"The Way Home"

 "And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know." (John 14:4 KJV)

  "But faith's way of getting right with God says, "Don't say in your heart, 'Who will go up to heaven? (to bring Christ down to earth). And don't say, 'Who will go down to the place of the dead? (to bring Christ back to life again)." In fact, it says, "The message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:6-9 NLT)

 Okay, hopefully this goes well, because it might be touchy to some, and judgmental to others. For the last forty-plus-years, I have understood that we must pray the sinner's prayer by speaking out, as in, 'making confession with our mouth," as it clearly states here in Romans 10:6-9; yet there seems to be a change taking place in some churches, where they say, 'You don't need to say it out loud, but just repeat it in your mind.' 

 I don't know about you, but I can't just think on a single message at a time in my mind, as I will usually always look at both sides of any issue all at once, a contradiction or a parallel meaning, taking every-other word apart! That might be why it is important to pray opening and speak the words out, as they are not made variable or altered, because they are put together in a sentence. 

 You might not understand this, as, neither do I; but the reason God made mankind unable to speak the same language, during the time they were building the Tower of Babel, was because they had learned to speak together, as one. Don't ask me how that is possible, or how that works, because I do not know; only that the mouth is powerful, especially to those who know how to use it. 

 Hopefully no one is offended by my remarks, because it could be something on no significance, or it could be something that is of great importance, that has been blocked. The mystery will be revealed, on that day, but hopefully it won't be much of a factor! Other than that, I prefer to speak out my prayers, as it helps me to focus upon the One to whom I am praying to. Besides, I am pretty sure that the devil cannot read our minds, but God can; it's just that our minds don't focus on one thing at a time. 

 Which reminds of a couple of things that I pick up on from the Bible: one is how God judges more on the words we speak out loud, then on the thoughts we have within our minds. If you say it out loud, then it can be shared by others, and you cannot take it back! Also, if you speak it out loud, it is more likely to happen: as in Numbers 14, "as the whole congregation said to them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!" God said, "So be it!" 

 As for the verse we have here today, Jesus has shown them where He is going, by the fact that He was going to build them a place in His Father's house; the Way they know, because they know Him...

"For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced." Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:10-13 NLT)