Bible Talk with Sister Deb: Taming the Untamable: The Power of Our Words

Have you ever considered the immense power contained in your everyday words? Sister Deb Osborne tackles the challenging subject of taming our tongues in this thought-provoking episode that will transform how you view your daily conversations.

Drawing from James 3, Sister Deb reveals the paradox that humans have successfully tamed ferocious lions, bears, and elephants, yet struggle mightily with controlling our "two-inch slab of trouble" – our tongues. With vivid imagery and scriptural wisdom, she illustrates how our words can function as weapons of mass destruction or tools for healing and encouragement.

What makes this episode particularly compelling is Sister Deb's raw vulnerability. She courageously shares her own "hamburger meltdown" story – a moment when she spoke harshly to a restaurant owner over a disappointing meal, followed by her persistent efforts to make amends after feeling convicted. This authentic glimpse into her personal struggle reminds us that taming the tongue is an ongoing journey for every believer.

The practical wisdom offered is immediately applicable: before speaking, ask yourself if what you're about to say is true, helpful, inspiring, necessary, and kind. Sister Deb emphasizes that transforming our speech begins with transforming our hearts, as Jesus taught that "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." Through Christ's strength, we can experience the heart change needed to speak words that build up rather than tear down.

Whether you struggle with gossip, reactionary outbursts, or simply using words carelessly, this episode offers biblical guidance for bringing your speech under the lordship of Christ. Join Sister Deb in discovering how our words can reflect the light of Christ to everyone around us. Listen now and begin transforming your conversations today!

Chapters

• 0:15 Welcome to Bible Talk with Sister Deb
• 3:09 Taming the Tongue: Introduction
• 6:15 The Destructive Power of Words
• 9:12 Heart Transformation and Speaking Wisely
• 14:48 The Hamburger Confession Story
• 24:34 Closing Prayer and Announcements

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:15

So many mountains that we try to climb so many places where we fall behind. Deep in the struggle just to find our way, we lose the heart, we lose the faith. Sometimes this life can tear your world apart, but you've got to remember it loves us all. Hey, welcome. You're listening to Bible Talk with Sister Deb Osborne. You can listen to Bible Talk on WIC 88.1 Christian Radio Station every Sunday at 5 pm. That's locally. You can also listen to Bible Talk and much more on the 421 Podcast. You can find the show streaming on Apple, spotify or whatever platform of your choosing. If you'd like to contact Sister Deb, you can email her at OsborneDebraKay at gmailcom. That's O-S-B-O-R-N-E-D-E-B-R-A-K at gmailcom. If you'd like to support the show, you can support it through PayPal slash H-O-R-421, or you go through our website at hor421showbuzzsproutcom. Now I give you your host.

Speaker 2: 1:22

Sister Deb. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Hello everybody, so good to be back here today. Before I get started today, I just want to share a little bit of information, or more or less leave you in suspense, maybe and the Lord has.

Speaker 2: 1:46

Over the last two or three months, the Lord has changed my life drastically, for the good, of course. He has made so many changes and still making changes in my life. I am going to have to. I'm actually working on a new testimony. The Lord is changing so many things and still changing it, and I think I feel in my heart that he's preparing me for more. He's preparing me to step out and do more, and especially the things that I've been praying for, and I know and feel in my heart he's answering my prayers. I see it every day, the changes that he's making in my life, and so now I'm going to have to go back and I'm going to change my testimony and I've gotten new to add to the old, you know. And so just be listening in the next couple of weeks, next three weeks probably, and you'll hear about some drastic changes that I've been going through. But I do ask for everybody's prayer that I accept the changes, because change is hard for some people, anyway. So, anyway, just wanted you to think about that, wanted you to think about that.

Speaker 2: 3:09

So today I want to talk about a kind of a deep subject that gets us all into trouble if we ain't careful, and that's taming the old tongue. And in this message today we're going to talk about taming the tongue. And I am in James, chapter 3. It's only 12 verses and I'm not going to go over every single verse. I want to leave you with the fact that you need to read it and understand it and think about what I'm saying with it. So James 3 and 8 does state that no human can tame the tongue, not by ourselves, people. And the thing about it is it's an uncontrolled tongue can lead to hurt, offense, gossip and even destruction. You know, and when we start to try to tame our tongue I'm trying not to get tongue-tied here it begins with the change of our heart, because when our heart is filled with love and grace and truth, these words will reflect on that.

