Anthony Wade Ministries

In our interactions with our spouse, words are the most precious commodity we have. “The words that we use either build or abuse.” They have the potential to bring light or cause darkness to fall. Like a flower in a perfect environment the right words can, and will create beauty. Is your marriage full of life and vitality, or has it been burned by overexposure to the sun — soul-destroying words?

The Bible reminds us that the rain falls on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). There are going to be some rainy days, but if you are a born again believer you have the ability to let the right amount of sunlight in — the Son Light of His Love (John 15:10; James 2:8; 1John 4:12).

I once heard a story of a man who verbally assaulted his wife in public, in front of his former high school buddies — at a class reunion. She wilted because of embarrassment in the presence of her husband’s friends. On the other hand I have seen wives who have made their husbands the butt of their jokes, because he wasn’t the prince of charm, that she thought she was marrying. When he finally realized that he was a joke to her, it created great difficulty in their relationship. We must recognize that our spouse is a spirit, who has a soul (mind, will and emotions) and lives in a physical body (1Thessalonians 5:23; Hebrews 4:12; James 2:26).

The words we speak to, and about, our spouse can bring forward a blessing, or damage to their soul. Words have the potential of being a support or injury to the mind, will, and emotions. As a result, the life that is in the spirit is affected. The injury comes to the soul, but also has an impinging effect upon the spirit.

This is what I mean: A co-worker comes to work, and a number of people begin to speak negative words about his/her appearance. They say that the person looks very ill. This goes on for quite a while throughout the course of the day. By 1:30 that afternoon the fellow worker leaves work early extremely ill. What happened? The words that were spoken to the co-worker had a negative impression upon their mind, will and emotions. As a result, they began to feel as though they were sick in their physical body. Their mind, will, and emotions were injured, so ultimately they became ill. The words of the fellow workers which were destructive, had a soul-destroying outcome, resulting in illness. Now, could the co-worker have overcome the negative words? Decidedly Yes; by speaking the right words to overcome the improper words, that were spoken, to and about them.

The same is true concerning our relationship with our spouse. We can speak the wrong words to, and about our spouse, create disgraceful results, and paint the wrong picture. As a result, our spouse will have to work double-time to overcome the negative impact from the words that were spoken. However if we speak the right words at the right time, they will have a positive effect upon our spouse and ultimately, the marriage.

Because I am in the communication business, I am constantly monitoring myself as to how I come across to people. In other words, I do my best to put a watch on my words. I do this to the best of my ability in my interactions with my wife. I don’t want to paint the wrong picture. I have made my share of mistakes in this area, but once I became aware of my misstatement, I made the correction as soon as I could. Jesus spoke to us very strongly concerning the words we speak.

Matthew 12:35-37 (New American Standard)

{35} “The good man out of his good treasure (deposit) brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of his evil treasure(deposit) brings forth what is evil.

{36} “And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment.

{37} “For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”

How are your words? Do they build your spouses self-esteem, or are they destructive? Are your words tough to process? Are you uplifting, or dangerously demeaning?

“Is your marriage full of life and vitality, or has it been burned by soul-destroying words?”

Copyright © 2010 Anthony N. Wade Ministries — All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this publication may be rewritten or reproduced without the written approval of the author

Lust… #1939 In the Strongs Concordance – KJV. The word means to have a strong desire. Longing for something that is forbidden. This word describes the emotions of the soul, mind and will. To have the natural tendency towards evil. Such lusts are not necessarily base and immoral, they may be refined in character, but are evil if inconsistent with the will of God.

The Greek word for helper is “Paraclete.” This word is one of the the descriptive words of Holy Spirit. Among other things Holy Spirit has come to earth to help us. Before Holy Spirit came to this earth there was a man who asked Jesus to help him. The story I am referring to can be found in Mark 9:14-29. The man’s son had an evil spirit tormenting him. We will pick up at verse twenty-one.

Mark 9:21-24 (NKJV)

{21} So He (Jesus) asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?”And he said, “From childhood. {22} And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” {23} Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” {24} Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

The man asked Jesus to help him, in his attitude of the potential of doubt and unbelief. You and I have the same ability and privileged to ask The Lord Jesus Christ to help us. Once we’ve asked Him to help us, we must believe that He is, will and has. When we ask we must believe that we receive (Mark 11:24). If we have surrendered our lives to The Lord Jesus Christ we have a privilege to have “The Paraclete” manifest Himself in our lives. Why? Because we have a better covenant than the man in Mark 9. How do I know? Hebrews eight tells us so.

