GUARD YOUR MOUTH

Matthew 5:34-37

The subject that we are going to study is one of the most important in scripture, and is so important to the believer. We start off by taking these verses as our text, but we will be studying various scriptures, so please keep an open Bible at your fingertips.

You may have guessed that the subject is the tongue… What we say is so important… It reflects our Lord in so many ways. It is important to understand what scripture says … About what to say and what not to say.

Many Christians today say that it makes no difference to swear…  The world does it… If a Christian swears or uses bad language … Well, we are only human really. This is not what scripture says at all.

We are to be distinct and completely different from the world. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul states that we are new creations. In verse 20 he says that we are ambassadors for Christ, we are the Lord mouthpieces on this earth. Romans 12:2, states that we are to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, and not conformed to what is happening in the world.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Jesus states in Matthew 12:33-36, these words:

33 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.

He makes the connection between the heart and the mouth. Whatever is in our heart will eventually come out of our mouth. He gives a stern warning, that for any and every idle word, we will have to make account for before the Father.

What excuse is good enough for gossiping about another believer? The Lord is going to ask us why we did it. Can you answer Him?

Paul and James also have stern words to say: In Ephesians 4:29, Paul says ‘Let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth.’ In the very next verse, he says ‘Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.’ Do our words grieve the spirit of God?

Colossians 3:8 is another key verse. We are to put off these things, look at this list:

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

James, in Chapter 3:1-13, writes possibly the greatest passage on the tongue. He says so much. Please study this in detail for yourself, this is such an awesome passage.

One of the best chapters in the bible is Proverbs 15. The tongue is described here as:

Verse 2 It uses knowledge.

Verse 4 It is a tree of life.

Verse 7 It disperses knowledge.

Verse 23 It brings joy to the speaker.

Verse 26 Words of the pure are pleasant.

Does my/your tongue do these things？

Having found out that the words we speak are so important, how do we control the tongue? Well, we have to let the word of God penetrate our souls. The psalmist wrote ‘Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against thee.’ It is important to let the word of God penetrate our hearts – Colossians 3:16.

There are some things the Lord wants us to speak:

Speak Praise: Hebrews 13:15, Psalm 34:1 Psalm 40:3

How important this is! In Psalm 34:1, we are told that the praises of God are to be continually in our mouths. If this happens then there is no room for gossip, complaining or backbiting.

Speak Prayer: Phil:4:6, 1 Thess 5:17

What an awesome privilege! You know the more time you spend talking and spending time with the Holy one of Israel, your speech will become more and more beautiful – because you realise you are in the presence of the Holy one and therefore your speech will be reverent and good.

Speak Peace: Proverbs 15:1, 16:7, Psalm 15:3

Jesus Said ‘My peace I give unto you, my peace I leave with you.’ How often, with our words in various situations, do we bring the peace of Jesus into that situation, and leave the peace of God with the person we are talking too?

Speak Unity: John 17, Psalm 133,Ephesians 4:1-16

I was so struck with the verse in Galatians 5, which says:

15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

This is so important – we are doing the same work for God. The devil wants to destroy the church and our fellow believers. Let us not help him by our careless use of our mouths.

Speak Love: 1 John 3:11-14

Galatians 6

10As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

Let us do this, in both word and deed. Note it does not say ‘be good to those in your own church’, but it means to be kind to all believers – including those of churches where we have doctrinal differences, and that means with our words.

Do we speak badly of another church?

Speak the Word: Matthew 4:1-11

Let us use the same method which Jesus used to derail the devil. The word of God – it works every time. The power of the Word will always defeat Satan; it is our sword, and we have to use it as it gives us victory every time.

Speak the Name of Jesus: Phil 2:5-8

The name of Jesus has authority. We can use this name because it has authority. Peter and John used it in Acts 3 to heal the crippled man, and still today the devil cringes at this name. Let us use the glorious name of Jesus.

Speak Victory: 2 Cor 10:4-5, James 4:7-8,Matthew 17:20

Let us always remember that we have the victory through Jesus Christ. Let us always be looking up to Jesus because He has won us that victory. Let us never speak negative words of defeat – He didn’t even when on the cross.

Speak Witness: 2 Timothy 4:1-3, Isaiah 52:7, 62:6, Romans 10:9-14,Acts 4:19-20

This is our Commission; this is our privilege: to carry the gospel to a needy world. Let us be eager and ready to do this. Let our mouths be full of the story of our Saviour.

I hope you are blessed by this study.

God bless you

KEITH