James 3:2-5 NKJV
“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. 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!”
INSIGHT
-Communication is written as homilos in Greek and siach in Hebrew which means to impart or exchange information by different forms like speaking, writing, or using some other medium. James discloses that the tongue is a little member but it’s power and influence for good or bad are out of proportion to its size. The true source of the unruly evil produced by the tongue is hell. At one end the tongue splits deadly poison, manipulated by wicked spirits and evil intentions of the heart, on the other end makes the hearts of the hearers glad and is able to control their entire emotional structure. Ephesians 4:29 exhorts us saying, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” It is vital that we tame our tongues and when one is angry and intends to speak evil words, it is better to pause, cool down, and reflect instead of letting your speech lead you to sin.
PRAYER
We rejoice in You Lord always for You have filled our hearts with grace and mercy. This is the day that You have made Lord, we rejoice and are glad in it. We rejoice in You Lord our God, our Savior and Redeemer. We rejoice in You Lord always in our families, work, schools, churches and nation. We rejoice in You for You have done great and mighty works unto us, and You are doing what no man can do. We exult Your name Jehovah because You are our God, and none can compare to You. May we decrease as You increase Lord Jesus. May You forgive us for the many times we have used our tongues to speak evil things, to curse, to lie and to swear falsely in Your name. We repent for all the sins we have committed and humbly ask You to forgive us and remove any accusation against us in the courts of heaven. May You be with our children who are about to undertake their exams that You may grant them good success. May You bless our leaders and teach to rely on You and know that vengeance belongs to You Lord our God. We submit our hearts unto You Lord that You may transform us and bless us in a special way, May You guide our going out and coming in this entire week and year precious Holy Spirit. We praise You Jesus and worship You now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Ephesians 4:26, Colossians 3:8
1 Peter 3:8-12 NKJV
“Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
INSIGHT
-Peter gives his final exhortation to the church on effective communication. He reiterates that godly communication requires the transmitters and receivers of the message be of one mind, the mind of Christ. He also reveals the traits that each party should possess for communication to be effective. That is love, compassion, tenderheartedness, courtesy, and forgiveness. Most often the spirit of vengeance repeals the grace and mercy of God. Colossians 3:12-13 exposes similar views saying, “therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” Christ calls us to forgive each other so that He may forgive us too. Vengeance belongs to God and He is the one to repay, therefore we should not return evil for evil but evil for good. Vengeance begins from a desire and longing in the heart. It is then made manifest through the words that one speaks and their actions. The Lord calls us ensure the words of our mouth and meditation of our hearts be acceptable in His sight, our Strength and Redeemer (Psalms 19:14), so that we may live in peace with each and communicate in the manner deserving to God who is always watching us.
PRAYER
What a joy to be in Your presence Lord. We come to Your presence with thanksgiving in our hearts and shouts of joy. You are our God and there is none good besides You. We ask that we may dwell in Your house; Lord all the days of our lives. To behold Your beauty and meditate in Your temple. You make known to us the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy, in Your right hand there are pleasures forever. May You heal all those who are sick among us and restore the broken hearted dear Jesus. May You heal all our wounds our settle our hearts in the joy of Your salvation. May You deliver all those who face court cases and have mercy on them loving Savior. You are our Righteous Judge and Holy God, may You show us You path of life. May You bless all the children living in the streets and deliver them from all their troubles dear Jesus. May Your peace that surpasses all understanding, dwell in our hearts and minds in You Christ Jesus. Our Father who art in heaven; hallowed be Your name; Your Kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptations but deliver us from evil; for thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory; forever and ever. Amen
Further reading: Joshua 1:8, Philippians 4:8
Psalms 37:30 NKJV
“The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice.”
INSIGHT
-David was a wise and discerning king. He gained vast experiential knowledge through his many challenges and victories. He was a man after God’s own heart (1 Kings 14:8), and this was manifest on how he ruled over God’s people. There is great value is speaking just and wise words, at the perfect time. Proverbs 25:11 reveals that, words fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Words do not only lift up and encourage others, but they are also priceless. They can be precious and so meaningful when spoken at the opportune moment. As Christians, we should not only ask for our hearts and words to mirror the Lord’s, but also that the timing of those spoken words be right on cue and cause calmness. Proverbs 16:13 states that, “Righteous lips are the delight of a king, and he loves him who speaks what is right.” So the right words spoken at the proper time, can even gain us favor with king and other leaders in authority. This is especially true when our words come from the overflow of the heart. Unfortunately, just the opposite is true for foolish words. Not only will they hinder us, but they may even destroy opportunities for advancement and success. Good communication skills can then be developed and experienced when our mouths are full of God’s wisdom.
