Bridled Tongue: Constructing a Bridle, Part 1

The point: Conclude the study with two very practical studies in the Scripture concerning how we may have bridle tongues, or the biblical directives for the construction of a bridle for our tongues.

The analogy of making a bridle for a horse with leather or rope is used to introduce the idea of finding 'raw materials' for constructing a spiritual bridle for the tongue.

And we want to see what it is that constructs a bridle for the tongue of the child of God. Now, if you want to make a bridle for a horse, why don't you make a bridle for a horse? Or a mule? You go out and get some leather or some rope, and you begin construction of the bridle.

3:28 - 3:43 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The first raw material is consistent, specific prayer, exemplified by David's prayer in Psalm 141:1-3 to 'set a watch' and 'keep the door of my lips,' which Martin illustrates…

David's prayer to 'set a watch' and 'keep the door of my lips' is vividly illustrated by imagining four soldiers named Truth, Love, Necessity, and Wisdom guarding the mouth, questioning every word before it exits.

says, Lord, here's my mouth, and it has a door, like the door of a city. And Lord, the only things that should come out of that door are things that are pleasing to you. But Lord, left to myself, that door will be swinging open, letting out things left and right that ought never to come out. Lord, will you not please send a sentry, or I like to think of it, send four soldiers to guard the door of my mouth. You know what those soldiers are? You

18:00 - 18:32 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second raw material is conscious watchfulness, drawing from Psalm 39:1 where David resolves to 'muzzle' his mouth, and reinforced by James 1:19 ('slow to speak') and Proverbs…

The concept of 'muzzling' the mouth from Psalm 39:1 is explained by comparing it to a muzzle on a trained bear to prevent biting or on an ox to prevent it from eating the corn it treads, emphasizing external restraint.

Now get the picture. David said I will muzzle my mouth. Now what's a muzzle? You've seen.

27:09 - 27:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second raw material is conscious watchfulness, drawing from Psalm 39:1 where David resolves to 'muzzle' his mouth, and reinforced by James 1:19 ('slow to speak') and Proverbs…

An illustration where every word spoken is a nickel given away, with returns or losses based on whether the word meets the standards of truth, love, necessity, and wisdom, to underscore the value and consequence of speech.

Suppose every time you gave a word away, you gave a nickel away. Some of us be in the poorhouse before sundown. All right, now. Follow me now.

31:18 - 31:34 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second raw material is conscious watchfulness, drawing from Psalm 39:1 where David resolves to 'muzzle' his mouth, and reinforced by James 1:19 ('slow to speak') and Proverbs…

Martin recounts a personal anecdote of eating a whole garlic clove before preaching, leading to offensive breath and conscious restraint in social interactions, to illustrate how much more careful believers should be with words that wound the soul.

But I think the kids will remember it. I did a very stupid thing a couple of years ago. That's not the last stupid thing I did, but I'm thinking now of this particular thing. We were at Carlisle for a week's vacation over New Year's Day, and they asked me to speak at their New Year's Eve service.

33:11 - 33:33 Read in full sermon

The point: If when we get on the telephone, just for a nice little chit-chatty time, if we would say, let us pause to pray that God will direct our conversation, we may seem a little odd doing it at first.

Learning a new skill like driving a car, especially with a manual shift, is used to illustrate that implementing biblical disciplines like bridling the tongue will initially feel strange and unnatural, but is necessary for growth.

If when we get on the telephone, just for a nice little chit-chatty time, if we would say, let us pause to pray that God will direct our conversation, we may seem a little odd doing it at first. Any new skill, any new path of duty seems odd when one first sees it. Seems odd when one first undertakes it. Who of us sat down in a car for the first time and felt, well, this is nothing, this is, you know, drive off?

44:55 - 45:25 Read in full sermon