Tongue: November 25, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 25

TONGUE

Defined by Webster:
A moveable organ in the mouth; the principle organ of taste; speech or talk; a language or dialect.

GODS WORD

“No man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father and with it we curse men.” James 3:8-9.

“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.” Proverbs 15:4.

“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” Psalm 34:13.

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

The tongue is a very small part of our body, but a most important one, as without it we could neither be able to taste or be able to speak. While the tongue is small it is mighty. James tells us that no man can tame the tongue and that it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

The tongue has the power to do great damage. Once words come out of the mouth they cannot be taken back. In James 3:6 we are told that the damage the tongue can do is compared to a raging fire. Like a fire you cannot control the damage words can do nor can you reverse the damage. In a matter of minutes a few words spoken in anger can destroy the strongest of relationships.

In order to control our tongue we must think before we speak and consider whether our words have merit and are pleasing to God or whether the words we use are hurtful and destructive.

Our society has changed so much even over the last few years that the words we hear today in the work place, on the street, in the movies, on the television and even among the mouths of teenagers and children are appalling. Words that we hear today were never used in public even ten years ago.

We ask the question: “Why do we see this happening?” Think about the changes we have seen here in our society in such things as the forbidding of prayers being said in our schools, not allowing the posting of the Ten Commandments in our schools and in our public buildings and the proliferation of pornography under the guise of free speech. We have taken God out of our society. The media also has shown no restraints in the language used in movies and television.

James tells us what comes out of our mouth shows what motivates us and our words reveal what and who we are. Without God’s help it is impossible to control the tongue. If we claim to be Christians and have faith in Jesus we must submit our tongue to His control.

When we were children we remember our parents telling us they would wash our mouth out with soap if we said a “bad” word. Those “bad” words we used years ago are considered normal everyday words today.

Standards may have changed but God’s standards have not changed. What the Bible teaches about the tongue is still applicable today. James tells us that no man can contain the tongue and that it is an unruly evil and full of deadly poison. We cannot control our tongue with our own strength. We must seek God’s help and through His Holy Spirit working in us, we will be able to keep our tongue from evil and our lips from speaking deceit.

OUR WEEKLY MEMORIZATION VERSE

Our verse to memorize as a family this week is found in Psalm 119:11. Take the time today to memorize this verse. Our goal is that one year from today we all will have memorized 52 verses from the Bible.

“Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You.”

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Help me today to control my tongue. May my words today honor You in all that I do.