Psalm 141:3 - Taming the Tongue.
Psalm 141:3 (NIV) Set a guard over my mouth,
O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.
Psalm 141:3 (NLT) Take control of what I
say, O LORD, and guard my lips.
COMMENTARY PEARLS
Do you ever look back on conversations
you've had and think, "Man, I can't believe I said
that!" or, "Wow, I thought I was being so funny,
but it backfired big time. I really hurt my
friend'? Most of us have plenty of cringe-worthy
moments that we wish we could take back. Sometimes
we speak without thinking first, and other
times we don't realize the way our words reveal
the motives of our hearts.
If you want to build stronger
relationships with those around you, then you will have to
ask God to guide your words. I love today's
verse because it gives me comfort to imagine God
placing a guard beside my lips to prevent me from
saying things that don't honor the Lord.
He's committed to helping us control what
we say when we focus on him and his Word. If
you ask God to help you with what you say, then
you can relax and trust that his Spirit will
guide you. There might be a second where you pause
to think about the impact your next words will
have on the person hearing them. Or you may not
talk nearly as much as you once did. Remember,
our words communicate more than what they're
literally saying. They reveal who's in control of our
heart.
Lord, I know that you want me to bless
and build up others with my words. Guard my lips
and give me your power to control what I say.
[Daily Power by Craig Groeschel]
Ever left a conversation feeling cheated
because it was so one-way that you might as well
have not been present? Maybe you know someone who
has a habit of cutting people off midsentence so
they can offer their own opinions on a subject.
Or someone who rattles on with one personal
story after another, without giving anyone else a
chance to share. Whew! Some conversations can leave
us feeling exhausted after trying so hard to
jump in.
We have good reasons to ask the Lord to
guard our mouths. We also have to control our
mouths if we want to develop good listening skills.
When we listen well to others, it communicates
respect and shows them we care. Jesus demonstrated
the power of being an effective listener. People
felt comfortable sharing their needs and sorrows
with Him: Martha and Mary after their brother,
Lazarus, died and the woman cured of a long-term
bleeding illness. People also felt emboldened to ask
Him questions: the Samaritan woman at the well,
a Jewish ruler named Nicodemus, His
disciples.
Our failure to listen patiently to others
can make us miss out on so much: the chance to
make a new friend or deepen an existing
relationship, the opportunity to encourage a fellow
believer, or the chance to share Jesus with someone
who needs to hear about Him. Even worse, if this
inability carries over to our prayer lives, we may
miss out on hearing that still, small voice. Yes,
a guard over my mouth is something I need for
sure. by Dianne Neal Matthews
Faith Step: How can you improve your
listening skills? Ask Jesus to help you imitate Him in
this area. [Mornings With Jesus 2019 Devotional
by Guideposts and Zondervan]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS TOPIC
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2008/20081204-1031.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090608-0827.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2009/20090609-0821.html
EXCELLENT VIDEO SERIES ON 28 REVELATIONS OF
JESUS
1st of 28: Divine Dining:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_7j1QIKqmY
2nd of 28: Pictures of the Divine:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lNI-OQ7-eQ
3rd of 28: A Dirty Bible:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMkPvBuuFd4
4th of 28: Cared For:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztXyJVdcCds
5th of 28: Saved:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX45kGRe1HI
6th of 28: You Can Change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd0gkvK18fo
7th of 28: Reprogramming Our Brains:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov36f_RapXc
8th of 28: Our Holy Father:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XabXLEXsxbY
9th of 28: Gifts of Service:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtuGZviodkA
Live ongoing series in progress.
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs FGGibbs@abible.com
