Daily God Walk Devotional

Daily God Walk Devotional

Daily God Walk for Sunday, June 28, 2009


Self-Control Gives Us Power Over Our Tongue


We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, ale to keep the whole body in check. – James 3:2

I don’t often use long quotes from the Scripture, but the teaching of James on taming the tongue is so appropriate to where we are in these devotions that I felt to give you his entire teaching on the subject.
James begins this teaching with verse two and declares that a perfect man is able to keep his whole body in check, from there he proceeds to give a lecture on the part of the body that is most difficult to control. The following is from James 3:3-12:
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 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. 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. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Without the Holy Spirit working in us we will not have control over our tongue.

Principle: The Holy Spirit gives us control our whole body – even our tongue.

Affirmation: I constantly submit my tongue to the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, I agree with James that the tongue is the most unruly member of our body. Grant me the grace to allow the Holy Spirit to control my tongue. In Jesus name, amen.

Read the Daily God Walk at nhmresources.org/blog3

I would appreciate your comments.
 
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