Psalm 141:3-4 Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. 4 Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue”. Proverbs 18:21
“The mouth of the righteous is a well of life..” Proverbs 10:11
“Let no unwholesome word proceed out of your mouth but what is good for edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” Ephesians 4:29
The tongue, we all know the dangers of an uncontrolled tongue. The book of James tells us that we deceive ourselves if we think we are religious and yet do not control our speech.
There have been many sermons on the tongue and how corrupt it can be. Here though, I want us to look at the good that can be done when we use our speech in a constructive and healthy manner.
Proverbs 12:18 “There is one who speaks like the piercing of a sword but the tongue of the wise promotes health.”
Proverbs 10:19 “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
Luke 6:45 “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”
The Key: to clean up our speech we must clean up our hearts!
Hebrews 13:15 “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.” Sacrifice and praise?? “Our praise of God is not to be based on our opinion of His job performance. Praise cannot be treated as a “reward” we give God for His obvious blessings.” (gotquestions.org)
Even in the storms, the door of our lips should be opened to praise God who uses the storm to build our faith and trust in Him.
We can strengthen one another with words that are life-giving instead of tearing down our brothers and sisters. Using our lips to do good, pleases our heavenly Father.
Our words used appropriately can:
1.Heal
2.Inspire
3.Lift up a downcast soul
4.Restore
For this week, I pray we will bless someone with our words. Encourage a sister that’s having a tough day.
I Peter 3:10 “ For, whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.”
Proverbs 15:4 “The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”
One of my best lessons on the tongue came from God’s Word years ago. This fire storm came from misspoken words, then hurt feelings, probably some jealousy but all that matters is that it quickly got out of control. Words were spoken and from there the game was on! The ranting, the “venting”, the building of teams, the “nursing and rehearsing” and all of the chaos that comes from not walking away and being quiet.
My lesson? Proverbs 31:26 “Without wood a fire goes out, without a gossip a quarrel dies down.” For six months, I walked with that scripture carved into my brain. Every time I was tempted to respond to an accusation or lie, I had to close the door of my lips and suck-it-up buttercup. No defense! No rebuttal! No comment at all! The Lord had promised to be my defender, my shield and my fortress. I had to walk, trusting His word and believing He would make all things work for the good of all concerned.
We have been looking at the doors in God’s Word in the last month. Psalm 141:3, “Set a watch, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.”
Jesus said in Matthew 12: 36-37 “I say to you that for every idle word men speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.”
Sobering, isn’t it. May we use our words to impart grace.
https://youtu.be/anVweXDcxhA Hawk Nelson sings Words
Treading in the river of life
Freda Reynolds
