Tiny Tongue, Mighty Impact

Today , we're uncovering the truth about taming the tongue and discovering the life-changing impact of our words . Let's go , boys . Hey , welcome to Renewed Mindsets , bringing you God's truth from a Gen X perspective , with a mix of humor and a dash of nostalgia . Remember when life was simpler and all we needed was a good mixtape ?

Well , we're here to make your spiritual playlist even better . Join us as we explore scripture , laugh a little and rediscover the power of a renewed mindset . Don't conform transform . Welcome back to Renewed Mindsets . I'm Rick and I'm so glad you're here . You know today's topic is both challenging and transformative Controlling the tongue .

Did you know that the average person speaks about 16,000 words a day ? Imagine the impact we could make if all those words were intentional day . Imagine the impact we could make if all those words were intentional , uplifting and God-honoring . Our words hold immense power power to build up or to tear down .

Today we're going to unpack James , chapter 3 , and Ephesians chapter 4 , and we're going to reflect on practical ways to control our speech and even learn some fascinating facts about the human tongue . Stick around , because this episode is packed with wisdom and encouragement . Now let's start by grounding ourselves in Scripture .

I'll begin with James 3 , verses 8-10 from the New Living Translation . But no one can tame the tongue . It is restless and evil , full of deadly poison . Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God . And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth .

Surely , my brothers and sisters , this is not right . That is a very convicting passage . James is drawing attention to the double-edged nature of our speech . Now think about it . We can use the same mouth to worship God on Sunday morning and then gossip or complain or road rage on somebody on Monday . It's a stark reminder that our words reflect our hearts .

Controlling the tongue isn't just about discipline , it's about transformation . Now let's turn to Ephesians , chapter 4 , verses 29 through 31 from the New Living Translation . Don't use foul or abusive language . Through 31 from the New Living Translation . Don't use foul or abusive language .

Let everything you say be good and helpful , so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them . And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live . Remember he has identified you as His own , guaranteeing that you'll be saved on the day of redemption .

Get rid of all bitterness , rage , anger , harsh words and slander , as well as all types of evil behavior . Now Paul's words here are so practical . He challenges us to avoid unwholesome talk . That includes gossip , sarcasm or any words that tear others down . Instead , we're called to speak words that edify and encourage .

Now , how often do we stop to consider whether our words are truly benefiting those who hear them ? This passage reminds us to be intentional and spirit-led in our communication . Now let's just take a deeper look at these passages . James uses the imagery of a restless , evil and deadly poison .

Think about a single careless word and how it can spiral into hurt feelings or broken relationships or even years of regret . Right , have you ever said something in the heat of the moment that you wished you could take back ? No , I have . James's warning isn't just to shame us . It's to wake us up to the gravity of our words and the need for God's help .

And in Ephesians , paul goes on and talks hand in hand with this . It's not enough to simply avoid saying harmful things . We're called to replace those words with ones that build others up . It's not always easy , especially when we're hurt or frustrated , but this is where the Holy Spirit comes in . We can't do this in our own strength .

Controlling the tongue is part of our sanctification . It's a daily process of surrendering our hearts and mouths to God . So have you ever heard the phrase word of mouth ? Word of mouth is a phrase that refers to the sharing of information between people through spoken communication . Word of mouth is also a form of social influence .

Word of mouth is also a form of social influence and that's based on trust and personal relationships . It operates on the principle that people are more likely to believe and act on the advice of somebody that they know and trust better , or rather than on advertising or other forms of marketing right .

So the reason why word of mouth is so effective is because of the way that our brains process information .

When we receive information from somebody we know and trust , it activates the reward centers in our brain , which release dopamine all those feel-good neurotransmitters and this makes us more likely to remember and act on the information that we receive , and add to that when we share information with other people , it reinforces our own beliefs and strengthens our

relationships . That's the social validation and it's a powerful motivator for human behavior , and I think every one of y'all ought to try it . I need you to word of mouth this podcast to everybody you know and , just as a test , just to see how they like it and how you feel about it . I'm so sorry it all can't be an advertisement , can it ?

Let's talk about how we can apply all these truths that we've gone over in our daily lives . Okay , I'm going to share four practical steps that can help us control our tongue . First , pause before speaking . Have you ever heard the saying think before you speak . Well ? Proverbs , chapter 15 , verse 28 says the heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking .

The mouth of the wicked overflows with evil words . Now this verse reminds us to pause and consider our words carefully . When you're in a heated situation , take a deep breath before responding . Ask yourself is what I'm about to say true and kind and necessary ? Second , choose words that build up . Make it a habit to speak encouragement and gratitude and truth .

