Wed. Bible Studies: What My Children Must Know (Week 6)

TONGUE

There are many times that parents focus on things that aren’t very important.  In teaching our children, we should emphasize the things that God emphasizes.  Many people emphasize what is important to them, but may or may not be important to God.

Solomon talked often his son about the tongue: 51 times "mouth," 46 times "word(s)," 43 times "lip(s)," 19 times "tongue," 18 times "speech, speak (eth)"

The tongue is definitely important to God.  Solomon taught often on this, because James said that if we can control the tongue, we can control the whole body.

 James 3:2-6 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body .

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body .

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

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.

 We all want teenagers to control their bodies, but it starts with teaching children to control their tongues.  The simple, "yes, mam" and "no sir", "please and thank you," and "don't talk while adults are talking" is more important than we have given it credit.

Day 1 - Don’t talk bad.

Prov 4:24  Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

Prov 17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.

Cursing

Slang

Potty language  

Day 2 - Watch out for the words and lips of others

Prov 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Prov 20:19      He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

Prov 24:2        For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.

Prov 26:24-25  He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;      When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart.

Watch out – get ready – people use their lips for bad.

Anything that you don’t want repeated, don’t say it.

We only tell one person – the one that won’t tell anyone else, and they only tell one person, the one that won’t tell anyone else. – right?

Don’t get upset at them for telling, get upset at you for starting it.

Day 3 - Don’t talk a lot or brag.

Prov 27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.

Prov 20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

Prov 25:6-7Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men:           For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

Prov 25:14      Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.

Prov 6:2  Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Prov 17:28  Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Abraham Lincoln

Day 4 - Listen to the mouths of others.

Prov 7:24Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

Prov 2:6          For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Prov 4:5          Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.

Two ears – one mouth – why?

You don’t learn anything from talking, but you can learn from listening.

Day 5 - Do talk good.

Prov 10:11  The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.

Prov 25:11  A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Prov 15:23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!

Prov 12:14      A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth: and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

Prov 31:26      She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Literally, if you can’t say something good, don’t say anything at all.

You should use your tongue to encourage, to praise, to lift up, to build.

Do not use your mouth to destroy and tear down.

Day 6 - Don’t use mouth to hurt.

Prov 11:9        An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.

Prov 12:6        The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

Prov 12:18   There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

Day 7 - God hates a lying tongue.

Prov 12:22      Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.

Prov 21:6  The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.

Prov 6:16-17   These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17        A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

God talks about a lying tongue.

Be careful to what you listen to, because “I cannot but speak what I have seen and heard.”