The Source of Our WOrds

(Proverbs 18:21 CSB) Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

What we say matters

(James 1:26) If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 

(James 3:2-12) We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

✓ My words determine the of my life.

(James 3:3-4) We can control very large horses by putting a small bit into their mouths. By controlling their mouth, we can turn the whole animal whatever direction we want it to go. Or take ships as an example. A tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.

(Numbers 13:30-31) Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.”

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✓ My words form the of my life.

(James 3:5-6) Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

(Proverbs 10:19 NLT) Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

(Galatians 5:16-22) So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. 

(Psalm 141:3) Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.

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✓ My words my .

(James 3:9-12) With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

(Matthew 12:34-35) For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

(James 3:7-8) All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

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1. Invite God to my heart.

(Psalm 51:10) Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

(Psalm 139:23-24) Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

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2. Put a on what I in my heart.

(Luke 6:45) A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

(Proverbs 4:23) Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

(Philippians 4:18) 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.

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3. the power of your words.

(2 Corinthians 5:20 NLT) So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Speak

Speak

Speak

(James 1:27) Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

(Matthew 25:40)“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

(Ephesians 4:15) Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

(Psalm 19:14) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

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