James 5:1-12
How many times have we driven past a larger house in our neighborhood and wished for more? Or envied a celebrity we see on our television screen? Or walked around a car dealership “just browsing” because our car is out of date?
Envy takes our eyes off of our provider and convinces us that if we just had more of His provision everything would be OK. James saw this same lie gaining traction in the church thousands of years ago. People were getting rich from doing things their way while the church felt forgotten while doing things Jesus’ way.
James’ answer? “Be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near” (James 5:8).
When your co-worker receives the promotion you deserved, it is hard to be patient and wait on Jesus. When a friend buys a house with no money down while you’re committed to paying down debt, it is hard to persevere and wait. The church will face all kinds of suffering and temptation, and James is careful to reiterate this truth: Those who persevere will be blessed (James 5:11).
We’ll experience many blessings over the course of our lives. The Lord loves to provide for His kids, and He loves to see us smile. But nothing we experience on Earth will come close to what it will be like to spend eternity in heaven. That’s why Jesus warned us not to get distracted with building up wealth on earth. Money and stuff will eventually disappear. Instead, Jesus tells us to focus on what lasts — our relationship with Him (Matthew 6:19-21).
The Christian life may not seem to be paying off now. But steadfastly pursuing Jesus does something greater in our hearts than a boost to our bank accounts. It gives us security in our relationship with Jesus instead of the ever-changing wealth of the world.

James 4:13-17
It’s cold.  There’s a wind winding through the leafless branches of a tree nearby while you stand on your front porch, alone. And as you wait there, you breathe in, you breathe out, and every breath you exhale leaves a cold and chilly vapor that lingers in front of your face, holding there a moment, then disappearing completely. 
That, in a way, is how James described it when he spoke about our lives. Only, in this analogy, we’re not the person. We’re the vapor.  
Our lives in the grand scheme of God’s plan and the universe are nothing more than a mist, a vapor, something that is gone so quickly we’d wonder if it was even there at all. So why do we wait when we know God has given us a burden to do something?   
James 4:17 says, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” By waiting, we are sinning. It seems absolute, but it’s true. God has too much planned out for each one of us for us to wait for the moment we feel is most convenient to undertake his plans. He’s good. We can trust Him, and when we do, we’ll find that waiting was silly because the plans He had were greater than anything we could have possibly imagined.  

James 4:1-12
Have you ever felt like it is you against the world? You chose to follow Jesus, and now life just seems too hard. No one seems to understand or agree with your decisions, even when you know they align with God’s Word. Some days, even the right choices feel like the wrong choices, causing fear and doubt to set in.
James 4:7-8 promises this: “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”
God calls us to live out His standards, no matter what anyone else says. Every decision we make is an opportunity to step closer to God or a step farther away from Him. When we make the decision to do what’s right over what is easy, we draw near to God and our ability to resist temptation increases.  
Every decision we make is an opportunity to step closer to God or a step farther away from Him. 
People who don’t know Jesus will tell us to do what feels good, but God tells us that if we’ll humble ourselves and follow His lead, He will lift us up (James 4:10). Maybe your decision to go to church is causing family drama right now. But what about in three months or six months as your family sees the difference following Jesus is making in your life? Maybe your decision to get up 10 minutes early and read the Bible is causing you to change the rest of your morning routine. But how much more equipped will you be to face your day when it’s covered in prayer?
Taking the easy road might feel good at the time, but if we live by God's standards, He will reward us in a much bigger way than the world could ever even offer.

James 3:13-18
Even in Christian circles, we think of wise people as the ones who can tweet out something profound in 140 characters or less. However, wisdom isn't measured in our status updates. Wisdom is formed when we do the hard work of reading the Bible and applying it to our lives.
Wisdom comes from reading the Bible and applying it to our lives. 
God made everything and knows everything, and He’s given us the Bible as a guide for our lives. The Bible says wisdom is shown by living a good life, not an extravagant life. Wisdom isn’t simply something that we know in our brains; it is shown by the way we live.
Often, the examples around us are not full of true wisdom, but full of things that cause envy and selfish ambition in our hearts (James 3:14). Social media and reality TV are not real life but a carefully-produced highlight reel. Real wisdom starts with humility (James 3:13). If we want to be wise, we first have to humble ourselves and submit to the Bible’s teaching. God promises a peaceful harvest when we seek His goodness and guidance (James 3:18). God promises to do His part, but we are required to participate.
God’s wisdom is pure and considerate of others, even submissive. It loves peace, is full of mercy and bears good fruit. It is also described as impartial and sincere (James 3:17). God wants the best for us and has given us the Bible as a way to know what His best is.

