OUR DAILY BRED : WHO OWNS MY LIPS?

[cimi]

March 17
Sunday


WHO OWNS
MY LIPS?

READ:
Psalm 12
______________________________________________________

Let the words of
my mouth and the
meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your
sight, O LORD.
__Psalm 19:14
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The difference between a compliment and flattery is often motive. A compliment offers genuine appreciation for a quality or action seen in another person. The goal of flattery is usually self-advancement through gaining the favor of someone else. Compliments seek to encourage; flattery attempts to manipulate.

In Psalm 12, David lamented his society in which godly, faithful people had disappeared and been replaced by those who speak deceitfully "with flattering lips and a double heart" (v.2). They had said, "With our tongue we will prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?" (v.4).

The question "Who owns my lips?" is a good one to ask ourselves when we're tempted to use insincere praise to get what we want. If my lips are my own, I can say what I please. But if the Lord owns my lips, then my speech will mirror His words, which the psalmist described as "pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times" (v.6).

Perhaps a good way to show who owns our lips would be to begin each day with David's prayer from another psalm: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Ps. 19-14). __David McCasland

```````````````A careless word may kindle strife,````````````````
````````````````A cruel word may wreck a life;`````````````````
```````````````A timely word may lessen stress, Anon.```````````
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He who guards his mouth preserves his life.
__Proverbs 13:3

*******************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 12************************

1 Help, LORD, for the
godly man ceases! For the
faithful disappear from
among the sons of men.

2 They speak idly everyone
with his neighbor; with
flattering lips and a double
heart they speak.

3 May the LORD cut off all
flattering lips, and the
tongue that speaks proud
things, 4 who have said,
"With our tongue we will
prevail; our lips are our
own; who is lord over us?"

5 For the oppression of
the poor, for the sighing of
the needy, now I will arise,"
says the LORD; "I will set
him in the safety for which
he yearns."

6 The words of the LORD
are pure words, like silver
tried in a furnace of earth,
purified seven times. 7 You
shall keep them, O LORD,
You shall preserve them
from this generation
forever.

8 The wicked prowl on
every side, when vileness is
exalted among the sons of
men.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

With great clarity, today's reading tells us how pride and self-interest
are at the heart of an arrogant attitude and ungodly speech (V.4). A
morally corrupt society often has a relativistic view of sin. The moral
arguments of humanity are shrouded in darkness and will not stand
the test of time. But spiritual light comes when we meditate on and
apply the Word of God to our hearts: "The words of the LORD are
pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven
times" (v.6).