THE POWER OF THE SPOKEN WORD

Our words have amazing potential. James tells us that the tongue—though a small part of the body—has a large potential, (James 3:1-12). He likens the tongue to the bits that direct a horse—and that horse properly led can propel us on a journey or launch us off a cliff. There is the illustration of a rudder that can steer a ship to safely reach its destination or crash it upon the rocks in destruction. Further, he says, “the tongue is a fire,” and the fire can warm your house all winter, or burn it down!

Likewise, Paul gives command concerning the power of the spoken word in Ephesians 4:29, when the Apostle says, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”

While this is generally applicable to every believer, it should specifically direct the preacher, whose fundamental duty is to speak God’s message. This places a great responsibility and a grave accountability on him, so much so that we are also warned by James, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment,” (3:1). The quantity of words spoken by the preacher and the potency of those words elevates the possibility our speech may become destructive rather than instructive.

Therefore, Paul calls for THE EXCISE OF EVIL SPEECH, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…”. Evil speech is a malignancy in our mouth that must be excised. It is cancerous communication that if allowed even in small measure will spread with deadly consequence. 

Certainly, this would include crude language, but also deceptive speech, manipulative conversation, doctrinal error, boastful talk, and bitter expression.  All of this, as James states it, “is set on fire by hell,” (3:6b). We say so much and speak to so many that the weight of our words increases exponentially. 

The heart of our problem is the problem of our heart. Your tongue is a bucket and it draws out what is in the well of our heart. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” (Matt. 12:34b). The fruit of our speech is derived from the roots of our soul. This dark, desperate, depraved, demonic heart we have is poisoned beyond cleansing and wild beyond taming, (James 3:7-8). 

Our only hope is in regeneration. That which man cannot cure, God can heal. He gives us a new heart. Then, the Holy Spirit within us can tame our tongue. Yet, the potential in regeneration, must be practiced in sanctification. The cross must be applied to every area of the believer’s life. It must be for the preacher, and particularly his tongue. Let us pray, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips,” (Ps. 141:3). 

The negative to avoid is not enough, there is the positive to apply in THE EXPRESSION OF EDIFYING SPEECH, “but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”  Whereas, the speech of Adolph Hitler ignited a world war, the oratory of Winston Churchill extinguished those flames and helped propel the rebuilding of a civil society. God calls men to preach His Word and by that power He saves sinners and strengthens saints. While Paul demands the excise of evil speech, he directs us to the expression of edifying speech. Do not tear down with your words, but build up!

There is supernatural power in the preached Word. Here is the promise, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11). 

It is “A word fitly spoken [that is] like apples of gold in settings of silver,” (Prov. 25:11). It is proper speech precisely spoken that is a thing of beauty and value.  This is the preacher’s awesome privilege and power:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim. 3:16-4:5). 

The Apostle Paul reminds us that edifying preaching when it is received is helpful, but for those who reject it, it is hated. Truth that will grow the children, will grind on the counterfeit. The Word is a double-edged sword. Be faithful in your preaching and leave the results in God’s hands. Just make sure that you seek to edify.

THE WINDOW OF THE SOUL

When I was a child I learned a song in church that conveys a warning still applicable, “Be careful little eyes what you see…”. Is that not the same caution Jesus gives here?  “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” (Luke‬ ‭11‬:‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Think of the eye as the window of your soul. What you allow in shapes what you become—either light or darkness. Many of God’s men have been disqualified for ministry, caused many to stumble over their downfall, and given the enemy occasion to blaspheme, all because they looked too long, when they should have looked away!

I think of David, whose eyes should have been closed in sleep, looking at a woman bathing, and when enflamed with lust succumbed to adultery. The results were tragic. It is not unusual, sadly, to hear of a preacher whose ministry burns to the ground because he was, “looking for love in all the wrong places,” as the old country classic says. 

Then, there is the darkness that comes from the look of materialism. “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world,” Paul spoke with heartbreak in 2 Timothy 4:10. The allure of this material world had captured the attention, and at last the affection, of Demas. If it is not sex, it may be money and power that the world offers which enter the eye and darken the soul with demonic force. While the lifestyle of the rich and famous is often connected to celebrity preachers, it is possible for a minister who may not have much to be mastered by covetousness for what he lacks that leads him to sell out for a lesser  amount. 

What do I say? “There but for the grace of God, go I!”  Had it not been for the Lord helping me, I could have done what David or Demas did. If you deny that possibility, you are setting yourself up for a fall. The reality is that in this fallen world, we cannot avoid, “seeing,” some things. You do not have to be searching for them, for Satan will see to it that Potiphar’s wife beckons you and reaches out to you, as she did to Joseph. 

How do we overcome?  How do we escape like Joseph did?  The godly Job said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why should I then look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1). There is a negative and positive side to this. 

First, the negative choice of denial: God has given you eyelids as shutters to close the windows!  These protect our eyesight physically, but they may also spiritually. Further, we have a neck that can swivel our head away from the seduction of temptation. We must purpose to look away. 

Second, and this is vital, the positive choice of delight: we not only covenant not to gaze upon darkness, but open the windows of our vision wide to the light!  The windows are there for a good reason.  We must look to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, and in so doing be captivated by Him!  The old hymn states it:

    Turn your eyes upon Jesus
    Look full in his wonderful face
    And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
    In the light of his glory and grace.  (Helen Howarth Lemmel)

There is a covenant we must keep each morning with the dawn to look upon Jesus in the light of His Word. We must open the windows of our soul and let truth and beauty fill our soul with Gospel light!  

Recall how Jesus resisted the Tempter with, “It is written!”  His eye was full of light, so He rejected the appeal of the world in its lust of the flesh, (turn stones to bread), the lust of the eyes, (the kingdoms of the world), and the pride of life, (make a grand entrance by angel escort to the ground). The Last Adam succeeded where the first Adam fell. That first Adam looked upon forbidden fruit and salivated over it. He tasted it with hellish consequences. Where will you direct your eyes?

“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. …Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. …Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law. …Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way. …Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. …Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” (Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭9,11,18,37,97,105‬‬).

David knew better. In the end he failed to apply what he taught.  Had he buried his face in the Scriptures that morning, he might not have been restlessly pacing the floor in dark of night—and we know the tragic result.

Be careful little eyes, what you see.