The Spirit of Truth

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
HOLY SPIRIT

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” -John 16:13(ESV)

Since Satan is the father of lies and since he is the god of this world, the world does NOT know Christ, and therefore, the world will not be able to recognize the presence of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, living in you.
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When people choose to believe lies, eventually, they believe the lies they have embraced and live by those lies.  Their hearts become hardened, and then not being able to see the truth about Christ, they are blinded.  Do not expect the world to receive the Spirit of Truth living in you because the world cannot receive Him because it cannot see Him and does not know Him.
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Because of the death of Christ, the Spirit of Truth has been made accessible to all believers.  The Spirit of Truth will guide you into all you need to know about the Truth of Christ.

REFLECTION:  “He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God,” (John 1:11-13 BSB). <>“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you do know Him, for He abides with you and will be in you,” (John 14:15-17NLT).  

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When you received and believed in Christ, you were given the right to be called a child of God, not of your own doing but because of God’s grace and mercy. You became born-again, were given a new nature, and your past is gone.  You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), and the Holy Spirit has made His dwelling place in you (1 Corinthians 3:16).
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Do you need to know right from wrong?  The Spirit of Truth gives you the discernment to know right from wrong, and He is the One who helps you to recall the truths spoken of in God’s Word to be able to make that determination.  He will not let you down.  This is why it is so important to listen to the Holy Spirit when He convicts you and tells you not to do something or when He leads you to move forward.  The Spirit of Truth will protect you from the lies of the enemy.  
PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the God of all Truth.  You never lead me astray.  Thank You for giving me the Spirit of Truth.  In all I do and say, I want to please You.  Give me the discernment and the understanding I need to know right from wrong, what pleases You and what doesn’t please You.  All I want is Your truth, Lord.  Help me to see Your truth. Lead me on this Narrow Road I am walking and help me to see the road marked out before me.  Lord, teach me how not to grieve Your Spirit of Truth, and help me to recognize the truth from errors, the truth from lies.  Be my Guide throughout this day.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.  
Linda A. Knowles

“This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ;

not by the water only but by the water and the blood.
And the Spirit is the one who testifies,
because the Spirit is the truth.”
1 John 5:6(ESV)

Our Cornerstone

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

ephesians

“‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ ‘Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on.'” -Luke 20:17-18 (NLT)

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These words are comforting for those who are in Christ.  Jesus is the Chief Cornerstone, Our Sure Foundation as we can see in Ephesians 2:20 (NLT), “And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.”  Those in Christ will inherit eternal life while those who reject Christ are already judged and the wrath of God remains on them as told to us in John 3:36(NKJV), which states, “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Those who reject Christ will not be able to stand when judgment falls on them, and they will be crushed under the weight of it.
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When you have Jesus, you have all that you need.  The world could fall in around you and as long as you have Jesus, you have all you need. He is your All-In-All.  Let me say this again:  WHEN YOU HAVE JESUS, YOU HAVE ALL YOU NEED.
“In that day he will be your sure foundation, providing a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord will be your treasure.”
-Isaiah 33:6 (NLT)

As you walk along the Narrow Road, you may find yourself struggling, but keep your eyes on Jesus.  Continue to let Jesus be your Guide.  Let the Lord instruct you.  He is your Sure Foundation, and when you allow your life to be built upon Him, you will NOT be disappointed.  Whatever is holding you back, give it over to Jesus. In Matthew 11:28-30(NLT), Jesus tells you, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me the privilege to be able to come before You.  You are the Good Shepherd, and I thank You for being my Guide and my Instructor.  You are my Rock, the Chief Cornerstone, my Sure Foundation.  Lord, these days are evil and are becoming worse and worse.  Give me discernment to know right from wrong.  Fill me with the wisdom that comes from You alone.  Teach me the Fear of the Lord and how to revere You.  Lord God, this world has nothing for me.  Nothing compares to You for You are glorious and majestic, worthy of all praise and honor.  You are the One I long for. Help me to always see Your Word is Truth.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.'” -Isaiah 28:16

Let The Holy Spirit Guide Your Lives

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
Galatians 5.20

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.” -Galatians 5:16

Yes, you are a new creation in Christ, but just because you are a child of God does not mean you will not have issues, problems, or struggles.  Your sinful nature is in direct opposition to the new nature given to you by Christ.
As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit living within you, and the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you.  However, the sinful nature will war against the desires the Holy Spirit has given you because the sinful nature wants to do evil.

