"Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!" (Psalm 141:3).

This is a needful prayer for God's people today. Day by day we are surrounded by wickedness and bombarded by evil influences. The media reports more and more bad news about politicians, pundits, celebrities, terrorists, and criminals. We see and hear stories about people every day who have destroyed their lives and the lives of others by their deeds and many times by their words! How are we to communicate God's message to such a generation?

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 18:21). Once, when we were outside of Christ, many of us spoke as the world. We conversed with lies, insults, profanity and hate. We tore down others with gossip and slander. We said whatever would give us satisfaction or advantage. "But now you must put them all away" (Col. 3:7-10). As disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we are in the world but must no longer be conformed to it (Rom. 12:2). We cannot allow ourselves to bless God and then with the same tongue curse those made in God's image (James 3:9-10).

We must look to God for strength to bridle our tongue and use it to glorify God and help our fellowman. This old sin-sick world should provoke our hearts to sound out the gospel and urge people to open their minds and hearts and heed the wonderful offer of salvation God has put forth in Christ (Rom. 1:16). We must be as Ezekiel was in the days of old and be watchmen and sound out the warning to come to God now before it is too late (Ezek. 3:17-21).

So then let us take God's word and hide it in our hearts so we might know how to answer every person we meet (Eph. 4:29). Let us strive to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Let us determine to put away falsehood and to speak only the truth to others (Eph. 4:25). Let us keep our anger in check when we decide to open our mouths (Eph. 4:26-27; James 1:19). Let us be like the Lord and other faithful people and be willing to identify sin and call people to repentance (Luke 5:32; Luke 13:3; John 4:16-18)! Let us be like Paul and be compelled to share the gospel with others (1 Cor. 9:16)!

May God help us to guard our mouths as we go forth and live daily for Him. Let our tongue be an instrument for God's glory and not a hindrance to the Kingdom. For "Whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit; let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it" (1 Pet. 3:10-11).