Each Friday I try to stop to review the week. I look at how I lived my life and evaluate. I am looking for patterns in my life. Do I see any bad patterns that I need to address. After all the Bible says in Philippians 2:12b “work out your salvation with fear and trembling;”
I want to recognize my hidden sins. My favorite sins are the hardest to see because I don't want to recognize them. So yesterday I was thinking, “You know if someone were to follow me around and write down every thing I said each day this week I am sure I would see a theme develop. THEN my problem areas would be evident. Why is that? Because from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. See what Jesus says in Luke 6:45 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil {man} out of the evil {treasure} brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” Our hearts are like at pitcher and our tongue is the spout that pours out what is in our hearts. Do you talk about others? Gossip? Curse and fight? Say nasty things you shouldn't say. Whatever you talked about over the week reveals what is REALLY in your heart.
Now the problem is, many of us say “So what...who cares?” Well God cares! James 1:26 “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his {own} heart, this man's religion is worthless.”
James continues talking about the tongue that pours out the contents of our hearts...
James 3:4-8 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and {yet} it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the {very} world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of {our} life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; {it is} a restless evil {and} full of deadly poison.
Is this a big deal that we watch what we say? Well.... yes, but the bigger issue is the condition of the heart that CAUSES improper words. James 2:10 “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one {point,} he has become guilty of all.” Guilty of ALL it says! Murder, adultry, stealing, idolitry....An impure heart, is an impure heart. God requires perfection. Perfection is something no man can achieve. “There is none righteous, not even one” (Romans 3). So heed the warning of the Word of God in Revelation 21:8 "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part {will be} in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
THAT is why I have to cling to Christ who died for my sin! I have no hope apart from Jesus' death and resurrection and the faith that God gives me to trust in Him. Holy Spirit, purify my heart! I am ashamed of the words that rolled off my tongue so easily this week! It's not my speech I need you to change... it's my heart!
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