Prayer Guide: Day 18

 “The tongue can bring life or death; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21- 21

Somewhere in your life, you may have heard the saying, “loose lips sink ships.” While this phrase was first brought to my attention in the fourth grade to determine who was trustworthy at the lunch table and who was not, it originated in WWII as a slogan that served as a warning to beware of unguarded speech that could give the enemy more ground. The illustration pointed out that gossip and rumors could quickly spread to enemy ears, even if they were not the original intent.

This slogan rings true for us as well. Most of us know gossip can be hurtful and destructive, especially if you are on the receiving end. The Bible has almost 100 verses emphasizing God’s hatred for gossip and unbridled speech toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. The tongue is a literal weapon that can be used for good or evil. When we fully understand the power of the tongue, we should be cautious about what we choose to listen to and speak. Listening and speaking are used in conjunction because we don’t always have to be the ones talking to participate in the deconstruction of another’s character.

Have you ever noticed when you hear rumors of another, your instinct is to go and ask someone else rather than going to the source? You will find that many “church hurt” people have fallen victim to the repercussions of gossip and unwholesome talk. While we church folk can mean well, we tend to be some of the worst at participating in this particular sin. When we engage in unhealthy chatter, whether intentional or not, we allow the enemy to take ground in our relationships and church body. The consequences can result in various ways but almost always end in the “sinking” of a relationship. Apologies can be made, but the relationship’s longevity tends to diminish rapidly and sometimes may never recover. As we pray today, may we be reminded of our tongue’s power. May we encourage and edify our brothers and sisters so that we glorify God, forgive those who have used slanderous speech against us, and hold tightly to the unity that is required of us as a body.

Personal Prayer Focus 

God, we thank you for your word that clearly conveys your thoughts on gossip and hurtful speech. We ask that you reveal the areas we have fallen short in encouraging one another and forgive us for participating in the harmful talk that creates disunity and discord in our relationships and church family. We pray for the reconciliation of relationships that have been tarnished by our sin and opportunities to edify one another in the future. We ask that you protect our relationships, church, and community from the lies of the enemy that divide our thinking and speech. May we be unified in our efforts to obey your commands to love and forgive one another just as you have loved and forgiven us. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

WRC Prayer Focus

There are several areas of leadership in our church staff, and each has specific roles to help guide our church’s vision and ministry. These teams are the Executive Team and the Leadership Team. The Executive team assists the Senior Pastor in establishing the vision of the ministry, while the Leadership Team seeks to shape the strategy of the church. Let’s pray together for these teams (Executive Team: Brian Bloye, Steve Veale, Kevin Dunlap, Brian Kase; Leadership Team: Todd Hampton, Jessica Dixon, Kevin Bloye, Christie Meldrim, Nate Galloway, and Jason Chandler) as they prayerfully guide our staff and church to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.