%&*#! What You Say Will Change Your Life!
“PG” ratings now use “R” language. What has happened to us? When did Christians tolerate such unclean language? Perhaps you don’t say those forbidden words…maybe you don’t say them in front of your children. But do you recoil when you hear them in the office, on your television or in the movie theater? Probably not.
WE CAN HAVE A BLESSED OR CURSED LIFE DEPENDING ON WHAT WE SAY.
Our words can change us. “You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.” (Exodus 20:7) What does it mean to “misuse the name of the Lord “? Any misuse of God’s Name devalues His character and holiness. The Jews never even spoke the name of YHWH. Oh yeah-and God ALSO says that He will not let us go unpunished for using His name irreverently. It’s hard to obey a God we don’t respect. When we devalue Him, we will take His commands casually and flippantly disobey Him. This is serious stuff.
A pastor said he first noticed how pervasive the use of God’s name was when he watched a television show on HGTV. A safe enough show, one would think…..The designer transformed the ratty room of a client and then brought the fortunate family in for the “reveal.” To his shock and chagrin, EVERY person who viewed the transformation said the same three words. “Oh, my God!”
Now we don’t think this is a “big thing”, right? Be honest. Our grandson says this some times. My response to him is this, “Son, do not use God’s name unless you are really talking to him or about Him”.
Come on, people! God has better things to do: creating universes, writing history, transforming lives. It is not likely that He spends a lot of time hanging wallpaper. Is our vocabulary so limited? Are our pea brains so small that we no longer have descriptors other than “Oh, my God?” Is He your God? If He is, then that statement is the most powerful declaration you can make. We are His and He is ours. Say it every day! All of the time! But say it because you love and worship the One who gave His only Son to die for your sins.
Also, if we call ourselves CHRISTians and don’t reflect Jesus through our 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, then we are misusing His name!
EMPTY PROMISES
Jesus warned about making empty promises and swearing in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:33-37 reads:
33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ 34 But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; 35 nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one”. (NKJV) Jesus included these verses in His most significant sermon. He said, “Don’t make empty promises you don’t intend to keep. Do what you promised God you would do.” The Message translation describes this passage in a very relevant way:
“Don’t say anything you don’t mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ‘I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it.” You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ and ‘no.’”
Here comes the kicker in Verse 37. 37 But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one”.
Swearing comes from the Devil. He is the father of lies, the prince of darkness. We trivialize our empty promises, assuming there will be no repercussions for our insincere words. But guess what? We have just given Satan a foothold in our lives.
UNCLEAN WORDS
One man relates this story about profanity. His family reunion was in full swing. Aunts, uncles and cousins gulped down boatloads of fried chicken, sweet tea and strawberry shortcake. In the midst of the fellowship, five-year-old Roger skipped into the kitchen yelling the F bomb at the top of his little lungs. He was simply repeating the words of an oldest cousin. His mom was appalled. She grabbed him by the arm, marched him to the bathroom and made him wash his mouth with Ivory soap until he puked. Her punishment was rather extreme, but Roger never said that word again. Now it is obvious that this occurred many years ago. First you would probably be brought before DHR for child abuse if you did this today, but secondly, today most parents would giggle and give their kids an empty warning if they use unclean words.
Why should we clean up our speech? Because unclean words come from a smutty heart. We become crass, filthy people. Our light to the world is extinguished and no one sees Jesus in us.
10 Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “Listen,” he said, “and try to understand. 11 It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.” (Matthew 15:10-11)
Jesus also says that our unclean words lead us into depravity and sin. Our Christian purity is flushed down the toilet.
16 “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked (of His disciples). 17 “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18 But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you.19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20 These are what defile you.” (Matthew 15:16-20)
James sums up the power of unclean speech in James 3:5-10.
5 ……….. But a tiny spark can
set a great forest on fire. 6 And the
tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting
your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set
on fire by hell itself.[a]
7 People can tame all kinds
of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one
can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it
praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses 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!
Notice the words that are
underscored. Unclean words contaminate us and come straight from the pit of
hell.SO HOW DO WE CLEAN UP OUR MOUTH?
9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. (1 John 1:9). God not only forgives us, he helps us clean up our act.
Stop talking. Let our words be few. Okay, Okay, I know this will be hard for me to do! J
That’s how you tame a horse. You but a bit is his mouth and attach to a bridle. So bridle our mouth and give the reins to the Holy Spirit.
Read the Bible often. God’s Words are like Ivory soap. They purify your heart and uplift your thoughts.
Filter the filth input in your life. Practice saying and thinking positive things. Follow Paul’s advice, and we will experience peace and blessing.
“8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
And as the Psalmist wrote in this very popular scripture – Psalm 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Start today and watch God bless your life!