Replace complaints with thankfulness Instead of criticizing . Offer constructive feedback . Remember words have the power to heal . Proverbs 16.24 says Kind words are like honey sweet to the soul and healthy for the body .

At my church we actually had , right before Christmas or right before right around the holiday time , we had a no complaining week , and every time you caught yourself or you caught somebody else complaining I don't remember what the deal was you had to put a dollar in the offering plate for the school .

We have a school at our church , so apparently there was a lot of money donated to the school during that time . The third one is accountability . Change in your life doesn't happen in isolation . Find a trusted friend or a family member or a mentor , somebody that can hold you accountable .

Ask them to , in a loving way , point out when your words don't align with God's standard , and don't forget to pray together for wisdom and self-control . And finally , daily surrender . Every morning , surrender your speech to God . Pray something like this Lord , guard my tongue today . Help me to speak words that glorify you and edify others .

Holy Spirit , take control of my mouth . It's amazing how starting the day with this mindset can transform your intentions . It's amazing how starting the day with this mindset can transform your intentions . Now let's take a little break from all this heavy stuff and jump into some fun . Some fascinating facts about the human tongue . The tongue is an incredible organ .

It's made up of eight muscles which give it strength and flexibility . It's not the strongest muscle in the body , but it is certainly one of the most versatile . Okay , next thing taste buds . The average human tongue has about 2,000 to 4,000 taste buds . Now , these tiny receptors allow us to enjoy sweet , salty , sour , bitter .

And here's a fun fact your taste buds regenerate every 10 to 14 days . Now here's something you might not have known Tongue prints . Just like fingerprints , everybody's tongue print is unique . It's amazing .

It just makes me think if , uh , all these TV shows and movies where somebody gets arrested if they had to lick a piece of paper rather than get their fingerprint , anyway , it's stupid . I just thought it was funny . It's just a reminder of how , how fearfully and wonderfully made we are .

Um , the tongue and of course we all know this it's essential for speech , and its precise movements allow us to articulate sounds and words . Without it , clear communication would be impossible .

Think about it the next time you're singing or sharing a heartfelt message with somebody , or if you're doing a podcast and you want to do an example of that you're going to keep your tongue in the bottom of your mouth and not use it when you talk . And if I will cook , a couple will be impossible . Can you go back by that kind of thing of heaven , man ?

That's horrible . And only you diehards are the ones that heard that because you're listening . Near the end I got a couple other quick ones here . The tongue is the fastest healing tissue in the body . It's always working . The tongue guides saliva into the throat while you sleep . It can change color to indicate your health .

The blue whale this is a big one , the blue whale . Of course that's not a human tongue , but the blue whale's tongue weighs 2.7 tons . 2.7 tons , it's a big , old tongue . And now Deep Thoughts with Rick Yuhas Don't mix bad words with your bad mood .

You'll have many opportunities to change a mood , but you'll never get the opportunity to replace the words that you spoke . Now , as I wrap up here , I want to leave you with this thought Controlling the tongue is no small task , but it's a vital part of living a God-honoring life .

We've got to remember that our words have the power to bring life or destruction , and by yielding our speech to the Holy Spirit and committing to building others up . We can reflect God's love in every conversation . So let's close in prayer . Father God , we surrender our tongues to you . Help us to speak words that bring life and healing and encouragement .

Forgive us for the times that we've used our words to harm people , and guide us to use your speech to glorify . To glorify you In Jesus' precious name , amen . Well , that's all for this week's show . You know the name of this show speaks my hope for you . It's taken from the words of Romans , chapter 12 , verse 2 .

Do not be conformed to this world , but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing , you may discern what is the will of God , what is good and acceptable and perfect . If you enjoyed what you heard , do me a favor , please , and tell someone you know about it .

Send them a link in a text you know you may even need to download it to their phone and show them what a podcast is . If it was valuable to you , it will be to them . Visit renewedmindsetscom to hear past episodes , read the blog and check out the new merch .

And , as always , while you're there , send me a voicemail by clicking the button at the bottom right corner of the main page . Tell me what you think about this show . I just might play it on a future episode , until next week . I'm Rick . I love you . See ya . Are you ready to go See ya ?

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Until next time , stay rooted in God's wisdom and let your words bring life . Is it harder to toot or toot or toot tooters to toot ? Listen to that . Stay rooted in God's wisdom and let your words bring life . Is it harder to toot or toot or toot tooters to toot ? Listen to that . Is it harder to toot or toot or toot tooters to toot ?

Is it harder to toot or to toot or to tooters to toot man ? Is it harder to toot or to toot to tooters to toot ? Is it harder to toot or to tooter to tooters to toot ? I don't even know why I'm saying toot so much .