3. Do you ever feel like that? Like your words control you and not the other way around Other things are easier to control, but our mouths, lips and tongues trip us up Join the club

4. The mouth, the lips and the tongue are… The overflow of the heart Demonstrate what is store within Show our carelessness Can lead us to trouble

5. Matthew 12 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

6. 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

7. The mouth, the lips and the tongue are… Boastful A spark that can light fires Can corrupt from the outside in Can change our destiny

8. James 3 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or 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.

9. 5 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 person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

10. The mouth, the lips and the tongue are… Difficult to tame by man Restless Poisonous

11. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

12. The mouth, the lips and the tongue are… Both good and bad Both praise and curse

13. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

14. The mouth, the lips and the tongue are… Instruments to bring us closer to God Instruments to share the word of God Instruments to speak to God

15. Acts 2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

16. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

17. So, what do we do? It sounds like we are destined to lose this fight with our tongue Much of what we read makes it seems hopeless

18. #1 We need to be careful what we feeds our heart, mind and soul Matthew 12 35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

19. #2 We must consider the consequences our verbal dysfunction James 3 5 …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.

20. #3 We may not be able to manage our vocal dysfunction, but God can James 3 no man 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

21. #4 We can confess our vocal dysfunction to each other James 5 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

22. #5 We can confess our vocal dysfunction to God 1 John 1 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

23. #6 We must avoid becoming numb to vocal dysfunction Psalm 38 17 For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. 18 I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

24. Our mouths, lips and tongue can… 1.Betray what else is within us 2.Be a spark creating infernos 3.Be controlled with God’s help 4.Be restored by confession to each other 5.Be restored by confession to God 6.Be remorseful and improving

25. We can try attempt to muzzle ourselves

26. With God’s help, our vocal dysfunction… Can be tamed by God Can demonstrate the beauty of God within Can be an instrument for God Can seek to be forgiven for its sins Can be reformed and forgiven by God Can be aware of its guilt