Rules Of A Godly Life: Part 2: Rule 2

"If you desire in honorable company to be joyful, take care that your merriment prove worthy of Christian love, purity, and respectability.  Avoid, therefore, rude insults, mocking speech, indecent words, and filthy jokes of which respectable people would be ashamed.  First, because lewd conversation of this sort is outward proof of an unregenerate heart; "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matt. 12:34).  Second, because smutty humor and immodest words smooth the road to dishonorable deeds.

Yet you may say, "One must have something to say when in company with his friends to pass the time and to delight each other."  This is indeed a wretched excuse.  Such mirth is clearly forbidden by God's Word, "Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient," says the Apostle Paul, are to be permitted.  "For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disodience" (Eph. 5:4,6).  Through such evil talk and vain mirth the Holy Spirit of God is grieved. Eph 4: 29-30.

The tongue is the glory of man and the honor of the body.  Shall it then be misused in unwholesome speech?  When the tongue becomes corrupt it defileth the whole body, filling it with unrighteousness.  See James 3:6.  Loath all filthiness; let your speech be always full of love and to the edification of those who hear you, that they may be strengthened thereby.  Use the gift of speech as a means of rebuking the idle, of instructing the ignorant, and of comforting the troubled.  God will reward you with a fuller measure of His gifts.  See Mark 4:25.

Rules Of A Godly Life: Part 2: Rule 1

"Think!  For every idle word you speak you must give account thereof in the day of judgment.  Matt. 12:36. "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin" (Prov. 10:19).  Seek to avoid, therefore, all non-edifying talk; let your words be thoughtful, few, and true.  Consider beforehand if what you are about to say is worth saying.  Practice saying much with few words.  Never present a tale as true unless you know for certain that it is so; it is better to say nothing at all than to say something that may turn out to be false or otherwise of no value.

For once it becomes known that you are not conscientious to always speak only the truth, no one will believe you even when you do speak the truth.  If, however, you have great respect for the truth your every word will carry more weight than those spoken under oath by a liar."

Rules Of A Godly Life: Part 1: Rule 16

"Never go to sleep without considering how you have spent the day just past, what you accomplished for good or evil, and you will readily perceive whether you are using your time -fleeting, nonredeemable time- in a constructive manner or not."


This rule brings to mind the Word given to the Apostle Paul as recorded in Ephesians.
Ephesians 4:17-5:21 KJV


"17 This I say therefore, and testify i the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;
21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.
26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
27 Neither give place to the devil.
28 Let him that stole steal not more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, and covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish taking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.
14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God."