In this sermon, Brother Denny emphasizes the power and importance of controlling one's tongue. He warns that an unruly tongue can lead to trouble, hurt, mistrust, and confusion. He uses two illustrations to illustrate the significance of controlling one's speech. The first illustration is of a ship, where a small rudder can turn the entire ship. The second illustration is of a horse, where a small bit in its mouth can control its entire body. Brother Denny encourages Christians to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to bring their speech under control and align it with God's will.

Hello, this is Brother Denny. Welcome to Charity Ministries. Our desire is that your life would be blessed and changed by this message. This message is not copyrighted and is not to be bought or sold. You are welcome to make copies for your friends and neighbors. If you would like additional messages, please go to our website for a complete listing at www.charityministries.org. If you would like a catalog of other sermons, please call 1-800-227-7902 or write to Charity Ministries, 400 West Main Street, Suite 1, EFRA PA 17522. These messages are offered to all without charge by the free will offerings of God's people. A special thank you to all who support this ministry. Thy Holy Spirit alone can turn our hearts from sin. His power alone can sanctify and keep us pure within. By Spirit of faith and love, send in our midst, we pray, and purify each waiting heart. Fulfill us with power today. Said your prayer this morning? Amen. I greet you all in Jesus' name. Welcome to the service today. What a blessing it's been to worship the Lord together in song. And the hearing of the Word of God preached to us this morning. I invite you to open your Bibles with me this morning to James. Desire to continue in the book of James. And we're at James chapter 3. James chapter 3. When you think of the book of James and you think of chapter 3, what comes to your mind? The tongue. I hear someone say the tongue. James chapter 3 is largely speaking about the use of the tongue. It's written to my brethren. It's not written to the joking, careless about God, reviler. But it's written to my brethren. James begins many of his chapters that way. Chapter 2 also begins that way, my brethren. And as we look at a bit of the history of the book of James, as we shared earlier, it's a book that has been a bit controversial down through the Christian church age. Especially those who would hold to a doctrine of unconditional eternal security. Because what do you do with the book of James? Because he is so pointed and so clearly speaking of faith. Without worse. Being alone, it's dead. Now he comes to this matter of the issue of the tongue. And as it unfolds before us, he brings it to a point of an absolute that you just can't argue with. So this morning I feel very unqualified and unworthy to share this message. Please pray for me. I feel it's a hard word. It's a self-examining time for the brethren, my brethren, and that includes me also. So let's stand together and pray. Can we do that this morning? Father in heaven, we come in Jesus' name. Father, we desire not to preach ourselves, not to preach our own ideas, Lord. But Father, to just open the Bible and just take it as it comes. And just allow your word to speak to my heart, to our hearts, to the brethren, and to the sisters. Here at Charity Christian Fellowship, Father, help us to not think about someone else that this applies to, Lord. To divert it, Lord. But Father, speak to me, Lord. Speak to us, Lord. Father, we thank you for your word. And Father, we ask for the Spirit of God to descend upon our hearts, we pray, in purifying flame, Lord. And burn out the dross, Father. Examine our hearts, Lord. Examine my heart, Lord. Examine my heart, Lord. See if there be any wicked way in me, Lord. And cleanse me and wash me. And lead me in the way everlasting. Father, I pray that you would give clarity of thought and utterance, Lord. And touch my lips, Father. For I am not able, Lord. Father, unless you come, Lord, unless you enable, unless you empower, your word by your Spirit, as we said in the prayer room this morning, all is vain unless the Holy One comes down. So, Father, we pray you would descend upon our hearts, Lord. And bring revival, we pray. In Jesus' name, Amen. You may be seated. My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. Be not many masters. The word rendered masters is also translated teachers in different places in the New Testament. It has primarily the meaning of a teacher, even when it is rendered master. So, we could say, my brethren, be not many teachers or be not desirous of being a teacher. Because those who are teachers, those who are masters, they shall receive greater condemnation. The circumstances referred to here, I believe, is that many desire to be teachers. Many desire to be in a place of position and power or recognition. And there was an unholy, unsanctified desire and a pushing forward to a place of position as Jesus said, men love to be called rabbi, they love to be called master, teacher. And in my studies, as I studied this, one of the writers of the early writings of history during this time said that there was evidence that there was a mindset amongst the Jewish Christians to want to be teachers. And I don't believe that that was only in their day. I believe that still follows us today, that there are those who would desire to be masters and teachers and pushing themselves forward to a place of position and maybe an unsanctified