There may not be a more destructive thing on the face of the earth than the tongue. Words spewed from the tongue have ruined more lives, caused more hurt and wreaked more havoc than anything known to the human race. Our mouths have the potential to destroy our families, our friendships and our church. Words are always the catalyst for violence, for wickedness and for lawlessness. Satan’s entire kingdom is built upon the treacherous and deceitful use of the mouth. Our mouths are capable of producing the most deadly poison that spreads like a cancer and causes chaos to everything in its path. The sin nature that is born into every one of us is uniquely wired to the mouth and is the flame that carries the hate, anger, bitterness, pride and violence of sin into manifestation in the world. The mouth that was created to glorify and praise God is now used to despise Him. The mouth has become the weapon of choice in this age.

Our lives are fed and framed by the words that come out of our mouths. Words invoke the spirit realm into action. Words either advance God’s kingdom or Satan’s kingdom. Words can bring life or death into any circumstance, problem or challenge in life. Our mouths are the key to the quality and depth of our lives and hold the key to our spiritual growth and development as Christians. The words that flow out of our mouth are an indication of the true condition of our heart. It is estimated that we speak on the average 7000 words a day. How are our words affecting those around us? Do they build up or tear down, Do they help or hurt those around us? What fruit is our mouth producing?

We have an ultimate arsenal and weapon of victory and that is our mouth, our jawbone, confessing and believing the Word of God and like Samson we can slew a thousand of the enemy’s best strategies and schemes as not one devil spirit in the host of hell can stand against a Holy Spirit-charged mouth that speaks the Word of God with bold faith and confidence. But as Christians we have allowed our mouths to be patterned and molded by the world so they speak just like the world speaks. For too long, Christians have allowed their mouths to be full of fear, anxiety, distrust, deceit, pride, jealously, ignorance, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, envy, strife, selfishness, unthankfulness, condemnation, hatred, gossip, grumbling and complaining. Not only does this destroy your life, but it destroys your witness for Christ. Our mouths should be sanctified and come out from the world and reflect the heart of God and the purity and love of Christ. We must ask ourselves this critical question: who is the Lord of our mouth? Who does our tongue glorify?

We live in the times of the unrestrained tongue. Hate, anger, and slander are spewing out of the mouth at an alarming rate. People use social media as a platform to run off at the mouth and vilify, condemn and rebuke. There is no civilized discussion or genuine debate. The news media fuels this fire with talking heads that love to malign, disparage and ruin those that oppose them. If you don’t agree with me, I will slander you and label you the most vile names like a racist or bigot. The mouth races at an Olympic pace with its venom to destroy all in it path. The Bible accurately describes this generation of verbal hatemongers:

Psalm 50:19a: You give your mouth free rein for evil.

Psalm 52:4a: You love all words that devour…

Psalm 52:2 Your tongue plots destruction..

Jeremiah 18:18 Come let’s strike him with the tongue..

Psalm 73:9: They set their mouths against the heavens, and their tongue struts through the earth.

Psalms 109:3: They encircle me with words of hate and attack me without cause.

Psalm 10:7 (NIV): His mouth is full of lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue.

Proverbs 18:7: A fool’s mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.

The mouth that runs to evil and loves to destroy follows the pattern of the god of the this age, the Devil who is the chief slander and false accuser who uses his mouth to kill, steal and destroy. His deceptive and slanderous tongue goes back to Genesis 3 when he slandered God and His Word.  The word “devil,” is the Greek word “diabolos,” and means a false accuser and slanderer. It describes one who throws out accusations and false charges to hurt, destroy, and damage its object of scorn. It comes from the word dia meaning “through,” and ballo meaning “throw or cast.” It was used not only of those who bring a false charge against one, but also of those who disseminate it … and do so maliciously, insidiously, with hostility. The tongue is one of the devil’s main devices in this world to accomplish his evil purposes.

The tongue has the power to heal or destroy, to build up or tear down, to hurt or to bless. .

Proverbs 18:21: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.

Message: Words kill, words give life;  they’re either poison or fruit—you choose

How powerful the tongue is? It has the power to bring life or death. We eat of the fruit of our tongue all the days of our lives and this verse literally proclaims a mind-boggling truth that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Most of the devil’s attack comes through words where he proclaims false accusations, deceit, lies and confusion. The fiery darts of spiritual warfare are often words. We don’t want to assist him by having our mouth full of the same deadly things. Do our words bring life or death?

