Careful what you say...

[Bill]

This Week's Verse:

James 3:3-10 -- Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships; although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts of great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse man, who have been made in the simlitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not be so.

Bill's Weekly Thought:

Do you realize that you possess a deadly weapon? Do you know that you have a powerful force in a very small package always with you, and always present? Maybe you don't see where I'm going with this, but sit tight...you'll find out soon enough.

The book of James is a book of action. Think about some of the things that are said in this book. James tells us that faith without works is dead. Now, it's not your works that save you, as I understand, but instead it's the idea that faith is not an intangible, inanimate object that does nothing. Faith links us with God and changes every part of our lives. This means too that our faith has to change and have its influence over the tongue. Yeah...that little thing. That's the weapon I'm talking about. This little member of the body rates a whole chapter in the bible, because of what it is capable of. Dynamite indeed comes in small packages.

The tongue has a tremendous amount of power in relation to its size. Look at the parallel that James draws here. The direction of a ship (even today's massive ocean liners) is controlled by a piece that is very small in proportion to the size of the vessel. Consider: the outboard motor that was used on one of my friend's boat is about the size of a standard sheet of paper (8-1/2"x11"), yet it controls a 16-foot long pontoon boat. Amazing! The same with a bit that is used in a horse's mouth. The bit is a small part, but it controls the entire body of that horse when you pull the reins. So it is with our tongue.

The tongue has the power to change our life direction. What we profess can change our life forever...whether that's "Guilty" in court, "I do" at the altar, or whether or not we say yes to Christ. The power held within the tongue can control a nations' destiny too. Consider that in 1896 William Jennings Bryant became a candidate rather than an alternate delegate because of his words. And who can forget Patrick Henry..."Give me liberty or give me death!"

There is terrible "peril" in a tongue that isn't controlled by the power of God. James tells us that the tongue "is a fire, a world of iniquity." Consider: the tongue can defile the entire body as James says in verse 6. He even goes on to say that it's set on fire by hell! Wow! The tongue's source of wickedness is in hell. The uncontrolled tongue can do great damage. Satan will use the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Families can be torn apart by words that are said. There are words spoken in anger between husbands and wives. There are harsh words said between Christians, in church meetings, board meetings, and between individuals themselves. These idle words spread destruction quickly, and the results are impossible to stop once the words are spoken. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that's taken years to build. The critical tongue can even close church doors! We should strive to never let critical and hate-filled words to pass by our lips.

But there are thrilling possibilities for the tongue...especially if we allow our tongue to be controlled by God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Verse 9 talks about a dual nature. Our contradictory speech can be confusing...how we can praise God on one hand yet destroy people with our speech on the other. But God is at work, if we let Him, from the inside out, to change us and as the Holy Spirit purifies our hearts, we gain a self-control that allows us to speak words that are pleasing to God. Think about what we can do with that! All the ways that we witness for the Lord, to teaching a class, to training up children in the ways of the Lord, to speaking word of peace between enemies or words of comfort to a troubled soul, are all because we have given God control over our tongue. Singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19) and filling our mouths with praise for the Lord (Psalms 71:8) is also a product of the God-controlled tongue. What possibilities exist!

God can change the tongues of men...it's possible. He took stuttering Moses and made him into the man that spoke to Pharoah to release the children of Israel. He took Peter, the one who cursed and denied Jesus, and made him into a powerful man of God that preached at Pentecost. And He took Paul, the one who stood in consent of Stephen's stoning, and turned him all the way around to be one of the most powerful missionaries ever, telling the world about Christ. He can do it for you too, if you need it! Submit your speech, your tongue, to God, and just watch how He will use you and the words you speak for His glory!

[Catsmeow]

Great word, Bill...! Is this your weekly newletter for your ezine? It's a great word of wisdom...

I hope you'll add your special contributions to the Advanced Members forum, too.

[Bill]

Great word, Bill...! Is this your weekly newletter for your ezine? It's a great word of wisdom...

I hope you'll add your special contributions to the Advanced Members forum, too.

Yep, that's what it is. I post the ones that either speak to a specific situation well or that God lays on my heart to post here. We have 22 on the list and growing...and I get emails regularly about how people are touched by them.

I guess God's doing a work here, huh?

[Mrs Mac]

God can change the tongues of men...it's possible

He should be able to change our fingers on the keyboard too.

A really good reminder for all of us, I shudder sometimes at some of the words I leave floating around in the air.