These 3 posts are really a good slap on my face from God warning me to REPENT! I definately have some tongue disease and I am a fool and a hypocrite by saying that I'm a believer of Christ and yet I tell lies,speak foul language and gossip!!!! I talk too much, I exaggerate and I speak idle words! I am greatly impacted by God's word and I want to change. I will try to speak less, be honest and STOP gossiping! I will try to exercise self-control and not use foul language even when I am extremely angry or mad. I must learn to use words that are graceful and not say more than I mean. PLease help me Lord. Come and cleanse and Sanctify my tongue!
The Glory Of Your Tongue
20 Aug 2009
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. James 3:2
James talks a great deal about our tongue: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless” (James 1:26). It doesn’t matter how religious we may claim ourselves to be. If we do not keep our tongue under control, our religion is worthless and unacceptable to God.
In James 3:2-8, the tongue is likened to the little rudder of a ship. If it is not used properly, it can shipwreck our faith. The tongue is also likened to a little fire that can set a whole forest ablaze. Just like forest fires can cost millions of dollars in damages, careless words can financially ruin a person. James also likens the tongue to a source of poison that can corrupt the whole life stream.
James is, in essence, echoing what Jesus says in the Gospel: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matt. 12:33-37). What is the real reason we have a tongue? Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices.” In quoting that same psalm on the Day of Pentecost, Peter says, “Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad” (Acts 2:26). When you compare the two verses, you will come to the conclusion that your tongue is your glory. The only reason God gave you a tongue is so that you may glorify Him with it.
Your tongue can be set ablaze by two kinds of fire: hell fire, or the fire of the Holy Spirit. And the way you choose the latter is to follow what Ephesians 5:18-20 says, “And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thanking, praising and worshiping with your mouth have a powerful effect in cleansing and sanctifying your tongue.
The Wholesome Tongue
26 Oct 2009
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Proverbs 15:4
When the tongue is guided by the Spirit of God and by the words of the Holy Scripture, it can impart truth and elicit thoughts which may be salutary to those who come under their influence. God planted the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9), and whoever ate from it—whether man or animal—would find life. Today, where can we find the tree of life?
According to Proverbs 15:4, it can be found from the wholesome speech that flows out from a man’s tongue. An unwholesome tongue on the other hand brings forth death. The Bible commands, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29, NIV).
What are unwholesome talks?
(1) Foul language. “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave” (Ps. 5:9, NLT). This kind of language produces death. As believers, we ought not to allow our mouths to speak any curses or foul language because we sing praises to God with our mouth. “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh”
(James 3:10-12).
(2) Lies. “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish” (Prov. 19:9). Lying does not benefi t the hearers; it also brings death to the one who lies. Acts 5 gives a very solemn account of Ananias and Sapphira who lied to the Holy Spirit, and were immediately struck dead. King David says, “He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; he who tells lies shall not continue in my presence” (Ps. 101:7). Similarly, God who has veracity would not allow a liar to continue in His presence.
(3) Gossip. In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul warned that in the last days, perilous times will come and we are to stay away from a particular group of people—slanderers. Slanderers are malicious gossipers. The name “Devil” (Gr. diabolos) means one who slanders another for the purpose of injury; a maligner. When you gossip, you are associating yourself with the devil. In 1 Timothy 5:11-15, Paul warns Timothy of some younger widows who “learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies,” that they have “turned aside after Satan.” Gossip never brings life but death. Decide today to guard your tongue. Set it apart to speak wholesome words that bring life and grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”
The Disease Of The Tongue
11 Jul 2009
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6
There is something very significant concerning the way God designed the human head. Every human head has seven openings: the eyes, ears and nostrils have two openings each, while the mouth has one opening. That ought to tell you something—one mouth is more than we can handle! With more than 2,000 references concerning this one little organ, the Bible does have much to say concerning our mouth. There is no area in our personality that affects our total well-being more than our mouth and tongue.
It does not matter how religious we may claim to be; if we do not keep our tongue under control, our faith is worthless and unacceptable to God. Jesus says, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matt. 12:34). The words of our mouth inevitably indicates the true
condition of our heart.
Consider the following six “diseases” of the tongue:
(1) The disease of excessive talking. Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”
(2) The disease of idle or careless words. Jesus says in Matthew 5:37 that exaggeration is from the devil; we should not say more than what we mean.
(3) The disease of gossip (Prov. 10:18). The very title of Satan in the New Testament is the “devil,” which means “slanderer.” If you gossip, you are actually doing the devil’s work for him.
(4) The disease of lying. Proverbs 6:16-19 says that two of the seven things God hates the most have to do with lying.
(5) The disease of flattery. Flattery is insincere complimenting of others, usually with the ulterior motive of gaining favors. God detests flattering lips (Ps. 12:3).
(6) The disease of hastiness of speech. Moses had to pay a heavy price for one hasty statement—he was disqualified from entering the Promised Land (Ps. 106:32-33).
Referring to the coming Messiah, Psalm 45:2 says, “You are fairer than the sons of men; grace is poured upon Your lips; therefore God has blessed You forever.” The grace that poured out from Jesus’ lips marked Him out as the Messiah. As followers of Christ, you are to do the same. May your speech always be with grace!
sakura blossom falls at: 10:34 PM
