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Well, this is what I'd like to do. We embarking on a new series. And I'm gonna call it taming the untameable tongue. I think that's a good name for this series. Because it is untameable it can be tamed but only by God and through his Holy Spirit.
This is gonna be a very interesting series and I and I say not only wrestling. It's gonna be very convicting. It's gonna be insightful. As I've studied it so far I'm pretty much cut up the pieces already.
So I need some healing but We'll pass to you what the Lord has been speaking to me about in these 12 verses of chapter 3 of James. We're moving on to chapter 3 now. We've finished chapter 1. We finished chapter 2.
That's a quite a Success isn't it?
And.
What I'd like to do today is speak to you in a topical sense of selected scriptures. We're going to start off with what James says and move it to the Psalms and other places in the Proverbs. And what the Word of God is a not a complete exhaustive List because we can go on and on and on and that's why I've broken this up to a six-part series.
So this would be part one of a six-part series an introduction and an overview. What we're going to be looking at. But what does the Word of God have to say about who contained the tongue. Who contained the tongue?
What a question. So this is the intro and an overview. So let's first start off by reading these 12 verses if you like and please turn with me. I invite you to James chapter 3 verse 1 verse 1 through 12.
So here the word of the Living God I'm reading from the New American Standard Bible. If you have another other translations, that's okay. It's God's Word. You may have the New King James. That's good.
You may don't have the old King James authorized version or the ESV. They're all good translations. So here God's Word the Apostle James to the Holy Spirit says verse 1. Let not many of you become teachers my brethren.
Knowing that such we will incur a stricter judgment for we all stumble in many ways. If any if anyone does not stumble in what he says. He is a perfect man able to bridle the whole body as well.
Now.
If we put the bits into the horse's mouth so that they will obey us We direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also though. They are so great and are so driven by strong winds are So directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.
So also the tongue is a small part of the body and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire and The tongue is a fire. The very world of iniquity the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body and Sets on fire the course of our life and is set on fire by hell for every species of beast and birds and reptiles and creatures of the sea is Tamed and has been tamed by the human race.
But no one contained the tongue. It is a restless evil and in and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father and with it we curse men Who have been made in the likeness of God? Verse 10 from the same mouth.
Come both blessing and cursing. My brethren these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water. Can a fig tree my brethren produce olives or a vine produce figs?
Nor can salt water produce fresh. May God richly bless the reading of his word to our ears to our hearts this morning. Let's pray Our Heavenly Father we come to you again Seeking your face Through your son the Lord Jesus Christ through his precious blood and by the application of the Holy Spirit.
Father we come in faith. We seek your face in faith Within this very hour father. Oh God We pray for your help the help of your Holy Spirit. Father we lean hard on you this morning. Help us to worship you with reverence all and Thanksgiving rejoice with tremble.
But father we so desperately need your Holy Spirit. We need your Holy Spirit the third person of the Trinity here to give us the aid. To help and all that we do and say to worship you as we should. Father we need your Holy Spirit.
There are so many needs. But we desperately need your Holy Spirit. First and foremost to glorify you as we should the Father the Son. The Spirit to give us eyes to see ears to hear to love you and love you alone.
Lord we need your spirit to teach us the things of Christ to us all this father. To give you glory. To make us to break us Lord to teach us to use us so father Lord help us. Help us to love you to love your word More and more and to hate sin more and more.
We cannot do this in our own. Takes your Holy Spirit to do this in a regenerate heart. To be a follower a learner of you. To give you glory and praise and father. I would pray this morning. Take your word sanctify is holy sanctifies in your truth.
For your word is truth, and we ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen and amen. Well as you know in the previous passage as we looked in the epistle James James as it spose the folly of imagining oneself to be religious.
While the tongue is uncontrolled, that's pretty much what he spoke of in The previous verses is natural therefore for him to enlarge to expand upon this thing after setting forth the vanity of a faith a Dead faith in which we looked at which expresses itself only in words and not in works and that's what James is talking about those most tempted to such self-deception and to such dead Orthodoxy or teachers of religious truth, and it is such first of all I would say who are in the mind of the writer here and.
As.
James pens this searching passage on the sins of the tongue. It is hardly necessary to note that by the tongue James means a gift of speech. I Don't think he's thinking of that as we have read. The tongue is a world of iniquity He says.
And to set on fire from hell James is actually meaning in this whole paragraph paragraph and verses 1 through 12.
The.
Depravity of the tongue and where it comes from is the heart. He abounds in figures and pictures as we've read and illustrations that are very practical. He speaks of the small rudder a ship. He speaks of the bits in the horse's mouth and we're gonna look at that later on when we do the exposition today.