PRAYER
Lord our God, You are a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait on You. May You grant us peace, patience, wisdom and increase our faith, so that we may wait on You wholeheartedly. May You draw our hearts to Yourself so that we may look to Your people with justice and honor. Lord You are great and greatly to be praised, You are exulted in all the heavens and the earth. Lord You are gracious and merciful, full of compassion and love. May Your justice and truth cover all Your people. May You teach our leaders to rule our nation with justice, truth and wisdom. May You lead our nation dear Jesus in Your justice and wisdom. We wait on You Lord in all things. May You be will all the widows, fatherless and orphans. May You be with all those are sick, weak and suffering. May You deliver us from every plan of the enemy and protect us. We adore You and bless Your holy name. All glory, honor, power and grace belongs to You dear Jesus now and forever. Amen
Further reading: Hosea 12:6
Proverbs 18:13 NKJV
“He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.”
INSIGHT
-Those who have ungoverned tongues and hasty speech evinces self-conceit, leading to shame. They are impatient, and cannot wait to hear it out, but breaks in upon the speaker before he has finished what he has to say; or is rash and precipitate, and returns an answer at once, without weighing and considering, and thoroughly understanding, what is said. Proverbs 17:27 He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Those who wait hear with their hearts after carefully internalizing a matter. We are reminded to be swift to hear and slow to speak.
PRAYER
Oh Dear Heavenly Father, we come before your throne of grace and mercy with boldness that we may obtain Your grace to help us in times of need. We thank You for dying on the cross and resurrecting for our sake and for giving us life everlasting. We love You Lord and praise Your holy name. Thank You for Your saving grace upon us and our entire generations. May You show us Your ways and purify our lips with Your precious blood. May You teach us to be patient in our speech and fill our hearts with Your wisdom. May You grant the gift of salvation unto all our children, relatives and the entire world. Thanking dear Jesus for Your saving grace upon our lives, families, nation and entire world. May Your prosper all our plans and answer our hearts desires. May You bless us and keep us Lord. May You shine Your face upon us and be gracious to us. May You turn Your countenance towards us and give us Peace. Amen
Further reading: Proverbs 10:19, James 1:19
Revelations 1:3-5 NIV
“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.”
INSIGHT
– John had been exiled on the island of Patmos for preaching about Jesus. On the Lord’s Day, John is deep in prayer when he heard a voice and was told to write what he saw to the seven churches (Revelations 1:9-20). He turned round to see who is speaking and had a vision of Jesus, the ‘Son of Man’ (Daniel 7:13-14), the ‘Alpha and the Omega’ (the ‘First’ and the ‘Last’) (John 1:1-2), who has been raised from death and is alive for evermore. This written message guided by the Holy Spirit becomes effective when it is heard and performed.
SUMMARY
Effective communication is defined as communication between two or more persons in which the intended message is properly encoded, delivered through appropriate channel(s), received and properly decoded and understood by the recipient(s). For communication to be effective, the message must be clear, accurate, complete, and reliable. There are different forms of communication, that is verbal which entails speech through face to face interactions, over the telephone, via Skype or Zoom etc. Non verbal which entails facial expressions, posture, eye contact, hand movements, and touch. Written communication which includes email, memos, reports, blogs, social media posts, etc. Listening which can either be active or passive, and finally visual communication which includes television and other social media platforms. The Bible has adopted some of these strategies and the communication is made effective by the help of the Holy Spirit. John 14:26 tells us that, “Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 16:12-14, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.” Information can be easily distorted and cause misunderstand in our social interactions, marriages, work places etc., but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to have the wisdom required for effective communication. We are reminded to guard our tongues when we speak (James 3:2-5), for the tongue is a small organ but can light up an entire forest. The tongue can either build or destroy, causing life or death (Proverbs 18:21). We are also caution from speaking quickly before understanding the message or discerning the intensions of the conveyor. To answer before hearing it is folly and shame (Proverbs 18:13). As believers are called to be of one mind, and to speak righteousness and justice (1 Peter 3:8-12; Psalms 37:30).
PRAYER
We love You Holy Spirit our God. We exult Your name and welcome You to dwell in us and with us always. We thank you for always guiding us in all truth, and helping us to meditate on the Word. May You remove every form of deception in our society, nation and entire world, and grant us Your wisdom. May You teach us to communicate effectively and to represent Your views and intentions as You instruct us. May You use us in the areas of our calling for the glory and honor of Your name. May You fill our hearts, families and nation with the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. May You fill us with Your gift of wisdom, faith, speaking in tongues and interpreting them, prophecy, teaching, healing, working miracles, discernment of spirits and others gifts that You desire. We thank You for loving us and for choosing. May You forgive us for the times we have grieved You and wash us with the blood of Jesus. May Your grant us and all Your people the gift of salvation. May You bless us and keep us. May You shine Your face towards us and be gracious unto us. May You turn Your countenance to us give us peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us now and forever more. Amen
Further reading: Luke 11:28