James
Double Tongued
As Jesus said pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:28
Out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. James 3:11
Lord, help me control my anger
Do not let me be a hindrance to the salvation
Of even the most evil sinner you died for
May my words and the mediation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord
May my words be well sounding and fitting as I point to heaven
Even when I must warn of hell
A-Men
Double Tongued
Please forgive me for what I am about to say.
Although I love animals there is
something that grosses me out.
When a dog licks its butt
and then kisses his master.
As I said, please forgive me.
But this is the image I get from James 3:9-12…
“With the tongue we praise our Lord and
Father, and with it we curse men”
verse 9
Praise and cursing from the same tongue.
This word praise or blessing means…
Fine speaking, i.e. elegance of language
Adoration; religiously
Benediction; By implication
Consecration; by extension benefit or largess
(generosity in bestowing money or gifts upon others)
Praise is more than a word…
It is fair or fine speech.
It is well sounding and fitting words.
Our praise is more than singing a song…
But carefully chosen words in all our speech.
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit,
so there is no difference in what we
should say in a church building or
in the private places of our lives.
Every word we speak is heard by our Lord.
He loves our fine speaking and fitting words.
But our Lord is grieved when we…
“Curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.”
The word curse means imprecation, execration.
The noun execration means an
angry denouncement or curse.
Angry protester’s furious execration of police
is something yelled or muttered angrily.
This is a curse and so we must be careful
our anger does not become furious execration.
No matter what a person has done…
How evil they may have become,
they are still made in the likeness of God.
Is God grieved with peoples’ sin?
YES!
But it is still not God’s will that any should perish.
Do we have a right to call God to curse others?
Jesus said…
Bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
Luke 6:28
Romans 12:14 says…
Bless those who persecute you;
bless and do not curse.
Christ became a curse for all
who are made in His image.
Galatians 3:10-14
Jesus came to undo…
To remove the curse that has been
on all who were made in His image.
Our speech should work with
Christ’s work to remove the curse.
Paul tells the Thessalonians they turned
from idols to serve the living
God and their great deeds.
Paul reminds them they are waiting for…
“Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.
1 Thessalonians 1:10
Those Thessalonians were living
under the cures like all of us.
But Jesus came from heaven and died
and was risen from the dead to rescue them
and us and all who are made in His image,
who call upon the name of the Lord.
Don’t let your anger of sin cause you
to curse or speak unkind words that only
drive a wedge between them and God.
As Jesus said…
Pray for those who mistreat you.
Luke 6:28
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.
My brothers, this should not be.
James 3:11
Lord, help me control my anger.
Do not let me be a hindrance to the salvation
of even the most evil sinner you died for.
May my words and the mediation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord.
May my words be well sounding and fitting as
I point to heaven even when I must warn of hell.
A-Men
Scripture Reading
James 3:9-12
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
