July 15, 2010

"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." James 3:3-12

Remember the old saying, "Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me"?

Most old sayings get to be old sayings by being true. I am not so sure about this one because words DO hurt. You have been hurt by careless words, so have I. You have hurt others with careless words, so have I.

I want you to notice how many warnings James gives regarding the tongue in these several verses.

First, he tells us it is out of control. It is easier to control large beasts and huge ships than the tiny tongue.

Second, he tells us it is a fire. Have you ever been burned by words? Yeh, me too! And you have scorched some people with your words, too, right? Me, too.

Third, he refers to it as a "restless evil". Not just evil but restless and evil. The tongue can't wait to spread its evil. Not good!

Fourth, it even gets worse! The tongue is filled with "deadly poison". Is he saying that the tongue can kill people? Yes, I think that is exactly what he is saying.

And finally, if these are enough bad things, here is one even worse - the same tongue that can honor God also is capable of cursing Him! That is disgusting!

With all these things in mind I am sure you can understand why he says earlier that the one who controls his tongue is "perfect in all his ways"!

How does that happen? How do you get this powerful little trouble-maker under control?

That is what I will talk about the rest of the week. But it won't really matter until you get sick and tired of the damage your tongue is causing. Until you decide that it is time to get your tongue under control it really won't matter what I tell you.

Are you hurting over something that was said to you by another? Is someone else hurting because of your tongue-lashing?

Start there! Do something today to begin repairing the damage!

July 14, 2010

"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?" James 3:3-11

Little things can make a big difference!

I remember a tiny o-ring worth a couple of dollars that caused the Challenger to explode and killed our brave shuttle astronauts.

It was the failure of a few tiny heat tiles that caused the Columbia to disintigrate upon reentry high above Texas. More of our finest men and women perished in that tragedy.

A cell phone is small enough to fit in the tiniest hand. It can be placed in a purse or hidden in a pocket and yet it has revoluntioned the world!

Years ago I bought a tiny ring with a little diamond on it and offered it to a beautiful woman. She accepted it and agreed to become my wife and changed my life! It was a little thing that made a huge difference!

In our text, James is warning and bemoaning the destruction caused by something as tiny as the tongue.

I bet you are familiar with someone who has created big damage with a few words from a tiny tongue. Maybe that someone is you.

Once the damage is done it is impossible to undo it.

Wild animals can be tamed. Large ships can be controlled with tiny rudders. But the tongue is almost impossible to control. Left uncontrolled the tongue is like a raging fire. Have you ever tried to put out a forest fire?

James' big point in this short portion of Scripture is a huge truth about a tiny thing that requires lots of attention - the tongue!

Little things can make a big difference.

July 13, 2010

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check." James 3:1-2

Did you ever have a perfect teacher? I'm sure you would remember if you did!

I had some very good ones. Each of them impacted my life in significant ways. But I can't say I ever had a perfect teacher.

What would a perfect teacher look like? How would you know?

James comments on that. He says that a perfect teacher is one who never says the wrong thing and therefore, says the right things. If a person can control his tongue he will have his life under control.

You can trust someone like that! You can learn from someone like that!

And, his challenge is this: until you get your speech under control, don't aspire to teach. Teaching and leading is far too important to leave to immature amatuers. Teachers and leaders have tremendous influence and if they have not gained control over their toungue they will disgrace themselves, discredit the Gospel and do harm to others.

When I was a kid my mom always said, "What you say is what you are!"

James agree with that! If you say you are a leader or a teacher but if your speech and your conversations are negative, or untrue, or unkind, you will betray your immature heart.

Leaders lead by example and teacher's lessons are "caught" as they are taught. Words mean things and have powerful significance. Therefore, the words of a teacher must come out of a mature, consecrated, and learned heart. Until then, don't be in a big rush to teach.

How is your heart? How are your words and your speech? What are you willing to do to change?

July 12, 2010

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." James 3:1

I have always had trouble understanding people who are ambitious to be the leader. We see a lot of those these days.

Being shy by nature, I shied away from leadership. Early in my life you could have characterized me as a reluctant leader. It seemed like whenever there was a class election at school I would end up nominated and then once I get nominated I usually got elected.

I think I was elected either class president or vice-president most years from middle school on through college. Some of those years I ran for the office and some years it didn't. It didn't seem to matter.

When I started playing Little League baseball and the coaches started assigning kids positions, they put me at catcher. I sooned learned that the catcher is the leader on the field.

As a basketball player I became a point guard - another leadership position.

Leadership seemed to seek me. I am not boasting I am just sharing how it happened in my life.

By the time I got to college and I knew I would be studying for ministry, I began to embrace leadership since I knew I would one day be called upon to lead a congregation. I recognized how God had His hand on me preparing me to be a leader.

Early in my pastoral ministry I was blessed to gain Dr. John Maxwell as a mentor and a friend. He taught me invaluable lessons about how to lead in a way that honors God and builds churches. While he taught me countless concepts about how to lead, the greatest thing he taught me was the heart of a leader. Like James, he taught that leadership is a sacred responsibility that should be assumed carefully by serious-minded spirit-filled people.

If you want leadership but fail to embrace the responsibility and the accountability, you will set yourself on a path to failure.

You will, in fact, lead. But where will you be leading people? What value will you be adding to their lives?

If you find yourself eager to assume a leadership position make sure you are up for the job. Be careful! Make sure the driving force of your desire for leadership is not motivated by selfish motives. Ask yourself, "Why is it that I find myself desiring this position? Is it out of compassion for others and the desire to help them? Or, do I find myself coveting the power and the prestige of getting in a leadership position?"

