Tame Your Tongue

READ PRAYERFULLY 
1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.  9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!  11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. JAMES 3:1-12 NLT
EXTRACT THE MAIN IDEA

I must learn to tame my tongue

APPLY IT TO MY LIFE

Taming my tongue will require 

Realizing what’s at stake 
And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you. MATTHEW 12:36-37 NLT

Limiting the number of words I use
Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. PROVERBS 10:19 NLT 
Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. PROVERBS 21:23 NLT 

Thinking before speaking 
The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking; the mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words. PROVERBS 15:28 NLT 
Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. PROVERBS 13:3 NLT 
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.  EPHESIANS 4:29 NLT
Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ… EPHESIANS 4:15 NLT 

Listening to my self talk 
The lips of the godly speak helpful words, but the mouth of the wicked speaks perverse words. PROVERBS 10:32 NLT
But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. MATTHEW 15:18 NLT 

Admitting I cannot do this on my own
Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. JAMES 3:2 NLT

Ask forgiveness of God and others for your words

Seek accountability for your words

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. PSALM 19:14 NLT 

LET IT OUT

My Notes