MONDAY'S MEDITATIONS: THE TONGUE OF FIRE...

JAMES 3...
1/ Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly,
2/ for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also.
3/ If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies.
4/ It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot's inclination wishes.
5/ In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze.
6/ The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna.
7/ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species,
8/ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9/ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God.
10/ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers.
11/ Does a spring gush forth from the same opening both pure and brackish water?
12/ Can a fig tree, my brothers, produce olives, or a grapevine figs? Neither can salt water yield fresh.

13/ Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14/ But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.
15/ Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
16/ For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.
17/ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.
18/ And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.

One of the greatest messages to humanity! The tongue is a small member, but, exists among our members as a world of malice, setting the entire course of our lives on fire!!!

WHO CAN tame the tongue? And, for sure, it is through the WISDOM of *GOD*, and, the embracing of LOVE, that, we can even begin to understand this message, enough to begin to meditate upon it, then, with great effort, begin to TRY to tame it! It is one of the greatest tactics of the adversary, and, no wonder, because we DON'T often THINK before we speak, nor, do we speak often, in HIS LOVE!!!

In less than a second, our tongue can trip us! I never realized just HOW easy it is for us to be snared by our own tongue, but, LORD have MERCY, I have caught myself in the snare! It is truly, freaky, and, makes me wonder...

What can we do about it? LOVE one another, for real, THINK before we speak, and, make sure the mind is full of *GODLINESS*, then, of course, PRAY, and, repent! If it is nearly impossible to tame the tongue, we MUST turn to *GOD* for help, because, with HIM, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!

The tongue is a muscle, filled with other muscles, and, I guess some people, think they need to give those muscles a good workout, because, there is SO much tongue wagging going on in this world, one could almost, long for silence:)))

I KEEP telling you, there are LOTS of things, which, work TOGETHER, to build up, and, testify to righteousness, in a person! The tongue is, obviously, a major objective to correct, and, master, but, I know for sure, it isn't easy, though, it is NOT impossible; we simply, have to RELY on *GOD*, HIS WILL, HIS WAYS, and, HIS assistance, in such difficult areas!!!

One thing IS FOR SURE, we ARE ABLE, THROUGH THE WORD, CHRIST, and, DELIBERATION, TO ARISE TO THE TRUTH OF WHOM we are, spirit, and, we MUST NEVER relent in believing this, nor, perfecting it, TO, AND FOR, THE GLORY OF *GOD*!!!

REV. LWINSOR © 2012
BIBLICAL, and/or, other references marked BOLDLY IN COLOURS