Verbal DysfunctionMatthew 12:33-37, James 3:3-10 and Acts 2:1-4

Do you suffer from verbal dysfunction?

Can’t stop talkingSay things without thinking?Wake up in the middle of the night with verbal hangovers?

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Do you ever feel like that?Like your words control you and

not the other way aroundOther things are easier to control, but our mouths, lips and tongues

trip us upJoin the club

The mouth, the lips and the tongue are…The overflow of the heart

Demonstrate what is store withinShow our carelessnessCan lead us to trouble

Matthew 1233 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

35 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The mouth, the lips and the tongue are…Boastful

A spark that can light firesCan corrupt from the outside in

Can change our destiny

James 33 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 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.

5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

The mouth, the lips and the tongue are…Difficult to tame by man

RestlessPoisonous

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

The mouth, the lips and the tongue are…Both good and bad

Both praise and curse

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

The mouth, the lips and the tongue are…Instruments to bring us closer to GodInstruments to share the word of God

Instruments to speak to God

Acts 2When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

So, what do we do?It sounds like we are destined to lose this fight with our tongue

Much of what we read makes it seems hopeless

#1We need to be careful what we feeds

our heart, mind and soulMatthew 1235 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.

#2We must consider the consequences

our verbal dysfunctionJames 35 …Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body.

#3We may not be able to manage our

vocal dysfunction, but God canJames 37 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

#4We can confess our vocal dysfunction

to each otherJames 516 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.

#5We can confess our vocal dysfunction to

God1 John 18 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

#6We must avoid becoming numb to

vocal dysfunctionPsalm 3817For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. 18I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin.

Our mouths, lips and tongue can…1. Betray what else is within us2. Be a spark creating infernos3. Be controlled with God’s help4. Be restored by confession to each other5. Be restored by confession to God6. Be remorseful and improving

We can try attempt to

muzzle ourselves

With God’s help, our vocal dysfunction…Can be tamed by God

Can demonstrate the beauty of God within Can be an instrument for God

Can seek to be forgiven for its sinsCan be reformed and forgiven by God

Can be aware of its guilt