desire for position and to have that place of prominence and be called teacher and to be over others. I think we could surely acknowledge today that we have seen a lot of confusion and disorder wrought in the Christian church by self-appointed teachers, masters, drawing disciples away after them and all these different things that have taken place and the confusion and the injury and the scattering of the body of Christ in many places. Because someone rises up into a place of teaching and desiring to be a master and then drawing people away after themselves. God has very clearly given us direction as to how teachers are to be placed in the church, in the Christian church. And he has given us a whole book of chapters of qualifications for teachers and for elders and for deacons. Scriptures say, lay hands suddenly on no man, do not be in a hurry. The Amplified paraphrase would say, do not be in a hurry of laying hands on a man and giving him the sanction of the church too hastily in reinstating expelled offenders or in ordinations to a place of ministry, to an office. We have the biblical example of how they fasted and prayed. They're in the book of Acts and the Lord spoke through the Holy Ghost and said, separate unto me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. We know that the scriptures teach very clearly that if a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work. And so I don't believe it's wrong for a person to have a heart and desire to be a vessel that is meek for the master's use, to be used of the Lord and to be a vessel of edification to the body of Christ. But these things need to be sanctified because it's so easy for flesh and for carnal desire to be pushing a person forward into a place of a master. Be not many masters because we shall receive the greater condemnation, a severer judgment to those who are called in a place of teaching and ruling and governing over, shepherding. It makes me tremble this morning, you know, those who watch over God's flock as those that must give in the count, it says in Hebrews. And here he says, we shall receive the greater condemnation, the severer judgment, that is, we shall have a severer trial, give a stricter account will be required then of other men. Oh, that we would take that posture and that view before the judgment seat in anticipation of the judgment seat and then answer the question of whether or not there is a desire to seek an office of ministry. You know, in all that we do, in all the choices in life that we make, it is healthy for us and good for us to place ourselves at the judgment seat in anticipation of the judgment and ask ourselves, how will this decision, how will this pursuit, how will these plans appear there at the judgment seat of Christ? My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. In the thought of a master, I'd like to just share a few other thoughts here as we look at the use of the tongue then following. But, you know, as a master, do not give yourselves to the air of a judge. Do not assume and speak and act as one who is a lord, making our own sentiments a standard by which to trial others, as if all must be brought to your standard. Teachers, speaking to myself this morning, elders, deacons, those who are called by the Lord in the place of ministry, do I yet possess the spirit of a learner? Do I yet have that spirit of a learner, of a disciple? God says in Peter that we are not to lord it over the flock, but to be examples. An unsanctified teacher, a self-appointed prophet, has done much damage to the church. So, let us sanctify our hearts and let us examine the motives of our heart. Do I have the spirit of a learner, a humble disciple of Jesus Christ? My brethren, be not many masters, because, verse 2 says, in many things we offend all. While we are severe against what we count offenses in others, do we consider how much offense there is in us? That which justly offends is offensive to others. Jesus explained it this way. Do you see a mote in your brother's eye and not consider the beam that is in your own eye? Those who criticize and judge the frailties and infirmities of others, little think how many things they offend in themselves. Oh, that we would have a proper view of ourselves. Perhaps the air of teacher or master is a worse offense than the fault that they condemn in others. You know, it can be that way. The air that I'm the teacher, I'm the master, I'm the elder, I've been ordained to this office and an air and a censurous tongue censuring the frailties and infirmities of others. But that air, that air of position or authority or power, is the worst offense in many cases than the faults that are condemned in the others. Let us take to heart that those who are curious to spy out the faults of others and passing judgment, criticism, critically looking at them, that they may expect of God to be the more strict and severe because with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. So, let us be severe in judging ourselves, but charitable in judging our brother. Let us be severe and relentless upon judging ourselves, but let us be charitable in judging our brother. James chapter 3 verse 2 part B, If any man offend not in word, the same as a perfect man, enable also to bridle the whole body. It's a powerful verse, powerful truth. If any man offend not in word, the same as a perfect man, enable also to bridle the whole body. On the other hand, if you read in chapter 1, if a man seemeth to be religious and bridleth not his tongue, doesn't matter what for profession