James 3:13-18
Even in Christian circles, we think of wise people as the ones who can tweet out something profound in 140 characters or less. However, wisdom isn't measured in our status updates. Wisdom is formed when we do the hard work of reading the Bible and applying it to our lives.
Wisdom comes from reading the Bible and applying it to our lives. 
God made everything and knows everything, and He’s given us the Bible as a guide for our lives. The Bible says wisdom is shown by living a good life, not an extravagant life. Wisdom isn’t simply something that we know in our brains; it is shown by the way we live.
Often, the examples around us are not full of true wisdom, but full of things that cause envy and selfish ambition in our hearts (James 3:14). Social media and reality TV are not real life but a carefully-produced highlight reel. Real wisdom starts with humility (James 3:13). If we want to be wise, we first have to humble ourselves and submit to the Bible’s teaching. God promises a peaceful harvest when we seek His goodness and guidance (James 3:18). God promises to do His part, but we are required to participate.
God’s wisdom is pure and considerate of others, even submissive. It loves peace, is full of mercy and bears good fruit. It is also described as impartial and sincere (James 3:17). God wants the best for us and has given us the Bible as a way to know what His best is.

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James 3:8 "No man can tame the tongue."
TAMING A TIGER - My granddaughter Bree loved the circus, but she was afraid of the tiger. She had no reason to be, however, because the huge old cat had been tamed and was caged. It was hopelessly overweight, and I suspect it no longer had any teeth. Along with its lion friends, the striped beauty went through its routine in meek subjection.
You can tame a tiger, a lion, a leopard, a cheetah, and other wild animals, especially if you work with them from birth. But according to the apostle James, you cannot tame the human tongue. He wrote, "It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (3:8).
James used other vivid analogies to illustrate the enormous power of this little member of the body. A bit in a horse's mouth can turn the animal to the right or to the left (v. 3). A ship's rudder can steer a huge vessel in a raging storm (v. 4). A single match or even a small spark can start a fire that can destroy an entire forest (v. 5). So too, though the tongue is a small organ, it can do great harm.
Even under the strictest self-discipline and constant monitoring, the tongue's unruly nature lurks dangerously below the surface. You can tame a tiger, but only by prayer and watchfulness can you control your tongue. -- Dennis Egner (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)
Lord, set a watch upon my lips,
My tongue control today;
Help me evaluate each thought
And guard each word I say.-- Hess
He cannot speak well who cannot hold his tongue.

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body. James 3:6
It wasn’t as simple as just crossing another river. By law, no Roman general could lead armed troops into Rome. So when Julius Caesar led his Thirteenth Legion across the Rubicon River and into Italy in 49 bc, it was an act of treason. The impact of Caesar’s decision was irreversible, generating years of civil war before Rome’s great general became absolute ruler. Still today, the phrase “crossing the Rubicon” is a metaphor for “passing the point of no return.”
Sometimes we can cross a relational Rubicon with the words we say to others. Once spoken, words can’t be taken back. They can either offer help and comfort or do damage that feels just as irreversible as Caesar’s march on Rome. James gave us another word picture about words when he said, “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” (James 3:6).
When words become weapons, our relationships soon become casualties.
When we fear we have crossed a Rubicon with someone, we can seek their forgiveness—and God’s (Matthew 5:23–24; 1 John 1:9). But even better is to daily rest in God’s Spirit, hearing Paul’s challenge, “Let your conversation be always full of grace” (Colossians 4:6), so that our words will not only honor our Lord, but lift up and encourage those around us.
Lord, please guard my heart and my words today. May I speak only words that please You and bring health and healing to others .By Bill Crowder


