Top 10 Tongue Abuse

Sunday, September 13, 2009 @ 7:15 PM by Marj |

I just want to share something I got from VCF.

Our tongue is small yet powerful. And yet we tend to abuse it. Here's a list:

Top 10 Tongue Abuse according to the Word.

10. Boasting - glorifying oneself in speech; talk in a self-admiring way

May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue.
Psalm 12:3

9. Reckless words - words spoken without thinking

Reckless word pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Proverbs 12:18

8. Cursing - use of profane word or phrase; a swearword; this includes the people you curse

Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness
Romans 3:14

7. Obscenity - indecency, lewdness, or offensiveness in behavior, expression, or appearance

Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place but rather thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:4

6. Gossip - engaging in or spreading gossip

A gossip betrays confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.
Proverbs 20:19

5. Slander - a false and malicious statement or report about someone; defaming the character

Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it.
James 4:11

4. Unbelief - lack of faith or belief; it's negative words that we speak

So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.
Hebrews 3:19

3. Grumbling - complaining in a surly manner; muttering discontentedly

And do not grumble, as some of them did - and were killed by the destroying angel.
I Corinthians 10:10

2. Lying - presenting false information with the intention of deceiving

"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."
Exodus 20:16

1. Using God's name in vain

"You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name."
Exodus 20:7

In one way or another, we are guilty in one or more on these. Everytime we abuse our tongue, we dishonor God. We are all aware about these tongue abuses but the question is, what we do about it?

Tame our tongue!

¹Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. ²We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵Likewise 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. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:1-8

Our tongue is small yet powerful.

• There's power in your word.
• You were shaped in what you say.
• The tongue can set the direction of your life.

Sometimes we are not satisfied with our live we usually complain about it. We always thought that we cannot do anything about it but God has given us the power to change our life. And that power is our tongue. You start changing the way you speak and before you know it you already changed the direction of your life. Along with these we should always guard our heart "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34)

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23

We should guard our hearts and tame our tongue because genuine faith speaks life from a heart renewed by God.

Labels: God's Word