James 3:9-12
With our tongues we praise our Lord and Father. Yet, with the same tongues we curse people, who were created in God’s likeness. Praise and curses come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, this should not happen! Do clean and polluted water flow out of the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? In the same way, a pool of salt water can’t produce fresh water.
Your tongue plays a critical role in the worship act. In fact, it is central to the outcomes we get in every area of our lives (Pro 18:21).
Our worship becomes inauthentic when our hearts are saying one thing while our lips are saying something else. This kind of contradiction is unacceptable before God. There mustn’t be any disagreement between our inner motives, attitudes and intentions on one hand and our words on the other. Rather the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts must be acceptable before God (Psalm 19:14).
Moreover, our lips must not discharge mixed messages. It’s wrong for words of praise and slander, gospel and gossip, to proceed from the same mouth. It’s confusing to seekers when they hear blessings as well as curses from our redeemed lips. The hour has come for us to worship and live for the Father earnestly and truthfully always. No more mixed messages!
Pastor Josh