CONTROL MY LIPS, LORD

 CONTROL MY LIPS, LORD

Ps. 139:4; 141:3 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. Take control of what I say, O LORD, and keep my lips sealed. NLT

The Lord knows what we are going to say even before we say it! He knows the heart and it is out of the heart that we speak. Think about it, the Lord knows everything we are going to say. He even knows what we want to say and don’t say. Are you comfortable with what God knows about you? Does it frighten you that you may say something you don’t want the Lord to hear?

Let’s be honest; when we don't control what we say we often say the wrong things. We say things that we regret saying. We say things in ways that are hurtful. We say things that we don’t really mean. We say things for selfish reasons; things that make us come across in a better way than we really are. We say things that are self-promoting and defensive. When we are in control of what we say, we lack the wisdom of God to say helpful, encouraging, and edifying things.

The only way that we can speak in ways that please the Lord is to let Him control our hearts. Out of the heart, the mouth speaks; what is in the heart is what comes out of our mouths. Only if the character of our heart is godly can we say things that are God-honoring and helpful to others.

It is far better to keep our mouths shut if the Lord is not in control of our hearts. No one needs what comes out of a sinful heart. Ask the Lord faithfully to purify your heart and you will then be safe to speak. The Lord knows what is in your heart. He knows what you are capable of saying. We cannot hide from God what comes out of the heart. It is imperative, therefore, to keep our souls pure. The Lord holds us accountable for what we say, how we say it, and why we say what we do.

“Lord, James tells us how powerful the tongue is. He reminds us of how much power it has to destroy or to do good. Help us, Lord. We ask that You take control of our tongues so that what comes out of them will be good and not bad, that what we say will build up and not tear down. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.