REFLECTION:  “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NLT). You are under no obligation to do what your sinful natures urges you to do because the Holy Spirit empowers you to live a pure and holy life before God.  Every day is a choice to submit yourself to God to live in accordance with His Word.  Therefore, since you are in Christ, you no longer live by the dictates of your sinful nature.  Now you are letting your mind be controlled by the Holy Spirit, and because you are letting the Holy Spirit have His way in your life, you are being led by Him.  When the Holy Spirit convicts you letting you know something is wrong, stop what you are doing and listen to Him.  It is important to be aware that if you compromise on one sin, it will be easy to fall into one sin after another.  You will not be able to show a life of victory in Christ if you continually compromise and give into temptation.  Keep your eyes open to what the Spirit has to show you and keep your ears open to hear His voice.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth.  Help me to learn from You what You want me to learn.  Let me sit at Your feet to hear You speak.  I ask that You continually fill me with Your Spirit to overflow so that I might be able to do Your will and carry out whatever it is You ask me to carry out.  Thank You for guiding me this far, and I pray that You continue to guide me as I follow Your ways.  Help me to remain steadfast in You so that I will not compromise.  May I always seek Your truth and walk uprightly before You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Keep watch and pray,

so that you will not give in to temptation.
For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
Matthew 26:41 (NLT)

God Does What Is Best

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

Ps 32 10

“Accept the way God does things for who can straighten what he made crooked?”

Ecclesiastes 7:13

Accept the way God does things?   “Linda, you can’t be serious.”  Yes, I am serious.  I cannot overlook what the verse says.  “Accept the way God does things.”  The fact is God loves us, and He wants the best for us.  God’s way of doing things is vastly different than ours.  If I could have some things done instantly, they would be done, but I am so glad God did not give me some of the things I wanted immediately;  Some things I’m glad He didn’t give me at all.  We could complain and talk until we’re blue in the face, but that will not make God answer us faster or even get Him to move out of His perfect timing.  God has good things in store for each of His children, and the good things He has for us ARE WORTH waiting for.  Doing things our way can only mess things up.  However, when God works, His work is done in His perfect timing, and everything works out for the good of those who love Him and according to His purpose.

REFLECTION:  “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work God has done from beginning to end,” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  Are you willing to accept God’s ways?  Will you submit to God’s timing and wait for Him to work out everything?  Remember, God is your Heavenly Father and only wants the best for you, and no one is able to stop Divine Providence.  Accept how God does things because His ways are not our ways.  You do not know the future, but God sees what is up ahead of you.  He is the only One Who truly knows your future and what lies ahead.  Consider the work of God and His sovereignty.  God has not forgotten about you, and He is still in control.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, nothing stops Your divine providence.  Your Word goes forth and Your Word will accomplish the purposes for which it was sent.  Your ways, how You work, is something I cannot fathom, but I know everything is working together for my good because I love You and am called according to Your purpose.  Father, I am humbled by Your goodness and Your faithfulness, and though I may not understand how You work everything out, I am trusting and hoping in You for You, O God, are still in control.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

Because the Sovereign LORD helps me,

I will not be disgraced.
Therefore, I have set my face like a stone,
determined to do his will.
And I know that I will not be put to shame.
Isaiah 50:7

Being Tempted Is Not A Sin

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles

“The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him..” -Mark 1:12-13 (NLT)

