Psalm of the Week - 52:2, 4 - June 8, 2015

At the grocery store, I was unloading groceries onto the conveyor belt. There was a couple behind me, but I wasn't paying much attention; until I heard the woman say the following words,

"Stop IT! You KNOW I don't like that! You are such a GIRL!" 

I turned slightly and saw the man lowering his arm and open palm from behind the base of her neck. I didn't really see what caused her to say those razor-edged words, but the tone of her voice was sharp and hurtful. The man continued lowering his arm and hand to his side and his chin dropped toward his chest. I continued putting groceries onto the conveyor belt. After a brief pause, the woman said to the man,

"I bet I couldn't even give you away!" 

Wow, oh wow! I was shocked and stunned by those harmful words, used like a sharpened razor.

I silently began to pray for the man and woman. I continue to pray for them. What would make a person say such words to another human being? I do not know. I do not know the circumstances that led to the anger-filled words, but I do know that the words will cause the destruction of their relationship. 

Self-esteem is fragile and can be broken with razor-edged words. 
Seeking to feel powerful by hurting others is how God's enemy wants you to be. Do not let your words lead you away from God, instead of toward God. 

Verse of the Week - Proverbs15:4 - June 8, 2015

Different translations of the Bible will vary slightly. After checking the Hebrew text analysis at biblehub.com, I found the King James Bible translated the original Hebrew text the closest. 

NOTE: I am not an expert. I am depending upon the experts who wrote the resources that I use.

I like to look up words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary to make sure I understand them correctly. The word "perverseness" means:

1. to be corrupt, or to turn from what is good
2. to be obstinate, stubborn, or cranky. 
3. to be perverted. 

I don't know about you, but meaning two was a little shocking. Personally, I have never connected being obstinate, stubborn, or cranky  with being corrupt and perverted. Have you? 

To be honest, I am somewhat stubborn, obstinate, and occasionally cranky. I have always categorized these as "character traits", not as "turning from what is good, or corrupt. Seriously, I am a little stunned to learn that being stubborn, obstinate, and cranky can cause a "breach in the spirit". 

Wesley's Notes for the verse says,

... A breach - Disturbs and wounds the spirits, both of the speaker and hearers.

The words we speak have an effect upon ourselves and those who hear what we speak. Today, I include what we post online as speaking, too. Jesus  told us to watch what we speak when he said:
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." 
Matthew 7:12 NIV

Battle Prayer

Though the world continues to grow dark,

Lighted lamps of faith will continue to shine.

Lifted high by saints, who will embark

On the joyous journey defined by Jesus Christ.

The faithful are fighting a spiritual battle.

Praying for persecuted, unknown saints,

Using the sword of the Spirit to rattle

The cage of our fallen foe.

Holding my shield of faith high,

Unwavering prayer continues to flow,

From the Spirit to my Savior beyond the sky

An armored prayer warrior continuing to grow.

©2014 Sallee Bonham

Psalm of the Week - 39:1 - June 1, 2015

 Psalm 39:1 NIV actually says: "I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked."

I am a woman who repairs things with duct tape.

 I have been known to duct tape a skirt or pant leg hem, until I had time to hem it, weeks later. Seriously, I gave my dad a piece of duct tape to cap off two wire ends while we were traveling to Sturgis, S.D. on our motorcycles. Doesn't everyone carry duct tape with them? 

Consequently, I know I would use duct tape to muzzle my mouth in the presence of the wicked - not literally, but figuratively.Visualizing myself with a piece of duct tape over my mouth has helped me keep my mouth shut more than once. Nevertheless, this is not the only method I use to keep quiet. 

Staying sin free is important to me and learning to keep my mouth muzzled has required Jesus' help. I cannot do this by myself. I know that he has heard my plea,"Lord, help me!" on more than one occasion,  because my mouth stayed closed and no one heard a word. 

Memorizing and studying scripture helps me to "stop up or block off" my mouth. 

The scriptures appear in my brain when I find myself wanting to tell another human being how unacceptable I find their actions, or behaviors. Just thinking about the scripture helps me to "watch my ways." 

Sallee's Bible Discovery

The King James Version Bible uses the word "bridle" in place of muzzle. Curiosity about which word should be used - bridle or muzzle, caused me to look up the original Hebrew verse. 

The Hebrew word is machsom. Machsom has its origin from the root Hebrew word chasam. Chasam means to stop up, or block off, or muzzle. 

Verse of the Week - James 3:5 - June 1, 2015

The point of this 1970's  commercial is all it takes to start a wild fire is one match. One burning match, held in a human hand, and dropped onto the ground can start a wildfire. An out-of-control wildfire that can burn thousands of acres. Now let's take this point and compare it to James 3:5 AKJV,

"Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindles!" James 3:5 AKJV

My analogy is:
one match held in a human hand is to a wild fire as one tongue controlling a human hand is to a viral discussion

A Viral Discussion
It all starts with one small body part, the tongue,  and the tongue controls what the finger tips write as written speech. The tongue can't go online by itself,  but the tongue is connected to fingers that put written speech, from the tongue, online.

How many times have you seen a friendly, online discussion blowup into a feud when one person - one tongue, or one burning match - makes the decision to enter the conversation - typing hand, or hands - and tell why they have a different point of view - adding typed words, or drop the burning match? 

IF no one responds to the typed words,or dropped burning match, the conversation will usually proceed onto something else i.e. it is ended, or burnt out.

HOWEVER, many times the conversation is not ended. Someone will add more words - burning match catches fire to grass - and someone else will add more words - fire reaches the forest - until the entire conversation is burning everyone up - a wildfire is out-of-control. 

In conclusion, one small part of the body, the tongue can start a viral discussion that explodes across social media in a few hours,if we participate in it. 

The Apostle James is warning us that we need to watch what we say. We do not need to start a huge issue over a little thing. Interestingly enough, the original Greek word that James used for great is "megala". 

"Megala" makes me think of something very large, exceedingly big, or HUGE. 

So, do not start a mega fire, the next time you are part of a social media discussion.