Coming Soon!!!!Monday, June 30, 2008
Congratulations DJ Sean Blu
Shout out to the BIG HOMIE DJ Dean Blu!!!! Hot off accepting honors at the 2008 Holy Hip Hop Awards for his contribution and labor for the global Holy Hip Hop community, DJ Sean Blu is up for nomination @ the 2008 YGEA (Youth Gospel Entertainment Awards) Log online now to vote DJ Sean Blu your favorite DJ
Online: DJ Sean Blu Myspace
Bookings: Blumusik73@yahoo.com
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I Got That Stuff!!!!
Man I'm beasting the game right now!!! That's why I'm ChicaGOrilla fam!!! Good looking out Blu. The boy Claude Deuce fresh off his Bobby Jones "Next Generation" appearance bangs the streets with "Got That Stuff" Any FEEDBACK, comments, support, suggestions, requests, etc. are appreciatedDeuce Myspace
Deuce TV
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Hip Hop vs America II
BET is back on the hunt for redemption with Hip Hop vs America II.
Watch David Banner turn into the incredible HULK on this clip.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Myspace Music: Sharlok Poems
If you ain't up on Sharlock Poems from the almighty LA Symph crew then shame on you! He has a new project available now called Blooming Sounds. You can check him out his Myspace to get up to date info. Is it me or does SP sound like Busta Rhymes?
2008 Industry Overview
READ THIS BOOK!!!!
I just finished reading this book. It's about an hour read if that, but the gems in it's pages are timeless. Simple, common sense, practical, applicable nuggets.How does the man working behind the counter of a mom-and-pop diner for twenty-one years turn a good idea into a restaurant chain worth $2 billion annual sales? S. Truett Cathy, founder and CEO of Chick-fil-A, shares the answers in How Did You Do It, Truett?
The inventor of the chicken sandwich and the founder of Chick-fil-A, Truett Cathy also pioneered quick-service food in shopping malls, and is now one of America's most successful and respected businessmen. His restaurants, which are always closed on Sunday, achieve higher sales per unit than others that remain open seven days a week. Forty years after opening the first Chick-fil-A restaurant, the chain now has more than 1,300 units in thirty-eight states.
How Did You Do It, Truett? offers countless nuggets of wisdom. The 86-year-old chief executive officer's keen business sense, his commitment to his principles, and his desire to keep the business simple pours off of every page. His lessons apply not only to business, but family and community life as well.
About the Author: S. Truett Cathy is founder and chief executive officer of Chick-fil-A restaurants and author of four books: It's Easier to Succeed Than to Fail, Eat Mor Chikin, Inspire More People, The Generosity Factor (with Ken Blanchard), and It's Better to Build Boys Than Mend Men. He and his wife, Jeannette, live in the Atlanta area, where he has taught Sunday school for more than fifty years, and have three grown children and twelve grandchildren.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Never Would've Made It...
Hood Gospel Remix from T Haddy. I'm so glad my brother is back to take over the game!!!!!! You been gone too long homie but thank GOD for his wisdom & timing
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mrs. Damita Haddon
The long awaited sophomore effort from Damita Haddon will hit store shelves July 22nd. I heard the album already and it's dope!!! You can pre-order it on AmazonHe's the DJ... I'm the Blogger
Check out my man DJ Sean Blu aka Six Mil aka Steve Austin Blu been grindin' for a good minute and my man stay pumpin' hot exclusives and breakin'new artists' music
You can find him online here
If you are a new or an established artist get at ya dude for a mixtape spot
T Haddy: Oh Boy These Gas Prices!!!!
T Haddy delivers some hilarious commentary on the economy effects on gas prices
Friday, June 20, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Mixtape Monday's: Talk Is Cheap I Plead The 5th
The homie 2 Five enlists mixtape heavy hitters DJ Scream and DJ Vlad along with DJ Nik Bean to bring us another classic. Enjoy
Download Here
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Praise in the Park
Praise 97.5 presents Praise in the Park @ Grant Park
CoCo Brother "Jesus Baby... COO COO"
The Lovely Darlene McCoy
"100,000 Watts" DJ Mr Watkins
Donald Lawrence
CoCo & Wayne Brown (GM for Radio One ATL)
That jawn was packed out
Christopher Lewis
Damita "I'll Beast Any Track" Haddon
Christopher Lewis & Family, CoCo, & Darlene McCoyWeekly Meditation: Taming the Tongue pt 6
Taming the Tongue: Part 6 - James 3:9-12
Written by LaRosa Johnson
As we have spent the last five lessons looking at attempting to tame the tongue, we have seen just how dangerous our speech can be if left unchecked. In our verses today, James is ready to conclude the matter of taming the tongue before moving into other issues; in doing so, he uses some very strong and direct language to drive home his point about the importance of watching our speech as believers in Christ Jesus. With that in mind, let us close our study on taming the tongue by examining our final passage, James 3:9-12.