Speaker 2: 4:09

Now, james 1 and 19 encourages us to be slow to speak and quick to listen, carefully, considering some of the words that we say before we speak them, because, friends, words can and have started wars, revolutions, riots and, in my day in school, fights, divorces and destroyed families, marriages and homes. Just a few words, but the thing about it is Matthew 12, 36 and 37 says had I said unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, it says and I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment. Every single idle word that comes out of our mouth, we will have to answer for it, and that's why we need to watch some of the things that we say. We need to watch how we talk to our fellow brothers and sisters, and anybody for that matter. And so I want to ask you, I want to ask a question, I want you to ponder on how would you feel if everything that you said this past week was recorded and then broadcasted for everybody to hear?

Speaker 2: 5:16

You know, ask yourself did you build up? You know, um, did you, uh, did you what? What was you? What you said? Was it used for edifying or tear down? I mean, just think about that, you know. Think about all the words that you've said this past week. So now, while the tongue only weighs about two ounces, it receives more exercise than any other muscle in our bodies, so it really can be called the two-inch slab of trouble, really you know.

Speaker 2: 5:48

But, friends, we need to control our tongues because if we don't, it will control us and people. Our words, our tongue, our words contain a whole world of unrighteousness, and we often speak of the world as evil, and it is. There's evil out there, but there is a whole world of rottenness on the tips of our tongues. The fires that we start with our tongues can quickly become large infernos, and if you read James 3, you'll understand some of what I'm saying here, Just like a small spark can ignite an entire forest, our words can cause a whole relationship to go up in flames.

Speaker 2: 6:30

You know, evil words are from the pit of hell. They set on fire by Satan himself, you know. But the thing about taming our tongues James 3, verse 7 and 8, says that every kind of beast and of birds and of serpents and of things in the sea is tamed and have been tamed by mankind, he said but the tongue can no man tame. It is unruly, evil and full of deadly poison. Friends, think about this. We tame ferocious lions to jump through burning hoops, ferocious lions to jump through burning hoops. We tame grizzly bears and show them how to ride on horses, and huge elephants to do handstands, and we have the ability to train all these animals and tame these animals. But we can't tame a little old two-inch tongue. It's a sad thing, people. Again I say we must learn how to control our tongue or it will control us, you know. And if we want to tame our tongues, we must think first, fast to think and slow to speak. You know, we need to make sure to watch our words. I mean even on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and email and even in our texting, because once we get those words out there, they're out there for all to see. You know, and especially as children of God, the Bible says not to let our good be spoken evil of. And we get on all these things here, emails, and all this stuff. And we say stuff because I mean, I'm sure I've seen people on Facebook put stuff on there about animals and leaving animals and dropping them off, and you should have seen me typing stuff to put on there a comment and you know what I'd feel bad about it and I'd erase it. And that's what we need to do is search our heart. You know, we, we, we need to uh watch on all the stuff that we put on these places and all the things that we say to people because, you know, people, we are going to be judged by all of our words.

Speaker 2: 8:29

You know we need to talk a lot less about things like King David. After seeing how his words got him into trouble, king David wrote in Psalm 39.1,. He says I will take heed of my ways, that I not sin with my tongue. He said I will keep my mouth with a bridle. King David said that and, friends, I'm telling you one of the best ways to change the words that you speak is by getting the words of Scripture in your heart. Psalms 119 and 11 says I've stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. See, that's telling you right there. We need to store up the words of Scripture in our hearts.

Speaker 2: 9:13

Now we may wonder why is it so hard to say kind things? Because the Bible says our tongues is untamable by our own efforts. Matthew 12 and 34 says For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. You know, people, if there's bad things in your heart, it will come gushing out of your mouth. Matthew 15 and 19 says For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, theft, false witnesses and blasphemies. I mean. Someone once said you know what, what's down in the well comes up in the basket. That means what's in your heart. If there's nasty stuff in your heart, it's going to come out of your mouth. You know. And Proverbs 4 and 22 says Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. I mean people.

