Matthew 12:33-37: "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit....For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
GOD searches our hearts and measures our words to see if we're like Him, like JESUS, and He isn't pleased when we hate and carry grudges but when we love and forgive. He isn't impressed when we curse and tear down but when we bless and build up, praying for good, not evil.
Our words matter, especially to GOD, and according to Matthew 12:36, we'll have to give an account of every idle word we've spoken, whether for good or evil, whether to build up or tear down, whether to bless or curse.
These words we wield are powerful, and every day, we're speaking LIFE or DEATH, and we're aligning ourselves either with GOD or with the adversary.
Our words matter, and GOD commands us to wield them well--to "build up," edify, instruct, minister, and encourage--and Ephesians 4:29-32 advises, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
Words have power in the KINGDOM of GOD, and they do not return unto GOD void but accomplish that for which He sent them, for in John 1:1, we learn that in the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD. In John 6:63, we realize it is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing, and the words that JESUS speak to us are spirit and they are life, and finally, in Ephesians 10:17, we discover the SWORD of the SPIRIT is the WORD of GOD.
GOD's words are not idle; they get results; they create and build, correct and counsel, instruct and guide, commission and command, redeem and restore, resurrect and transform, multiply and produce. So, we see every word matters to GOD, even the idle words we speak.
Honoring GOD, following JESUS, has never been easy, not for any of us in service, on missions, in comfort or in conflict, because GOD calls and commands us to do the hard but right things, to please HIM foremost, to be better than we naturally are--more faithful, forgiving, loving, prayerful, giving, selfless, GOOD. He calls and commands us to use every gift He gives us for His glory and honor; He calls and commands us to use our time, our treasure, our talent, and our words for His purpose, His plans, and His will, always for the greater GOOD.
So, our words matter, especially to GOD, and He wants us to use them wisely and wield them well, for in the end, we will all stand before JESUS, the Righteous Judge, to give an account of every idle word we've spoken to bless or curse, to praise or criticize, the build up or tear down, for good or evil, for the glory of GOD or the praise of women and men.
