My dear readers,

Do You Possess a Satisfying Mouth?

Proverbs 12:14: “A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.”

“The pen is mightier than the sword” is a very true statement. The sword hurts the body, but the pen heals or wounds the heart, mind and soul. The mind of man is controlled by what he believes. His belief is determined by what he reads and understands. His desires are controlled by what he considers best for himself and others. Words are spoken or written to fulfil his desires. Actions are taken to accomplish what he says he will do and want. Deeds are done to turn words into reality. Places are visited to do these deeds to satisfy the desires that kick-started this process in every man’s heart!

How much more power and blessing are brought to lives when the words spoken are from the Word of God!

Usually, a man is satisfied by the fruit of his hands. But Proverbs 12:14 says that a man shall be satisfied by the fruit of his MOUTH! The emphasis of Proverbs 12:14 is not material or physical, but mental and spiritual, since the Bible is a spiritual book. The power of the tongue for believers is of greater significance than for an unbeliever because their tongue represents the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God! To represent Jesus Christ, one has to be born again in Christ. God gives him a Christian-like nature when the old man with a sinful nature died with Christ. He is considered “good” in the eyes of God since he is now a child of the good God. He can do good work and say good words. Those who pretend to be Christians may speak the Word of God, and the Lord will take the Word of God and bring blessing to the recipients, but not to the speakers who are false believers. This truth also applies to giving tithes. The Lord will use the tithes to extend God’s kingdom, but those who give grudgingly or out of necessity and not cheerfully will not be blessed.

The satisfaction of the man, i.e. a Christian, means full satisfaction. The man is fully satisfied with the good that his mouth brings him. What kind of words will bring such an amazing fruit? The satisfaction cannot refer to physical food because no man is fully satisfied with just one type of food, no matter how tasty that food is. If he were to eat the same food that gives him full satisfaction for an entire month for breakfast, lunch and dinner, he would soon get tired of it, if not sick of it. The fruit of his mouth cannot refer to some kind of special recipe. The satisfaction lasts a lifetime. Only spiritual things last a lifetime in a believer’s heart. Since it is the fruit of his mouth, it has to refer to what he says, writes, teaches or preaches. Nothing on earth can come out of a man's mouth that has such a powerful impact other than the perfect Word of God.

Everything the Bible teaches is guaranteed good for all who listen, understand and obey. Hearing God’s Word is good, but worthless and dangerous when not obeyed. It is dangerous because it makes the disobedient hearer think he is right with God and well in his soul. After all, he heard God’s Word. It is also not enough if he understands the Word of God and does not obey it. It makes the hearer proud and arrogant because he knows the Bible well and perhaps better than others. Furthermore, he might be an ordained minister, preacher, or teacher since he understands the Bible and might have also gotten theological degrees. The hearts of these hearers bear no fruit since sinful lives are not transformed into holy ones. But the ones who obey the Word of God, their hearts, minds, lips and lives are washed by the blood of Christ. They are changed from within into sons and daughters of God by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells within them.

Salvation is of the Lord, indeed! The believer who speaks good words and brings about salvation to others is fully satisfied in his soul; the feeling is heavenly. It is literally out of this world. When his words encourage believers to grow in grace and in the knowledge of God in Christ Jesus, the satisfaction is one of great joy and peace within because he knows the purpose of his existence after salvation in Christ. He has been saved and left behind on earth to provoke his brothers and sisters-in-Christ unto love and good works!

With this heavenly transformation, the believer is recompensed, i.e. rewarded by the works of his hands. Good words will result in good works. He is a great blessing to the people God brings into his life. His counsel is according to the Holy Scriptures. His actions are Christ-like. They see Christ in his behaviour, i.e. holiness, by his decisions. When they read his writings and hear his words, they see and hear Christ’s words. He is a living, breathing and walking testimony of the Son of God! The great work of God's salvation in Christ will turn sinners into holy witnesses everywhere they go. They become ambassadors of Christ, their Lord. They represent Him, having been blessed with Christ’s mind and protected with God’s love in their hearts so that when persecuted and rejected by man and loved ones, they can continue to love like their God and Master, Jesus Christ. How can such works for Christ not bear good fruit and be recompensed by God, now and unto eternity? Revelation 14:13: “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

The Lord Himself is the Rewarder of every believer’s good words and works. He judges the heart, mind, and life which are the basis for His eternal reward. He makes no mistakes. Believers are not motivated by rewards but by God’s love. They know that the moment they are motivated by rewards (which is wrong motivation), what they have done will be burned up on the Day of Judgment. Revelation 22:12-13: “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

The glory of God will be upon such a good-mouth believer. For his life is indeed a life of good works, and brings glory to God, manifesting the greatness of Christ’s salvific work on the cross of Calvary!

All believers possess a very satisfying mouth. Do you?