James 3:9-12 (NASB) - 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
As we prepare to unpack the truths of this passage, there are a few things that we can immediately see: 1) the tongue can be used for good or bad, 2) a rebuke for using the tongue negatively, and 3) three examples to further drive home the point. In our study of the text, we will want to take a look at these points individually so that we can appreciate the context as a whole.
In verse 9, we see that with the tongue, we bless our Lord and Father, which is God and Jesus Christ. This is an interesting thing to note because, again, we remember that James is writing to Jews, and it was very common for Jews to say something to the extent of "blessed be he" after every mentioning of God's name; it was also fairly common to do something similar when ending their daily times of prayer (3x a day) or during worship by something something to the extent of "blessed be the Lord" or something closely resembling that. The point of doing this was to honor and reverence the name of God and to bring glory to His name whenever it was spoken, since He is Lord and Creator of all. Being His chosen people, Jews were keenly aware of this, and, therefore, made the extra effort to give His name its due honor when spoken. As believers today, we should have a similar attitude and respect for the name of the Lord; we should not be using His name casually, but blessing it with every opportunity that we have. It is only appropriate for us to do so.
In sharp contrast to blessing the name of the Lord, James then goes on to state that we also use our tongue to curse men. If we read this text with some passion, we could very easily assume that James was appalled at such a thought, that these believers would be using their tongues to bless God and then turn around and curse men. He really serves to drive the point home with the end of verse 9 when he adds that these are men (as all humans are) who have been made in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Continuing on with verse 10, "from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing." How awful is that?! To state it very plainly, what James is saying is this: how can you, on the one hand, bless God with your tongue, and then turn around and use that same tongue to curse God's creation and likeness? It really seems pointless to bless God and then curse the very thing that is made in the very likeness of God, does it not? This is likely the line of thought that James had when writing those words. John even spoke on something similar in 1 John 4:20-21 when he said:
1 John 4:20-21 (NASB) - 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
In other words, to paraphrase John and James, how can you hate your brother and then say you love God? It's impossible! You cannot love God, whom you have never seen, and then hate your brother (the creation of God), whom you can see. This goes back to James 2:14-26 and the whole issue of faith versus works; how can you say you have faith in God and not have the working of love as visible proof of that faith? One of the fruits of the Spirit is love; so if you have the Spirit, then you should have love for your fellow man.
James then goes on to use some very strong language in the second half of verse 10 when he states, "my brethren, these things ought not to be this way." Now, I had mentioned previously about James' use of brethren, used fifteen (15) times in the entire letter; in each instance, he is using it to do two things: 1) to have them pay special attention to what is being said, and 2) to let them know that he loves them and that they are dear to his heart, hence why he is even taking the time to write such a bold letter. In this particular instance, James is bringing their attention to the most important statement in this entire section, "these things ought not to be this way." We should not be two-faced with our speech, and James is using a very strong negative in the use of "ought not" (only used here in the New Testament), which suggests that this kind of behavior has absolutely no place in the life of a Christian. As we've already stated, a believer cannot say that he loves God (with his heart or tongue) and then turn around and hate his brother; if you love God, then you love your brother, it's that simple. So, if there is nothing else to be had from this entire passage, the point that one should walk away with is that a Christian should never be found guilty of blessing and cursing with their speech; we are to love God and love His creation, our brother.
