Have
you ever walked into a room and heard others talking negatively
about you? How did it make you feel? Did it make your ears burn? Did
it make your head spin? Did you feel sick?! On the other hand, have
you ever been one of the people talking negatively about
someone when they walked into the room? How did that make you
feel? Did it make you feel sneaky? Did it make your head spin? Did
you feel sick?! Probably so...that's how I felt in both situations.
The word which best describes this scenario is...GOSSIP. The
dictionary defines gossip as "idle talk or rumor, esp. about
the private affairs of others". The Bible is very specific
about the power of the tongue...or of the spoken word. Read the
following scriptures out of James about the tongue. Ask the Holy
Spirit for revelation.
James 3
The Untamable Tongue
1 My brethren, let
not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a
stricter judgment. 2 For
we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word,
he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3
Indeed,[a]
we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn
their whole body. 4 Look
also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce
winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot
desires. 5 Even so the
tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is
so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on
fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the
sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8
But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of
deadly poison. 9 With it
we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been
made in the similitude of God. 10
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren,
these things ought not to be so. 11
Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same
opening? 12 Can a fig
tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no
spring yields both salt water and fresh."
Are you a perfect
person? Do you know how to control your tongue at ALL times? I have
never met ANYONE who could control their tongue completely! Sooner
or later, no matter how careful the speaker, he or she eventually
flubs up. We are destined it seems to put our foot into the
proverbial mouth! But, what can we do to prevent these flubs of the
tongue? We desperately want to speak faith, hope, and love, but
often speak negatively! Instead of faith, we speak doubt. Instead of
hope we speak despair! Instead of love, we speak anger and hatred!
Why?! Why should Christ followers ever speak in such ways? We
shouldn't...which is James' point! On the other hand, how often are
we blessing others with our mouth? How often do we allow sweet words
of encouragement to spring forth from our hearts? Are we affirmers
of God's Word?! Do we confirm things through the Spirit? In our
mouth is the power of life and death! We can use our tongue to
bless, or curse others. We can stand up and praise the Lord, or
speak words of vanity and mal-content! The choice is ours! No one
besides us, is responsible for what proceeds out of our
mouths...UNLESS...we have completely yielded to the Holy Spirit's
power! Then, and only then can we be SURE our tongue is working FOR
US, and not AGAINST US! When we are speaking under the
authority of the Holy Spirit we can KNOW we are speaking LIFE! We
can KNOW we are speaking blessings! We can KNOW we are speaking
TRUTH! Do you want that? I do! If you are willing, and want to
experience a bridled tongue, instead of one set on fire by
hell...try this little exercise for the next week or two...it might
just change your life, and the life of someone else! BEFORE you
speak...EVERY TIME...ask the Holy Spirit to prepare your words. Ask
Him to speak through you. Purpose in your heart to speak ONLY words
that line up with the Word of God, and are confirmed by the Spirit.
Purpose in your heart to speak words of LIFE. Purpose in your heart
to speak words of LOVE. Purpose in your heart to speak words of
BLESSING. Purpose in your heart to speak words of TRUTH. No matter
what the circumstance, DO THIS! THINK...THINK...THINK...on JESUS!
Remember...if you are a new creature in Christ Jesus, ALL things
have passed away...ALL things have become NEW! You have a NEW mind
in JESUS! You have a NEW heart in JESUS! You have a NEW spirit in
JESUS! You can even have a NEW TONGUE in JESUS! Ask the Lord to
replace the poison in your tongue with LIFE GIVING words of LOVE and
WISDOM! Pray for the Holy Spirit to literally give you supernatural
control over your most unruly member! BELIEVE HE can do this in you!
Believe and DO according to HIS SPIRIT! Realize there will be times
you fail...DON'T GIVE UP! Don't allow moments of weakness to grow
into horrible regret! When you are about to speak in a hurtful,
hateful, harsh way...STOP! In Jesus' Name, don't say it! PRAY! Ask
for the Comforter's help to re-focus, and re-word! Don't let that
little tongue ignite a HUGE FIRE of pain and remorse! GOD WILL HELP
YOU...but YOU MUST yield to His Spirit! When you do fail...repent.
Ask forgiveness. Commit it to the Lord, make amends, and start over.
The Lord has been working on my tongue for years! I still say things
that are not in step with Spirit at times...I still have to repent,
and begin again...but I'm doing better! I dine on foot and toe nails
a lot less these days...PRAISE THE LORD! Until next time...Be
BLESSED with GOD'S BEST!
Your Partner in
Ministry,
Greg McCowen
Covenant Life Fellowship - Lubbock
Church - (806) 771-4244
