These are the words that our Lord Jesus speaks to the disciples at their last Passover dinner together before He is crucified. They are words that have comforted many of us over the years, not so much the “mansions” part, but where He says He is going to prepare a place for us and then return for us (John 14:1-3).

But I was speaking with a Keswick staff member a few days ago, and she shared that someone had said to her that we couldn’t take the word “mansion” literally. That the men who translated the Bible might not have translated the word accurately and we might not be living in heavenly “mansions” at all. However, she did go on to say that IF we were going to have a mansion to dwell in when we get to heaven, she would love hers to be beachfront because she loves the ocean and boats and being at the shore. I told her that maybe her mansion would be beside the crystal sea (Rev. 4:6). I guess a little spiritual dreaming is OK.

But as we talked a little more, we all agreed that whether our dwelling place in heaven is or isn’t a “mansion,” or whether our dwelling is or isn’t “beachfront property,” it doesn’t matter. The only thing that will matter is that we are IN heaven and that we will be rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ and basking in His reflected glory for all eternity.

So read the words of Christ in John 14 and be encouraged, not because you may be living in a mansion, but remember that He has gone ahead and prepared the place for us where He wants us to be and where we can praise His name for ever and ever.

Lynn Randall

Lynn Randall is the Director of Human Resources at America’s KESWICK. She is active in her church and is a gifted planner and organizer. She has a real heart for people as evidenced by her care, concern and practical encouragement.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:7-9
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Where have we compromised? What has God left in our lives to test us, to see if we will obey or not?

The Israelites compromised, failing to drive out the enemy in the land they were taking possession of. Instead they chose to live among them.

Judges 1:28 “When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely. Judges 1:29, “And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.”
Judges 1:33 “Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitant of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land.” Where have we failed to obey God’s instructions, commands?
Judges 3:1, 4 “Now these are the nations that the LORD left, to test Israel by them… They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses.”
Deuteronomy 8:2 “And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not.”

What has God left in our lives to test us, to see if we will obey or not? We may have dealt with some of the “bigger” stuff but what have we chosen to live with rather than drive out? Are we willing to take up the cause and face those areas left in our lives that we have tucked away and ignored long enough that they have become comfortable with?

Can we rouse ourselves from sleep to do battle, with God’s grace and strength to drive out the enemy we have allowed to live in our midst?

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:7-9
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger…” James 1:19

Have you ever had a hearing test? I remember them from elementary school, but I also had one about 10 years ago when there was a question about whether I could hear certain tones. As it turns out my physical hearing is fine – I can hear… if I choose to! Get it, most of us have the capabilities of hearing, but often we fail at hearing. OK, ladies, not to throw my husband under the bus here, but he has been known to not “hear”. You know the “you never told me” response, when you know darn well that you did. Not to make him seem like the bad guy – I know that at times I am also guilty of not hearing what he has said to me. As a counselor, I am in some ways being paid to listen and yet I am sure there are times when my listening skills need help and need to be more focused on my client rather than wherever else my brain wants to go.

Why do we not listen? When do we fail to hear? I’m going to guess that the following may be playing a part: we are too busy or in a hurry, our thoughts are focused on defending ourself or getting our point across, we don’t believe the person or issue is worth our time, we are lazy, we are preoccupied with our stuff, or maybe we do not want to hear what the person has to say. As I might suspect, the Bible has a few things to say about our listening skills. Take some time to check out these verses, or you can just take my word for it that they communicate the following principles of listening.

1. Listen to the counsel of others.
* Prov. 15:31-32
* Prov. 19:20, 27
* Prov. 22: 17-18
* Prov. 25: 12
* Prov. 24:6
* Prov. 13:1

2. Listen before you respond.
* Prov. 18:13
* Prov. 29:20
* James 1:19

3. Hold your tongue.
* Prov. 10:19
* Prov. 17:27
* Prov. 18:2
* Prov. 17:28
* Prov. 11:12

So, how did you do? Did you fail your hearing test? I hope not, but if you did – it is reversible – you can pass the next time you take the test. Godly communication comes when we learn to listen and minimize our speech. The next time we chat we’ll talk about the biblical principles of speech. Happy Listening!

