Tongue's of Fire!

What is it about the Holy Spirit and the Tongue?  Why is it that he takes over your speech when he comes in making tongues the immediate, visible indication of his infilling? Well, Proverbs 18:21 and James 3:1-12 explain things to us.

First of all, the power of life and death is in the tongue.  You eat the fruit of your tongue in this life.  Secondly, James goes into a whole discourse on the tongue.  He says that the tongue is on fire. Before we are redeemed, our tongue is lit on fire by hell.  You have to understand this, the tongue is always on fire.  The question is, which fire lights up your tongue?  

The description of the unredeemed tongue given by James in vs 6-8 is as follows:

a) It is a world of wickedness

b) It contaminates and depraves the whole body

c) It is lit up by hell and then goes on to set your whole body on fire with the same hellish flame

d) It is a restless, undisciplined and irreconcilable evil.

e) It is full of deadly poison

That said, I couldn't help but notice that James compares the tongue to the radar of a ship.  The radar sets the direction of the ship even against strong winds.  In the same way, your tongue sets the direction of your life, regardless of what you face in life.  That tells me that whatever force controls your tongue, controls and leads your life in the direction that it needs you to go. Another comparison made by James is that of a bit in a horses mouth.  Using the bit, one is able to make the horse go wherever they want.  The bit, controls the direction of the horse.  In the same way, your tongue controls the direction of your life, whether this way or that.  And the force controlling your tongue, is the force that is directing your life.

That said, the horror of having a tongue lit by the fires of hell is quite vivid.  It means that hell or the devil, controls the direction your life takes.  In this case, you are making your way to death at a steady and quick pace.  It is therefore no wonder that when the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost he manifested himself as tongues of fire and then went on to take control of the tongue by causing the 120 saints in the upper room to speak in tongues.  In my own personal opinion, the fire of God touched them, setting their tongues aflame with the fire of heaven.  They now had a new controlling force.  The Holy Spirit of God, who could turn the bit or radar in the direction of heaven.  Their lives were turned around so that now instead of walking towards death, they could walk towards life.

The call of Isaiah in Chapter 6 is very interesting to me.  The moment he sees the vision of the Lord he realizes what a mess he is.  He is immediately concerned with his filth but specifically he draws attention to his speech.  He says "...I have filthy lips, and I live among people with filthy lips..."  He realizes that his tongue is off.  Funny enough, the cure for his corrupt speech is a coal of fire from the altar of the Lord.  Once his mouth is touched with that Holy fire he is not just cleansed from his filth, but his tongue, his control point, is lit with a new fire.  God's own holy fire!  Next he is commissioned with the following words "...go and say to this people..."  Once the fire of God has touched his lips he can now speak life giving words.  (The correction of God, even when it seems harsh, is always life giving).

The reason the Holy Spirit takes over the tongue first, is to put out the strange fire from the enemies camp and light it with fire from God's Holy altar.  With your tongue now lit with Holy fire, your life can fully be under the control of the Holy Ghost who can then lead you in the ways of the Lord and in the path of righteousness.  What then can we say?  Sweet Holy Spirit, I give you my tongue, my control point.  Kill the strange fire of the enemy, and light my tongue with Holy fire from the altar of the Lord.  Take my life and turn it this way and that so that I am walking the path of righteousness at all times.  Thank you for redemption and for taking me over in Jesus Holy and Mighty name I pray, Amen!!

Holy Spirit: Fill Me Once More!

As part of my back to the basics search of truth I was led to the Holy Spirit all over again.  When I was first born again and Spirit filled the Holy Spirit was so real to me.  He was my constant companion.  He spoke to me and made me laugh out loud all by myself.  He told me what to do and how to go about my life.  He was closer and more real to me than a flesh and blood person.  Somehow, I lost sight of him along the way and even though I knew he existed, he ceased to be as real as all that.  I have never regained that initial relationship.  Somehow, I know that is how things ought to be.  

This morning I was brooding over the changes I need to make in my life and was looking keenly at areas in my life that could improve.  Of the four major areas I listed, the last one was  my relationship with the Holy Spirit.  The moment I wrote that down, a light bulb went on inside me.  I realized that if I could get that part sorted first, then the rest of it would fall into place.  I immediately went on a study of the Holy Ghost to find out what God was trying to tell me.  Here is what I found out:

a) First, The Holy Spirit is our Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener and Standby.  We need him in order to accurately navigate the path of righteousness that God has set out for us as much as we need oxygen to live.  Without him, we cannot make it.

b) When we are baptized in the Holy Ghost not only does he come into us, but he completely diffuses into our our whole being (Acts 2:4), spirit, soul (Rom 9:1) and body (1 Cor 6:19).  So much so that we cease to be our own and we become fully his.  Additionally, we are baptized into him, as in we are placed inside him and introduced into the person of the Holy Spirit.  We become one with the Holy Spirit of God and therefore one with God.  This is a profound mystery.

c) Once we are baptized in him and he is in us, he then takes us over.  We are now full of the Holy Ghost, are led by him, take our instruction from him, directed and controlled by him.  Our assignment comes from him.  He is the one who calls us apart for the work that he has for us to accomplish here on earth (Acts 13:2-4). He also directs our speech.

