Is Your Tongue Saved?

Welcome to Friday! TGIF!

Yesterday I saw one of Joyce Meyer's broadcasts on TV. I like Joyce. She's straight to the point and real. She doesn't hide her faults behind her Christianity. She gives them to you as a lesson and hope that you grow through her mistakes.

She was talking about our speech. (She also has a tape series on the topic "Is your Tongue Saved" and I'm fixing to get it!) We so often face difficulties and we talk about how God will be our strength in them. But, the minute an attack from the Enemy comes, we fold by confessing those things that aren't in agreement with what God says. Hey, I'm guilty of it and I'm sure you have done the same thing before, too.

James 3 says (NLT), "(7)People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, (8)but no one can tame the tongue. It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison. (9)Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against those who have been made in the image of God. (10)And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!(11)Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? (12) Can you pick olives from a fig tree or figs from a grapevine? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty pool."

I don't know about you, but that speaks deeply to my heart. It's not enough to have your soul saved. Okay, let me back up...it's enough for entry into the Kingdom. But, when we give account for how we used our time here on this Earth, I don't think by the standard we read above that God will be passing out any jewels for the crowns. To live in victory in this life, we must gain self-control and operate in the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-25). These verses talk about crucifying the flesh, that is our earthly passions and desires.

Don't you desire to live in victory in this life and not just muddle through?? So do I! We bring about that victory by the things we say and do. The example Joyce gave on this really put light on some areas of my life that were of confusion to me. She said if you feel really rotten with a cold (or something similar) and someone asks you how you're feeling, don't lie about it. Say you feel rotten. But...here's the important part...bring up the rear of that comment with a positive confession in Christ. "I'm not feeling well today, but I know God is the Great Physician and has healed my diseases and illnesses and I am well in Christ." Get it? You're affirming God's ability to be your Healer and Deliverer.

I've been around folks that, to me, are just living in denial but clothing it in spirituality. They are feeling rotten but if you ask them they deny it altogether. "No, why would you say that? That's a negative confession, a word curse you just put on me. I feel great!" Now, do I believe in word curses? Sure I do. I mean, we have the power of Christ working in us, right? He cursed a fig tree and it died. The Bible is clear we will do greater things now that the Holy Spirit is in the world.

But...hear me clearly...denial is wrong. Speaking the world's truth and then overcoming it with the heavenly truth of the Word of God is the power of and Spirit of Christ, in my opinion.

So...just as Luke 6:45b says that, "...For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.", so out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks. Is your heart full of the abundant life of service to the Lord? Are you speaking those things which are pleasing to him, blessing and not cursing? If not, join me today in praying that the Lord will be the ruler of your mouth and your heart. Let's get our words in line with the Word!

May God richly bless you this day and may you bless God by your words!