Untamable Tongue

Tim & I started a bible study last night called "Pursuing God" headed up by our awesome Pastor Mike. The first assignment is to carve out 15-30 minutes of "quiet time" in your life for just God. No distraction - and commit to it for at least 5 days this week. 

For the passed two years I spend mornings with God before Tim & Nick wake up, and I read through the bible & journaled last year. This year He lead me to journal in more of a dyadic personal way. Needless to say, I went on this pilgrimage this morning to "seek Him" more fully in our walk together. For some of you reading this blog you may, or may not have any quiet time with the Lord, yet alone, even believe in God, but let me share with you...when, and if,  you do "pursue God" you will be attacked by the enemy. The enemy, being Satan, the dark prince of this world who wants nothing more then to derail any plans for you or me to get closer with God in quiet time, prayer and deepening a relationship with God. Satan hates you & me and has an agenda of his own for our lives to do his sinister, cunning work of evil through us by not obeying God. It is that simple. In saying this.... I was royally attacked this morning... in the process of seeking the Lord. 

As many of you know I currently have a broken leg and with that comes a further frustration of not being able to get around as quickly as I am used to, and learning how to walk all over again. Even though God has blessed me with a peace & sense of contentment I still have off moments. I also have a low-to- no tolerance for disrespect from our son because it is not honoring mom... more importantly it is not honoring God to disobey, or disrespect parent's authority in the Lord. This morning Nicholas was disrespectful to me, I disciplined him,  and Tim disagreed with me on the discipline so there was dissension between us... not good. Once Nick was off to camp, my tongue became a sword.... I said things I regret, I fell short, I was angry, and frustrated. I sinned. The enemy was working havoc through my tongue, and it was not a good thing. Once Tim & I cooled off, we are in the process of picking up the pieces, and I am doing my part repenting to God for my untamable tongue that went out of control with frustration. 

Going back to the Word I need to go back into the bible study, and God led me straight to James 3. Here is what it says, and is so powerful I felt led to write it out for you to consider, and read through so before you lose your cool like I did this morning, perhaps it will help you think before you speak like I wish I did... 

James 3: 1-18 

The Untamable Tongue

My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgement. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. Indeed, we put bits in horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. 

See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. 

Heavenly Verses Demonic Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy, and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 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. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

After reading James 3 and the iniquity God shares about the tongue, and that heavenly wisdom calls me to make peace, because He gives righteousness to those who make & seek peace. Through humility and a contrite spirit I will first ask God to forgive me, and then, eat crow, noooo kidding... go to my husband and ask for forgiveness with all my heart, all my soul and all my mind for my words that were not honoring or loving to God or to him. Thank God for His grace when we humbly go before Him and say, "I am sooo sorry I really blew it." What a relief to be forgiven by the highest Father God and let it go on to the cross. Thank you Jesus for Your gift. 

I also think about James, who was the younger half-brother of Jesus, son of Mary & Joseph,  who most likely wrote this book in the bible. I think about this whole passage and "how" James must have learned these tough lessons about the tongue from his "big brother Jesus" who never sinned??? Talk about an untamable tongue James must have had toward his big brother and the come backs Jesus would have to his little bro James! Whoa!  James did not come to believe Jesus was the son of God until after the resurrection... Growing up can't you hear James saying to Jesus, "Yeah right you are the Son of God!"  Imagine all the spiritual downloads James received once he came to the realization his big brother Jesus was indeed  - the Son of the God! I would love to be a fly on the wall at that moment the truth set into James' heart & soul. What a moment indeed. 

I think about my  own brother Michael  & I. We had many differences of opinion growing up, still do,  just as Jesus and James did. The difference is that James was a sinner like you and me, and Jesus was not - Jesus never sinned. James learned about the untamable tongue from  the one, almighty, all-powerful, most-high Father God that spoke to him as an "older brother" here on earth every day throughout his whole life! Now  THAT is an intense reality to wrap my head around. 

We are not to give blessings and curses with our tongue. The only way to attain wisdom from heaven is to pray for Jesus and His Holy Spirit to show us how to honor and love him in good conduct. We will always stumble. Thank goodness for His mercy to help pick us back up and show us how to try it again... and again... by humbly repenting, asking for forgiveness, and submitting our tongue back to Him and asking Him to speak through us... with His words of love & blessings. Only He can do it through us..

Off to make peace with my one true love, the one man I will love through the good & tough times, til death do us part. My one & only Timothy...