Follow Along with the Message

A Mouthful or a Mouth-less?

Pastor Tom Lundeen

Note Luke 6:45 and James 1:26

% of our entire life is spent talking. 

In an average year, we'll fill 66 books of  pages with our words (note Matthew 15:17-20a). 

We're continuing this series that's for , no matter where you are at in your spiritual journey, because God wants us to experience new life, and He wants to help us grow and mature in this gift of new life He freely offers. (Hebrews 6:1)

1. If You Can Control Your Tongue, You Can Control Your   (Note James 3:2)

Stumble = moral or spiritual .

Perfect = integrity, complete, , reaching full potential.

God's Spirit has to have done a major work in our heart for what to come out of our mouth consistently to be God-pleasing and -encouraging. 

If the tongue is controlled, it's  that our passions and character issues have already been controlled by the Holy Spirit.

2. Our Small Tongues are Powerful Instruments of  

...James tells us the tongue is in reality the most powerful tool for  change that God has given us. Note James 3:3-5a

Great boasts = not a negative word, but big . 

Words are extraordinarily , for good or ill.

Telling Yourself the  (William Backus) 

3. The Tongue is Not  (Note James 3:5b-6)

The tongue  our heart, and our hearts are... (Note Jeremiah 17:9)

The tongue/heart reveals who we really are, that left to ourselves, we are  people with spiritually defective DNA. Note James 3:7-8.

Restless evil = ready to  at any time.

Deadly poison = . 

The tongue is a  arsonist, murderer, and terrorist. 

God takes our words very . 

He doesn't redefine and  language. 

Words  things. 

4. The Tongue is the  of Our Heart

I can pretend, fake it, conceal for a while what's really inside me, but under enough pressure, in a , what comes out of my mouth displays my true character. 

Note James 3:9-12

You can look good on the outside...and have an  heart. 

Note Matthew 12:33-37

A prayer for us to pray:

Lord, help me really  my words and what they are telling me. 

God wants our tongue to be a spiritual  to help us see what's actually our spiritual maturity. 

So honestly evaluate your words today:

• Harshness (tells you there's )

• Negativity (usually )                           

• Criticism (bitterness)                                      

• Filth/crudeness ()                          

• Bragging ()                                    

• Encouraging words (happy heart)                   

• Gentle words ( heart)

• Truthful words (honest heart)

•   words (loving heart)

• Talk abrasively (judgmental)

• Talk too much

 •  

Start listening to your speech (including  speech) and let the Holy Spirit diagnose your spiritual growth and maturity. 

So let's GET Growing:

3 important steps:

• Get a  heart (note 2 Corinthians 5:17).
• Determine to deal with the  issues our words reveal.
• Commit to bring my speech under the  of Jesus (note Ephesians 4:29; Psalm 141:3).

Tell someone about the next step you took today in your spiritual journey! Let us know, too, and fill out our digital connect card.