Be careful what you say

Perhaps, I need to expatiate that this headline is inadequate to explain my message today.

By what you say I mean what you dream, pray for, think and what you do. “The tongue also is a fire,”James 3:6.

On a windy day in March 1997, a father and a son visited the Valley Forge National Park, Pennsylvania,USA where George Washington stationed the American Revolutionary Army in the winter of 1777-1778.

The man and his son wanted to launch a model rocket. At first they used electric ignition wires to light the fuse, but to no avail. So they lighted the fuse with a sparkler.

That was when trouble started; the sparks ignited a grass fire and the winds quickly spread the blaze.

Then burning spread into the field where the Revolutionary war soldiers camped and trained, coming within a mile of George Washington’s headquarters.

The value of what they put at risk was incalculable. It took 30 units of fire fighters over one hour to bring the blaze under control.

In the end over 30 acres were charred and the man with the sparkler was charged with destruction of government property and improper use of fireworks.

The Bible says: “Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body,” James 5-6. “He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue, “I Peter 3:10. “The lips of the godly speak helpful words, “Proverbs 10:21. So beware of what you do.

“Oh, that You would bless me indeed,”1 Chronicles 4:10. Jabez prayed that God would bless him in three specific ways.

One, Enlarge my territory.” He had a dream of owning more land, and he asked God to bless that dream.

When you stop dreaming you lose direction. When you stop setting goals you stop growing. As long as your horizon is expanding you will be spiritually healthy.

Two, “That Your hand would be with me.” God’s hand represents His power. Jabez believed that if he got more territory, he would have more responsibility. So he requested God to be with him. And when you ask for God’s presence in your life, you can be sure He will answer you.

Three, “That You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.” Jabez asked God for His protection. Why? This because in those days the more land you owned, the greater your influence and the better known you were. But that made you a bigger target, even today. The more successful you are the more critics you have.

The closer you grow to Jehovah, the stronger you become, and the greater your ability to resist the harassment of the Devil. But you can be sure as Jabez successfully got his prayers answered, that with God’s protection, you have conquered fear.

If you want to break out of Nigeria’s stifling mediocrity, pray the prayer of Jabez, like Jabez, your prayers are bound to be answered.

Like Jabez, dare to ask and believe God for great things. God told Jeremiah, “Call to me I will answer you and tell you great things you do not know,”Jeremiah 33:3. Paul tells us that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” Ephesians 3:20. You cannot out ask, or out dream God. So start asking Him whatever you want from today. And believe me, He will give them to you.