Your Speech Betrays You

Sunday, September 6

Matthew 26:73 (NKJV)

“And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.”

Devoción

In her message on Sunday, Courtney Bence said that our words either tear someone down or build them up. Our words can leave deeper wounds and scars than physical wounds. The saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” is false. Words can take longer to heal from because they have the power to crush our spirits. The power of life and death is in the tongue.

We need to watch what we say and surrender our mouths to the Holy Spirit. What’s in our hearts will come out of our mouths. What we say and how we say it is important because once words are spoken, we cannot take them back. We cannot delete them or throw them out. They resonate in the minds of our loved ones. We can apologize, but it may take a long time for them to heal from our caustic words. Are we being overly critical or condemning? Do our words betray us and show that we have been with the Lord, or do they show that we aren’t as close to Him as we say we are?

It’s important to praise our spouses, children, grandchildren, and even our friends and coworkers. Praise them when you see them doing something good. Praise them for the good qualities you see in them. Don’t be a Sunday worshiper only, but worship every day of the week. 

Do we have bitterness and unforgiveness in our hearts? Are we filled with doubts instead of faith? We need to take these things before God and ask Him to help us forgive whoever has hurt us. Ask Him to help our faith become stronger. Speak words of hope and faith out loud to yourself and those around you. Encourage those around you who are sad or unhappy. Let them see and hear love in action. Don’t just be a hearer of the Word; be a doer instead.

Oración de hoy

Querido Padre Celestial,

Thank You for showing me the importance of the words that I speak. Set a watch, O Lord, over my mouth, that I may not offend. I pray that any seeds of offense that have been sown in my heart would also be removed, so that bitterness would not take root. I ask that Your love grow over the field of my heart, that I may bear fruit to Your glory. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Aplíquelo hoy mismo

Build a Testimony: Put into practice the lessons learned from Sunday’s sermon. Fill your heart with good things—with God’s Word—so that out of this abundance, your heart will speak. Start today by being intentional and purposeful with your words: use them to heal, encourage, and praise, rather than to harm. Then, be consistent, doing this each day for the next week, and see how your own perspective and environment begin to change. Keep the trend going!

Recursos

• Worship with us this morning!  Join us at 9 & 11 AM for powerful worship and a life-changing word at a Free Chapel campus near you or online. Come ready to encounter God and be encouraged!

• Your story matters. When you share what God has done, you give Him the glory and encourage someone else’s faith—don’t keep it to yourself. Share Your Story.