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Bible studies: As a diligent student of the Bible, you will want to make sure the Bible really says what this study says. Always remember to test all things with God's word - as the Bereans did. They "received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). First, read the study all the way through, without looking up the Scriptures. Then read the study again, this time looking up the Scriptures. Highlight or mark each verse you look up so you can easily find it later. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You may recall seeing the three monkeys that depict hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil. It is true that what we see with our eyes and hear with our ears affects how we think, and has a direct bearing on what we say. If we train our ears and eyes not to listen to or look upon violence, we will have a better attitude mentally. Watching television shows or movies that depict violence, sexual promiscuity or perversion does have a lasting harmful effect on the human brain. God hates those who love violence (Psalm 11:5). He also hates the perverted mouth (Prov. 8:13). God hates evil. He hates people who are arrogant and full of pride He loves righteousness (Psalm 11:7). God wants us to keep our tongues from speaking evil, lying and from using naughty talk which includes telling dirty jokes (Psalm 34:11-13). He wants us to depart from the evil way by doing good (Psalm 34:14-15; 37:27). When all our words are good, God will satisfy us with good. Just as the deeds of a man’s hands return to him, so also do the words of his mouth. God watches everything we do (Prov. 12:14; 15:3). Fools mock when they are told to stop sinning so God can bless them (Prov. 14:9). God says we are fools if our mouths are perverted (Prov. 19:1). Christ, our example, did not swear and neither should we (1 Peter 2:22; 4:11). We should not quarrel with our mouths (Prov. 20:1-3). It is by our deeds of mouth as well as body that we distinguish ourselves as righteous or wicked (Prov. 20:11). We are to put our lives in order, in a right and pleasing way, before God. This is how we show God we are thankful to know Him and have His protection and blessings (Psalm 18:47). Sure, it is a sacrifice, a sacrifice of righteousness and thanksgiving (Psalm 50:22-23; Heb. 13:16). Let's live our lives so we will see good days (1 Peter 3:10-13). Let us not be numbered with those who turned against righteousness (2 Peter 2:21; 1 John 1: 6). How can we, who told God we would die to sin, keep on sinning (Rom. 6:2, 23)? Let us abhor what is evil and not disqualify ourselves from eternal life (Rom. 12:9; 1 Cor. 9:27). Let's us seek our neighbor’s good and not our own first when we talk (1 Cor. 10:24). Let all that we say be said in love because this pleases God in heaven (1 Cor. 16:14; 2 Cor 5:9). Let us not continue to be "sons of disobedience," getting drunk and using our mouths for evil, but please Him in all respects (Eph. 2:1-3; 5:18; Col. 1:10, 12). Consider the members of your body as dead to sin (Col. 3:5-17). Clean up your mouth, put on the new self and do all that you do for God (Col. 3:23-25; Mark 7:20, 23). (Feel free to give copies of this study to others who want to know God’s truth. You will be doing God’s Will when you show and tell others how to live this special Way.) Bible studies: |