The conclusion of this passage merely provides some visual follow-up to further drive home the point that had just been made. Verses 11 and 12 contain three examples that just about any person could relate to, whether in the time of this letter or in our present day & age. The first example that we are given is that of a fountain producing both fresh and bitter water. It's impossible; you can only have one or the other, preferably the fresh water. The second example is that a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor can a vine produce figs. Again, another impossibility, as a tree can only produce after its own kind. Thirdly and finally, you cannot get fresh water from salt water. You cannot take a glass of salt water from the sea, put it in a lake and have it all of a sudden become fresh water, yet another impossibility. Each of these examples are unnatural, just as unnatural as what was spoken above about a believer who blesses & curses with his tongue. The one that stands out the most is the fig tree & olive branch, as we know that a tree or vine can only produce after its own kind. In the realm of Christianity, we often have to perform a fruit inspection to see if one is of the faith or not; we find in John 13:35 that people will know we are Christ's disciples by the love that we have for one another. That is to say, if you say you're an olive branch (a Christian) but are producing figs (let's just call it hate in this instance), then we cannot call you an olive branch, but instead a fig tree, because an olive branch only produces olives (love).
If we have love for one another, one of the places where it will show itself is in our speech. As we have seen, the tongue is very difficult to tame and it bears witness to what is inside our heart. It is our responsibility to tame our tongue and to guard our speech. Let us remember the words of Paul in Philippians 4:8 and the Psalmist in Psalm 119:11 so that we can have safeguards built up to keep the tongue caged and subject to the Holy Spirit working within us. It is nothing that we can do on our own, but only through the power of the Spirit in us.
Written by LaRosa Johnson
As we have spent the last five lessons looking at attempting to tame the tongue, we have seen just how dangerous our speech can be if left unchecked. In our verses today, James is ready to conclude the matter of taming the tongue before moving into other issues; in doing so, he uses some very strong and direct language to drive home his point about the importance of watching our speech as believers in Christ Jesus. With that in mind, let us close our study on taming the tongue by examining our final passage, James 3:9-12.
James 3:9-12 (NASB) - 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
As we prepare to unpack the truths of this passage, there are a few things that we can immediately see: 1) the tongue can be used for good or bad, 2) a rebuke for using the tongue negatively, and 3) three examples to further drive home the point. In our study of the text, we will want to take a look at these points individually so that we can appreciate the context as a whole.
In verse 9, we see that with the tongue, we bless our Lord and Father, which is God and Jesus Christ. This is an interesting thing to note because, again, we remember that James is writing to Jews, and it was very common for Jews to say something to the extent of "blessed be he" after every mentioning of God's name; it was also fairly common to do something similar when ending their daily times of prayer (3x a day) or during worship by something something to the extent of "blessed be the Lord" or something closely resembling that. The point of doing this was to honor and reverence the name of God and to bring glory to His name whenever it was spoken, since He is Lord and Creator of all. Being His chosen people, Jews were keenly aware of this, and, therefore, made the extra effort to give His name its due honor when spoken. As believers today, we should have a similar attitude and respect for the name of the Lord; we should not be using His name casually, but blessing it with every opportunity that we have. It is only appropriate for us to do so.
In sharp contrast to blessing the name of the Lord, James then goes on to state that we also use our tongue to curse men. If we read this text with some passion, we could very easily assume that James was appalled at such a thought, that these believers would be using their tongues to bless God and then turn around and curse men. He really serves to drive the point home with the end of verse 9 when he adds that these are men (as all humans are) who have been made in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). Continuing on with verse 10, "from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing." How awful is that?! To state it very plainly, what James is saying is this: how can you, on the one hand, bless God with your tongue, and then turn around and use that same tongue to curse God's creation and likeness? It really seems pointless to bless God and then curse the very thing that is made in the very likeness of God, does it not? This is likely the line of thought that James had when writing those words. John even spoke on something similar in 1 John 4:20-21 when he said:
1 John 4:20-21 (NASB) - 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.
In other words, to paraphrase John and James, how can you hate your brother and then say you love God? It's impossible! You cannot love God, whom you have never seen, and then hate your brother (the creation of God), whom you can see. This goes back to James 2:14-26 and the whole issue of faith versus works; how can you say you have faith in God and not have the working of love as visible proof of that faith? One of the fruits of the Spirit is love; so if you have the Spirit, then you should have love for your fellow man.
