Tag: James 1

Hey there BCU Family!

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So, for the past couple of podcasts we’ve been talking about our thoughts…the runaway imagination and the over-thinker. This week, let’s round out our “unintentional” mind renewal series  (God knew I was going this way..I didn’t) and talk about the “under-thinker” a.k.a. the hasty thinker.

Many of us, including myself have been this individual—at the first sign of seeing or hearing something, we immediately jump to a conclusion AND often speak without having all the “facts in evidence”. Here are some examples:

A co-worker says a cheery  good morning to you. Immediately you think, “what does SHE want? I bet she needs me to cover her break! NOT today!” You blurt out, “Morning. I cannot cover the desk this morning. I have a meeting.” She says sadly, “My break is covered…I was just saying hi”.

Someone at church does not greet you as they normally do. You think to yourself, “They must be upset I wasn’t at the church picnic last Saturday.” Right after that, your mood is altered to the point where you stop speaking to the individual for the next few Sundays. The whole story? At the time the person saw you, they were in deep thought about a serious family decision that needed an immediate answer. They meant no harm, rather they needed prayer and some encouragement.

It’s Saturday evening and a neighbor who can be long-winded starts walking toward your car as soon as you pull into your driveway. You quickly think about an “escape route” and call a family member to start a conversation, smiling and pointing to your phone as you get out. The neighbor walks away and sends a text later the next day, saying he had wanted to attend your church on Sunday–he just needed the address. Maybe next time. Next time never happens.

Sobering, right BCU Family? Hasty thoughts lead to hasty conclusions and hasty actions.  The Bible warns us of doing things in haste–so we really need to get an understanding of what haste is and what God says. Let’s start with the definition of haste from Dictionary.com

swiftness of motion; speed; celerity: 
urgent need of quick action; a hurry or rush.
unnecessarily quick action; thoughtless, rash, or undue speed.

That last definition is exactly where we are going to focus.

Judges 11 tells the story of Jephthah, a mighty warrior who was called for by the Israelites to help them win a war against the Ammonites.

After a failed attempt to avoid the war, Jephthah made a vow to God, saying, “If you give the Ammonites into my hands, whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the Lord’s, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering” (Judges 11:30–31). Jephthah then defeated the Ammonites and returned home to Mizpah (Judges 11:32–34).

When Jephthah arrived at home, his daughter, an only child, was the first to come out of his house (Judges 11:34). Upon seeing her, Jephthah obviously remembered his vow and tore his clothes in mourning. When he told his daughter of his promise, she accepted the consequences, asking for two months to mourn beforehand (Judges 11:37–38). The Bible records that it actually became a custom for the daughters of Israel to mourn the event each year for four days (Judges 11:39-40).

In this case, Jepthath’s hasty thinking (or not thinking at all) lead to hasty speech that caused his only child trouble for the remainder of her life. How many  have lives/are living of us are living out unfavorable consequences from quick thinking/actions? While we cannot change what we did/said, we can ask God for the grace to walk out our decisions. Additionally, we can avoid repeating the same lesson by applying Jephthah’s story to our lives–and by taking into our hearts some additional scriptures.

 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: But he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly (Proverbs 14:29).

 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him (Proverbs 18:13).

👉🏾Folly means lack of good sense; wicked or someone who lacks the proper fear or respect of God. 

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Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him (Proverbs 29:20).

👉🏾The Pulpit Commentary says the dull, stupid man (kesil) may be instructed and guided and made to listen to reason—but the hasty and ill-advised speaker consults no one, takes no thought before he speaks, nor reflects on the effect of his words; such a man it is almost impossible to reform..

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 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, 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).

👉🏾Not only should we be swift to hear the other person, we should be swift to hear what God is saying to us, before we speak or get angry. Otherwise we end up sinning. 

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2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? (Ecclesiastes 5:2-6).

👉🏾Unlike the world says, promises were NOT made to be broken. God takes our words seriously and expects us to follow through on what we say, even it it hurts us (See Psalm 15:4).   

So what can we do about this rash thinking/mouth? God has an answer!

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). If we start by taking a moment to pray, God will supply us with the direction to go in, so He is glorified through what we THINK, SAY and DO! 

You know, BCU Fam, while the basis of salvation is Acts 2:38 (repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and being filled with the Holy Ghost), the Lord calls us to live a holy life which includes  being mindful of our thoughts, words and actions. In fact,we are accountable (we will give an answer) to God for our words and deeds (See Matthew 12:36 and 2 Corinthians 5:10), so while we can, with the help of the Lord, let’s be intentional about applying the Word of God to our thought process, which is the basis of everything. Amen? Amen!

As much as it disappoints me when people jump to conclusions about me, I have been guilty of doing the very same thing if I do not allow the Lord to govern my thoughts! How about you? How do you deal with your quick thinking? Let’s talk more in the comments section below!

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Thank you SO much for stopping by. God bless, keep and make His face to shine upon you as you #StayOnTheWall!

Love,

BCU