Dealing And Healing The Diseases of The Tongue

I remember when we were in college, we used to criticize and avoid some students whom we used to say they were suffering from “Foot and Mouth disease” – Going to people houses and speaking too much

Biblical Picture Of The Tongue
Proverbs 15:4 - A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Proverbs 21:23 - Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

God can give you the tongue of the learned

Isaiah 50:4 - The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

We must learn to control our tongue

James 1:26 - If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

DISEASES OF THE TONGUE

1. Excessive Talking
   Proverbs 10:19 -
   19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. (KJV)
   19 Where there is much talk there will be no end to sin, but he who keeps his mouth shut does wisely. (BBE)
   
   Even God Does Not Need Your Excessive Talking
   Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
   1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
   2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
   
   
2. Idle or Careless Words
   Matthew 12:36 – 37
   36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
   37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
   
   Matthew 5:37
   37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (KJV)
   37 But let your words be simply, Yes or No: and whatever is more than these is of the Evil One. (BBE)
   
   
3. Gossip
   Gossip = Idle, untrue, exaggerated, malicious talk.
   Leviticus 19:16 -
   16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people (KJV)
   16 - You shall not go up and down as a slanderer among your people (RSV)
   
   Don’t listen to gossips:
   Proverbs 20:19
   19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.  (KJV)
   19 He who goes about gossiping reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who speaks foolishly. (RSV)
4. Lying
   Lying – Cheating, speaking untruthfully, Flattering
   Proverbs 12:22 - Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
   
   Satan Is Father Of Lies
   John 8:44
   44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.  (KJV)
   44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (RSV)
5. Flattery
   Proverbs 29:5 - A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet. (KJV)
   
   
6. Hasty Speech
   Proverbs 29:20 - Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.  (KJV)