Archives: 2008

Reading:
Ephesians 4:17-32

This is a morning for Spanish devotions and blogging. But I also must comment a bit in English this time because verse 29 grabbed my thoughts.

“No corrupt word should come out of your mouth, but that which is good for the necessary edification, to the end of giving grace to the hearers” (that’s my translation of the Reina-Valera 1960 Bible).

No corrupt word. Not a single one. None. That excludes lies, gossip, and railing. It also eliminates swearing and cussing — strong or mild or camo. It kills all manner of gutter talk and suggestive speech.

When I see an eyelash in my food, I don’t leave it there. Even if it’s so little. Even if it’s surrounded by a lot of good food. Because in my food, it’s an impurity. Similarly, if a word fails the test, I should pull it out of my speech. No matter how little it is or how little I use it.

If it doesn’t build up the hearer (and that includes the speaker, right?!), out!

If it works against God’s grace in the hearer, out!

Christian, that verse is directed at you!

Mark, it’s for you!

[No corrupt communication (Ephesians 4:29)]

from Ephesians 4:29

A little bit more from Ephesians 4: Who Have You Learned?

Reading:
Luke 24:1-12

When do I need to hope?

When all seems dark and hopeless.

So I need to hope today.

Because I see a lot of darkness in two of the very most important “things” to me.

But how about this verse, huh?

“And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus” (3).

Talk about dark and hopeless!

No doubt these women were still reeling from the events of the weekend.

Now they were on their way to take care of and pay tribute to their fallen Master.

Or to put it another way, they were going to the burial site of their hopes.

But when they got to the tomb, their dead Lord was gone. And with Him, their dead hopes.

See, Mark! There is hope!

This was a very good passage for me this morning. Oh wow!

[Why seek ye the living among the dead? (Luke 24:5)]

from Luke 24:5

A little bit more from Luke 24: What Else Should We Remember?!