Do our words reflect the love and compassion of Jesus or the chaos of the world. Is our tongue obeying God or is it led astray by the Devil. Who is Lord of your tongue?

There is a verse in James 1:26 that contains an astounding and sobering truth.

NLT: If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

Phillips: If anyone appears to be “religious” but cannot control his tongue, he deceives himself and we may be sure that his religion is useless.

Voice: If you put yourself on a pedestal, thinking you have become a role model in all things religious, but you can’t control your mouth, then think again. Your mouth exposes your heart, and your religion is useless.

It has been said that the “tongue” is one of the most exercised muscles of our body. It has been estimated that in a typical week, the average person will speak enough words to fill a 500 page book! However, for the Christian, the use of the tongue must be a matter of careful forethought and discipline. The Bible warns that believers who do not bring restraint to their tongue and speech have been deceived — and without such control over their words, their religious acts are worthless and hypocritical. It is a deception for any of us to think that Jesus can be Lord over our life, without also becoming Lord over our tongue.

Jesus gives us some critical insight of the source of tongue and a warning about our responsibility concerning the tongue.

Matthew 12:34bf: For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. ³⁶ I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, ³⁷ for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The heart is the source of what our mouth speaks. Our heart is the essence of who we are and the center of our will, emotions and mind. Our of the heart come the issues of life. Our heart is built by what we hear, what we see and what we think. As Christians we must ponder what overflows out of our mouths daily? What flows out of our mouths at work, at home, in our marriage, in our church and in our relationships? What flows out of your mouth about God? Our mouths have been garbage containers for way too long and it is time to empty the trash container permanently and fill it with the awesome good things of God, the beauty of His splendor, the praise of His mighty works and the grace that He has freely given us.

Psalm 71:8: My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.

Does your mouth declare God’s splendor all day long? Or is it full of complaints, grumblings, dissatisfaction, anger and fear?

Look at these awesome verses on the mouth and the tongue.

Psalm 19:14 (NIV) May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

This should be the verse for our spiritual check-up daily that the words of our mouth and the mediation of our heart be pleasing to our Lord.

Psalm 40:3: (NIV): He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.

The song in our mouth can exhibit the goodness of God for others to see and inspire them to put their trust in the Lord or our words can drive people away from God’s heart because of their venom, poison and fear. Our words literally can lead people to Christ or push them away.

Psalm 89:1 (NIV): I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.

When was the last time your mouth was full of God’s faithfulness?

Psalm 81:10 (Amplified): I am the Lord your God, Who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

Who do you want to fill your mouth, God or the world?

Proverbs 21:23 (NIV): He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from troubles.

Often the trouble we are experiencing is because we recklessly opened our mouth without even the thought of guarding it.

Psalm 141:3 (ESV): Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

We need the Lord to set a guide over our mouths and keep watch over our lips. We need God’s help to control our tongue. We need to ask ourselves what is coming out of the door of your lips?

Psalm 17:3 (HSCB): You have tested my heart; You have visited by night; You have tried me and found nothing [evil]; I have determined that my mouth will not sin.

Our mouths lead us into sin more than any member of our body. Don’t allow your mouth to feed your sin nature.

Proverbs 4:24 (NIV): Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Romans describes what the sin nature does to the mouth.

Romans 3:13: Amplified: Their throat is a yawning grave; they use their tongues to deceive (to mislead and to deal treacherously). The venom of asps is beneath their lips.

NLT: “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their speech is filled with lies.” “The poison of a deadly snake drips from their lips.”

“Their mouth (words) is like the odor of a newly opened grave.”

Tombs were sealed not only to show respect for the deceased, but to hide the sight and stench of the body’s decay. The full import of this picture can only be appreciated in hot climates like the Middle East. Imagine the effect of the oppressive heat on decaying flesh! An ugly picture is being painted. As an unsealed tomb allows those who pass to see and smell what is inside, the unregenerate man’s open throat—that is, the foul words that come from it—reveal the decay of his heart.