We're just gonna do an overview and as a whole and take selected scriptures and look at what the Word of God has to say. About the tongue there's much to say. So I'm gonna go as fast as I possibly can because there's many scriptures to touch on.
The scriptures that James wrote to were. Were apparently having serious to the people he wrote to we're having serious problems with their tongues. We can see this in this letter if you notice. And I bring this up in this passage is verses 1 through 12.
James used the common Jewish literary device in a sense of attributing blame to a specific bodily member. James had warned them to be swift to hear. Slow to speak slow to wrath in chapter 1 verse 19 The believer who does not bridle his tongue is not truly religious.
And in James 1 26 we must speak and act as though we Were already facing Christ and judgment as he says. Then in James 2 12. So here he says is where James is slapping our face. To get our attention on discipline.
So we as believers do not fall further into judgment. Why? Well, obviously our tongue gets us some serious trouble because words can get us into serious trouble so words come from our tongue and what comes from the words comes from the heart and Some both for the good of the kingdom and detriment of the church.
So who has control of your words?
God.
Or man.
Here is another question. Do your words reflect who you are in Jesus Christ, or does the sinful nature have its roots in you? Another question a question is wisdom guiding them for the desire for the world's attention.
Another question these are James's questions, I would think To the early church and their struggle with gossip with slander with murmuring. And it's a problem. We all have at times right if we're really honest and We do fall and slip into these sins.
Speaking before thinking so so in this series of the tongue We begin part one is an overview and introduction in these twelve verses very powerful very convicting who contained the tongue. Who containment well scriptures already told us no one contained the tongue.
Well, we begin our journey in this within this hour looking at what the scriptures have to say about this little member. That's so small. That's so deadly and full of poison so let's look at Some important points and I really don't have an outline.
But I'm trying trying to go in this and in this direction and one of the important Questions we'll be looking at is and and also applications of the first questions because it will consider What does the scripture say about the tongue.
I think that's the most important question what does God say about the tongue? It's not what I have to say What does God say about it? So we're going to look at that. It will not be exhaustive list there are many many verses so Because the time I'm definitely not going to have time to Touch on all those scriptures, but second we will also look at Who contained the tongue and I've already given that answer the Word of God gives that answer no one but by God's help and God and The Holy Spirit can help us discipline ourselves and Then as some person and then we look at some personal applications and our everyday living because I think that's where it comes down to.
We use our tongues every day. Don't we there's no telling how many words we speak but On an average there's thousands and thousands of words just going out there and not returning. That's sobering isn't it?
First so first what does the scriptures the Word of God say about the tongue? What is the Word of God say much? First of all, let me give you a definition before we dig into scripture definition in the tongue.
Really is you it's me. It's who we are in a unique way what we say reveals who we are and Scripture the tongue is variously described as wicked. It's deceitful. It's perverse. It's filthy. It's corrupt.
It's flattering. It's slanderous. It's gossiping it's murmuring. It's blasphemous. It's foolish. It's boasting. It's complaining cursing contentious. Sensual and vile now, that's not exhaustive list. But it kind of gives us an idea that the tongue is pretty bad, isn't it?
And it's it's a world of iniquity. That's what the Word of God says. It's a world of iniquity. And that's not of exhaustive list. Got a quote here by Pastor John MacArthur and this is what he says and I got a couple quotes by him.
It's really good and the Keith's already heard this but For those there were not able to listen to this. This is for you, too. But I think this is a great definition of what he says. No wonder he says MacArthur God put the tongue in a cage behind the teeth walled in by the mouth.
Using another figure someone has observed that because the tongue is in a wet place it can easily slip. So true. He goes on to say is a tail a tattletale that tells on the heart and it discloses the real person.
That is so good. It's a tattletale that tells on the heart it tells on us. Not only that but the misuse of the tongue is perhaps the easiest way to sin. He goes on to say there are some sins that an individual may not be able to commit.
Simply because he does not have the opportunity. But there are no limits to what one can say no built-in restraints or boundaries. End quote on the tongue. Oh my goodness. That's so well said. Well, so words our words have a crucial role of communicating.
We know this not only our ideas, but how we are connecting with other people and God gave us a tongue for a purpose to communicate. But I believe mainly for the redeemed was to praise him like Charles Wesley said.
Oh for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise so we need. Not only in our spoken language as well as our body language. It is a utmost importance. That we do so knowing we have been.
Um.
Ambassador we are in his ambassadors and representatives. We need to keep that before us. We represent Jesus Christ. So what we say Says so much about us our words our deeds that result from them will convey to others who Jesus Christ is and us and how They should view him.
