Bible Readings and Devotion for October 27, 2020
Here are the references for the readings. Please look these up in your print Bible, your smartphone app Bible, or your online Bible:
Devotion for October 27, 2020
By Pastor David Tinker
Our reading from James 3 tells of the difficulty of controlling our words in a godly way. In all this we remember that the only way we can truly do things God’s way is with the forgiveness of God through Jesus and the enlightening of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In response to God’s work of reaching out to us with love, forgiveness and power for us, we get to live according to his calling.
We have a calling to live God’s new and right way. In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism he teaches about God’s way of guiding our words, or “taming our tongue.”
Luther wrote this:
The Eighth Commandment
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
What is this?
We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light.
In light of what Martin Luther teaches here, try to consider how others are affected by your words. Consider how you can build up rather than tear down the people you encounter in this life. Each day, plan to work on one or more of the following:
1) Speak the best of every person you encounter.
2) Refuse to listen to or repeat anything remotely resembling gossip.
3) Offer compliments to employees at stores and restaurants.
4) Verbally express love and affection to your family.
5) Reduce or eliminate your use of obscenities. Avoid listening to and repeating foul words or jokes. Eliminate the use of racial slurs and degrading terms toward or about your fellow humans.
6) Share with others the good things God has been doing in your life. Celebrate the good things in life, rather than grumble about those things which are giving you trouble.
7) Offer prayers and songs of praise to God.
The tongue is difficult or impossible to tame. The good news is that the Word of God, the power of God and the forgiveness of God are all much more powerful than the tongue. With what God provides we have the opportunity to reap the blessings and share the blessings of the New Obedience in how we speak to one another.
Prayer
As our prayer today, use this brief prayer from Psalm 19:14:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Amen
Martin Luther Lutheran Church 