From the Desk of State Pastor
Email John
Dear Fellow Pastor:

Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethern, these things should not be - James 3:10

At breakfast table with his family, father bowed his head to pray. After the prayer his six year old daughter asked; "Father, do really think that God hears and answers prayer?"

With out hesitation father answered; "Of course he does, honey. God hears us when we pray, and He always provides and answer." His daughter began to eat her eggs and bacon. But when father began to eat, the eggs were not cooked as he preferred and he began to complain to his wife. Then the coffee came. It was weak and not very hot and father complained, "You know I like my eggs well-done, and my coffee piping hot." What is wrong?

Listening to her father complain about the food the little girl interrupted saying; "Daddy, do think God hears what you are saying about the food?" The father cringed, but answered honestly. "Well, yeah I suppose He does." His daughter replied to her dad's remark, "What do you thing God is going to believe. Will He believe your prayer of thanksgiving for mommy's breakfast, or your complaining about mommy's cooking breakfast?"

Sometimes you and I need an adjustment in our thinking processes. We say we are thankful, yet we also complain about the very things that God supplies. As with this father, maybe we need to change our attitude. Let us ask ourselves. Can God really believe what we say when we "double-speak?" When we say one thing, and then the very opposite attitude is also expressed. Jesus dealt with this sort of character all the time. "This people draw close to Me with their mouth, and honour Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me" (Matthew 15:8).

James asks a very pointed question in 3:11-12. "Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries, either a vine, figs? In the same way, no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh." Could it be that we sometimes conflict our prayers by actually acting or speaking in opposition to what we are praying to God about?

My father had a favorite saying as touching this matter. He would say, "Always think before you speak. Your words, once spoken, can never be taken back." A childhood Bible School song comes to mind; "O be careful little mouth what you say, O be careful little mouth what you say; For the Father up above is looking done in love, O be careful little mouth what you say!"

May our minds be filled with the wonderful blessings of our God. May our lips be quick to speak of His infinite and marvelous grace.

Blessings,

Rev. Dr. John Taggart
State Pastor