CARELESS WORDS....OR WHOOPS DID I SAY THAT?

How many of you have never made a mistake with your mouth? More
specifically, the words that just seem to come out sometimes. Today in
this instant high tech society sometimes those "words" come in the
form of either an email or a text message. Once you hit the send
button, whoops, there it goes. Sometimes messages are not received
the same way through this method. But still sometimes words can come
out even face to face that are misunderstood and cause lots of pain.
If only we could tame this area, especially here during the "month of
love".

James 3:1-12(NIV) is worth putting down here in it's entirety. 'Not
many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you
know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in
many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect,
able to keep their whole body in check.When we put bits into the
mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven
by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the
pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body,
but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire
by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the
parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course
of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of
animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have
been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a
restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our
Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made
in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My
brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and
salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a
fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt
spring produce fresh water.' You can see where this is going right?
That little tongue is sure one hard thing to control if we do not
engage our brain first and not act on impulse or out of raw emotion.

If you have been on the receiving end of misspoken or hurtful words
try to do what Jesus would want you to and extend forgiveness. James
1:19-20(NIV)says 'My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become
angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God
desires.' Why is it some people just do not feel like forgiving and
trying to understand?

If you are married, it is vital you try to be careful with that mouth.
Wives don't nag, husbands don't be harsh. There you have it. Words
can make us or break us. Try to memorize this verse in Ephesians
4:29(ESV) which says 'Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth
but only that which is good for building up, as it fits the occasion,
that it may give grace to those that hear.' If you have messed up and
hurt someone be big enough to ask for forgiveness then ask for God's
help to fix that area of your life.

Psalm 19:14(KIV) says 'Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of
my heart be acceptable in your sight oh Lord my strength and my
redeemer.'

PRAYER: Lord Jesus I need your help to control what I say. I ask you
Lord to help me forgive this who have hurt me with their words and
help me ask forgiveness if I have been the one doing the hurting. In
Jesus' name. Amen.

NOTE: Today we celebrate Presidents' Day and let me leave you with a
quote from the 16th President of the United States Abraham Lincoln "We
the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts,
not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert
the Constitution." Now those are some REAL WORDS we can take to heart
on this special day for those of us who value freedom.