136/365: Be Real and Speak Life

..Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. Ephesians 5: 4

You can live full throttle and still keep it clean.

Choose your words and behavior wisely. People are watching to see if you are authentic.

You can choose to be known as a man of God by the way you speak, behave, and attend to others. Show God's grace through the way you live.

GO DEEPER: Romans 12: 1-2

NEXT STEP: The words of our mouth come from the meditation of our heart. If your words aren't matching who God is calling you to be, pray about your heart's meditations... what is it's focus?

craig i

on 05/22/2023 at 04:46 PM

i am doing better but, i still struggle with this one. Trying to overcome 40 years of a bad habit.

Ethan Rogers

on 05/17/2023 at 04:21 AM

Tommy Williamson is right. That's how I feel. thank you

on 05/16/2023 at 09:09 PM

I think everyone is struggling with this verse in the because of our corrupt body we tend to sin More than to do a that is pleasing to the Lord. this is why it's a battle between flesh and spirit in men that focused on being faithful to God but due to our corruption we aren't always perfect and this why we need God to give us strength to overcome and keep on fighting. We need to pray to God so that he can help us transform into the person he wants us to be.

Nightrain48

on 05/16/2023 at 07:59 PM

I too struggle with this daily. I’m a food clerk at a grocery store and sometimes make jokes about chicken thigh and chicken breast by saying “ look at the breast’s of that chick” to other customers that have become friends. I need to guard my tongue and become more obedient to Christ.

Chris C

on 05/16/2023 at 03:56 PM

Thank you brothers, for all your posts. Our spiritual journey is not easy, but supporting each other through sharing and faith helps so much. I thank God for each of you! All praise to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior! 🙏

Matthew 5:48

on 05/16/2023 at 03:27 PM

Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. I will never be perfect until I am with Him eternally. My Goal, however, is to be perfect as He Is. No excuses; it's the gentiles' fault. Own up, confess, ask for forgiveness, move on and do better. Again and Again. God loves you, Jesus never cursed or gave up, all the way to the cross and beyond.

Brandon Pembleton

on 05/16/2023 at 02:45 PM

It’s kind of wild how much my cursing and foul language diminished and not by an attempt to actively make it diminish. It was a by product of cleaning the internal thoughts and growing closer to God instead of resentment towards him and the world. I still use inappropriate language as I’m human and far from perfect but I am a long ways from where i once was. And my joking around tends to steer clear of making fun of others. I’m fair game and honestly telling a story about my own experiences with humor and the cringe of looking at one’s former self (cringe is a good sign you’ve grown beyond that older version) does make for some funny stories. Thank you God for the guidance of your word and the little spiritual nuggets you sprinkle into the days. I see your constant work and I am so grateful for your grace. I love you God amen 🙏

Matthew Brown

on 05/16/2023 at 02:44 PM

Even before becoming a Christian I never used profanity or told crude jokes much. I guess it was the way I was raised. I did however swear when I was angry or in a hostile situation. I heard recently that using profanity is our human way of trying to make our speech or ourselves seem more powerful and that makes a lot of sense. The times I used profanity the most was in an argument with my wife, tense situations where I felt in danger and times where I was trying to fit in or impress guys that I worked with. As followers of Christ we don’t need that false power in our speech, the Holy Spirit gives us power and that is far more effective than four letter words. I am by no means a clean cut perfect looking or acting Christian but I choose to remove profanity and inappropriate talk or jokes from my language, instead I have learned to be real by not hiding my faults such as my past struggles with lust, pornography and masturbation and being honest, open and transparent about the way I have treated my wife using anger and about abuse I suffered in my childhood. Through that my life has real power to help others in those same struggles and to let others know that it doesn’t take perfection to follow Christ

Ashley Jarvis

on 05/16/2023 at 02:36 PM

This is one of the hardest character defects I’ve had to work on. To me, cussing serves as a reminder just how many times throughout my day I’m unaware of the words leaving my mouth still. Sermon Sunday was on how important our choice of words is to our spiritual health. We have all kind of thoughts, but until we speak them, they are just thoughts. Once we speak them, we begin to believe them, and that’s when they begin working their way into our beliefs and determining who we believe we are. Am I a Christian, or a “cussing” Christian? Was Jesus a “cusser”? If I’m honest with myself, it takes far more effort, and intelligence, to articulate the same thoughts and feelings without swearing. Between the military, my upbringing, and circles of friends, I have very few places in my life where swearing isn’t normal. Being spiritually clean doesn’t mean I wash every area of my life, except my mouth. It means I seek to clean it all, every part. It also means that when I do, those closest to me will notice the most. My kids, my family, my friends. I say I want to be like Jesus, I better start talking like Him too 🙏🏻

Tim Debronsky

on 05/16/2023 at 02:33 PM

I agree B Nobles we must be self aware and choose our words wisely because our words are so powerful. I don’t swear as much as I used to but still do especially when I’m angry. Still a work in progress. I need to be a better representative of Christ.

b nobles

on 05/16/2023 at 02:21 PM

We all have weaknesses…that is why we need the Lord ti help us overcome them. I don’t cuss often but when I do, my family knows that I am serious or mad. It gets my point across very sternly! The words we use are like daggers and we must use them wisely…they build up or they tear down but we must know when to say the right thing in every situation.

Boyce Moses

on 05/16/2023 at 02:21 PM

We all need to remember we are representing Christ, and many are hoping we will mess up so they can ridicule us, and Christ. I’m by no means perfect, but make a concerted effort to be a good example of a Christian. Love you Jesus! 🧡🤎💚💛

Jeff Arnold

on 05/16/2023 at 01:42 PM

Unfortunately including myself we all struggle with letting things out. Doing things that are not very Christ like. Everything and every day is a struggle also a choice we must make. But we are so accustomed because we are also human. Live in a fallen world that has lowered its standards and accountability to our God. It’s far easier to settle know because everyone is doing it. Our children have learned from their parents examples. Young children of elementary school age cuss like sailor’s used to be said to do. Because it is normal, it’s part of normal speech. Hopefully my self included that we not just let it fly and choose to stop and think before it comes out. With God’s help we can do this and must do it to prove God’s people are different. But again we are human and not perfect”YET”. God Bless and help us all every minute of every day. Have a wonderful day brothers!!!

Whiteeagle

on 05/16/2023 at 01:17 PM

Thanks Scott, I’m in situations as a Trucker where cursing is normal. It does rub off. I try to see myself as human too w character traits and flaws as a Christian. It’s a hard line to walk sometimes and I believe God can use all situations for His good purposes. I try to watch what I say but not beat myself up.

Steven

on 05/16/2023 at 01:15 PM

I have had several conversations with Christian friends about swear words. It's usually a lively topic. As an follower of Christ to the world, I believe we should not use "coarse joking and foolish talk." When I started following Jesus I gave up rude talk about others, put-downs, and gossip. I don't use my words against others. I have used swear words to make a point. I have helped some friends through incredibly tough challenges and naming a situation with a swear word has often helped the other guy know I see and understand that his life really stinks. "Really stinks" just doesn't seem to cut it when your wife is dying or you don't know if your newborn will survive heart surgery. I might be wrong but I never use swear words loosely or against another person.

Robert McFaddin

on 05/16/2023 at 12:41 PM

Stand out. Be different. Seek to be like Christ. Did Jesus use profanity? I seriously doubt it. The Bible says to let no unwholesome speech come out of our mouths (“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29). When I am angry I try really hard to not let a cuss word leave my mouth. It ain’t easy! It sometimes comes out and I have to apologize to the Lord and sometimes my wife bc sometimes it’s when she and I are arguing. I don’t want to be like the world. I want to be like Jesus.

Scott Beebe

on 05/16/2023 at 12:37 PM

Thank you Michael! I consider myself a warrior/eternal warrior for Christ, and that means I can be a little rough on the edge. I don’t deliberately take advantage of Jesus’s grace, but I slip up at times. I have a prison ministry I lead almost every Sunday, and the men need to see transparency and realness, not someone who is trying to be someone besides himself. I am not condoning profanity, but I do have character defects that need assistance by the Holy Ghost daily.

michael f vinning

on 05/16/2023 at 12:27 PM

I have never , no matter how close to God I was at the time, been able nor cared much about not cursing! The sexual stuff all went away upon conversion and I thank God for that but my dad and 2 brothers all worked offshore oil industry so I was surrounded by cursing so it rubbed off-I don’t curse at work or in public on purpose but I think the world needs to see authenticity in Christian’s lives and that occasionally includes cursing when appropriate!

Tommy Williamson

on 05/16/2023 at 12:22 PM

When we call ourselves Christian are lives go under the proverbial microscope. Very word and action is examined by everyone that we encounter, even other Christians. If they hear hear profanities in our speech, or see us stand around listening or even telling off color jokes, make crude jokes about a woman as she walks by they say will he is no different than anybody else and we loose our spiritual influence on them. Let us each ask the Lord to help us today with what we say, listen to, and what we do so that others will see God in everything we do and say.

Scott Beebe

on 05/16/2023 at 12:04 PM

There was a period in time where I left out profanity completely, but there are times now that I occasionally catch myself using it. The military and my past life was full of it. Today, if it happens I pray for the forgiveness of it, but I don’t beat myself up. I gave up trying to be perfect, it’s to much of a burden to carry. I tell people that Christianity isn’t always Ned Flanders from the Simpsons, but it’s made up of men and women who struggle being human.

Tommy Williamson

on 05/16/2023 at 12:03 PM

Every word we say and every action that we do is heard and/or observed by those around us. If our actions and voice can not be distinguished from that of others then we need to search our life and ask the Lord to help us make the changes we need to make in our life . If we walk through life talk like every other nonbeliever with profanity interlacing our speech, telling and listening to off color jokes, make sexual comments about a female or other such things how are people supposed to know that we are any different from them. We much set our words and deeds above things such as that.

Michael Myers

on 05/16/2023 at 11:40 AM

Boy, do I struggle with this one! It’s hard sometimes to stop, and think, before saying things I wish I’d never said. God, help me to be wise in what I say and the way I act, that I would remember to be a positive influence to others. Help me to be an ambassador for you and to others in my daily walk, that I would be patient and slow to speak so that others would see You in the way I behave, and speak, Amen. God Bless you all my brothers, may you have blessed day!

136/365: Be Real and Speak Life

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