Let's think about something else...

     I think this Sunday's sermon will be a one verse sermon with a lot of cross references to fill it out.  James 5:12 says, "But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation."  I think this will be an important sermon that will help us again with our words.  Every chapter in James deals with the tongue.  Chapter 1 says "...bridle your tongue...", chapter 2 says "...so speak...", chapter 3 is a whole chapter on this, chapter 4 says "...do not speak against one another..." and chapter 5 says, "...do not swear...".  One of the tests of a living faith is our speech.  That speech is evidence if there is a transformed heart.


     One of the new things for me as I read James is looking at all the words he uses that come straight from his half-brother Jesus.  This verse is so much like Matthew 5:33-37 and also Matthew 23:16-22.  I am looking forward to taking this verse apart phrase by phrase to show what James is saying and not saying.  I think it will also come out how dangerous it is to misuse the name of the Lord.  


     I think it is work in our culture and time to keep God's name and the attributes of Him in there rightful place.  It takes self-control and discipline to not fall into the trap of saying His name flippantly or even substituting other words for His.  I think at first, if we are serious about this, our word count will go down, but if we focus on God, it will slowly rise with another set of words that glory Him as we get closer to Him.


     Simple, straightforward, honest speech...


Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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