July 2, 2015 … Fiery Tongue

Daily Berry Patch Devotions in 2015 - Day 183

Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK  … Please take the time to take in a video of Chris Rice singing Go Light Your World, crying out for us to use our lives and our words to start a fire of revival in this world.

Highlight Passage James 3: 6 [ESV] … 
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 
… Our “tongue” can be the source of many fires in life we experience.
============
Highlight Context - James 3: 2-10 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …
… James refers to our speech, [i.e., “the tongue”] as being the source of many fires in life.
============

Reference Passage #1 - Proverbs 12: 18 [ESV] … 
17 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts; … but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 
… Solomon nailed the damage “the tongue” can bring … or the healing when the tongue is wisely used.

Reference Passage #2 - Proverbs 15: 1-2 [ESV] … 
1 … A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger … 2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. 
… Solomon condemns the foolish use of the tongue … yet commends the wise use of our speech.

Reference Passage #3 - Colossians 4: 5-6 [ESV] … 
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. 
… God, thru Paul, exhorts the wise and careful use of the tongue.

Reference Passage #4 - Ephesians 4: 29  [ESV] … 
29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
 … Paul warns of how to use our speech to handle those outside the faith with wisdom.

My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Lawrence Darmani, in his ODB teaching, relates an illustration (see attached photo) of how one misguided ember from a discarded cigarette or match could start a wild brush or forest fire. And this was the image Jesus’ brother, James, was using [see James 3 linked above] as the effects of one, foolishly, misdirected expression from the tongue could light a forest fire of anger or ill will.

 And both Solomon and the Apostle Paul in the Proverbs and Pauline passages above, warn believers to be very careful with the use of our speech, which can either light a fire of hurt or one which spreads the grace of God. Ephesians 4: 29 is very specific, saying that NO corrupt speech should usher from our mouths, … but only that which edifies or gives grace to the hearers.

 So, as I will pray below, … for us to go forth today and be most guarded and wise with how our tongues are used … ONLY for God’s glory!

My Prayer Today: Oh Lord, … May my tongue be a candle, lighting the flames of God’s love for all to see, hear and feel. Amen

Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.