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:7-9
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Our tongues can be so difficult to contain. You’ve heard the saying “talking out of both sides of the mouth” which means the person says opposite things. One day it’s yes and the next it’s no. This week’s verse refers to the inconsistency of our tongue.

James 3:7-9 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Commentary:
“no man can tame the tongue. Only God by His power can do this. Bless…curse. It was traditional for Jews to add “blessed be He” to a mention of God’s name…However, the tongue also wishes evil on people made in God’s image. This points out the hypocritical inconsistency of the tongue’s activities. made in the similitude of God. Man was made in God’s image…” [The MacArthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur, pg. 1889-1890]

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

I ended last week with this statement:

Have you ever noticed the entire mood of your home can be turned around by some kind words? Or the opposite? A pleasant day suddenly goes sour because of some careless or hurtful words? Our words are very powerful, not just on those around us but on us as well. You can make or break your mood by the words you say to yourself. This is a very important principle. The verse said it can stain the whole body. The NKJV says “defiles the whole body.” Ladies, as we complain or whine or rehearse hurts, we are heaping those very things back on our own heads, reinforcing them in our minds over and over. We inadvertently strengthen the very things we are trying to be free of.

The opposite is also true. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Speak truth to your heart and it will breathe life into your soul.

James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Points to ponder
So many things come to mind relative to our tongues. We can cause much hurt with our tongues or we can bless and encourage with our tongues. Do we use our words to bring life or death?

Here are some ways we can bring death:
Sarcasm, gossip, nagging, deception, idle words or coarse jesting, insisting on making our point, telling it “like it is”- speaking truth without love, inappropriate humor, grumbling and complaining, and criticism just to name a few.

Here are some ways we can bring life:
Speaking the truth in love, encouragement, edification, blessing, instruction, exhortation, admonishment, rebuke, comfort, and appropriate humor are a few examples.

So today, how will you use your words, to build up and bless or tear down and discourage? You chose.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

After reading 1 Kings 20-21 I turned to my favorite Warren Wiersbe Commentary. There are many things we could glean from these chapters but Mr. Wiersbe’s comments on 1 Kings 20:31-33 made me pause.

“When God sent King Saul to fight the Amalekites, He made it clear that He wanted the Israelites to completely destroy them (1 Sam.15). Saul disobeyed the Lord and as a result lost his kingdom. The Lord must have given a similar command to King Ahab (v.42), but he, too, disobeyed. Ahab won the battle but lost the victory. What the enemy couldn’t accomplish with their weapons, they accomplished with their deception. If Satan can’t succeed as the lion that devours (1 Peter 5:8), he will come as a serpent who deceives (2 Cor. 11:3). Even Joshua fell into a similar trap (Josh. 9).

Ben-hadad’s officers were clever men who knew it was worth the risk to appeal to Ahab’s pride. God had given the victory, but Ahab would take credit and claim the spoils. In their dress and their attitude, the officers pretended to show humble submission to Ahab as he waited in his chariot (v 33). Ahab certainly enjoyed the “honor” he was receiving after the great victory, but not once did he give the glory to the Lord.”

Some things never change! Have you and I ever been commanded to completely destroy a besetting sin? Sure, some days we seem to win the battle but others …we fall back and seem to never gain the victory. Perhaps we, too, think that just holding on to a little bit is okay. That is our prideful unwillingness to obey. Have you ever thought “Sure, God gives others victory but not me”? Maybe we really prefer to cling to our sin, not believing that God has a victory for us too?

Over the last week I have also been reading a book called “Never Quit” by Edwin Cole. Just last night I read that we can not rest after the victory. Before the victory we are focused, determined, strong and rested. But the day after the victory we become lazy, tired and an easy prey for the enemy. Could it be that we have had a number of victories and we have gotten comfortable and prideful?

