Confessions of a Church: Perverted Languange

The Psalm writer wrote:  Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. As we come before a Holy God and hear his word, may we have eyes open to the wonderful and fearful things from his law. May it move us to repent and seek forgiveness, fear disobedience, and live in light of the grace we have received.  This is the word of God.  It is  eternally true and applicable for all of life.

Proverbs 17: 11-20 A rebellious man seeks only evil, So a cruel messenger will be sent against him. Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly. He who returns evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house. The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, Both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord. Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity. A man lacking in sense pledges And becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor. He who loves transgression loves strife; He who raises his door seeks destruction. He who has a crooked mind finds no good, And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil.

Whether in the workplace, on social media, or at an event like the Kentucky Derby, one does not have to go far to have their ears exposed to perverted language. The proverb tells us that “ He who has a crooked mind finds no good, and he who is perverted in his language falls into evil”. There is a connection between the crooked mind and what comes out of our mouths. Put another way: “Matthew 15:18-19 NASB
But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. [19] For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.”
When we hear someone openly blaspheme our Lord, or use vile harsh language as an insult, we recoil, cringe, and think to ourselves “I could never use language like that”. But what about other, more subtle forms of perverted language, such as deception or flattery? For instance children: your parents have assigned you some recurring task, like cleaning your room, and has instructed you in how it is to be properly performed. Turns out, you have learned that if you shove everything under your bed, it appears that your room is cleaned, and when asked if your chore is done, you respond with a “yes sir!”. In reality, it isn't actually clean, and your “yes sir” was a deceptive lie, and exposes you as being disobedient and lazy. Fathers, when your daughter walks out of the house dressed in a way that you know would have enticed you as a 15 year old boy, and all you can manage is a “you look nice dear”, because you don't want to hurt her precious self image, you just abrogated your responsibility with flattering lips. God hates those. Wives, when your husband neglects his duties as a husband and father, and your response is “you are such a good provider, and such a hard worker, I understand why you haven't_________”, it could be a response that is issuing from a gentle and quiet spirit, or it could be flattering lips, because you know that speaking the truth in love is difficult, and often makes you uncomfortable. On the day of judgment, we will be held accountable for every word we have uttered, and for every time we didn't open our mouth when we should have. Let us kneel at this time, if able, and confess how we have broken God's Law by the use of perverted language.
Dear Heavenly Father, we are men, women, boys, and girls of unclean lips. We are not worthy to come to Your throne apart from Your Son Jesus, so we thank You for Him and His sacrifice for our sins. Father, Your Word is very pure, and sweet to the taste, while our words are often defiled with vile language, deception, and flattery. Father, please grant us repentance that we might turn from the sins that come from our heart through our mouths. Please give us courage to always speak the truth, in love, knowing this honors you. We can do nothing apart from You, please fill us with Your Spirit that we might worship You with our hearts, and not just with empty vain words. Lord, it is amazing to us that You have made a way for unclean lips to confess our sins to You and be forgiven. Please Lord, forgive us for perverted language that reveals a heart and mind in desperate need of Your grace, please transform us in the renewing of our minds. It is in the Name above all Names, Your Son Jesus that we pray, Amen.
Listen now to the comforting assurance of the grace of God, promised in the gospel to all that believe: 

Romans 4: 6-8 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us

Lift Up Your Hearts !!!!

(From the  5/6/18 Liturgy of Sovereign King Church written by Aaron Sabie