*TOPIC: THE UNTOLD POWER OF TAMED AND UNTAMED TONGUES* *James 3:1, 5, 10, 13, 17-18, these verses border on the power of both the tamed and untamed tongues, and the consequences of using the tongue rightly or wrongly.* *POINT 1: The Destructiveness And The Damnation Of Loose, Untamed Tongues.* *"My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation," James 3:1. This verse is not telling you to stop preaching. It is saying that if our tongues don't minister grace to the hearers, it will come into condemnation. The tongue is the gateway to your life and body. As you compare the tongue with your hand, feet, head, tummy and some other parts of your body, the tongue is a little member. Yet it decides the direction and progress of your life. The uncontrolled tongue, the untamed tongue, the undependable tongue, the tongue of a sinner and backslider drives that person to hell. Education, civilization, wealth, being a man or woman of decision, and even being a religious person does not tame the tongue.* *Job 42:7, even though the friends of Job here thought they were giving counsel, teaching and saying the right things, God said they had not spoken well. Job 5:27, think about how many people who are so sure of what they know when they talk, teach and give counselling and yet they just jump into the ministry without knowing what they are talking about. Job 42:8, all the things that Job's friends said, counselled and told Job, God counted it as folly. We need to watch what we say to know if it is in line with the word of God, unless, it will bring us into untimely judgement. II Samuel 1:5-16, this is how the people who are not born again come to tell stories so that they can get the praise of men. They tell lies because they want to get something. "Be not many masters...,". Look at the information that you are giving and be absolutely sure that it is correct. This man in II Samuel 1:5-16 died for the information he came to give, wanting to get the praise of men. "Be not many masters...,". Look at the information you are giving and be absolutely sure that it is correct. II Samuel 4:10, David knew and saw through the lies and deception of this man. Watch your mouth; close that mouth. You don't have to say that thing and spread that story, trying to tell people what you think they want to hear. Daniel 6:6-8, 24, from these verses we can see that it was with their mouths that these people destroyed themselves and their families. Their mouths brought premature death to them. I pray that God will help you not to be like these people in Jesus name, Amen.* *Matthew 27:19-20, 22, 25, even though the multitude in these verses knew that Jesus Christ was innocent, the Chief Priest used his tongue to persuade the people that Jesus should be destroyed. Look at how he used the gift of persuasion in a wrong way instead of in a right way. Jeremiah 50:6, do you have the gift of communication? Use it aright to lead people in the right direction. Don't use it to lead people astray. There are some people who are ministers in many churches. Although they have the gift of communication, they use it to persuade people to remain in error. They use that gift of communication to deceive the people and lead them astray.* *POINT 2: The Deceitfulness And Duplicity Of Lawless, Undependable Tongues.* *James 3:9-12, 14, on the one hand we see people blessing God and on the other hand they curse men with the same mouth. Even though blessing and cursing are opposites, we see them here coming out of the same mouth. In a gathering of such people, there is no unity, no fellowship, no friendliness and no togetherness. We are being told to examine our tongues.* *There are people who with their tongues:* *i. Gather and Scatter.* *ii. Build and Destroy.* *iii. Heal and Hurt. They have no control.* *iv. Teach to be strong and yet Tend to weaken.* *v. Support and Sabotage. They seem to lift you up but also pull you down. These people are not dependable* *vi. Refresh you and Reproach you.* *vii. Endorse you and Endanger you by putting stumbling blocks on your way. I pray that God will bless us, and take away all the duplicity and deceitfulness from the church in Jesus name, Amen.* *Psalm 62:4; Psalm 50:16-17, 19, these people are up and down, left and right, forward and backward. They are preaching and declaring the statutes of the Lord, yet they hate instruction and cast the word of God behind their backs. Outwardly and openly they say something good, but in private they say something bad of the same person. Psalm 55:21; Proverbs 26:25-28; Numbers 22:18, 38; Numbers 23:10, 26; Numbers 24:12-13, although all these verses seem to signify that Balaam was consistent, spiritual and a giant in the faith; and he even saw a great vision of the coming of the Lord Jesus, Numbers 24:16-17. But look at what he did eventually in Numbers 31:8. How is it that he joined the enemies of Israel and died? Numbers 31:16, it was as a result of the use of his tongue. Balaam used his tongue to advise and give Balak secret counsel which led to the death of thousands of Israelites. Revelations 2:4, there are people that say one thing in the open but another thing in private. II Peter 2:15-19, I pray you will not be like that. I will not be like that. The Lord give you abundant grace in Jesus name, Amen. Psalm 12:1-2, there are people who are double-tongued because they have a double heart. I pray you will not be like that in Jesus name, Amen.* *POINT 3: The Decisiveness And The Destiny Of Liberating, Unblameable Tongues.* *James 3:13, 17-18, God will give you this wisdom that is talked about here in Jesus name, Amen. What are the characteristics of this wisdom?* *a. James 3:13, it is endured with knowledge. There can be no wisdom if there is no knowledge, Ecclesiastics 8:1; Daniel 2:21.* *b. James 3:13, Good conversation. You will use your tongue aright in conversations. Philippians 1:27; I Peter 3:1-2, your discussion, sharing and interactions with people will be good.* *c. James 3:13, with meekness of wisdom. This kind of wisdom is the one that is meek. II Timothy 2:25; Galatians 6:1-2, I pray that God will give you this kind of wisdom and increase it in you.* *d. James 3:17, it is pure and peaceable. You will not fight or strive with anyone who is contentious, Romans 12:18-19. As a minister don't use the pulpit to attack the people that are provoking you or the people that are trying to give you problems. It is God who has called you into the ministry. Hebrews 12:14, when you are on the pulpit, giving counseling, or when something is reported to you, remember that you are to follow peace with all men.* *e. James 3:17, this wisdom is gentle and merciful. Isaiah 40:11; I Thessalonians 2:7, with this wisdom, gentleness will characterize your ministry, everything that you say on the pulpit and behind the pulpit.* *f. James 3:17, this wisdom is without partiality and hypocrisy. When you want to give out an assignment in the Church, you are not thinking that you should give it to a person because he/she is from your tribe; from your village; a friend of yours from school; or he/she helps you by giving you money or other things. I Timothy 5:21, you have to take decisions and give assignments not by partiality. Isaiah 32:6, it is only a vile person that practices hypocrisy. I pray that the Lord will remove every form of hypocrisy from you, me and the church in Jesus name, Amen.* *g. James 3:18, God will make you righteous, doubly righteous, and you will have the fruit of righteousness in your ministry in Jesus name, Amen. Your righteousness will be an inspiration and encouragement to others in Jesus name. Philippians 1:11-12, your fruit of righteousness will not be scanty. Everything that happens in your life will make you have progress.* *Philippians 1:14, your life will inspire and raise up other faithful ministers in Jesus name. Your tongue is anointed and empowered; and when you speak, heaven will respond to your prayer.*🙏🏾