he makes, this man's religion is vain. Vain meaning it is of no value, it is useless. First Corinthians says, though I give my body to be burned, though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, though I speak with tongues of men and angels, and of all these different things, but my life isn't motivated and flowing out of love. It profiteth nothing. But he is speaking here of the tongue. This morning, if a man offend not in word, the same as a perfect man, enable also to bridle the whole body. But on the other hand, if a man seemeth to be religious, goes to church every Sunday, takes communion, washes feet, wears the right clothing, can say the right words, in the right setting, but has not control over his tongue, he does not bridle his tongue, that man's religion is vain. The wisdom and grace which enable the man to rule his tongue, will enable him to rule all of his actions and bring his whole body under the control of the Spirit. We have two illustrations illustrating this. Verse 3 of James chapter 3. Behold, we put bits in horse's mouth, that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. A horse. Some of you here are familiar with horses. That 1,200 pound animal, or am I too high? 1,000 pound animal? Maybe 1,500, depending on what horse it is. It may be a 3,000 pound, one of those big Belgians. Maybe even higher. You put a little bit in that horse's mouth, and by that you can control the whole horse. In all of his power, in all of his nature, all of his will, can be brought under the control of the Master. With that little bit in the horse's mouth. We turn about their whole body, just by that little bit. How many of you are familiar with horses? Quite a lot of you. I'm not that familiar, so I should maybe let you tell me about how much they weigh and how they respond. But, an unbroken horse is not very much value, is he? Until he's broken. Until his will and his whole energies of all of his power is under control to his Master. Psalm says, I will keep my mouth with a bridle. Or I will bridle my mouth while I am before the wicked, or the wicked are before me. I think there's a lesson here for us, in the tongue. The illustration of a horse. That whole horse, his whole body is governed and guided by that bit in his mouth. The horse obeys us. But you know, as an unruly horse, or an ungovernable horse, who is not broken and who will not listen, he may throw off his rider, he may go about his own way, he may run you under the tree to try to scrape you off, and all sorts of things. And that may seem a little humorous this morning, but you know, an unruly tongue, an unruly tongue, an uncontrolled tongue, will say things and do things that will get people into all sorts of trouble, all sorts of hurt, all sorts of mistrust, all sorts of confusion. An unruly tongue will bring a person into a place of great difficulty and anguish of soul, if you are a Christian. Say, if only I could take those words back. Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever said something? And maybe you say, it was a slip of the tongue. Another illustration is given here in verse 4, The Lord said, Behold, also the ships, which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. The illustration of the ship. Large ships. If you are ever going to a harbor city somewhere, and you see those large ships, there's just a little helm, a little rudder, down underneath that ship that's relative in size to the whole ship, it's just very small. But it turns about that whole ship. And the governor, or the captain of the ship, he's up there on the top in his quarters, and he's got his wheel up there, and he just spins that wheel and he turns the whole ship, wherever he wants it to go. The power of the tongue. This morning, my brothers, my sisters, we cannot overestimate the power of the tongue. The words that are spoken. Even though they're driven of fierce winds, this big ship, they're turned about of a very small helm. Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. It boasteth great things. You know, it's easy to see in a child when they're bragging, we say, and boasting. But it takes on a little more of a refined form among adults, but it's still boasting, isn't it, at times? It boasteth great things. You know, that pride of what I can do. That pride of my abilities and accomplishments. That boasting. Great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. You know, the tongue is capable of setting on fire debates, arguments, strifes, divisions, all sorts of things. It's compared as a little fire. And when you place that little fire amongst combustible material, the flame soon starts. You know, it's just amazing how it works. It takes just a little match to light that whole big brush pile. Just one little match, you know. Just a word of gossip, jealousy, envy. Just pass along some rumors, just a little bit. You know, we should dread the unruly tongue as one of the greatest evils. You know, an undisciplined, uncontrolled tongue can do such damage. It can happen in churches. It can happen in families. It can happen at the place where you work. An unholy word. An unkind word. An angry word. A little sowing of discord here. A little fueling it over there. A little fire begins to burn. Gets a little bigger. Involves a few more people. Spreads a little farther. The fire grows greater. They tell someone else. And they tell someone else. And you know, maybe it all started with you. Maybe it all started with me. With that undisciplined tongue. I didn't mean it to be that. I didn't mean it for it to be passed along. I didn't mean for it to sound hurtful. I didn't mean it like that. But until it got passed along a few times, it grew bigger. The fire began to burn hotter. And feelings begin to rise and get involved. And great hurt is done. Wounds, it tells us in Proverbs, through the tail bearing are like, it's like a wound. It's like an arrow that goes into the innermost being, down into the depths. You know, many times the tongue, in words that are spoken, are far more painful than a physical beating would be. Far more damaging. Far longer lasting and longer reaching. The damaging of the person. Their character, the tongue, is a little member. And it boasts great things. Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth. Verse 6, And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature. And it is set on fire of hell. These are strong words, James. These are strong words. The tongue, a fire, a world of iniquity. There is such an abundance of sin in the tongue. It's called a world of iniquity. How many defilements does the tongue occasion? Just stop and think about it. How many defilements are occasioned through the tongue? How many dreadful flames does it kindle? Defiling passions are kindled and vented by this unruly member, the tongue. It's a fire that setteth on fire the course of nature. Stop and think with me this morning. How the affairs of mankind and societies and nations have been thrown into confusion by the flame of the tongue of just one person. We can think of many things this morning. We can look at many illustrations. Think of the cult leaders who take all of their people with them, their followers, into a remote area somewhere and isolate themselves and brainwash their followers to the point that they will commit suicide, the whole gang of them together. Powerful, fiery use of the tongue. Think of dictators, think of presidents, think of world leaders who through their powerful speeches motivated whole nations to war. Motivated whole groups of people to annihilate another group of ethnic race or peoples. Powerful use of the tongue. I almost hesitate to use names, but it's one we all know so well. Did you ever hear Hitler speak? Did you ever listen to a little audio clip of Hitler speak? He spoke in a very powerful manner to the people and so with the use of his tongue persuaded the people to the point of following him down a road of engulfing the whole world in a war and annihilating six million Jews. Awful, powerful speakers, persuasive speeches. But there's a positive side too. Think of Peter on the day of Pentecost preaching under the power of the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost coming upon the people and they say, what shall we do that we might be saved? Hallelujah! The power of the tongue, the racial conflict in our own nation and men who spoke, who rose up and spoke and the use of their tongue. The power of the tongue. They brought about reform, they brought about change. Brought people face to face with having to face issues. The tongue. It tells us here that it seteth on fire the course of nature and it is set on fire of hell. That's an awesome statement to ponder. The tongue is set on fire of hell. Really? Set on fire of hell? I believe hell has more to do in promoting the fire of the tongue than what we are generally aware of or men are generally aware of. Just listen to the descriptions of the devil. The devil is expressly called a liar, a murderer, an accuser of the brethren. When the devil spoke, he lied. But wasn't there some truth in it? Jesus, cast yourself down. It is written, the angels shall bear thee up lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. But he's a liar. He's a liar. He's twisting the scriptures. He's a murderer. He's an accuser of the brethren. You know, we can know that if we enter into any of those things with the use of our tongue, it's set on fire of hell. From the hellish, demonic, lying, deceiving, murderous, accusing spirits that come out of that pit, Satan and all of his demons, they inflame men's tongues. Speak great swelling words, promising men liberty, promising men liberty. Says in Jude, while they themselves are the servants of the flesh and of the devil, posing, transforming himself as an angel of light, says in the scriptures, I believe in Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and the use of the tongue. Powerful preaching. But is it truth? As Brother Ed shared with us this morning. Is it truth? Is it sound? Has hell inflamed my tongue? Your tongue? Have I accused brethren? The devil is the accuser of the brethren. Have I lied? Have I spit out venomous, angry words? Hateful words? Sharp words like arrows? The power of the tongue. We should dread and flee away from contentions, slanderings and lies, and everything that would kindle the fire of wrath in our spirit as we would flee the flames and fires of hell. We should dread. We should flee away. The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members that it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell. For every beast, every kind of beast, and of birds and serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. He gives us the example of taming of birds and beasts and serpents and have been tamed of mankind. You can look around. If you've ever gone with your family to the zoo, you can see animals that are fierce and dangerous and trainers handle them and they're tamed. Though they be wild, brute beasts, they're tamed. They're brought under subjection to mankind. But he says that the