MONDAY, JULY 06, 2020
TOPIC: A DISTORTED VIEW OF SELF
TEXT: Proverbs 20:1-15
KEY VERSE:
“Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?” - (Proverbs 20:6)
Adolf Hitler, with solemnity, paraphrased the Bible when encouraging his generals. He said, “A nation in which there is...one righteous man will not perish”. No doubt, he regarded himself as this one righteous man in spite of death of thousands of people recorded daily during the Second World War, which was to a greater extent, by his own making.
The passage today provides us with warnings for our learning and instruction. It condemns wine and strong drinks, and corrects heaven-bound Christians on sundry issues of life that centre on godly living. The text equally cautions against the practice of proclaiming our own goodness, and highlights the delusion and destruction that come to those who are deceived thereby.
There is an incredible famine of perfectness in these last days, even in the assembly of Christians. Too many people are rejecting, rewriting and reconstructing the word of God to suit their unbelief. Commonly accompanied with unbelief is self-righteousness. For some odd reasons, the majority of people today believe they are good people, not according to God’s righteousness but to the good of “self”. A self-righteous individual is a hypocrite.
Doing good does not make a man good. No one in the world can claim that he is good because every man has sinned. Some may seem good in their own eyes but before God they are filthy rags. Our goodness and righteousness are only weighed through the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. A sinner can only be good when he repents and believes on the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
We have a perfect image only in Christ.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 14-15
HIGHER EVERYDAY
MONDAY JULY 6, 2020
SOUND SPEECH
BIBLE TEXT: TITUS 2:6-10
MEMORY VERSE: "Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you" (TITUS 2:8).
It was Demosthenes who said, "A vessel is known by the sound, whether it be cracked or not; so men are proved, by their speech, whether they be wise or foolish." Our speech speaks much about our personality. Sound speech involves speaking the total truth without any shade of lie; wholesome language devoid of any taint of corruption. Vulgar language is alien to believers who are sound in speech. There is no contradiction between the speech and the action, and they cannot be faulted. To be sound in speech is synonymous to being a man of one's word.
The heart is inseparably linked to the tongue. A heart purged and purified will produce wholesome words whereas a corrupt heart will produce putrid speech. As a Christian, aim for the truth; no lies, dirty jokes and deceptions. Deborah, Samuel, Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Ezra, John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus Christ, were of sound speech. Sound speech engenders confidence and trust in listeners. Friends and foes will honour our Christ and cherish our Christianity when we learn to produce sound speech.
QUOTE: The heart is inseparably linked to the tongue.
CHALLENGE: Speak as it becomes a child of God.
PRAYER: O Lord, let the words of my mouth be acceptable in thy sight.