We also may need to consider if we are thankful to the Lord. It is easy to say “I did …” and take the credit that is rightfully reserved for God because it was ALL Him and NOTHING of ourselves!

Today let’s pause and consider:
Am I in disobedient in an area that God has asked me to destroy?
Have I gotten lazy, prideful and self-reliant?
Am I truly giving credit to the Lord knowing that the battles and the victories are HIS?

Blessings!
Kathy

Kathy’s on staff at America’s KESWICK in the Development Department. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 25 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local church and has previously served as a Teaching Director for Community Bible Study. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:7-9
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

“The tongue has the power of life and death.” (Proverbs 18:21)

So, which is it for you? Do the words that come out of your mouth lift up and build or do they destroy and tear down? I would love to tell you that my words only uplift and build, but that would be a lie. If we were all honest with ourselves, our speech needs correction and improvement. As a counselor, so much of what I hear when dealing with relationships is that what we say to one another can be the biggest culprit in the destruction of that relationship. If only (and I hate “If only’s”) we thought more carefully about our words and we had chosen our communication more wisely, then so many of our relationships would have never fallen away and we would be basking in the sunshine of strong healthy friendships and marriages. In Proverbs 12:18 we read “reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Think about these words found in Ephesians 4:29 “do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” It reminds me of the saying “if you don’t have anything nice to say – don’t say anything at all.”

Whenever I heard a message on the tongue, more often than not we ended up reading from James 3. With verses such as “how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” Just a few verses down we read that “with it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.”

Did you know that in the book of Proverbs how we communicate is a persistent theme? I have not personally counted myself, but according to Ray Pritchard the book refers to the mouth/tongue over 150 times. I encourage you to read Proverbs and underline references to our speech. Each verse you come upon you can ask yourself two questions… How am I failing in my speech? And what specific kinds of words and speech do I need to add to my vocabulary or do more of? I’ll get you started by suggesting you check out Proverbs chapter 10.

It is easy for us to point out those with a filthy or dirty mouth, and to feel righteous because we don’t use foul language. But what about insults, anger or harsh words, name calling, gossip, spreading rumors, criticism, cutting remarks, sarcasm, exaggeration, and the list goes on. Clearly, scriptures teach that they, too, are inappropriate and destructive. God calls us to a “healing” tongue (James 3:5-6). What kind of tongue do you have?

Lynne Jahns
Christian Counselor
Director, KESWICK Institute of Biblical Studies

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:7-9
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

Years ago I was introduced to a problem that many children who find reading uncomfortable struggle with, light sensitivity. Today it is called Irlen Syndrome. For children with this problem words on a page are unclear, may move, jiggle, dance or even shake. As they attempt to read it is very uncomfortable and children may suffer headaches, stomach-aches and overall weariness. It is almost impossible to comprehend what they are reading as so much energy is taken to physically read the page. Sadly, many parents assume their child is lazy. For the child with this problem it can be exasperating. As far as they know, everyone must see as they do so why can’t they read. They may even go to an eye doctor who will not find a problem, which only adds to the struggle for all concerned. However if that child’s problem is identified and given the right tool on the page, reading can become clear, sharp and far more comfortable.

Many people in our world today have been going to church, trying to be a good person and may even want desperately to honor God but they have no clue what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. It is as if they have a “light” sensitivity blockage. It may be hard to identify these folks because they look, sound and do live their lives as a fellow believer. And yet they don’t know Jesus as Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace, faithful Lord who will never leave or forsake those who invite Him to be Lord of their lives (Isaiah 9:6; Deut. 31:6). They have not received Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Spirit of Truth who Jesus promised would remain with His people forever (John 14:16-17).

A friend of mine recently went to a graduation at a Christian College. The speaker gave an altar call and invited graduates to come forward and invite Jesus to be Lord of their lives. Apparently this had never been done before at the school graduation. I am sure the leadership assumed all of their students had made a profession of faith. Yet, young men and women who appeared fully ready to step out into a big world came forward to receive the most important thing they would ever need to survive in whatever the future would hold for them…Jesus.