tongue is worse than these. The tongue cannot be tamed. You cannot tame the tongue. All these beasts, snakes, serpents, they can be tamed. They can be made to do what their trainer says. Be made to be harmless. People can handle them and touch them. But the tongue cannot be tamed. That's pretty sobering, isn't it? The tongue cannot be tamed. Am I saying that right? Not quite. It says the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. The tongue can no man tame, no school, no ten step program, no psychology of letting it all out and screaming and yelling into a pillow. You know, people are doing all sorts of crazy things. You've got to get it out of your system. Scream a while and get it out. But no, no. The tongue, by man's wisdom, man's philosophies, no man can tame the tongue. It is full of deadly poison. It is an unruly evil. There is an answer though and we'll get to that shortly. Verse 9 says, And if therewith bless we God, even the Father, and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God, out of the same mouth proceed of blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. How absurd. Sunday morning you come to church and you bless God and then go home and curse your fellow man. Say, but I don't curse. No, but speak evil or degrade. These things ought not so to be. Out of the same mouth proceed of blessing and cursing. Is that your mouth? Is that my mouth? Out of the same mouth, blessing and cursing. And then he gives us an example in nature. He says, you know, you don't even find that in nature. Verse 11, Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, either a bind figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. No fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. Sweet water and bitter water. Is your life a fountain of fresh water? Is your tongue speaking forth words of life? What for fruit is your tree bringing forth? Every tree is known by its fruit. What's growing on your tree? What's growing on my tree? What water is coming out of your life, your fountain? Is it a mixture? One time fresh, another time salt. Can a fountain do that? Can the same fountain send forth fresh water, and then salt water another time? Is that possible? He brings it down so pointedly and clearly, does he not? Well, maybe this morning, maybe your well has been contaminated. Maybe your well is contaminated by evil thoughts, by grudges, by jealousies and envies, or unforgiveness. The list could go on. Pride. Root of bitterness. Love of money. Love of the world. Love of pleasure. Maybe your well is being stopped up by the Philistines, throwing in their garbage into your well, into your life. Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Does it? He answers the question, verse 12. No fountain, so can no fountain yield, both yield salt water and fresh. Well, what do we say to these things? Can a Christian fail in the area of his tongue? Or if he fails in the area of his tongue, is he not a Christian? You know, you can tame all these creatures, but the tongue can no man tame. The tongue is apt to break through all the bounds and rules and spit out its poison. Some unguarded moment, some weak moment or something, and it happens, and can be very devastating. Even with the utmost care and trying your best, I believe that the only way to tame this tongue is found in a changing of the source of how the tongue speaks. It's the only way. Maybe you need a new well this morning. Maybe you need a new source. That ten step program, that trying to do better, I'll not ever say that again. Does it work? Failure, repeated failure many times. What about the Christian? Can he keep his tongue from sinning? I believe the Scriptures give us some answers. Galatians 5 tells us that if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another. And he's speaking of the use of the tongue. Then he goes on to say in verse 16, But this I say then, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Walk in the Spirit. We would have to admit that when wrong words come out of my mouth, I'm not walking in the Spirit. I'm not in tune with the Lord. I'm not walking in the fullness of the Spirit of God. An unguarded moment, a letting down, a relaxing, not the arm or girded on firmly, and being vigilant and watchful, and an unguarded moment in the slip of the tongue, we say, and so much damage and hurt can be done. Colossians 3, 8 to 10 says, Now put off all of these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth, and lie not one to another, seeing you have put off the old man with his deeds. You have put him off, the old man with his deeds. And I put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. But I want us just to consider this morning. Let us examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith. And I don't mean to bring condemnation to someone. If you've had a little stumbling here or there, but you're in Christ, and you're walking with Christ, and you love the Lord, and you hate evil, and your tongue is a wholesome tongue. It's a tree of life. But maybe you've had a failure here and there. But I want us to consider this morning, what is coming out of your mouth? What is coming out of my mouth? Is it fresh water? Sweet water? Or is it bitter water? Is it salt water? Maybe you need a whole new well. It's possible this morning, that you need a new well. Maybe you've just been trying to live the Christian life in your own strength. Maybe you've just been trying to put it on. Maybe you need a new well. Jesus in the last days stood and he cried