The fangs of a deadly serpent lie, ordinarily, folded back in its upper jaw, but when it throws up its head to strike, those hollow fangs drop down, and when the serpent bites, the fangs press a sack of deadly poison hidden “under its lips,” at the root, thus injecting the venom into the wound. You and I were born with moral poison-sacks like this. And how people do claim the right to strike others with their venom-words! to use their snake-fangs!

Verse 14: There mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.

Isn’t this a perfect description of the tongue of this age?

Cursing refers to wanting the worst for someone and publicly expressing that desire in caustic, derisive language. It represents open, public expression of emotional hostility against one’s enemy.

Bitterness (pikría from pikrós from pik- = to cut, prick) means pointed or sharp, a bitter, pungent taste or smell.

Pikria was used literally to describe plants that produced inedible or poisonous fruit. Greeks defined this word as long-standing resentment, as the spirit which refuses to be reconciled. So many of us have a way of nursing our wrath to keep it warm, of brooding over the insults and the injuries which we have received.

In the NT pikria is used in a metaphorical sense to describe animosity, resentfulness, harshness or an openly-expressed emotional hostility against an enemy. Pikria defines a settled hostility that poisons the whole inner man. Bitterness reflects a smoldering resentment, a brooding grudge–filled attitude, an unwillingness to forgive or a harsh feeling. Bitterness is the opposite of sweetness and kindness It harbors resentment and keeps score of wrongs.

Pikría or bitterness: It is the spirit of irritability that keeps a person in perpetual animosity, making him sour and venomous. Bitterness applies to the bitterness of spirit to which people give vent by bitter words.

God tells us bitterness has no place in the church.

Ephesians 4:29-32: Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God’s favor) to those who hear it.

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God’s own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

No corrupt communication should be coming from our mouths as Christian. Our words should edify and not corrupt.

Unwholesome (sapros from sepo = cause to decay, to putrefy, to rot away, be corrupted) describes that which is rotten, putrefying, corrupt, disgusting, perishing, rank, foul, putrid, worthless. In secular writings sapros was used to describe spoiled fish, rotten grapes on the ground, and crumbling stones. The basic meaning relates to the process of decay. Sapros is used of things unusable, unfit, and bad. It describes that which is harmful due to the fact that it is corrupt and defiling.

Using this vivid metaphor Paul commands believers to put off speech like one would toss out rotten fruit or fish!

In Psalm 64:3 the tongue is called “a sword.” This sword has certainly damaged, bruised, wounded, and killed more people than all the swords in all the wars since history began.

Is there something that could be numbered greater than the incomprehensible amount of stars in the heavens? What about the sands by the sea, every blade of grass, or we could add all of these things together. There would still be something that would exceed them in number! It’s the things said by this little monster called the tongue. This uncontrollable little red rebel that lives in a red cave guarded by two rows of white soldiers called teeth. Think about how many words are being spoken today just over all the telephones worldwide. And how about all the words slung around the globe by our TVs and radios? The tongue has done more damage than any other instrument in the human body.

I said, “I will guard my ways, That I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle, While the wicked are in my presence.” (Ps 39:1)

That I sin not with my tongue. Tongue sins are great sins; like sparks of fire ill words spread, and do great damage. If believers utter hard words of God in times of depression, the ungodly will take them up and use them as a justification for their sinful courses. If a man’s own children rail at him, no wonder if his enemies’ mouths are full of abuse. Our tongue always wants watching, for it is restive as an ill broken horse; but especially must we hold it in when the sharp cuts of the Lord’s rod excite it to rebel.

James 3 is a commentary and admonition on an area of a person’s life that no one has successfully tamed: the tongue. God has created us with an instrument that can sing His praises yet curse His name. Our tongues compliment and criticize, comfort and offend, instruct and deceive. Since giving our lives to God, however, we have embarked on a lifelong task to tune this instrument to harmonize with God’s melody. And what an arduous and intensive task that is!

The first twelve verses of James 3 inform us how strong and wild this “little member” is in each of us. Like a bit controls a horse, or a rudder turns a huge ship, the tongue has the ability to do things far beyond its size. It can start wars, condemn innocents, ruin lives and careers, separate friends and family, and worst of all, lead others to throw away their salvation. It is so vital that we control the use of our tongue!

