Words are funny, they can build you up and tear you down ... in the same sentence, they can bring, life or death, in the flash of a pen or the stroke of a key.
Words can be kind, cruel, funny, sad, encouraging, discouraging ... string enough words together and you have a thought. Put enough thoughts together and you can write a book. But in the end what is a book? It is page after page after page of ... words!
It turns out that words are so important, that we are going to give an account of what we say when we stand before the Lord.
Words have real power.
Jesus said..."But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37).
"What does the Bible say about the power of words?"
God spoke the world into being by the power of His words (Hebrews 11:3), and we are in His image - in part - because of the power we have with words. In creation, only man has the ability to communicate through the spoken word. The power to use words is a very unique and powerful gift from God.
The apostle Paul wrote: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6; and Colossians 3:16).
Jesus reminds us that the words we speak are actually the overflow of our hearts (Matthew 12:34-35). The sinner’s mouth is “full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans 3:14); but when we turn our lives over to Christ, we gladly confess that “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9-10). As sinners, our mouths are silenced before the throne of God (Romans 3:19), but as believers, our mouths are opened to praise and glorify God (Romans 15:6).
Christians are people whose hearts have been changed by the power of God, a change which is reflected in our words.
Our words are full of blessing when our hearts are full of His blessing. So, it stands to reason then, that if we fill our hearts with the love of Christ, only truth and purity should come out of our mouths.
Peter tells us: “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). Let the power of our words be used of God to display the power of our faith.
Be prepared to give the reason for why we love the Lord—at anytime, to anyone at any place.
Our words should demonstrate the power of God’s grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The Psalmist says, "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart, be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 9:14)
I'm just sayin' .... may God teach us to use our words as an instrument of His love and His saving grace.
See Ya Next Week...
-Kelly
