JoAnn was watching her grandfather mulch the soil around his smiling pansies. “Papa,” she asked, “may I please have the yellow one with the purple face?” “Of course, my dear,” he said, handing her a flower with a stem that was once near the center of the plant.

After carefully examining its intricate details she said, “Here, Papa, now take it back and put it where it was.”

“I can’t do that, my dear,” he replied. “It came from the heart of the plant and there is no way to put it back.”

Words are like that pansy. They come from the heart. Whatever we say or whatever anyone else says comes from the heart, and words once spoken can never be returned to their source. Our words either help or harm, do good or cause damage, build up or tear down, bring out the best in people or make them fearful to act.

How wise of David to want his words and thoughts to be pleasing to God. God wants us to love Him, worship Him, serve Him, and please Him. But if we do not know Him we will never be able to honor and serve Him. And we cannot know Him unless we study His Word and allow its message to penetrate our minds.

Then, as we think godly thoughts we will speak godly words and do godly deeds that come from godly hearts and then our lives will be pleasing to Him. Whatever is in our hearts will eventually come out in our words and deeds.

Prayer: We ask, Father, for hearts that are filled with Your Word and lives that are pleasing in Your sight. Only then will what we say be right. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

JoAnn was watching her grandfather mulch the soil around his smiling pansies. “Papa,” she asked, “may I please have the yellow one with the purple face?” “Of course, my dear,” he said, handing her a flower with a stem that was once near the center of the plant.

After carefully examining its intricate details she said, “Here, Papa, now take it back and put it where it was.”

“I can’t do that, my dear,” he replied. “It came from the heart of the plant and there is no way to put it back.”

Words are like that pansy. They come from the heart. Whatever we say or whatever anyone else says comes from the heart, and words once spoken can never be returned to their source. Our words either help or harm, do good or cause damage, build up or tear down, bring out the best in people or make them fearful to act.

How wise of David to want his words and thoughts to be pleasing to God. God wants us to love Him, worship Him, serve Him, and please Him. But if we do not know Him we will never be able to honor and serve Him. And we cannot know Him unless we study His Word and allow its message to penetrate our minds.

Then, as we think godly thoughts we will speak godly words and do godly deeds that come from godly hearts and then our lives will be pleasing to Him. Whatever is in our hearts will eventually come out in our words and deeds.

Prayer: We ask, Father, for hearts that are filled with Your Word and lives that are pleasing in Your sight. Only then will what we say be right. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture For Today: May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

JoAnn was watching her grandfather mulch the soil around his smiling pansies. “PaPa,” she asked, “may I please have the yellow one with a purple face?” “Of course, my dear,” he said, handing her a flower with a stem that was once near the center of the plant.

After carefully examining its intricate details she said, “Here, now take it back and put it where it was.”

“I can’t do that, my dear,” he replied. “It came from the heart of the plant and there is no way to put it back.”

Words are like that pansy. They come from the heart. Whatever we say or whatever anyone else says comes from the heart and words once spoken can never be returned to their source. Our words either help or harm, do good or cause damage, build up or tear down, bring out the best in people or make them fearful to act.

How wise of David to want his words and thoughts to be pleasing to God. God wants us to love Him, worship Him, serve Him and please Him. But if we do not know Him we will never be able to honor Him. And we cannot know Him unless we study His Word and allow its message to penetrate our minds.

Then, as we think Godly thoughts we will speak Godly words and do Godly deeds that come from Godly hearts and our lives will be pleasing to Him. Whatever is in our heart will eventually come out in our lives!

Prayer: We ask, Father, for hearts that are filled with Your Word and lives that are pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

It was a luncheon designed to impress her friends from the neighborhood. Wanting to impress them she asked her five year old son, Jamie, to return thanks.

“Jamie,” she said politely, “will you please say grace?”

“Mommy, please, I don’t really know what to say,” he replied cautiously.

“Well, dear,” she said encouragingly, “just say what you heard Mommy say this morning.”

Bowing his head and folding his hands he began, “Good Lord, why did I invite all these dumb people to lunch today.”

Words can be a sword or a solace or even a weapon that leaves a wound. Words once spoken can never be retrieved or marked “Void.” Words take on a life of their own and will leave another person better or bruised, helped or hurt, encouraged or emptied.

King David wrote, “May the words of my mouth...be pleasing to you, O Lord...” Pleasing words have their source in another part of that verse that states: “may...the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you.” David is asking God to approve his words and thoughts as though they were offerings brought to God’s very own altar and came from the depths of his soul.

What a great prayer for us to offer to God each day!

Prayer: Father, “may the words of our mouths and the thoughts of our hearts be pleasing to you, O lord, our rock and our redeemer.” In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Hearing had become a rather serious problem for him as he aged. So, Grandpa decided to purchase a hearing aid. After completing the various tests and adjustments, he began to wear it with much enjoyment. Everyone was delighted that he was more responsive and involved during their conversations. However, no one saw the small, almost invisible device in his ear.

Delighted at how his life had improved, he went back to visit his doctor to thank him for his help. As he was about to leave the office the doctor said, “I’m sure that your family and friends are as happy as you are!”

“Are you kiddin’!” chuckled Grandpa. “They don’t know I have it and they sure don’t know that I can hear now. I’ve changed my will three times in two weeks.”

How would our words be different if all the world was listening to everything we said? How would our words be different, if when we went to say something about someone, that “one” was there, part of the conversation - listening and participating? Would the conversations ever begin and could we look them in the eye as we spoke?

“May my words…and thoughts…be pleasing, Oh, Lord.” A good way to begin each day is to dedicate our mouths to God asking that His love will guide our words.

Prayer: Help us, Father, to realize that our words are at work, helping or hurting, blessing or breaking, bringing life or death. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Scripture for Today: Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.