THE WORDS THAT WE SPEAK
The words that we speak, have great power. Jesus said, "Are you also even yet dull and ignorant [without understanding and unable to put things together]? Do you not see and understand that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the abdomen and so passes on into the place where discharges are deposited? But whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this is what makes a man unclean and defiles [him]. For out of the heart come evil thoughts (reasonings and disputings and designs) such as murder, adultery, sexual vice, theft, false witnessing, slander, and irreverent speech. These are what make a man unclean and defile [him]..." (Matthew 15:17-20a). Our words have ability to destroy; yet we speak, freely--without forethought or concern, about the effect our words may have.
The power of our words, comes from the fact that the words spoken are a product of the content of our hearts. Our words don't come from nowhere--but they proceed from our heart, revealing the darkness or the light, that abides within it. Now, as a blood-bought, Spirit-filled believer, I am not subject to everything that is said about me. I have power to receive it or reject it--we learn that and how to accomplish it in our lives as we mature in Christ. Even though devilish words sown, may not destroy me--they may destroy others, who hear them. Young Christians hearing ungodly things from people that are supposed to be mature Christians can have devastating consequences. We cannot say everything that we think, to them--but also, not around them. Some things should never be uttered, at all.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]" (Proverbs 18:21). This means that your words can either destroy you, or give you life. Our walk with Christ is deeply affected by the words we choose. That can be for good or bad. Our words always bear fruit. Sometimes, we bear poisonous fruit, that destroys. We must choose words that bear fruit to heal, free, edify others. Being able to speak is a privilege; our words should never be used as weapons. We must think and pray before we speak. This is why we must pray without ceasing. If we aren't living a prayerful lifestyle, anything may be regurgitated from our hearts. Obviously, we don't literally utter a prayer before every word we speak, but if we are in fellowship with the Spirit of God (at all times), our words will prove that.
"For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature. If we set bits in the horses' mouths to make them obey us, we can turn their whole bodies about. Likewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze! And the tongue is a fire. [The tongue is a] world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man's nature), being itself ignited by hell (Gehenna). For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea animal, can be tamed and has been tamed by human genius (nature). But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:2-8). This portion of Scripture, portrays for us just how seriously we must take our words. God is aware that we err, and all make mistakes in our walk--we are still human; but when we sin with our tongue, there is a difference. It is not that one sin is any worse than another sin in penalty--the wage is the same; however the effect of spoken sin is not. Someone coined the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never harm me." That is an untruth--words can kill. Words can have a devastating impact.
Not too long ago, a teenaged girl died, because a thoughtless mom of another teenager used words to hurt her (in cyberspace). The young lady took her own life. We know that children who repeatedly hear negative, demeaning words from the primary caregivers in their lives, generally grow up to fulfil them--our prisons are full of those children, so are mental hospitals and psychiatrists offices. In fact, I would venture to say more people are damaged this way in childhood, than those who are abused sexually--and we know how vast that number is. It is hard to circumvent the negativity of ill-spoken words.
We expect poorly chosen words in the world. We confront them regularly--on our jobs, in school, on our streets, everywhere as we go about our daily activities; but among us, it must be different. We must learn to submit ourselves to God, and relinquish power of the tongue to Him. As we learn to have our words governed by the Spirit, we find that the rest of our lives fall into line, as well. How is that? Remember, it all begins in the heart--sin, all sin starts there. The tongue, being such an "unruly" member, speaks from the heart; so, if our heart leads us to speak good things, it won't lead us to do negative things at the same time. Control the tongue, control the body and the mind. It isn't that the tongue is greater than these--but that the tongue exhibits what is really within. If the tongue is defiled, so is the rest of the body; if the tongue is kept from defilement, so will the the body be kept.
So, let us hide the Word of God in our hearts, and speak the truths of the Word. Let us learn to build up one another with encouraging words. Let our words help--and not hurt.
Let the Spirit of God guide our hearts, and speak things of virtue.
SPEAK BLESSINGS, ONE TO ANOTHER!
The power of our words, comes from the fact that the words spoken are a product of the content of our hearts. Our words don't come from nowhere--but they proceed from our heart, revealing the darkness or the light, that abides within it. Now, as a blood-bought, Spirit-filled believer, I am not subject to everything that is said about me. I have power to receive it or reject it--we learn that and how to accomplish it in our lives as we mature in Christ. Even though devilish words sown, may not destroy me--they may destroy others, who hear them. Young Christians hearing ungodly things from people that are supposed to be mature Christians can have devastating consequences. We cannot say everything that we think, to them--but also, not around them. Some things should never be uttered, at all.
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]" (Proverbs 18:21). This means that your words can either destroy you, or give you life. Our walk with Christ is deeply affected by the words we choose. That can be for good or bad. Our words always bear fruit. Sometimes, we bear poisonous fruit, that destroys. We must choose words that bear fruit to heal, free, edify others. Being able to speak is a privilege; our words should never be used as weapons. We must think and pray before we speak. This is why we must pray without ceasing. If we aren't living a prayerful lifestyle, anything may be regurgitated from our hearts. Obviously, we don't literally utter a prayer before every word we speak, but if we are in fellowship with the Spirit of God (at all times), our words will prove that.
"For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature. If we set bits in the horses' mouths to make them obey us, we can turn their whole bodies about. Likewise, look at the ships: though they are so great and are driven by rough winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the impulse of the helmsman determines. Even so the tongue is a little member, and it can boast of great things. See how much wood or how great a forest a tiny spark can set ablaze! And the tongue is a fire. [The tongue is a] world of wickedness set among our members, contaminating and depraving the whole body and setting on fire the wheel of birth (the cycle of man's nature), being itself ignited by hell (Gehenna). For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea animal, can be tamed and has been tamed by human genius (nature). But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:2-8). This portion of Scripture, portrays for us just how seriously we must take our words. God is aware that we err, and all make mistakes in our walk--we are still human; but when we sin with our tongue, there is a difference. It is not that one sin is any worse than another sin in penalty--the wage is the same; however the effect of spoken sin is not. Someone coined the phrase, "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never harm me." That is an untruth--words can kill. Words can have a devastating impact.
Not too long ago, a teenaged girl died, because a thoughtless mom of another teenager used words to hurt her (in cyberspace). The young lady took her own life. We know that children who repeatedly hear negative, demeaning words from the primary caregivers in their lives, generally grow up to fulfil them--our prisons are full of those children, so are mental hospitals and psychiatrists offices. In fact, I would venture to say more people are damaged this way in childhood, than those who are abused sexually--and we know how vast that number is. It is hard to circumvent the negativity of ill-spoken words.
We expect poorly chosen words in the world. We confront them regularly--on our jobs, in school, on our streets, everywhere as we go about our daily activities; but among us, it must be different. We must learn to submit ourselves to God, and relinquish power of the tongue to Him. As we learn to have our words governed by the Spirit, we find that the rest of our lives fall into line, as well. How is that? Remember, it all begins in the heart--sin, all sin starts there. The tongue, being such an "unruly" member, speaks from the heart; so, if our heart leads us to speak good things, it won't lead us to do negative things at the same time. Control the tongue, control the body and the mind. It isn't that the tongue is greater than these--but that the tongue exhibits what is really within. If the tongue is defiled, so is the rest of the body; if the tongue is kept from defilement, so will the the body be kept.
So, let us hide the Word of God in our hearts, and speak the truths of the Word. Let us learn to build up one another with encouraging words. Let our words help--and not hurt.
Let the Spirit of God guide our hearts, and speak things of virtue.
SPEAK BLESSINGS, ONE TO ANOTHER!
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