WOW!!! 2012 is here.. Goals or resolutions... not sure I want to commit to either... So on K-Love today they suggested a monthly goal.. I think I can handle that much better... So what should my goals for January be???
1. Mail more cards of encouragement...
2. Stick to my food program for as many days in a row as best as I can.
3. More Bible Study (each day)... of some sort.. not just a reading, but an actual study that can be applied.. even if it is only one verse....
4. Get rid of some clutter...
5. BE POSITIVE... MAD (Make a Difference) each day... some how...
Ok, so here goes my first Bible Study (on my own) of the year... I read/listened to James 1-5 today... many verses jumped out to me, but James 3:9 spoke volumes...
James 3:9 (NIV)
with the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.
WHY do we do this? We know God is omnipotent, and worthy of all our praise... He knows everything, sees everything and we can never HIDE anything from HIM... GOD IS LOVE. We are commanded to love like God (Love our brethren, love our enemies, love our neighbors).. and yet we don't esp. when we talk about, call people names, or even think these names.. Why do I ignore HIS teachings.. this too, is from GOD.. Not that I really curse men, but if I am understanding this teaching: even calling the person a "Jerk" who just cut me off in traffic, calling the son-in-law an idiot when he does something "lame", calling my hubby a "dope" when he does something dumb... well you get my drift... Aren't these in essence the same thing as calling GOD the same thing.. Well, you see to me.. that is exactly what this verse said to me today... GOD created all of mankind in is own image.. Gen. 1:27... and so then, that just makes it even more real.. And no matter how trivial the name or how "joking" we may think it is... I don't want to have to stand before God and answer for this.. I am really a positive type person and rarely even think about calling people any kind of a name.. Now I think it will be even harder for me to call anyone a name.. Now, I don't even want you all to think I am perfect (Cause I am definitely not)... but if I even think of a calling someone a name, now it will be followed with a prayer asking for forgiveness... (I was always told as a kid, if you can't say something "nice", don't say anything at all.... and for the most part I try to follow that advice...)
I do know though, that even if I slip up and call someone a name, that I can ask for forgiveness..
So I am going to end with this prayer:
Father God,
I know that YOU would want me to change this behavior no matter whether it is one time or has been many times... I need to look at everyone with fresh new eyes and realize that "They are the same as you"... and even if they are making a bad choice... I should try to strive to be better in my own thoughts and in what I say out loud... You God are Holy, Worthy, Perfect and I should strive to be more like you... and I also ask you to forgive me the times I have failed and help me to change this behavior...
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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