TOPIC: WATCH HOW YOU TALK!
Read James 1:1-20
1 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.
7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away.
11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
18 Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.
19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
MEMORISE:
He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him (Proverbs 18:13)
EXPOSITION
There is the need to know exactly when you should talk and when to remain silent (Eccl. 3:7). Some take pride in being quick at talking; it brings dishonour to them. They answer a matter before they hear it. When some have heard a side of an issue, they think it so plain that they needn’t trouble themselves to hear the other. They think they have all the merits of the cause. Such people mostly end up with disgrace.
It is wrong to go about contributing to matters you know little or nothing about. Learn from Mr. Frank’s disgrace the other day. He was a banker who went to work as early as 6am. He boarded a vehicle going to his office and met a man and a lady exchanging words in the vehicle. Hearing the lady’s intonation, he thought she must have been from his hometown, hence his sister. He said to the man, “Mr. Man, why are you shouting at my sister like that? Don’t you know that it is wrong to fight a woman?” Suddenly, the man slapped Mr. Frank. He retaliated. The fracas led to the man’s death. As the vehicle came to a halt, the lady, the cause of it all ran away while Mr. Frank was arrested and charged with murder. He became a prisoner because he didn’t mind his business. What a pity!
To avoid such biter experience as a Christian, exercise patience and listen well before talking; only talk when necessary, never you impose your opinion on others; check the gathering you associate yourselves with; don’t entertain unholy discussions that can implicate you or bring reproach to the name of the Lord, learn to select words and use them wisely, and learn to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things. If you must speak, let it be the right word at the right time. Silence is golden in some instances (Eccl. 3:7; Prov. 16:1).
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, tame my tongue that I may know when to talk and when not to.
2. Spirit of rashness, die in me; my spirit man take to the gentleness and patience of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ name.
3. Father, in my going out today, guide my actions and rescue me from every evil.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY:
Isaiah 10:3 – 13:9; Ephesians 5:23 – 6:11
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE. Remain blessed!