So it's critical that we do choose our words. Carefully, I believe Solomon says as apples of gold and pictures of silver. We need to be wise and the way we choose our words and this may sound a little bit overwhelming and weighty and it is but it is also an honor and this is a positive and we're gonna look at the negative in the positive like a battery a battery doesn't have two posts a Positive and a positive has a negative and a positive isn't it like the Word of God.
It rebukes it convicts and reproves, but it also encourages and it heals it cuts. But it heals there's always a good to it, but we're going to also get we're gonna get cut up a little bit this morning.
But there's some healing that's gonna a healing balm and Gilead to help us. So thank God for that. It's also an honor and a blessing like I said to convey his precepts and what a privilege it is. Not just in preaching a sermon.
I don't mean just that but in how we live. That's what it really matters because you and I are a sermon or should I say this? We are the only Bible that the world will ever read. And if we think of it like that, that's very convicting, isn't it?
And it's very important. We are the only Bible that people will ever read and so it's important our daily life. To God's honor and to God's glory to be demonstrated in connections with other people we come in contact with.
So, how do we do this? Well scriptures always give us the answer, right? We always go to the truth. We always go to the Word of God because God is an all-wise God and every word of God is pure. Every word of God has the wisdom from all my it's has the his word is Jesus said.
My words are spirit and they are life. It is sharper than any two-edged sword. There's life. It's got lit life-giving power. So we'll go to the truth. We'll go to the Word of the Living God for our answers.
So the tongue is of great concern to the Apostle James. So let's begin with the Apostle James and We'll would take this as a home port so to speak and then we'll take it to the scriptures of selected verses.
So in every chapter, I want you to think of this in the book of James every chapter. He touches on something about the tongue. Listen to this James chapter 1 verse 19 this, you know, my beloved brethren.
But everyone must be quick to hear slow to speak and slow to anger. Notice in verse 26 if anyone thinks himself to be religious and yet does not bridle that means to control his tongue. But deceives his own heart this man's religion is worthless.
We useless in vain. Notice what he says in chapter 2 verse 12. So speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of Liberty. Notice what he says in chapter 3 verse 5 and 6 as twice as we read previously.
So also the tongue is a small part of the body and yet it boasts of great things. Verse 6 and the tongue is a fire the very world of iniquity. The tongue is said among our members as that which defiles the entire body and Sets on fire the course of our life and is set on fire by hell.
Wow. Strong language there, isn't it? Verse 8. But no one can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil restless and full of deadly poison. Like us like an adder like a serpent. Notice what he says in chapter 4 verse 11.
Do not speak against one another. Brethren, and he who speaks against the brethren or judges his brother speaks against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge of it.
And look at chapter 5 in verse 12, but above all my brethren do not swear either by heaven or by earth with with any oath. But your yes is to be yes, and you're no no so that you may not fall under Judgment.
Notice that that you may not fall under judgment. These are warnings so the Apostle James is personifying the tongue and the mouth is the representatives of the depravity and wretchedness of the inner person and That's what he's saying.
So the tongue only produces what is told to produce by the heart. The heart is the motive power the motive engine in which The tongue gets its motion and it goes to the mind the mind the thought life and then the tongue, right?
That's where sin originates. What did Jesus say in Matthew 15 19? This is what he said James. I'm sorry, Jesus. Matthew 15 19 for out of the heart come evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness slanders.
Yeah, just that list in of itself. It's comprehensive, isn't it? It's it's so striking. It's so powerful. Someone said scientists maintain that once a sound wave is set in motion. This is interesting.
Once a sound wave is set in motion. It continues on a never-ending journey never ending and that if we had Sophisticated enough instruments each wave could be captured and produced. Reproduced. I'm sorry at any time if that is true.
Then every word spoken by any person who has ever lived could be retrieved. That is mind-boggling. But that's incredible and as incredible as that is by the scientists in which they cannot do God can.
It could be done. But God is the one of course. That needs no such instrument. Jesus states in Matthew 12 36 and 37 in which Brother Keith and brother Michael and I were conversing earlier this week. This I personally believe is one of the most powerful convicting verses in all the scripture.
Jesus said this every careless word that people speak. Every careless word that people speak they shall not might they shall Give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified and by your words you will be condemned.
So what is that passage really saying? According to Jesus, he's basically saying that our words tells what is in our heart. Our words speak what we are. From the heart and that's what Jesus said from the heart comes the defilement.
The depravity it is revealed through the tongue. Our words will justify us or our words will condemn us. That's what he said one of the two. Justifying or condemn us. Now again pastor John MacArthur in his commentary said this and I could not hold back this.
He says something very good about this passage of Scripture the most seemingly Insignificant sin. Now, isn't this convicting the most seemingly insignificant sin. Even a slip of the tongue Carries the full potential of all hell's evil.