Hebrews 8:6-10 (NKJV)

{6} But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. {7} For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. {8} Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah — {9} not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the LORD. {10} For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

In the book of Mark Jesus had not gone to the Cross. After He rose from the dead He dispatched Holy Spirit to take His place. We have at our disposal all “The Paraclete” has to offer. (See John 14:15-27). AWM

Copyright 2010 Anthony N. Wade Ministries — All Rights Reserved.
No portion of this publication may be rewritten or reproduced without the written approval of the author.

Real Bible humility is not a belittling of oneself, but an exalting or praising of others; especially God the Father and The Lord Jesus Christ. A humble person focuses more on others than themselves. Biblical humility is an acknowledgment that by ourselves we are inadequate — without dignity and worthless. However, in Christ we have infinite worth and self-esteem. If you really knew who you were, you wouldn’t take the opportunity to bring down another. Bringing down others only proves that you are not very confident in what God has wrought in you. Someone once said that “You have to be little, to belittle and he who throws dirt looses ground.”

We need to look for the opportunities to esteem others better than ourselves. To esteem someone else means to have a high regard and respect of someone else. It is to value, prize, appreciate and admire someone other than yourself.

The book of Philippians really brings this to light:

Philippians 2:1-4 NKJV

{1} Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any
fellowship (communion) of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,

{2} fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

{3} Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

{4} Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

What an awesome command. The golden verse that I want to center this message on is Vs: 3. How are we to esteem others? — better than ourselves. Now, Holy Spirit would not direct us to do something that we don’t have the ability to do. We have the ability to esteem others better than ourselves. It is imperative that we drop a self-centered view of things and embrace a Christ-centered view. That is what Jesus did in His sacrifice for mankind. He had a high estimation of us, before He went to the Cross, and rose triumphant over death, hell and the grave.

Esteeming others better than ourselves, actually speaks more about us, than the other person. If we are doing this verse — it is a display of the attitude that we have toward ourselves. Our attitude towards our self, will find its expression in esteeming others better. Esteeming others better than ourselves is a clue that you love you
(Mark 12:30-31).

Esteeming others better, is the only way of knowing we have a healthy fellowship with God the Father and The Lord Jesus Christ. If we don’t esteem others better, then chances are we really don’t have a high estimation of ourselves — nor do we have a vibrant fellowship with God the Father. Another way of esteeming others is also preferring one another.

Romans 12:9-10 The Message

{9-10} Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; practice playing second fiddle.

Most of us have heard the old saying that practice makes perfect. Well, there is no such thing as a perfect person; but there are many people in the Body of Christ, who are mature. One of the qualities that prepared them for maturation was the attitude and the practice of playing second fiddle. All too often, we are only looking out for numero uno. If that kind of mindset dominates our life — we will be disappointed. Deep inside we will be looking for, and desiring more — but it simply won’t come. Why? Because we have the cart before the horse so to speak. Esteeming others better, preferring one another and playing second fiddle is a sure way to achieve what we are looking for in life. In preferring our brother and sister before us, we are positioning our self for promotion.

Most of us want to be promoted and acknowledged for who we are as a person, yet the promotion cannot come our way until we have consistently practiced playing second fiddle. Another way of playing second fiddle is ridding yourself of any reputation. This is exactly what The Lord Jesus Christ did for us. It is His example that we are to follow. Christ esteemed us, so that we could have an awesome opinion of one another. Following His example is positioning us for promotion.

HOW ARE WE TO ESTEEM OTHERS? — BETTER THAN OURSELVES.

Philippians 2:5-11 NKJV

{5} Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

{6} who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,

{7} but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bond servant, and coming in the likeness of men.

{8} And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross.

{9} Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the Name which is above every name,

{10} that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in Heaven, and of those on earth, and those under the earth,

{11} and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the Glory of God the Father.

What an awesome privilege and responsibility we have. Esteem others better — and you will never ever regret it. In fact, we are at our best when we are giving to others. For God so loved, that He Gave. He gave us His Best, so we could have the rest. Let’s Esteem Others Better. By preferring our brother and sister before us, we are positioning ourself for promotion. -AWM

Copyright (C) Anthony N. Wade Ministries 2010 ~ ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No portion of this publication may be rewritten or reproduced without the written approval of the author.

“Senility does not come from old age, it comes from not being loved and feeling useful.” -Leo Busaglia