September 5: Our Lips for Fruitful Praise

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 7
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CO 14:21{There seems a sevenfold sequence in His filling the lips of His messengers. First, they must be purified. The live coal from off the altar must be laid upon them, and He must say, "Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin is purged." Then He will create the fruit of them, and this seems to be the great message of peace, "Peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him" (see Isa. 57:1919I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him. (Isaiah 57:19)). Then comes the prayer, "O Lord, open Thou my lips," and its sure fulfillment. For then come in the promises, "Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth," and, "They shall withal be fitted in thy lips." Then, of course, "the lips of the righteous feed many," for the food is the Lord's own giving. Everything leads up to praise, and so we come next to "My mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips, when I remember Thee." And lest we should fancy that "when" rather implies that it is not, or cannot be, exactly always, we find that the meditation of Jesus throws this added light upon it, "By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to" (margin, confessing) "His name.”
Have you not a word for Jesus? Will the world His praise proclaim?
Who shall speak if ye are silent? ye who know and love His name.
You, whom He hath called and chosen His own witnesses to be,
Will you tell your gracious Master, "Lord, we cannot speak for Thee!”