20 November 2022 Sunday Morning Service
Bible
Psalms 51:10–17
James 3:1-12
Psalms
51:10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
51:11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
51:13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
51:14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
51:15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
51:16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
James
3:1 Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
3:2 We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3:3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
3:4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.
3:5 Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
3:6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
3:7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man,
3:8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.
3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
3:11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
3:12 My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.