Touched Lips

I awoke the other morning thinking of the coal that touched Isaiah's mouth. Though he did not feel his lips were worthy, his guilt was removed and he was used of God. I felt I was to share this with my church, but I didn't know what to share yet. This morning as I read Daniel, I noticed that Daniel's lips were touched in his vision. He felt so overwhelmed and he had no strength or breath. He was touched again and told, "Do not be afraid, you who are treasured by God. Peace to you, be very strong!" He was strengthened and said, "Lord, let me speak!" When I saw this I wondered, how many lips were touched in the Bible before they were sent to speak? I knew Jeremiah told the people to taste and see that He (His Word) is good, but then I found that his lips were touched as the LORD put His Words in His mouth (Jer. 1:9). God gave him the words to speak. And then I remembered how poor Ezekiel was told to eat the scroll and discover it tasted sweet, but man kind would not listen to what God sent him to say because of their rebellion. So the LORD would make his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth so that he could not speak because of their rebellion. Notice, it wasn't Ezekiel's issue, but the hearers! God would tell him when to speak again asking for people to listen. Then  I thought of Zechariah the priest and father of John the Baptist. When he did not believe that Elizabeth would have a son in old age the LORD removed his ability to speak for lack of belief until he was allowed to declare John's name. Only then was his mouth loosed by God to speak His praise. In each of these, the call is to declare the LORD'S truth. We are told in Hebrews 13:5, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess His name." This is one of the fruits we have from the Holy Spirit: fruit of repentance, fruit of righteousness, fruit of light,fruit of the spirit, fruit of wisdom, fruit of unfailing love, and the fruit of the lips. Church, do not be afraid, your guilt is forgiven when you have drawn near to Jesus Taste the Word and see that it is good then speak it. Do not worry if the people do not listen. It is their rebellion not yours. Do not let unbelief get in the way. Declare His praise and proclaim the name of Jesus!