We often think that we have rights. We think that we have a “right” to enjoy ourselves, we have a “right” to do what we want, we have a “right” to live. When we as children under the authority of parents get upset, it is often because we feel our “rights” have been disregarded.

We think:
“I made the cookies; I have a right to the first pick.”
or
“I’m the oldest; I have a right to go first.”
or even when a decision is made for us,
“I have a right to make my own decisions.”

But you know we don’t have a right to do anything. There is at least one huge reason why. Romans says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” And we are told in Romans 6:23 what a sinner’s “rights” are. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The only right we as sinner’s posses is death! We deserve no other.

In light of this it is wonderful to then consider that Christ Jesus could come down to die for us. We did not deserve it. Our sins were His abhorrence, yet He came down to free us from their bondage that we may live and not die, for “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. (Romans 5:8)

Christ Jesus died and took our penalty so that we could stand blameless before the Father. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

God the Father sent His Son to die for us, who had no rights to live, who were despicable in His sight, so we could become blameless if we believed in His Son – all because He loved us! That is amazing!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:16-19)

Let the LORD be eternally praised because He loved us "while we were yet sinners" and died for us to cleanse us and make us pure!

Your Sister in Christ,
Rebekah ~ The Lord’s Daughter

This is the sequel to Essay on the Mouth.

“Who shall dwell in Thy Holy hill? He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh a reproach against his neighbor.” Psalm 15:1-3

In the Bible we can read many verses on speech. There are verses on wrong speech and verses on the kind of speech we want-hood speech. Let’s talk about bad speech first.

There are many different ways we can use our tongue wrongly. First let us talk about jumping to conclusions. There was a girl once who observed another girl doing a thing she thought the girls parents would not want her to do. We will call her Martha. The other girl we will call Marie. Not bothering to ask Marie why she was doing as she was Martha went in search of Marie’s parents. On finding Marie’s mother, Martha told her in an accusing manner what Marie was doing. Martha was quite embarrassed to find Marie was doing no wrong but actually following her mother’s directions!

Now Martha had done at least two things wrong. First she jumped to a hasty conclusion in assuming Marie was doing wrong. She did not know all the facts. Proverbs 18:13 says: “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Second, Martha when she did come to these conclusions, instead of asking if they were true, told them to Marie’s mother and found out the truth, bringing folly and shame upon herself. We should always ask, never assume. If Martha had asked she could have saved herself from shame.

Also Martha was passing judgment on Marie, which is wrong. Romans 2:1 says: “Therefore, thou art inexcusable o man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” That means that the things you judge other people about, you also do yourself. That can be rather embarrassing if pointed out while you are passing judgment. We know to be like Jesus we must not wrongly judge others.

Something else people do is gossip and spread rumors about others. If a friend tells you a private thing about themselves or a rumor or story about someone else, keep it to yourself. What if the person the rumor or story is about hears of and it hurts them. Or if someone had told only you about their private thing because they trusted you and they heard it repeated else where, it could hurt them and it could really destroy your friendship. The Bible tells us, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted… Let’s stop there… tenderhearted. I think that those who are kind to others and tenderhearted won’t repeat something unkind, rude or even just ridiculously silly or embarrassing someone else did, to another person. It might really hurt the person whom the story is about.

Something many children have had a problem with (including myself) is inappropriate speech to our parents. In Ephesians 6:2 it says: “Honor thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise.” Now this verse says two things. First it says to honor our parents. If we do that we will always be respectful, even when we don’t agree with them. We won’t ever argue, talk back, yell at them or say things we would not say to Jesus to them. The second thing it says is that this is “the first commandment with promise”. Meaning it is the first commandment to have a promise with it. What promise is that? Well if we continue to read onto verse 3, it says: “That it may be well with tee, and thou mayest live long in the earth.” So if we honor our parents God will bless us.

Next I want to speak about good speech. In Proverbs 25:11 it says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” If we speak the right word at the right time it can really be prized.

In Proverbs 12:25 it tells us: “Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” That verse is telling that trouble can make a person depressed but a gook word can help them and make them glad.

There are other things which I could find to write about, but I shall save them for a future volume.

“If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart; this mans religion is in vain.”  James 3:5

“…Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”  James 1:19-20

“A soft answer turneth away wrath; but grievous words stir up anger.”   Proverbs 15: 1

Love in Christ,

Rebekah ~ The Lord’s Daughter

I have a great desire to encourage and inspire other girls – especially those younger than me. The posts in this category are just for that. The category is called "To Young Girls", but of course any one may read the entries. I hope and pray that these posts will be a blessing to someone.

The Bible says many things about the good of speech, bur it also says many things about the evil of speech.

It says in James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans religion is in vain.” That seems very hard. I know I have a very hard time bridling my tongue. I don’t think I ever thought of it in that way before.

Again later James says, “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth.” (James 3:5) I am sure that is true. I know many times one word I say, kind or unkind can make a large argument. That shows the importance of bridling ones tongue.

Something we do harmful with our tongues is tattletale. The Bible says “The words of a talebearer are as wounds and they go into the innermost parts of the belly. (Proverbs 18:8) It repeats those exact words twice in Proverbs~ I know from experience that that verse is very true. Why then would I want to do it to others? I shouldn’t. I should just let it go. Not that I should refrain from telling if I know I should. That would be wrong. Every time I go to tell I should ask myself, “Would Jesus tell on this?” And if He would, I should, and if He wouldn’t I shouldn’t. As a Christian I should try my very best to follow His lead.

Another thing we tend to do, (at least I do) is judge out loud before I should. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 2:1, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.” That verse also is entirely true. I do, do the exact things sometimes about what I judge my sister. That is also wrong.

Another thing done with the tongue is we fight back, which means we say something mean back. If someone says something mean or rude to us we fight back, which means we say something mean back. That also is wrong. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing…” I know I don’t bless those that say mean things to me very often.

Another thing we are to do (especially children) is not to talk back to our parents or speak meanly to them. “Honor thy father and thy mother…” (Ephesians 6:2) Speaking meanly or talking back is definitely not honoring our parents. I have a problem with that.

Another thing I do is speak for no reason – idle talk. That is wrong. Jesus says in Matthew 12:36-37, “But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words shalt thou be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”

Lastly I tend to murmur or complain in ingratitude. That is wrong. Proverbs 17:13 says, “Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his house.”

If I researched a little more I might be able to go on, but I think that is enough to show me how much evil I do with my mouth. I better be more careful in days to come.

Love in Christ,
Rebekah ~ The Lord’s Daughter