From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "Heritage" <gheritage@juno.com>
Subject: Blessings to All
Date: Sunday, October 22, 2000 8:03 AM

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue,
 Guards his soul from troubles."  Proverbs 21:23

How often do we say things in anger, pride, gossip, spite, frustration and
disobedience;  then in a moment (sometimes longer) regret what came out of
our mouth?  The dreadful words are forever out and cannot be recaptured.
Scripture has much to say about the mouth and the tongue, for uncontrolled
it is evil and distructive.  Let's look at some of these verses.

"The one who guards his mouth preserves his life;
 The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin."
Proverbs 13:3

"A man's [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with
the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil].
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it
shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].
Proverbs 18:20-21  Amplified Bible

Jesus, when talking to the Pharisees in Matthew 12:36-37 said,
"And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall
render account for it in the day of judgment.  For by your words you shall
be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned."  (Be sure to read
the whole account Vs.22-37)

James 3:2-12 is another portion of Scripture concerning the tongue that
gives us a very clear understanding of the tongue.  Again, I urge you to
read the full account.
Vs. 8-10 says, "But no one can tame the tongue, it is a restless evil and
full of deadly poison.  With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we
curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth
come both blessing and cursing, My brethern, these things ought not to be
this way."

We who belong to the Lord have the Spirit of Truth dwelling within each
of us and  it is He who tames the tongue as we yield to Him to guide and
direct.  There is a verse of Scripture that is good to hide in your heart
for just those times when you are tempted to say some evil hurtful thing.
Then, in the moment of temptation, our focus is turned to Him who is able
to keep us from wrong.  It would be good to make this verse a matter of
daily prayer.

"Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
 Keep watch over the door of my lips."
Psalm 141:3

May our prayer always be that the fruit of our tongue and lips be pleasing
to the Lord.
Amen.