James then goes on to use some very strong language in the second half of verse 10 when he states, "my brethren, these things ought not to be this way." Now, I had mentioned previously about James' use of brethren, used fifteen (15) times in the entire letter; in each instance, he is using it to do two things: 1) to have them pay special attention to what is being said, and 2) to let them know that he loves them and that they are dear to his heart, hence why he is even taking the time to write such a bold letter. In this particular instance, James is bringing their attention to the most important statement in this entire section, "these things ought not to be this way." We should not be two-faced with our speech, and James is using a very strong negative in the use of "ought not" (only used here in the New Testament), which suggests that this kind of behavior has absolutely no place in the life of a Christian. As we've already stated, a believer cannot say that he loves God (with his heart or tongue) and then turn around and hate his brother; if you love God, then you love your brother, it's that simple. So, if there is nothing else to be had from this entire passage, the point that one should walk away with is that a Christian should never be found guilty of blessing and cursing with their speech; we are to love God and love His creation, our brother.
The conclusion of this passage merely provides some visual follow-up to further drive home the point that had just been made. Verses 11 and 12 contain three examples that just about any person could relate to, whether in the time of this letter or in our present day & age. The first example that we are given is that of a fountain producing both fresh and bitter water. It's impossible; you can only have one or the other, preferably the fresh water. The second example is that a fig tree cannot produce olives, nor can a vine produce figs. Again, another impossibility, as a tree can only produce after its own kind. Thirdly and finally, you cannot get fresh water from salt water. You cannot take a glass of salt water from the sea, put it in a lake and have it all of a sudden become fresh water, yet another impossibility. Each of these examples are unnatural, just as unnatural as what was spoken above about a believer who blesses & curses with his tongue. The one that stands out the most is the fig tree & olive branch, as we know that a tree or vine can only produce after its own kind. In the realm of Christianity, we often have to perform a fruit inspection to see if one is of the faith or not; we find in John 13:35 that people will know we are Christ's disciples by the love that we have for one another. That is to say, if you say you're an olive branch (a Christian) but are producing figs (let's just call it hate in this instance), then we cannot call you an olive branch, but instead a fig tree, because an olive branch only produces olives (love).
If we have love for one another, one of the places where it will show itself is in our speech. As we have seen, the tongue is very difficult to tame and it bears witness to what is inside our heart. It is our responsibility to tame our tongue and to guard our speech. Let us remember the words of Paul in Philippians 4:8 and the Psalmist in Psalm 119:11 so that we can have safeguards built up to keep the tongue caged and subject to the Holy Spirit working within us. It is nothing that we can do on our own, but only through the power of the Spirit in us.
Until next time, stay in your word, remain in prayer, and keep your armor on.
God bless!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Mixtape Monday's: Justified & Zealous
Another brother who came from that "MARK OF THE EAST" project with his original group A.D.F. (All Different Flavas). J.A.Z. takes us back through his discography with this 3 pt series of "Throwbacks and Classics"Download Pt 1
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
That Hood Gospel Dude Back!!!!!
T Haddy remixes "A Millie"
Dude been gone for a minute and now he's back with certified BANGERS!!!!!!
Drink Up Me Hearties Yo Ho!!!
My oldest son “MAN” loves the Pirates of the Caribbean so I just thought I’d make a quick “I’m Capt Jack Sparrow” post real quick “Savvy?” we have been on this marathon since he got out of school last week. It’s bugged out because each time I watch it I understand something else I didn’t get before. Plus whoever did the screenplay and was responsible for continuity did a great job linking all three movies (Curse of the Black Pearl, Dead Man’s Chest and At World’s end)
Curse of the Black Pearl
Dead Man’s Chest
At World’s End
I Was Gettin' Some Mail
“I was getting some mail, getting, getting some mail.”
Shout out to the homies Drew and Matt @ 3 Sixteen Fabrications for the care package. 3 Sixteen has been out for quite a few years. I remember spending utility bill money so I could cop the “No More Bling” tees. Met Drew online @ Sphere of Hip Hop and been a fan ever since So when you see me in the streets freshly dipped make sure you hit up WISH, STANDARD, URBAN FUSION & SOLE MUNKI to cop yours too!!!
The Package
The Goods
The Instructions
Fresh...
