Proverbs 18, 20, a man's belly
shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth, and with the increase
of his lips shall he be filled. Now it seems like it's not often
that we speak from the scriptures about what comes out of the mouth
of sinners in a good way. to talk about the tongue of man
being set on fire of hell and how great a matter a little fire
kindleth. And the tongue is a forest fire
of iniquity and speak often of how destructive
our words can be. But when Christ saves a sinner
and indwells a sinner, he's a new creation. and all things become
new. Turn with me to Colossians chapter
four, please, and let's read an exhortation to the believer that shows what can be the fruit
of our lips and should be and must be. Colossians
4.3, with all praying also for us
that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the mystery
of Christ for which I am also in bonds that I may make it manifest. as I ought to speak, I may make
it open and clear, plain, as we ought to do when we speak
for God. It can't be ambiguous, it can't be compromising, it
can't be unclear. And here's for you now. Pray
for me that this would be true of me, but here's you. Walk in
wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your
speech be always with grace. You may not have, you know, consider
the time and make it count. You may not speak often to some
people or you may not see certain people again that maybe you think
you will. Redeem the time that you have
with those that you love and just with even just with acquaintances
in this world. Redeeming the time, let your
speech be always with grace. Think about what that means.
That doesn't mean just say things that sound nice. Be such that
your speech is seasoned with the grace of God in Christ. Seasoned with salt, you're the
salt of the earth. that you may know how you ought
to answer every man. Our text says that you yourself
will be prosperous by that means. A man's belly shall be satisfied.
That, of course, doesn't necessarily mean you're going to eat well.
It's talking about fulfillment, satisfaction. You're going to
get satisfaction and fulfillment and a feeling in that sense by
the words of your mouth, by good use of what you say. And this
is a hard, it's something we don't think about much. We don't
think about what we say and that's the problem with what we say.
We don't think about it much. And it's good to be natural with
what you say and it just be part of who you are. But there should
be some consideration to that as well. And even in just natural earthly
things, that's what the picture is, and so from the picture we
get the idea of what it means in spiritual terms. You can see
how that a well-spoken person, for example, There's a lot of
things that can characterize what comes out of your mouth.
A person that's well-spoken is gonna carry more influence with
other people than somebody who has no command of the language
that he speaks. People are gonna tune in more
and give more credibility to what you say if you say it Not
in an overly flowery way or unduly eloquent, depending on the situation. You don't speak like Shakespeare
when you're having a conversation at a restaurant. But to be well-spoken
commands a certain respect. And that will benefit you. a person who takes care about
what they say. It's going to be more impactful in what he says
than somebody that's rash with their words. And we're all When
I thought about these different ways to speak, it seemed like
I'm on the negative side of all of them. I tend to just pop off
and wish I could get it back. I want to be more careful about
what I say. You can't really Sit there when you're in a conversation
and think about what am I going to say now? There's no time usually
for that. You can give it a little bit
of thought maybe. But it's more an attitude. It's more and it
has to be genuine. It has to be real. You can't think about what do
they want to hear and just say what they want to hear when it
doesn't come from your heart. It's got to be sincere. A person who speaks with knowledge. if you're gonna talk about something.
