I've been studying James a bit lately. There's so much there that we can apply to our daily lives. Here's chapter 3...in case anybody is wondering, it's from the New Living Translation. I often parallel study with the KJV and NLT.
James 3:1-18
[1] Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. [2] Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. [3] We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. [4] And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. [5] In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. [6] And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. [7] People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, [8] but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. [9] Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. [10] And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! [11] Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? [12] Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring. [13] If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. [14] But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying. [15] For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. [16] For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. [17] But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. [18] And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Ive found in my own life, that even with a heart to seek the Lord, my mouth still gets me in trouble. I find myself praising God, and moments later, grumbling about my new circumstance- thus blessing and cursing with the same mouth. I find myself feeling jealous and envious, and have certainly learned that there's selfishness inside of me. And this is why I need Jesus. I can relate to Paul, when he wrote "I do the things that I hate, and don't do the things that I should be doing" (my paraphrase from Romans 7).
But thank God that I'm being perfected...my mind is continually being washed by the Word of God...as I grow in the Lord, I'm growing in His grace...and I have an Advocate with my Heavenly Father. I hope readers of this will be encouraged, in one way or another.
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Originally Posted by Preacher Jim