James 3 6. No infraction against God's holiness is therefore a trifling thing and Each person will ultimately give an account of every such indiscretion. There is no truer Indication this is so good. There is no truer indication of a bad tree than the bad fruit of speech.
The poisonous snakes were known by their poisonous mouths revealing evil hearts. And MacArthur goes on to say every person is judged by his words. Because they are the state of his heart. End quote that is so good, but so convicting we need to hear this.
Nowhere, nowhere is the relationship between faith and works more evident as James speaks of in the Word of God or in an entirety of the Word are more evident than in a person's speech and That's why he mentions this is if you notice when he says what he says what he says and there's nothing backing it up.
It's speech. It's empty words. It's dead faith. And that's what he was saying. What you and I are? Inevitably are will be disclosed by what we say. That's what it says. It might be said that a person's speech is a reliable measure of his or her spiritual temperature and who we are as We are and a monitor so to speak of the inner human condition.
The Jewish rabbis Even spoke of the tongue as an arrow Rather than a dagger or a sword. Why? Because an arrow Can wound and kill from a great distance? That is some good insight, isn't it? An Arrow takes flight where a dagger you can't throw a dagger or a sword that far.
But an arrow really takes the distance and that's now the Jewish rabbis would speak about the deceitfulness of the tongue. That is so convicting the tongue can wreck or should I say wreak great damage.
Even when far from its victim like an arrow. Oh My beloved after you hear this just an overview. I Was I was silenced? I just fell on my face and I said Lord forgive me for The things that I've never should have said and once I've said it I could not take it back and even though people forgive you and overlook it and say yeah, it's okay.
Once the word has been spoken. You cannot take it back. Think of it the very first sin. What does the scripture said the very first sin in the Word of God in Genesis was committed after the fall? That was a sin of the tongue.
It was when God came to Adam and questioned him about his eating of the forbidden fruit. What did Adam do. Adam literally slandered God's character. By suggesting that it was indirectly that God was indirectly responsible for the sin.
Genesis 3 12 the woman you gave me To be with me. She gave me from the tree and I ate. With the tongue he was sinning. Coming from his heart sin came into the world and that was one of the very first sins.
It came from the tongue out of the heart, but in describing man's total depravity the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 3 Verses 13 and 14. He's actually quoting from the Psalms and from the prophets. Their throat is an open grave.
With their tongues. They keep deceiving. The poison of ass is under their lips. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness? Oh just hearing that is so striking, isn't it? That's the depravity. How depraved we are.
Something you never have to teach children. You see it naturally come out or any of us as he glimpsed God's glory and holiness. The prophet Isaiah was convicted of his own convicted of his own sinfulness and related to his mouth.
It's screaming and and put the curse on himself. Said woe is me for I am undone. Now I like the old King James there because it says I'm unraveled. I'm disintegrated. There's other translations. It says I'm ruined.
Well ruined says it's a strong, but when he says I'm undone I'm unraveled. That is more graphic and specific. Because I'm a man of what? Unclean lips now. This is the prophet Isaiah. I Don't believe there was a more righteous man in that time period and yet when he saw the king God in his glory.
He saw the holiness of God. He said the first thing he speaks of I'm a man of unclean lips.
Unclean lips.
And I live this what he said then I live in among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the king the Lord of hosts. That's Isaiah 6 5 and we'll be looking to that more later on. We read further in Scripture and I was digging around in references.
And I think the Word of God and when when Paul said to Timothy preached a word I said well I won't just lay down the scriptures and. And I may comment a little bit but listen what the scriptures has to say about the tongue.
David says in Psalms 34 13 keep your tongue. Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Psalm 39 1 I said I will guard my ways that I may not sin with my tongue. I Will guard my mouth as with a muzzle While the wicked are in my presence.
Wow, what a heart That this man has turn with me to Psalm 52 chapter 52. I got five verses. Psalm chapter.
52.
We're going to jump around here. But notice what David says most of these of David a man after God's own heart. Doesn't that make sense? Here's a man after God's own heart. He loves the Lord, but notice what he says in the first five verses.
Why do you boast in an evil? Oh Mighty man. Now, it's interested that he is. He's like speaking to someone in reference To doeg I believe the chief of Saul's Shepherds who reported to Saul the priest that no had aided David when he was a Fugitive and he speaks of him as a mighty man, but he's speaking.
Not necessarily directly to God, but the Holy Spirit is is giving him these words. But why do you boast in evil? Oh mighty man? Very arrogant prideful man. The loving kindness of God endures all day long.
Your tongue devises destruction like a sharp razor. Oh worker of deceit. You love evil more than good. Now listen to this falsehood more than speaking what is right? Selah. Notice he goes on to say this verse 4.
