Watch your mouth
What comes out of our mouth is a good way of measuring who we really are. Jesus taught that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him” (Matthew 12:34-35). The Bible has very specific instructions for Christians regarding the proper use of the mouth:

Be wise; don’t be foolish. “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

Build up; don’t tear down. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29).

Be a blessing; don’t curse. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be” (James 3:9).

Be blameless; don’t complain. “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:14-15).

Give thanks; don’t worry.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Tell the truth; don’t lie. According to one recent study “most people lie to others once or twice a day and deceive about 30 people per week. The average is seven7 times per hour if you count all the times people lie to themselves.”  “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25).

The best way to keep your foot out of you mouth is to praise God! “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise”(Psalm 51:15). 

A recent study from the Duke University Medical Center, involving 4,000 older adults, indicates that “even occasional, private prayer and Bible study helped people live healthier and longer lives.” Obviously there are benefits to praying, but this is not really why we should pray.

We should pray because:
God commanded us to pray. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6).
Jesus set the example for prayer. “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed” (Mark 1:35).
Prayer gives us strength to overcome temptation. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41).
Prayer is a way to intercede for others. “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:18).
Prayer acknowledges that God is in control. “When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. ‘Sovereign Lord,’ they said, ‘you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them…’” (Acts 4:24).
Prayer is way of discerning God’s will. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

Any of these reasons alone is compelling enough for us to respond the same way His early followers did: “… Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1). Jesus’ answer shows that prayer is simply talking to God; giving Him thanks and praise; telling Him about your struggles and asking Him to guide and help you.  If you think you need help with your prayer life, ask your chapel leader or a trusted friend to teach you how to pray.

The resurrection of Jesus is without a doubt the most important aspect of our faith and what sets Christianity apart from all the other religions of the world. The key figures in all other religions died and stayed dead. Dr. J. Wilbur Smith said, "The meaning of the resurrection is a theological matter, but the fact of the resurrection is a historical matter." There are numerous appearances of Jesus recorded in Scripture after His resurrection:

To Mary Magdalene, John 20:10-18;
To the other women, Matthew 28:8-10;
To two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-32;
To eleven disciples and others, Luke 24:33-39;
To Peter, Luke 24:34 and 1 Corinthians 15:5;
To ten disciples and others with Thomas absent, John 20:19-23;
To Thomas and the other Apostles, John 20:26-30;
To seven Apostles, John 21:1-14;
To the disciples, Matthew 28:16-20;
At the Mount of Olives before ascending, Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:4-9.

By themselves, these appearances give credibility to Jesus' resurrection. Even more profound is remembering that these individuals had all gone into hiding after the crucifixion but soon after returned to preach publicly the message of Jesus Christ. They were imprisoned, they suffered beatings and torture, and all but John were put to death. What made the difference? They had personally seen the resurrected Christ! Peter, in his message to thousands in Jerusalem said, "God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are ALL witnesses of the FACT” (Acts 2:32).

Also striking is the fact that NOTHING was written during that period that denies that Jesus had risen from the dead. Why? Because it was undeniable! "By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached you…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living…Then He appeared to James, then to all the Apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also…” (1 Corinthians 15:2-8).