Page 19

Are you ready for the truth?
Proverbs 18:21 -- Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they
that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Job 22:28 -- Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established
unto thee: and the light shall shine on thy ways.
Matthew 12:36 -- [E]very idle word that men speak, they shall give
account thereof in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:37 -- For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy
words thou shalt be condemned.
Proverbs 6:2 --Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken
with the words of thy mouth.

Words do matter! We may say, "O, I didn't really mean that?" But everything we say either works to build up or to tear down -- our selves, our family members, the church we attend, the pastors we serve, our friends. What have you been saying today? You will have to give an account for every idle word and "I didn't mean it" will not cut it, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. If negative words -- words that tear down (yes, a word of correction is needed, but there is a way to say something that can add insult to the correction, you know that), words that give substance to lies, murmuring, gossiping, and complaining -- If negative words are coming out of your mouth, you are speaking death with the power of your tongue. Why not choose to speak life? Think before you speak. There is a lot of wisdom to what many of our moms used to say, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say nothing at all."