A Framework for Faith/Spiritual Practices

So, I realize I must be in the greatest dread - in fear and trembling - of incurring this sentence on that day when no one can hide himself or sneak away but we shall all, every one of us, have to account for even our smallest sins at the tribunal of the Lord Christ.

  - Patrick, Confession (British, 5th century)

"I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

  - Matthew 12.36, 37

Patrick was thinking of this particular passage from the Gospel of Matthew as he set down in writing his own confession of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was not an eloquent man, and his Latin was, at best, passing. But he was determined to justify his calling and ministry and not to embellish or exaggerate. His Confession is a startling testimony to the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And to the power of words.

All Patrick had when he returned to Ireland were words - the words of the Gospel. He did not cajole, he did not schmooze, he did not coddle the wild Irish. He preached the Word of the Gospel because this is how he wanted to be known, and this is what he desperately wanted them to know as well.

Patrick knew his words would reveal his true character and would justify his mission in the Lord. So he was very careful, both in what he spoke and in what he wrote, so that no one would think that he had any other agenda, any other aspiration, any other resolve than to make Jesus Christ known.

Is this what our words declare about us?

On the day of judgment, Jesus said, the record of our words will tell the tale of what we really believed and what really mattered to us during the course of our earthly lives. What we talked about most freely, most frequently, and most fervently will reveal what was in our hearts and how we spent the hours and days graciously supplied us by the Lord.

Every careless word will be examined and weighed. Rather than accumulate many more careless words than we already have, may I suggest that we take care, every day, to make sure that our words have the ring of Jesus in them?

To whom will you speak the true words of Jesus today?

Today at The Fellowship of Ailbe

ReVision - Tremors are shaking the evolutionary house of cards. Will they contribute to a collapse?

The Pastors' Fellowship - Pastors, there's still time to sign up for next week's free webinar in which we will discuss the question, "What does it mean to be saved?" You can reserve your seat by registering today.

I Will Be Your God - God's most fundamental promise to His people is this: "I will be your God, and you will be My people." This book can help you to understood the enormity and power of that simple phrase.

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T. M. Moore, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.