Focus intently upon the Word, in order
to be changed.
Have you ever thought about that
little organ in your mouth called the tongue? Have you ever thought about the
cage God created in which to contain it? The tongue is not only tucked away
behind the lips, but it is also behind the teeth. In order to loose it and
allow it to be used, we must open our lips and teeth.
The tongue is very important to us in
several ways. It enables us to swallow, taste, and talk. Sometimes we find
ourselves in a bit of trouble from all three especially if something tastes so
good we overeat. However, the most powerful effect the tongue can have on us
and on others is by our talking. This week we are going to focus on the harm we
can bring as well as the good we can bring to ourself and others by the way we
choose to use our tongue. Maybe God put our tongue inside the cage behind our
teeth and lips for a reason!
Taming the Tongue
Sunday: Read James 3:1 “Not many of you should
become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged
with greater strictness.” Let’s think about that verse for a bit today.
It seems that not many of us should become teachers because those who do teach
will be judged with greater strictness. Exactly what does that mean? It means
we who teach are responsible to God Almighty for what we tell others and guide
them to believe and do as a result of our teaching. We will be accountable to
God for our actions, but also for the actions we lead others to do. It is
imperative that we know the Word and we are led by the Holy Spirit as we teach.
We must remember that it is God’s Word and Message that we are conveying to
others; therefore, we must convey it as a holy message. We are not to take His
Word and Teaching flippantly. For those whom God chooses to teach, have a great
responsibility. We must guard our hearts, minds, and actions so that what we
teach is parallel with how we live. We must represent the Word of God in every
aspect of our lives, so we do not appear as a hypocrite when we stand before a
Sunday school class or a small group Bible study. I have seen the damage that
the life style of a hypocrite can cause upon a new Christian or one who has not
accepted Christ just yet. This kind of life can do more harm than good. Yes, the
scripture is true when it says that those who have been called to teacher will
be judged more strictly than those who do not teach. We are not only
responsible for our actions based on the scripture, but we are also responsible
for what and how we guide others to believe and live. (Keep in mind that if you
are a parent, you too have been called to teach—your children).
In your journal today write out how
you have been teaching your children. What are they learning from your words,
your actions, and even from your prayer and Bible study habits? Now, write how you are teaching others. Are you
teaching from the prompting of the Holy Spirit or from your own knowledge?
We are to be controlled by the Holy
Spirit just as a horse is controlled by his rider through the bit and bridle. If you have ever ridden horses, you know they sometimes have a mind
of their own and have to be controlled with a bit of force by the rider through
the bridle. If horses are not being properly and tightly guided, they could
take the ridder into a bit of a dangerous situation. If we allow God to take
the reigns and guide us as He desires, He will detour us from dangerous
situations, and we will speak only the words He wants us to share, resulting in
our teachings being blessed by Him. We will be less likely to speak from our
own thoughts and insight, and we will make less mistakes. We as teachers are
not expected to have all the answers and to know everything, but we are to earnestly seek the truths from
God’s word to find the answers. We should never speak unless we have been given
the answers and the go ahead from God.
In your journal today, list ways you
have stumbled as you were trying to guide, teach, or mentor others in their
faith in Christ. How did you handle the situation after you stumbled? What does
God want you to do with mistake now?
Tuesday:
Focus on James 3:4 “Look at the ships also:
though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a
very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.” Let’s think about how a big ship is controlled by a little
rudder even when these ships are in middle of a huge storm that is sending the
waves back and forth uncontrollably. The captain of the ship has the ability to
direct the ship based on that tiny little rudder. The point here is that the
captain has control and can steer that big ship regardless of the storms, the
wind, or the direction of the waves. The example of steering the ship should be
a metaphor for us as Christians. God should be able to control us through our
hearts regardless of what is going on around us. We should not take off on our
own, nor should we be guided by the circumstances and obstacles.
In your journal today, make a list of some of the
directions you have gone lately. Beside each one indicate if that direction was
completely God controlled, completely self controlled, or half and half (half
self and half God)? Write a statement by all or any that you feel God is
prompting you to go back and re-do or correct.
Wednesday:
Focus on James 3:5-6: “So also the tongue is a
small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze
by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The
tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the
entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” Our
tongue is a very small part of our body, but too often it boasts of great
things, says a lot of things it shouldn’t leading to a great deal of damage. It
is compared to a small spark creating a forest fire that spreads and soon
destroys a whole forest. Visualize a forest fire for just a moment. When a
forest fire begins and spreads, it is nearly impossible to control and stop.
When the fire finishes, the damage is unreal and devastating. This passage
indicates that the tongue is like that same fire in the way it can cause as
much devastating damage as a fire. It can destroy all that is in its path. It
can change the entire course of one’s life and possibly the lives of others.
The last part of this passage indicates that such destruction comes from the
fire of hell. There is no good in this kind of damage; it is certainly not of
God. Our tongues at times can be a tool of Satan damaging and destroying and
leaving us feeling desolate.
Have you ever been hurt by someone’s words? Do you remember
how you felt? Have you ever said something that in the end was hurtful to
someone? I have known people who speak and then think later maybe they shouldn’t
have opened their mouths. When something pops into our heads, we need to think
before we speak. One thought to consider is how this will affect others. Next,
we should consider if it will make a positive or negative difference.
