The Tongue: How To Control It

Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths,

that they may obey us; and we turn

about their whole body. 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. Even so

the tongue is a little member, and boasteth

great things. Behold, how great a matter a

little fire kindleth: 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. 

James 3:3-6

     It is said that mighty dynamite comes in small packages and that due to its smallest many think that it does not have mighty power. But they do! A ship, an aircraft carrier, large deep in the water is turned by a small rudder. I fly airplanes and when I turn the plane it is done by a small portion of the wing, the aileron and trimmed by small portion of the tail wing. James if given us a fact that all would know to be true, small things can have power. James compares these small things to the tongue which is a small part of the body but can do both good and bad according to the will and impulse of a person. It is not that we are to speak and to instruct for that is our duty but we must not allow our own sentiments to be the standard for others. I am not speaking about true doctrine, or commandments in Scripture, but those things that a person likes and considers them to be very important: i.e., a person is vegan and looks down upon a person who eats meat as though that is a wrongful thing to do. We become little judges, or providences and try others by our standards. People become self-justifiers and think more of their standards than of others so they censure people who think different. I am not speaking about sin, or those things that could truly hurt another but to not become guilty before God to think that we have all the answers for that is nothing more than self-deception. All of us are guilty before God! God sees us through Jesus Christ, not by what do in attempt to remove that guilt by ourselves. We must learn the art of judging ourselves, become severe in our judging of ourselves, but to others become charitable. 

     Oh! The tongue, how often has it made a fool out of me! How often have I spoke to quick and listened to slow. How often have I hurt others by not governing my tongue. How often have I said things I would like to take back, but this is impossible for once said it now belongs to the universe, gone out never to return. Where is there help? First: prove yourself first by comparing your thinking, your life with Scripture. Next: wisdom and grace, these will enable a person to rule their tongue, and by this rule their actions. Are you quick to speak, quick to anger? The more a person should take care to govern it. Like the horse even with the bridle will run amuck if the bridle is not handled properly to enable a person to control the horse. A person must become resolved and be watchful and be under the influences of the grace of God.

     We must become dreadful of an unruly tongue for it then becomes a dreadful evil. The tongue can lead a person into sin, a world of iniquity, defiling passions, vent when it should be silent, and even can become a thing cherished by the use of coarse language to make a person seem to be a likeable person because he or she is like the world. 

     Some preachers use the tongue to preach heresy, to use things that seem godly but is nothing more than the tongue speaking false words. There is confusion due to the misuse of tongues (I am not speaking of the false use of "tongues" as though it is a spiritual language). 

     The tongue on the other hand can be a useful tool by which the truth is spoken. The tongue can speak to God with words of gratitude, praise, even to ask for repentance. The tongue can speak well and kindly, it does not have to be a venomous poison. All this takes a right relationship with Jesus Christ our God and Savior. We, all of us, have the power to control our tongue. It is not impossible. We have all the help needed, all we have to do is use this help. we will either acquire this help or we will lean on ourselves. The former will be a good use of the tongue, the latter, well there is no telling if it will be good or bad, but due to our sinful nature: it will probably be bad. Our growth in our sanctification here on earth is one that controls our thoughts, and our actions, and our tongue. Are you growing?

He that speaketh truth showeth

     forth righteousness: but a false

witness deceit. There is that speaketh

    like the piercings of a sword: but the

tongue of the wise is health.

                    Proverbs 12:17-18

Control the tongue: This is faith in action

Richard L. Crumb

The Responsibilities Of Leadership And Our Responsibilities

My brethren, be not many masters,

knowing that we shall receive

the greater condemnation. 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.

James 3:1-2

     When a person takes up a leadership position he or she is held to a higher responsibility. What is meant is this: to lead one must hold to a duty that affects others, both good and bad. It is not that a leader wants to affect people in a bad way, it is more that a person who is affected in a bad way has a prejudice against leadership, at least in some way. A leader must understand that to lead can lead them to a condemnation even if not warranted. Take a CEO of a company who has to make hard decisions, even decision as to hire or fire employees. He must remember that his job is to ensure the safety and a profitable company and do whatever it takes to make that happen. Not everyone will be happy with a CEO's decision. People in positions of authority have the same responsibilities and we must not give them such a hard time that makes their job almost impossible. We too have responsibilities. 

     The Greek word: didaskaloi, rendered in this translation, Master," means to be a teacher(s) and in our Churches we have men who are leading the congregations and have such a responsibility, not for profitability, but to teach them the word of God that will lead them to grow in sanctification and in their faith. This is the highest of all responsibilities and duties of a leader. We must remember that in a Church many who attend are from backgrounds that were atheistic, or not godly and walked in lives opposed to God. There are those in the Church that have grown in their faith and sanctification and the Church leader must be able to teach them all. Some will be offended and leave the Church. Some will give the Church leader a hard time over things that the Church is doing, or not doing. They do it not in love but to have some control over the decisions. I personally saw this when people in a Church fought over the color of the carpet to be installed. I even saw a pastor who would not allow the congregants to make the decision over the color and type of carpet to be installed. I know for I was the salesman to that pastor and Church. Our responsibility is first to study Scripture, and apply Scripture to our lives, and to ensure that there is peace, which is not always an easy thing to do, in the Church. To listen to the leader ensuring that he is not teaching some falseness, or heresy. We too have this responsibility to ensure that the truth is being taught. We may not understand what a pastor or Church leader has said, so we take time to speak with him, kindly, so that clarity will be the final result. We can either aid or hurt the Church leader by our actions and words. 

