June 24, 2013
The tongue. James teaches about the importance of controlling the things we say.
Just like a small bit in the mouth of a horse can be used to control its whole body and a ship can be controlled by a very small rudder, our tongues (even though small), can wreck havoc on those around us and start wars among friends, families, and even countries if not brought under the Spirit's control. Our tongues of course cannot without our permission control us or say harmful things, but the actions of our tongues are a window to our souls. Our tongues reveal who we truly are.
We have a choice. Our tongues can be used to inflict harm on people and start a fire around us, or our tongues can be used to build others up and to teach others how to live. Our tongues reveal the truth of our lives. If our hearts are pure our tongues reflect that. If our hearts are selfish and evil, the truth will eventually be revealed by our tongues. Man can tame a wild animal, but in our own power we cannot control our tongues. Our tongues can only be tamed by a changed heart.
Selfishness and bitter jealousy cannot come from God. Cannot. It is not spiritual and it is a lie straight from the devil. Using the tongue to brag "is a lie that hides the truth" of a selfish and jealous heart. James 3:16 - "Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil."
Wisdom and understanding does not produce confusion and strife. It instead shows itself by living right and doing good things with gentleness. The wisdom that comes from God is:
It all comes back to DO. Do the right things. Be real Be genuine. Our tongues are a reflection of the attitude of our heart. The only way to change the tongue is to change the heart. That is not to say that we can never make a mistake. We can and do make mistakes, but a mistake is different than a way of life.
As teachers, we need to be very careful with the words we say. We need to make sure ALL we say aligns with God's Word and is not part of a personal agenda. We will all be held accountable for the things we say. Guard your heart. Guard your mind. Guard your mouth. It all starts with our hearts and minds.
We all need to be careful. If we are not growing in Christ then we are reverting back to our sinful nature and our tongues will reveal the truth about the condition of our heart.
Next Entry: James 4:1–17
The tongue. James teaches about the importance of controlling the things we say.
Just like a small bit in the mouth of a horse can be used to control its whole body and a ship can be controlled by a very small rudder, our tongues (even though small), can wreck havoc on those around us and start wars among friends, families, and even countries if not brought under the Spirit's control. Our tongues of course cannot without our permission control us or say harmful things, but the actions of our tongues are a window to our souls. Our tongues reveal who we truly are.
We have a choice. Our tongues can be used to inflict harm on people and start a fire around us, or our tongues can be used to build others up and to teach others how to live. Our tongues reveal the truth of our lives. If our hearts are pure our tongues reflect that. If our hearts are selfish and evil, the truth will eventually be revealed by our tongues. Man can tame a wild animal, but in our own power we cannot control our tongues. Our tongues can only be tamed by a changed heart.
"When we submit to the claims of Christ upon our lives, our untamed natures are brought under His control. We become meek, tamed, and 'fit for the Master's service.' " ~ From The Secret of Happiness by Billy GrahamIF—there hasn't been true submission to Christ and true repentance, and IF—our "changed" heart is for appearances only, THEN—"we use our tongues" to praise God on one hand and turn around and use that same tongue to criticize and abuse people. James 3:10 - "Praises and curses come from the same mouth." IF—that happens THEN—something is wrong!! Good water and bad water cannot come from the same spring. A fig tree cannot grow olives. A grapevine cannot grow figs. A well full of salty water cannot also produce good water. It just cannot happen. We are all created equal. You cannot say you serve God and then use your tongue to harm someone God created equal with you.
Selfishness and bitter jealousy cannot come from God. Cannot. It is not spiritual and it is a lie straight from the devil. Using the tongue to brag "is a lie that hides the truth" of a selfish and jealous heart. James 3:16 - "Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil."
Wisdom and understanding does not produce confusion and strife. It instead shows itself by living right and doing good things with gentleness. The wisdom that comes from God is:
- Pure (first and foremost)
- Peaceful
- Gentle
- Easy to please
- Always ready to help others
- Always ready to do good
- Always fair
- Always honest
It all comes back to DO. Do the right things. Be real Be genuine. Our tongues are a reflection of the attitude of our heart. The only way to change the tongue is to change the heart. That is not to say that we can never make a mistake. We can and do make mistakes, but a mistake is different than a way of life.
As teachers, we need to be very careful with the words we say. We need to make sure ALL we say aligns with God's Word and is not part of a personal agenda. We will all be held accountable for the things we say. Guard your heart. Guard your mind. Guard your mouth. It all starts with our hearts and minds.
We all need to be careful. If we are not growing in Christ then we are reverting back to our sinful nature and our tongues will reveal the truth about the condition of our heart.
Next Entry: James 4:1–17
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