I'mkeeping that one forever! Thanks so much for sharing that with us.

I sent it on to Vernon.

Lovingly,
Pat Ferguson


At 11:31 AM 3/4/2008, you wrote:
>Reply-To: "Stu" <[log in to unmask]>
>From: "Stu" <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>"You'd Better Watch Your Mouth!"
>
>
>    Good morning folks, it is so good to have you here withme me 
> this fine morning! I hope I said that the proper way and I pray 
> with all of my heart that when I open my mouth to speak, that the 
> right thing always comes out!
>
>
>Proverbs 18:6-8.
>
>
>6  A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for strokes.
>
>7  A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
>
>8  The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into 
>the innermost parts of the belly.
>
>
>The book of proverbs is a Christian library and drug store all 
>rolled into one. It's a book of wisdom, as well as a book of remedy. 
>There is something in this book to instruct, or heal, anyone who 
>suffers any type of spiritual malady.
>
>God here, through Solomon, has condescended (or stooped down) from 
>His heavenly throne to become our spiritual ombudsman on the affairs 
>of life. These inspired words and instructions are plain, sharp, and 
>to the point.
>
>Besides the threat of God's judgments, we are warned against the 
>evil of idleness, laziness, drunkenness, debauchery, injustice and 
>verbal abuse. That last evil I mentioned is the one we're focusing 
>on today, because there is a need for each of us to understand that 
>what comes out of our mouths carries great power.
>
>Someone might say, "Well Pastor ... they're just words." But 
>brothers and sisters, I've come to tell you that: words can bring 
>life to a dead situation, or words can bring death, destruction, or 
>a whole lot of trouble if misused!
>
>For instance:
>
>Cold words freeze people.
>
>Warm words loose people.
>
>Hot words scorch people.
>
>Cool words calm people.
>
>Bitter words bite people.
>
>Kind words sooth people.
>
>Positive words bring positive results, while negative words bring 
>negative results! I tell ya. there is power, there is great power 
>within our words! And I believe that the devil recognizes the power 
>that's in our mouths, and so many times, he convinces us to say the 
>wrong words ... so as to derail this Gospel train we're riding on.
>
>They tell me that it doesn't take much to derail a train. Just a 
>kink, or a break in the tracks, or something that has 
>'intentionally', or maybe 'unintentionally' been placed on the 
>tracks ... can cause a train to jump its rails and cause a lot of 
>destruction, or maybe even death.
>
>Now I don't like to give the satan credit, but the boy's a genius! 
>He knows that in order to cause a train wreck in the body of Christ, 
>all he really has to do is to get one Christian to talk about 
>another Christian, (or someone who's thinking about becoming a 
>Christian). And if he can succeed in doing that,
>he'll succeed in getting that Christian to leave the church, and go 
>back out into the world.
>
>Think about it. It's not people in the world who cause some of us to 
>leave the church, it's folks right in the church who, many times, 
>don't realize that they're on hell's payroll, nor do they realize 
>that, one day, eternal damnation will be their retirement benefit! 
>That's why I stopped by to tell you today
>
>"You'd Better Watch Your Mouth!"
>
>When I was a child, that's what the old folks used to say to us when 
>we said something we had no business saying. "Boy... or Girl ... 
>You'd Better Watch Your Mouth!" Sometimes, they acted before they 
>said it, and some of us found ourselves picking our lips up from off the floor!
>
>Well, I'm not suggesting that you slap anybody (that's neither a 
>Godly, or a healthy thing to do), but sometimes, brothers and 
>sisters, I think that some of us need to slap ourselves, because we 
>often say things we really have no business saying!
>
>As believers, we must understand that we're living in a time, where 
>the enemy is going to and fro, seeking whom he may devour! The devil 
>is busy!He's not taking a coffee break, and he's not on vacation! 
>And the devil recognizes that if he's going to bring down, as many 
>Christians as possible, he
>has to work over-time! Not only is he working over-time, he's 
>working triple time! Matter of fact, while you're on your job, in 
>church, or even sleeping
>at night, the devil is plotting up something to get you! That's why, 
>before you go to work, to church, or to bed, you need to pray over 
>yourself. Pray and ask God to season your words.
>
>Somebody said, "Much prayer, much power, little prayer, little 
>power, no prayer, no power!" When I think of seasoning, I think of 
>salt. Salt is flavorful. Salt preserves. Know this: God has called 
>us to be the salt of the earth. In other words, God has called us 
>out of the darkness into the marvelous light to be good seasoning in 
>a tasteless world. And God wants us to "preserve."
>
>Watch this: You can't preserve nobody when you gossip about them! 
>You've got to be careful that you don't say the wrong things in the 
>wrong way, and cause a person to turn totally away from God, and 
>miss out on their salvation, because if they miss it because of you, 
>their blood is on your hands!
>
>That's why before we speak, we need to get out your biblical library 
>cards, check out the Good Book, and see what God and Dr. Solomon 
>have to say about our mouths, because God desires for us to use our 
>words as instruments of praise, faith and righteousness, but in 
>order to do that, we must recognize the fallen nature of the tongue, 
>and the dangers it poses to destroy our lives and those around us.