I realized specifically that there seemed to be a direct link between the in-filling of the Holy Ghost and speech. First in the sign of speaking in tongues, which is a direct and immediate manifestation of the in-filling, and then in regular speech.  In the book of Acts I found several statements that read as follows:

"...Peter, because he was filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit said..." Acts 4:8

The same was said of Paul who discerned by the Holy Spirit the intents of Elymas' heart and being filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit he spoke...  

I began to meditate on that link between the Holy Spirit and the tongue.  Why is it, that the first thing the Spirit of God seems to take over is the tongue?  The study continues...

He Will Keep You From Falling In a Trap

I have always been a cautious person.  Especially in matters of the heart.  It takes me a long time to allow myself to fully love someone.  That has been my defense in many ways because I have not really ever been hurt by a guy.  By the time we break up, I still haven't let myself love you like that.  I have also never been the person who goes out and gets stinking drunk.  Even when I use to put away the liqueur I would get just tipsy enough to be happy go lucky without being stupid.

Lately God has been encouraging me to be more daring or to let myself go a little and just love on people.  This, especially if it is related to guys, makes me think "No Way."  However, he said something that made me feel a lot better. God will never let one of his own be caught in the net of the wicked or fall into a pit that they have dug.  Ours is to keep an eye on Jesus and follow the commands that he gives us.  There is no need to be afraid of living life for fear of making mistakes.  God will watch over you and make sure that you are safe.

Ps 121 is one of my favorite psalms.  It says that God watches over me and he neither slumbers nor sleeps.  He is a guard for my soul.  Ps 139 says that he goes before me and comes behind me.  He goes out before me to find a place for me to rest and still keeps a rear guard on me.  He literally has my back.  Do you know that in the time that Israel wandered in the desert the angel of the Lord would go before them to identify a place for them to pitch camp?  He can do the same thing for you and if you are like me, you can trust him to guide your desires, choices and more.

The Virgin Monologues Part III

Often I get this question: "What if you get married after waiting all this time only to find that your husband is a lousy lay?"  Huh?  How will I know the difference? I have no one to compare him to.  The only reason you are able to tell if someone is a lousy lay is because you have someone to compare them to.  Don't you see the wisdom of God in asking us to wait?  My husband will never have to worry about being compared with any other man because he will be the only man.  He never has to wonder if he is doing it better than the last guy.  

Then there are those who insist that experience is necessary in order to have great sex in marriage.  I beg to differ!  This thing is not copy and paste!  Just because Mary liked it a certain way does not mean I will.  Come on People!!  Let this be an adventure into uncharted waters.  When the time comes, my hubby and I will be learning each other.  He will be discovering what I like and I will be discovering what he likes.  Its an adventure.  A discovery of new sensations and feel good nerves.  An explosion of pleasure.  I want to savor that in marriage with my husband.

I have always said that on my part, it is not necessary for my husband to be a virgin.  If he is, which would be the ideal situation, then that would be awesome!  However, I know that God forgives sin and if the man he brings my way has repented and is forgiven, who I'm I to hold it against him?  When I say that, I usually get this comment from Christians "You will have shortchanged yourself!"  In their minds, if I have waited then I had better get someone who is waiting too.  I don't think so.  I think where God is concerned, mercy triumphs over judgment.  I think that God in his wisdom pairs us up with the people we need in this life to fulfill his purposes.  At least if your life is submitted to him.  In that case, if he wishes to extend grace to a wonderful man, a sinner saved by grace, by giving him a virgin wife regardless of his past, so be it!  I'm game!

The one thing you have to understand about me is that I am doing what God tells me to do.  I am his.  My life is submitted to him.  I want what he wants and nothing more.  He is an awesome God!!!

The Virgin Monologues: Part II

Many people look at me and wonder what I gain by waiting to have sex when I get married verses gratifying the desires of my flesh.  I can only say that the benefits of the wait are multiple and significant to me.  

• First, I know that it pleases God for me to stay sexually pure.  My number one priority in life is to please God in all I do. This is the greatest benefit for me.
• I do not have to go into a panic every time my period is late.  There is nothing worse than the panic that sets in at the thought of being pregnant outside of marriage for most women.  Why go through all that drama?
• I do not have to worry about birth control and the hustle that comes with that.  For some it's the pill they can never remember to take daily, for others it's the shot that made them balloon to twice their original size, for others it's convincing the guy to just put on the darn condom... what?  Too much drama!
• I do not have to worry about sexually transmitted diseases.  What bliss!!
• Then there is the emotional trauma of sleeping with a guy who you are in love with only to find out that his goal the whole time he was being so romantic and wonderful was to "hit it!"  How now?
• After going through the "love and dump" cycle several times, the bitterness sets in.  Women get so jaded that they come to the conclusion that all men are lying, cheating dogs and there are no good men out there.  Do I really want to become that woman? NO!
• Before long she starts sleeping with men just to scratch the itch.  Sex is brought down from God's ultimate expression of love and affection between a man and his wife to... nothing.  This was not God's plan.  He wanted sex to be enjoyed within marriage and held in honor.

These are just but a few of my reasons to wait and honestly, when I look at the world we are living in today I get more reasons everyday.