Words in Our Heart

"Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” ~Matthew 12:34-37 
The words which flow forth from our mouths begin, as this verse says, in our hearts. Let's all be careful what we allow to enter our minds, take root in our hearts, and spill forth from our mouths (Jms.3). What kind of words are you and I storing up in our hearts?

Consider the following:
  • To what sort of talk do we give audience?
  • What is contained in our music, movies, tv programs, our leisure/entertainment, on our social media? Furthermore, what do we allow to be stirred up within our minds/hearts as a result of these mediums - is it godliness or worldliness? (Hint: it's one or the other - Matt.6:24)
  • Do we assault our ears and minds with evil words - whether that be from cursing, hearing gossip, words that speak ill of others, words which tear down rather than build up, words which put us in an unproductive state of mind to carry the gospel to another, filthy thoughts, coarse jesting, etc. (Eph.5:3-5; Matt.5:21-30)?
  • Do we allow the words of others to cause us to brood over things and allow resentment, anger, wrath, envy, and/or hate to build up within our hearts (Eph.4:31-32)?
  • When we speak, is there meaning in our words (1 Pet.4:11)?
  • Are we a reliable source for the truth, or do we hide the truth from ourselves or others according to our own "wisdom" (Jms.3:13-18)?
  • To a world dying in sin, do we bring the life-saving words from God (Matt.28:18-20)?
If your answers to these questions convict you, then what are you going to do about it now?

As we go about our day today, let's consider what we are going to allow to take root in our hearts.
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." ~Philippians 4:8
Start with spending time reading, studying, and then meditating upon God's word today (Ps.119:97). Take those words of life and think that truth, speak that truth, live that truth. You'll store up words which bear good fruit, and these will change your life completely. Don't stop there, though...go share those life-saving words with someone else. Let us all carry His word to those dying today and, by so doing, save our own lives (Matt.28:18-20; Ezek.3:17-21; Ezek.33). To God be the glory in all things.

Plant good seeds today in the hearts of all you encounter, as well as within your own heart. Let God's truth ring out with all you say, do, and think. As a reminder today, consider this hymn:

Wonderful Words of Life

1.) Sing them over again to me, wonderful words of life; let me more of their beauty see, wonderful words of life; words of life and beauty teach me faith and duty. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

2.) Christ, the blessed one, gives to all wonderful words of life; sinner, list to the loving call, wonderful words of life; all so freely given, wooing us to heaven. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.

3.) Sweetly echo the gospel call, wonderful words of life; offer pardon and peace to all, wonderful words of life; Jesus, only Savior, sanctify forever. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life. Beautiful words, wonderful words, wonderful words of life.


Thanks for dropping in.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Through God We Will Do Valiantly

Through God We Will Do Valiantly " Give us help from trouble,  For the help of man  is  useless.  Through God we will do valiantly,  For  it is  He  who  shall tread down our enemies. " Psalm 60:11-12 NKJV Do you know what it is to be delivered by God? If you're a Christian, that answer is "Yes!" and you know the beauty of being delivered out of the hand of your adversary. You have your own battles and I have mine. Some may have battled addictions, others a lifestyle, while others deal with various other sins which gets its claws into you and refuses to let go. Perhaps you're currently enslaved to a sin and think there's no way out. There is only one sure way out of our sin, and that is with the Lord. Make no mistake, our adversary is strong, he is a mighty foe, yet our Lord is stronger and mightier than all. With the Lord is deliverance, hope, strength, trust, joy, and life. With our adversary is certain death, destruction, sorrow, fear, lies, an
Read more

Efficient

Efficient. I like this word; better yet, I like for things to work in this manner. Here's what it means: "performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort; having and using requisite knowledge, skill, and industry; competent; capable" There is no sense, in my mind, in doing something inefficiently. Why waste time doing something another way? When there is a prescribed way to do something, there's often a very good reason as to why, and to act outside the bounds of that way is illogical. While this word, efficient, is one you'll be hard-pressed to find in scripture, the concept is all throughout God's word. The best way to be efficient is to obey God. To act outside the bounds of God's word is inefficient. That's it. So much, in my mind, is black and white; it either is or it is not; it either is "yes" or it is "no" and I don't believe much else in life is an exception to that rul
Read more

Veterans' Day

Veterans' Day It is on this day that we remember, as a nation, our veterans who have honorably served this country. I thank each and every one for their service to our country, the price they have paid, and the scars they bear daily, both external and internal. I thank and each of you, not just on this day, but for each day I live in a free nation that you have helped keep safe; I recognize that, as a result of your service, many of you live and remember daily their time spent in service to this country. The memories don't go away; many of you have seen combat; you've seen the enemy eye to eye, or scope to scope, or put your training up against his/her; I recognize that those sights, sounds, and smells don't go away. If you came in contact with the enemy, those brushes with death, the fear and the adrenaline, the blood, the possible tears from rage or from the adrenaline of coming so close to death; the flood of all kinds of emotion; the acting on instinct and allowing
Read more