The Tongue

The tongue is a scary thing. It is a battle to tame the tongue. The power of speech is a blessing but it can easily become a curse. The third chapter of James gives a good description of the damage that can come from this wild member. We need to speak life but we most often speak death. Doesn't work well with the dreaded critical spirit. Works really well for the enemy, though.
Words. The tongue. The weapon of choice in the battle to discourage, hurt and put others in defense mode. Let Him guide us in the usage of our words. I want to speak with a building up ....encouraging tongue. Prov. 26:20. Do not gossip. Release life giving words. Col. 4:6 Speak the Truth in love.May they be His words. Always. May we never hurt another. May we show Jesus in all things. All we say, all we do, may He be the Sayer, the Doer. I pray that He will make my words always kind. The enemy will use my words to others to hurt others. We can bite and devour one another in our own flesh, with our tongues. There are times when we don't mean to hurt people, but then there are those other times, when we hope they understand what we mean and there may be a twinge of hurt imparted in that. You know what I mean. That is simply operating in the flesh. We need to encourage and build up and love....instead of controlling, manipulating and directing others in our way. Jesus will teach us how to speak to others. The tongue can be a fire, but it can also be a fountain. Man longs for water. Where there is a lot of water there can be no fire. Prov. 12:18 Pierce or heal? The Spirit lives within and can control the tongue. I want to speak with a building up, an encouraging tongue. Col. 4:6 Speak the Truth in love. Seasoned with salt, make the words taste good. Preserves who you are talking to. Speak life. He freed us to live His life and to speak His life. That is our Lord and Awesome God. He is our Life. He has called us to liberty, to love and to life. He is our Lord and our God, our passion. He helps us not lose heart and He works through us to help others by speech and action. He has us covered. He carries us every step of the way. Weariness comes because the source 0f our strength is not Him. Do good to ALL men. May He undo us and may His Spirit be given the freedom to live completely unhindered through us.
James 3:8 "...but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."
Who holds the riens on the tongue....the flesh or the Spirit. Only allowing God control of this weapon of evil, can it be harnessed for His good purpose.

My thanks to Pastor Frank Friedmann who allowed God to speak through Him to me on this very topic. It was a revelation. It brought freedom.