i need to go slow...

james gave us another solution in dealing with our tongue back in 1.19 (niv), everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.

there's a designation here. they go in order. first be quick to listen and then slow to speak. and if you're quick to listen you will be slow to speak. and if you're slow to speak, then you will be slow to become angry. if you have a problem with anger you need to work on being quick to listen and slow to speak. the result will be you'll be slow to anger.

what does your tongue say about you? what does it reveal about you? if we were to play back a tape of every conversation you've had in this past week, what would we learn about you? GOD hears it all. our tongue displays who we are. so what direction is your tongue leading you?

some people say, "i'm sick all the time" or "i can never do anything right", "things are just getting tougher and tougher". so what direction are you headed? our tongue controls the direction of our lives like a rudder, a bit.

and a bit and a rudder must be under the hand of a strong arm and the only way to get control of your tongue is to let JESUS CHRIST have control of your heart. what's in your heart is going to come out in your mouth. you let CHRIST's hand be on your bit, your rudder and let him direct your life.

maybe you need to ask forgiveness. maybe you need to go to your kids and say, "i'm sorry. i'm inconsistent in the way i talk to you. sometimes i'm loving and sometimes i'm harsh. that shows i'm like everybody else. i'm human."

listen, we all stumble in many ways – all of us. maybe you need to apologize to your wife or your husband. "i'm not as loving to you in my speech as i ought to be. i tend to be apathetic, cold, indifferent. i talk to you harshly. i boss everybody around. i'm inconsistent and inconsiderate." ezekiel says, "get rid of all your offenses you've committed and get a new heart and a new spirit."

just some thoughts up here on the front porch…