Taming the tongue

(words for hymns and bible readings follow after the call to worship)

Welcome and Intimations
Call to Worship
Prayer of Dedication
MP 50 Be still for the presence of the Lord
Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
MP444 Lord speak to me
Introduction to Reading
Reading James 3 : 1 -12
MP 455 Make me a captive Lord
Reflection
Ada and Andy reflect
Video  Were I to cross
Intercessions
MP 708 To God be the glory
Blessing

Call to Worship

Here we gather in faith and hope
We come to celebrate
And tell God our joys
We come as we are
To tell God what is in our hearts
We come to worship
And encounter God’s presence
So, in his presence may we find peace
In heart and soul and mind

MP 50 Be still for the presence of the Lord

1 Be still for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here;
come bow before Him, now
with reverence and fear:
in Him no sin is found –
we stand on holy ground.
Be still for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here;

2 Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around;
He burns with holy fire,
with splendour He is crowned:
how awesome is the sight –
our radiant King of light!
Be still, for the glory of the Lord
is shining all around.

3 Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place;
He comes to cleanse and heal,
to minister His Grace –
no work too hard for Him.
In faith receive from Him.
Be still, for the power of the Lord
is moving in this place.

MP444 Lord speak to me

1 Lord speak to me, that I may speak
in living echoes of thy tone;
as Thou hast sought, so let me seek.
Thy erring children, lost and lone.

2 O lead me Lord, that I may lead
the wandering and the wavering feet:
O feed me Lord, that I may feed
Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.

3 O strengthen me, that while I stand
firm on the rock, and strong in Thee
I may stretch out a loving hand
to wrestlers with the troubled sea.

4 O teach me Lord, that I may teach
the precious things that Thou dost impart:
and wing my words, that thy may reach
the hidden depths of many a heart.

5 O give Thine own sweet rest to me,
that I may speak with soothing power
a word in season, as from Thee,
to weary ones in needful hour.

6 O fill me with Thy fulness, Lord,
until my very heart o’erflows
in kindling thought and glowing word,
Thy love to tell, thy praise to show.

7 O use me Lord, use even me,
just as Thou wilt, and when, and where,
until Thy blessed face, I see,
Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.

James 3:1-12

Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
We all stumble in many ways.
Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
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.
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.
The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.
Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.
My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?
My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

MP 455 Make me a captive Lord

1 Make me a captive, Lord,
and then I shall be free;
force me to render up my sword,
and I shall conqueror be.
I sink in life’s alarms
when by myself I stand;
imprison me within Thine arms,
and strong shall be my hand.

2 My heart is weak and poor
until its master find;
it has no spring of action sure –
it varies with the wind.
It cannot freely move,
till Thou has wrought its chain;
enslave it with Thy matchless love,
and deathless it shall reign.

3 My power is faint and low
till I have learned to serve;
it wants the needed fire to glow,
it wants the breeze to nerve;
it cannot drive the world,
until itself be driven;
its flag can only be unfurled
when Thou shalt breathe from heaven.

4 My will is not my own
till Thou has made it Thine;
if it would reach a monarch’s throne
it must its crown resign;
it only stands unbent,
amid the clashing strife,
when on Thy bosom it has leant
and found in Thee its life.

MP 708 To God be the glory

1 To God be the glory!
great things He hath done:
so loved He the world
that He gave us His Son;
who yielded His life
an atonement for sin,
and opened the life gate
that all may go in

Chorus
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord!
let the earth hear His voice;
praise the Lord, praise the Lord!
let the people rejoice:
O come to the Father,
through Jesus the Son
and give Him the glory:
great things He hath done!

2 O perfect redemption,
the purchase of blood!
to every believer the promise of God;
the vilest offender who truly believes,
that moment from Jesus
a pardon receives.

3 Great things He hath taught us,
great things He hath done,
and great our rejoicing,
through Jesus his son,
but purer, and higher,
and greater will be
our wonder, our rapture,
when Jesus we see.