Learning To Tame My Tongue

Learning to tame my tongue James 3:1-13

Introduction.

There is not many people around that does not struggle with issues of controlling their tonuge from time to time. even though the Bible men struggle with it.

ps.106:32-33 moses spoke rashly with his lips.

Job 40:4 Job said behold I am vile.

Matt 26:33 Peter said he would die for the lord. But in

Matt 26:69:-75 He denyed even knowing him.

Now lets look at what we might can learn about the tonuge.

James 3:1-13 {Read}

James gives attention to the tongue. and in 4 other places in this book as well.

James 1:19 and 26

James 2:12

James 4:11

James 5:12

NOW LETS CONSIDER THESE ELEMENTS!

#1 The Power of the tongue to Influence Many Prov.18:21

James 3:1 gives us a strict warning Why??

A teacher/A Preacher/ A leader/ has a great Influnce on so many.

And sometimes as a brother, a sister, a mom, a dad, a pastor,a boss,a friend, and the list goes on and on, James says we all can have a great influence on people all around us.

Luke:12:48 says where much is given much is required

#2 The potential of the tongue to Indicate Maturity verse 2

James point’s out if we do not stumble in the use of our "Tongue"

We are Perfect

The word "Perfect" there is a word for Maturity

Someone has said that the true "Mark" of christian Maturity is being able to controll his tonuge!!

NOW, LETS LOOK AT 4 EXAMPLE’S THAT COULD GIVES US MEANING THAT COULD HELP US IN CONTROLLING OUR TONGUE.

#1 The horse and the Bridle. verse #3

A horse without direction is useless to a man.

Its only when a bit is put in thier mouth the horse becomes disciplined and directed.

A horse can not bridle itself, but let man bridle it, Then he becomes useful

That paints a picture for us.

If man will let God Bridle him in the way of his tonuge, It will produce Maturity.

#2 The ship and the Rudder. verse #4

Point being A tiny contraption of wood and metal can change the direction of a huge sailing vessel!!

Just as a tiny member of our body{The tongue} can change the direction of our entire life !!!!

#3 The Forest fire and the spark. verse 5 and 6

Every forest and every house fire was started by a "spark"

And one spark is sufficient to set a whole forest ablaze !!!

And that spark usually can be Attributed to human carelessness and neglect.

Thats why James was giving us some advise to be very careful how we use our tonuge that our small little Tonuge can be like a fire in the forest.

#4 The animal and the trainer !!!! verse 7

Today the nature of the animal has been Tamed by the nature of man.

Lets consider some of them.

We have danceing Bears

We have trained seals

We have talking dolphia’s

We have charmed snakes

We have Dogs that does tricks

We have Lions that are Trained to open their mouths and men put there heads in there mouth and not be hurt.

And we have elephants that can March to commaands

Al these creatures have been tamed, But the tounge in our mouth is untamed and untameable without Gods help.. Amen.

NOW LETS CONSIDER THE POISON OF THE TONGUE THAT

INFECTS THE MOUTH.

Lets look at verse 8 of chapter 3

The picture is that of a Poisonous snake whose tounge is never at rest and whose fangs are filled with venom.

The word "poison" is translated in the "Greek" and means "Arrow".

And when the tounge is used to shoot arrows at other’s it most always brings "Deadly" results.

PS.140:3 David said......... They have sharpened their tonuges like a sepert, {viper} poison is under their lips.

PS.52:2-4 David said again............... Thy tonuge devised mischiefs like a sharp razor,working deceitfully

verse 3 Thou lovest evil more than good, and lying rather than to speak righteousness

verse 4 thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceiful tonuge.

Let me stop right here and say I have to confess, I myself in times past have found myself committing Muder, and I done it and did not evn give thought of what I was doing, you see it is so very easy to use our tounge to me a weapon, and it will be as a poison in our mouth if we are not careful..............MAY THE LORD JESUS HELP US ALL THIS MORNING.

NOW THERE IS 2 KINDS OF POISON THAT CAN INFECT THE

MOUTH.

#1........... The poison of Gossip.

Proverbs 17: 9 He that covereth a transgression seekth love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

Proverbs 16:27-28........... An ungodly man diggeth up evil, and in his lips there is as a burning fire, versr 28.........A forward man soweth strife and a whisper separateth cheif friends.