James 3:10 KJV [10] “Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.”      Our thought in this verse is a continuation of our last verse. James reminds us again not to allow blessing and cursing out of the same mouth. You see, a double tongue is a hypocritical tongue. Our speech can confirm our faith, but it can also condemn our faith. It can reveal any hypocrisy that may be within us.      Some people are good at talking out of both sides of their mouths. What they say is …

James 3:9 KJV [9] “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”      I remember as a boy, a religious man who lived on our street. I call him religious because I don’t know if he was ever truly saved. I’m not saying the man wasn’t saved, but I remember questioning his faith in God. I know this sounds judgmental, but the things he said and did were very confusing to me.      I would see him go to church, come home, and even testify about how the …

James 3:8 KJV [8] “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”      Why is the tongue so evil? Why can it not be tamed? The answer to these questions is simple. The tongue is full of deadly poison. An evil tongue will not just make one sick, but it will destroy the life of an individual. It defiles the man from the inside out. The tongue fertilizes the wicked soil of his soul. The sin of pride, or perversion, that may be lurking in his heart and mind is soon announced …

James 3:7 KJV [7] “For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:”      God has given man the ability to tame the wild beast of the field, the fowls of the air, and even the animals of the sea. Animals great and small were placed under the authority of man. If you have ever been to a circus, then you have seen this verse come to light. It is both entertaining and fascinating to watch these animals follow the commands given to them …

James 3:6 KJV [6] “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.”     The ancient Greeks considered fire to be one of the major elements in the universe. They placed it alongside water, earth, and air. You can feel and smell fire just like you can feel water, earth, and air. Fire can be extremely helpful to a man if it is used correctly. It can provide him with …

James 3:5 KJV [5] “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”      Have you ever met the man in our text? I call him the boaster. I’m not sure if this man has ever done anything of greatness in his life or not, and I’m not sure about his level of skill or ability. It is hard to tell because boasting about everything is what he does best. Some of this man’s boasting is true, but his boasting always leads to embellishment. To hear this man …

James 3:4 KJV [4] “Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.”      James continues to talk to us about controlling our tongue. In the previous verses, he has given two illustrations concerning the bridle and the bit. He is now using a boat to emphasize this truth. He mentions the size by saying that they can be great vessels. He mentions the struggle as the vessel may face fierce winds when out at sea. He then mentions the …

James 3:3 KJV [3] “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.”      The bit is a piece of metal or synthetic material that fits in a horse’s mouth and aids in the communication between the horse and the rider. To place pressure in and around the horse’s mouth allows the rider to cue the horse when he wants him to stop or change directions, and it reinforces the other control signals the rider may give the horse with his legs or weight distribution.      James reminds us …

James 3:2 [2] “For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.”      A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. It includes the headstall that holds the bit in the horse’s mouth and the reins that attach to the bit. The purpose of the bridle is to restrain the horse when necessary and direct the horse in the right way. It helps to conquer and control the animal.      James teaches that whenever a man controls …

Part 2 James 3:1 KJV [1] “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.”      A Sunday School teacher should be honest. If there is anything a teacher should be known for, it should be telling the truth. A teacher should be careful not to embellish or try to “beef up” a story to make it sound better. People should be able to depend on the teacher to stick with the truth of the text. The Bible is not to be used or twisted to say what we want it to say. People should …