When I give a student a color overlay and it is placed on a page with words that finally stop moving, reading becomes clear, sharp, comfortable and the child can now comprehend what they are reading. It is a wonderful thing to see. When someone accepts Jesus as their Lord and begins a personal relationship, the light of truth is open wide. Suddenly words on a page in the Bible come alive and relevant. Holy Spirit is with them revealing Truth (John 14:26). For the child who has Irlen Syndrome, reading simply isn’t so impossible anymore. For the person who has been working so hard to be good, life will never be the same. They have made a commitment to make Jesus their Lord. They will live life meeting the various challenges of life by casting anxiety on the Lord (Phil 4:6), seeking counsel from His Word, the Holy Spirit and mature believers (Ps. 1:1-3). They are never alone . They now have a Savior who they have invited to be their ever faithful, loving Lord. Amazing GRACE!!

Do you have a “light sensitivity disorder”? Do you read the Word but just don’t understand it? Have you invited Jesus to be your Savior and your Lord? Does the Holy Spirit abide with you? If you have never accepted Jesus Christ, the Son of God, today can be the day of salvation for you.

1. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Confess that you are a sinner in need of a Savior.
2. Praise God for even though He knows you are a sinner, He prepared for you the gift of eternal life through His Son Jesus Christ long before you were born (Romans 6:23 b).
3. Confess now with your mouth Jesus as your Lord, believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead and be saved. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:9; Romans 10:13).
4. Present your body to Him and ask that He begin the work of transformation in you, that you may live fully in the perfect will of God (Rom. 12: 1-2).
5. Invite the Helper, Holy Spirit to be with you forever, revealing truth, bringing conviction and guidance into all truth (John 16:7-13).
6. Finally give thanks and praise to the Lord your God. Bless His Holy Name(Ps. 100:4).

Patricia Wenzel
WOC Graduate

DIGGING DEEPER
James 3:7-9
7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,
8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

NOTE: For those looking for more information on Irlen Syndrome feel free to learn more at: http://www.irlen.org

I got a little ahead of myself last week including vs. 6 in the Friday devotional. I would go ahead and skip to the next verses but I think it’s important enough to feature verse 6 by itself this week. Please bear with me. I trust this repetition will be an encouragement not a burden.

James 3:6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Commentary
“tongue is a fire.” Like fire, the tongue’s sinful words can spread destruction rapidly, or as its accompanying smoke, those words can permeate and ruin everything around it. “defiles.” This means “to pollute or contaminate”… the course of nature. Better translated “the circle of life,” that underscored that the tongue’s evil can extend beyond the individual to affect everything in his sphere of influence. “hell.” …A translation of the Greek word gehenna (or valley of Hinnom). In Christ’s time, this valley that lay southwest of Jerusalem’s walls served as the city dump and was known for its constantly burning fire. Jesus used the place to symbolize the eternal place of punishment and torment… To James, hell conjures up not just the place but the satanic host that will some day inherit it. They use the tongue as a tool for evil. The Mac Arthur Bible Commentary by John MacArthur, Pg. 1889

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.

Points to Ponder

James 3:2-6
For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

Points to Ponder:
Have you ever noticed the entire mood of your home can be turned around by some kind words? Or the opposite? A pleasant day suddenly goes sour because of some careless or hurtful words? Our words are very powerful not just on those around us but on us as well. You can make or break your mood by the words you say to yourself. This is a very important principle. The verse said it can stain the whole body. The NKJV says “defiles the whole body”. Ladies, as we complain or whine or rehearse hurts we are heaping those very things back on our own heads reinforcing them in our minds over and over. We inadvertently strengthen the very things we are trying to be free of.

The opposite is also true. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 Speak truth to your heart and it will breathe life into your soul.

Blessings,
Diane

Diane Hunt is the Director of Addiction Recovery and Development at America’s KESWICK. In addition to her Keswick responsibilities which keep her busy, she loves to read, write and teach, travel and laugh with her grandchildren. Diane has been married to her husband John over 26 years. She has 2 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 step-children, and 7 step-grandchildren.