Conversation Quicksand

I know that oftentimes it seems like I'm judging people. Like I've set myself higher than others, looking down on them with a scrutinizing eye. If that's how you feel about my posts, let me be the first to apologize, that's sincerely not my intent. Also, allow me to clarify my intentions. God's Word tells us that we shall know a tree by it's fruit. This means that we should be able to tell good fruit from bad fruit. On top of that, I never excuse myself from doing what the Bible calls 'making our election sure' (2 Peter 1:10). All of these things apply to me as well.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

This has to be one of the most prevalent issues among believers. Have you ever meet a Christian and although the start of the interaction/relationship starts off on the highest of notes, something happens: Circumstances arise and the next thing you know, you're wondering how someone who claims to love God would allow the things you're hearing to come out of their mouth.
Now far be it from me to question the genuineness of their conversion...but assessing things by their conversation....it's a no brainer...something's amiss.
It's not uncommon.

Many, if not most of us receive Christ at a specific time for a specific reason. We want salvation as a solution that our minds tend to process singularly.
He'll fix this, heal that, or help me with feelings of being unloved. And YES, He's absolutely the best remedy for all of those things. But it's our own thinking that limits what He's really here to do for us, IN us. Overall, we need to be more cognizant of how or conversation works. Of course we're willing to throw profanity down at the alter of conversion because its easy to see how that contradicts Christ.

But then what?

We need to take more of an intentional look at how God's Word talks about our words. There's really only two options....try to change words at the destination or at the source, and the Bible talks about both. Since the Word says that 'no man can tame the tongue'(James 3:8), that's obviously a futile option.

The true source of words is the heart, not the tongue. And it seems with as much of our hearts we're willing to give over, too many of us have a fence surrounding an area of quicksand....not surrounding our old words, but our old conversation.

Here's The Word:

Ephesians 4:21-23 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Ephesians 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

It's not just about stopping profanity, which some confuse with 'cursing' since we call it 'cussing'. It's much more than that. The words of a Christian are to serve the purposes of Christ. Believe me when I tell that our very words can be the answers to prayer. They can fix this, heal that, or help situations where people feel unloved. That's exactly what His word exhorts us to do.
So tear down that fence. Allow God to remove your conversation quicksand and turn it into a compassion garden producing beautiful fragrant life to bless any who get close enough to experience it.

Here's The Word:

Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.

Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

2 Peter 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

Below are 7 rules for self discovery as presented by A W Tozer. They are useful in examining ourselves, and here's where I'll offer up the other side of our conversation. We mainly look at what we say, but in any conversation, there's a speaker and a receiver. This means we shouldn't only be concerned with what we say but the kind of receiver we are as well.

“Rules for Self Discovery: 1. What we want most;
2. What we think about most;
3. How we use our money;
4. What we do with our leisure time;
5. The company we enjoy;
6. Who and what we admire;
7. What we laugh at.”
― A. W. Tozer
Remember, when it comes to heart, investigate it. Make sure that you haven't withheld comfortable pieces of it from The Spirit's transforming power. If you're unsure about scrutinizing yourself, ask a friend you trust who can be honest with you. Also, a good method to try is to simply listen. Listen to the things your friends talk about and just listen without input. Chose to not engage, just listen and see if it's mostly edifying, positive, prayerful, hopeful, inspiring...etc.
Or is it quicksand? Know that the heart and mind are inextricably linked. God gives us a new heart, which with the power of The Spirit, is all we need to renew our minds, and prove our profession. Making our election sure.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

In Him,
Cros