In your journal today write about a time when someone hurt
you with his/her words. Discuss exactly how those words made you feel. Could
the message have been conveyed to you in a better way that would have had more
positive effects on you?
Next in your journal write about time when your words cut
through a person and caused damage to someone. Think about how that person or
persons actually felt after your words were hurled and articulate that in your
journal. Could you have handled this differently? Did the words really need to
be spoken?
Thursday:
Focus on James 3:7-10 “For every kind of beast
and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by
mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of
deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse
people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing
and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” Today is going to get down to some serious and deep
thoughts about our tongue. Keep in mind, these words do not come from me, but
they are straight from God. This passage begins by saying that mankind can tame
every kind of beast, bird, reptile, and sea creature, but no human can tame the
tongue. It goes on to say that the tongue is a restless evil filled with deadly
poison. That is a critical and harsh statement regarding the tongue that is in
our mouths. Take a moment and let that thought soak into your mind. Before we
go further into today’s focus pause and write in your journal the following
question: Lord, do I need to get control of my tongue? If so, how do I do that?
As we continue our devotional thought today, write in your journal what God
reveals to you.
As we continue thinking about the evil that can sprout from
our tongues, lets see how it is done. According to this passage, one minute we
can bless the Lord with our words and turn right around the next minute and
curse people whom God created in His own image. We curse and tear down the very
people whom God loves. First, we proclaim Christ and our love for Him; then, we
destroy the very ones He loves and died for. We don’t even give it a thought
when our tongues are wagging and bringing destruction upon those creations of
God. In a sense, we are destroying God’s work. OUCH!!!! I too have never
thought of it like that either. God just brought that to my attention.
Stop now, and begin writing again in your journal. Respond
to this thought: From the same mouth comes blessings and cursing. This should
not be happening. Have you been guilty of this action? Have you ever stopped to
think about it in this way? Are you breaking the very heart of God every time
you speak harshly or negatively about one of His creations? If God has brought
people and words to your mind, deal with the situation as He is prompting you.
Maybe He wants you to confess, repent, and stop the destruction. Maybe He wants
you to reach out to someone and apologize. Write a statement of what God is
prompting you to do; then proceed in His strength.
Friday: Focus on
James 3:11-12 “Does a spring pour
forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my
brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond
yield fresh water.” Yesterday we examined the extreme
detriments of an evil tongue and how such a tongue can hurt the heart of God.
Today, we will examine ourselves a little more closely to see if we are living
a double life. The first part of today’s passage asks two questions: “Can a
spring produce both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree produce olives or a
grapevine produce figs? Of course, we know the answers to these questions. The
answer is simply, “No!” We know that cannot happen. As stated in the passage, a
salt pond cannot yield fresh water. What this means is that we cannot be two
kinds of people. We are either one or the other. It is impossible to live two
different lives. Soon one will catch up with us and usually it is the one that
brings destruction.
In your journal today, write an evaluation of what kind of
person you are. Be honest. This is between you and God. Are you struggling with
the two people living inside you? Ask God to help you to get rid of the one
with whom He is not pleased.
Saturday:
Read James 3:13-18 “Who is wise and understanding
among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of
wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do
not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down
from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and
selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the
wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full
of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness
is sown in peace by those who make peace.” The
final passage from chapter three moves beyond the evil of our tongue to
the evil within our hearts. The person who is wise in the Lord demonstrates a
Godly lifestyle by their good deeds that are done in humility. However, the
person who harbours bitter envy and selfish ambition has not received this
wisdom from the Lord, but from just the opposite: earthly, unspiritual, and
demonic. That is a very powerful statement: “If you harbour bitter envy and
selfish ambition, your heart is controlled by Satan.” We go a bit further in
the passage to discover that when we have bitter envy and selfish ambition, we
will find disorder and every evil practice. If we are living those negative
attributes in our hearts, we are not happy, and we are willing to destroy
whomever is necessary to get what we want. What a miserable way to live!
On the other hand, the passage goes on to tell us that the
person who seeks and finds wisdom from above discovers that wisdom is pure,
peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial
and sincere. In fact, the peacemakers who sow in peace will reap a harvest of
righteousness. This is the person who lives to be a blessing to others and does
so through a submissive spirit. This person is controlled by God and completely
at peace regardless of the situations occurring around him/her.
Which person are you? Before you answer that question in
your journal, consider your desires and ambitions. There is nothing wrong with
being ambitious, but if your ambition causes you to treat others unfairly or
wish bad things upon them, so circumstances will proceed in your favour, your
heart is not characteristic of the second person described above. If it is your
desire to be that kind of person, submit that desire to God in your journal,
ask God to forgive you, thank Him and praise Him for helping you to see
yourself the way God sees you, and ask Him to begin controlling your heart so
you will become a complete replicate of the second person described in the
passage.
Remember to be honest with God in all areas as you pray
through each day. God already knows your true heart. He is calling you to get
to know the real you, and be transformed into the person He has called you to
be.
As always, I know these focuses can be difficult to face. I
struggle myself, but I know God is there to guide me when I struggle. He wants
His best for each of us; therefore, He will guide us through it all.
Please reach out to me through private messaging on
Facebook or from the website blog. I am
praying for you and would love to pray with you specifically.
In His love,
Cheryl Toon
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