Daily Bread 3-11-17
James 3:2-6
2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold, also the ships, which, though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet they are turned about with a vey small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
ref. - Ec 7:20 - For there is not a just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
1Jn 1:8 - If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
Ps 34:13 - Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
Matt 12:37 - For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Matt 15:11-20 - Not that which goeth into a man defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth in at the belly, and is cast out in the draught? But this things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man.
Here we see this word "perfect" again. The word that all try to avoid and many make excuse for. But in the book of James it tells us the key to this perfection that we are told lies in Jesus Christ. Being able not only to control our tongue but to not have anything impure driving it. It is okay to be able to hold your tongue and not say anything that offends God, but it is better not to have anything to say that offends Him. As we leave the beginning world of our salvations and we push further in past sanctification and receiving the Holy Ghost we must also know that there has been a purification of the heart. After all, that is true sanctification. So we must press on toward the goal of our heavenly calling in that one day we may have in us what is necessary not only to bridle our tongue but to be clean inside. All of these actions and rituals and traditions that "religious" men follow mean absolutely nothing unless an inner transformation has occurred. Are we going to mess up and let things slip out of our mouths? The answer is, probably. But what do we do when these things come out of us? Do we make excuse and blame the world or someone else? Or do we stop ourselves and realize that we have impurity in our hearts? The only way that we are going to receive healing and forgiveness of this iniquity is by acknowledging it. So, we must, when we slip or say something offensive, first pray for God to guide us, and then examine ourselves and what we could have done differently or said differently so as not to cause sin or to sin ourselves. This scripture in no way approaches offending one another, it is offense to God that it deals with. We are assured that the closer we get to God the more that those attached to the world will be offended, we must just make sure it is the truth that causes it. Unbelievers and those who play the part of Christian use this so that they may never be corrected or rebuked and they who are in it to comfort one another in their sin use this to tell men of God and followers of Christ that they must stay quiet so as not to offend the sinner, but this is in no way what this scripture means. What it is trying to do is not have us sweep everything under the rug and hide what is inside of us. It is to urge us to call on God in Jesus Christ in a way that we will receive help not only to have the right words at the right time but to have the right soul within us to back these words with example and power of the Holy Ghost. In Jesus Christ lies all of our answers to even and earth and if we follow him, our sins will become few and our blessings will become many!! Why not follow him today? Have a great day!!!