow through that turns a brave and bold talk into a courageous walk.  What binds the two together is trust alone.  With whom does your trust begin and end?  God said in Revelation 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." 
      "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear" — N. Mandela
      "Courage is about doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. Have the courage to act instead of react." — Oliver Wendell Holmes
       If you've been following my blog lately, then you know I am facing kidney stone surgery next month.  Will I be fearful, brave, and courageous?  Yes, to all.  My doctor told me that this is a risk/reward situation, meaning the reward outweighs the risks involved.  My reward is having the stone removed before it causes severe pain, blockage, infection and sepsis.  The risks are breathing complications, nerve damage, anesthesia problems, and just general surgery dangers.  My courage and strength comes from only one source, God's promise of "for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”  In my conscious life, I can falsely assume that I have some sort of control over what happens to me but this surgery will have me totally and physically surrendered.  I think God puts situations into our lives to remind us and reinforce that His authority over us is unwavering and totally in control.  God wants our total trust in Him, not ourselves or anyone else.  
         Do you realize that you yourself are in a risk/reward situation at this very moment?  The risk of following the world for a reward of temporary pleasure OR the risk of obeying God for a reward of eternal life?  Only you can choose, a faith that can move mountains or a worldly whim that changes with the wind.  God's Word never changes so the risk of following Him is a guaranteed win for those who see Him as The Way, The Truth and The Life.
        "A Christian should be fixed in the faith of the gospel, and never desert nor renounce it. It is by this faith alone that he will be able to keep his ground in an hour of temptation; it is by faith that we stand (2 Cor. 1:24); it is by this that we must overcome the world (1 John 5:4), both when it fawns and when it frowns, when it tempts and when it terrifies. We must stand therefore in the faith of the gospel, if we would maintain our integrity."[M. Henry]

4 Signs of Courage

1] Overcoming Fear Enough to Act
2] Faith Led Decision Making
3] Persevering in Adversity

4] Going Beyond What's Comfortable

   
Courage doesn't guarantee success, but faith always does.


Sure it takes a lot of courage to put things in God’s hands,
To give ourselves completely, our lives, our hopes, our plans;
To follow where He leads us and make His will our own;
But all it takes is foolishness to go the way alone! —Kline

Hope

Psalm 25:5  "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."

Psalm 33:20  "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield."

Psalm 42:5  "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

Psalm 71:14  "As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

Romans 12:12  "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Romans 15:13  "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."



         According to Wikipedia, Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's life.  According to the Bible, hope is a promise to believers that our bodies will be redeemed by the grace of God and given eternal life.
         Romans 8:23-25  "Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
         We can cling to hope as believers because we know that our hope is not limited to what happens in this life.  Hope makes our trials easier to bear, because we have won the victory over death through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:3-5  " Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
      We also have hope that our trial will work out and not call us Home yet.  We glorify God when He uses us as an example in suffering.  Hope is displayed in our prayers, in our service to the suffering, and in our trust of God's faithfulness.  "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
        Have you heard about the guy who was terminally ill, but still bought green bananas?  Why wouldn't he buy yellow bananas that are ready to eat without a wait?  Because, he still had hope in his heart that God would see him through a few more days to see them ripen.  As for myself, my green bananas are the Alan Jackson concert tickets for Jan. 20th that I'm going to buy soon.  I have hope that whether I see Alan or God in the coming days, it's going to be a great time.

When trouble seeks to rob your very breath, When tragedy hits hard and steals your days, Recall that Christ endured the sting of death; He gives us hope, and merits all our praise. —Gustafson


4 Ways To Help Yourself During a Trial [intouch.org]

1. Believe and trust God. Only by viewing life from a biblical perspective can we understand His purposes in our trials and trust His wisdom in allowing them.

2. Accept the situation as coming from the Lord. If we truly believe He’s working for our good, we can choose to receive each difficulty as from His loving hand, whether it was directly sent or permissively allowed. Then we can say “Thank You.”

3. Submit to God in the circumstance. Although we may not like the situation, knowing that God is good and does good allows us to confidently place our life under His authority. 

4. Draw from Him the strength to endure. No one has the ability within himself to endure hardships with gratefulness. Only by relying on the Lord can believers go through adversity with an appreciative heart.


Tenth Avenue North song w/lyrics  "I Have This Hope"   

Watch It

     How many times have we thought 'I wish I hadn't said that' but it's too late.  Once it is out there, it can't be retracted.  We often don't think before we speak.
     My friend went to a new doctor that was on-call and whatever he said was taken both harshly and rudely.  Her and her mother thought 'I can't believe he just said that.'  Are your words ever taken like that?
     Proverbs 18:21  ''The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.''  We can do both harm or good by what we say.  Our words can both condemn or intercede for another.  The power of the tongue should not be underestimated.
     Our tongue is a voluntary muscle so we can control it, if we want to.  James 3; 10  ''Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.''
   
     Here are 10 truths on taming your tongue......

1. And my tongue shall talk of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long. ~ Psalms 35:28
2. The mouth of the righteous talk of wisdom, And his tongue speaketh justice.
~ Psalms 37:30
3. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the daylong. ~ Psalms 71:24.
4. The tongue of the wise utters knowledge aright; but the mouths of fools pour out folly. ~ Proverbs 15:2
5. A gentle tongue is a tree of life; but perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit. ~ Proverbs 15:4
6. Whoso keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles. ~ Proverbs 21:23
7. By long forbearing is a ruler persuaded, And a soft tongue breaks the bone.
~ Proverbs 25:15
8. The north wind brings forth rain: So doth backbiting tongue an angry countenance. ~ Proverbs 25:23
9. Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile. ~ Psalms 34:13
10. Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. ~ Proverbs 18:21