James 3: How Is Your Tongue?
Verse of the Day: (V8) “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
1. Tongue (V1-11)
V2 “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.”
Our tongue is a small and boneless part of our body yet we find great difficulty in taming it as we speak without thinking and reflecting, and have hurt and harm many people including our loved ones. Our tongue is like a fire, when it is wrongly used, it can really destroy souls and even send many to fiery hell. Indeed, only God can truly tame our tongue because He is our Creator. Let us commit our tongue to God, and let Him use them to encourage and edify others, and to teach and preach His holy Word that all may come to His saving grace. Let us strive to be God’s perfect man by controlling our tongue!
V5 “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!”
2. Tree (V12-13)
V12 “Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.”
Since the beginning of Adam and Eve, there are many who call themselves God’s people, yet time again, they do evil and do not reflect God’s likeness. Let us who call ourselves Christians truly reflect the likeness of Christ by having the fruit of His Spirit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance in our lives, just like the fig tree that only bear figs, and the salt fountain that only yield salt water!
V13 “Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”
3. Truth (V14-18)
V14 “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.”
Let us examine our hearts to prove that we are truly God’s people because only God’s people will strive to be pure, peaceful, gentle, loving, merciful, truthful and sincere, while the people of the world are full of evil, anger, hatred, violence, pretence and hypocrisy.
V17 “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to use my tongue to teach and preach Your holy Word.
James 2: Are You The Friend Of God?
Verse of the Day: (V23) “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.”
1. Footstool (V1-13)
V1 “My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.”
James, inspired by the Holy Spirit, rebuked the church for favouring the rich and despising the poor, as the rich had seats in the church while the poor had to stand or sit on footstools. Let us who are Christians, saved by God’s grace, love and treat everyone the same, as Jesus loved and died for the sins of all, regardless of their wealth, that whoever believes in Him shall never perish in hell, but have everlasting life with Him in heaven.
V3 “And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:”
2. Faith (V14-20)
V18 “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
One of the greatest sins is to be professing Christians who continue in sins and never truly repent of their sins. This was why James, inspired by the Holy Spirit, warned the people that they must show their true faith in Christ by demonstrating their works and lives of holiness and godliness. A Christian is like a sheep that when he falls into the mud of sins he will try as far as possible to get out of it, and never like a pig which will wallow and enjoy it. Let us be warned that even the devil and his demons believe in God, but they never truly repent of their sins, and eventually they shall be condemned to hell!
V19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.”
3. Friend (V21-26)
V21 “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?”
Abraham was an example of a man who truly had faith in God because he demonstrated his faith by his works when he willingly obeyed God, and offered his only son, Isaac, as a sacrifice to God. However, God eventually provided a ram as a substitute of Isaac.
V24 “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You are my Friend as I prove it by my faith and works.
James 1: Do You Have Wisdom?
Verse of the Day: (V5) “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”
1. Wisdom (V1-16)
V2 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;”
James, inspired by the Holy Spirit, encourages all Christians to ask God for wisdom and endurance as we face temptations so that we could overcome them and emerge victoriously for His glory. It is not easy when we are going through temptations yet God encourages us to ask Him for wisdom and endurance so that we can overcome them. In fact, we should count it all joy and be happy when we are going through temptations as they increase our faith in God, and love for Him, and draw us closer to Him, and one day He shall reward us with a crown of life in glorious heaven. Indeed, let us rejoice in the Lord always knowing that He is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake.
V12 “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
2. Wrath (V17-20)
V19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”
When we have God’s wisdom and righteousness, we shall be swift to hear God’s Word and do what He commands us, and be slow to speak as we think of words that will please and honour Him, and edify and encourage others, and be slow to anger in the midst of pressure and provocation as we know that He is in control of all our storms and struggles.
V20 “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
3. Word (V21-27)
V22 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
Indeed, to have God’s richest blessings upon us, and to prove that we are truly God’s people, is not just about reading His holy Word, the Bible, and hearing the teaching and preaching of His Word in church every Sunday, but actually doing and practising what we read and hear of His Word. Let us be true to God and ourselves by really obeying His Word and mindful of our speech, so that we can be a real blessing to others that they may one day come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ, because of our love, words and works.
V26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please grant me wisdom to obey Your Word and do Your works.
Hebrews 13: Do You Know Jesus Christ?
Verse of the Day: (V8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
1. Judge (V1-7)
V4 “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.”
Since the beginning of Adam and Eve, and until today, God through all His prophets and preachers have warned the world of His judgment on their sins, in particular, immorality, which has caused many divorces including Christian marriages that have resulted in much pain and sorrow and even deadly diseases. Let us stay faithful to our spouse, and be contended with life, and have the blessed assurance that God is with us now and forever.
V5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
2. Jesus (V8-16)
V9 “Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.”
Man may change in their belief and value system, but God never changes as He is the same yesterday, today and forever. This is why we must trust God and His Word, and believe in His Son, Jesus, and repent of our sins, and Jesus shall save our souls by His precious blood through God’s amazing grace. Let us never put our confidence in man and his so-called religions which are man-made that shall never ever save our souls from hell.
V12 “Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.”
3. Joy (V17-25)
V17 “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
Let us submit to our pastor who watches our souls because they are accountable to God to teach and equip us through His Word to love and serve Him. It is indeed a real joy for the pastor to see his people loving and serving God and in pursuit of perfection and holiness.
V21 “Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I know Your Son, Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Lord.