...nessNIke SB Lobster Dunks
“Hundreds wait for the release of Nike SB ‘Lobster’ dunk sneakers at Concepts in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass.”I am not standing in line. I don’t care how fresh the shoe is!!!! When did this become cool? Waiting in line for video games and sneakers? Even worse you get the kicks, lick em and don’t ever wear them? MADNESS!!!!! All my jumpers get love!!!!!
Special Delivery: God's Activator
Justified and Zealous is back at it with this sermon "God's Power Activator"
"I feel that this is an important line of teaching. We are so used to praying for the power of God, going home and simply "expecting" God's power to manifest. However when we study his word, we see God's point in always poking at our Faith. Our faith (in action) is the key to unlock God's power on our behalf.
If you ever feel like you pray, but to no avail, or if you feel like God is taking longer than expected, this word will challenge you to look deeper into your role in God's ability to have his way with you."
If you ever feel like you pray, but to no avail, or if you feel like God is taking longer than expected, this word will challenge you to look deeper into your role in God's ability to have his way with you."
Listen Here
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Weekly Meditation: Taming the Tongue pt 5
Taming the Tongue: Part 5 - James 3:7-8
Written by LaRosa Johnson
Now that we know that small things are able to achieve great feats and that the tongue is a raging fire, we will now continue our look and expand our view of the tongue and its evil ways. Today we are going to be taking a look at James 3:7-8, which, along with verses 5 & 6, give us the clearest picture at just how evil the tongue can be. Why is it so difficult to control our tongue? Well, we will find out today as we examine the Word of God. If we are in fellowship with the Lord, let us begin our study by reading our passage.
James 3:7-8 (NASB) - 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
From reading this passage, we immediately see that there are two things that stand out: 1) humans have been able to tame every animal, since the beginning, and 2) no one has been able to tame the tongue. These are the two items that we are going to look at in-depth, more specifically the second portion, as the first is merely for support and a point of reference.
As we saw in verse 3 of this chapter, a small bit in the mouth of a horse allowed us to tame and control this massive animal; it is this kind of thing that James is talking about. Since the creation, God has given us dominion over creation (some authority we have since lost in the Fall, but that is beside the point), and as a result, we are able to tame all kinds of animals in order to get them to do what we need them to do, from being transportation to plowing a field. It is interesting to note the language used in verse 7 as it carries with it a very important connotation; James states that these animals are and have been tamed by the human race. To put in layman's terms, he is stating that this has been the case in the past and continues to be to this day. Taming animals wasn't just something that was done in the past, but it is something that is practiced in the present time and will continue on into the future. This is an important distinction because it allows for the ruling out of the miraculous such as Daniel in the lions den or Jonah being preserved in the great fish, and brings everyday life into focus, which is related to by everyone. Simply put, no matter the animal, from a mouse to an elephant, it has been tamed by humans.
You would think that since we have been able to tame every sort of beast that roams this earth that we would be able to control something as small as the tongue. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As we see in verse 8, no one can tame the tongue, and this goes all the way back to the Fall. Ever since the eating of the forbidden fruit, the human race has been using their tongue for evil deeds, which continue to this very day. There are several implications that come with this very pointed and condemning statement, and they are worth examining. First, we see that there is absolutely nothing that we can do on our own that will allow us to tame our tongue. No matter how hard we might try, we will always come up short in this department. This leads to the second point, the only one who can control the tongue is God Himself. Throughout the course of history, He has been the only one who has been able to speak perfectly, as we see in the life of Jesus Christ. The third point would then be that if we are going to control the tongue, we are going to need the help of God to do so, which is exactly why we have the Holy Spirit working within us. Looking back at James 1:19-22 we can see how this happens; when we become doers of the Word of God and saturate ourselves with it, we begin to take on the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and slow our speech so that we are only speaking those things that are acceptable in the sight of a holy and perfect God. So, to reiterate, we must control our tongue, and since we cannot do it on our own, we must rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
So, what is it that makes the tongue so difficult to tame? The remainder of verse 8 spells out the answer for us; here, we find that the tongue is a restless evil that is full of deadly poison. Let us deal with this in two parts: 1) the tongue being a restless evil, and 2) the tongue being full of deadly poison.
