For many who claim to be Christian, there is a major disconnect between their declaration of Christianity and their tongue. This article will have two reactions. One will be positive for those who are living for God with a Holy Ghost controlled state of heart, mind and soul. Those who do not control the tongue will be greatly annoyed by what I’m sharing today.
Recently on American Family Radio, there was a discussion about the fact that David Axelrod told Barrack Obama during his first campaign for US President to lie and say his Christian belief is that marriage is only between a man and a woman. (I heard that interview). David told Barrack, if you say you are for homosexual marriages, you will lose the black church vote. So Obama agreed to lie. My Bible tells me that all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire.
My Bible also tells me that I will either be justified by my words or I will be condemned by my words at the time of judgment. We will give an account for every idle word that we speak. James tells us that no man can tame the tongue. No, man cannot tame the tongue, but through submission to the power of the Holy Ghost we can control the tongue and use it to speak good and encouraging words one to another.
I recently shared a message entitled, Our Tongue Reveals Our Soul. If all believers would allow God to be in control of their hearts first, their tongue would be speaking godly encouragement instead of gossip and abusive words. At the core of many people’s emotional problems after salvation are the abusive words that had been continually spoken to them in their childhood. Those abusive words are like a painful branding in the heart and mind in the adult life as if they were spoken yesterday.
Ephesians 5:1-4 (NLT) “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. 3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.” These four verses give us clear instructions how we are to act! We are to follow God’s example in everything we do! We do this because He came to earth in a robe of flesh and died on a cruel cross to redeem us from our sins because HE first loved us!
When we imitate God, there will be no sexual immorality, impurity or greed among us. This includes all sexual sins: no pornography, no outer sex, no inner sex, no fornication, and no adultery. God gave the gift of sex to a husband and wife exclusively for complete pleasure with each other – no one else! What does this have to do with the tongue? Verse 4 says no obscene stories or foolish talk or coarse jokes. All sin starts with a thought that creates a word and follows up in action. Then the writer Paul says, “Instead, let there be thankfulness to God.” Our words/actions either give glory to God or take glory away from God! It’s our choice.
My daily prayer is: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in they sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.” Our thoughts create our feelings and then we act out (word or action) on our feelings. Everything we say or do starts with a thought. We must filter all thoughts through God first – it is being Holy Ghost controlled – living in a God conscious state of mind – being renewed in the spirit of our mind. We must set a guard over our lips. If we do not, we are in trouble with God!
God as the great Counselor says there is life and death in the power of the tongue. We have the choice to speak life or death words. We will reap what we sow. The Bible teaches out of the good treasure of our heart comes good. Out of the evil treasure of our heart comes evil. Our tongue reveals our heart and soul. It’s all about choice. Proverbs 21:23 (NLT) “Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.”
I sometimes feel like a ‘lone voice crying in the wilderness’ regarding keeping our hearts clean before God that includes the use of our tongue. My one purpose under God in my teaching, counseling and writing is to help the weak to become strong and live holy as He is holy. I want all believers to make it to heaven. The Holy Ghost is God in us the hope of glory! His power is the same yesterday, today and forever. I’m not ‘super spiritual.’ I just choose daily to surrender my all unto the Lord. I love God more than I love my selfishness.
God has never taken our choice away. One sinful choice of disobedience in the Garden of Eden brought the curse of death to the human race of body and soul. But God came in the flesh to redeem us from the curse of eternal death. It is our choice as to whether we will decide to live a righteous life in the sight of God. How we use our tongue will determine our eternal destiny!
Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT) 31 “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” This is a command from God through Paul writing to the church in Ephesus. We must get rid of anger, bitterness, rage, harsh words and slander. Paul is saying, “Church watch out for your tongue!” It’s a choice!! No one can make us speak ungodly words or have an ungodly attitude. It’s by our own choice!!
In my nationwide counseling by phone/Skype, I’m helping families, married couples, singles, teens, even some pastors to become cognitively aware that every word spoken is heard by God. Our words will condemn us or justify us. We all must live in direct accountability to God in ALL we do. As I stated earlier, it’s making a decision to be Holy Ghost controlled. It is living in a God-conscious state of mind. It is understanding that everything I say or do should be done heartily as unto the Lord! It is the way we can be ‘praying always in the Spirit.’ It is living in a prayerful attitude unto the Lord. One commentary says, “Our life needs to be a prayer!”
We must allow the Fruit of the Spirit to control us. If we desire love, joy and peace, we must be longsuffering-patient, kind, gentle, good, faithful and have self-control at all times!! God is love! The love of God is in our hearts through the power of the Holy Ghost! Study 1 Corinthians 13 – the love chapter.
1 Corinthians 13 (NLT) Love Is the Greatest
1 “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.”
At the Judgment Seat of Christ (for the Bride) or the Great White Throne Judgment, God’s truth will be the criteria He uses for judgment. We will not be able to declare ignorance to God’s truth. I’m begging believers of all ages to take God’s Word to heart. We need to hear this type of teaching in the churches today. We cannot be a little sinful with our tongue. Either our tongue is sinful or it is used for God’s glory!!
If we praise God in church where others can see us and then go home and use our tongue for discord and abuse, we are in trouble with God. Our tongue reveals our heart. What we are in the home is our true self – God sees all! We need husbands/fathers (single moms) to set the example of godliness as pastors of the home in word, attitude and actions. There must be respect, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, patience and temperance (self-control) in the home. These attributes create love, joy and peace!
I feel compelled by God to continue speaking His truth regarding being Holy Ghost controlled in all we say and do. He tells us to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Again, it is all about choice. Either we are serving the God of our salvation or we are serving the god of this world, Satan. There is no in-between!
Psalms 139: 23 & 24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”
© Carol Clemans – March 2015
Carol Clemans is a Bible teacher (50 years), Certified Pastoral Counselor (23 years) & Christian Life Coach. She provides confidential nationwide counseling by phone/Skype (636) 448-0121. Carol teaches God’s anointed Word for churches/conferences. Go to: www.carolclemans.org for bio, 135+ articles, teaching CD’s, DVD’s, book: God’s Design for Marriage. Email: carol@carolclemans.org.