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The Power of Talk
Have you ever thought about the power of talk?
We talk all the time and about many different subjects. However, we rarely think about how powerful a tool talk is. How it can and has changed lives.
A friend and I talked a few days ago about how much we were encouraged each time a friend of ours spoke to us. He always spoke encouragement. In fact, we could never remember a time when he said anything negative about anyone.
How people talk tells us a lot about them. For example, do they build up or tear down. Can you believe what they say? Do they say things without thinking? How about you?
Jesus sums it up in Matthew when He says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matt. 12:34b-35 KJV)
Your words are a mirror of what is in your heart!
What is in your heart is what you will say. You may fool people part of the time, but they soon know where your heart is when you talk. Remember, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”
A good man
Jesus uses the power of talk to chastise the Pharisees by calling them a “brood of vipers.” “How can you being evil speak good things,” He says.
If our hearts are full of Jesus, we will say good and helpful things. Then, out of the treasure stored up in our hearts, we will use our speech to help and encourage others. We should never use it to hurt or discourage another person. Out of a good man’s heart comes love, compassion, and a desire to lift a person to a higher plane.
We acquire this treasure by filling our hearts with Jesus and His teachings and thinking about how to do good things. Paul puts it this way, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Phil 4:8 KJV)
Slow to speak
James goes further by instructing us to be “slow to speak.”(James 1:19 KJV)
How often have you said something that you wish you could take back? I am better now, but I must confess that I have often found my mouth engaged before my brain or heart. We should weigh our words carefully. Then only speak with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.
How truthful is the Proverb that says, “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.” (Prov 17:27 KJV)
When we talk too much, we find that we end up saying things we have no reason to say. Sometimes we even repeat what someone else has said or a bit of gossip. Don’t be shocked; we all do it at times, and it often hurts someone.
An evil man
Likewise, an evil man speaks from the evil treasure stored up in his heart.
How do we fill our hearts with evil? It is not that hard, and all of us do it to some degree. It can be as simple as reposting something you see on Twitter or Facebook. Or you can watch much of what is on TV today. Evil is everywhere, and it seeps into our hearts if we are not constantly on guard.
To be evil, we only have to accept what is in the world around us. But, unfortunately, day by day, we see more and more evil accepted as normal. What the scripture clearly defines as sin is now openly defended in our culture.
Even the rights of the churches to stand against evil can cause a church to lose its tax-exempt status. In addition, Christian hospitals are threatened with the loss of federal funds if they refuse to do abortions. We can expect these attacks to increase as the end-time approaches.
Evil men support all types of perverted lifestyles and continue to push for more laws to allow people legal protection for immoral lifestyles. Yet, at the same time, they are making it illegal for a business to take a stand on religious grounds and refuse to do things against their beliefs.
The power of talk can support all types of evil. As Jesus says, “an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” We can certainly see it happening.
God’s solution
God’s answer to the world is Jesus Christ living in each of us who call ourselves Christians. Therefore, we must stand firm on those principles of God that He has revealed in His word. And not just take a stand, proclaim the gospel message to all we meet.
Jesus says, “14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (Matt 5:14-15 KJV) What He is saying is that we are the answer to a sinful world. It is you and I that are to proclaim Jesus to the world and thereby provide a light that the world can see. As the world grows darker, we must grow brighter and brighter, not hide in the shadows.
Paul tells the Philippians to, “ Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world” (Phil 2:14-25 KJV)
Christ in us is the light that has already changed the world and will continue to as we do what we are called to do.
Our mission
Our mission is two-fold. We are to be a shining light so the world can see what is right by our example. Second, without that light that God gives us through Jesus, there is no hope for a lost world.
So as the world looks upon the church and sees God’s standards, the second part of our mission comes into play. We are to reach the lost with the gospel message of Jesus Christ and Him crucified for our sins. In Acts 4:12 we are reminded, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
Remember the great commission, we don’t hear it enough in the churches today. Unfortunately, many churches have forgotten their primary mission and decided to concentrate on social issues instead.
You have your orders
Jesus left us with our marching orders,” 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15-16 KJV) You can not be a casual Christian!
The power of talk is that through our repeating the gospel message to the lost, they can be saved.
Are you ready to take up the cross and do what God has called you to do? Talk is powerful when you deliver it with faith and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. God has promised to be with you as you witness to Him.
Thank you for again bringing us God’s Word in this very timely message for us all to take to heart.. It seems there are always increasing ways to speak to more and more people..and in less time .but how we need to watch those words and make sure they are God’s choice for us to say.
Hello Bruce,
I was unable fo attend churh today bc of surgery. So I read your passage go my husband as it fit so nicely in our local church’s theme this month.
Thank you for blessing our hearts with you inspired words. Culling together just the right passages to make a thought and action provoking message !
And an Amen to Carol’s message above.
God Bless you both!