DCLM HIGHER EVERYDAY 12 April 2022 — Work to have gracious words
DCLM Higher Everyday 12 April 2022 Devotional by Pastor W. F. Kumuyi — Work to have gracious words
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TOPIC: WORK TO HAVE GRACIOUS WORDS
BIBLE TEXT: LUKE 4:16-22
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.
17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,
18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?
MEMORY VERSE: “And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?” (LUKE 4:22).
MESSAGE:
Jim Sole wrote, “No Christian should ever have a reputation of having a gossipping tongue, a slanderous mouth, an impulsive tongue full of unkind, angry and hurtful words. I am not saying Christians may not struggle in some of these areas, but if they are truly Christians, and growing in grace, they will overcome these areas, all of them.” Child of God, do you speak gracious or corrupt words to others? The Scriptures warns, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).
Dear Christian youth, strive to speak gracious words to others, like Christ in our text. Corrupt words are sinful and unbecoming of a Christian. The reaction of your hearers should be the same as that of Christ’s hearers in our text, for they “…wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth…” Pray for grace to speak gracious words always. By so doing, you will edify fellow Christian youths and draw unbelieving youths to Christ.
QUOTE: Speak gracious words like Christ.
CHALLENGE: Speak encouraging words to edify others.
PRAYER: Help me Lord, to edify and encourage others with my words.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