As a parent of three children, I know very well the meaning of restless. You try and try with all of your might to get the kids to calm down and be still, but they cannot help but to get up and move around, no matter how many times you tell them not to; even when they are sitting down, they refuse to sit still, always fidgeting and ready to burst out of their seated position. Now move this metaphor over to the side of wild beasts that have been caged or chained; they cannot wait to be freed from their imprisonment so that they can pounce and devour whatever is in their path. This is a picture of what the tongue is like, especially the latter; it is completely unruly and unable to be controlled, even while caged. To use an example from Thomas Manton, even caged behind a double-barrier of lips and teeth, the tongue still manages to break free and do as it pleases. This is precisely how the tongue operates, it lies in wait for its moment to break free, and as soon as it does it has a field day; so, even when contained, it is always ready for the slightest opportunity for freedom, like a caged animal.
Much worse than a caged animal, the tongue is also full of deadly poison. That is to say, when the tongue has the opportunity to strike, it carries with it the power to poison or kill whatever it strikes. Considering the tongue is in the mouth, the poison also resides in the mouth; this is vastly similar to how many poisonous snakes operate, as they carry their poison in their mouths so that it is ready to be released at a moments notice, without having to travel through the body. Just imagine a poisonous snake for a moment. They strike quickly and their poison is often deadly to its prey, even to humans a lot of times. The tongue operates in the same way, but its poison affects more than just its prey, as it also affects its own body as well. We are affected by the poison of the tongue because we are forced to deal with the consequences of whatever might happen as a result. But not only are we affected, but so are the people who are slandered as a result of our ill-spoken speech, as well as the person to whom the words are spoken; so, at least three people are affected by the poison of the tongue when it strikes. Indeed, it is a deadly evil, and one that must remain caged at all times under the watch of the Holy Spirit. We must be like David in Psalm 39:1 when he said that he would guard his mouth with a muzzle, so as to not sin with his tongue.
As we can see, the tongue holds the power to inflict a great deal of damage to whomever it touches. Not only can we not tame it, but it is a restless and poisonous evil that is ready to strike at a moments notice. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit within us that we even have a hope of taming our tongue, since we have no hope of doing it on our own. Today, and everyday, let us pray to the Spirit for the strength in Him to control our tongue so that our speech might be pleasant to His ears and that we would not speak any evil towards anyone. Of course we won't be perfect in this, but it is our call to grow in spiritual maturity, and the tongue is one of the most telling areas of how far along we are in our spiritual walk.
Written by LaRosa Johnson
Now that we know that small things are able to achieve great feats and that the tongue is a raging fire, we will now continue our look and expand our view of the tongue and its evil ways. Today we are going to be taking a look at James 3:7-8, which, along with verses 5 & 6, give us the clearest picture at just how evil the tongue can be. Why is it so difficult to control our tongue? Well, we will find out today as we examine the Word of God. If we are in fellowship with the Lord, let us begin our study by reading our passage.
James 3:7-8 (NASB) - 7 For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. 8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
From reading this passage, we immediately see that there are two things that stand out: 1) humans have been able to tame every animal, since the beginning, and 2) no one has been able to tame the tongue. These are the two items that we are going to look at in-depth, more specifically the second portion, as the first is merely for support and a point of reference.
As we saw in verse 3 of this chapter, a small bit in the mouth of a horse allowed us to tame and control this massive animal; it is this kind of thing that James is talking about. Since the creation, God has given us dominion over creation (some authority we have since lost in the Fall, but that is beside the point), and as a result, we are able to tame all kinds of animals in order to get them to do what we need them to do, from being transportation to plowing a field. It is interesting to note the language used in verse 7 as it carries with it a very important connotation; James states that these animals are and have been tamed by the human race. To put in layman's terms, he is stating that this has been the case in the past and continues to be to this day. Taming animals wasn't just something that was done in the past, but it is something that is practiced in the present time and will continue on into the future. This is an important distinction because it allows for the ruling out of the miraculous such as Daniel in the lions den or Jonah being preserved in the great fish, and brings everyday life into focus, which is related to by everyone. Simply put, no matter the animal, from a mouse to an elephant, it has been tamed by humans.
