Faith Works: What Did You Say?
09/21/08
Dr. Phil Wilkes, James 3:1-12
In James 3 he writes to describe the power of the tongue and how hard it is to control our speech. Today we have so many ways to communicate with each other and they can be used for good or for great evil. People today love to pass on information about others even though they do not know if it is accurate or true.
A man once wrote, “I overheard my mother passing along to my father a newsy tidbit, concerning a neighbor. ‘You know you shouldn’t repeat stories about others,’ I said. ‘That makes you a gossip.’
‘I’m not a gossip!’ she snapped back. ‘I’m a news analyst.’”
James tells us that the tongue has incredible power and is difficult to control. In fact, it has been used to tear down and burn others creating incredible pain. This ought not to be characteristic of those who claim to follow Jesus Christ. Christians are to be led by the Holy Spirit and submit themselves to the Lord each day.
James describes the inconsistencies of the tongue and concludes this ought not to happen among God’s people. Only through the control of the Holy Spirit can your speech be transformed into a tool that will build up others.
Perhaps there is someone you need to go to and apologize because your words have burned them severely. You may need to go to your spouse, your child, or your parent and tell them how sorry you are for the caustic things that have come out of your mouth. You are never more like Christ than when you seek to heal a broken relationship.
Podcast
In James 3 he writes to describe the power of the tongue and how hard it is to control our speech. Today we have so many ways to communicate with each other and they can be used for good or for great evil. People today love to pass on information about others even though they do not know if it is accurate or true.
A man once wrote, “I overheard my mother passing along to my father a newsy tidbit, concerning a neighbor. ‘You know you shouldn’t repeat stories about others,’ I said. ‘That makes you a gossip.’
‘I’m not a gossip!’ she snapped back. ‘I’m a news analyst.’”
James tells us that the tongue has incredible power and is difficult to control. In fact, it has been used to tear down and burn others creating incredible pain. This ought not to be characteristic of those who claim to follow Jesus Christ. Christians are to be led by the Holy Spirit and submit themselves to the Lord each day.
James describes the inconsistencies of the tongue and concludes this ought not to happen among God’s people. Only through the control of the Holy Spirit can your speech be transformed into a tool that will build up others.
Perhaps there is someone you need to go to and apologize because your words have burned them severely. You may need to go to your spouse, your child, or your parent and tell them how sorry you are for the caustic things that have come out of your mouth. You are never more like Christ than when you seek to heal a broken relationship.
Podcast