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I’d Better Keep My Mouth Shut | Making A Difference
Categories: Devotions

I’d Better Keep My Mouth Shut

Today’s Passage – Job 40 – 42

Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. (Job 40:4)

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. (Job 42:3)

Have you ever made the statement, “I’d better keep my mouth shut”?  Have you ever told your child the same thing?  We can really get ourselves in trouble with our mouths, can’t we?  Sometimes it’s better not to say anything.  I remember when I was a brand new Christian.  I was having a discussion with Pastor Thompson about reaching the people around me for the Lord.  He said something that I never forgot: he said that if you don’t have an answer to their questions, or even their arguments, tell them that you don’t know the answer.  His exact words were, “Don’t snow them”.  What he meant was that we shouldn’t try to offer something on behalf of God that isn’t what God said.  We shouldn’t offer what we feel or think about God; but only tell people what we know to be true.  These friends of Job (and Job himself) were doing a lot of talking about God: each offering their own opinion about the situation; but how much of what they said was actually true.

The Bible says that we are God’s ambassadors.  We represent God to this world around us.  We speak on his behalf.  Shouldn’t we be very careful about what we say?  I wonder what God will have to say about me someday, especially the things that I have taught others about Him.  Preachers and teachers have an awesome responsibility.  Therefore we need to make sure that we are daily spending time with God in His word so that we can know how He thinks; and know what He teaches about any given subject.  And then when we are given the opportunity to speak on His behalf, whenever possible, we should tell people what God actually said, instead of what our opinion is.  As God’s ambassadors we have no right to represent ourselves, or present ourselves, or try to make ourselves look good in the eyes of the people.  We need to make God look good; and we need to give people the actual Words of God.

In God’s rebuke of Job, He said, “will thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous”?  What God was saying was that Job said things to justify himself; to make himself look good.  How often do I do that.  I am so afraid of the opinion of men that I have often condemned others in order to elevate myself.  Shame on me! and shame on all of us.  The Bible is very plain in its teaching that we don’t have to say too much, and that it is wise to hold our peace at times; and then when we do speak, we should be very careful about what we say.

Phil Erickson

Pastor Phil Erickson has been the pastor of Jersey Shore Baptist Church since 2002. Having grown up in Ocean County, Pastor Phil has always had a burden for the south Jersey area. After graduating from Bible College in Longview, Texas, he and his family moved to Galloway Township with the vision of digging in and serving the Lord and the people of Atlantic County. Pastor Phil and Cindy Erickson have been married for 34 years, and have four children and eight grandchildren. His oldest son, Phil Jr., and wife, Katelyn, are serving the Lord at a church in Paradise, TX. His oldest daughter, Melissa, is married to Wesley Clayton who is in the Air Force and is currently stationed in South Carolina. Samantha, his third child is married to Justin Mears and they are both serving the Lord here at the church in Galloway. Hannah is the youngest and is a sophomore at Vision Baptist College while also serving the Lord at Jersey Shore Baptist Church.

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  • Another good thing to do is just pray. I was recently talking to a woman in a difficult situation and when she asked me what to do, I didn't know what to tell her. I knew the Lord got me through a similar situation but He took care of it for me - I didn't have to do anything. So I just prayed with her and asked the Lord to do the same for her that He did for me. I then called someone a whole lot wiser than me and asked them what to tell her.

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Phil Erickson

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