Proverbs 18:20, 21

The Fruit of the Mouth: Good Words and Inner Satisfaction

0:01 Verses 20 and 21, a man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth, with the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it, that is, love life, and the use of the tongue that leads to life shall eat the fruit thereof. A man's belly, that is, his own innermost being, will be filled with the fruit of his mouth. I believe the assumption in this text is that he is speaking good things, and in return his own inner being will reap the fruit of his good things. Because look at the last part of the verse, where the same thought is repeated in different words. You see, in the Hebrew poetry you have contrast, or you have amplification and reiteration. In different words, which is what I believe we have in this text. A man's belly shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth, that is, good fruit, from good things that he has spoken, with the increase of his lips shall he be satisfied.

The Holy Increase of Righteous Speech

1:11 In other words, he sees what he says, bringing holy fruits and holy increase in the lives of those to whom he has spoken. Then this frightening text, death and life, are in the power. In the power of the tongue. Think of it.

The Tongue's Power Over Spiritual Life and Death

1:30 Death and life in the tongue. Death and life in the power of the tongue. All the way to spiritual life and spiritual death. Because by thy words in the day of judgment thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Teaching Children the Heart-Revealing Nature of Words

1:46 We need to teach our children that if their words do not demonstrate that they have a righteous heart, all God will need to prove in the day of judgment that they are wicked,

1:58 visited brothels, not that they watched pornography, not that they cussed and swore, no, all they'll have to do is produce the whisperings that sowed seeds of doubt, the words of contention as opposed to the soft word that turned away wrath. Just bring forward the unrighteous uses of the tongue and that will be enough to say, as I consign you to hell, your words prove you were never made. Righteous. Righteous.

2:29 Righteous. Righteous in your heart. Our children need to know that.

The Insufficiency of Excuses for Ungodly Speech

2:34 It's not enough for them to say, oh, everybody does. I mean, you know, God doesn't expect. No, it isn't. It isn't enough.

Grace, Repentance, and the Tongue's Testimony

2:40 We've got to tell them. Until grace so works in their hearts that grace frames what comes out of their lips, and when that which cuts and scorches and pierces and wounds and hurts and causes contention comes out, the proof that they're righteous is they're willing, they're willing to humble themselves as necessary 50 times a day to seek forgiveness to heal the wounds to bridge the separations to cease the contentions that their lips caused and if that's not so they're not bringing forth fruits meet for repentance they're lost they're unconverted and if you regard them as Christians you're as deceived as they are and some of you parents God have mercy on you you have projected to your kids your own undivided.

Parental Hypocrisy and the Judgment of Words

3:30 standard with reference to this very issue your tongue can cut and scorch and you won't humble yourself you just think well the dust is settled time has passed that's enough try to convince God of that in the day of judgment when he says your words are the basis on which I'll damn you folks is a serious business you beginning to feel the cumulative weight passage after passage after passage.