The secret to living the real "Good Life" that God makes available to us is to allow Him to strip away all our dependence on the things of this world. I just began reading "In Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer. What a powerful and challenging book! He makes the point all the things we enjoy in the world are gifts from God, but His gifts have replaced Him on the throne of our lives.We worship the gifts instead of the Great Giver of Gifts.

This book is challenging me to inventory my life and find out what things in it are more important than God. I hate to admit it, but I've already discovered something that I thought was good (and is good in its proper context) but has become an idol in my life.

I am praying for the willingness to be stripped bare of all things that get in the way of my relationship with God because I love Him and I need His power working in my life full bore to experience the "Good Life" with Him.


SLE

Originally Posted by mejbaker

James said this … James 3:2-10 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.
Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
He goes on to say; Thus no spring can yield both salt water and fresh. What is he really saying here? He is saying that what you speak is what is coming up out of you, and what is coming up out of you is either salty or fresh. Whose fault is that? Jesus said a very similar thing… Matthew 12:34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. We need to check up on what is in our heart. We after all, we are the ones who program these earthly computers.

Many scriptures throughout the Word of God show with what high regard our Lord places exemplary speech and the ability to be sparing of words, rather than speak in haste. As followers of Christ, it is of moment that our speech mirror the grace of God from His life in our hearts.

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29)

Please, brethren, let us get back to the invaluable, transparently presented topic of this thread.