Good morning. Thank you
for your kind words. Of course anything that is good doesn't come from me.
Ready for a toughie this morning? James 3:2 - for we all stumble in many ways.
If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle
the whole body as well. Just as the bridle controls what the horse will do, so
this is talking about bridling the whole body. Of course some of us need a
bigger bit than others (speaking of myself). Remember what the pastor talked
about the other Sunday – be slow to speak. Some people immediately say what
pops into their heads. Afterwards they may regret it. The sad thing is though
sometimes they don't regret it when they should. Somebody says something; and
then we react to that by saying something. Then they say something, and then we
say something. It escalates too quickly. We are not slow to anger then. Of
course it's not just talking about this kind of speaking. And it's not just
talking about using bad language. Sadly for a lot of Christians bad language is
just a normal way of speaking. That is the way of the world. It is acceptable
to them; but should not be to us. We also use speech to put down others. What
you think – you say; what you say – you do. Going in reverse: controlling what
you do will help control what you say. Controlling what you say will help
control what you think. What you think is what is in your heart. Father help us
to keep our hearts and our minds centered on You. Then we can better control
what we say; and then control what we do.
Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me
Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...
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