saying, if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly, out of his innermost being, shall flow rivers of living water. There's the source of this living water. But this he spake of the Spirit, which he that believeth on him shall receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Now, the only way to control this tongue, is to get a new heart. Because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The heart must be renewed. The heart must be transformed. Must get a new heart. And then out of the heart speaks, right words. When the heart is right. As a Christian, the only way to control this tongue, is to bring it under, the power of the Holy Spirit filled life. If we walk in the flesh, we're going to fail. But if we walk in the Spirit, then we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh, whether it be with the use of the tongue, or any other use of the body. As the scriptures say, if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Let's stand together for prayer. Father in heaven, we just bow our hearts before you this morning, Lord. We ask your Father to speak to each one of us here, Lord. Is there an unsanctified, carnal, desire that needs to be crucified? A desire to be a master? A desire to be a teacher? Is there an uncontrolled tongue? Lord, let us have judgment day early here today, Lord. Oh God, the use of my tongue, it shows what's in my heart, Lord, for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth does speak. Father, I just pray, go up and down these aisles, Lord, and search our hearts, Father, by your Spirit, Lord. And let us not lie against the truth, but let us be honest with you, Lord. What has come out of my mouth, not here at church, but at work, at home, in those testings, Lord, when someone has spoken evil toward me, when someone has spoken falsely toward me, what has come back out of my mouth, Lord? Father, this morning, we just ask you, God, have mercy upon us, Lord. Father, that our hearts and lives would be totally sanctified and under the influence and power of your Holy Spirit, walking in the Spirit. Father, if there's anyone that needs to clear their heart here today, Lord, Father, I pray you would grant them grace to do that, Father. And Father, if there's someone here, Lord, who needs a new well, who's just been trying to tame their tongue, but it's not been working very well, God, I pray you would show them the condition of their heart. Show them the answer, Lord, by your Spirit, by your grace, drawing them unto Jesus, who is able to give a new heart. Take out that old stony heart of stone and hardness and anger and bitterness and all these things, Lord, and give them a new heart of flesh. And then they shall speak with new tongues. Hallelujah. Yes, he that believeth on Jesus, they shall speak with new tongues. Thank you, Lord. Father, I just commit the rest of this service to you. Have your way. In Jesus' name, Amen. You may be seated. Turn the time over to Brother Emmanuel. Praise the Lord for His Word challenging us in our face, you might say. Right up front. Tongue. Thank you, Brother Aaron, for sharing on the tongue this morning. I think we can probably all identify how easily our tongue is used. The wrong way, it's a tool or it's a part of the body that is used very much daily, each one of us. But do we have control of it? And that control is only like Aaron said. The heart is under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Men, men alone, the tongue can be controlled. Yes, no man can tame it, but the Lord can. Maybe there's someone with a testimony here this morning or an added word or a comment in the message. May God is speaking to you about your tongue. Confession. Confessions are good for the soul. You're aware of the fact that your tongue is not or has done evil, done harm, has started that fire, gossip and so forth. The Lord has spoken to you about that this morning. Just be real good for you to humble yourself, acknowledge it, make confession, repent, turn from it, and by God's grace, go on. So we have, ushers can bring the mics if you have something to share this morning. I want to just open up and give you the opportunity. God is speaking to you about that. You raise your hands so we can see it. One up here. Yeah, just as you shared this morning about the tongue, how to control your spirits and everything, what's inside and stuff. I think it was just last Friday that I was being in a terrible depression and hardships of very, very weak on point and stuff. I just started out with a lot of I flirted out with my words and I just sweared God and I just did a lot of things that I wasn't right. I thought I couldn't control it, but I didn't control what was coming out, but I think I wasn't even thinking about it when I was saying it, but maybe I was. I just asked for a confession when there's anything in my life that if I have an evil heart with swearing God and hate God and stuff, just pray for me for that. And I'd like to come again and myself before too long. May the Lord grant you the desires of your heart there, Jesse. Yeah, in the verses three and four, yeah, where it says, Behold, we put bits in the horse's mouth that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which, though they be so great, and yet are driven with fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor lifteth. I just had to think, you know, the two messages here tied together beautifully in the sense that we need to walk with our God in order to have this tongue under control. Just like the ship, even here it mentions that, you