2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
This morning the Lord leads me to share my thoughts about JAS 3: 1-12, his section on the tongue. Pete teases me incessantly about being a talker. I guess in comparison to him I must admit I am. The Lord creates us and endows us with personality traits and talents that He wants us to use for his purposes. Because I spend as much time now as I do with Him, He has certainly convicted me that I should use these traits and talents carefully and to reflect His teachings. I am far from perfect, but I am trying to make improvements. Our apostle-parent, James, continues his plain-speaking ways in an effort to let us know where we stand with God. JAS 3: 1, “My brothers, not many of you should become teachers. As you know, we teachers will be judged with greater strictness than others.” That verse really gave me pause. I’ve been a teacher all my adult life. Then, I remembered something Pastor Paul said in a sermon a couple of years ago. He said that pastors and church leaders (which I ‘m sure includes teachers) are necessarily held to a higher standard. He made it clear that he was including himself in this assertion. He went on to say that pastors, leaders, and teachers are just as human as anyone else. Because of the responsibility of their service to God, they just had to work harder at living up to the standard God sets for us. In RO 12: 3-8, Paul compares our talents to parts of a human body. Each part is needed to make the whole work properly. No part is more important than any other; all must work in unity for the edification of the whole. That takes the starch out of any church leader, pastor, or teacher who gets the idea that what they do or are is more special or important than what anyone else does for God. Yet, the higher standard required is in place for a reason.
That reason is aptly revealed in 2 TIM 1: 13-14. “Hold firmly to the true words that I [Paul] have taught you [Timothy], as the example for you to follow, and remain in the faith and love that are ours in union with Christ Jesus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Who lives in us, guard the treasure that has been entrusted to you.” What is that treasure? It is the Gospel. The bottom line is that God wants us to convey His Word with accuracy and appropriateness. That is why He reveals to John the admonitions of REV 22: 18-19, “I, John, solemnly warn everyone who hears the prophetic worlds of this book: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to his punishment the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes anything away from the prophetic words of this book, God will take away from him his share of the fruit of the tree of life and of the Holy City, which are described in this book.” That is surely enough to convince me that I must keep on working toward the standard that God expects of people who teach His word. He is the boss, and I’m glad of it!
James continues to show us the power the tongue (what we say) can have. JAS 3: 5, “So it is with the tongue: small as it is, it can boast about great things. Just think how a large forest can be set on fire by a tiny flame!” With what we say, we can convey both good things and evil ones. I am reminded of the reading I have done about Antiochus IV Epiphanes ( 175-163 BC) who was compared with the antichrist in DN 11: 21-36. Antiochus IV Epiphanes was the evil Selucid king who wrested the temple at Jerusalem from the Jews through intrigue and who tried to assimilate the Jews into the Hellenistic culture. It was he who fought with Judah Macabee and his soldiers in the campaign that eventually ended with the Jews getting the temple back after the Selucid king had committed the abomination of desolation (offering a swine on its highest altar-a terrible affront to the Jews). Both Aniochus IV Epiphanes and the antichrist share many traits in common, one of them being the willingness to boast of their own self-importance. The words of their tongues are poison.
As those of you who have been reading my messages for awhile know, an area where God really convicted me was in that of swearing. After growing up with three older brothers, I was left with the need to eradicate it from my life. I’m working on that, but have not reached perfection by any means. My father used to have us drop money in a “swear box” from our hard-earned allowances when we were kids, but I needed to let God transform me by the renewal of my mind. Then James comes along in JAS 3: 9-10 and once again lays it on the line about the tongue. “We use it to give thanks to our Lord and Father and also to curse our fellow man, who is created in the likeness of God. Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth. My brothers, this should not happen!” Whew! Busted! I pray God knows that I am trying to work on this! Now, God has gifted me with a husband who loves to tease me when I have a lapse. God is so good! James’ writing is having its effect on me. How about you?
PRAYER: O Lord, in Your awesome omniscience You understand the temptations that the adversary inflicts upon us. To help us combat them, You inspire writers like James to deal directly with them and give us the hunger to know Your word that leads us to read what James has to say. The suppression of the truth of Your Gospel is exposed for all to see. Those who offend You with their behavior are convicted to submit to Your will for them to change. You love us enough to demonstrate to us the errors of our ways while at the same time providing us a means of escape through the death of Your Son on the cross and our willingness to obey Your teaching in faith. We humbly submit to Your will and offer our thanks, adoration, worship, and praise to You. In Christ’s name, amen.
Be blessed always, Dear Ones. Our Lord loves us enough to inspire our parent-apostle to write plainly to show us how to improve our lives in His eyes. Tomorrow, we will look at James’ words on the wisdom from above. Know that Peter and I also send you our love. Join us in rejoicing in the hope of the resurrection to come.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn