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What did you say?

[Women's Ministries]
05/21/2010
By Bittinger, Jamie

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Proverbs 18:21

I was talking with someone the other day who said they were fasting criticism. The Bible is full of scripture that speaks about our tongues and how powerful our words are. Proverbs 18:21 says that death and life are in the power of the tongue. When my friend mentioned fasting criticism I started to take note of just what was coming out of my mouth and the mouths of others. What comes out of the mouths of people is, for lack of prettier words, just ugly. We refrain from every type of sin. We don't drink, commit adultery, steal, lie, cheat, or murder physically, but we think nothing of opening our mouths to tear down others. We criticize everything from their actions to their appearance.

But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 Most of the time we don't even realize what has come from our lips. We just open up our mouths and let whatever fly, not realizing that our words of criticism are full of deadly poison. We talk about the "enemy" bringing discouragement. The "enemy" doesn't have to bring discouragement with so many Christians willing to criticize one another, we can do that all by ourselves. If we recognize sin in the life of another Believer the best place to discuss that sin is on our knees to our almighty GOD, not in a group of people!

I challenge you today to "fast criticism" and other hateful, sinful, negative talk. I know these are ugly and harsh words, but sin is ugly and harsh. Pray and ask GOD to help you by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT! Pull up every scripture you can on the importance of your words and meditate on them. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Palms 19:14

Jamie Bittinger, Director of Women's Ministries at Crossroads

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