Tongue Check

Father, in Jesus’ name, bless and anoint Your children with Your wisdom to hit the target – the bulls eye! Let Thy words be our words. Purify our hearts LORD Jesus that out of their abundance will be Your words of wisdom, not ours (Matthew 12:34). In Jesus’ name Father, amen!

Sobering Truth Concerning
the Words of our Mouths

Recently saw a lady with a shirt that said:

“I have a good heart but a foul mouth”

Is that possible? No!

“O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34

If you want to know where someone’s heart is, simply listen to their words.

“Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. ² Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. ³ For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words. ⁴ When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. ⁵ Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. ⁶ Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? ⁷ For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.” Ecclesiastes 5:1-7

There is much wisdom to be garnered from this above passage. I love the end of verse 2 and memorizing this divinely-inspired Bible phrase has greatly benefited my life on many an occasion – “let thy words be few.” Instead of expounding on this passage, let me encourage you to open your own Bible and study this passage. Remember it. Keep going back to it, committing to memory exactly where it is in order that you might readily revisit it and share it with others.

“He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. ²⁸ Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” Proverbs 17:27-28

Jesus taught us that our words and the words of others, come from the heart.

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. ³⁴ O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. ³⁶ But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:32-37

By this truth, we can first monitor and measure where are hearts are by what is coming from our mouths. The same is true for discerning others. In fact, Proverbs 14:7 tells us to get away from someone whose heart is being manifested/revealed as dark by the words of their mouth.

“Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.” Proverbs 14:7

The Word of God contains prayers on this very important matter of the tongue. These Precepts should be memorized by the disciple of Christ. Doing so will have a blessed and amazing effect upon ones life. Here are a few:

“Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Psalms 141:3

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14

The God-fearing heart will teach his mouth what to speak and what not to speak:

“The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. ⁴ Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Proverbs 16:23-24

The God-fearing person speaks divine wisdom:

“The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.” Psalms 37:30

The Godly man and woman feeds others with the Word of God proceeding from their lips:

“The lips of the righteous feed many.” Proverbs 10:21

Here’s a larger view of this passage:

“In the multitude of words there wanteth (lacks) not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. ²⁰ The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. ²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.” Proverbs 10:19-21

Let’s Do the Math

In this following verse, stop and consider how many ears God gave you and how many mouths?

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” James 1:19 (memorize this-KJB)

In His creative perfection, the LORD made us with two ears and only one mouth. Perhaps there’s a message there – that we should listen twice as much as we speak. In fact, would that not tend to increase the wisdom that proceeds from our mouths when we do speak?

Dispersing the knowledge of God (His  Word) in His love is the proper use of our tongues:

“The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish doeth not so.” Proverbs 15:7

Notice in the verse above how our “lips” and our “heart” are connected. See also Matthew 12:34).

“The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself.” Ecclesiastes 10:12

The praise of the LORD in our mouths:

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalms 34:1

This disciple wishes to encourage you to embark upon a fresh read of the glorious book of Proverbs. This time, as you comb through and pour over these magnificently wise words of our LORD, capture some of those which speak about the tongue and the words of the mouth. Write them on index cards with reference and begin reading, meditating upon, and memorizing. Here are a couple that have blessed my life tremendously:

“He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” Proverbs 13:3

“The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” Proverbs 12:19

“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.” Proverbs 21:23

“A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.” Proverbs 29:5

—— DO WE even begin to realize what doors God would open for the ministry of His Spirit and Word if you and I would listen more closely to those around us? You know, many times it seems that we are so eager to speak in lieu of listening. That’s understandable from a human perspective because we think and we want to speak those thoughts. Yet, if we will begin to learn to utilize the 2 ears more than the 1 mouth He designed us with, we may be amazed at what God does!  James 1:19 instructs us: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.”  When we do the math we see that we have 100% more capacity to hear than we do to speak (per se). In a sense, when we take the time to listen, we earn the right to speak …. into the lives of others. Showing genuine concern for the lives of others will go further than we realize to lay the groundwork for them to be saved (if they are not yet saved). The psalmist prayed: “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” (Psalms 141:3) 

WHEN to depart: “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.” (Proverbs 14:7)

Those who use filthy language clearly demonstrate that they have a filthy heart and are under divine condemnation. It’s time to repent and get saved. Jesus clearly taught that out of whatever is in a person’s heart, their mouth reveals such by its words:

“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. 34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matthew 12:33-37

Beloved, always used the King James Bible. All other English versions are perverted. Cease buying the lie that you can’t understand correct English. | Bible Versions

When Tempted to Speak on a Topic You have not Personally, Deeply Studied in God’s Word

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Proverbs 18:13 (memorize)

Isn’t it time to  zip our lips concerning anything we are currently speaking out about until we’ve THOROUGHLY studied God’s Word for ourselves on that topic?

Read James 3 prayerfully at least 3 times this week.

Mouth|Tongue|Lips

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The Pure Heart and Gracious Lips [podcast]

The connection between the heart and the mouth is key to understanding and to victory in your life with Christ. “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 12:34 “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 Here’s a great prayer that flows from my lips every morning, and God answers it daily by His grace in Christ. Go for it… “Set a watch, O Lord, before my […]

Sin is Rooted in the Hearts of Men [podcast]

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 Jesus taught us that man’s sin comes out of his “desperately wicked” heart (Jeremiah 17:9). “And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:20-23 Mankind’s core dilemma is sin (Romans 1-3). Jesus Christ came and died to […]

The Heart of the Matter [podcast]

“And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:20-23 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29 “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of […]