DON’T LET TONGUE TROUBLE KEEP YOU FROM BECOMING WHO YOU WERE CREATED TO BE.

JOE OSTEEN’S MINISTERIES

Today’s Scripture
With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on.

James 3:9–10, MSG

30/09/24

TODAY’S WORD
Whether we realize it or not, when we go around speaking negative words over ourself, we’re actually cursing our future. You have enough people in life against you, so don’t be against yourself. The enemy would love for you to go around feeling wrong inside, as though you’re not up to par, you’re at a disadvantage. Too many people swallow that bait and go around speaking defeat. “I don’t have a good personality. I’m too old. I don’t have what it takes to be successful. I wish I had my cousin’s good looks.” No, you’ve been made in the image of God. When you criticize yourself as less-than, you are criticizing God’s creation. You’re saying, “God, You didn’t do so well when You made me.” No, God wasn’t having an off day when He created you. He calls you a masterpiece. He put His DNA in you. You have royal blood flowing through your veins. Don’t cancel out the blessing, the favor, the abundance, by speaking defeat. Don’t let tongue trouble keep you from becoming who you were created to be.

Prayer For Today
“Father, thank You that You have given me the power of words to bless my life and bless others. Thank You for all the good things that I can speak over my future. Help me to pay attention to my words and keep speaking words of victory, health, and favor. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

A precious brother who attends Grace Revolution Church in Dallas shared with me a precious testimony of how the Lord had protected him and his wife from the tragic terrorist attacks that took place in Paris:

To celebrate our anniversary on November 10, 2015, I wanted to do something very special. My wife enjoys cooking and baking and loves French cuisine. We had been talking about traveling to Europe and I thought this would be a good time for us to travel to Paris to celebrate our anniversary. I had set up a trip leaving on the Wednesday and returning on the Sunday of that week.

However, I forgot Pastor Prince’s Grace Revolution Tour was taking place in Dallas during the same weekend. Because I was trying to keep the trip a secret, my wife didn’t know to remind me either! But when I told her my plan three weeks early, she quickly pointed out my oversight and I rescheduled the trip for springtime. I was disappointed at that time about not getting to go on the trip.

We now know that the terrorist attack in Paris started on the afternoon of the Friday I’d planned for us to be there. Had we gone to Paris as I had originally planned, we would have been there during the attack.

Pastor Prince had been preaching on divine protection quite a bit, especially over the year before. We had been hearing from Pastor Prince not to take our protection for granted, and had started sharing with our boys about how we are protected by our Father. We had begun praying with them to thank the Lord for His protection over our lives. We both felt that we had experienced God’s “right place, right time” protection.

I’m not sure how close we would have been to the horrible terror acts had we gone on the trip, but I do know that God’s grace kept us thousands of miles out of harm’s way. We were protected, enjoying that time with our family, singing praises to God with the church’s worship team, and learning more about grace from Pastor Prince in Dallas!

Do you see, dear reader, how we can learn about and be led to walk in God’s divine protection over our lives when we take His Word seriously and are planted in a local church? In every way, our lives and our marriages will be preserved, protected, and flourishing.