What do we see? Part Three

The Tongue James 3:1-18 Proverbs 18:21 ‘The tongue has the power of life and death.’ James 1:19 ‘Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

James 1:26 ‘If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight reign on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.’ James 3:7 ‘It corrupts the whole body.’ Proverbs 21:23 ‘He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity.’

The tongue can: Express or Repress Release or Restrain Enlighten or Obscure Adore or Abhor Offend or Befriend Affirm or Alienate

Build or Belittle Comfort or Criticize Delight or Destroy Be sincere or Sinister The tongue can Xerox the good or X-ray the bad.

1) V3 ‘We put BITS into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.’

2) V4 ‘Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small RUDDER, wherever the pilot wants to go. ’

3) V5 ‘A great forest is set on FIRE by a small spark. The tongue is also a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire.

4) V7-8: ‘All KINDS OF ANIMALS, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.’

V9-10 ‘With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.’

5) v11 ‘Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same SPRING.’

6) FRUIT: V12 ‘My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.’

Action Steps 1) READ Proverbs and James Proverbs 11:12: “A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbour, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.’ 12:18: ‘Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.’

2. THINK First. Are your words flames or flowers? TRUE HELPFUL INSPIRING NECESSARY KIND

3. TALK LESS Abraham Lincoln said, ‘It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.’ Calvin Coolidge said, ‘I have never been hurt by anything I did not say.’

Proverbs 10:19 ‘When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.’ Psalm 39:1 ‘I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth.’

4. BUILD OTHERS UP. Encourage each other with our words. Are we speaking words of death or words of life? Words of life energize people. Proverbs 12:25 ‘An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.’

5.HEART SURGERY. Matthew 12:34 ‘For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.’ 15:19 ‘For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, lies and slander.’