| The Grapevine Number 80 May 30, 2004 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15 Words By Jack Northart Words are everywhere. We hear them where we work, where we go to school, in movies, on television and radio. We see them in newspapers, billboards, books, and other forms of print. One big controversy that is raging among many commentaries is whether or not the harsh words in songs have a negative effect on people; specifically young people. The entertainment industry calls this an art form, and an expression of what people want to hear because it sells very well. Anybody that speaks against it and says that it has a negative influence is violating their freedom of speech. This argument only goes so far until the conclusion of the matter becomes that every person is responsible for what they say. Matthew 12:33-37 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. It is not a matter of having the right to say something, rather it is a matter of what we say being right, “for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” It is important to discipline ourselves to watch what we say, not only around others, but also what we say to ourselves. This begins in the mind in our thought processes. These verses in Matthew state: “…out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.” The “treasure” that is mentioned in these verses is an Orientalism referring to a person’s thoughts. The thoughts of a man were his treasure. Our thoughts are where words begin. Furthermore it states that the thoughts emanate from the heart. The heart is where our believing originates. Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. The heart is the innermost part of the mind. In order for good or evil thoughts to come out of the heart, there must have been some extensive consideration of those thoughts in the mind to begin with. Without the Word of God in a person’s thinking, he can only manifest worldly things. The fruit in a person’s life is in direct proportion to the words he thinks and what he says. Proverbs 13:2-3 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. To “keepeth his mouth” means that he guards what he says. We are to guard from saying derogatory things and things that are contrary to what God’s Word says. Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. If we want to produce positive results in a negative situation, it has to start with our thoughts and then it is manifested in what we say and how we say them. Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. Whether that man is a believer or an unbeliever, these verses still hold true. If what is being said to others is violent, hateful, sordid and negative, the outcome or the fruit will be detrimental. If what a person feeds his mind are these types of words, that is what he is going to manifest in his life. Proverbs 12:18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. Life is a trust which is given to us to steward. As Christians, God has placed in our hands the ability to make decisions according to His Word. Each man’s future is fashioned by means of his own conscious selection and rejection. This is the very essence of determining what will become of an individual. It is the artistic production of one’s own life. We cannot expect unbelievers to change the world for the better because they cannot. But we, by our own freedom of will, must take responsibility for our spiritual and moral conduct. Man’s free will places in his hands the responsibility to direct his own life. To the extent that a Christian willfully determines to make God’s will his will, he will be able to manifest a life that is more abundant. He will begin to manifest the power of God and bring healing and life to others. Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. For its efficient working, a republic needs a majority in the nation to be good and strong citizens. Our present day moral codes are frequently irrational in the highest sense. The greatest hindrance to advancement toward any reform is that we have not enough good men and women to speak up and stand to effect change. If a thing is harmful to public morals, it should be prohibited no matter what others consider to be its artistic value. On the other hand, to forcibly suppress the expression of unpopular views produces the impression that no adequate argument can be found with which to refute them. The words that dominate the public eye are becoming more and more divergent to the standard of God’s Word. It should be our primary aim to divert such a trend by speaking the words of life; the Word of God to this dark and perverse world. Philippians 2:15-16 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. Do words have an influence on the world around us? Yes they do. It is our responsibility to make sure that the words that are in our minds and hearts, and the words that we speak are not detrimental, but rather life-giving and healing to ourselves and others. |
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