When words become weapons, our relationships soon become casualties.
INSIGHT The very practical book of James contains much instruction about the wise use of our words: "Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19). "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless" (James 1:26). "Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another" (James 4:11). Why is James's teaching to watch our words crucial for honoring God and people? Arthur Jackson

James 3:5 Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
Recently I came across an article which underscores in a most effective way the value and import of so-called "little things," and I want to share it with you today. J. Ellis tells us: "In the state of Ohio stands a courthouse which is uniquely constructed so that the raindrops which fall on the north side go into Lake Ontario and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, while those falling on the south side go into the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. At that point just a puff of wind can determine the destiny of a rain drop. It will make a difference of over 2,000 miles. What a suggestive thought that you and I may, in certain situations by the smallest deed or choice of words, also set in motion influences that shall not only change lives here and now, but also affect their final Home as well."
A sympathetic glance, a kind word, a helpful deed, a sincere testimony, a solemn warning, an invitation to church, yes, even a "pat on the back" — any one of these "little things" can become a big thing. It could be like that "puff of wind" on the raindrops. It could well help to determine the happiness, the direction, and even the destiny of an eternal soul. It is an old truth, but it still can stand underscoring, that "no one lives to himself, for no man is an island." Either by what he does, or does not do, every person has a positive or negative effect upon his "neighbor." We are either hindering or helping others.
So let us remember the story of "the wind and the raindrops," and that sometimes it doesn't take much to alter the course or affect the destiny of a friend's life. A small bit turns the horse, a little rudder guides the ship ,on a long journey, and a spark can ignite a great fire. Be careful about those "little big things" in life!
No service in itself is small;
None great, though earth it fill;
But that is small that seeks its own,
And great that does God's will. —Anon.
God hangs the greatest weights upon the smallest wires.—Bacon

James 3:2 If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.
Think of the sins of speech! How innumerable they are! When we see them in the light of this chapter, we can understand the holy Isaiah saying, “Woe is me, for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King.”
The sins of speech about ourselves. — The tongue boasteth great things. We are all apt to be vain, boastful, exaggerated. We tell stories that redound to our own credit; contrive to focus attention on our own words and deeds; and even in delivering God’s messages manage to let it be seen that we have a clearer insight into truth or a closer familiarity with God than our fellows.
The sins of speech about others. — “We break the law of courtesy, and become harsh, insolent, and uncivil; or the law of purity, and repeat stories that leave a stain; or the law of truth, and practise insincerity, equivocation, and dissimulation; or the law of kindness, and are harsh and implacable to those who are beneath us in station. Or in our desire to stand well with others we are guilty of flattery, servility, time-serving, and the like.”
The sins of speech in connection with God’s work. — We disparage other workers; compliment them to their faces on addresses they have delivered, and disparage them behind their backs; pass criticisms which take away the effect which their words had otherwise exercised over others; contrive to indicate one defect in which was otherwise a perfect achievement. Alas for us! How greatly we need to offer the prayer of the psalmist: Set a watch, O God, upon our lips! (Meyer, F. B. Our Daily Homily)

James 3:1-12
You’ve said the wrong thing. You’re horrified as you realize the words that just came out of your mouth and wonder how you could have possibly let them slip. How many times have we put our feet in our mouths? A dozen? A hundred? The tongue has the power to bless and to curse (James 3:10). If controlling it seems hard, that’s because it is.
What we say shows the condition of our hearts. And while it’s important to be careful to use words that bring glory to God, it’s the unfiltered words — the ones we don’t catch before they come out —that are the most telling. Instead of just making a conscious effort to censor our words, we need to examine our hearts to find the root of the problem. Are our first reactions criticism? Judgment? Greed? Insensitivity? Then the Lord wants us to grow in grace, love, generosity, and encouragement. Controlling the tongue starts with a change in our hearts.
When we fully understand the way God loves us, our hearts begin to look more and more like Him. We’ll still put our feet in our mouths now and then, but we’ll see it as a prompt to let the Lord work. When our hearts look like His, our words point to Him.