Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy as you do? You say, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.'” Jeremiah 32:3
Jeremiah had been prophesying that God would destroy Judah and Jerusalem placing the people into captivity in Babylon. This went against the beliefs of the Israelites, because they were the chosen nation and God would not do something like that. The king of Judah had Jeremiah put in prison because of his words. He also asked him why he would say things like that. Jeremiah was just speaking what God had told him to say.
People love to talk about a lot of things. There are some people who can speak for a long time and not really say anything. Others speak just a few words and seem to speak whole volumes of information very quickly.
Words can build up or they can tear down. It all depends on what words are being said and how they are being said.
Most people when they speak, they are just speaking what they think or feel in the moment. It is common for a person to blurt out something in the heat of the moment that he regrets only seconds later. A few people will actually take time to think about what they are about to say to ensure it is spoken well and is correct and helpful.
As a believer you are responsible for what you say or don’t say. You are also responsible for how you say things. One of your first responsibilities is to speak the gospel message to everyone you can.
The reason you have this responsibility to speak like that is that Jesus gave His life for you and told you to do it. You are to speak all the words of God. Sometimes those words are words of love and comfort, showing how Jesus cares for a person. Other times those words will be harsh words warning of destruction and death coming.
You must keep your focus on what God is saying to the people you meet with. What does He want you to say? That is the only thing you should be saying. It gives you the reason why you speak what you do, whether peaceful or harsh.
I pray today that you will know the words of God; that you will only speak what God wants you to say; that your purpose for speaking is to point people to God; and that many will know Jesus because of your words.
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