1 - Introduction - Living like a real Christian Cleansing Coal week 1 | Page 11

Sunday
Isaiah 6 v 1 – 9
As we close on the subject of our words and the use of our tongue, could I take you to Isaiah
6 where we have, what I would consider to be a great starting point for our resolve, to use
our words more profitably and to utter words that are thoughtful, timeous and truthful. It
begins at the Altar of God!
In Isaiah’s experience, as per the reading today, he found himself mesmerised in the
Presence of a God whose Holiness was overwhelming. He fell to the floor and cried, “Woe is
me, I am ruined. I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips and my
eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” At the point of him recognising his own
uncleanness, an angel flew to the Altar of God and picked up a burning coal. Returning to
Isaiah he placed the burning coal on the lips of the prophet. The angel then said to him that
this coal had cleansed his lips and his guilt had been taken away. After the cleansing of his
lips the voice of God thundered, “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” only at this
point was Isaiah confident enough, as a result of the cleansing power from the coal on his
lips, to respond that he would be willing to go for God.
This picture is so true for each one of us as well. The fact is true that without the cleansing
of our lips, the legitimacy of our ministries will always be in question. Before we can be sent
of God to fulfil the purpose of God we better learn of the need for the cleansing power of
God over our mouths.
As we are one week into our journey of a true fast, I trust that the foundation that we have
built this week will stand firm for us, that we would learn to discipline our lips from
negative, complaining, critical speech and replace it with words that are thoughtful, timeous
and true. I am convinced that by developing a good habit of good speech that that alone
would help to outweigh the incredible energy that would be needed to break the bad habit
of negative, critical speech. I pray this week that you and I will be far more aware of what
we say, when we say it and how we say it; that at the end of the week we will feel so much
better and that God, as a result, will be glorified so much more.

See You In Church !!