Heritage Bible Radio is a Ministry of Heritage Bible Church where Jim Harris is the teaching pastor. You can join Jim each weekday at 4 am, 8:30 am, and on Sunday at 7:15 am. Every day Jim works to devote his radio time to some portion of the Word of God so you can know God and serve him better.
Summary:
This week on Heritage Bible Radio, Pastor Jim Harris is going to take us into the third chapter of James through verse 12. How important is your tongue? Before you start thinking about the importance of licking barbeque sauce off your fingers or working your favorite ice cream down to the cone, our passage uses the tongue figuratively for its other use: forming the words and speech that come out of your mouth. How important are your words? How powerful are they? When you teach or speak something about God, does it represent him accurately? And as you relate to other people, even the most emotional and frustrating situations, does your speech honor Him? How much of your speech is sinful? Is it building up, or is it tearing down? How often do you consider the power and impact of your words? Is it time you reconsidered some sinful patterns you may have slipped into? James has all of this in mind, and we hope that this week’s message promotes some reflection on how you speak as a representative of Christ.
Section Text (NIV)
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
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