You love all your. You love all words that devour. Oh deceitful tongue. Wow, that is very clear. Isn't it deceitful tongue? Notice what he says in verse 5, but God. There it is right there, but God. God intervenes will break you for down forever.
He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent and Uproot you from the land of the living Selah. It's interesting. Isn't it the way God will silence the wicked and he will. We go on to see other verses of Scripture.
That's just a few verses of Psalms, but there's many more. It's not exhaustive. So I'm just touching on a few. But we also have some from the Proverbs of Solomon the wisest man. Notice in Proverbs 6 17 you can go there if you like.
Proverbs 6 17 and. These are the six things that God hates. 7 is abomination and if you notice pride is the very first but what is second. If I'm not mistaken, the lying tongue is second to pride. Chapter 6 yes verse 17 notice this right here verse 16 six things which the Lord hates.
Yes, seven are abomination to him. Haughty eyes.
Pride.
Second a lying tongue. A lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood. You think of that? All these are things that God hates and The tongue is second in the list. Interesting. If you go on. Proverbs 17 20 He who has a crooked mind or a heart some translation says the mind or the heart Finds no good.
And he who is perverted in his language falls into evil. Proverbs 26 28 a lying tongue hates those it crushes. And notice this. And a flattering mouth works ruin. Proverbs 28 23 He who rebukes. He who rebukes a man will afterward find favor more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue.
The tongue flatters the tongue lies. And notice what. Isaiah now this. I had to write this one down. We're gonna jump to Isaiah now. Isaiah 59 3 this is one to really memorize. The Prophet again says is for your hands are defiled.
Know how graphic and specific he is. Your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity. And. Then then he goes to the mouth. Knows this. Your lips have spoken falsehood. Your tongue mutters wickedness.
Wow.
Isaiah 59 3 that's a strong verse, isn't it? Notice what he speaks of the. The hands are defiled with blood fingers with iniquity. The lips have spoken falsehood in your tongue mutters wickedness. Very detailed very graphic the language the Prophet gives on total depravity.
Of the Word of God. Now, that's not exhaustive list. Brothers and sisters you can look at many many more. But we're gonna still look at a few more list of verses. It's just some of the warnings from God's Word.
Now again, I think that's enough on the warnings. We're going to look at it on the other hand. We need a little positive don't we there is a positive note. That there are warnings from the negative side, but there's on the positive side as Tozer say I like truth has two wings.
It is and and truth doesn't fly with one wing it has two wings. There is a balance and notice that Jesus brought this out. Satan comes to him and the and the wilderness tempting him to sin. And he says written and Jesus comes back says is written again.
Truth has two wings. In other words when someone takes one verse and takes it out of context We put it back into context with another scripture. So we always must back scripture up with scripture. I love what Matthew Henry says the period and I love Matthew Henry.
Don't brother Keith. Oh Matthew Henry is great. He was one of the greatest Puritans on on the Word of God and his day studied the Word of God verse by verse precept by precept and One of the if you don't have a minor Matthew Henry common commentary get one.
You can get them online to free but Matthew Henry said this one of my favorite sayings for Matthew Henry says let scripture interpret scripture. Oh. You cannot get any better than that miss Lillian you mentioned that earlier.
The Word of God has to back up the Word of God and that's why scripture is speaks of precept by precept verse by verse. That and letter by letter. That's the way it should be but truth has two wings and We must see the right we should must see the negative and Paul spoke of this.
We must see the positive as well as the exhortation it reproves or abuse but it exhorts and encourages. So you only take one verse of Scripture if you only build your doctrine on one verse of Scripture, you're going to fall into error.
You got it. You got to back it up with scripture after scripture after scripture. So the negative side also, but there is a positive the righteous the righteous that are regenerated by the Word of God has a heart that loves God manifested by righteous speech is nowhere.
Is nowhere more beautifully portrayed than in the Psalms now I don't have enough time to go through the Psalms. But if you jump with me real quickly to Psalm 8, let's go back a little bit. Look at Psalm 8 and I'm just gonna touch on a few here.
I don't have the time.
To.
To get all of these but those in Psalm 8 verses 1 and 2 What what is he doing? He's giving God glory and it speaks of man's dignity. But mainly God's glory and I love the way he begins this chapter. Oh Lord Our Lord, I love the oaths because there's worship there.
Oh Lord our Lord. How majestic is your name in all the earth who have displayed your splendor above the heavens? Now notice what he says from the mouth the mouth of infants and Nursing babes you have established strength because your adversaries to make the enemy and the revengeful cease and.
Then he goes on he says when I consider your heavens the work of your fingers the moon and the stars. Which you have ordained what is man that you you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him?
