Words are a powerful thing. They give us the power to heal and the power to hurt. The power to give hope and the power to discourage. The power to build up and the power to tear down. There is no marriage, family, or friendship that isn’t either made stronger or made weaker by how you choose and use your words. Yet controlling what we say from moment to moment is perhaps the most daunting challenge of Christian living. It’s the closest most of us will ever come to trying to tame a wild beast. So how can you avoid the angry outbursts, cutting remarks, and unguarded responses that lead only to damage, embarrassment, and regret? And what kind of new habits of speech should replace the old? In Taming the Tongue, John MacArthur shows you how to follow God’s plan for managing the words you speak in any given situation. You’ll learn how to pray, proclaim the gospel, and edify others. You’ll also discover that managing your words is the key to controlling your spiritual life.
Colossians 04:01 .. masters .. grant to your slaves justice and fairness .. knowing that you too have a master in heaven 04:02 .. devote yourselves to prayer .. keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving 04:03 .. praying at the same time for us as well .. that God will open up to us a door for the word .. ......... so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ .. for which I have also been imprisoned 04:04 .. that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak 04:05 .. conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders .. making the most of the opportunity 04:06 .. let your speech always be with grace .. as though seasoned with salt .. so that you will know how you should respond to each person
James 03:01 .. let not many of you become teachers .. my brethren .. knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment 03:02 .. for we all stumble in many ways .. If anyone does not stumble in what he says .. he is a perfect man .. able to bridle the whole body as well 03:03 .. now if we put the bits into the horses mouths so that they will obey us .. we direct their entire body as well 03:04 .. look at the ships also .. though they are so great and are driven by strong winds .. .......... are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires 03:05 .. so also the tongue is a small part of the body .. and yet it boasts of great things .. see how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire
James 03:06 .. and the tongue is a fire .. the very world of iniquity .. the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body .. .......... and sets on fire the course of our life .. and is set on fire by hell 03:07 .. for every species of beasts and birds .. of reptiles and creatures of the sea .. is tamed and has been tamed by the human race 03:08 .. but no one can tame the tongue .. it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison 03:09 .. with it we bless our Lord and Father .. and with it we curse men .. who have been made in the likeness of God 03:10 .. from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing .. my brethren .. these things ought not to be this way 03:11 .. does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water 03:12 .. can a fig tree .. my brethren .. produce olives .. or a vine produce figs .. nor can salt water produce fresh