Here is James chapter 3 is the great “handbook on tongue control”…

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. ⁴ Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! ⁶ And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire (“to cause the process of burning to begin – ‘to ignite, to kindle, to set ablaze, to start a fire, to light a lamp.”) the entire course of life,^[a] and set on fire by hell.^[b] 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,^[c] these things ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

If Satan has a scorched-earth policy in his warfare against the Christians, then the tongue is the front line of attack. James rings a clear warning. A transformed tongue must be a top priority for those on the growing edge of discipleship.

MacArthur explains this as “Like physical fire, the destructive effects of evil speech expand, not only contaminating ourselves but also everything we influence throughout the course of our life. To a large extent, we are known by the way we talk. Over the long haul, what we say gives others a pretty good idea of who and what we really are. That principle applies to good things as well as sinful, but James’s emphasis here is entirely on the negative aspects of our speaking—such as gossip, slander, false accusations, lying, filthy language and stories, and other sins of the tongue—that can destroy individual lives, families, schools, churches, and communities.

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

The tongue that destroys is often rooted in bitter jealously and selfish ambition. It is false to the truth and causes disorder. It promotes earthly wisdom instead of the wisdom from above. It is not pure, it is not peaceable, it is not gentle, it is not open to reason, it is not full of mercy and good fruits and is not impartial or sincere. The tongue becomes unspiritual and demonic. It reaps a deadly destructive harvest. The tongue is the match when lit can cause an emotional inferno of harm. It has the potential to burn down everything in its path. An uncontrolled tongue is like a world hostile to and ignorant of God. It is the part of us which disobeys, defies, and rebels against God. The tongue is always ready to pounce and inflict vicious wounds. Only God can tame it. He tamed it at the foot of the cross, but we must reckon it dead to the sin nature and alive unto God and use it as an instrument to His glory.

When the doctor examines us, one of the first things he does to determine our physical condition is to say “Stick out your tongue!” James is saying in a sense “Stick out your tongue so I can assess the condition of your heart”. This principle applies to the life of the person whose religion is pure and undefiled, for the tongue reveals what is in our heart.

Wiersbe – The tongue cannot be tamed by man, but it can be tamed by God. Your tongue need not be “set on fire of hell” (James 3:6). Like the Apostles at Pentecost, it can be set on fire from heaven! If God lights the fire and controls it, then the tongue can be a mighty tool for the winning of the lost and the building up of the church. The important thing, of course, is the heart; for it is “out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaketh” (Matt. 12:34). If the heart is filled with hatred, Satan will light the fire. But if the heart is filled with love, God will light the fire.

I Peter 3:8-10: Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. ⁹ Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. ¹⁰ For “Whoever desires to love life  and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil  and his lips from speaking deceit;

Keep thy tongue from evil. Guard with careful diligence that dangerous member, the tongue, lest it utter evil, for that evil will recoil upon thee, and mar the enjoyment of thy life. Men cannot spit forth poison without feeling some of the venom burning their own flesh. And thy lips from speaking guile. Deceit must be very earnestly avoided by the man who desires happiness. Our seeing good days is in direct proportion to how we keep our tongue from evil.

Philippians 2:14-16 (KJV): Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.

All (pas) means all without exception. The Greek reads literally ”all things do”, all being placed first for emphasis that there are to be no exceptions!

We cannot shine as lights in this world if we are always murmuring and disputing. We run the race of life in vain if our mouth is full of grumbling and complaints.

Murmurings (goggusmos from goggúzo = to say anything in a low tone, is an audible expression of an unwarranted dissatisfaction. an expression of one’s discontent. Grumbling, grudging, murmuring, complaining (making formal accusation or expressing dissatisfaction, resentment, displeasure or annoyance).

In secular Greek there is a use of goggusmos describing grumbling dissatisfaction at disappointed expectations. The idea is that a supposedly legitimate claim is not met. What is denoted is a strong personal attitude.

Barclay adds that…

It describes the low, threatening, discontented muttering of a mob who distrust their leaders and are on the verge of an uprising.

Commenting on goggusmos in this passage in John 7 Barclay writes that…

It indicates a kind of growling, discontented undertone. It is the word used for the grumbling of the children of Israel in the wilderness when they complained against Moses. They muttered the complaints they were afraid to utter out loud. Fear can keep a man from making a clarion call of his faith and can turn it into an indistinct mutter. The Christian should never be afraid to tell the world in ringing tones that he believes in Christ.