How often do people have to weigh in on something they don't know
anything about? I don't want that to be me to you. Speak with knowledge. If you
got something to say about something, say it. But if you really don't,
then don't say anything about it. To speak with knowledge,
you're gonna be more sought after than somebody that's faking it. That's gonna benefit you, and
as we'll see in the scriptures that we read, it's beneficial
to those that you're saying it to as well. A person who speaks with kindness
and understanding. There's an opposite to that too,
isn't there? There's two sides to all of these ways in which
your speech can be characterized. understanding, empathy, put yourself
in their place and do that sincerely. Again, not just rhetorically
saying words that people consider comforting. It's gotta be from
your heart. That's gonna be a whole lot more
desirable for people to talk to you and you're gonna be a
lot easier to talk to than somebody that's harsh and brash or critical
in what they say. Proverbs 15, for a wholesome
tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness therein is a breach
in the spirit. It breaks the spirit. I feel like the wisdom of our
verse this morning is wisdom that we seldom heed. I think
all of us, I know I am guilty, and I think all of us are. It's
specifically given, this wisdom is given to us at least three
times specifically in the book of Proverbs. Look at Proverbs
chapter 12, verse 14. A man shall be satisfied with
good by the fruit of his mouth. And the recompense of a man's
hand shall be rendered unto him. So what you do with your hands
will be rewarded, but also by the fruit of your mouth, what
you say. It reflects well upon you. It causes people to be not
only interested, but benefit by what you say. then you'll
benefit as a result. That's the simple principle that's
taught here. Look at chapter 13, verse two. A man shall eat good by the fruit
of his mouth. But the soul of the transgressors
shall eat violence. You see that it's not just talking
about eating good food, because the opposite of it is to eat
violence. The fruit of your lips will come
back upon you in violence, in turmoil, in unease, and difficulty
rather than good. It says good. You'll eat good. It's not saying you'll eat good. That's that's a great thing,
too. But you'll eat good rather than violence. You see the difference? When we speak, let me emphasize
this. When we speak, it has to be honest
and truthful. This is the principle all through
scripture. Don't fake it. Don't fake it. You'd be better off if it's not
in your heart to be kind, just shut up. If it's not in your
heart to be honest, just shut it. If it's not in your heart
to be helpful, shut it. If it's not in your heart to
be complimentary, then don't let it come out. If
it's not in your heart, by way of knowledge, if you don't
know what you're talking about, I wish I could say this to about
99 preachers out of 100, more than that, actually. Just quit. Quit before you do any more harm. And that goes with knowledge
of anything. If you're gonna talk about something
you don't know anything about, it's gonna cause damage. Now, when a witness is sworn
in in court, they go on record promising to speak what? The
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. That should always
be the case with believers. With believers. Listen to Colossians
3.9. Lie not to one another. Don't lie to each other. You
don't have to say anything. So clearly you don't have to
lie. If you don't have to say anything at all in given situations,
then you don't need to lie. Seeing that you have put off
the old man with his deeds. That's our nature to lie. We're
liars by nature. Don't do it. Put that off. And being caught in a single
lie makes you unable to be trusted.
Have you ever experienced that? you get to know somebody a little
bit, or maybe somebody you've known for a while, and you find
out that they just flat out lied to you, how can you ever trust
them again? It's so destructive and so discouraging. And how full is your belly gonna
be? And again, in the, metaphorical sense of that, if nobody can trust you. Now I want to talk about something
else here, listen to Colossians 3a, but now you also put off
all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication
out of your mouth. Filthy communication, what does
that have to do with? Well, it means low and obscene. Low and obscene. Now, everybody
knows that men especially, at least I hope it's men especially,
I don't know about the ladies, but we engage sometimes in what
we call, or some people have called, locker room talk. Men tend to kid around about
stuff that's not exactly always acceptable in polite company. Joking around, cutting up. We
tend to ruthlessly mock one another. Men do. I don't know why that
is. We make fun of one another. We
say stupid stuff. But there's not a whole lot wrong
with that. But don't become known and characterized
as a trash mouth. Low and obscene language. Joking around is one thing. And
think about this, because I've experienced both. And I'm sure
you have too. And you think about the difference.
