Women's Bible Study - February 7th, 2024 - James 3

In one paragraph

Deborah opened James 3 with a pair of answered prayers, then walked through the chapter's warnings about the tongue, tracing a line from what we allow into our hearts all the way out to the words we speak and the life those words either build or burn down. Before turning to the text, Deborah shared two updates the group had been praying over. Her friend Joan, who faced losing her entire tongue to...

Read together

1. Matthew 18:20 opening prayer: where two or more are gathered, God is in our midst
2. 1 Peter 2 believers are chosen by God, called to be His instrument and speak out for Him
3. Philippians 4:8 think about whatever is lovely, praiseworthy and true, used as remedy for negative thinking
4. Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious but in everything with prayer and thanksgiving, the peace of God will guard your heart and mind
5. Proverbs 18:21 the tongue can cause life or death because words cause action
6. Matthew 12:36 we will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word we spoke
7. Proverbs 4:23-27 guard your heart because everything flows from it, do not talk out of both sides of your mouth
8. Proverbs 13:20 the companion of fools will suffer harm but those who walk with the wise will be wise
9. James 1 learning to have joy when troubles and hardships come because God is with you
10. James 3:2 we all stumble in many ways with the tongue; anyone who does not stumble in what they say is perfect
11. James 3:4 a huge ship steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants it to go
12. James 3:5 the tongue is a small part of the body but makes great boasts and is a fire that can corrupt the whole body
13. James 3:13 who is wise among you, let them show it by their good life and deeds done in humility
14. James 3:14-15 bitter envy and selfish ambition are earthly, unspiritual and demonic
15. James 3:18 peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness
16. John 15 the vine and the branches, abiding close to the vine
17. Galatians 6:4 pay careful attention to your own work and you will not need to compare yourself to anyone else
18. Proverbs 23:17-18 do not envy but fear the Lord and you will be rewarded and this hope will not disappoint
19. Acts 2:17 the Lord promises to pour out His Spirit and give dreams and visions
20. Matthew 11 Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him for rest, His yoke is easy and His burden is light

Talk about it

1. Deborah shared that Joan said 'even if I lost my tongue, God is so good and so faithful.' What does that kind of attitude in the middle of suffering look like in your own life, and what makes it so hard to get there?
2. Deborah talked about the church going silent while media, education, and entertainment push narratives that oppose Scripture. Where do you find it hardest to speak up, and what holds you back?
3. James compares the tongue to a ship's rudder and says our words direct the future of our life. Can you think of a time, for better or worse, when words, yours or someone else's, genuinely changed the direction of something?
4. Deborah gave four practical ways to guard your heart: speak truth over lies, think about what you are thinking about, reach out to a wise friend, and give thanks. Which of those four is hardest for you right now, and why?
5. Pastor Todd Wagner's distinction between committed and submitted followers came up near the end. Honestly, which word better describes where you are with God right now, and what would it look like to move further toward submitted?