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James 1:19 - Are You Listening?

James 1:19 (NIV) My dear brothers and 
sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick 
to listen, slow to speak and slow to become 
angry,  

James 1:19 (NLT) Understand this, my dear 
brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to 
listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.  

James 1:19 (MSG) Post this at all the 
intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up 
with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in 
the rear.  

COMMENTARY PEARL

Paying Attention Fans the Flame of Romance
   Good marriages dont just happen. 
Marriages are what you make them. If you put in the 
effort, you can learn the skills and wisdom to build 
a great relationship, regardless of what your 
marriage has been like up until now. 
   During the next few days, were going 
to look at some practical ways you and your 
spouse can grow closer to each other and closer to 
God. Many of these principles can also be applied 
to any close relationship, at any stage of your 
life. 
   One skill that anyone can learn to help 
make their relationships better - whether in 
marriage or in friendship - is how to pay attention. 
   When you give someone your attention and 
focus, its like you give them a piece of your 
life. 
   Your time is your life because youll 
never get it back. Thats why the most loving 
act you can show your spouse is to pay attention 
to them. Those focused moments of intimate 
sharing are one of the most important ways you say, 
I love you. 
   The truth is, you fell in love by paying 
attention. You started paying attention to someone, and 
that person started paying attention to you. You 
bought flowers, wrote notes, and talked for hours 
on the phone. You spent your free time 
together. 
   But gradually your attention shifted. 
Today you may be more focused on paying the bills, 
taking care of kids, pursuing hobbies, or building 
your career. Your spouse isnt the center of 
your attention anymore. A shift of focus happens 
naturally, but if you dont bring your attention back 
to each other, your marriage will eventually 
crumble. 
   One of the ways you let your attention 
fade in marriage is when you stop listening to 
each other. Pride makes you assume you know what 
your spouse has said - because you think youve 
heard them say it over and over again through the 
years. 
   If youve stopped listening to your 
spouse, start listening again today. Why? First, you 
love the person. And when you give your attention 
by listening, youre showing love. Next, 
sometimes God speaks through your spouse. In fact, 
next to the Bible, its Gods favorite way to 
speak to you. 
   God gives a great recipe in his Word for 
the kind of focused attention through listening 
that makes a marriage grow. James 1:19 says, 
Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to 
become angry (NIV). When you do the first two 
parts of that verse, the third one will be 
automatic. As you do this, youll keep your marriage 
growing and going. 
   To fan the flames of romance in your 
marriage, start bringing back some of that focused 
attention. Show you care by staying aware. As you pay 
attention to each other, youll find yourselves 
growing closer even as you raise a family, pursue 
careers, and eventually grow old together. [Daily 
Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

COMMENTARY

A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot
To everything there is a season  a time 
to keep silence, and a time to speak. 
(Ecclesiastes 3:1,7) 
   I can think of so many times when I 
should have kept silent but just had to speak. Have 
you ever done that? Have you ever said 
something, and the moment it left your lips, you 
thought, Why did I just say that? But you said it. 
   The Bible says, "My dear brothers and 
sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to 
speak, and slow to get angry" (James 1:19, NLT). 
How much better it would be for us if we would 
pause for a moment before we speak, asking 
ourselves, Is this the right thing to say? Would this 
be an appropriate statement to make? Lord, 
would this glorify You? 
   Peter was very outspoken, which is why I 
like him so much. One of my favorite stories 
about him was when he was on the Mount of 
Transfiguration with Jesus, James, and John. Jesus told His 
three disciples to stay awake with Him. Yet Peter 
and the boys fell asleep. When they woke up, 
Jesus was shining like the sun and talking with 
Moses and Elijah. 
   So Peter stood up and said, "It is good 
for us to be here" (Mark 9:5). I like the 
commentary Mark's gospel adds: "He said this because he 
didn't really know what else to say" (verse 6, 
NLT). But he said it anyway! 
   Have you ever been in a situation like 
that, when you wanted to say the perfect thing, 
yet you ended up saying the lamest thing 
possible? 
   An old proverb advises, "Better to be 
silent and be thought a fool than to open your 
mouth and dispel all doubt." Or, as another 
proverb says, "A closed mouth gathers no foot." 
   There is a time to speak. And there is a 
time to be quiet. We need the wisdom of the Holy 
Spirit in our lives to know which is which. [Every 
Day with Jesus by Greg Laurie] 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

James 1:19 - Are You Listening?

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20210428-0847.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs  

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

Most Important Decision in Life: 
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 

Steps to Peace by Billy Graham: 
https://stepstopeace.org/ 

A Man without Equal by Bill Bright: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo 

Seeking God Made Real: 
http://vimeo.com/31489782 

Prayer Made Real: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE 

Importance of Choice: 
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]  

Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David 
DeRose, MD, MPH: 
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart 

LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES 

Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: 
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/ 

Amazing Facts Bible Studies: 
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx  

Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides: 
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2 

Glow Tract Video Bible Studies: 
http://www.bibleresearch.info/ 

LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS

Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug 
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/  

Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The 
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg: 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE 

Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of 
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible 

Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW: 
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens 

Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet: 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657