know, the ship can be driven about with fierce winds and yet turned about. And, you know, if the captain is there with the ship. And I just had to think, you know, as we sometimes face frustrating and difficult circumstances in life, that is when it is most, that is often the most, often the time when it is the most tempting to lash out or be frustrated or at our spouse or anyone for that matter. But if the captain is with the ship, we can go through those fierce winds and be able to, you know, still have that wisdom that it speaks about in the latter part of the chapter. You know that we can still have that wisdom where pure speech comes forth and words that are easy to be entreated and having a gentle spirit and all of that in the midst of the fierce winds that sometimes blow upon our soul. So, but we must have the captain with the ship. And that is, you know, I think of the first message is let's walk with our God. You know, have God right beside us so that this tongue can remain under control. Thank you, Mel. I just want to share this morning with the congregation that I was so blessed with the message this morning that a brother faithfully shared what God laid on his heart. And it seems that God had this message, especially for me. And I take it to heart this morning. God has been showing me this past week and previously that I have an unruly tongue, too, that I don't know how to bridle my tongue and that I talk way too much. And so I just want to ask your forgiveness as a brotherhood this morning if I've offended anyone, if I've caused others to struggle by my unruly tongue. And by God's grace this morning, I want to rule that tongue so that it doesn't cause a world of iniquity. And I also just want to ask for your prayers also this morning that I'm finding it a struggle also in other areas of my life, especially just in moral purity that God would continue to bless me there as I seek Him and to find total victory in that. I would say that God has blessed me and I've come a long way, but I still desire complete victory. Thank you for your prayers and thank you for your encouragement. I still desire you as a brotherhood that you would come to me if you see things in my life and share with me so that I can continue to grow. God bless you. Thank you, Glennon. In Hebrews 13, 15, it talks about offering the sacrifice of praise. And as a child of God living under the spirit of heaviness, I confess that I have not offered God the sacrifice of praise like I ought to. And I just confess that sin of boasting and not praising my God and our Savior and disgracing His name by not offering the sacrifice of praise. And I ask you to forgive me for my poor example of what it is to be a Christian. And I just pray that God would continue leading me on in offering the sacrifice of praise. As I have experimented with it, I have noticed that He has lifted that spirit of heaviness and my heart is lighter and I can more truly, joyfully praise His name from the heart. But it all starts with that sacrifice. I don't feel like offering praise to God, but I do it anyway. And He in turn lifts that spirit of heaviness for me. And I just praise Him for that. Thank you. Okay, over here. I was just thinking about how that was the word, the conviction of our tongue was what brought me to see my need of having, of walking after the spirit and not after the flesh. Having grown up in a Christian home with, basically as an only child, my older brothers and sisters had grown up, I didn't have the pressures of the family life that we have now. And as the pressures increased, I began to see things coming out of my mouth. Just even with one or two children, the things coming out of my mouth were showing me that in my heart there was ugliness. And the more I saw the ugliness and tried to change my mouth, the impatient tongue, the harsh words, I realized that I was trying in self-effort a lot to please God and to do what was right and how much I needed to be a Mary that He could live through me and not in my own effort be good enough. That self-righteousness was exposed to my heart by seeing the need to control my tongue. And I made this word that is preached today be mixed with faith that He can live through us because I went through that time of doubting, well, can this work? Can we really live this godly life that is put forth in the Word of God? But yes, as we look in faith, that God can when we can't. And I was just encouraged also this week that the bitter water of trying to condemn our children with words of correction, your room is messy, you're being slothful, rather to have the sweet water coming forth from our mouth that is, may the Lord bless you with a heart that is orderly and diligent today. And to have those words, I purpose and desire God to speak through me words of blessing to my children and my family and not condemnation. Thank you, Laura. I know this passage in James is more or less coming from a negative sense of correction, maybe. I shouldn't say negative, but it's from a sense of correcting that tongue for its evil use. But there is also very much that could be said about the positive use of the tongue, which is what we're hearing here from the sisters. If it is so that this little member controls the direction or is able to control the whole body, or it says if the tongue is in control, a man does not offend, then he's a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body. In other words, he's able to bridle the whole body with his tongue. I'll give you an example. If the tongue is such a powerful