“Our Daily Bread”   

http://odb.org/2012/09/06/tuning-in/

The Daily Devotions of Greg Laurie                                  

http://www.harvest.org/devotional/daily-devotions/home.ht

James 1:19-20…  So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; ²⁰ for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  (NKJV)

I pray before my quiet time reading; asking for wisdom to understand what God is trying to teach me through His Word… James 1:5-6… Today He pointed out a major flaw in my character…

I just wrote yesterday about the awesome power of the Holy Spirit (not our own strength), that would allow someone to scream in your face, and yet still give you the ability to look them in the eye and tell them that you still love them…

This is something that Jesus Himself told us that we should do, if we are Christians, in…Matthew 43-44… I am living proof that this is not possible without being totally controlled by (filled with) the Holy Spirit… My own flesh would yell back in the blink of an eye, in response to someone screaming in my face…

This is where the opening scripture fits into today’s writing…  God’s Word is living and powerful…  Where did I get this statement from ??  Hebrews 4:12…  For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.  (NKJV)

When I read the opening scripture this morning, I was reminded by the Holy Spirit, just how bad I am at really listening to someone speaking to me…  I just can’t wait to put in my 2 cents; and many times I rudely cut off the person trying to make a point… I have heard this complaint more than once from my family and friends… I guess it has been going in one ear and out the other…

All of us, no matter hard we try, are going to have our own little quirks or problems that we have to work out…  The important thing is that we do our best to listen to those around us trying to help us, when they see something in us that needs improvement… Christians should welcome help from those around them who see something that God would frown upon… I for one, going forward…am going to try my best to listen first, and respond last…

I believe the secret to being successful in battling our own problems, is to “think Jesus”, as I call it…  What would Jesus say or do under the same circumstances we find ourselves in… And then there is the wise instruction that the apostle Paul gives us about the words we speak, in…Ephesians 4:29… Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  (NKJV)

Is any of this easy ??  Heck no !!  But if we as Christians do our best to stay Spirit filled by confessing and turning from our sins (1 John 1:9); the Holy Spirit will do His part to help keep us walking with the Lord… We just have to put aside our pride, and listen to Him…

Heavenly Father, I am ever so thankful for the scripture You used this morning to remind me of my flaws…  I pray Lord, that You will kick me in the butt the next time I cut off someone trying to speak to me… I pray Lord, that all of Your children can use my mistakes to help them in their daily walk with You… Urge all of Your children Lord, to speak words that will “impart grace to the hearers”… I pray for this ability for all of us to impart grace to those around us…in Jesus’ most precious name and for His sake…Amen…

written by bruce r mills