MEMORISE:
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. Proverbs 15:1
READ: James 3:1-10
1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
MESSAGE
From James 3:6 we understand that the tongue has the ability to destroy a person’s destiny eternally. Why is the tongue so deadly? A study of the tongue’s characteristics will shed more light on this. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has explained some of its traits in today’s Bible reading. Most notably, the tongue is ambivalent in some of the things it does. It sings praise to God one moment and the next moment, curses a fellow human being created in the image of God. How then can we handle this thing, which the Bible in James 3:8 describes as “an unruly evil, full of deadly poison?” We than God because Jesus in in Mark 16:18 promised than no poisonous thing can harm us; Hallelujah! Jesus is able and willing to solve every problem of ours, including those created by the tongue, if we surrender our entire lives, including our tongues, to Him. Indeed, every problem in life ends at the cross of Calvary for those who lift their eyes to Jesus Christ and call on His Name for help.
The story was told of a woman who almost destroyed her marriage with her tongue. She did not like what was going on in her marriage, but could not figure out what was wrong, so she consulted a native doctor to help solve her marital issues. The old man knew that the woman’s tongue was her problem; he therefore, gave her a stone he had gotten from a nearby river, instructing her to slot it into her mouth and begin to suck on it anytime her husband picked a fight with her. He also strictly warned her not to speak when the stone was in her mouth, otherwise, the charm would fail. She took the stone from the man and went home. As usual, she did something wrong and her husband corrected her, expecting her to respond in her usual manner. However, to his surprise, this woman kept mute! Unknown to him, she had kept the stone in her mouth and was being careful not to speak while it was in there. This continued for many days, and peace returned to their home. Her husband began to love and cherish her for the great change he had seen in her virtues. She ran to the old man to show her gratitude for the effectiveness of the “charm”, only to discover that the stone he had given her was ordinary and powerless. The old man then told her that if she could learn to bridle her tongue, she would enjoy peace with her husband and with everyone else for that matter. Proverbs 16:24 says:
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
If a soft answer turns away anger, according to God’s word in today’s memory verse, imagine the power of silence!
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please help me to bridle my tongue through the help of Your Holy Spirit.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 14
Ezekiel 33:10-20
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU.
1.While passing thro' this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.
Refrain:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.
2. Your life's a book before their eyes,
They're reading it thro' and thro'
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?
Refrain
3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.
Refrain
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