Morning Moments

JAMES Devotional Outline

Chapter 3

III. WHOLESOME WORDS 3:1-18
A. Guarded Words 3:1-2
B. Guided Words 3:3-4
C. Godless Words 3:5-12

1. Unacceptable 3:5-6
2. Uncontrollable 3:7-8

a. No Bits - no way to guide.

There are different kinds of bits for different horses depending upon their difficulty to control. Some could be easily ridden with what is called a straight bit that in no way hurts the animal but simply put a little pressure on his tongue to let him know what you want him to do. Bids change depending upon how high spirited the animal is, from a curved bit to a jaw breaker bit to a chain bit and there may be others now. The harder the animal to handle, the more pressure or pain is required to the mouth by the bit.

It is a shame that we cannot put bits in some mouth of some people who speak carelessly and thoughtlessly anywhere, anytime, to anyone in any circumstance.

b. No Bridles - no way to lead.

Most horses don't mind bridles. A bridle is for leading the animal and unless the animal is as stubborn as a mule, it can generally be led pretty easy with a bridle.

The problem with some people is that they just refuse to be lead to better thinking and better speaking. They think trash and they speak trash and it somas that no one can lead them away from the garbage dump. They feed at the trough of trash and what goes it comes out.
Most of us can be tamed by the bit and lead by the bridle of the Holy Spirit of God, but there are others who refused any taming whatsoever.

c. No Boxes - no way to contain.

3:7. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

There are house pets and there are others. Man has been able to tame practically every species of "animal" or "mammal" from the bird to the beast. Think about the size of an elephant compared to the size of a man who has tamed the elephant and yet the beast behaves according to the wishes of its master or trainer.

That is not true of man's tongue because man's tongue is controlled by his heart and brain and when they are corrupt so is his tongue. Even people who are sophisticated and dignified criticize. The truth is, as was said earlier in the chapter that we all offend in some ways at some time. The tongue is naturally evil and not good because that is the natural condition of the heart.

d. No Boundaries - no way to prevent.

There is no humanly way to prevent the tongue from doing what it does naturally as dictated by the heart EXCEPT and UNLESS it is controlled by the Holy Spirit of God and that is called temperance or "self-control" which is a fruit of the Spirit. It is the result of abiding in Christ and His words abiding in us. It comes from meditating in the word of God day and night.

It takes the supernatural to control the natural.

BLESSINGS!