Speaker 2: 10:07

When we read James 1 through 3, 1 through 12, the words that come to my mind on the tongue is dirty, dangerous and powerful. I mean an overwhelming force, a rushing torrent, a deadly power, you know, able to sweep away big old villages in a flood and bring death and destruction to everybody. The little old tongue. I'm talking about the little old tongue, that little muscle behind your teeth that doesn't have a bone in it, but it's powerful people.

Speaker 2: 10:36

The book of James talks to us like the tongue, as if it were a weapon of mass destruction. And it's powerful people. The book of James talks to us like the tongue, as if it were a weapon of mass destruction, and it really is. Basically, I mean, it can bring down whole villages and whole states and cities. And if you think about words I was reading up on words and the human race. This is what I read the human race speaks about what has been estimated as around 25,000 or more words a day each person. That's a lot of talking. And so, if you think about the population is about seven and a half billion give or take, and that's a lot of words and that's a lot of people talking.

Speaker 2: 11:18

Of course, now some of them haven't learned to talk yet you know, but they will trust me and I'm not good at math but that may be somewhere close to about 150 trillion words spoken by the human race daily. Wow, and here's the thing about it is. The astonishing thing is is that God listens and remembers every one of them words. And what's terrifying about some of that is that it's not the amount of words, it's the fact that most of them are evil, most of them are mean and bad. And you know, friends, our words matter. They're powerful, they build up, they encourage and motivate, but they also tear down, they hurt and they leave scars. You know, you remember growing up when that thing that says sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. That's a lie. Words will hurt, words hurt, and there's people out there today living right now with scars from hurtful words of others from 10 years ago probably. You know it takes you 10 seconds to say something mean, but it takes 10 years for somebody to forget it.

Speaker 2: 12:27

You know the Bible has a whole lot to say about how we use our words. It tells us in Proverbs 18 and 21,. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit, meaning people, that our tongues has a profound impact on ourselves and others. You know our words aren't just merely spoken, they carry weight. You know our tongues can be used as a weapon to lash into people, to hurt feelings, to prove a point. Our tongues can be used as a weapon to lash into people, to hurt feelings, to prove a point, and they cut like a knife and we tend sometimes to stick that dagger a little deeper, you know. But, people, god wants us to use our words to bless others, not to hurt others. Jesus said in Matthew 5, 44, he said Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. It doesn't matter who it is and what they're saying around you. We are to use our words to edify others and gossip. He doesn't want us to use our words to gossip.

Speaker 2: 13:26

You know, gossip is destructive and it hurts people and all it takes is somebody to walk over to the pew and sit down beside you and say hey, did you hear? Before you know it you're caught all up in gossip and people. Once it gets started, gossip is like trying to unscramble an egg. You can't do it because you can't unspread a rumor. Of course you can't believe half of what you hear anyway. But some people that gossip, they take a mountain and they make it from a mohill by adding a little bit of dirt. Mountain and they make it from a mohill by adding a little bit of dirt. You know, and listening to gossip is just as bad as telling it. And there's a saying it says I read that said he or she who gossips to you will gossip about you. So people, proverbs 20 and 19 says he that goeth about as a tail barrier revealeth secrets. Therefore, meddle not with he that flattereth with the lips. And you know what that's telling me. That's telling me hey, stay away from gossipers. That's what he's telling us.

Speaker 2: 14:29

And, friends, the Bible challenges us every day to use our words to help people, to build people up, not to tear them down. Ephesians 4 and 29 says let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth. But that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. See, our words can have either an incredible positive effect or a really negative effect. You know, I mean, friends, today we need to make some changes on the way that we use our tongues, and transforming the tongues begins with the change in the heart. Jesus said in Matthew 15 and 18, but these things that proceeded out of the mouth comes from the heart, people. So that lets us know, the heart influences the tongue. And when your heart's filled with anger and selfishness and envy and pride and all that other ugly stuff that can invade our hearts we are affected by every single day and everything that we say and do, it will come out of our mouth.

