Building My Family Through

My TongueJames 3:1-12

How will I use my tongue to build up my family?

1.Understand the true nature of the tongue.

James 3:3-12

Troublesome Tongue

a. Small But Powerful.

• Horses and Bits (James 3:3)

Break your tongue else it

breaks you and your love ones.

The bit controls.

The bit subdues.

Troublesome Tongue

a. Small But Powerful.

• Ships and Rudder (James 3:4)

Rudder defines direction.

Rudder determines destination.

Control your tongue before it

controls you!

Troublesome Tongue

b. Small But Terrible.

• Small Spark (James 3:5-6)

Lasting Damage.

Continuous Damage

Bridle your tongue before it

burns you!

Troublesome Tongue

c. Small But Untamable.

• Restless and Poisonous

(James 3:7-8)

Beyond human control.

Beyond human cure.

Bite your tongue before it bites

you!

Troublesome Tongue

c. Small But Revealing.

• We praise…We curse…

(James 3:9-12)

Two rhetorical questions:

Spring

Fruit tree

The tongue put on display

human depravity.

How will I use my tongue to build up my family?

2. Put your tongue under control before it causes trouble.

1“…we who teach will be judged more

strictly. 2 We all stumble… Anyone who is

never at fault in what they say…, able to

keep their whole body in check. (James

3:1-2)

The SOLUTION:

• Get a NEW HEART

Rid yourselves of all the offenses you

have committed, and get a new heart and

a new spirit. (Ezekiel 18:31)

I will give you a new heart and put a new

spirit in you; I will remove from you your

heart of stone and give you a heart of

flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26)

The SOLUTION:

• Get a NEW HEART

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new

creation has come: The old has gone, the

new is here! (2Cor 5:17)

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and

renew a steadfast spirit within me.

(Psalms 51:10)

The SOLUTION:

• Guard Your NEW HEART

I have hidden your word in my heart that

I might not sin against you.

(Psalms 119:11)

Above all else, guard your heart, for

everything you do flows from it.

(Proverbs 4:23)

The SOLUTION:

• Exercise Self Control

Do not let any unwholesome talk

come out of your mouths, but only

what is helpful for building others up

according to their needs, that it may

benefit those who listen.

(Ephesians 4:29)

The SOLUTION:

• Exercise Self Control

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish

talk or coarse joking, which are out of

place, but rather thanksgiving.

(Ephesians 5:4)

The SOLUTION:

• THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

True? Helpful? Inspiring? Necessary

?

Kind?

Finally, brothers and sisters,

whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely, whatever is

admirable--if anything is excellent or

praiseworthy--think about such

things.

(Philippians 4:8)

1. Understand the true nature of the tongue.

2. Put your tongue under control before it causes trouble.

How will I use my tongue to

build up my family?