You would think that since we have been able to tame every sort of beast that roams this earth that we would be able to control something as small as the tongue. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As we see in verse 8, no one can tame the tongue, and this goes all the way back to the Fall. Ever since the eating of the forbidden fruit, the human race has been using their tongue for evil deeds, which continue to this very day. There are several implications that come with this very pointed and condemning statement, and they are worth examining. First, we see that there is absolutely nothing that we can do on our own that will allow us to tame our tongue. No matter how hard we might try, we will always come up short in this department. This leads to the second point, the only one who can control the tongue is God Himself. Throughout the course of history, He has been the only one who has been able to speak perfectly, as we see in the life of Jesus Christ. The third point would then be that if we are going to control the tongue, we are going to need the help of God to do so, which is exactly why we have the Holy Spirit working within us. Looking back at James 1:19-22 we can see how this happens; when we become doers of the Word of God and saturate ourselves with it, we begin to take on the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and slow our speech so that we are only speaking those things that are acceptable in the sight of a holy and perfect God. So, to reiterate, we must control our tongue, and since we cannot do it on our own, we must rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
So, what is it that makes the tongue so difficult to tame? The remainder of verse 8 spells out the answer for us; here, we find that the tongue is a restless evil that is full of deadly poison. Let us deal with this in two parts: 1) the tongue being a restless evil, and 2) the tongue being full of deadly poison.
As a parent of three children, I know very well the meaning of restless. You try and try with all of your might to get the kids to calm down and be still, but they cannot help but to get up and move around, no matter how many times you tell them not to; even when they are sitting down, they refuse to sit still, always fidgeting and ready to burst out of their seated position. Now move this metaphor over to the side of wild beasts that have been caged or chained; they cannot wait to be freed from their imprisonment so that they can pounce and devour whatever is in their path. This is a picture of what the tongue is like, especially the latter; it is completely unruly and unable to be controlled, even while caged. To use an example from Thomas Manton, even caged behind a double-barrier of lips and teeth, the tongue still manages to break free and do as it pleases. This is precisely how the tongue operates, it lies in wait for its moment to break free, and as soon as it does it has a field day; so, even when contained, it is always ready for the slightest opportunity for freedom, like a caged animal.
Much worse than a caged animal, the tongue is also full of deadly poison. That is to say, when the tongue has the opportunity to strike, it carries with it the power to poison or kill whatever it strikes. Considering the tongue is in the mouth, the poison also resides in the mouth; this is vastly similar to how many poisonous snakes operate, as they carry their poison in their mouths so that it is ready to be released at a moments notice, without having to travel through the body. Just imagine a poisonous snake for a moment. They strike quickly and their poison is often deadly to its prey, even to humans a lot of times. The tongue operates in the same way, but its poison affects more than just its prey, as it also affects its own body as well. We are affected by the poison of the tongue because we are forced to deal with the consequences of whatever might happen as a result. But not only are we affected, but so are the people who are slandered as a result of our ill-spoken speech, as well as the person to whom the words are spoken; so, at least three people are affected by the poison of the tongue when it strikes. Indeed, it is a deadly evil, and one that must remain caged at all times under the watch of the Holy Spirit. We must be like David in Psalm 39:1 when he said that he would guard his mouth with a muzzle, so as to not sin with his tongue.
As we can see, the tongue holds the power to inflict a great deal of damage to whomever it touches. Not only can we not tame it, but it is a restless and poisonous evil that is ready to strike at a moments notice. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit within us that we even have a hope of taming our tongue, since we have no hope of doing it on our own. Today, and everyday, let us pray to the Spirit for the strength in Him to control our tongue so that our speech might be pleasant to His ears and that we would not speak any evil towards anyone. Of course we won't be perfect in this, but it is our call to grow in spiritual maturity, and the tongue is one of the most telling areas of how far along we are in our spiritual walk.
So, keep your armor on and your mind saturated in His Word!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Mixtape Monday's: Japhia Life
My bad on the artwork. No this is not a download for PAGES OF LIFE. Today's mixtape will be Tha Final's Street Mixtape Volume 3. Before signing with Beatmart Japhia Life lit up the underground with a series of mixtapes that had the streets on FIYAH!!!! Enjoy.
Download Here
1. - unforgiven
2. - the hours
3. - dirty laundry
4. - god's kids
5. - love letter
6. - tha doctrine
7. - makaveli
8. - paradise
9. - armageddon
10. - lifeys gota gun
11. - angels sing
12. - precious memories
13. - stand up
14. - life song
15. - many men
Sunday, June 1, 2008
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