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Topic: Watch Your Tongue!
[DCLM Daily Manna 21 January 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Isaiah 3:1-12
1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.
2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.
3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Key Verse: “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.” – (Isaiah 3:10)
MESSAGE:
George Jones, a song writer, in his piece scripted, “You can’t do wrong and get by; no matter how much you may try; Nothing hidden can be, everything he doth see; you can’t do wrong and get by.”
The principle of cause and effect has always been a reality. Those who sow to the wind, always reap the whirlwind. The Bible is replete with individuals who brought curses and punishments to themselves by the wrong use of their tongue. The children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness instead of 40 days on the journey to the Promised Land because of their sin and unbridled tongue. Also, for careless utterances and rebellion, Korah and 250 men of Israel were swallowed up as the earth opened its mouth (Numbers 26:10). Michal, David’s wife, remained barren all through her life because she did not apply her tongue wisely.
God’s judgment against such sins did not stop with the Old Testament people. He visited many with His wrath in the New Testament; such punishments are still being meted out to those who tread such pernicious paths today. In every dispensation, God has not hidden His displeasure against sin. Our text says that Jerusalem and Judah fell; they were overrun by the enemies because of their evil doings and wrong use of their tongue.
Believers are warned to refrain from any act that attracts God’s punishments. They must be weary of rash criticisms and sins that attract His displeasure. While He punishes sinners, He abundantly blesses those who walk in His ways. He does not use the same brush to tar different roads, if they are not similar. While He punished Jerusalem and Judah, on one hand, on the other, He said, “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.”
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: You can’t afford to be a new creature with an old mindset.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Exodus 17-19