Speaker 2: 15:32

You know, and we need to take time to speak. You know, before we speak, take time to think. The Bible says in James 1.19,. They let every man be swift to think, slow to speak and slow to wrath. In other words, be careful not to engage your tongue without engaging your mind. First, take a moment to speak, take a moment to think before you speak. Ask yourself before you speak is what I'm getting ready to say true. Is it going to help somebody? Is it going to help somebody? Is it going to inspire? Is it even necessary to say, is it kind? And you know, if what you're getting ready to say is none of these, then don't say it.

Speaker 2: 16:11

You know, friends, god can help us tame our tongue and he wants us to tap into that help. He gave us the ability to change our hearts and tame our tongue along with it. Paul said in Philippians 4.13,. He said I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. We can do all things, including taming the tongue. You can't do it by yourself, yourself.

Speaker 2: 16:38

You know, if you think about your tongue, it has five major five functions. I mean it's licking, tasting, breathing, swallowing and speaking. You know. You know licking and tasting, you know we all like a good ice cream every now and then. You know I'm saying breathing and swallowing, of course, functions of life.

Speaker 2: 16:54

Now, me personally, I can choke on air, but talking, it's the speaking that gets us into the most trouble. And Psalm 34 and 13 says keep the tongue from evil, that thy lips from speaking guile. Friends, we have to watch what we say. We can say something hurtful in 10 seconds and 10 years later, the wounds are still there. Words can hurt and they heal. They can also cut and console, but they can insult and inspire.

Speaker 2: 17:25

There are very few things in this world more potent than some of the words that we use. Some of the words have brought down whole countries. When our founding fathers wanted to be free from the British, they decided to sit down at a table and use their own words and they wrote a letter to good old King George. And look at us today. We're free, just the words they wrote. And get this. When Martin Luther King Jr, when he wanted to call our nation back to its founding values of you know, all men are created equal he used his words, his words In his sermons, in his speeches, he used his words, you know. So we can use our words for good things. But you know, james says that our tongues and our words might seem like little bitty things, but they're mighty in their impact. Things but their money and their impact.

Speaker 2: 18:28

You know, we need to remind ourselves, people, that our words, about some of the words that comes out of our mouth, and the power that they have. You know, old King Solomon, he knew the power of words and he collected a number of sayings in Proverbs Proverbs 15 and 4, he said Gentle words bring life and health, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit. Have you ever just seen people that's had their feelings hurt and you could just see the spirit go out of their face because somebody has needlessly hurt? Because somebody has needlessly hurt? You know, when we choose our words carefully, we can accomplish great good and we can point others to Christ. But if they're left unchecked, our speech can spread darkness. You know, we need to learn to speak with wisdom, people with grace, discernment.

Speaker 2: 19:24

Our tongues we let them all too often run wild, and now it's time that we sit down and we try to tame our tongues and we start with what's in our heart. See our words as Christian people, as children of God. Our words need to reflect the light of Christ to all who hear it. You know, if somebody sees you out here screaming and hollering and going off at somebody about nothing, well I don't want to go to church with that person. Listen to how she talks. See, we need to be spreading the word of cheer and of love and forgiveness.

Speaker 2: 19:56

Now ask yourself this If you took the time out of one day, one day from morning to dark and you examine all the words that you spoke in all that day, would you be proud of some of the stuff that you said? At the end of the day, would God be pleased, you know, did you speak and edify or did you tear down? Were your words negative or did you have hasty reactions to anything, or were they respectful to others? Friends, we need to start right now, today, and pray for guidance from God and ask Him to help us to learn to use our words for His glory, not to tear people down. We need to speak to people when we talk to them, in a way that if something happened to them the very next day, would you be satisfied with the very last thing you said to them. You can't undo hurtful words and I can't emphasize that enough. You know, the Bible says from the mouth comes both blessings and cursings, and these things ought not be this way James 3, 9 and 10. And I tell you I'm going to finish this with a little bitty story. I'm going to try to get it quickly.