And yet you have made him a little lower than than God. You crown him with glory and majesty and you make him the rule over the works of your hands and you put all things under his feet all sheep and oxen and All also the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens and the fish in the sea.
Whatever passes through the path of the seas. Oh Lord our Lord. How majestic is your name in all the earth? He's praising God. Giving God praise with his mouth and that's what the regenerate do the righteous does and given praise and glory to God.
One of my favorites is chapter 19 go with me to chapter 19. Oh my goodness I wish I could say I've got this this song this chapter memorized. But I don't but it's one of my favorites because the first.
The first half of it speaks of God's general revelation in creation and then you got the special revelation In God's Word, but notice what he says here. He speaks about the law of the Lord in special revelations and general revelation goes from one verses one to six.
And then in chapter, I'm sorry not chapter, but verse seven all the way to the end. Verse 14, let's look at that. The law of the Lord is perfect. Restoring the soul here. This is a great sermon right here.
The law of the Lord's perfect the testimony of the Lord sure making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right. Rejoicing the heart the commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever.
The judgments of the Lord are true and they are righteous all together. And then he says this they are more desirable than gold. Yes, then much fine gold. Sweeter than also the hunt than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb moreover.
By them your servant is warned. There's warnings there in keeping them. There's great reward. True that is who can discern his errors. Acquit me and of hidden faults. Also keep back your servant from presumptuous sins.
Let them not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and I shall be acquitted and Great of great transgression. Notice what he says right here. This is what I'm getting to let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart notice how they connect.
The words of my mouth the meditation of my heart. Be acceptable in your sight. Oh Lord my rock and my Redeemer. That should be our prayer as well. We want the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in God's eyes.
God's sight. That God sees and knows all things. Well there you have the righteous as much more that can Go to but we got a. I got to bring this to a close. Let me get some application very quickly. Let me conclude with a story by Warren Worsby on controlling the tongue and you'll like this story.
It's kind of a humorous on untameable and untaming the untameable tongue. Warren Worsby as you well know went home to be with the Lord here a few months back. He's with his reward. Reward he was a really prolific writer.
He was a great man of God had much wisdom. I've got many of his books. I've got his commentary on the New Testament on it, and this is where I got this. So he says this a pastor friend of his told me about a member of his church who was a notorious gossip.
I think every church has that somewhere so She would hang on the phone most of all the day. Sharing tidbits with any and all who would listen. She came to her pastor one day and said pastor. The Lord is really convicted me of my sin of gossip.
My tongue is really getting me and others into trouble at least she confessed that right. But as Warren Worsby says my friend my pastor friend knew she was not sincere because she had gone through this routine before.
So she hasn't really given it up. It's just as another routine. He says this guardingly. He asked well. What do you plan to do? What do you plan to do I? Want to put my tongue on the altar. She replied with pious favor.
Calmly my pastor friend replied Sister there isn't a altar big enough. And he left her to think about it. It just walked away. I had to chuckle about that there isn't an altar big enough. Put on your tongue.
That is so true.
Yes, he's very good. Yes, he's very good. He's got the B series. Yeah, yeah. Warren Worsby's good. So the question is is what is God telling me? What is God telling me? How are we the tame this untameable member?
That's full of deadly poison set on fire from hell. How can we do it? How can we apply this to our everyday speech and living. We struggle with this so often don't we my struggles with this constantly?
What am I to do about it as that pastor said do we just. Fully do we fully understand the power of our words, and that's a good another question. It has such death and life as in the power of the tongue as Proverbs says our tongues.
Someone said this. I don't know. I don't know where I got this phone who said this, but it's from a quote our tongues are. Two to six ounces of muscle. Whether from the biggest body builder to the the frailest little child.
They get more the tongue gets more exercise and less control than any other muscle and our little 50 pound to 350 pound body. That is so true. It gets more exercise and less control than any other muscle.
That is good, isn't it, but it's so true. It's convicting. Thus we must be conscious of what comes out of our mouths before we speak it and before it comes out. Give an illustration you think of squeezing toothpaste.
It is very easy isn't it but putting that toothpaste back in that tube is virtually impossible. That's the way it is with the tongue. When our words come out they are out for good. Like toothpaste can't you put that toothpaste back, but it's easy to squeeze it out in it.
We cannot take it back. And that's what gets us in trouble. Must we must have it under control. So I believe what we need to go toward here, and I'm applying this my own life. The control of the Holy Spirit, and that's the key.
How can we do this? How can we do this when the tongue is? Impossible to tame. Well it takes God. I Would first just like to say this and I got this down, and I don't have points and stuff. But I've heard this down by making sure our tongue is under a good helmsman.
