Tongues of Fire- A Life or Death Matter

Tongues of Fire is a free crochet 6 inch square pattern with devotional

Yarn: Worsted weight-two colors

Hook: US I /9 -5.5mm or H/8 -5.0mm

Abbreviations:

sp or sps- space or spaces
st or sts- stitch or stitches
sl st- slip stitch                  
ch-chain
beg- beginning 
sc-single crochet
hdc-half double crochet
dc-double crochet
tr-treble crochet
ch-2 sp- chain 2 space
cl-cluster                             

yo-yarn over

Special Stitches-

Beg Cl- Beginning Cluster- Ch 3, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull through, yo, pull though two loops, repeat from * once more, yo, and pull through all loops on hook - making a little peak.

Cl- Cluster- *yo, insert hook in next st, yo, pull through, yo, pull though two loops, repeat from * twice, yo, and pull through all loops on hook - making a little peak

Begin J

Using Color A , ch 4 to start or use a magic loop.

Rnd 1- Using Color A, ch 1, *(3 sc, ch 2) in the loop,* Repeat from * to * 3 more times and sl st to beg sc. Fasten off Color A. (12 sc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 2- Attach Color B with a sl st in any corner ch-2 sp, Beg Cl in corner ch-2 sp, * ch 5, cl over next 3 sts, ch 5, cl in corner ch-2 sp.* Repeat from * to *2 more times, ch 5, cl over next 3 sts, ch 5, sl st to top of beg cl. Fasten off Color B. (8 cl, 8 ch-5 sps)

Rnd 3- Attach Color A with a sl st to top of any cl, (Ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same st to make corner, *4 hdc in each of the next 2 ch-5 sps, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next cl.* Repeat from * to * two more times, 4 hdc in each of the next 2 ch-5 sps, sl st to top of beg ch-3. Fasten off color A. (32 hdc, 16 dc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Rnd 4- Attach Color B with a sl st in any corner ch-2 sp, Beg Cl in same sp, * (ch 5, sk next 2 sts, cl over next 3 sts) twice, ch 5, sk next 2 sts, cl in corner ch-2 sp.* Repeat from * to *2 more times, (ch 5, sk next 2 sts, cl over next 3 sts) twice, ch 5, sl st to top of beg cl. Fasten off Color B. (12 cl, 12 ch-5 sps)

Rnd 5- Attach Color A with a sl st to top of any corner cl, (ch 3, dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same st to make corner, * (4 hdc in next ch-5 sp) three times, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next cl.* Repeat from * to * two more times, 4 hdc in each of the next 3 ch-5 sps, sl st to top of beg ch-3. Fasten off color A and weave in ends. (48 hdc, 16 dc, 4 ch-2 sps)

Truly- I could not put these patterns or thoughts together without my Lord to guide me, and without Carmen Carpenter and Bekah Doughty to share their thoughts and editing J  I love you so much J

© Copyright May 2012 by Cynthia Boylan, all rights reserved. This pattern, in whole or part, may not be reproduced – mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying -- without the written permission of Cynthia Boylan. Projects made from this pattern may be gifted, swapped or sold. If you use this pattern to sell items on the internet, please credit Cynthia Boylan as the designer.

Tongues of Fire- It’s a Life or Death Matter

Ok- so maybe you were thinking this would be about Pentecost- hold on, we may just visit there- but what we are talking about today is OUR tongue.  What we say each and every day- and the problems that we have with it.  I think that my tongue is perhaps my worst enemy- it seems the more words that I say, the more that I want to retract!

James 3:3-12 “When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.  Or take ships as an example.  Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.  Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.  The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.  It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by @#!*% .  All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue.  It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.  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.  Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?  My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

Matthew 15:10-11 “Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, ‘Listen and understand.  What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean’, but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean’.”

Jesus also says in Luke 6:45 “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.  For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” It seems it is not so much a tongue problem and having a tongue that has a mind of its own- but a heart problem.  Proverbs 18:4 “The words of a man’s mouth are deep water, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.” 18:6-8 “A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.  A fool’s mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.  The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” This verse shows that what we speak is a reflection of our soul and likens gossip to food for the heart,  what are we feeding our hearts?

If then it is a matter of what we feed our souls- why not feed the Bread of Life? John 6:53 “Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in Me, and I in him.  Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven.  Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” 

There is life in Jesus- through belief in Him.  Not only is He our Savior, our Redeemer, but also a Refiner of our hearts.  Malachi 3:1-4a “’See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before Me.  Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple; the Messenger of the covenant, Whom you desire, will come,’ says the Lord Almighty.  But who can endure the day of His coming?  Who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.  He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver...”  Proverbs 17:3 “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.”  

We can pray and ask the Lord to purify our hearts.  Psalm 51:6-15 “Surely You desire truth in the inner parts, You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.  Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.  Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.  Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.  Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You.  Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.  O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.” Isaiah 6:5-7 “’Woe to me!’ I cried.  ‘I am ruined! For 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.’ Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.  With it he touched my mouth and said, ‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’” Romans 10:10 “For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat it’s fruit.” What then shall we choose, life of death? We know that our tongues can get us into trouble and therefore is a snare to our souls, a tongue of death- let us now look at some of the things that a tongue of life can do.

A tongue of life brings healing. Proverbs 15:4 “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life. But a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 16:21-24 “The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction.  Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.  A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.  Pleasant words are a honey comb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 26:20 “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.”

A tongue of life speaks encouragement. Hebrews 3:13 “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.”  Ephesians 4:29 “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.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing”.

A tongue of life with Jesus’ redemption overcomes the evil one. Revelation 12:11 “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.”

A tongue of life speaks of His salvation. 2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction.” Acts 2:1-11 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven.  When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heart them speaking in his own language.  Utterly amazed, they asked; ‘Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?  Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?  Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamplhylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

These are but a few of the attributes of a life speaking tongue- just think of the life we speak while in prayer for each other. J

Here is the link to download the pdf version from Ravelry.