Life And Death Are In The Tongue

I had no idea how powerful our words are that we allow to come out of our mouth until the Holy Spirit led me to get serious about studying God’s Word.

There are many scriptures where we are warned that our words can cause us to live a life of peace, joy and love or bring pure torment and destruction down on us. It’s easy to over look the fact that God himself “Spoke” everything into existence and that his goal was and still is to make us into his image.

Lets look at a few of these that teach us to guard our lips:

Proverbs 18:21- Death and Life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof KJV

The tongue can bring life or death, those who love to talk will reap the consequences. NLT

Proverbs 21:23 - Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble. ESV

Matthew 12:37 ESV

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Proverbs 13:3 ESV

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.

Then James dedicates almost a whole chapter to the subject :

James 3: 5- 10 NIV

5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts.(I) Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire,(J) a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body,(K) sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.(L)

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.(M)

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.(N) 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?(O)Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

We live in a world surrounded by negative words and actions. This is why we are first told to come out of the world and put our thoughts on heavenly things.

Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

We must guard against what we see and hear because it’s these things that plant small seeds that over time can grow into mighty thorn bushes or great trees where birds can test and live under our branches.

We are told in Matthew 12:36 ► New International Version But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.

Because we were not taught as children how important the words we say are we so carelessly tease and joke with our family and friends never realizing that we are speaking blessings or curses over them continuously. In order for our world to see Heaven come down we must start now teaching or children to speak life over themselves and others. Not only do our words matter but also our thoughts. We must always be ready to destroy negative thinking and replace it with God’s promises.

I guard my words

And bite my tongue

For they control my fate

My thoughts I wrestle to conform

As they shape my future days

I Think on things of beauty

Mercy and on Grace

Always I’m forgiving

I've found the narrow way

To lift one up with loving words

No bruise do I dare leave

To take my neighbors  by the hand

And lead them home with me

To our loving Savior

That waits there at the end

To attend our royal wedding

And to spend eternity with him

For this life is only fleeting

Here on this ball that spins

Our forever home awaiting

Where true love surly has  no end

Leslie Renee

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