“Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” Psalm 34: 13-14
The sins of the tongue are many, and they can be as lethal as poison. Words are powerful instruments that can bring life and death, blessing and cursing. The Apostle James, the brother of Jesus, wrote in James 3:5-6
“Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” James 3:5-8
It is easy to “run off at the mouth,” as my mother would say. Idle chatter and saying whatever comes into the mind without considering how our words will land on the hearers is a great challenge for us all until we learn to consider the result of our words.
Will they edify the hearer? Will they bring grace to the hearers, or exhortation that encourages them to good works? Will our words bless or curse, heal or harm, build up or tear down? Will they reveal truth, or will they foster confusing and strife? Will evil be extended because of our words or will they bring light to dispel darkness.
If our words are God’s words, then, they will surely bring light. But, a word of caution: in this hyper inclined-to-be-offended culture the Words of God are even now being classified as “hate speech.” The Truth is now categorized as “hate speech” if it doesn’t agree with the anarchist’s anti-God, anti-Christian, anti-American, anti- Jewish agenda.
Nevertheless, the Word of God stands sure.
“Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” Timothy 2:19
“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalms 119:130
When the Word of God is spoken into any situation it dispels the darkness that hides things that lead to death. The pathway to life and death is in the tongue.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21
Our destinies begin with a thought. And a thought well considered, becomes the words we speak, and our spoken words lead to actions, and our actions lead to habits, and habits define our lifestyle, and our lifestyle determines our destinies.
“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6
Lying, libel, slandered, bearing false witness, gossip, and all such things are the children of deceit. Avoid them vigorously.
“Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
Departing from evil is about leaving behind and avoiding all association with behavior and all immoral, demonically inspired values that demean or diminish the value God has given to us and others as His sons and daughters, created in His image and after His likeness.
Departing from evil is also about being attentive to guard our ears, hearts and minds from the lies and deceptions of the enemy.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but prove the spirits, if they are of God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.” 1John 4:1
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