Author: marquitabp

To know me is to accept me, and to love me is to help me.
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Daily Devotion

Diarrhea of the Mouth

"Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut."  Proverbs 10:19 NLT

When I was a little girl, I talked a lot and very fast (at least that's what I was told, not sure how true it is).  I found it very hard to listen to other people intently and retain what they were saying at times.  However surprisingly I was able to pay attention in class and get very good grades.  I heard this "ailment" I had be referred to as diarrhea of the mouth.  A person with diarrhea of the mouth just talks and talks and talks about any and everything.  (Of course this did not fully apply to me because I talk, but not about everything.)  I frequently told other people growing up that they talked too much.

Now as an adult, I realize that there are things that I told that I should not have told.  You cannot tell people everything.  You cannot tell all the bad in your life, nor can you tell all of the good and blessings you have received.  Lets face it, there are two very true things in the world: misery loves company and there are some bitter and hateful people in the world.  So if you tell a miserable person all of your bad, they will say any and everything to make you stay in your pity party.  If you tell even the most happy person about your good, there is a chance a slight tinge of jealousy may strike them to say something negative about you.  Even if you are just a motor mouth that likes to gossip–well that's the sin right there.

I had to learn to be quiet and that not everyone has my best interest at heart.  Some of the people I have confided in have hurt me beyond belief and it has always been some variation of the truth.  It caused me to learn about people and to simply keep my mouth shut.  I've learned that you have to be mindful and inclined to follow your spirit of discernment as to who, what, and when you should share with people.  I have since learned to actually focus and listen…or to pour my heart out to my journal and God.

"Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry." James 1:19

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Daily Devotion

Take It Off Repeat
 
"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  Philippians 4:8
 
Hi everyone!  Late night I know…I'm working on that.  Anyway, I wanted to share this with you.  I've actually had this title on reserve since about August haha.  But for some reason I just couldn't find the words to write for this.  For the last few weeks, it has been drilled into my mind that I need to change my thinking.  I know, it seems like an easy task…but ask yourself, is it truly easy to change how you think?  I mean, have you realized how difficult it is to get rid of a bad habit?  Or how hard is it to redirect your thoughts after someone has ticked you off?  Lets face it, it is not easy to think positive about something we have conditioned ourselves to think negatively about. 
 
Negative thoughts, ideas, and hangups are things that usually have been embedded in our minds from childhood. Like insecurities about one's looks and appearance, comparing yourself to other people, believing that you will never amount to anything–these are all lies that the devil wants us to believe about ourselves.  DO YOU UNDERSTAND–the devil HATES YOU and he does not want YOU HAPPY or JOYOUS.  He wants you to play this tape of self-destruction over and over and over and over again!  He wants to use every possible tactic he can to make you doubt who you are in Christ Jesus.
 
In the scripture above, Paul tells us to think on the truth.  The truth is that God loves you so much that He is willing to do everything to save you.  Paul says to think on things that are honorable, right, pure, and lovely.  What is right is that we are the children of the Most High God.  What is pure is His love–because God is love.  Paul says to think on things that are admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise.  What is admirable and excellent and worthy of praise, every single thing God has done for you.  He wakes you up, keeps you healthy, makes sure you are functioning in your right mind, that you can eat, walk, talk, and do whatever else it is during your day.  Everything God has done for you is worthy of praise–from your job, your family, your relationships, to the small things.  Take that track off repeat and think on the truth of God's word.
 
"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."  Romans 8:5