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James 3:1-12 Devotional – Day 1

ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness

WRATH God loves all that is right and good, for rightness and goodness conforms to his moral character. So it shouldn’t be surprising that God intensely hates sin. Scripture’s narrative frequently describes God’s wrath, especially when God’s people sin against him.

    • “I have seen this people . . . now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them.” (Exodus 32:9–10)
    • “Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. . . . Even at Horeb you provoked the Lord to wrath, and the Lord was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you.” (Deuteronomy 9:7–8)
    • “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God rests upon him.” (John 3:36)
    • “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men.” (Romans 1:18)

Praise God that He intensely hates sin.
Praise God that he instructs us in what is right and wrong. Praise the Holy Spirit for convicting us of sin. Praise God for dealing our sin on the cross. Praise God that he loves all that is right and good.

CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100

SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.

  • Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
  • Pray for Austin and Jenni. Ask God direct them as a they look to start an English club with some of their friends. Pray that this English club would lead to time in reading the Word.

SCRIPTURE READING:
James 3:1-12 – New International Version
Taming the Tongue

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 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. 5 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. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:

Have you ever given someone a piece of your mind? Are you unafraid to speak your mind? Is this a good thing? I suppose it could be; it depends on the condition of your mind. The most important question to ask is: are you growing in having the mind of Christ? If so, then giving people a piece of your mind could be a good thing. Of course, what that idiom means is that we are venting. Venting may be good for volcanoes, but not for people. Venting is not the same as being honest with our struggles. As followers of Christ, even when we are being honest with our own struggles and feelings, we do not stop being accountable to look to the interests of others and not just to our own. This week we are going to think about our words and the source of those words, our hearts. Try to pay attention to your words this week. Keep track of what you say and, if you can, why you said it. Don’t become verbally constipated by this practice. I don’t want you to overthink this. Just practice the discipline of guarding your tongue. Ask God to help you, and maybe enlist someone to do this with you this week.

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