Because I want us to understand what this is. I don't think we
need to just be... I don't even know how to say
it. You know what I'm saying. We don't have to be... I don't know how to say it without
incriminating myself. But... There is a difference
between joking around and saying stupid stuff and the actual subject of your conversation
that you enjoy, the things you enjoy talking about and prefer
to talk about being low and obscene. You know what I'm saying? Some people, all they talk about
is evil, sin, and they're proud
of it. That's different, isn't it? It's
different. It really is. Understand that difference. I've heard a lot of both, and
it's not the same thing. It's not the same thing. Now, I may just be justifying
myself in that, but we joke around about stuff, and I don't see
a problem with that. but low and obscene language. Now, here's a different word in this
verse to filthy communication. And we have the definition of
it in the verse itself. Listen to this verse, Ephesians
429, let no corrupt communication. proceed out of your mouth. And
here's how we know what he means by corrupt is by the opposite
of that. But that which is good to the
use of edifying. That which builds people up. The word corrupt there means
worthless. It means something that's gone bad. It's
just not worth saying. It's not gonna benefit anybody. The opposite of that is good
to the use of edifying. Build somebody up. That it may
minister grace unto the hearers. That's important, isn't it? Be
an encouragement to people, not just in the sense of bragging
on them or being positive in your speech,
but in grace, in that which is good for the soul. Tell them things that are profitable,
edifying, build them up. And that's a principle in scripture
that has to do with the communication of our mouths. Listen to this in
Proverbs 12, 17. If you're in Proverbs 19 there,
just turn back to Proverbs 12, 17 and listen to these three
verses together. This is another consideration.
He that speaketh truth showeth forth righteousness, but a false
witness deceit. There is that speaketh like the
piercings of a sword. but the tongue of the wise is
health. I thought particularly there
about using the scriptures as a sword, as something to wound
people with. You ever heard anybody that used
scripture to wound you? That's not how we
use scripture. This is the gospel, this is good
news. This is good news, and if it's
convicting, then that's the way the Lord can use that to your
benefit, to your eternal benefit. But don't let's be using the word as a dagger to inflict pain or sorrow or Shame on other
people. Let's consider ourselves in that. Not like the piercings
of a sword, but with the tongue of the wise is health. It should be uplifting. It should
be a promise of grace from God. and an encouragement to look
to him, not a beating him over the head for not looking to him. And then verse 19 of that, the
lip of truth shall be established forever, but a lying tongue is
but for a moment. Consider this also when it comes
to what we say and how it benefits us or not, and others or not. James 1.26, listen to this verse. If any man among you seem to
be religious and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart,
this man's religion is vain. You can say a lot of good things.
You can try to be an example to people, you know.
Religion makes clean the outside of the cup. But what's on the
inside is gonna come out sooner or later. And it will reveal that their
religion is vain. It's done a lot on the outside,
but it hadn't done anything in here. And out of the heart perceives
evil speakings and other such things. There where we read in Ephesians
429, let me say this about that, we're out of time, but let no
corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth with that which
is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto
the hearer. So clearly, not only is the fruit
of our lips a fulfilling thing to us if it's good, if it's right,
if it's true, if it's according to the scriptures, if it honors
the Lord, and as a benefit to sinners, but it's beneficial
to them. Our verse talks about how good
it is for our soul, but that says it builds up others too,
and is a way of ministering grace unto people. Not that we are
any kind of arbiters of God's grace, exalts his grace and presents
his grace to those that hear us. But the tongue does reveal what's
on the inside. If you bridle not your tongue,
you deceive your own heart and your religion is vain. And ultimately,
you can't fake it. I say, don't be fake. You can,
it's, a lot of people are. And you can say what people wanna
hear and fool them for a while. But sooner or later, here's the
reality of it, Luke 645, a good man out of the good treasure
of his heart bringeth forth that which is good. And an evil man
out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which
is evil. For of the abundance of the heart
his mouth speaketh. What's on the inside is gonna
come out of your mouth sooner or later. And we're both, aren't
we? When it speaks of a good man,
created in righteousness and true holiness in Christ. But
we're also the old man. And nothing comes out of the
old heart but that which is evil. So our prayer to God concerning
this is very necessary, and only he can tame our tongues. David
wrote in Psalm 141.3, set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth. Keep
the door of my lips. Psalm 1914, let the words of
my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in thy
sight, O Lord. He didn't stop there. He said,
O Lord, my strength, my ability to say that, which is always
with grace, my strength in that, my ability
is Him. But let me read the rest of it.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be
acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. He is my ability to do anything
in obedience to him, and he's my redeemer because my obedience
is still sin. Amen, he said. Amen. Amen to that God help us. Let's pray