THE MIGHTY TONGUE (7)
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Words can't be taken back
a) Jacob stood before his nearly blind father, Isaac, pretending to be his brother, Esau. Although Isaac's eyesight was dim, his intellect was not. He questioned, "Esau, is that really you?" "Yes. Father; it's me," Jacob lied.
b) Isaac wasn't convinced, so he called his son closer to him. Only when he smelled Esau's clothes that Jacob was wearing was he finally convinced. He then gave Jacob the blessing that really belonged to his older brother. He said something like this: "May you always have an abundance of grain and abundance of wine. May nations bow low before you and people always serve you. May you be the lord over you brothers. May anyone that curses you be cursed, and anyone that blesses you be blessed." Notice, in Isaac's blessing he declared great things concerning Jacob's future, and a study of history will show that those things came to pass.
c) On the other hand, shortly after Jacob left the room, Esau came in. He said, "Dad, sit up; I've got the meal I've prepared for you." Now Isaac was confused. He said, "Who are you?"
d) "Dad, I'm Esau, your firstborn son." At that point, the Bible records that Isaac began to shake violently. He realized that he had been duped. He explained to Esau how his brother, Jacob, had come in and deceitfully tricked him out of his blessing.
e) Now, here's an amazing aspect of this awful story of treachery Esau began to cry with a loud voice, saying, "Father, can't you still give me the blessing that belongs to the firstborn?" Isaac's answer was insightful and powerful: "No, the words have already gone forth, and I cannot take them back. I said that Jacob will be blessed, and he will always be blessed."
f) Do you see the power of our words? Do you see the power of speaking blessings over your children? Isaac said, "Once the words go forth, I can't take them back." He gave Esau a lesser blessing, but it was not nearly as significant as the one he had given to Jacob.
g) We need to be extremely careful about what we allow to come out of our mouths. The next time you're tempted to talk down to somebody, to belittle your child or degrade him, remember, you can't ever get those words back. Once you speak them, they take on a life of their own.
h) Use your words to speak blessings over people. Quit criticizing your child and start declaring great things in store for his future.
i) We should never speak negative destructive words toward anybody, especially toward people over whom we have authority or influence. Just because you have your own business or supervise a large number of employees doesn't give you the right to talk down to them and make them feel badly about themselves. Quite the contrary! God is going to hold you accountable for what you say to those individuals under your authority, and he is going to judge you by a stricter standard. You should go out of your way to speak positive words that build up and encourage.
j) Similarly, it is important for a husband to understand that his words have tremendous power in his wife's life. He needs to bless her with his words. She's given her life to love and care for him, to partner with him, to create a family together, to nurture his children. If he is always finding fault in something she's doing, always putting her down, he will reap horrendous problems in his marriage and in his life. Moreover, many women today are depressed and feel emotionally abused because their husbands do not bless them with their words. One of the leading causes of emotional breakdowns among married women is the fact that women do not feel valued. One of the main reasons for that deficiency is because husbands are willfully or unwittingly withholding the words of approval women so desperately desire. If you want to see God do wonders in your marriage, start praising your spouse. Start appreciating and encouraging her.
k) "Oh, my wife knows I love her," one elderly fellow said. "I don't need to tell her. I told her back when we got married 42 years ago." No, she needs to hear it again and again. Every single day, a husband should tell his wife, "I love you. I appreciate you. You're the best thing that ever happened to me." A wife should do the same for her husband. Your relationship would improve immensely if you'd simply start speaking kind, positive words, blessing your spouse instead of cursing him or her.
The End ...
1. Words can't be taken backa) Jacob stood before his nearly blind father, Isaac, pretending to be his brother, Esau. Although Isaac's eyesight was dim, his intellect was not. He questioned, "Esau, is that really you?" "Yes. Father; it's me," Jacob lied.
b) Isaac wasn't convinced, so he called his son closer to him. Only when he smelled Esau's clothes that Jacob was wearing was he finally convinced. He then gave Jacob the blessing that really belonged to his older brother. He said something like this: "May you always have an abundance of grain and abundance of wine. May nations bow low before you and people always serve you. May you be the lord over you brothers. May anyone that curses you be cursed, and anyone that blesses you be blessed." Notice, in Isaac's blessing he declared great things concerning Jacob's future, and a study of history will show that those things came to pass.
c) On the other hand, shortly after Jacob left the room, Esau came in. He said, "Dad, sit up; I've got the meal I've prepared for you." Now Isaac was confused. He said, "Who are you?"
d) "Dad, I'm Esau, your firstborn son." At that point, the Bible records that Isaac began to shake violently. He realized that he had been duped. He explained to Esau how his brother, Jacob, had come in and deceitfully tricked him out of his blessing.
e) Now, here's an amazing aspect of this awful story of treachery Esau began to cry with a loud voice, saying, "Father, can't you still give me the blessing that belongs to the firstborn?" Isaac's answer was insightful and powerful: "No, the words have already gone forth, and I cannot take them back. I said that Jacob will be blessed, and he will always be blessed."
f) Do you see the power of our words? Do you see the power of speaking blessings over your children? Isaac said, "Once the words go forth, I can't take them back." He gave Esau a lesser blessing, but it was not nearly as significant as the one he had given to Jacob.
g) We need to be extremely careful about what we allow to come out of our mouths. The next time you're tempted to talk down to somebody, to belittle your child or degrade him, remember, you can't ever get those words back. Once you speak them, they take on a life of their own.
h) Use your words to speak blessings over people. Quit criticizing your child and start declaring great things in store for his future.
i) We should never speak negative destructive words toward anybody, especially toward people over whom we have authority or influence. Just because you have your own business or supervise a large number of employees doesn't give you the right to talk down to them and make them feel badly about themselves. Quite the contrary! God is going to hold you accountable for what you say to those individuals under your authority, and he is going to judge you by a stricter standard. You should go out of your way to speak positive words that build up and encourage.
j) Similarly, it is important for a husband to understand that his words have tremendous power in his wife's life. He needs to bless her with his words. She's given her life to love and care for him, to partner with him, to create a family together, to nurture his children. If he is always finding fault in something she's doing, always putting her down, he will reap horrendous problems in his marriage and in his life. Moreover, many women today are depressed and feel emotionally abused because their husbands do not bless them with their words. One of the leading causes of emotional breakdowns among married women is the fact that women do not feel valued. One of the main reasons for that deficiency is because husbands are willfully or unwittingly withholding the words of approval women so desperately desire. If you want to see God do wonders in your marriage, start praising your spouse. Start appreciating and encouraging her.
k) "Oh, my wife knows I love her," one elderly fellow said. "I don't need to tell her. I told her back when we got married 42 years ago." No, she needs to hear it again and again. Every single day, a husband should tell his wife, "I love you. I appreciate you. You're the best thing that ever happened to me." A wife should do the same for her husband. Your relationship would improve immensely if you'd simply start speaking kind, positive words, blessing your spouse instead of cursing him or her.
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