WORD FAST ANYONE?

 Word fast???  What’s a word fast?  Most of us are familiar with the concept of fasting and it’s also probably something few of us attempt on a regular basis.  And, when we do think of fasting, it is most likely a food fast.  As the New Year starts, some of us may have overindulged over the holidays, so we might be thinking of a healthier diet, eliminating certain foods completely, or even starting an exercise program.  But, how does a person start a word fast?

 I recently read an article by Sylvia Gunter entitled, “Fast of Words: A Different Kind of Fast” (Fast Of Words: A Different Kind of Fast | by Sylvia Gunter (thoughts-about-god.com).  In this article, she states that God has led her to fast from critical, complaining, judgmental, and negative words. Wow! This might severely restrict our vocabulary. For most of us, it will be much harder to do a word fast than it would be to do a food fast. At some point in our lives, we may have already decided that we will never write harmful words down on paper that could come back and haunt us. We have all heard the chant, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” We also know this is definitely not true. Even though we may apologize for our words (spoken or written), our careless, unkind words do indeed hurt, leave scars, and are often remembered longer than a physical wound.    

 While we may be making progress in the spoken and/or written word areas, most of us will have to admit we have a really hard time controlling our thoughts and making them obedient to Christ. A person cuts us off on the highway, a clerk is rude to us in the store, someone says something unkind about a member of our family, we remember a past hurt or an insult, or any other attack Satan decides to send our way—and immediately our thoughts take a wrong turn.  The battle is lost or won in our hearts before we ever speak or write a word. We sometimes forget that God not only sees and hears all—He also knows every thought we have.

 God’s Word has so much to say about our hearts and our words, and I challenge you to read all of them.  The following verses are just a few of His instructions in this area:

 Proverbs 4:23-24: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.  Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” 

 Proverb 12:18: “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” 

 Jesus tells us in Luke 6:45: “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.”

 Colossians 3:8: “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:  anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”

 Colossians 3:12-14: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

 Philippians 4:8:  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

 Most of us are familiar with this anonymous poem: 

 A careless word may kindle strife; 

A cruel word may wreck a life;

A timely word may level stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

 In 1988, when the late president George H. W. Bush gave his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination for president, he voiced a desire for a “kinder, gentler nation.”  In my opinion, we were kinder and gentler in years past. Unfortunately, again in my opinion, this past year 2020 strongly surpassed all previous years with constant displays of uncontrolled anger, criticism, condemnation, ridicule, sarcasm, and all the other behaviors God hates.

 What can a believer do?  Let’s consider a “word fast.”  Don’t expect it to be easy, and don’t expect Satan to take a vacation and leave us alone while we try to follow God’s commands about the words we think, speak, or write. Remember, we cannot do this in our own strength—we need the Holy Spirit to strengthen us. Ask Him to convict us immediately when our thoughts take a nose dive, a wrong turn, or we fret and stew about past offenses. Confess this wrong thought or attitude to God, receive His forgiveness, and start all over again. While we cannot change the whole world, we can work right where we are.  Let’s resolve to do our part and work together to help make our country a “kinder, gentler nation,” our church a “kinder, gentler church,” and our family a “kinder, gentler family.”  Let’s amaze our families and friends!

 May the words of my mouth

And the meditation of my heart

Be pleasing in your sight,

O Lord, my Rock, and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

It seems each day brings another storm, or a continuing storm, or the promise of many storms to come. Storms come in many sizes, many varieties, and can be long-term or short-term. We may experience actual bad weather storms but we also experience other countless storms of life—a wayward family member, a job loss, a catastrophic diagnosis, a financial reversal, a sudden accident, or loss of a loved one. All of us are involved in the current pandemic storm and the current unrest and violence throughout our country. And, we all know there is no shortage of storms even for God’s people.

In Exodus 9:24, God sent the worst storm ever experienced in all the land of Egypt because Pharaoh would not let God’s people go.    In Jonah 1:4, God sent a violent storm because Jonah refused to obey. Although Pharaoh hardened his heart even more, Jonah repented and was saved. Sometimes we bring about our own storms and we need to turn back to God and repent. At other times, storms happen that are not always punishment for wrong choices we have made.

In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus and the disciples encounter a storm: That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

While Pharaoh and Jonah were in storms because of disobedience, the disciples are in this storm because of their obedience to Jesus. Jesus had said to them, “Let us go over to the other side,” but they forgot that when the storm came. Even though Jesus was with them, they were terrified!
At this point, they did not know who Jesus really was and that they had all the power in the world right there in the boat with them. Jesus calmed the storm and rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith.   

Note: I have read the above passage multiple times. As I read these verses today, suddenly one sentence stands out: There were also other boats with him. I don’t remember ever seeing this sentence before. So, I checked other translations to be sure this wasn’t something that had been added to my translation. No, it’s been there all along. (God’s word is indeed new every morning.) How many boats are we talking about here? How many people were in the boats? Did any or all of them know they were rescued by Jesus? We don’t know the answers to these questions, but we can learn a lot from this sentence. It’s not all about me or all about you. It’s about what God is doing in and through us. The way we go through a storm can be a blessing or a stumbling block to the “other boats” around us. The focus in this passage was on Jesus calming the storm and teaching His disciples, but His work also saved the lives of the people in the other boats. 

In Acts 27:1-26, the Apostle Paul set sail for Rome even though he knew that sailing at that time of year was dangerous. Paul had warned the captain/centurion of the ship, but they thought they knew better and Paul was overruled. A huge storm came, the crew tried valiantly to save the ship, but soon all hope for survival vanished. Paul stood bravely before the men and told them they should have taken his advice not to sail, but they were to take courage because not one of them would be lost even though the ship would be destroyed. Paul told them an angel of the Lord “whose I am and whom I serve” had stood beside him and said, “Do not be afraid.” Paul told them he believed God and everything would happen just as God has said…and it did!  Paul’s desire was to calm the fears of these terrified men who had given up all hope of survival.

Paul believed God despite the storm roaring all around him and he hoped these men would follow his example.  In Matthew 14:22-33, Peter gave us an example of walking in faith. When Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he did the miraculous and walked on water. When Peter allowed his eyes to move from Jesus to the wind and waves swirling around him, he began to sink—but he also knew to cry out to Jesus. Jesus reached out His hand and saved Peter. In our human frailty, we sometimes focus on our circumstances and begin to sink. When we keep our eyes on Jesus—when we cry out to Him—He reaches out His hand and saves us.  What do we learn about storms when we read God’s Word?
1. There will be storms.
2. No storm, no pandemic, no unrest, no circumstance, and no person will interfere with God’s plan. God is in control.
3. We do not have to go through the storms of life alone. God is always with us to give comfort, peace, and to help and guide.
4. The way we go through storms can encourage or discourage others. We are part of a bigger picture.
5. Pray for yourself and others as we go through storms. Pray for people to return to God and see that God is more real and powerful to them than their circumstances.
6. Most important—let’s make sure Jesus is in our “boat.”