MONDAY, April 7th, 2008

James 3: 1-12

1 My 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.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.


This passage is one that applies to every person with a tongue. That would you and me! This passage lets us know how powerful and dangerous our tongue can be. The orange is facts about the tongue and the Blue is illustrations to help us understand how something so small can be so powerful. This passage explains that man has been able to tame every kind of animal. Think about it, we can teach our dog to do tricks, you go to sea world they teach a whale to do tricks, you go to the zoo and you see monkeys do tricks, horses, cows, sheep, tutrles, ligers :) all of them can be tamed. But we cannot tame our tongue. The truth is, the tongue will always diplay what is in our hearts. Therefore, if we want to control our tongue, we must control our heart!

The passage ends by explaining that there is no way that a water fountain can have bothe sweet water and salty water, the same tree cannot bring good apples and oranges. Therefore a persons mouth CANNOT bring forth praise and worship on Sunday and pour out trash throughout the rest of the week!

Lets guard our heart, so that we can guard our tongue!