>
>Look at what Proverbs 18, verses 6,7 & 21 has to say: Verse 6 says: 
>"A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for 
>strokes." In other words, "A fool's lips bring him strife, and his 
>mouth invites a beating." Another way of saying it is: The words of 
>a talebearer [are] as wounds, and incite
>a riot.
>
>I've discovered that it doesn't take much for some church folk to 
>jump on the gossip bandwagon, and before you know it, the whole 
>church is turned upside down! Some of us say things, and wonder why 
>folk beat up on us, but it's because many times, we speak before we 
>pray! That's why I never preach a sermon that I haven't first prayed 
>about. Because I don't want what is going to be said to come from 
>me, I want it to come from God!
>
>"A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for 
>strokes." But not only that, but, verse 7 says: "A fool's mouth is 
>his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul." In other words, what
>you say can bring destruction on YOU! It can ruin YOU!
>
>If I had the time, I'd go a little further, because verse 8 says: 
>"The words of a talebearer are as wounds ..." Tale-bearers are those 
>who, secretly, carry stories from house to house, which MAY have 
>some truth in them, but are secrets not fit to be told, or are 
>basely misrepresented, and false colors are put upon them, and are 
>all told with design to blast men's reputation, to break their 
>friendship, to make mischief between relations and neighbors, and 
>set them at variance!
>
>It's amazing to me how some of us can get on the telephone and talk 
>about other folk, get off that call and call somebody else, and talk 
>about the person we just got off the phone with! Tell somebody, 
>"You'd Better Watch Your Mouth!"
>
>What we fail many times to understand is the reality of verse 21: 
>"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love 
>it shall eat the fruit thereof." In other words, "Words can bring 
>death or life!" Talk too much, and you may have to eat everything you say!
>
>I'm gonna leave you alone in a minute, but the reason (sometimes) we 
>have so much trouble in our lives is because we've spent so much 
>time in the past talking or gossiping about other folk, that we've 
>spoken judgement into our own lives and own homes! We're on the 
>telephone chattin' and chewin' on what's
>wrong in the Deacon's house, and the Choir member's house, and the 
>Trustee's house, and the Usher's House, and the Missionarie's house, 
>and the Preacher's House, and the Pastor's house, and while we're 
>chattin' and chewin' on other folks woes, we are in reality speaking 
>words of death into our own homes...
>AND ... one day, we're going to have to eat every word we've said!
>
>Now ... don't misunderstand what I'm saying here. If someone's life 
>is headed for destruction because of sin, yes ... you and I have a 
>responsibility to help them try to get their lives in tune, and in 
>line with God's word, but remember that you and I are only 
>instruments, and an instrument cannot play itself, it has to be 
>played by someone who knows what he's doing!
>
>What I'm trying to say to you is that "of yourself", ... (that is, 
>of your human nature) ... anything that comes out of your mouth has 
>the potential to be a snare to YOUR SOUL or someone else's soul, but 
>when you recognize that God wants to use your tongue to bring 
>praise, faith and righteousness into a situation, you'll not only 
>say something, but you'll say the "Right Something." And I believe, 
>as Christians, that we need to consider four things, before we say 
>anything to anybody. We need to ask ourselves:
>
>#1: "Is It True?"
>
>#2:: "Is it complete?"
>
>#3: "Is It Necessary?"
>
>#4: "Is It Kind?"
>
>First, "Is It True?" Before you repeat a statement, MAKE SURE IT'S 
>TRUE!!! Someone said "I believe half of what I see, and nothing of 
>what I hear!" Just because someone said it, doesn't make it true! 
>It's easy to jump to a wrong conclusion!
>
>It's like the dog who was named August. August was always jumping 
>and snarling at other dogs, but one day he jumped and snarled at a 
>wolf. Guess what day that was? It was the last day of August! Before 
>you believe something, before you repeat something, make sure it is true!!!!
>
>Next: "Is it Complete?" It's easy to get half of the story. 
>Sometimes, what's said is true, but the information we get is not 
>always complete! Some folk like to leave out certain information, 
>because it makes their gossip spicier. But tell somebody, "Make sure 
>you get the whole story!"
>
>#3. "Is it Necessary?" What you say may be true, it may be complete, 
>but is it NECESSARY? If it's not going to build up, then maybe we 
>need to shut-up!
>
>Ephesians 4: 15 says, "Speak the truth in love that we may be more 
>like Christ."
>
>God wants us to build people up in the faith, not tear them down. 
>They know they're down. We need to tell them how to get up, and we 
>need to do it with the love of God!
>
>Finally, we need to determine: "Is It Kind?" Romans 12 and 10 says: 
>"Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour 
>preferring one another." And then I heard Paul say in Ephesians 4 
>and 31-32), "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, 
>and evil speaking, be put away from
>you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, 
>tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
>God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
>
>Well. . . I'm getting ready to close, but I heard a commercial on 
>the radio the other day for a product called VERBAL ADVANTAGE. It's 
>a vocabulary building program that claims to increase your status in 
>society by teaching you how to speak. The commercial says, "VERBAL 
>ADVANTAGE: EVERY TIME YOU SPEAK, PEOPLE JUDGE YOU BY THE WORDS YOU USE."
