Words
(Ecclesiastes 5:2) Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.
(Proverbs 10:19-21) In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom.
Today we are discussing “Words”
In today’s world of hate speech and inciting people to commit atrocities in the name of God, land (nation) or political power; I feel led to address this pertinent issue of our time.
One of the most powerful elements during the entire process of creation, that is still present with us today even with much potency is “words”.
According to the bible in;
(Psalm 33:6) By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth.
All through (Genesis chapter 1), God kept on speaking ‘Let there be… and the forces of heaven and had no option but to obey.
Words, used rightly can save, raise help, open doors, quell, quash or kill the embers of and rumours of war, it can forestall recovery of health to the sick.
For example in;
(Proverbs 16:24) Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
(Proverbs 18:21) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.
Translated or expanded, words can be creative as well destructive, whichever way you use it –
So also words can bring sorrow as in;
(1 Kings 21:27) So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.
(Joshua 2:11) And as soon as we heard these things (words), our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.
This verse goes to show why the army will not allow careless talk amongst their ranks because such destroys the morale of the battalion.
May be because I am a Pastor, I am often fascinated by people – (technicians) who know how to use words at the right time without being verbose; I am not talking about diction or phonetics or large bank of vocabulary. I am even more interested in leaders (from all facets of society) “who don’t just use their words for sake of speaking or carelessly”. No wonder the bible says in; (Proverbs 20:15) There is gold and a multitude of rubies, But the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel.
(Proverbs 15:23) A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, And a word spoken in due season, how good it is!
By good words of encouragement, Winston Churchill took England from the brink of defeat to victory in the face of the surging, well equipped, disciplined Hitler’s German army. By the famous words, ‘I have a dream’ Martin Luther King sowed the seeds of the just concluded and still talked about Barack Obama’s Presidency. By good words, war was averted in South Africa when Mandela gained freedom after apartheid.
By prophetic words David had already defeated Goliath before throwing the first stone.
(1 Samuel 17:45-47) Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
‘Jesus himself won his battle in the wilderness with the devil by words like ‘It is written….’
In the midst of a stormy sea with His disciples, all Jesus did was to speak a word and there was calm.
Jesus ‘The word’ did not mince words when he narrated the parable of the sower in; (Matthew 13:1-23), he told us words are seeds falling on various grounds (the heart).
Some by their mouths and lips sow seeds (words) of peace, hope, joy, life, deliverance, righteousness, breakthrough, unity, progress and prosperity to name but a few, whilst others do the opposite – curse, cause wars, enmity, arouse suspicion and genocide. Places like Rwanda, Sarajevo, Liberia and Bosnia all easily comes to mind. Posterity will judge if we are right or wrong.
This invariably means by their own words they have imprisoned themselves sent millions to an early grave or seal their destiny. So you see why I exasperated or disturbed by those who cry out for war – as if war or violence has ever solved anything.
(Matthew 12:36-37) 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.”
Many homes, marriages, families to name but a few have wrecked by careless, insensitive words. Those who know the importance and use of pulpits and podiums see it as opportunity to bless and encourage positively, their listeners/audience. I mystified by those who see it as avenue for cursing.
Are you an angry person or prone to anger or always in a rush, never paying much attention to details or to the need of your listeners ?
(Proverbs 25:11) A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver.
(Proverbs 29:20) Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
In the heat of a disagreement or argument;
(Proverbs 29:11) A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.
Apostle James was quick to point us all in the right direction on how to use our tongue;
(James 3:8-10) But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
(James 1:19-20) So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
“BEFORE YOU SPEAK ASK YOURSELF; WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY, WOULD IT BRING HONOUR TO GOD OR…..”
# Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips.
(Psalm 141:3)
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Good morning my family of friends.
‘This anointed lips of mine, they for blessing….’
Still singing songs of victory, Hallelujah!
From: ‘Imitators of Christ, renewing the mind, under the guidance of The Holy Spirit’