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Does Your Mouth Ever Get You Into Trouble?

by Marijo Phelps  
10/21/2010 / Devotionals

I have a new T-shirt! Actually this is one I first saw about 3 years ago in just the right color light sage green. The front looks embroidered and says "Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth".

In my walk with Jesus He and I have talked about many things. So many of the areas where I , and apparently many others who call themselves His, have problems deal with the mouth. Gossip, maybe even disguised as a prayer request, but I need to think about what is the actual intent of my heart in sharing this request. How many times do we speak before thinking. Overeating, OK now I would be accused of meddling, I think the Bible calls it gluttony and at times it describes me.

The good news is there is hope and I realize even in writing this piece that I have made some progress over the years.

There are promises in His word about our mouth:
In Psalm 81:10 the Word speaks of the Lord being our God who brought us (our forefathers) out of Egypt and goes on to say open your mouth wide and God will fill it.

What pearls of wisdom that contains. How much better off would we be if we allowed God to fill our mouths with what we should say, but that requires waiting and listening and sometimes it is so much easier to plow on and stick our foot in clear up to our knees. I know, I relate all too well to that "up to the knee" syndrome.

In Exodus 4:12 God is speaking and reminding us to go and He will be with our mouth and teach us what we shall say.

OK, looks like listening and learning again. Somehow we can get the picture that God knows how we are and is willing to help,. Ours is to hush and tune in.

Ephesians 4:29 exhorts us to let no corrupt word proceed out of our mouth but that which is good for necessary for edification that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Grace is unmerited favor. Does what we say give unmerited favor to those who hear us? "Good for necessary edification" seems like a mouthful but what it shows us is that God knows that we all need a word of encouragement to build us up and he is also challenging us to speak in that way to others.

He wouldn't be talking to us about impossibilities. He wouldn't be making suggestions that are unreal. Hey, that means my God is willing to step up and help me have pleasing words as I speak. That is a most incredible promise.
In Psalm 71:8 the psalmist David is singing a prayer asking God to let his mouth be filled with "Your praise and with Your glory" all the day.
I am thinking if David's mouth was filled with praises of the Lord it wouldn't be filled with moaning, groaning and grumpiness even about his enemies and David seemed to have more than his share of enemies.

Another praise song comes from Psalm 89:1 where David says he will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever and with his mouth he (David) will make known the Lord's faithfulness to all generations.
We can choose to use our mouth to praise and pray and lift up His most incredible name. Yes, and even to eat reasonably. There I go meddling again.
In the meantime I will wear my new T-shirt and be reminded that His arm is indeed around my shoulders and, on occasion, His hand might find itself over my mouth.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for teaching us about our mouths in your Word. Help us to praise you and to choose to bless others all the days of our lives. Help us to choose life in our words and not death or curses. Help us to "shine" Jesus. AMEN

My blog is: http://myincrediblelord.blogspot.com/

(C) Marijo Phelps all rights reserved. Use with proper credits.

About Self

Saved by His grace in 1974, from 9 years of professing atheism into His loving arms. RN for 23 years, missionary with YWAM then statistical analyst for Every Home for Christ over 9 years. Living with my husband in the middle of a mountain meadow. GRIN! Wanting to spread the good news

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