>
>And you know, that's the truth! Your words and what you say tells 
>much about you. That's why it was so important, when Jesus was 
>tested in the wilderness by the devil, that He chose the right words 
>to beat satan at his own game.
>
>You see, when Satan attempted to tempt Jesus in the wilderness, he 
>was trying to subdue Jesus' mission to the cross. When Satan came up 
>against Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus didn't say, I don't know what 
>I'm going to do; He opened his mouth and quoted the Words of God. He 
>said, "It is written". So if Jesus can speak the Words of God, (and 
>He did say "these things I do, you can do, and even greater") then 
>somebody in here ought to be able to say something anointed and 
>powerful that will break the yoke in somebody's life!
>
>When the Devil comes at you like a roaring lion, carrying some 
>gossip, or foolish talk to us, we need to speak back it him, and 
>tell him: "I don't have time for that cause' I'm too busy talking 
>about my blessings!"
>
>Matter of fact, I need to get a praise on right now, because it was 
>said at one time in my life, somebody said that I wouldn't be anything!
>
>Somebody said that I wouldn't make it!
>
>Somebody said that I was washed up! Some of it was true, but most of 
>it was a lie! But that's alright.
>
>I've been lied on, cheated ... talked about, mistreated, Buked, 
>scorned, talked about as sure as your born!
>
>I know you heard the gossip about me ...
>
>I've been up, down, almost level to the ground. But as long ... as I 
>got King Jesus, I don't need nobody else! And when I think of His 
>goodness and all that He's done for me, my soul cries out, 
>Hallelujah! I thank God for saving me! And so, you can say what you 
>want about me ... I'm still gonna praise God!
>
>If I don't praise Him ... "if I hold my peace, the rocks will cry 
>out!" I don't know about you, but I want no rock crying out for me! 
>I've been through too much to let a rock steal my praise!
>
>Is there anybody here besides me who has been through some stuff, 
>and now that God has delivered you, you don't care what folk say 
>about you anymore?
>
>I may be poor ... but I'll praise Him!
>
>I may be dirty... but I'll praise Him!
>
>My kids may be on drugs ... but I'll praise Him!
>
>My marriage may be on the rocks ... but I'll praise Him!
>
>I may be on welfare ... but I'll praise Him!
>
>I may be sick ... but I'll praise Him!
>
>... And because I praise Him, I have power in my words!
>
>I can speak to my empty pockets, and tell them to fill up!
>
>I can lay my hands on my hearts desire, and claim it in the name of Jesus!
>
>I can speak to devils, and send them back to Hell!
>
>I've got power!!!! Power!!! Power!!! in my mouth!!!
>
>If you know you've got that power, slap three people a high five, 
>and tell them ... "I've got the power, because I've got the right word!"
>
>Epilogue:
>
>There once was a little girl who had a bad temper. Her mother gave 
>her a bag of nails and told her that every time she lost her temper, 
>she must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the 
>girl had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as 
>she learned to control her anger,
>the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. She 
>discovered it was easier to hold her temper than to drive those 
>nails into the fence.
>
>Finally, the day came when the girl didn't lose her temper at all. 
>She told her mother about it and the mother suggested that the girl 
>now pull out one nail for each day that she was able to hold her temper.
>
>Well ... the days passed, and the young girl was finally able to 
>tell her mother that all the nails were gone. The mother took her 
>daughter by the hand and led her to the fence.
>
>She said, "You've done well, my daughter, but look at the holes in 
>the fence. The fence will never be the same. My brothers and 
>sisters, when you say things in anger, or in gossip ... they leave a 
>scar, just like the ones in the fence.
>
>Likewise, brothers and sisters, you can put a knife in a person and 
>draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the 
>wound is still there.
>
>A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Physical wounds heal, 
>and bruises disappear. Words spoken out of anger or malice stay 
>forever imbedded in our heart and mind. Be careful of what you say 
>and how you say it. "Watch Your Mouth!" You never know, how what you 
>say, will affect someone's life!
>
>Let's go to the Lord in prayer! Gracious Heavenly father, thank You 
>so very much for the ability to say the things that will lift people 
>up, and not bring them down. Thank You for letting us walk in Your 
>footsteps and let's pray that all of us keep that walk in a straight 
>line with You. Thank You, Lord, for
>all of your blessings, and we pray You will forgive us of our many sins!!
>If there is anyone here this morning who has not accepted You as 
>their Personal Savior, there is no time like the present to do just 
>that. What a wonderful feeling to know You, and be able to walk with 
>you through life.
>
>Stu
>Stuart Swartz
>616 E. Boothe
>Cleveland, Tx.  77327
>281-659-0629
>[log in to unmask]
>IF YOU WORRY, YOU DIDN'T PRAY.  IF YOU HAVE PRAYED, DON'T WORRY.