Have we thought about this earthly life? There are many things that you can only do for the Lord while you are here. You will not be able to do them in heaven. If God calls you home and you haven't done them, will you have a fleeting moment of great sadness even as you go, before you enter into happiness and bliss? ‘I haven't expressed my gratitude on earth by accomplishing or applying myself to the range of things which I could only do for the Lord while here, and I won't be able to do them in heaven.’ For instance, in heaven, you will not be able to experience triumphs of grace in the midst of adversity and temptation, because there won't be any adversity and temptation. This is the only place (a fallen earth), the only time (the present), that you can prove the Lord and triumph while under temptation. So let us pray that we shall know triumphs of grace, in our lives, in our witness. It is only while here that I can prove the power of prayer, because it’s only here that I desperately need to pray for relief, for help, for souls, for a change in circumstances, for light and understanding. Only here do we have the opportunity to exercise faith. In the eternal glory faith will give way to sight. We won't need the kind of faith we have here which is trust against all the odds, because we shall see, and we shall feel the presence of God. Only here can we make the most of our foreign posting, our posting to live in this world, and to soldier here, and to serve him here. Only here can we defeat temptation, minute by minute. Only here can we make sacrifices for the Lord of glory. Have you made a sacrifice for him this week? Foregone some pleasure, some relaxation to serve the Lord? Paid some price for your faith and for your stand and been willing to do it? When you're on your deathbed and you’re approaching your end, you don't want sorrow: ‘I never really sacrificed; I never took the opportunity to live life for the Lord, as I may have done.’ It's only now.
We have to control the tongue. Well, how do you do that? In the passage before us, the Greek is literally pause, stop, cease. How do you deal with your tongue? You are about to utter a word which is testy, unreasonable, reactive, unpleasant, unprofitable, what do you do? You stop. Simple as that. By the help of the Lord, you choke it back and stop. We have a more refined word in the translation: refrain and put it to one side. Don’t say it. Effort; action; prayer of course – every day, at the beginning of every day, ‘Let me guard my tongue’ and you stop those words and you hate them. I do not want to offend God, let down my testimony. If we can bite back those wrong words, make sure that our words and language are fitting and right and beneficial and never harmful; if by the grace of God we pray and control the tongue, we control ourselves. Yes, what we say comes from within, that is perfectly true, the Saviour taught that very plainly but, nevertheless, you can control that valve, as it were, the tongue. It works backwards too and you can discipline your mind and your thoughts and control yourself. Control the tongue, and you are a more sanctified person.
Then of course you witness better, because you are noticed by what you say, your words and you are a cause of wonder. Here is a person who is even tempered. Here is a person who is not touchy, or difficult or over sensitive, who does not snap and is not unreasonable. Your character shows so much through your words, yes, sometimes through the expression on your face but chiefly through your words. Don’t so many testimonies tell you this? People will say, ‘I came in touch with a certain Christian, and I was deeply impressed by that person and their life and whole character.’
In the office or wherever we are, if only we can count for the Lord. These are very difficult and atheistic days. People oppose us and there are those who work in some environments where absolutely nobody seems to listen. It is a long and patient work of prayer, then chinks open up, hopefully, and witness opportunities arise but the person longs to be an influence wherever God has placed him. Likewise, the Christian wants to be an influence in the family circle to children and other relations. This is a life where God will give me opportunities, no matter what goes on in my life and how much hardship or persecution there is. Then to be significant in your church, in the corporate activities, the things we do together to reach a community. For some people, if they are called, there may even be opportunities to be a great influence for the Lord even in national life.