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Matthew 12:34 - Speech Reveals the Heart.

Matthew 12:34 (NLT) You brood of snakes! How 
could evil men like you speak what is good and 
right? For whatever is in your heart determines 
what you say. 

COMMENTARY PEARLS

   I happened to be visiting my daughter 
Holly's family, when two of my grandkids, Lilah and 
Roman, had dental checkups. After their exams, the 
office assistant dragged out a big cardboard box 
shaped like a pirate's chest. Roman and Lilah 
leaned over and rummaged through the pile of rings, 
bracelets, whistles, and tiny animals - all made from 
thin plastic. What looked like treasure to my 
grandkids looked like a pile of junk to me. I knew 
something they didn't: whatever they took home would 
likely be cracked or broken by the next day. 
   While growing up, I had learned that what 
others call "treasure" isn't necessarily something 
valuable - it may be worthless. Jesus taught that 
treasures can even be evil. He explained that speech 
reveals the true spiritual condition. My words will 
be worthwhile when I've stored up good 
treasures in my heart: prayer, Scripture passages, 
memories of God's goodness, time spent with godly 
people, noble thoughts as described in Philippians 
4:8. Or my words will tend toward evil if I've 
accumulated evil treasures: anger, resentment, 
unresolved issues from my past, dwelling on my 
disappointments, exposure to ungodly reading material and 
images. 
    What comes out of my mouth reflects 
whatever I've stored up in my heart and mind. Jesus 
wants me to store up only good treasures so that 
my speech and conversations honor Him and bless 
those who hear me. With His help, the words that 
come out of my mouth can be treasure worth 
keeping. Dianne Neal Matthews 
   Faith Step: Think about recent 
conversations you've had. What kind of treasure did your 
words reflect? [Mornings With Jesus 2022 
Devotional by Guideposts and Zondervan] 

Tip over a glass full of water, and water 
spills out. Why? Because that's what was inside the 
glass. Whatever fills the glass is what comes out 
of it when it is tipped over. The same is true 
of the human heart. Jesus said that our mouths 
speak out of the fullness of our hearts. When 
circumstances or people bump into a heart full of love, 
love spills out. But bump a heart full of anger, 
and anger spills out. Missionary Amy Carmichael 
said, "A cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill 
even one drop of bitter water, however suddenly 
jolted." If we want to know what is in our heart, all 
we have to do is look closely at the speech 
that flows from within us. [NIV Once A Day Bible 
re Luke 6:45] 

The tongue is the indicator of the person.  
What we talk about all the time is what we live.  
The words we use and the words we don't use 
define what we are thinking, feeling, and becoming. 
 [Karen Burton Mains; Time with God 
devotional SB] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

Proverbs 23:7a - What You Think - - You Are!

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190809-1031.html 

Proverbs 4:23 - GUARD YOUR HEART!!!

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210709-0922.html 

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  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study 
Guides: 
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657