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Practical Christian Living: Daily Faith in Action

Living out our Christian faith isn't just about what we believe—it's about how we act, speak, and relate to others in our daily lives. This page explores practical aspects of Christian living, from the words we choose to the ways we encourage one another.

Bridled Speech: Controlling Our Words

One of the most challenging aspects of Christian living is learning to control our speech. As (What is Bridled Speech?, 1:45) reminds us, we spend about twenty percent of our lives talking, using vocabularies of 20,000 to 30,000 words. The crucial question becomes: how are we to use our speech as followers of Christ?

The Call for Controlled Communication

The apostle James provides clear guidance on this matter. In James 1:26, we read: "If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless." (What is Bridled Speech?, 8:36)

Bridled speech is controlled speech. (What is Bridled Speech?, 11:02) Just as a bridle controls a horse through reins attached to its head, we must learn to control our words. This theme echoes throughout Scripture:

  • Proverbs 10:19: "When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but the prudent are restrained in speech"
  • Proverbs 12:18: "Rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing"
  • Proverbs 13:3: "Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives; those who open wide their lips come to ruin"

Grace-Filled Communication

Paul provides a beautiful model for Christian speech in Colossians 4:6: "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone." (What is Bridled Speech?, 15:57)

This means our words should be: - Gracious - even with those we disagree with - Tasteful - seasoned appropriately for each situation - Thoughtful - we are under no compulsion to share every thought that comes into our minds

The Impact of Our Words

Our speech has profound consequences. (What is Bridled Speech?, 17:04) Reformed theologian John Calvin warned that when Christians don't use their words properly, "it leads unbelievers from bad to worse." When we fail to speak graciously and tastefully, unbelievers may turn away from the very Jesus we want to introduce them to.

Jesus himself reminds us in Matthew 12:36: "I tell you, on the day of judgment you will have to give an account for every careless word you utter." (What is Bridled Speech?, 18:20)

Building Spiritual Homes: Personal and Corporate

Our faith involves both individual spiritual development and community building. Like constructing a physical home, our spiritual lives require proper foundation, framing, and ongoing development.

The Individual Spiritual Home

(Encourage, 4:08) God prepares the construction site of our hearts—initially "a tangled up mess of roots and weeds and a filthy pit of muck and a hardened heart of stone." Through baptism and His word, God prepares this site to lay the foundation.

The Foundation: Jesus Christ As 1 Corinthians 3:11 declares: "No one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ." (Encourage, 5:29)

This foundation is built on the truth of John 3:16: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (Encourage, 6:26)

The Framing and Development Once the foundation is laid, God continues building through: - Regular church attendance - Bible reading and study - Prayer and communion with God - Learning biblical stories and doctrine

Unlike physical construction, (Encourage, 11:06) God's building of our spiritual home "isn't just one step done at a time—it's a continuous building, continuous framing, continuous insulating and hardwiring" throughout our entire lives.

Interior Focus (Encourage, 12:46) The Holy Spirit works from the inside out, not beginning with exterior appearance. As 1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us: "The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

The Corporate Spiritual Home: Encouraging Others

We're not meant to live in isolation. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 commands us: "Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing." (Encourage, 16:52)

This involves two key imperatives: - Encourage (which can also be translated as "comfort") - Build up

(Encourage, 17:54) We are part of the body of Christ, part of the greater congregation—the entire Christian church. We bless others by helping them build their spiritual homes, just as Habitat for Humanity volunteers use their skills to build physical homes for others in need.

Practical Questions for Daily Living

For Speech

When considering our words, ask yourself: (What is Bridled Speech?, 23:49)

  • Will my choice of words reflect poorly on the one I follow—the Lord Jesus?
  • Will my words turn someone off from the Redeemer?
  • Will my words build a bridge for further conversation, even with those I profoundly disagree with?

For Relationships

In our interactions with others:

  • How can I encourage someone today?
  • What spiritual "building materials" can I offer to help strengthen another's faith?
  • Am I contributing to the corporate spiritual health of my church community?

The Foundation of Grace

Remember that our ability to live faithfully comes not from our own strength but from God's grace. (What is Bridled Speech?, 19:57) The perfect Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, takes all our sin—including our failures in speech and relationships—upon himself and proclaims us forgiven. He then empowers us continually to live in new ways, raising us up by his word of grace and enabling bridled speech and encouraging relationships.

As we live in this grace, we can ask for help when we recognize our need: "I hear your call, Lord—help." (What is Bridled Speech?, 25:12) And help is always near through Jesus Christ, who touches our tongues anew as we live in his grace.