“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” (Prov. 27:9 ESV)

How Good and pleasant it is

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” (Psalms 133:1 ESV)

A friend loves constantly

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (Prov. 17:17 ESV)

Thank God for them

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5 ESV)

“But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (Jam. 3:8 ESV)

Jesus’s Words are Spirit and life  

“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (John. 6:63 ESV)

Man shall live by every Word that comes from the mouth of God

“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matt. 4:4 ESV)

The tongue is set on fire by hell

“And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (Jam. 3:6 ESV)

You must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord! 

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9 ESV)

“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” (Prov. 11:12 ESV)

Don’t give an answer before you hear

“If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” (Prov. 18:13 ESV)

Restrain your lips and be prudent  

“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” (Prov. 10:19 ESV)

Out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks  

“You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matt. 12:34 ESV)

Don’t repeat a matter! 

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9 ESV)

 “Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” (Prov. 21:23ESV)

A fool who keeps quiet will seem wise  

“Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” (Prov. 17:28 ESV)

Don’t curse those who persecute you  

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Rom. 22:14 ESV)

The mouths of fools pour out folly  

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.” (Prov. 15:2 ESV)

Reatrain your words with understanding 

“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.” (Prov. 17:27 ESV)

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” (Jam. 1:26 ESV)

Let your words be acceptable!

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

A gentle tongue is a tree of life

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” (Prov. 15:4 ESV)

A tongue is small but boasts great things

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” (Jam. 3:1-12 ESV)

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold

“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Prov. 25:11 ESV)

“Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Prov. 29:30 ESV)

Today, someone said something on my Facebook feed about the President of the United States, and immediately, people began to react emotionally to it. Soon the conversation turned ugly. I finally hid the entire conversation string because it was nothing but hate speech.

Words matter!

When I was a little boy, if someone would say something mean to me, I would say out loud to them, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!” But, the truth is, their words DID hurt me! A lot! And, words DO matter!

Does God care about your words?

Yes he does! The following are verses in the Bible about the importance of words. Read through them, and the next time you are tempted to use your words to comment negatively on social media, think about them.

Let your speech always be gracious

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” (Col. 4:6 ESV)

By your words you will be justified or condemned

“For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:37 ESV)

Put away all obscene talk from your mouth

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” (Col. 3:8 ESV)

Guard your mouth!

“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” (Prov. 13:3 ESV)

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” (Mark 19:52 NIV)

The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well

“Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15 NIV)

Faith can work miracles

“And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise.” (Heb. 11:11 NIV)

 “But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:8-9 NIV)

Faith comes from hearing the Word

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 NIV)

Not everyone has faith

“And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith.” (2 Thess. 3:2 NIV)

Don’t quarrel with those with weak faith

“Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.” (Rom. 24:1 NIV)

Put on faith and love as a breastplate

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” (2 Thess. 5:8 NIV)

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5 NIV)

Nothing is impossible with faith

“He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt. 17:20 NIV)

Faith can move mountains

“Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done.” (Matt. 21:21 NIV)

Everything that does not come from faith is sin

“But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23 NIV)

The testing of your faith produces endurance

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces [d]endurance. And let ]endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be [g]perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 NASB)