And the tongue is a fire…

James 3:6 – And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell.

Matthew 12:34(b) – …For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?

Ezekiel 36:26-27 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances.

Uff. Right?

Here’s the flow of things: the tongue (speech) is a hugely powerful and dangerous thing; from it flows the contents of the heart; which is wicked and deceitful above all things. So, how do we tame the tongue? How do we bridle and control it?

It starts with the heart, friends. The tongue only speaks the contents of the heart. So, to tame it, we must “tame” our heart. Unfortunately, it is beyond our own strength to accomplish this. The heart, it turns out, is “incurable” and ‘un-understandable’ by men. The Lord, however, promises to replace our wicked hearts. He promises to make us new, in Christ. And that those of us who are in Christ, are a new creation; a son/daughter of the King, with a heart that is no longer bound to sin, but free to follow Jesus.

Let’s join King David in his prayer:

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” –Psalm 139:23-24

Orchard Christian Fellowship proudly serves the communities of Temecula, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, and the rest of the Inland Empire. Orchard Christian Fellowship is an independent Bible-centered, Christ-following church, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.