Speaker 2: 21:09

Not too long ago, a couple of months ago, I had lunch with my sister at a little mom-and-pop restaurant here in Harlan and it was one of the best burgers I ever ate in my life. Nice little, thick, really good hamburger. Had a good time with my sister. Well, a couple weeks later I called this same mom-and-pop diner and I ordered me a burger, went and got it, brought it home. It was not the same burger that I ordered two weeks ago and the enemy got on me.

Speaker 2: 21:37

I'm going to tell you what I'm not ashamed. I really should be ashamed, but I need to tell you. I called the store and I normally don't take emphasis on a lot of food, I mean. But I called the store and the man the owner's wife, the owner's husband was on the phone and I was just griping and going off about this. I didn't cuss or call him out of his name or nothing. I didn't go that far.

Speaker 2: 22:00

But I was fussing about a piece of hamburger meat and I was so mad. I'm like wow, and you know people, when I hung up I was so ashamed of myself. I had to go and try to find him and tell him I'm sorry, had to make it right. God convicted my heart so bad that I had to go back and I called the store. No, he's not here. I went up there personally and they're like, well, he's already gone for the day. And I said, man, when you see him, will you please give him my phone number? I had to make this right. I was itching man. I couldn't sit.

Speaker 2: 22:34

Still, I felt so bad that I had said craziness. Out of the will of God I had said craziness to this man over a piece of hamburger meat so many other things to argue about and I had to fuss about hamburger I mean with the lady working there. She said I told her what I'd done. She was a Christian lady and I'd known her all my life and she said whatever she said he probably didn't think nothing about that. I said, no, he probably didn't. But I did. I did and I said please have him to call me. And I can't remember if it was the next day or the day after. He called me and I apologized he's like I ain't worried about that, and I had to say forgive me, man, I'm sorry. Then I still felt bad. I had to go talk to his wife. I went and found her.

Speaker 2: 23:19

So the point I'm making on this people is when we say things to hurt people and we get all this stuff in our hearts and we let all this craziness come out and we take it out on other people. You know we have to change our hearts, people, we have to make it right, we have to talk to people and you know I even asked some people in my church the other night if I said something to hurt y'all's feelings. I'm sorry, because we never know People. The Lord is telling us today that we need to watch what we say. We need to tame our tongue. You know we need to spread love and laughter and cheer and forgiveness and, you know, spread the good word of God, not evilness, not grumpiness and hatefulness. Anyway, that's all I got on this and I hope and pray that this blessed you as much as it's blessed me to bring it to you.

Speaker 2: 24:16

If you get a chance, go back and read James 3. The chapter is not very long, it's 12 verses. Anyway, thank you guys for listening and everybody. Have a very blessed week. I hope and pray this blesses you. I'm going to end with a prayer and, like I said, be ready and listen for the next couple of weeks, hopefully with some good news and a new testimony.

Speaker 2: 24:37

Anyway, so, our Father, god in heaven, lord, we praise you and we honor you For the word that you've given us every day for your words, lord, that we need to take to our hearts, lord, and we need to get all the evilness and all the craziness and all the stuff out of our hearts that doesn't belong there, so that we can say good things and spread the word and do things and be good and say good things to our fellow brothers and sisters out there that so needs to hear the word of God.

Speaker 2: 25:07

I ask you to bless each and everybody that heard this today and let it go to their hearts and their minds. Let them understand, lord, how we can take few little words and we can tear down anybody, but as Christians and children of God, we need to understand that we let people understand that we need to build up and edify, and that's the words we need to use. I ask you to bless each and everybody out there and let these words go to the hearts and the minds that needs to hear it. For, lord, we thank you for another day. We thank you for another opportunity to spread the word. We ask you to go with us and lead us and guide us Until next time. In Jesus' holy, sweet name, we pray, amen and amen.

Speaker 1: 26:12

God bless everybody. God bless everybody. Hey, you've been listening to Bible Talk with Sister Deb and if you'd like to contact Sister Deb you can email her at osbrandeverk at gmailcom, recorded at the 421 studio. For contact information For all of your studio needs you can email at hor421ministries at gmailcom. Phone number is 239-849-1502. And if your love were me? No, his love is stronger. When he's fine, his love is stronger. The wind is fine. His love is strong. Good and right. When the heart gets weak and the road gets long, his love is strong.