THE MEANING OF WORDS

“For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve Him with one accord.”   Zephaniah 3:9

The LORD God spoke the world into existence.  He did it with words. We need to be careful about the words we say.

BUDDHIST AUSTERITIES

“I once practiced Buddhist austerities …”  That included lots of chanting!   The words meant “Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra.”    I naively thought it was a way to “get in touch with the universe.”   I repeated this over and over and over.

The other word in the cult was “gohonzon” which translated meant “True Object of Worship”. Of course, this was idolatry, but foolish person as I was, I didn’t quite realize it then.   A near state of hypnotism is induced by the repetition of these words, so it took the prayers of many saints to set me free.  Once I began to see that the “True Object of Worship” or “Object of Devotion” was in fact an idol, I began to question.  A senior leader of the cult told me that the gohonzon is the same in the entire universe.  I concluded that anything the same in the universe could only be God, and I didn’t think that the scroll was God in any way nor form!

The cult leaders made arguments such as:

“These images, however, are generally not worshipped by Buddhists in the same sense that the Biblical “heathens” are said to have worshipped their idols.” ( http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/the-gohonzon-observing-the-mind.html )

Idolatry is idolatry.  If one is dedicating one’s life, it should be to God!  But the cult leaders said you could be a better Baptist if you chanted!   Now, I know that is a lie from the pit of hell!

In yoga and Hindu austerities, they also call on the names of a false god in their esoteric positions.   These words call on a supernatural power, and it’s not God.  Words have meanings.

But praise God for deliverance!

THE ENEMY’S TRICKS

The enemy has ways to trick people into saying things with which we wouldn’t necessarily agree.

Now, where does the expression “Trick or Treat” come from?  Let’s put it like this: ”If you don’t want an evil trick played on you, then give me my candy.”  This is wrong.  You wouldn’t want a child to do that!  And yet, we let our children say it.  You might say it’s just an expression. The words say it boldly.  Words have meanings.

Of course, this is all forgiven, if the blood of Jesus Christ’s is upon a life.  But that doesn’t mean we should approve of this.   Words that would grieve His Holy Spirit, I want no part of!

The party was a Latvian festivity.  I joined in unknowingly with the foreign words to a common melody.  It turned out they were not so nice and full of vulgarities.  That was the last time I ever sang a song to which I wasn’t aware of the meaning!   Words have meanings.

It prepared me for this.  A music minister, in another part-time position, told me that it would be all right to sing praise to Venus!  She explained that the language was Latin and people didn’t understand the words.  I did!  Words have meanings.   I would not sing and left the choral society.

Nowadays there are t-shirts and designer clothes with foreign words.  Do you know what they mean?   You could be walking around with a misrepresentation of who you are.

UNCLEAN LIPS

“And I said: ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’”  Isaiah 6:5

Isaiah had unclean lips.  A seraphim cleansed his lips with a burning coal.  He lived in a land of unclean lips.  We live in a land of unclean lips.

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness… but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.”  James 3:6

Even if the enemy knows you want to keep in line with God’s Scriptures, he will try to cajole you.  But be forewarned.  He’s crafty.   But God will purify our tongues.

“Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the LORD and serve Him shoulder to shoulder.”  Zephaniah 3:9 NIV

The lips of all will be purified. It’s a holy people that will have the privilege of being blessed by the King!

“‘Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord,and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.’  2 Corinthians 6:17

“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”  2 Corinthians 7:1

“Since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’”  1 Peter 1:16