Mouth Management…
For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue (pursue) it (1Peter 3:10-11).
THE BIBLE TELLS US HOW TO GET TO HEAVEN and how to live on the way there. I love to visit the Library of Congress. It’s first building is a piece of art. The link to their website (https://www.loc.gov/collections/ ) is impressive. Thomas Jefferson’s library is in the old building and some copies of the Bible. The library is massive, requiring three large buildings to house it and an impressive number of librarians.
THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY BOOK in that massive library that can tell the future. Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:10)
THIS BOOK ALSO TELLS US THE ADVANTAGE OF CONTROLLING OUR TONGUES. What does this mean, to control our tongues? I went through seven commentators to search it out. In summary it means: “Don’t run your mouth.”
WHEN PEOPLE REBEL AGAINST GOD, IT WILL AFFECT THEIR TONGUES. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us? (Psalm 12:3-4) The Lord will put up with a proud mouth for a while, but there comes a day when He says: “Enough!” One way or another, God will put a stop to the arrogance that says my mouth is my own and I will say what I please. The problem is not the mouth. The problem is the wicked heart.
One man said that when he got saved he lost half his vocabulary. He couldn’t cuss and say vile things any more and he had to learn how to talk again. It is good when God gets hold of the heart and that heart gets hold of the tongue and everybody around knows that God has moved in.
I HAD LEARNED JOHN 3:16 IN THE 2ND GRADE BUT HAD NOT TAKEN IT TO HEART. In the 4th grade I was in a city school and I wanted to be one of the rough boys. So, I practiced cussin’ and got pretty good at it. But in October, 1943 God arrested me in the bean market where revival preaching was going on hot and heavy and I knew I was the wickedest kid in school.
That was 74 years ago and I remember it as well as yesterday. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and save me. There was no brass band, no shouting, no noise. I was….stunned. The next day was different. Everything was different. A new direction. A new boss. Jesus was Lord and I aimed to please Him.
I MEMORIZED A VERSE FIFTY YEARS AGO THAT HAS HELPED ME A LOT: In the multitude of words there wanteth [lacketh] not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise (Proverbs 10:19). When I took this to heart, I saw that there is a law working against my mouth: “just keep it up and you’ll dig a hole deep enough for somebody to step on your head.” Our tongues can do this. So many times, I’ve said things that before the words were out of my mouth I knew I had said the wrong thing. Did that ever happen to you? It seems that the tongue is so much quicker than the brain.
PETER QUOTES THE OLD TESTAMENT IN WRITING OUR TEXT FOR TODAY:
What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it (Psalm 34:12-14).
“Peter says that we are to refrain from constantly speaking evil of others. And we are to refrain from speaking "guile," from being deceptive and not telling the truth.” (McGee)
What is Guile? Deception. “The skin of a reason stuffed with a lie.” Misuse of the tongue may have broken more homes and put more people in an early grave than alcohol, drugs, and organized crime combined.
JAMES WARNS ABOUT THE TONGUE: If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain (James 1:26). For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body (James 3:2).
The greatest things that can happen in your life is to give your heart to the Lord. The next greatest thing that can happen in your life is to determine that you will walk with the Lord every day, the rest of your life. This is not for half-hearted people. This is for people who mean business with God and are determined to walk with Him.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1Corinthians 10:13) Ω
Read Through the Bible in a Year
FEBRUARY 27, 2018 – TUESDAY
A.M. Numbers 18-20 P.M. Mark 7:1-13
(Bible Gateway will read this to you if you like. Look for the speaker icon.)
Good Verses to Memorize:
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him (1John 5:14-15).
Song for Today:
Since Jesus Came Into My Heart (2:15) ( Camp Meeting)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqN7qeuy9K4
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