Philippians 4:2-9 - Clover Sites



Taming the Tongue

Basil Marotta Jericho Ministries

Session Outline: (Psa 19:14 NIV) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

(James 1:19 NIV) My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

(James 3:1-12 NIV) Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. {2} We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. {3} When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. {4} 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. {5} Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. {6} The tongue also is 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, and is itself set on fire by hell. {7} All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, {8} but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. {9} With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. {10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. {11} Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? {12} My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

(Prov 18:20-21 NIV) From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. {21} The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Words have great power: “The tongue is not something we should befriend or defend, but an instrument that we should understand and yield to God’s control.” D. Balch

What you say and what you don’t say are very important. Proper use of our tongues includes saying the right things at the right time, and controlling our desire to say what we shouldn’t.

A man who controls_ his tongue controls his whole being .

(Eph 4:29-32 NIV) 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.

(Prov 15:1 NIV) A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Life Implication:

So, the solution is to trust in God, not our own ability…He wants us to have a heart for God…He wants to change our hearts to conform to His…Our words should encourage and build up others, not tear them down.

(Prov 23:7a KJV) For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

Jesus warned us. (Mat 15:17-20 NIV) "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? {18} But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' (19) “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. {20} These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'

He has given us the Holy Spirit to empower us and remind us of everything Jesus said and did.

Question: Are there occasions when your tongue gets out of control? What steps can you take to eliminate this from happening? Share some experiences about positive and or negative things you have said and the consequences.

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Under divine control the tongue can act in a healing way….

1.In praying and receiving God’s answers and provision James 1:5, 5:13, 14, 15, 17, 18

2. in singing and expressing joy; 5:13, 1:2

3. in praising God and men; 3:9

4. in aiding spiritual growth; 1:26

5. in communicating divine truth; 2:23, 3:1, 5:10

6. in accomplishing God’s purposes and helping others; 2:25

7. in accomplishing constructive and productive acts for humanity; 3:3,4

8.in voicing true spiritual repentance; 4:9

9. in voicing dependence upon God; 4:15

10. in expressing dissatisfaction with injustice; 5:4

11. in expressing absolute honesty in all promises; 5:12

12. in expressing healthy self-disclosure; 5:16

13. in being redemptive and reconciliatory; 5:19

14. in expressing faith; 1:6

15. in expressing love and mercy; 2:8

16. in arguing for the faith; 2:20

17. in soliciting the help of others; 5:14

18. in reading God’s Word; 1:22, 25

Left to itself the tongue can act in a very harmful way……

1. In expressing doubt; James 1:6

2. In expressing falsehood; 1:13,5:12

3. in expressing anger; 1:19-20

4. in hindering true spirituality; 1:26

5. in expressing discrimination and favoritism; 2:1-4

6.in expressing insults; 2:6

7.in slandering others and condemning them; 2:7, 4:11

8. in expressing indifference, selfishness; 2:16

9. in arguing and quarreling; 2:18, 4:1

10. in misleading others; 3:1-2

11. in bragging and boasting of self; 3:5

12. in spreading evil; 3:6

13. in destroying people from within; 3:7

14. in cursing men; 3:9

15. in expressing envy and covetousness; 4:3

16: in ineffective praying; 4:3

17. in expressing frivolity in face of sin; 4:9

18. in expressing arrogance and independence from

God; 4:13

19. in expressing hatred and injustice; 5:6

20. in grumbling; 5:9

21. in taking the Lord’s name in vain; 5:12

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