James 3:9-11 (NIV), "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?"
Salty isn't always good. In some parts of the scripture we find Jesus encouraging us to be salt and light. In others we are warned that saltiness can defile our spring of living water. It's important to remember that too much salt or salt given at the wrong time can turn on us. This year, while many of you are preparing to fast and pray for direction in 2012, it might be good to remember to also sanctify the mouth. It does no good to abstain from things that defile us from without, if we refuse to deal with the things that defile us from within.
James describes our mouth as a source of flowing water to the men and women around us. With it, we can provide the words of life and encouragement or the words of death and discouragement. Which will you offer? Dear ones, it does not please God when we praise Him to the heights on Sunday and berate our fellow man on Monday. Talk to all men with kindness and pureness. Don't defile the spring that lives within you! If tough talk is called for, do so but edged with holiness and remain sanctified to please your God.
As James asks us, which water will we offer the fresh or salty? Which would you rather drink from?
Salty isn't always good. In some parts of the scripture we find Jesus encouraging us to be salt and light. In others we are warned that saltiness can defile our spring of living water. It's important to remember that too much salt or salt given at the wrong time can turn on us. This year, while many of you are preparing to fast and pray for direction in 2012, it might be good to remember to also sanctify the mouth. It does no good to abstain from things that defile us from without, if we refuse to deal with the things that defile us from within.
James describes our mouth as a source of flowing water to the men and women around us. With it, we can provide the words of life and encouragement or the words of death and discouragement. Which will you offer? Dear ones, it does not please God when we praise Him to the heights on Sunday and berate our fellow man on Monday. Talk to all men with kindness and pureness. Don't defile the spring that lives within you! If tough talk is called for, do so but edged with holiness and remain sanctified to please your God.
As James asks us, which water will we offer the fresh or salty? Which would you rather drink from?
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