Daily Devotion - "Therefore Be Silent, And Keep Your Forked Tongue Behind Your Teeth"
Was Gandalf quoting James? (Yes)
September 11, 2024
I don’t want to gloss over how heavy this day is for most Americans, so I wrote a separate piece on 9/11 here. My prayers are with all of those who have experienced loss as a result of the attacks and/or the conflicts that followed.
Opening Prayer: "O Lord, in the morning I will direct my prayer to You. Almighty God, who has mercifully preserved me during the unconscious hours of slumber, I desire to dedicate my waking moments and thoughts to You. Pre-occupy my mind with hallowed and heavenly things.”
Reading: James 3
Summary:
Quick Hits If You’re Short On Time
Let Your Speech Be Consistent: As true believers, we are not to be double-tongued, offering blessings and worship to God in one breath, and cursing our neighbor with the next. James tells us that if we are in Christ, as we grow in grace and spiritual maturity, our speech will be consistently sanctified. A salt water stream will not produce fresh water, and vice versa.
Seek The Wisdom From Above: There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. In the same way, there is an earthly wisdom that initially appears to be good and true, but is ultimately exposed as demonic and unspiritual in nature. We are to seek the pure wisdom of God which comes from above and proves itself by its holy fruit in our lives, not the counterfeit wisdom that comes from man.
Consider
v. 1: Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
The Biblical qualifications for church leadership are explicitly laid out in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5. These include self-control, sobriety, generosity, hospitality, uprightness, holiness, discipline, respect, teaching ability, and effective leadership of one’s own household. These are the clear marks of a man who is qualified to serve as an officer in Christ’s church, whether it be as a teacher, preacher, or one who rules over the theological, operational, and/or administrative affairs of the congregation. James tells us here that teachers, however, occupy a special place within that leadership structure and will be held more responsible due to their authority and influence over God’s people.
In college, I attended a campus ministry where any young man who showed more than a passing interest in the Bible or theology was immediately pressured to pursue vocational ministry, even when that individual did not exhibit the required Biblical qualifications. James is telling us that we should approach positions of church authority with deep respect and reverence, knowing that teachers will give an account to God for every word spoken to those who sit beneath their teaching. Many church controversies and scandals could be avoided if we listened to James on this point.
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