Heavenly Wisdom and A Controlled Tongue!
This week I have truly enjoyed reading from the book of James! Today, I'd like to focus on James chapter 3. What great words of wisdom and instruction...I love how James doesn't beat about the bush...He just says it like it is and gives great insight as he instructs us in how we should control our tongue as well as make sure we are lead by heavenly wisdom, not demonic wisdom.
I think many times we say things without thinking about the effect our words have. I am reminded that we have the power of life or death in our tongue. The words we say can help someone to become who God wants them to be, or they can cause a person to get discouraged, and give up.
We don't always, in fact I dare say, we rarely know what another person has been through and all that is going on in their life. We may not understand why they are doing things the way they are or why they think the way they think. I truly believe that the only way we can control our tongue is to use the heavenly wisdom James talks about in this chapter. I don't believe he was addressing these two things as separate issues, but instead I think he was stating a problem, and then giving the solution.
How do we learn to control our tongues, and make sure we are speaking words of life and not death? The only way we possibly could do this, is through the help and leading of the Holy Spirit. It is only when we are tuned into the Spirit, listening and leaning on Him to lead us, that we will have the heavenly wisdom and the self-control to control our tongues.
Lets look at this section from 2 Corinthians...
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh.
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."
This verse starts out stating that "we walk in the flesh but we do not war according to the flesh"...in other words...we may be dealing with a real down to earth issue with someone or something, but we cannot go about fixing it in our own way. We cannot depend on our own wisdom or start speaking about the situation without first letting the Holy Spirit lead us. With His leading we will say what God wants us to say, words based on heavenly wisdom not on our own fleshly desires. We must rely on God, for our weapons are "Mighty in God", not mighty in man, mighty in finances, or mighty in anything else we may try to rely on or fix the issue with...they are only mighty in God! When we do things God's way, and let Him lead us, even in the little things we say...can have a powerful effect on the final outcome. Paul goes on to say that the weapons that are mighty in God will "pull down strongholds, cast down arguments, as well as everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God". What is the purpose of all of this? The purpose is to "bring every thought into obedience to Christ"...If every thought is brought to the place of obedience to Christ, then every word will also be spoken in accordance with God's will and God's plan. Once we have used our Mighty in God weapons to pull down and cast down the things that don't align with God's Word, we will the be ready to help discipline or punish all disobedience, but only after our obedience is fulfilled. We cannot try to tell other's what they are doing wrong if we ourselves are making the same mistakes. If we want our words to be full of life, to encourage others and to have a positive effect, then we must work to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us, in all things. It also requires that we be willing to let go of pride and admit where we have failed, and ask God to help us to do better next time. We must ask for heavenly wisdom. James says it this way: "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." James 3:17
I don't know about you, but I know that deep down, somewhere is the center of my being, is the desire to always speak out of Heavenly Wisdom, and to allow God to use my words to uplift, encourage, and build up other people. I know that I will fall and fail, but I also know that God's grace is enough, and with His help, I can make a difference in the lives of those around me.
Let's Pray!
Heavenly Father, I am so grateful and thankful that you didn't give us a whole bunch of rules and regulation and then leave us on our own to falter and fail. No, you gave us the law to help us see our need for a Savior, and then you provided that Savior, by sending Your only Son to die in our place. We are so unworthy of your love, mercy, forgiveness. But you love us so much, that it doesn't matter. Your love makes up for our lack. And You have given us the ability to lean on Your Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance, to help us as we walk this earth. We can walk daily in the wisdom and grace that can only come from You! What a marvelous gift!! Lord, I pray today that you will daily remind us how much we need to lean on You. Help us to tap into that Heavenly Wisdom, and speak words of love and life. Use our lives to show Your love to a lost and hurting world.
In Jesus Name we pray, AMEN
