The document discusses the power of the tongue based on passages from the book of James in the Bible. It notes that while the tongue is small, it can direct large ships and set entire forests ablaze. Additionally, the uncontrollable tongue can both praise God and curse people, and no man can tame it. The tongue has power to direct, destroy through gossip and criticism, but also to delight through righteous speech. Ultimately, people will be judged for every idle word spoken.

1. “Ask not what your
country can do for
you—ask what you can
do for your country”
J F Kennedy - inauguration speech in 1960

2. “I have nothing to offer
but blood, toil, tears
and sweat”
Winston Churchill – 1st speech
to the House in 1940

3. “I have a dream that one day every
valley shall be exalted, and every
hill/mountain shall be made low,
the rough places will be made
plain, and the crooked places will
be made straight, and the glory of
the Lord shall be revealed and all
flesh shall see it together”Martin Luther King Jnr

4. Series – ‘Developing a faith that works’
Today
‘Watch your tongue’
James 3:1-12

5. Warning to those who teach God’s Word
Not many of you should become
teachers, my fellow believers,
because you know that we who
teach will be judged more strictly –
James 3:1

6. Warning to those who teach God’s Word
Handle God’s Word correctly
Do your best to present yourself to God
as one approved, a worker who does not
need to be ashamed and who correctly
handles the word of truth
2 Tim 2:15

7. Warning to those who teach God’s Word
Deal with uncomfortable subjects
For the time will come when people will not
put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit
their own desires, they will gather round
them a great number of teachers to say
what their itching ears want to hear
2 Tim 4:3

8. Warning to those who teach God’s Word
Proclaim the whole counsel of God
For I have not hesitated to proclaim to
you the whole will (counsel) of God
Acts 20:27

9. All Scripture is God-
breathed and is useful
for teaching, rebuking,
correcting and training
in righteousness
2 Tim 3:16

10. We all stumble in many ways.
Anyone who is never at fault in
what they say is perfect, able to
keep their whole body in check
James 3:2

11. The tongue – Power to Direct
When we put bits into the mouths of horses
to make them obey us, we can turn the
whole animal. 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
James 3:3

12. The tongue – Power to Destroy
A fire
… the tongue is a small part of the body, but
it makes great boasts …. a great forest is set
on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is
a fire … It corrupts the whole person, sets
the whole course of his life on fire …
James 3:5

13. The tongue – Power to Destroy
Idle gossip/half truths
They are full of envy,
murder, strife, deceit and
malice. They are gossips,
(whisperer, secret slanderer)
Rom 1:29

14. Speaking the truth
speaking the truth in love … Eph 4:15
Let our lives lovingly express the truth
in all things – speaking truly, dealing
truly, living truly
Eph 4:15 Amp

15. The tongue – Power to Destroy
Words spoken
in temper
Words of
negative criticism

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

17. The tongue – Power to Delight
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and
with it we curse men, who have been made in God's
likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and
cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both
fresh water and salt water flow from the same
spring? My brothers, can a fig-tree bear olives, or a
grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring
produce fresh water.
James 3:9-12

18. The tongue – Power to Delight
The spring
The mouth of the
righteous is a
fountain of life ...
Prov 10:11

19. The tongue – Power to Delight
Grapevine
The lips of the
righteous nourish
many ….
Prov 10:21

20. For out of the
overflow of the heart
the mouth speaks
Matt 12:34

21. The tongue has immense power
 To direct
 To destroy
 To delight
But I tell you that
everyone will have to
give account on the day
of judgment for every
empty word they have
spoken
Matt 12:26

22. If all of our words were
put into print
One day's words would fill a
50-page book
One year’s words would fill 132
books of 200 pages each!