And that is God. It has to be under the control of the Holy Spirit. I Really believe that God that that this is possible if we can't do it within ourselves. I believe that's what the text is saying. But by God's help and his Holy Spirit and being full of the Spirit of God We can say what David says let the words of my mouth and the meditation my heart be acceptable in your sight of the Lord.
My rock my Redeemer. What did David say in Psalm 51 10. The prayer of repentance create me a clean heart of God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 141. I think Sister Lillian you mentioned that earlier.
141 verses 1 through 4. Lord. I will call.
Upon you.
Hasten to me notice He's desperate hasten to me give ear to my voice when I call to you made my prayer be counted as Incense before you the lifting up my hands as the evening offering then and says. Verse 3 is key set a guard.
Oh.
Set a guard and notice what he says. Oh Lord. Set a guard. He's speaking to God. Lord set a guard over my mouth. Keep watch over the doors of my lips. Verse 4. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing to practice deeds of wickedness.
With men who do iniquity and do not let me eat their delicacies. Oh How we need that that is so good. So David is a man after God's own heart desired prayer. He's praying he's stretching forth to God's help to be disciplined and a regular as an offering as a regular as the offering incense burn offerings and in the tabernacle as he prays that God would Protect him and guard him in this kind of evil that characterized his own enemy.
How he won't wish to be different and be pleasing to God. That's what I should be our desire. So we need wisdom from God When to be silent and speak even the prop I'm not Proverbs. But Solomon says is in Ecclesiastes 3 7.
There's a time to tear apart and there's a time to sew together. There's a time to be silent and there's a time to speak. There's wisdom and when we do speak let let us think very Carefully what we about to say and ask God to put a guard over our mouth so let us remember that our Lord says in Luke 6 45 the good man out of the treasure a Good treasure of this heart brings forth what is good and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth What is evil for his mouth speaks from what?
Which fills his heart? There's so many other verses you can write this down. I'm not going to go there but 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 3 3 through 6 taking every thought captive. To the obedience of Jesus Christ that is so important.
It's real spiritual warfare there. So we are to make sure our spiritual life is growing in Jesus Christ to be like Christ who did not have any Guile when he was reviled. He did not revile back. That's what scripture says Jesus himself Demonstrated this perfectly.
He was the perfect man. He never sinned with his lips, right? He never did he was without sin. The perfect Son of God the perfect Lamb of God. So when our spiritual life is growing in the grace and the knowledge of Christ, we will be disciplined.
Disciplined those disciplines. We must like this Paul says beat our body be in subject subjected as spoken As the Word of God. So we need to remember as we speak the words our thoughts our motivations our attitudes are aligned up to God's will.
Of what God? Would desire us then spoken words and deeds will show authentic character and maturity. That's being mature in Jesus Christ being perfect. That's what it means. But it doesn't mean complete perfection.
Sometimes the word perfect is translated mature. So we need to be conscience, right? And let me go a little bit further go with God conscience we need to live a God conscience life and be willing to be able to check our words before they leave our lips and Think of it in pure terms before we speak.
So let us remember our words reflect who we are. It reflects our true character. It's who we are. Our words had the power to change someone else's life for the better for the worst. Greatest gift we have is the ability to communicate and they're wonderful.
God gave us this ability and he gave us a tongue. But he wants us to speak good things and pure things things that honor him and glorify him and Being silent at times is good. But I think at times he would desire us when we do speak to speak wisely and Glorifies him whatever you do do to the glory of God.
Scripture says a great responsibility, isn't it? We have and using an ability to communicate With character and distinction within the parameters of what God calls us to do. Well, let me just close. Let me go back to Isaiah chapter 6.
I think this is a good place to close. So remember what he said in verse 5 then I said woe is me. For I am undone. I am disintegrated. Now there's a thought and this is not a ritual with me. I heard R .C. Sproul classic classic teaching on the holiness of God.
And I'm taking this by memory when he taught on this text. Before a small group when he was in his younger days on the holiness of God and he was speaking about Isaiah and the tongue and his lips his lips.
R .C. said this. The lips is the most sensitive part of the lip of the body. Very sensitive and notice what he says the text says about Isaiah. He tells us why. His lips were in clean because his eyes had seen the king.
I don't believe we can really see the depravity and The depth of our depravity until we see God in his holiness. Once we see his holiness. That's when it will hit us and it's revealed to us as it did in the vision of God's holiness vividly Reminded the prophet of his own unworthiness which he deserved judgment.
Think of that he put a curse upon himself. But the first thing he speaks of is his lips.
His lips.
And God did not leave Isaiah to stay there in that way, did he? Now this is what I love about this text and R .C. brought this out. He said he did not say prophet you sit there and rot and.
Die.
Which he deserved to. But God was gracious. So what did God do. God did something. He gave a remedy.
He.
