Watch Your Mouth

Happy Sunday!

You know I love the Word.  I was reading James again, and ran up on some favorites.  It's always fun for me to read passages in different translations and get more clarity.  James 2:19-20 says, "Are there still some among you who hold that “only believing” is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too—so strongly that they tremble in terror! Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith."(Living Bible).  

Don't miss this!  The Easy-to-Read Version says this in verse 20, "You fool! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing".  OUCH!  

James goes on to talk about being a teacher.  My ears perked up.  He said, "Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life."(James 3:1-2, Message).  Verse 2 in the Voice says, "We all stumble along the way. If a person never speaks hurtful words or shouts in anger or profanity, then he has achieved perfection. The one who can control his tongue can also control the rest of his body".  This hit home...if I can control my tongue, I will be able to control the rest of my body.  Sounds like a better plan than Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers!

Talk is not cheap.  Jesus said, "...every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment."(Matthew 12:36, KJV).  We use our tongue to speak words.  Words that can kill or heal, words that can bless or depress.  Don't you remember being told, "If you can't say something good, don't say anything at all?"  The Psalmist prayed, "Help me, Lord, to keep my mouth shut and my lips sealed."(Psalm 141:3, Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia