Are you one of those…

overcome

 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7

In all that we fall short in and all that we achieve Christ knows that a certain amount of us will overcome.

In his message to the seven churches he says exactly that. He states what will be given to those who overcome. He does not say “if” we overcome, but he uses the words “to him that overcometh” or “he that overcometh”.

There are issues and accomplishments within each church that Christ speaks to and he tells them in plain language what they are doing and where they have deceived themselves into believing that there status has made them whole or held them back from the completeness that is desired through Christ.

Though their actions are known and revealed Christ gives them instructions on how to receive what is to come by being overcomers. He promises something to all who are able to overcome.

If you are doing the good you know to do and it aligns with the righteousness of God continue along the path. Christ is willing to teach and guide you; he will place the right resources on your path and in your hand to help you along the way. Listen for God’s voice so that you will not be deceived or forget his righteousness and live in contradiction.

If you have never lived a life reconciled to God through Christ you should consider your options. Consider living a life that offers eternal life and a way to make it through everything you face here on earth rather than living a life feeling like something is missing and never finding it. Living a life reconciled to God will allow you to take on life differently. You will see your successes and obstacles through new eyes.

What if you are one of those who Christ speaks of? You, the one who overcame until the end; how can this happen if you never choose to live a reconciled life or if you being reconciled to God fall into a lukewarm state of being and never push yourself to change. Smash the deception trap and stop giving the Devil the advantage over your life. He already has an outlined goal to derail and destroy you don’t help him succeed, but pay attention to what is taking place in your life every day so that you can eat from the tree of life. You got this!

Inspiration Scripture, Revelation 2 and 3 

What Is That Smell?

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not so to be. James 3:10

There is power in the tongue that can bring about life or death and growth or decay. That power can cause healing and encouragement in one’s own life and that of others, or it will allow things such as: sickness, disease, depression, death, hatred, and stagnation to live freely.

We like our words because they can actually satisfy us as though we had a five course meal, but at whose expense. We should not fill like we have gained or been lifted up in some way if another person’s livelihood has been compressed. (Proverbs 26:28) When our mouths open and words exit or when we send a written message out we have the choice to decide what is formed.

Have you ever opened a trash can and the smell of perishing food and the mixture of everything else a trashcan holds hits you right in the face? This is the same fragrance ours words produce when we are not speaking life. We can stink, and God can smell us. If we were able to take in the scent as God can we would be more aware of the responses we have while communicating. Walking around smelling like the amount of life or death that is in our tongues would either cause a smile or sicken us. However, the reality is that the aroma is not actually there to us so we need to make an effort to be aware of the thoughts, actions, and reactions we have to all the information we process. It is not because we sometimes hear garbage with our ears. It is because we receive it with our minds that it becomes a part of us, and could possibly roll off our tongues as garbage for someone else to hear.

Don’t live on repeat if the message you have is deadly. Press shuffle and wait for something good to enter your thoughts then resume to play. With a strategy like this we can begin to overcome the thoughts in our minds that cause us to distribute such an awful scent. Taming the tongue will take practice and it may not be the easiest thing if negative words, lying, deceit, and gossiping have been instilled in us. We will also need to be committed to a new way of thinking and responding for the change to transpire.

Is putting the foot of your tongue on someone else’s life really worth the hole you leave in your own spirit? No it isn’t, that leaves two lives injured. Challenge yourself and practice saying good things to others. Before death can flow from the tongue it has to develop in the mind. Stop and think, and work to lift others in your speech instead of tearing them down. Remember only you hold the power over your own tongue.  Smell good today. 

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is breach in the spirit. Proverbs 15:4