Psalms_119-11

Temptation always comes, and while being tempted is not a sin, giving in to the temptation is a sin.  The Word of God goes so far as to say that if we are tempting someone that is sin as well and states, “…Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting,” (Matthew 18:7 NLT).  We are never to use someone’s weaknesses against him/her to tempt him/her to commit sin against God.  In other words, look out for the best interests of others and encourage them to progress in their walk with God.
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We are not to rejoice when someone trips up and falls into temptation.  We are, however, to spur each other on, not play on the weaknesses that the other has.
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With all that being said, Jesus gave us an example of how to handle temptation and what we should do when faced with temptation.  We are to respond with “It is written,” which is why it is so important to daily be in the Word of God studying, thinking about the Scriptures, applying the Word to our lives, and hiding God’s Word in our hearts in order to combat temptation and to live a life pleasing to God. 
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Let’s look at how Jesus handled temptation:
“Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, ‘If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.  And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’  Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’” -Luke 4:9-12
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Jesus made it very clear for us to know that the devil is the father of lies and no truth can be found in him, and that is recorded in John 8:44 (NLT), which states, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.”
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The devil twisted the Scripture to tempt Jesus when he said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off!  For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you.'”  Jesus knew the Scriptures well and knew Satan was twisting the Scriptures.  God does protect, and that is truth.  God will command His angels to watch over and guard us;  However, we are not to take the promises of God lightly nor should we ever be so careless in thinking that if we jump off a building that God will keep us from going splat on the ground.  Jesus, rightly dividing the Word of God, gave us this clear demonstration of how to wield the Sword of the Spirit when we’re faced with temptation.  Jesus responded by saying, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.'”  
REFLECTION:  “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You,” (Psalm 119:11 BSB).  Do you have daily time reading and studying the Bible?  Do you truly know the Bible?  Do you walk in obedience to the Word of God?  The bible is not a buffet where you can choose what you like and what you don’t like.  You need the entire counsel of God, not just some of His counsel.   The Word tells you how live a holy life, tells you everything you need to know to inherit eternal life, and the Word of God teaches you how to handle temptation, and instructs you as to what God has given you to overcome whatever may come your way.  “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth,” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT).  As a child of God, hiding God’s Word in your heart and clinging to His truth will help you in your life. However, it is absolutely vital for you apply the Word of God to your life, to live the Word of God out loud in your life, not just when temptation strikes. It is not enough to be exposed to the Word of God. It is not enough to read the Word of God. You must be applying the Word, and you must be living out the Word in every aspect of your life. You must be obeying God’s commands especially if you claim to love God and claim to be His child.  When you truly know the Word of God, you will know when half-truths come your way and know if someone is twisting the Scriptures.  Hide His Word in your heart so you might not sin against Him.

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the God of all Truth.  I ask You to help me remain steadfast in You, to keep my feet from slipping.  Lord, teach me Your ways and Your truth.  Help me to always rightly divide Your Word.  May I always hide Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against You.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.” -Isaiah 50:7 (NLT)

Satisfaction In GOD Alone

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
though none go with me

“The LORD will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.” -Proverbs 10:3 (NLT)

When you trust GOD, you do not need to worry.  You have no reason to because the LORD your GOD takes care of you and He is the One who meets every need you have and sees the deepest desires of your heart.  The Word of GOD says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need,” (Matthew 6:33 NLT).  When you are delighting yourself in the LORD by loving Him with all your heart and following Him wholeheartedly, you are blessed of the LORD.

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Satisfaction cannot be found in anything or anyone else.  Satisfaction can only be found in GOD.  Those who depend on GOD and rely upon GOD alone will always find themselves satisfied.  Because of GOD, through CHRIST, you have been made complete, made whole, which means you have all you need in GOD.  He is your All In All.
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The other side of that:  GOD does not satisfy the wicked.  The ungodly are self-reliant, do not have reverence for GOD, and live for themselves.  Living in disobedience to GOD and His ways and showing disdain toward GOD and His Word brings destruction.  “Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.” (Psalm 25:3 BSB).
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For all who are led by the Spirit of GOD are children of GOD.  The Spirit of the Living GOD (Holy Spirit) has been given to you to guide and lead you into all truth.  He is your Comforter, residing in you, a child of the Most High GOD, “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him,” (Ephesians 1:14 NLT).
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REFLECTION:  Are you finding satisfaction in GOD or do you look to other things to satisfy you?  Do you truly understand that satisfaction is found in GOD alone and He is the only One who can satisfy your every need and longing?  “Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing,” (Psalm 34:9-10 NLT).  Having reverence for GOD and the things of GOD begins first with the fear of the LORD.  To fear GOD is to have deep respect for Him. The deepest need every person has is his/her spiritual need for GOD. The Word of GOD says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” To be poor in spirit is to recognize your need for GOD and your need for the Savior.  When you fear the LORD, you have wisdom because the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  

PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the Only One Who Can Satisfy the deepest longing of my heart and soul.  You are the Only One able to breathe life into me.  Draw near to me as I draw near to You, and let me learn true reverence and holiness in Your presence.  With joy, let me drink deeply from the Well of Salvation as I cling to You and Your truth.  Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I might be able to discern what is pleasing to You and what is not pleasing to You.  Guide me into all truth, and open my eyes to see what You want to show me and open my ears to hear You speak clearly.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water.  I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.  I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.  I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.” –Psalm 63:1-5

He Knows The Hopes of the Helpless

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
nahum_1.7_nlt_border_wallpaper

“LORD, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them.” -Psalm 10:17 (NLT)

