August 13 – Watch What You Say

 “From the fruit of a man’s mouth he enjoys good, but the desire of the treacherous is violence. The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” – Proverbs 13:2-3 (NASB)

Perhaps you’ve heard the quip, “Loose lips sink ships?”  It’s an American English idiom meaning "beware of unguarded talk." The phrase originated on propaganda posters during World War II. Coined as a slogan by the US Office of War Information's attempting to limit the possibility of people inadvertently giving useful information to enemy spies. Another common way of saying we’ve said something we shouldn’t have is to “put our foot in our mouth.” It means one has said something foolish, embarrassing, or tactless. Today’s verse from Proverbs is also a good caution and has both a positive and negative result promised. The parallels here are implied. A man of good words prospers, but a man of evil words (thus unfruitful to God) provokes violence against himself. Being careful about what we say helps keep us out of trouble. But speaking hastily and thoughtlessly brings on trouble to ourselves and to others. By our reckless words we makes promises we can’t keep, or perhaps we offend, or misrepresent. People learn not to depend on what we say and do not want to be around us. Consequences may be that we suffer financially or physically. 

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July 30 – Watchful Words

“You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.” Deuteronomy 23:23 (ESV)

Yesterday our verse from Genesis established how God’s spoken words are in fact promises. We know God is perfect in all His ways so we trust His words in the Bible without doubt. He is always truthful and what He promises are made to us through what He has spoken. Such is not so certain regarding the words we speak. Yes, we can recite the words God has spoken and trust them to be Promises from God. But, we must take greater care and not be flippant with our words. Our verse says, we are to be careful to do what passes our lips because our words are voluntarily vows to the Lord. A quick “certainly I can” or “I’ll do so, trust me” might slip out as a careless promise which we may not follow up and fulfill. How about with a concern shared with us and we respond, “I’ll pray for you?” Do we actually pray, even mentally? Or do we say that because it seems a good thing to say to ease their concern? “I’ll pray for you” is not a prayer itself. If we say it, are we not obliged to do it? 

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May 20 – The Confession That is Real

“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” – Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

God saves us because He chose to do so. Our salvation happens when we believe that truth and confess with repentance to God. Our verse of promise says, “Confession is made unto salvation.” We are not saved by our mouth’s confession, but rather, our mouth testifies readily of the grace of God in Christ which we received by a gift of faith (Ephesians 2:8).  This is not a simple acknowledgment that He is God and the Lord of the universe, since even demons acknowledge that to be true (James 2:19). This is the deep personal conviction, without reservation, that Jesus is our own master or sovereign.  Paul emphasizes the importance that this comes from our heart. The heart is not merely the seat of affection or emotion. As used in the Bible, our heart is the hub of the wheel of human existence and life – intellectual, emotional, and volitional. First of all there must be faith in our heart. Without such faith a confession with the mouth would be mockery. But even if there is faith in our heart, confession with our mouth is altogether natural when our faith is genuine.

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September 10 – Opening With Expectations

“I, the Lord, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10 (NIV)

The heading of our verse informs us that this Psalm was written by Asaph, one of the primary song writers in the time of King David.  

It is instructed to be played with a gittith, a simple harp with just a few strings.  They were very common in that time.  They could be elaborate or very simple - similar to our guitars. God is challenging His people to remember what He has done and to trust Him for their provision.  It is a challenge to us who are His people today, too, with a wonderful promise.  When God says open wide your mouth He is encouraging us to expect great things from Him. And when He says He will fill our open mouths, He is promising to fulfill a promise He has made.  What He means is that the more we expect, the more we will receive. God does respond to our faith. He is an infinite God – unlimited in His power to help.  Let us not limit God’s working in our lives. Take advantage of the challenge and today let's open our mouths with expectations of receiving great things from Him.

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February 19 – Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding

“For the Lord gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”  Proverbs 2:6 (NASB)

Our God is unlike every non-god which is worshiped for He is the only true and living God.  We have a wise Father in heaven who knows all things and who seeks us out and is willing to share with us, His people, His knowledge and His understanding.  God the Father is not unreachable and detached waiting to catch us failing to do some presumed required thing.  No, the Lord our God is eager to give wisdom to His children, His people.  When we read His word, we learn the knowledge and understanding He has made available to us.  Over the centuries from the beginning, God has spoken to those He has chosen to receive these words and they were recorded for all  who believe.  That is what our Bible is for us.  We can rejoice in the promise that what God has spoken from His mouth and is recorded is for our benefit.  Take His words today with assurance in this promise, He gives wisdom, knowledge and understanding to all who seek it.  

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August 9 – Out of the Heart

“I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”  Psalm 34:1 (NASB)

When we notice that this verse is part of a song written by David, it seems natural that he would begin his song with words like this.  David wrote so many of the Psalms we have in the Bible and many of them are songs of praise to God.  If David could say that he wanted to always be praising God we should ask if that is how we feel about God as well?  Can we say that His praise will always be in our mouth?  In other passages of the Bible we are reminded that our lips do not work on their own.  Our mouths speak out what is in our hearts.  So if we want our mouth and lips to speak out the praises of our Lord today, we'll need to spend time thinking in our heart about the goodness and the love of our God and about His greatness.  He has promised us so very much that we can count on, praising Him and His name is a natural response.  Today, let's think about His promises and fill our hearts with them so that our mouth will continually praise our Lord God.

Note: If you have found hope and encouragement in these daily blogs, please share them with your friends.  

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April 17 – Expectations Fulfilled

“I, the Lord, am your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt; Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.” Psalm 81:10 (NASB)

Our selected verse today includes an interesting invitation and promise from God. We recognize, of course,that these words when written applied to the children of Israel a long time ago.  But we believe that God gives the same invitation to us and the same promise that He will fill our needs according to our faith.  A child will open wide its mouth as it expects its mother or father to fill it. We are God's children and God promises to meet our needs as we look to Him. The more we trust God to do for us the more he will do. He is a great God and able to do far beyond our expectation.  Some have had situations that God has brought us up from and we have experienced His grace, mercy and love. Now, He asks us to continue in the same way expecting continued care and provision for our needs.  So what do you want God to do for you today? He is waiting for you to open wide your expectations as He says He will fill it.