“Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers; let me not eat of their delicacies.” (Psa. 141:3-4)

Passages like James 3 and Proverbs 18 remind us that both life and death are in the power of the tongue, and in Proverbs 4:23 we’re commanded to “above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” No wonder these two parts of our being are called out specifically in this passage, as they can both lead us to paths of destruction or paths of righteousness!

Reading through these verses, I’m reminded of how critical it is to surround ourselves with equally-yoked Christians. Your spiritual health has a direct correlation to whether those whom we do life with, walk with, and receive council from, are God-fearing, Christ-centered, prayerful, lovers of Scripture. These are the ones whom we should be influenced by. God calls us to be in fellowship with believers who will sharpen us, encourage us, edify us, and spur us on towards love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24).

Sometimes being pulled into ungodly conversation or activities can happen very quickly without us even realizing it, so we must be diligent to always prayerfully consider our surroundings, whether they be the people we’re with or the places we go to. God calls us into places of darkness to be light, but we must be properly prepared and suited with the armor of God (Eph. 6) before venturing into that darkness!

Keep watch by making sure to surround yourselves with people who will point you to the Lord in all things; that way, you will be built up to do the same with others. We are called to speak God’s truth and life into our Christian brothers and sisters, as well as to those who do not know Him. Pray to the Lord daily to guard your heart, mind, and tongue from evil, that we would not fall to temptation or revel in sinful acts.

Heavenly Father, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and empower us to walk as light in places of darkness, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen!

[From November 26, 2018]