Forward heart: rebellious to the Word of God, principals, etc.
Froward: difficult to deal with, contrary.
Similes of the word froward are crookedness, to go wrong, go crooked, backsliding, twisted, distorted, or crooked.
David wrote that “With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself unsavory” (2 Sam 22:27) so we have a choice. We can decide what comes out of our mouth and show ourselves as being pure or we can speak with a froward mouth and show ourselves unsavory to God.
God says, “I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith” (Duet 32:20) so a froward mouth or heart is an evil, wicked heart and means that they are habitually disposed to disobedience and God resists such people. For those who refuse to repent Solomon writes “Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward [but] he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them” (Prov 22:5).
Some examples of a froward heart and or person.
Someone who causes conflict.
Someone who sows discord.
Someone who plots evil.
Disobedient to God’s word.
Principals to live by:
Live to keep your heart pure. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Proverbs 4:23)
The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness. (Proverbs 10:31-32 KJV)
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Proverbs 8:13 KJV)
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your word on today. Lord, I ask that you forgive me for any time I have acted or spoken with a froward tongue. I understand that what comes out of a man’s mouth is what defiles him. Help me Holy Spirit to flee and resist the enemy in my speech, my thoughts and my actions. May I intentionally live a life that is pleasing unto you. May I be a reflection of you Lord. May I live a blameless life. Father, I pray that when you search my heart, if you find anything that is not pleasing unto you. I ask that you uproot it and cast it into the pits of hell. Create in me Lord a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. In Jesus mighty name I pray, Amen.
Scripture Reference
Proverbs 23:7 for he is the kind of person who is always thinking about the cost. “Eat and drink,” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
Proverbs 11:20 (KJV) They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the Lord: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
Proverbs 6:14 who plots evil with deceit in his heart, he always stirs up conflict.
Psalm 101:4: “A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked person.”
Matthew 15:8-20 “‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.”
Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”