Are you speaking?

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I had such a great time at the Young People’s meeting tonight. I’m so glad I went! And because the clocks go back tonight, I have an extra hour of time and can make this post 🙂

It’s great when everyone speaks!

We had a really sweet time: eating together, singing together, pray-reading together, reading together, and then speaking together! I really enjoyed all the speaking from the saints after our reading time, and it is so good that we have been getting into this topic on Drinking and Flowing for the past few weeks. Every Saturday night, I receive a fresh reminder that I need to both drink and flow!

Tonight I liked the example given in a portion we read from Life-study of Exodus. Brother Witness Lee shared that because he often speaks in the ministry, he used to restrict himself during the church meetings so that other saints could function. But then he realised that just like everyone else, he also needed to flow forth praises and thanks in the church meetings.

This really helped me because I sometimes think the same thing: that I shouldn’t speak too much (or at all!) because I need to give others the chance to speak. Not that I’m anything special, but it is just a concept I have, especially in home meetings. I don’t want to “over-function”. But actually, I also need to be liberated to speak in the meetings, and by doing so, I will release others to flow with living water also! The meeting tonight was so good because so many of us spoke our enjoyment of the Lord!

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissoluteness, but be filled in spirit,

Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and psalming with your heart to the Lord,

Giving thanks at all times for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father.

What is the result of not speaking?

In no particular order:

  • Like a blocked up hose – if nothing comes out, then nothing can come in.
  • Or like the Dead Sea… with no outflow, you end up “dead”!
  • If you are not flowing, you are also not drinking, so you end up very dry, even dried up!

I have been feeling a little like this recently, and was asking the Lord, “Why am I feeling like this? And how can I stop feeling like this?”

Well when one brother was sharing tonight he asked the same question two or three times, and it suddenly hit me:

Sarah, Are you speaking?

Ok, so he didn’t address the question to me specifically. But it caused me to ask myself, “Am I speaking?” And doh! There’s my answer!

Christians shouldn’t be dumb and silent. But it can so easily become a habit to us. We need to open our mouths and speak! Speak to your friends and classmates, your colleagues, the people you drive past after dropping the YP home (!), the table, the chairs, the cat… just speak!

One sister made a good point though. It does matter what we speak. The enemy comes to us with lots of lies. And we shouldn’t speak those things. We should just speak truth! Then when we speak, something of the Lord Jesus can flow out. Because:

1. Everybody ought to know; (Everybody ought to know)
Everybody ought to know; (Everybody ought to know)
Everybody ought to know; (Everybody ought to know)
Where Jesus dwells.
(Repeat)

He is dwelling in our spirit;
He is Breath and Life to us;
We are one with Him in spirit.
Everybody ought to know.

2. Everybody ought to know;
Everybody ought to know;
Everybody ought to know;
The living Christ.
(Repeat)

Christ is the life-giving Spirit;
All God’s fullness He contains;
We partake of all His riches
Just by calling on His Name. (O Lord Jesus!)

I love the Lord Jesus!