DECEMBER 3 - CONTROLLING THE TONGUE
READ James 3
The exercise of genuine Christian faith results in controlling the tongue to speak good, not evil.
INSIGHT
Through the use of metaphors, James warns us about the tongue. There is nothing good or bad, right or wrong about a tongue; it is simply a few ounces of muscle. But the tongue articulates the contents of the heart. If a flask full of acid is bumped, acid will spill out. If a flask full of water is bumped, only water will spill out. Water will never spill out of a flask of acid, and acid will never spill out of a flask of water. In that sense, the tongue merely reveals the heart. Let the heart be bumped, and the tongue will reveal what is in the heart. In controlling the tongue, you must control the heart. If you want to change the words of the tongue, you must change the condition of the heart.
PRAYER
Offer your praise to the Lord who can soften our hearts and sweeten our tongues:
You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects the lives of his faithful ones;
He rescues them from the power of the wicked.
Light dawns for the righteous,
Gladness for the upright in heart.
Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And give thanks to his holy name
(Psalm 97:10-12).
Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I will instruct you and show you the way to go;
With my eye on you, I will give counsel
(Psalm 32:8).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11).
The exercise of genuine Christian faith results in controlling the tongue to speak good, not evil.
INSIGHT
Through the use of metaphors, James warns us about the tongue. There is nothing good or bad, right or wrong about a tongue; it is simply a few ounces of muscle. But the tongue articulates the contents of the heart. If a flask full of acid is bumped, acid will spill out. If a flask full of water is bumped, only water will spill out. Water will never spill out of a flask of acid, and acid will never spill out of a flask of water. In that sense, the tongue merely reveals the heart. Let the heart be bumped, and the tongue will reveal what is in the heart. In controlling the tongue, you must control the heart. If you want to change the words of the tongue, you must change the condition of the heart.
PRAYER
Offer your praise to the Lord who can soften our hearts and sweeten our tongues:
You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects the lives of his faithful ones;
He rescues them from the power of the wicked.
Light dawns for the righteous,
Gladness for the upright in heart.
Be glad in the Lord, you righteous ones,
And give thanks to his holy name
(Psalm 97:10-12).
Now pray this confession to the Lord as you seek to keep your life free from sin:
If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9).
Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, and pray this affirmation to the Lord:
I will instruct you and show you the way to go;
With my eye on you, I will give counsel
(Psalm 32:8).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, include:
- Greater love for other Christians
- Missionaries in Europe and Asia
- Whatever else is on your heart
Finally, offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11).
A Dogwood Church Discipleship Ministry Resource. © Walk Thru the Bible 2025.