tool, it's not that the power is in the tongue, in a sense, but like you think of the rudder of the ship. The rudder is not what gives the ship its power to move, the rudder just gives it the direction. It's a little bit the way the tongue is. It's very small. What about using your tongue to influence godliness? And we use that a lot around. But what about speaking to your body? If this tongue is to control your body, then you should speak to it, maybe. Like, how often is it hard, how often do you find it hard to get up in the morning? Try this sometime. You know, command your tongue, will your tongue just speak to your body? Say, body, get up. Get out of bed. And see if your body obeys. It should. Have you ever tried that? Just try it once. We just kind of think, well, I should get up. I really should get up now. Some of us have these problems, but just speak to your body once. If your tongue is the one that gives the directions, use it in a positive way. There's many things that could be done that way. Any others here? In the back, over this side. Amen. Thank you, Brother Aaron, for that word on the tongue. I would say of all the struggles of my life, because I'm a talkative kind of guy, that my tongue has probably gotten me in more trouble than not. But my prayer is that God will control it. I like that part, like, no man can tame it. It is impossible for me to tame my tongue. But God, with His power and strength in my life, He is able. I had to think, too, about the fire and about the place of fire. There's a place where fire is beautiful. That little match does its job, and it's in its right place, and it can warm a home. And at the same time, that fire can get out of control and do damage. So in its place, fire is right. In its place, the tongue is a beautiful thing. Same way with this ship. The little helm belongs in the water. That's the only place it's good. It's the only place it does any good is while it's in the water. If that helm gets out of the water, it can't do anything for that ship. The tongue, the potential that it has to do blessing, to do good for God, cannot be overestimated. So I just pray that God would give us tongues that bring honor and glory to Him and that are bold in speaking out for Him to the people around us. I'd just like to say yet how much we have enjoyed the fellowship, the teaching here. It's been almost a year already. I can't believe it. We do have plans in place to move to Ohio, and that's probably going to take place over the next two or three weeks. This may be the last Sunday that we get to come regularly. I'm not sure. Maybe two weeks from now we might be able to be here yet too. Just God bless you all as a congregation. I just want to take the opportunity to thank you for your hospitality, your warmth that you have shown to us. As strangers coming in, we were overwhelmed, absolutely. And the teaching that we have heard and the growth that we have experienced through being here cannot go unaccounted for, and I just want to bless you for that. Continue to pray for us as a family as we move on, move forward. We want to go with God. And just bless you again. Thank you. Thank you for sharing. God bless you as you follow the Lord. Please do come back and visit us again. I also thought of another area that the town could be very useful is sometimes in the midst of great discouragement. I think of David when he was at his lowest point of his life. He used the Word of God to encourage himself. He encouraged himself in the Word and he spake the Word of God. And so, when you find yourself in discouragement or in defeat or down or something, use your tongue. Again, use your tongue to direct the body. Use your tongue to guide yourself out of that discouragement. You know, steer that rudder so that you can come up and come out of it with your tongue, the Word of God. And I find it a great blessing just to go to the Word of God and allow the Word of God to come into my heart and life and to begin to sing like the sister said and begin to praise God. Use your tongue to... even when you're discouraged, just try it sometime, to open your mouth and begin to praise God. Using your tongue to guide your body up and out of that, your soul. It really does work. Just remember that. Alright, is that all? Anyone else has something to share? I have one up front here. I bring greetings this morning from Grenada to all of you. It's good to be here with you. I'll be here visiting for a few weeks. And I don't use my tongue enough to bless the Lord and to praise Him for all that He does for me. And I also want to take this time just to thank all of you. I don't know how many of you gave money to relief efforts for the storm and everything. And I want to take this time to thank you if you gave money. There's a lot of people in Grenada that received houses because of what other people gave in the States. So I just want to thank you all for that. Thank you for your prayers. Continue to pray for me while I'm here on vacation. So, pray that I can have a refreshing time. God bless you all. It's good to be here. It's good to hear your singing. And do you know what you have? There's many people out there in the world who never sat in a church service like this. Don't just sit here. Take it and tell others. Thank you, Sarah. Welcome back. You hear what she said? She said the same thing others have said when they've come back. Don't take it for granted. You sit in a service like this, sing the songs, worship God. Oh, it doesn't seem fair. But we're very privileged. Thank God for it.