Sabbath: Taming the Tongue
Read for This Week’s Study: James 3:1-12; Deut. 6:6-7;Luke 9:51-56; Prov. 16:27; Matt. 7:16-18.
Memory Text:
(Matt. 12:37, NKJV).For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned
Words hold tremendous power. A word fitly spoken
(Prov. 25:11)-praise, poetry, stories can shape lives in profound ways. What we say may linger for days or even years. Children, for example, absorb words like sponges. That’s why they soon speak fluently whatever language they grow up hearing. It’s also why the messages they hear about themselves may foreshadow their future success or failure. For better or worse, the communication style of parents is replicated and amplified in their children.
The written word is powerful, too, and even more lasting. Most powerful of all is God’s Word. Consider:Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path
(Ps. 119:105); and Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee
(Ps. 119:11). Jesus directed the attention of the disciples away from temporal blessings to something much more vital: The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life
(John 6:63).
Words can soothe and reassure or poison and contaminate. How often have you said something you wished you could take back?
This week, as we will see, James has some important words about, well, words.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, November 15.
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The Bible says "a man that control his tongue not to offend with it, the same is a perfect man" James 3:2.
A man that control his tongue also have self control,and therefore he is very carefully of all that he do says and think.
only God can help us to do this
“Words can soothe and reassure or poison and contaminate.” How true!!
That’s why it is important we:
(i)listen twice as much as we talk,
(ii)think thrice as much as we talk and
(iii)pray more times than we talk, think and listen.
The sayings of Solomon have alot to tell us about words. Remember he is the wisest man that ever lived. What he shares is out of years of experience. He says; "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life; but he that openeth his lips wide shall have destruction. Proverbs 13:3.
So the key to our existence is what not only for today but eternally.
I thank God for his word and grace, words of failure that could have destroyed me which did destroy my peers were spoken but when I accepted His word those words became ill effective. Indeed His words speaks life to the lifeless. Help me Lord to use my tongue wisely.
Words spoken can have negative or positive effects on the listener. Carelessly spoken words can affect the character of an individual especially the young ones,as Christians therefore we obliged not only control our speech but also to keep our word.
Our tongue is one of the of the most dangerous members of our body, and we must alway be careful of what we says , because our tongue can killed we can not control it on our own,we have to diligently pray to God to help us hold our tongue.... Yes! An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is a burning fire. Proverbs 16:27
We need to think on what we going to say before we say it. because often time we say things without realizing what exactly we are saying until it's too late
Truly our words should be fragranced with the love of our Compassionate Saviour. May God grant us the wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silence. Remember the story of the prophet Nathan when he approached King David for sleeping with Uriah the Hittite's wife?
When we allow ourselves to be Controlled by the Spirit of God. Our words would be a savor unto life.
Causes a big "battle" at times: is not to say the negative thought that comes to mind,and then to deal with what's on your mind.At Camp meeting (Drakensville) James Rafferty had me thinking,like David, is to go with those negative thoughts to God, tell Him what you feel and think.That helps giving it to Him rather than the "sin" to come from your mouth, or deeds...Stays a challenge nevertheless because of our human nature!God alone I feel can help us to overcome this "battle".How do you deal with this issue?
The tongue is mightier than the sword - this saying is so true.
We real need wisdom from Heavenly Father to control our tongues, many have been discouraged becoz of our uncontrolled speech....,