Get a. He had a healing balm. After he pronounces the judgment upon himself, and he says woe is me. Couldn't can't imagine how the prophet felt. He probably felt like Lord. I want to die now. But in verse 6 is a transition here.
Then one the Seraphim the burning ones flew to me with a burning coal in his hand Which he had taken from the altar with tongues. He touched my mouth with it and said behold this has touched your lips and Your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.
Beloved. I think that's one of the greatest scriptures in the Word of God because there is something When we go to the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ There's blood and there's fire There's cleansing and notice this there's something painful taking place.
Repentance this you know what this tells me in this text true repentance is painful. But it must happen. Once we see God in his holiness We come under the condemnation and the judgment of God, but God has a remedy and That remedy is the fire a burning.
Coal and.
I still hear R .C. Sproul teaching this and he says is is. That Seraphim flew over there and touched the mouth of the prophet. He said you can almost hear the singeing and The burning as it sizzled on his lips and pain as he screamed out.
Hmm think of this this is the prophet. What's God doing? He's cleansing him. Through that pain comes healing. He healed him. He cleansed him. He touched his lips and His iniquity was taken away. And his sin was forgiven in that beautiful.
That's a picture what Jesus does does for us on the cross. He cleanses us. He purges us. He and and notice after the cleansing notice in verse 7 through 10. Then I heard the voice of the Lord something has taken place here.
Whom shall I send and who will go for us the Trinity there? Then I said here am. I send me and send me and he said go and tell this people keep on listening. But who do not perceive keep on looking but do not understand you preach it rather.
They understand it or perceive it or I keep on and he said rendered the hearts of this people and Insensitive their ears are dull their eyes are dim. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes and here with the ears and understand with their hearts and return and be healed.
The Word of God has that kind of effect you keep preaching whether they respond to it in a positive way or not. But what does he do? He received the cleansing and then he received a commission. Now this is also given to us in Psalm 51.
Turn with me real quickly to Psalm 51 and I'll close with this. This is a prayer repentance of David and he's repenting and crying out to God. But it's right here. There is an order in which God always gives in the cleansing process and the commissioning process and In the Word of God the Holy Spirit directs it perfectly in this order.
Notice what he says. Verse 10, let's start there creating me a clean heart. Oh God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Cleanse my heart creating me. Give me a regenerate heart. Do not cast me away from your presence and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Restoration he restores my soul. Sustain me with a willing spirit. Notice this verse 13 then I will teach transgressors your ways then see that and Sinners will be converted to you and then he says deliver me from blood guiltiness.
Oh God the God of my salvation. Then my what does he say my tongue? Will joyfully sing of your righteousness. Oh Lord open my lips. That my mouth may declare your praise. And I'll stop right there. I believe that's what the Lord would have for us there has to be a cleansing of the lips a purging and Then we could teach transgressors his ways and sinners will be converted to them.
But the cleansing must be on us first. It's me. Oh Lord that stands in the need of.
Prayer.
Well, praise God, I pray that this word is a word of encouragement of conviction as well as encouragement. And Encouragement as well as conviction goes both ways, doesn't it? God doesn't want us to be silent completely.
He wants us to be wise. He desires to cleanse us and then use us for his glory. So our tongues will be like the tongues of fire right on the day of Pentecost. I'm 120 will filled with the Holy Spirit.
I think there was a reason why The Holy Spirit came upon them as a tongue of fire. That's a simple. When they spoke the words of God the gospel, that's what the way we should be as.
We will be cleansed and then commissioned. Amen. I'm looking forward to this study, aren't you? I am let's pray Father we do. Thank you Lord for this time to just have an overview an Introduction of this little member of the tongue.
Oh, oh my goodness. How much truth it speaks that your word speaks about this little member That none of us can contain Within ourselves and our power our strength arm of flesh is absolutely incapable of taming this thing.
It's full this little member. That's Full of such deadly poison the world of iniquity set on fire from hell. But father we would we desire to have the the the tongues of fire of the Holy Spirit. So we see the symbol of the Holy Spirit there.
It's fire God, you're like a consuming fire Your Holy Spirit's fire. There's a purging there's a cleansing and Lord we desire that and through purification. There's cleansing. So father purify our hearts cleanse our hearts through the blood of Jesus Christ through the fire of the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit and fire Lord is such a cleansing and fire purges washes clean and we thank you for that that we You have provided this you've provided all of it and as we come to you in faith Lord help us now as we would as we would come to you and Look to your word study your word and that your Holy Holy Spirit would teach us and how we can use our tongues for your glory and not for The detriment and the detriment of our souls or to keep us from falling help us Lord and all that we do to give you praise and glory with our lips and Sing of your praise in Jesus name.
Amen and amen.