SF685 - HOW TO TAME YOUR TONGUE - DEVELOPING A FAITH THAT WORKS (James 3 1-12)
HOW TO Tame Your Tongue
Developing a Faith That Works
James 3:1-12
Introduction
Everybody seems to have something to say.
Statistics show that on the average Americans will have 30 conversations a day and that you will spend 1/5 of your life talking. In one year, your conversations will fill 66 books of 800 pages a book. If you are a man, you speak an average of 20,000 words a day. If you are a woman, you speak 30,000 words a day.
Like the guy who was asked, "Do you resent that your wife has the last word?" He replied, "No, I'm just glad when she finally gets to it!" Or the wife who broke her jaw. When they took an X-ray, it turned out to be a motion picture
Some of us are born with a silver foot in our mouths.
We have this natural ability to say the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Like the stock boy at the grocery store. Lady asked him, "Can I buy a half of lettuce?" He walked back to the manager to ask, not realizing she was walking right behind him. He said, "You're not going to believe this, there's an old bag out there who wants to buy half a head of lettuce." He turned around, saw her standing there, and said, "And this fine lady would like to buy the other half."
Our mouths get us into a lot of trouble.
Ø Every chapter in the book of James says something about managing your mouth.
James says, you have to learn to tame your tongue.
1A. The Power of the Tongue
1B. The Tongue has the Power to Control (3)
Ø You have a huge stallion, 2,000-3,000 pounds, and a 95-pound jockey on his back. The jockey can control the tremendous mighty horse by a little piece of metal stuck strategically over his tongue.
Ø A small word can control the destiny of a man.
2B. The Tongue has the Power to Steer (4-5a)
Ø The Queen Mary has 3 acres of recreational space. The anchor is equal to the weight of ten cars. Yet, a relatively small rudder directs the huge ocean liner out in the middle of the waves and winds and seas. A little rudder keeps it on course.
Ø Our tongue is like that. Our tongue is like a rudder that steers us.
Ø Think of the power of W.A. Criswell
Ø Thing of power of Adolph Hitler
Like a rudder, the tongue guides a life to safety or ruin.
2A. The Poison of the Tongue (5b-8)
1B. The Tongue can Defile like a Broken Sewer (6a)
Beware of the gutter mouth
2B. The Tongue can Destroy like a Blazing Fire (5b&6b)
(Proverbs 16:27-28 NCV) "Useless people make evil plans, and their words are like a burning fire. {28} A useless person causes trouble, and a gossip ruins friendships."
Verbal arson
Not vulgar language but viscous language.
Ø Illustration: Lady went to newspaper: "Daily News" on the back of her dress. Is there anything there that should not be? No, not at all.
A fire does not have to begin big to do lots of damage
Ø The Great Chicago fire - 1871: Began by Mrs. O'Leary's cow. 17,450 buildings, >250 deaths
Words are like fire
Ø A careless word can destroy a life overnight
Ø Fire and words under control can give tremendous warmth and light.
He is saying here that words can create a chain reaction.
(Matthew 12:36 NCV) "And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said."
3B. The Tongue can Devour like a Beast (7-8a)
(Galatians 5:15 NIV) "If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
Ø Of all the animals we have tamed, no man can tame the tongue.
Ø He says it is restless. That means it's liable to break out at any moment
4B. The Tongue can be as Deadly as Poison (8b)
Ø It is like poison. The word in Greek is literally "snake venom".
Ø Just a few drops can kill
(Proverbs 18:21 NIV) "The tongue has the power of life and death...."
Lady with rabies: Made a list of people she was going to bite.
3A. The Paradox of the tongue (9-12)
1B. It Reveals our Hypocrisy (9-10)
What is impossible in the natural world is improper in the spiritual world
Ø Little girl hugs Father and sticks out her tongue at her brother behind her Father's back. You cannot love your Father and be ugly to your brother at the same time.
One minute we are praising God and the next we are cursing other people.
Ø Cursing here does not necessarily mean profanity. It means any kind of put down, label.
2B. It Reveals our Heart (11-12)
The point is, whatever is in the well comes out in the water.
Whatever is in the tree, comes out in the fruit.
(Matthew 12:34 NCV) ",,, The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart."
If you've got a problem with your tongue = You have a problem with your heart.
Application
1B. Get a New Heart
(Ezekiel 18:31 NCV) "Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new way of thinking…"
Ø Painting the outside of the pump does not make any difference if there is poison in the well.
You need a new heart!
(Psalms 51:10 NCV) "Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again."
2B. Ask God for Help Every Day.
While it is the bit that controls the horse, someone holds the reins
While it is the rudder that steers the ship, someone holds the wheel.
You need supernatural power to control your tongue.
(Psalms 141:3 NIV) "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."
Sidlow Baxter: "The proof that God's Spirit is in your life is not that you speak in an unknown tongue but you control the tongue you do know
3B. Think before you Speak
Engage your mind before you put your mouth in gear.
HOW TO Tame Your Tongue
Developing a Faith That Works
May 11, 1997 p.m. - James 3:1-12
Tim McGhee
1A. The _________________ of the Tongue
1B. The Tongue has the Power to ___________ (3)
2B. The Tongue has the Power to ________ (4-5a)
2A. The _____________________ of the Tongue (5b-8)
1B. The Tongue can ______ like a Broken Sewer (6a)
2B. The Tongue can _______ like an Blazing Fire (5b&6b)
(Proverbs 16:27-28 NCV) "Useless people make evil plans, and their words are like a burning fire. {28} A useless person causes trouble, and a gossip ruins friendships."
(Matthew 12:36 NCV) "And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said."
3B. The Tongue can Devour like a ___________________ (7)
(Galatians 5:15 NIV) "If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other."
4B. The Tongue can be as _______________ as Poison (8)
(Proverbs 18:21 NIV) "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
3A. The _____________________ of the tongue (9-12)
1B. It _______________ our Hypocrisy (9-10)
2B. It Reveals our ________________ (11-12)
(Matthew 12:34 NCV) "You snakes! You are evil people, so how can you say anything good? The mouth speaks the things that are in the heart."
Application
1B. Get a new ________________________
(Ezekiel 18:31 NCV) "Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new way of thinking. Why do you want to die, people of Israel?"
(Psalms 51:10 NCV) "Create in me a pure heart, God, and make my spirit right again."
2B. Ask God for Help Every Day.
(Psalms 141:3 NIV) "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."
3B. Think before you _______________