Don't be too ambitious to rush into leadership. Allow God to prepare you and submit to a mentor who can shape you into a Godly leader. Don't embrace the responsibility until you are willing to receive the correction, the direction and the accountability to those you serve.

In this day we need as many Godly leaders as He can raise up. But we don't need leaders who are self-promoted for purely carnal motives.

Spend some time today reading over these first verses of chapter three and listen to what God wants to say to you about your leadership.

July 11, 2010

"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2:26

Interesting isn't it?

Christianity is known as a "faith" or a "religion" or a "belief" and yet James closes out this chapter by declaring that faith without deeds is dead. In short he says, "Believing alone is not enough! The thing that gives life to your faith is what you do to give expression to what you believe."

The Book of James is known as being the guidebook for practical Christianity. You might say James is "Christianity 101". And it is written to the Church spread abroad following the persecution in Jerusalem. So, he is telling them that they are the first generation of the Church and of believers that their communities are going to see. What their neighbors think about the Church and the Faith will largely depend upon them!

Those things being true, you might think James would have spent more time dealing with doctrines and Biblical insights. But, instead, he gets right down to the issue of their witness and their testimony. How are they to live out their faith? What actions and lifestyle will they demonstrate as validation for their faith? That is what matters to James.

I believe that is what matters to your neighbors and your boss and your co-workers - how do you live? Are your actions and attitudes saying more than your words? Because if they don't, your words will have no credibility.

Too often, Christians allow themselves to get caught up in the debate over this doctrine or that doctrine or what version of the Bible is best and lose sight of the fact that it is their personal witness that will convince the unbeliever. I have seen Christians ignore obvious bad behavior among its members and then hammer them because they don't line up with some insignificant Biblical point.

Is James saying that it doesn't matter what you believe? Is he saying that we should fake it even if we don't believe it?

Obviously not! The point is very simple and basic, your faith is only as valid as the actions and attitudes it develops in you. You won't act right if you don't believe right. But your belief needs a means of expression and that is how you act. If you testify to godly beliefs but live like the devil it will do no good!

James was not from Missouri but he knew we live in a "show me" world. He is telling these first generation Church members, "show 'em what you got"!

How about you? What will you show to day? Will your actions animate your faith or kill it?

July 10, 2010

"You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"and he was called God's friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." James 2: 20-26

James uses two very disparate examples to illustrate the same truth and then summarizes with a significant statement that "deeds are the spirit of faith".

Let's examine the two examples: Abraham, the hero and patriarch of all Jews. The words "Abraham" and "faith" are almost interchangeable! Every Jew wanted their boys to grow up and be like Abraham. No problem there!

But Rahab? A prostitute? What is she doing in the same sentence with an icon like Abraham?

There is one huge common denominator! FAITH! Each of them acted in a way that proved their faith in God. Each of them put something at risk. Abraham risk the very future of the legacy God had promised him and Rahab risked her life!

In addition, I think James is communicating the vital truth that faith is a growing and ongoing experience. Abraham had been on a long faith journey with God. He had walked with God and followed God for decades. He had demonstrated his faith time after time. The crowning achievement of his faith was his son, Isaac. It had taken a series of faith decisions to receive this son of promise. Now God tested his faith once more by asking him to sacrifice this precious son. This was no entry level faith! This is faith 501 or 601! But Abraham passed the test!

In contrast, there was Rahab. While there is some dispute over the exact nature of her profession, some say prostitute, some say innkeeper, and some say she ran a restaurant. But of no dispute is her kindness to the Israelite spies that preserved their lives and allowed them to complete their crucial mission into Jericho. She would have been dragged into the street and publicly executed had she been discovered hiding the spies. It was risky what she did but she understood it was her chance at salvation and she took it.

As far as we can tell, this was her intial act of faith. This was Faith 101 and she passed with flying colors. You can be sure their were many other tests to follow.

So in Rahab we have demonstrated that we enter into salvation by an act of faith. And in Abraham we learn that faith is always being tested. Our faith grows as the tests grow because the spirit of faith is our obedient actions!

Whether you are at the Rahab level or the Abraham level there will never be a time when faith is easy or unnecessary! You please God because He has become pleasing to you!

July 9, 2010

"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. " James 2:19

This is a chilling thought. Think about what James is saying here - you could have a "devil" of a faith!

Obviously, faith is much more than just believing! Faith is acting on what you believe, which is how the devils got to be devils! They knew Who God was and what God wanted and disobeyed Him. That is why they are "shuddering" now! They are fully aware of the terror that awaits them.

James is making the point that faith is ultimately revealed by what you do not by what you say! Your works reveal the quality and the validity of your faith. If you really understand Who God is then you will obey Him and honor him in your actions and decisions. If you, like the devils, know Who He is and still disobey Him that is the worst sort of sin!

This revelation underscores the absolute necessity of repentance and trusting God to transform your heart and mind. The easiest way to have genuine faith is to get real with God and receive His Spirit into your life. If you could believe yourself into faith you would not need God. You can't! Don't try!

Faith arises out of the work of grace that God wants to do in your heart and mind. Faith grows from the intial act of faith - trusting Christ for your salvation. That is precisely what Paul means when he declares, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Real faith is displayed in real godliness! That is the power of faith. That is why faith matters so much. You either trust - or you tremble.....