Taming your tongue will improve your relationships and your life #2.
A tongue was intended to be a divine ORGAN,
but we often allow Satan to play on it.
by Pastor George Lehman
Consider this word in the light of building loving, serving relationships.
We need to have an active program of change in place. We need to be improving in our spiritual lives otherwise there’s a serous problem in our walk with God.
Opposite of progress is regress (vordering is agter uitgang) To regress means to return to a former stage of life or a less developed state.
Proverbs 12:18 (Amp) – There is one who speaks rashly like a piercing of a word; but the tongue of the wise heals.
Clearly the unwise use their tongue to hurt, to breakdown, to destroy
We are going to look at the various ways our tongue affects our daily lives.
Proverbs 21:23 (Amp) – He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles.
#2 The hasty tongue.
Proverbs 29:20 (Amp) – Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a [self-confident] fool* than for him.
*Fool – someone who behaves without discipline
Have you sometimes offended someone because you did not engage your brain before shifting your tongue into drive?
Have you ever made a commitment to God or man without giving it much thought or consideration and then went back on your word?
What does this say about our growth development?
James 3:2 (Amp) – For we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things. And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.
How we need to depend on the Holy Spirit to direct our speech so that we don’t innocently offend others by what we may hastily say.
Proverbs 18:13 (Amp) – He who answers a matter before he hears the facts – it’s folly and shame to him.
If we are going to promote unity, we need to practice NOT being easily offended. Give others the benefit of the doubt when they have a hasty tongue. Don’t you also have one?
God wants us to have integrity and keep our promises. Not make hasty commitments and fail to deliver.
1 Chronicles 29:17 (NIV) – I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with INTEGRITY. All these things have I given willingly and with honest intent…
Ecclesiastes 5:2 (Amp) – Be not rash with your mouth and let not your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; Therefore, let your words be few.
If you are a person with a hasty tongue you need to STOP, THINK and PRAY
before you speak.
James 1:19 (Amp) – Understand this, my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear (a ready listener), slow to speak, slow to take offence and get angry.
#3 The divisive [onenigheid] tongue.
Matthew 5:9 (Amp) – Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
One of Satan’s most effective strategies for hindering any effort which two people undertake is divide and conquer.
He knows the power and blessing that results from unity. His plan is to bring division which destroys unity and harmony.
Sadly, if we don’t guard our tongues, we can so easily be peace-BREAKERS.
The bible warns against being a divisive person:
Proverbs 6:14-15 (Amp) – Willful and contrary* in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation*, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it. Therefore, upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.
Contrary – opposite of what is expected.
Vexation – Frustration
Paul calls the church to pursue peace. Not only must we refrain from causing division, but we must also become active agents of peace.
Ephesians 4:3 (Amp) – Try always to be led along together by the Holy Spirit, and so be at PEACE with one another.
Stop being over sensitive.
Stop being offended over harmless statements.
Stop reading more into comments than what was intended.
#4 The argumentative [skoorsoekerig, twisgierig, stryerig] tongue.
Proverbs 20:3 (NLT) – Avoiding a fight is a mark of honour; only fools insist on quarreling.
Unlike a divisive tongue whose actions destroy unity between people an argumentative person enjoys looking for opportunities to have an argument with anyone who may have a different viewpoint from theirs; always getting people on the defensive, causing unending quarrels.
The quarreller’s goal is not to add value to someone’s life, but rather show people up.
Proverbs 17:14 (NLT) – Beginning a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.
What an awesome responsibility we have as God’s children to guard what comes out of our mouths.
Say this to God but beware of a HASTY tongue!
Psalm 39:1 (Amp) – I said, I will take heed and guard my ways, that I may sin not with my tongue; I will muzzle my mouth as with a bridle while the wicked are before me.
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