True Blue Charmer

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Taming Your Tongue

I found this list of Resolutions for the Tongue on a blog, and thought I would re-post them. It is quite a list to follow! The list originally was published by Sinclair Ferguson, as what he read from the book of James. What a place the world would be if we could all follow this list. We often read many scriptures on the tongue, but this is one that I just referenced in James myself : "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." WOW. Those are strong words! Let us all attempt to tame our tongues.

1. I resolve to ask God for wisdom to speak out of a single-minded devotion to him. (1:5)

2. I resolve to boast only in the exultation I receive in Jesus Christ and also in the humiliation I receive for Jesus Christ. (1:9-10)

3. I resolve to set a watch over my mouth. (1:13)

4. I resolve to be constantly quick to hear and slow to speak. (1:19)

5. I resolve to learn the gospel way of speaking to both rich and poor. (2:1-4)

6. I resolve to speak in the present consciousness of my final judgment. (2:12)

7. I resolve never to stand on anyone’s face with the words I employ. (2:16)

8. I resolve never to claim as reality in my life what I do not truly experience. (3:14)

9. I resolve to resist quarrelsome words as evidence of a bad heart that needs to be mortified. (4:1)

10. I resolve never to speak decided evil against another out of a heart of antagonism. (4:11)

11. I resolve never to boast in anything but what I will accomplish. (4:13)

12. I resolve to speak as one subject to the providences of God. (4:15)

13. I resolve never to grumble. The judge is at the door. (5:9)

14. I resolve never to allow anything but total integrity in everything I say. (5:12)

15. I resolve to speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer. (5:13)

16. I resolve to sing praises to God whenever I’m cheerful. (5:14)

17. I resolve to ask for the prayers of others when I’m in need. (5:14)

18. I resolve to confess it whenever I have failed. (5:15)

19. I resolve to pray with others for one another whenever I am together with them. (5:15)

20. I resolve to speak words of restoration when I see another wander. (5:19)

4 comments:

Larslyan said...

..but for the grace of God go I. Or is that a cop-out? :)

Kim said...

Hahaha! Hmmmmmm. Well, after studying about lying and so many placed in scripture where it says to tame the tongue and how dangerous the tongue can be, I found this list. Not an easy list to follow . . .. yet out of the book of James. Yikes. One lady said that she posts it and reminds herself of it each morning as she prays.

Squestad said...

post it...that's what I was just thinking! Maybe I should copy this one and stick it on my fridge (where I'd see it everyday...) what a powerful reminder of just how powerful the little tongue can be. Convicting, and like Lyan said we can only do it w/ God's help!

Kim said...

Yup, think I will put it in my Bible as well:)