Center for Biblical Coaching

The Tongue

Sunday, March 1st, 2009

James 1:19-27 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 20 For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out–he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Practical instruction:

- Quick to listen

- Slow to speak

- Slow to anger

- Put away filth

- Put away excess evil

- Humbly welcome the message (word) implanted within you

- Hear and DO

- Bridle your tongue

- Care for orphans

- Care for widows

- Keep unstained

I. The scientific use of the tongue

- Chewing

- Swallowing

- Tasting (see picture)

- Talking

- Spitting

II. The negative use of the tongue:

This week I had a mom call me up after hearing the testimonies of those who went to Ukraine and South Africa. She said, “I want you to know that I am not concerned about problems in the youth ministry.”

At first I was like, cool… But then I had to ask her if she was previously concerned about problems.

Her response just floored me. She said that there is a prominent lady in the church that has told her not to get her kids involved in the youth ministry because of all the problems. Problems at The FLOW, problems at Frontlines, problems in AWANA’s, problems with the mission teams, problems with the after-school program, problems with the Sunday schools, etc…

I was so MAD! This lady is not involved in the ministry but is stirring up gossip. What was my response? I wanted to tell her and her husband off and then rip her head off!

Then I read this passage that says I need to be slow to speak and slow to anger. But with her tongue she can destroy this ministry!

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Psalm 10:4 The wicked man is so arrogant he always thinks, “God won’t hold me accountable; he doesn’t care.”

Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of curses and deceptive, harmful words; his tongue injures and destroys.

Psalm 52:4 You love to use all the words that destroy, and the tongue that deceives.

Proverbs 6:16-17 There are six things that the LORD hates, even seven things that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love its use will eat its fruit.

James 1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

James 3:5-8 So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze. 6 And the tongue is a fire! The tongue represents the world of wrongdoing among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the entire body and sets fire to the course of human existence–and is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and sea creature is subdued and has been subdued by humankind. 8 But no human being can subdue the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

Romans 1:28-32 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. 29 They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them.

Can you see how God describes those who use their tongues in wicked ways?

This small part of the body is so dangerous! It has good uses as well.

III. The hypocritical use of the tongue:

James 3:9-10 With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in God’s image. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. These things should not be so, my brothers and sisters.

IV. The proper use of the tongue

Psalm 39:1 For the music director, Jeduthun; a psalm of David. I decided, “I will watch what I say and make sure I do not sin with my tongue. I will put a muzzle over my mouth while in the presence of an evil man.”

Psalm 66:17 I cried out to him for help and praised him with my tongue.

Psalm 71:24 All day long my tongue will also tell about your justice, for those who want to harm me will be embarrassed and ashamed.

Psalm 119:172 May my tongue sing about your instructions, for all your commands are just.

Proverbs 17:28 Even a fool who remains silent is considered wise, and the one who holds his tongue is deemed discerning.

Proverbs 21:23 The one who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps his life from troubles.

Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and loving instruction is on her tongue.

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer everyone.

What are the choices you have to make as it relates to your speech?

Ex…Build up or tear down…

For more information on this topic, read the Communication and Conflict Resolution for Parents blog or go to the resources tab and order the Communication and Conflict Resolution for Parents to download.

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