The Tongue

"And how about ships? They are very big. They are driven along by strong winds. But they are steered by a very small rudder. It makes them go where the captain wants to go.

In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body. But it brags a lot. Think about how a small spark can set a big forest on fire.

The tongue also is a fire. The tongue is the most evil part of the body. It pollutes the whole person. It sets a person's whole way of life on fire. And the tongue is set on fire by hell.

People have controlled all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea. They still control them.  But no one can control the tongue. It is an evil thing that never rests. It is full of deadly poison.

With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. With our tongues we call down curses on people. We do it even though they have been created to be like God.  Praise and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it shouldn't be that way." (James 3:4-9)

Ah, the tongue! There is so much that can be said here. About each of us. In fact, there's enough to say that this space might not hold it all. I think we'll focus on just one aspect of the tongue in this section, and maybe hold the rest for a few other spots!

James didn't have anything flattering to say about the tongue, and if you think about it, rightly so. But one of the things you'll want to look at a little closer is this... "It pollutes the whole person. It sets a person's whole way of life on fire. And the tongue is set on fire by hell."

Again, there are an awful lot of different angles we can take on this thing, but the one we're going to look at here is what your own tongue can do to you. Before we go any farther down this path, let me say that we're not believers in the "name it and claim it" philosophy...at least generally speaking. (There are specific instances, however, where we do believe that it has a place...which would be where God's promises are concerned. That's a bit much more than we want to get into here though.)

What we want to look at here, is how your tongue affects you...how it pollutes you and sets your whole way of life on fire. As noted from the verse above, "With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. With our tongues we call down curses on people." Ironically, just as we unknowingly call curses down on others, we also do the same to ourselves. Think about this...

The most important decision you can ever make in this life, is to become a believer in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Now let's look at something very interesting Paul had to say concerning your tongue and your salvation.

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Rom. 10:9)

If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart...you will be saved. That's the single most important decision you will ever make. Now, if it's true that "if you confess with your mouth" and if you "believe in your heart" that you will be saved, how true must those statements be about other things we so carelessly confess?

For instance:

"I don't have enough money. I guess I'll always be poor."

You're right. You probably will be.

"I have cancer."

"My husband is worthless and my kid is even more worthless than his daddy."

If you confess with your mouth and believe in your heart...

Wow! How many times have we said (or heard) something like the following...

"My arthritis is acting up today."

Not to make light, by any means, but if you're confessing it to be yours, and you're believing it in your heart to be yours...guess what? It's yours. Maybe you've prayed for healing and you still don't have it. How come?

Because it's yours. God's no thief. He won't steal it from you. You have to give it to him before he'll take it. And we're so selfish with our stuff, that often, we'll give it to him and pick it back up again before we leave...even if it's stuff we don't especially care to have.

How about this one?

"You make me sick!"

Or

"You'll never amount to anything!"

Not only do you believe it, but others will believe it as well. And they'll start confessing it and believing it...and before long...well...just remember...

"...if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

And if your confessions and beliefs can affect your salvation, how much do they affect the little day to day things we endure (and put others through)?

Maybe that's why Paul says, "we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."(2 Cor. 10:5). If we can figure out how to take all of our thoughts captive to make them obedient to Christ, then maybe we'll have the chance to swallow back some of those words we speak that shouldn't be spoken. Then maybe we won't be poor...or sick...or damaging someone else.

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matt. 12:36,37)

There's so much more...so much more...

What are you confessing and believing?