     If a Church leader believes that he is a perfect man, chosen by God, and abuses his position and responsibility then that man is wrong and hurts the Church and Christianity as a whole. We see this with many televangelist who live like some celebrity, who have so much money and a lifestyle that we see only with the rich and famous and by this they offend non-Christians, and should offend Christians. It is not that they should not be paid, that is Scriptural, but too many abuse their position and power. So, if they say they are perfect, God's chosen to lead, all one has to do is to see if they bridle their whole body. Many a Church leader has fallen due to some sin because they could not bridle their tongue, their lifestyle, and live not to God, but to themselves. 

     Yes, God leads a person (if they allow God to lead) to become a leader in the Church, a missionary, etc., but many hold leadership in a Church to have a job, to earn money so they can live as they so desire. They are not in their positions to serve God but themselves. Many of Church leaders have go to seminaries, or Christian Universities that are liberal and teach doctrines that are not Scriptural. So we who have grown in our faith and sanctification must assume our responsibility to know the background of the one to be chosen to lead the Church. 

     Remember: The leader of a Church speaks words that are either edifying and leading people to live as God desire we live, or, they speak things that may keep people in the Church so that they continue to have a job, and those things are not usually Scriptural. Furthermore, to become a leader in a Church a person must remember that they will give to God an answer for all that they spoke and will receive from God a greater condemnation, or, will have God say: "Well done my faithful and discreet servant." 

     Are you thinking of becoming a Church leader? If so, then pray, ensure that you are truly being led by God to become such a leader. How important is this? The highest importance of anything in this world for people's souls and lives are affected by what a leader says and does. 

     I will in the next blogs follow James' example of how we must watch ourselves in what we say and do for God is watching and demands that we do not think so highly of ourselves for out of us comes either bitter water, or sweet water. 

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:

     pride, and arrogancy, and the evil

way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

                             Proverbs 8:13

Learn to be wise and use wisdom

Richard L. Crumb  

What Is The True Meaning Of Faith?

For therein is the righteousness of God

revealed from faith to faith: as it is

written, The just shall live by faith.

Romans 1:17

And Jesus said unto them, Because 

of your unbelief: for verily I say unto

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard

seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,

Remove hence to yonder place; and

it shall remove; and nothing shall be

impossible unto you.

Matthew 17:20

     You surely have noticed that the opening verses are not from the Book of James. This is because faith is so important that we must take a deep look into it for as Paul wrote: "The just shall live by faith." Lack of faith is conjoined with unbelief so if you lack faith you also lack belief, not that you do not believe in God, in Jesus Christ, it is that your belief has no traction in your life. Your belief is shallow and might, as it often does, lead you into heretical beliefs and practices. I see this with those who attend the Bethel School of the Supernatural here in Redding, California. The students love the experienced they are receiving, the mysteriousness that leads a person's curiosity so that they have a shallow belief for their faith is not in Jesus Christ, it is in the experiences, and this is faith that is not leading them to righteousness, but to a teaching that sounds Scriptural but is a gospel that is not a Gospel. You cannot say you have faith that is pleasing to God and not have a belief that is pleasing to God, and the reverse is just as true. 

     I wrote about Abraham and his faith and Abraham shows to us that there must be a personal relationship with God. This was shown by Abraham separated himself to do the will of God that seems hard to understand. Abraham left his home in the land of Ur to travel to a place that he did not know to go and had to lean on God to take him to that place. Abraham separated himself from his comfort to an uncomfortable life as he traveled through harsh, at times, lands, where people were not always that friendly, to go to Canaan where the land is not always lush and abundant. To do this required a personal relationship, faith, trust, a belief in God, and in God only. Today we find that people and their separation to God is more of a mental and moral separation, from those who do not see Christianity the way we do, and this shows more about their feelings as to how they are viewed by the world, family, friends, etc., than showing a personal relationship with God: "If a man came to me, and hate not his father, mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciples" (Luke 14:26).

     Faith does not where is being led, where you are going and what you will do, but if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ then you have all the knowledge you need, for this faith is in Jesus Christ who you know who is leading. Faith is not a life of intellect and reason. The foundation, the root of faith is in the knowledge of the Person, and a snare that has caught many Christians is that they have the idea that God is leading them to success. 

     This personal relationship, a faith in Jesus Christ, leads a person and in the building of their character. This faith will build your character, a character leading your to become in the image of Jesus Christ. Yes, there are times of "transfiguration" times when we feel the experience of God in our lives, God wrapping His arms around us and often we are changed, at least for the moment. Then, times change, life moves on and the ordinary days come and the glory vanishes. True faith, a life of faith is not a mounting up on wings of eagles, but a life of walking and not fainting. We grow in our sanctification but faith is even more for us as it must be tried and proved and then to stand the test. Abraham gave us a picture of this type of faith, a tried and proved faith built on a personal relationship with God. "Abraham believed God." 

     Learning to live the life of an Authentic Christian is to build upon an Authentic Christian Faith, and that faith is to grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. You will be tried, tested, and misunderstood, but really, who cares? You have a faith in the everlasting God who will never leave you and will take you through whatever circumstances come your way. Your faith, this Authentic Christian Faith will bring to you a blessing that only can come from God, from a life living for God. The question is: will you build this relationship, this faith, this Authentic Christian Faith? 

For thou desirest not sacrifce;

     else would I give it: thou

delightest not in burnt offering.

     the sacrifices of God are a 

broken spirit: a broken and a 

     contrite heart, O God, thou

will not despise.

                Psalm 51:16-17

Examine your relationship to God

Richard L. Crumb