Scripture: James 3:1-12; Matthew 12:33-37; 1 Peter 4:11; Ephesians 4:29-32
God, Horses and the Human Tongue
This morning, I want to begin a new teaching series entitled “THE SEED OF YOUR WORDS PRODUCES A HARVEST”, and the question is, WHAT TYPE OF HARVEST ARE YOUR WORDS PRODUCING? Words are powerful, we cannot see them when they are being spoken out of our mouths or someone else’s mouth, but we truly can FEEL THEM! When a word is spoken it travels directly to our hearts and at that moment, we must make a conscious decision on how we choose to receive it, reject it or even process it! Sometime ago, I taught a series entitled The Four Soils, What Type of Ground Are You and we determined that we are good ground and we also determined that the SEED is the WORD and we learned that when seeds are sown in good ground, they develop and produce more fruit but when seeds are sown amongst thorns or stony ground, they do not last nor develop fruit! So, if we are to remain good ground, we must be cautious of the type of seed we sow from our very own mouths and what types of seeds (words) we allow other to plant in our hearts. Proverbs 18:21 NIV states, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” Our choice of words determines the fruit that develops. Another version of this verse explains that we will eat the fruit of our own words (NIV). First, we plant the seed with our words, then we eat the fruit that comes. Will we plant words that produce poisonous fruit or life-giving fruit? What we choose will affect our future. I don’t want to eat fruit that is poisonous. I don’t want to speak things into my life that are going to end up poisoning my future. My tongue has the power of life and death; it is up to me to choose which seed to plant for my future.
WHEN OUR WORDS ARE MOTIVATED BY SATAN, THEY ARE FULL OF:
Bitter jealousy; selfish ambition, earthly concerns and desires, unspiritual thoughts and ideas, disorder and evil.
WHEN OUR WORDS ARE MOTIVATED BY GOD AND WISDOM, THEY ARE FULL OF:
Purity, peace, consideration for others, submission, mercy, sincerity, impartiality and goodness.
What you say and what you don’t say are both important. Proper speech is not only saying the right words at the right time but controlling your desire to say what you shouldn’t. Examples of wrongly using the tongue include:
Gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulation, false teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering and lying.
Before you speak, as, “is what I want to say true?” Is it necessary? Is it kind?” So, the question we must ask ourselves is “will my words be poisonous or life-giving?” Words are not neutral. They shape and define our lives. They reveal the faith we have rooted in our hearts since they are indicative of what we actually believe on the inside. What do you believe? Do you believe God is for you and not against you? Do you believe He is on your side? Do you believe He has a plan and hope for your future? Jesus explained the source of our words in Luke 6:45 when He stated, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”When you store God’s word in your heart, you are establishing a deep level of faith. Our tongues speak the overflow of the faith that is in our hearts. What is going to come out of your mouth? If you’ve stored up in your heart what God says about your life, then words of goodness, faith, hope, and love will come out of your mouth, and you will eat that life-giving fruit in your future. Words are revealing of what you believe. What seeds are you planting for your future?
In the chapter James compares the human tongue to a horse. We have mastered controlling this tremendous, spirited animal with a small piece of metal, yet we are far from controlling the words that fall from our lips.
If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to harness the whole body...Indeed we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn (or control) their whole body. James 3:2-3
Why then, do we find it so difficult to refrain from saying words we know will only harm? Controlling what we say, though, how hard do we really try? Is it simply a form of self-discipline that we are lacking? We seek to control every single aspect of our lives. Self-control? Nah, what fun is that? Surely it is easier to harness the power of a wild horse than to reign in your tongue. It does seem to take on a life of its own bursting out of control at times when emotions are elevated. Whether we are quickly placing our foot in our mouth or cutting down another driver in rush hour traffic, it is a problem most of us (unless you live in isolation) combat daily.
“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment. “ Dorothy Nevill
Chose your words wisely, never allow them to tear down but to build up. #vtomchurch #wordshavepower