If I am a true friend, I will point out the good in my friends and I will stop the conversations that are harmful.  I will not repeat what has been told to me.  Our mouths are not supposed to be used to bring division, but to promote love.  If someone speaks out of their frustration or hurt, we should recognize the pain and realize they just don’t know how to handle this yet.  We should then promote love by dropping the matter.  We should tell them, “I know you are upset right now and I am not going to repeat this.  If you still feel this way tomorrow, you should go and talk to them.”

In other cases, the person is not even upset; they are just a gossip or slanderer trying to be funny.  Sometimes they succeed.  Sometimes we laugh for the moment, and then later we feel guilty. This guilt may lead us to report the matter to the one who was talked about rather than repent to the person with whom we had the negative conversation.  Here is the question, “Is this something I should repeat or something I need to repent of?”  Aubrey Emerson told our church she never heard her mother repeat a negative thing any of her siblings may have said about the other.  She said her mom always went out of her way to tell them the positive things the others said.  What a great standard to apply in our lives!

He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.  Proverbs 17:9

Here are two good bench marks for learning how to talk:

1.  Does this promote love between people?

2.  Does this build friendship or destroy friendship?

 Our tongues have the power of life and death.

When an insult or attack is spoken, the “Oh yeah…” is ready to respond in kind. I don’t just want to give an equal and appropriate response; I am ready to carpet bomb the person’s life.  It feels like a volcano ready to erupt. The more I hear, the more I want to respond in the same spirit.

This happens many times in our homes when a person makes an inappropriate comment or attack. It may take place through the course of the day or, even worse, in a disagreement. The truth is some do this in anger and others do it when their point is weak but they still want to win. When insulted, the response of the flesh is to attack back.

Here is a key place we need to learn how to talk. How do we respond to the insult? Let’s look at what the Word says our response should be.

1 Peter 3:8–13
“Finally all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 10 For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.11 He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil. 13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?”

The Christ follower walks in humility and love that allows him to receive the insult without being insulted.  It is recognition in our spirit that the other person does not know how to talk. They are mad, frustrated, hurt, prejudice or fearful and they speak out of this pain.  Instead of adding to their pain, we speak healing to them. We bless them. This is not a matter of “giving in” to them, it is a matter of being able to say, “I certainly don’t feel that way about you, but in this matter we are discussing, this is how I feel.”

Two quick promises for those who return blessing for insult rather than insult for insult:

1. You will inherit blessing from God. Many times the relationship gets healed instead of damaged.

2. God is attentive to your prayers. When you bless those who insult you, God sits up and takes notice.

These two thoughts certainly make this worth the effort.

Blessings

God is pleased when we put our faith in Him. What does your prayer life say about your faith in Him? We warn our children to “be careful.” We encourage them “pick the right friends.” We challenge them to “make good choices.” We cheer for them and say, “God has a plan for your life.” Do we pray? Do we pray, “God protect them, God guide them, God reveal to them”?

Do we believe prayer makes a difference? I do! I believe prayer brings me squarely into the natural law of the spiritual kingdom of God. I believe prayer binds the power of the enemy, silences his voice, and reveals his lies. I believe prayer invites God right into the middle of my life, my decisions, my concerns, and my desires. I believe that in prayer I am healed from the wounds and lusts of this world and made into the creature God intends me to be. I believe I walk in blessing today because of other people’s prayers and because of my own. I believe God has given me strength in times of trouble because I have called on Him, and others have called on Him on my behalf. I believe that because of prayer, my life is different today than what it would have been without prayer.

The future of our homes, our church, and our country will be impacted by our willingness, or lack thereof, to pray. Let us believe God. Let us lift our voices. Let us take the time to cry out to God and listen to Him. Let us set a goal to live by the rules of God’s Kingdom and ask God to move on our behalf. If we do this, God will move.

May 23 – 26 Believing for a Blessing is all about us following the call of God to intercede for those things that please Him. With God, nothing is impossible.

If you have had a breakthrough or victory this year, please, send us your testimony.  It will encourage others. If yours is yet to come, don’t give up. We all have a present work in Christ to do that can only be done through His power. HAVE FAITH AND PRAY. Prayer brings God’s power into our circumstances. From May 23 through May 26, we are asking you to join us in a unified time of prayer and fasting. As we approach that time, let your faith be built as we BELIEVE FOR BLESSING.