Here is a pretty good read.  My only direct comment on this is can it also
therefore be said of those with nice cars, lots of money, and a big house,
that they are tithers?  Shoot, they may not even be Christians.  I'll post a
quote from a book that says it well, too, and it isn't even Christian in
nature.

Phil.


> Reply-To: "Stu" <[log in to unmask]>
> From: "Stu" <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> The Overflow Of The Heart
>
>
>
>     Good morning folks, It is so nice to have you with me here this
> fine morning.
>
>     I was reading this article and this story popped out at me, so I
> thought it would be nice to include it in this message, for it fits
> the bill completely.
>
>
> Let me tell you a story about something that happened a number of
> years ago while I worked at Pizza Hut in Brookings:
>
> One night we were very busy at the restaurant, and our supply truck
> came late, right in the middle of the supper rush.
>
> I was in charge of the kitchen, and so I had to make sure all the
> stuff got put away and still keep the kitchen running.
>
> I stood there in the middle of all this stuff that had to be dated,
> refrigerated or frozen, and make sure the other stuff got rotated.
>
> And as I was discussing what to do with my co-workers, including
> another shift supervisor like myself, I uttered a swear word under my
breath.
>
> Which one? None of your business, but the one you're thinking of will
> work just fine.
>
> Anyway, the crew just stood there in shocked silence, they couldn't
> believe I had said this, because they had never heard me swear before.
>
> I got ribbed about it pretty good later on, and a few days later, as
> a crew of us was driving to another town to work that Pizza Hut, so
> they could have their Christmas party, my little snafu was the main
> topic of conversation. They gave me such a rough time!
>
> But it was light-hearted fun, they were playing up the fact that it
> had never happened before.
>
> Today, I want to talk about what comes out of our mouths, because
> what we say says a lot. It says a lot about our character and our
> love and allegiance to Christ, or lack thereof.
>
> And in doing so I want us to look at Matthew 12:33-37.
>
> 33  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.
>
> 34  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good
> things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
>
> 35  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.
>
> 36  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
> they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
>
> 37  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
> shalt be condemned.
>
> Jesus says in our passage today that words reflect the heart, and I
> want to address that aspect today.
>
> These are hugely important words about how we talk, and we need to
> take them seriously. So to help us get a grasp on these words, I want
> to look at three very important facts about your speech that need to
> be addressed out of this passage.
>
> My intention is to give you some very specific information about how
> important our speech is and also how we can work to develop our
> speech to reflect a love for and allegiance to Christ.
>
> So here we go, here's the first fact that I want to address:
>
> 1. Your speech identifies you.
>
> Look at verse 33,
>
> "Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and
> its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit."
>
> This is a pretty simple concept to grasp. If you see an apple on a
> tree, what kind of tree is it? An apple tree, right? This is the
> audience participation part, by the way ...
>
> If you see a cherry on a tree, what kind of tree is it? A cherry tree!
>
> And teenagers, this one is one you can answer: if you see money on a
> tree, then what kind of tree is it? A money tree! Otherwise known as
"parents."
>
> However, I need to tell you that this tree only exists in one place:
> your imagination.
>
> If you see a lemon on a tree, what kind of tree is it? A lemon tree!
>
> You get the picture right? A tree is recognized and identified by its
fruit.
>
> So how would your speech identify you?
>
> Would it identify you as an encourager? Would it identify you as
> someone who is in love with Jesus and people? Or would it identify
> you as someone who knows the Word of God?
>
> On the other hand, would your speech identify you as a gossip or
> rumor-monger? Would it identify you as a liar? Would it identify you
> as whiner or complainer?
>
> Would it identify you as someone who seeks to cause division among the
church?
>
> Because whether you like it or not, and whether you realize it or
> not, people hear what you say, and they identify you by it.
>
> And so if you want to be identified as a follower of Christ, you need
> to talk like one.
>
> If you want to know how to do that, simply read through the book of
> Proverbs, as well as the gospels. Tons of stuff that's understandable
> and practical.
>
> Here's the second fact about speech:
>
> 2. Your speech reveals your heart.
>
> Look at the second part of verse 34 through verse 35, "For out of the
> overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good man brings good
> things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil
> things out of the evil stored up in him."
>
> If your heart is filled with good, your mouth reflects that. If it's
> filled with bad, your mouth reflects that. It's pretty simple.