The LORD is with you, and He sees you when it feels like everything is surrounding you or even when it feels like everything is caving in on you.  The LORD your GOD knows those who are your enemies are arrogant and proud, and even though it seems all is well with them, they are not well.  The wicked will perish.  Though trouble surrounds you, the LORD is delivering you out of your troubles.  The LORD is the GOD of all comfort, preparing a feast before you in the presence of your enemies.
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We can take comfort in the presence of GOD.  Our GOD is the One we can run into because He is our Strong Tower, and when we run into Him, we are safe.  He is the Cleft of the Rock who shelters us in the time of storm.
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REFLECTION: “The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him,” (Nahum1:7 NLT). In this passage of Scripture Nineveh had slipped back to their old ways and was now worse than ever before.  Nineveh had reason to be terrified because Nineveh was contending with GOD.  The words in this context of this passage may be disconcerting to the unbeliever, but to those of us who believe, it is great comfort.  Because we trust in GOD, living for Him, though we may find ourselves in a situation where we feel helpless, remember GOD is sovereign.  He is still on His throne, and He upholds you with His righteous right hand.  We are not left without hope no matter what the situation, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.  The LORD is our Helper, our Strong Refuge, and our GOD is so very good.

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Keep trusting in GOD.  Keep pressing into GOD through prayer.  Keep on in steadfastness and walking in obedience. Through your GOD, you shall do valiantly. You are victorious.  You are the Child of the Most High GOD, and you are a conqueror. Your GOD does NOT fail.
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PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the GOD who never fails.  You are the GOD of Victory.  Thank You for teaching me about Your protection and Your faithfulness.  Thank You for making me victorious.  Thank You for being My Father.  You, O GOD, are my Helper, and LORD, remind me You are my Refuge and my Strong Tower and that I need not fear because You have empowered me to persevere through my trials and to triumph over my enemies.  Continue Your work in me, and make me a light for You in this dark world; and may I be a living testimony to proclaim Your faithfulness and Your goodness to those around me.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV)

To Be An Arsonist or Not To Be…

Posted on by Dr. Linda Agnes Knowles
JAMES 3vs5-6

“Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything,” (Proverbs 13:3 NLT).  “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences,” (Proverbs 18:21 NLT)

The tongue may be a tiny member of the body, but oh the disasters it can cause without practicing self-control.  The tongue has within it the power of life and death.  The tongue can tear down or build up, curse or bless, complain or speak gratefulness, tells lies or tells the truth…  This tiny member of the body causes many problems when left unchecked and when left untamed.
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We need to practice self-control, and with the Holy Spirit living within us, we cannot say we can’t control what we say because self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  So since the Holy Spirit lives within us, we do have self-control.  We make the choice.
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No one can make you swear.  No one can make you tear someone down with your words.  No one can make you use ungodly or unwholesome speech.  You and only you choose how you will react in your use of speech.  Let your speech be filled with saltiness and filled with grace.  God will not hold someone else accountable for your words; He will hold you accountable.  We are told in Romans 14:12 (NLT), “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God,” and in Matthew 12:35-37 (NLT), Jesus said, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
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“In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest on fire. The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell,” (James 3:5-6).
What you say does have consequences.
For example:  If you are lying to a someone and that someone finds out you are lying, you will have destroyed the person’s trust in you, proven yourself to be untrustworthy, and if you ever speak to that person again, there will be doubt as to whether or not you have told the truth.
As children of God, our speech is to be different than the world’s speech. Blessings and curses should not be flowing out of the same mouth because the Word of God tells us in Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.”  In Ephesians 4:29 (BSB), it states, “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen.”
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If you were face to face with Christ, standing there in front of you, would you speak carelessly, not caring what Christ would say or would you be careful of the words you speak if you were standing face to face with Christ?  We may not be able to see Jesus, but He did say He would be with us until the end, which means He is with you no matter what you are doing, no matter where you go, and no matter who you are talking to.
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PRAYER:  Heavenly Father, You are the All-Knowing and All-Seeing God.  You are holy, and You have commanded me to be holy.  You are pure and wholesome, and You command me to walk in Your ways.  Help me to always remember that no matter what I say or do, You are with me, and because I am Your child, I represent You.  Help me to never bring shame to You or Your name.  Let my speech be seasoned with salt and filled with grace as Your Word commands. Fill me with Your words so I may build others up, and Father, fill me with Your Holy Spirit and work the fruit of self-control within me.  Help me to choose wholesome speech, pleasing to Your ears.  In words and actions, Lord, make me more and more like You so I may act wisely amongst those who do not believe and be encouraging to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Linda A. Knowles

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly,” (Proverbs 15:2 (ESV)