Filter

Have you ever taken the time to praise God for your eyes and ears? Where would we be without them? I realize that we would learn to function without them; people do it all the time. But I am glad that we have the use of them. In Acts 4 and verse 20 the Bible says this “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.“ This verse reminds me of a filter. We filter our water and we filter our air but do we filter our words? Notice what is being said in the verse; we can only speak the things we have seen and heard. So our tongue is the mouthpiece for what the eyes have seen and the ears have heard. Too many times we are saying things that were not first filtered by the mind. How do we learn to filter what we say; you know the Bible has the answer to that question. Look with me at this verse found in

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

There are 8-things in that verse that can filter. The very first one is the word “true” before we say anything we need to ask ourselves is it true? So the truth we know is going to be determined by how much Bible we know.

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

That’s a good filter, truth. There is another word in that verse “lovely” something can be true and not lovely. The Pharisees brought a woman to Jesus that had been taken in the very act of adultery. What she had done was true but the way they handled it was not lovely. If she was taken in the very act, where is the man or do I not understand what adultery is? I love the way Jesus handled it. They reminded Jesus that the law said she should be stoned then they said what do you say Jesus? Here is what He said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.“ People mess up, you have and I have now we can do as the Pharisees did or we can remind others of the good that person has done. Remember it’s always easy to condemn others for their mistakes. What if it was you making the mistake would you want others to condemn you? We must learn to filter the words that we speak. We can do that by being careful of what we listen to and what we watch. There are times we are going to hear something we didn’t care to hear; remember hearing and listening is different. There are going to be times we see things we didn’t really want to see; but seeing and viewing are a lot different. The true sign is

Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, (poisonous snakes) how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Luke 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Whatever you look at or listen to, will come flying out of your mouth. That my friend is a fact for you can’t help it. Did you see that word “Abundance?” It means plentiful. You have trash in trash out; good in good out; Bible in Bible out; Jesus in Jesus out. It is our Choice!