I wonder, if there had been a secret video camera recording your life this past week, how much grumbling would have been captured on film?

Complaining about our lot in life might seem quite innocent in itself, but God takes it personally. (Erwin W. Lutzer)

If Christians spent as much time praying as they do grumbling, they would have nothing to grumble about.
Spurgeon offers an antidote for a complaining, murmuring spirit writing that…

If we complained less, and praised more, we should be happier, and God would be more glorified. Let us daily praise God for common mercies—common as we frequently call them, and yet so priceless, that when deprived of them we are ready to perish. Let us bless God for the eyes with which we behold the sun, for the health and strength to walk abroad, for the bread we eat, for the raiment we wear. Let us praise him that we are not cast out among the hopeless, or confined amongst the guilty; let us thank him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts; let us praise him, in fact, for everything which we receive from his bounteous hand, for we deserve little, and yet are most plenteously endowed. But, beloved, the sweetest and the loudest note in our songs of praise should be of redeeming love. God’s redeeming acts towards his chosen are for ever the favourite themes of their praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our sonnets of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, uplifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ—our shackles of guilt have been broken off; we are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can antedate the period when we shall be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Even now by faith we wave the palm-branch and wrap ourselves about with the fair linen which is to be our everlasting array, and shall we not unceasingly give thanks to the Lord our Redeemer? Child of God, canst thou be silent? Awake, awake, ye inheritors of glory, and lead your captivity captive, as ye cry with David, “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” Let the new month begin with new songs. (Spurgeon, C. H. Morning and Evening: Daily readings December 1, Evening)

“Disputings” means an intellectual rebellion against God. Disputing implies a questioning mind and suggests an arrogant attitude by those who assume they’re always right. Arguing with others in the body of Christ is disruptive. That’s why Paul spent the first part of chapter 2 on humility. The more specific ideas of questioning, doubting, or disputing the truth of a matter. It is the reasonings of the natural mind in independence from God. It is useless and ill-natured disputings and doubtings rooted in self.

Both murmurings and disputings originate in unbelief and are the enemies of faith. They show a lack of trust in God and an exaltation of self.

Proverbs 13:3: He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.

Proverbs 15:4 (NIV): The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

Most of us do not escape life without being deeply touched by such actions from others. But how incredibly sobering it is to see ourselves in these actions of others, to realize that we are guilty of the very things that may have hurt us deeply! We, too, are responsible for spreading the flames of a fire that devours and destroys all in its path. The evil of our tongues is as limitless as the evil James describes. A sharp tongue is a weapon, no less as effective as a pointed spear or a sword honed to a razor’s edge. A sharp tongue has no place among the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It does not express love, spread joy or promote peace. It shows no patience, kindness or goodness in its words. It betrays faithfulness and gentleness, and most of all, it shows no measure of self-control.

My sharp tongue has been a contradiction to the convictions I have expressed nearly all my life. I never saw it until I had to come face to face with the jabs, slices, and pricks of other sharp tongues, and to feel the fires they started within me. I would beg the Father for understanding, of why such communication should exist and why I should receive it with such bitterness—until I finally saw, as David did, that I am the guilty one.
James 5:7-9 (ESV): Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. 8You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 9Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.

So many of our rewards in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ will be determined by the words that came out of our mouth while we lived upon the earth. What is your mouth full of? Isn’t it time that our words heal, that our words bless, that our words bring grace, that our words touch hearts because our words are His words and flow out of a loving relationship with our God. Determine to always check the contents of your mouth so that you can glorify God in word and deed. The world is so negative, so accusatory, so angry, so miserable, and so lost isn’t it about time Christians sanctify their mouths as we can never be His hands and feet to the world until we are His mouth first. Are your words bringing life or death? Restoration or hurt? Gossip or deliverance? Strife or peace? Depression or joy? Dismay or hope? Health or sickness? Love or hate? What is your mouth full of? Your life depends on it! Your rewards at the judgment seat of Christ depend on it. In this generation of the unrestrained tongue, let our tongues shine as lights in this dark world of slander and hate. Let our tongues reflect our love for the Lord Jesus. Our tongues were designed to glorify and praise God all the days of our lives. We can turn the world upside down and it all starts with our tongue. We choose whether our tongues are conformed to the world or conformed to Christ. Who is the Lord of our tongue?