Talk is Cheap

As we've been making our way through the book of James, the Holy Spirit has "stepped on our toes" once or twice already --and we're only in chapter 2 which ends with the words: "faith without works is dead." Six times in chapter 2 James pairs faith and works together... I think he wanted us to get the point. But what exactly does that mean?

That's where chapter 3 gets even more pointed, as James begins to discuss our faith working through our mouths. Faith at work will bring the fruit of our mouth to maturity as he notes in verse 2 that if we can tame our tongue we can tame the rest of our flesh because "the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity" (v.6).

I don't know about you, but that's a steep challenge for me...bridling my tongue. But, the power of the Holy Spirit is given to us for such challenges. Thank You, Lord.

Our memorization verses for this week (if you're working on the whole book) will be:

                                             James 3:1-9 

For those meditating on the passage used in the weekend message it is:

James 2:20-23

Memorization Tip for the week:
To review verses already memorized, say them backwards (not the verse but the order of verses). For example:

Chapter 1 verse 27

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

then verse 26

If anyone among you thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless.

then verse 25 (etc.)

To learn new verses, have some fun with dry erase markers and your bathroom mirror...

(or lipstick but that's harder to wash off). Write your verse on your mirror the night before and work on it in the morning as you get ready for the day. That evening, see if you can say it, erasing one word at a time. Just don't write on the walls...mom gets mad!