“The one who guards his mouth [thinking before he speaks] protects his life; The one who opens his lips wide [and chatters without thinking] comes to ruin.”

Proverbs 13:3 AMP

The Scripture is full of warnings about running quickly to judgement. So often we are prone to release something from our lips that later we are regretful. The whole purpose of the Proverbs was to give us practical advice on how to walk in the blessings and comfort of God’s ways. Today we talk about taming the tongue! Remember what the book of James told us?

“Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving];”

James 1:19 AMP

Sound advice for our day and age! James went on to remind us that,

“See [by comparison] how great a forest is set on fire by a small spark! 6And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by [b]hell (Gehenna). 7For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and sea creatures, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8But no one can tame the human tongue; it is a restless evil [undisciplined, unstable], full of deadly poison”

James 3:5-7 AMP

Notice that the action of the tongue is governed by the inability to control it! That means that what comes out of our mouth can be a choice that we make. We have all experienced. A moment when those words went out and a battle ensued! The Psalmist used the word “guards” in describing the action we need to take. The word guard in the Hebrew is the word refers to a “secret dwelling place.” Jesus told us that,

“The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.”

Luke 6:45 AMP

Do you see it? “…for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.” We must remember that we are still in the battle against the sin nature in our lives and that we must always be on watch that our spirits are in control not our old nature! Proverbs 17 tells us that,

“He who has knowledge restrains and is careful with his words, And a man of understanding and wisdom has a cool spirit (self-control, an even temper).” 

Proverbs 17:27 AMP

So, we can say that what comes out of the mouth is a result of where we are continually dwelling. The Scripture tells us that we should be dwelling in the secret place with God!

“How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who [reverently] fear You, Which You have prepared for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of man! 20In the secret place of Your presence You hide them from the plots and conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter (pavilion) from the strife of tongues.” 

Psalms 31:19-20 AMP

I want to encourage you today as we listen to the words of our Savior,

“But when you pray, go into your most private room, close the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.” Mathew 6:6 AMP

Go into your secret place and from there allow that Holy Spirit to manifest the reality of a changed life in Christ! Have a blessed day. Pastor Ken