>
> If you claim to be a follower of Christ, but you're a liar, then you
> need to re-examine whether or not you are really in love with Jesus.
> Jesus wasn't a liar.
>
> If you claim to be a follower of Christ, and you spread rumors, then
> you need to re-examine whether or not you're really following Jesus.
> Jesus didn't spread rumors.
>
> If you claim to be a follower of Christ but you talk about others
> behind their back, you need to
> re-examine your life in Christ. Jesus wasn't a back-biter.
>
> If you claim to be a follower of Christ, but your language is filled
> with four-letter words, then you need to check some things. Christ
> didn't have a foul mouth.
>
> Sometimes I'll hear someone talking and I want to say, "Do you kiss
> your momma with that mouth?"
>
> "What do you consider "foul words?" I don't think you need me to give
> you a list, I think most people know clean language from foul
> language. If you've got questions about something in particular, I'd
> be happy to visit with you, really! And if you don't want to do that
> and you're not sure, then use my little slogan: "when in doubt, throw it
out."
>
> Now listen, we all mess up from time to time. I have been guilty of
> all of these over time, and I'm not proud of it.
>
> And I have had to repent and ask for God's forgiveness, and in the
> circumstances where I am able, ask for forgiveness of the persons
involved.
>
> And I've been asking the Holy Spirit to get very tough with me about
> this. I don't want to make excuses, because there are no excuses.
>
> There's no, "Oh well, that's just the way I am, deal with it."
> There's no, "He's always been that way."
> I can see children being brought up this way, and it's shameful to
> the child and its parents.
>
> But if you're an adult, then you have absolutely no excuses for using
> speech that dishonors God and hurts others. None. You know its wrong,
> and its up to you to do something about it.
>
> And we're going to discuss some ways to do that, so you'll have some
> tools to help you.
>
> But get over any thoughts that you "deserve" to speak badly, or that
> you're too far along to change. It won't wash with me and it won't
> wash with God.
>
> Here's the third fact that we need to address about our speech from
> this passage:
>
> 3. Your speech will be judged.
>
> In verses 36-37,
>
> "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of
> judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your
> words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
>
> These are some pretty harsh words from Jesus here, and there's no way
> to sugar-coat them.
>
> If we're serious about being a follower of Jesus in every area of our
> life, then we need to take these words seriously.
>
> Words are better indicators of a person's true character than his or
> her carefully planned and prepared statements and speeches.
>
> Let's take me for example. My job is to preach to you, and you would
> expect that what I say up here would be God-honoring and beneficial to
others.
>
> But what I say out there is a much better indicator of the condition
> of my heart than what you hear in church.
>
> Now hopefully, they're pretty much the same. I don't preach to people
> when I'm talking to them, but I want my words to be Christlike no
> matter where I am.
>
> If your speech is filled with the stuff we've already talked about,
> gossip, backbiting, lying, or whatever, then it says that your heart
> is not right with God.
>
> Now I want to be careful here. The context of the passage is Jesus
> talking to people who's hearts were far from God and refused to
> recognize Jesus for who He was and the power of the Holy Spirit
> working through Him.
>
> He was talking to non-believers, and their words would be used by God
> to show that they were not going to enter the Kingdom.
>
> I don't believe Jesus was talking here about someone losing their
salvation.
>
> What I think Jesus was saying here is that your words not only reveal
> your character, they also reveal your salvation.
>
> If there is nothing in your speech to indicate that you have a love
> and allegiance to Christ, then maybe you don't.
>
> And God will use your words as evidence against you when you face Him
> at the judgment.
>
> I say that because I don't want to give people the impression that
> they need to live in fear that God's just looking for an excuse to
> rip your salvation away from you, because that's simply not the case.
>
> What about slips of the tongue?
>
> We've all had them, and we all regret them.
>
> Here's what I want to say about slips of the tongue. As you become
> more intentional about watching your speech, and as you mature in
> Christ, this will happen less and less.
>
> Why? Because you will be cleaning out some of the garbage and
> replacing it with good stuff, which I'm going to be talking about
> more here in just a moment.
>
> Your heart will be a place that is filled with good things, not bad
> things that come out through your mouth.
>
> Well, let's turn the corner and look at some ...
