“I was working out in my front yard yesterday digging some weeds out of the flower bed,” Stan began, “and one of the neighbor moms came by with her young son.”
“Did she stop and talk?” I asked.
“Sure did,” Stan replied. “Nice lady. She and I were having a conversation about flowers, weeds, gardening, and the like, but her son got a little impatient. It seems that they were on their way to Issac’s Ice Cream for some goodies, and he wanted to get going. At one point he said something totally inappropriate and his mother reacted quickly.”
“In what way?” I asked.
“When her son said what he did, she responded with something like, ‘If you want to go to Issac’s you better watch your mouth, young man!’”
“Did he mind her?” I replied.
“He did,” Stan said, “and I complimented the mom on her quick discipline as they headed on their way after a little more conversation.”
“Later on I was thinking about what had happened,” Stan continued, “and I saw a correlation between what the mom said to her son and how God points out the importance of watching our mouths.”
“How’s that?” I asked.
“At least two ways,” Stan replied. “In the first instance, the apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, points out that we are to confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord. Doing that is the key to spending eternity in God’s presence when it’s time. I can’t imagine that there’s anything more important that I can say with my mouth.”
“A really important reason for people to watch their mouths,” I commented. “But you mentioned there was a second point. What’s that?”
“It comes from James’ letter to the church that sets out all sorts of instructions for how I am to control my mouth on this side of eternity. I have the choice with my mouth to build up or to tear down; the choice to manifest what God has for me to manifest or to manifest the opposite of what He has for me.”
“So,” I commented, “words matter.”
“They do,” Stan replied. “For both sides of eternity. I have the assurance of life eternally with God when it’s time because I have confessed with my mouth that Jesus is Lord.”
“As well,” he continued, “while God keeps me on this side of eternity it’s not uncommon for Him, through the Holy Spirit, to say, ‘Watch your mouth!’ When I hear that, I am to listen and take seriously His admonition.”
“To manifest what He has for you to manifest. Is that it?” I asked.
“That’s it, my friend,” Stan replied. “Not the manifestation of self. And not the manifestation of the world, the flesh, the devil, or anything contrary to what God has for me to manifest.”
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Bible verses to consider:
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Romans 10:9
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. James 3:6.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14.
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of salvation and redemption by confession of faith through my mouth. Thank you, too, for your instructions on how to control what comes out of my mouth on this side of eternity. Too often what I allow out of my mouth does not manifest what you intend, but manifests the opposite. Please forgive me. And please, Father, help me in controlling my mouth so my words are of praise, honor, glory, and manifestation of you, not of me, and not of the world, the flesh, the devil, or anything apart from you. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you confessed with your mouth Jesus as Lord so you have the assurance of spending eternity in God’s presence when it’s time? If no, why? If you do have that assurance, how are you doing with watching what comes out of your mouth on this side of eternity? If you sense changes may be needed in what you manifest with your words, how are those changes going to occur and what difference will they make? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 