July 14th – Proverbs 14: A Fool’s Talk Brings a Beating!

“A fool's talk brings a rod to his back, but the lips of the wise protect them.” – Proverbs 14:3

Your mouth will either bring protection to your life or PAIN. I have known many believers that simply open their mouths and invite a major beating:

“A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.” – Proverbs 18:6

It’s amazing that what we SAY can affect our lives so profoundly. My life has more than one time been threatened because the people I was with couldn’t hold their tongue. In the same way, my life has been preserved because of the thoughtful, wise words that have proceeded from someone’s mouth. You would think our actions would be the only thing that can have that effect, but our words are equally powerful. God said that the power of life and death are in our mouths!

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21

The enemy is a legalist and he knows this principle. That’s why he will focus his energies into getting us to proclaim death or have an undisciplined mouth. He doesn’t need to personally get involved in destroying our lives physically when he knows all he has to do is get us saying the wrong things! We can proclaim life and we can proclaim death with our mouths. Many times the enemy just sits back as we reap a harvest of destruction with our lips. I’ve been in some believer’s meetings where Christians sing the very plans of the enemy. I was recently in a service where the believers happily sang what I would term the theme song of hell!

I may never raise the dead

I may never do miracles or heal the sick,

But as long as I’m in Your Presence, I’m great, etc. etc. etc.

That’s why it is imperative that we FILL our hearts with the Word of God. We need to wash our filthy minds with the scriptures so that when we open our mouths, GOOD THINGS come out!

“You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” – Matthew 12:34

We can’t tame our tongue (James 3:8), but the Lord and His Word CAN! This will bring protection, healing and LIFE! Not a beating, dishonor and death.

LIFE LESSON:

Change your life by changing your SPEECH.