>
>
> Steps To Storing Up Good In Your Heart:
>
>
> The obvious application of this passage in Matthew is that we need to
> work to fill our hearts with good stuff, so that our speech will
> reflect our love for Christ. Here are three steps you can take to help
you:
>
> Prepare your heart for good.
>
> Two passages I want to look at very quickly here:
>
> Colossians 2:7 (NLT).
>
> Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him,
> so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were
> taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
> Ephesians 4:31-32.
>
> Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander,
> along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one
> another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
>
>
> This is a heart issue, remember. And all these things I just read in
> these two verses are dealt with in the heart.
>
> We're supposed to get rid of the bad stuff, and add the good stuff of
> compassion and forgiveness.
>
> This prepares our heart to receive the word of God so the Holy Spirit
> can work in us.
>
> In the parable of the sower, Jesus says that the seed being spread is
> the Word of God and that those who were able to receive it and
> produce a crop were those with a good and noble heart.
>
> You can't have a good and noble heart if it's filled with rage,
> anger, bitterness, slander, and malice.
>
> These things don't nourish the soil, they poison it. And is it any
> wonder that those filled with this tend to speak in ways that
> dishonor God and hurt others, even if they claim to be followers of
Christ?
>
> Next ...
>
>   "Hide" the Bible in your heart.
>
> Psalm 119:9.
>
> I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
>
>
> Six Ways To Do This:
>
>
> * Hear
>
> * Read
>
> * Study
>
> * Memorize
>
> * Meditate
>
> * Apply
>
>
> Here's the third step to take in storing up things in your heart:
>
>   Train your mouth.
>
> Ephesians 4:29.
>
> Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
> what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that
> it may benefit those who listen.
>
> What does this have to do with storing up things in your heart?
>
> When you become much more intentional about what passes out of your
> lips, then you will also find yourself becoming more conscious of
> what's going on in your heart.
>
> And as this happens, you can see where you can ask the Holy Spirit to
> do His work in you.
>
> One of the best ways to train your mouth is to remember the words of
> James 1:19.   Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift
> to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
>
> One of the best things you can ask yourself is this, "Is this going
> to be Christlike?" If not, then you're probably better off not saying it.
>
> Another thing you can do is just simply ask, "Do I need to say
> anything at all in this situation?"
>
> I have found that when I ask that question, I talk a lot less. And
> here's the cool part--I find that a lot of times, what I was going to
> say was going to be said by someone else anyway, or that what I was
> going to say was so off-base I would have embarrassed myself or made
> the situation worse. And no one wants that, right? I sure don't!
>
> It's been said that it's better to be thought of as a fool than to
> open your mouth and remove all doubt!
>
> Now let me say that this is hard for me. I love to talk, so I love
> being paid to do it!
>
> But I have to get better at just doing this (zip my lip). I can still
> participate by facial expressions (examples), but I don't always have to
talk.
>
> But in any case, I need to make sure that I'm training my mouth to
> say only those things that honor God and help others. And you need to
> do the same.
>
> You know, I don't think it's a real surprise to anyone here today to
> hear that your speech impacts how others see you. It may not be a
> surprise to hear that your speech reflects your love and allegiance to
Christ.
>
> But I want to leave you with some positive stuff here.
>
> You might be sitting here today and you're feeling that your speech
> hasn't been all that good. You're guilty of some of the stuff I've
> mentioned, and your heart is heavy because of it.
>
> The good news is that forgiveness is available for you. You can call
> out to God for forgiveness and he promises to give it. And if you're
> serious about it, he's ready to do something in your heart, beginning
> right now.
>
> But you need to take the next step. He's taken the first step by
> pointing out something in you that you need to deal with.
>
> The step you need to take is to say to God, "You're right, God.
> That's sin. Please forgive me. And help me to become a person whose
> heart is right and who talks like it.
>
> Then get serious about doing something tangible about it, taking the
> steps I mentioned a bit ago.
>
> I can't make you do anything. Only you can prevent forest fires. I
> mean, take the necessary steps!
>
> So will you do it today? The invitation is for all of us, by the way.
> We can all use a check-up on this. Do it today, for your sake and the
> sake of the reputation of Christ.
>
> Stu
> Stuart Swartz
> 616 E Boothe
> Cleveland, Tx.  77327
> [log in to unmask]
> IF YOU WORRY, YOU DIDN'T PRAY.  IF YOU HAVE PRAYED, DON'T WORRY.
>
>