Verses to Abide In
"but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”
James 3:8-12 ESV
Digging Deeper
From MacArthur:
…The tongue is not just wild and raging like an animal, but clever, plotting, and subtly deceptive. It is hypocritical and duplicitous, eagerly willing to deceive in order to achieve its own advantage.
From Bruce Hurt:
We curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God (Ge 1:26, 27; Ge 9:6) - James spoke of "double minded" in James 1:6 and here speaks of "double mouthed," or "fork tongued!" James is showing that the reason cursing men is evil is because they are made in the likeness of God, the One we bless. So yes people still reflect God's image, albeit badly marred by sin. Thus ultimately to curse a fellow human being is to show contempt for God.
James 3 Commentary | Precept Austin
From the Heart
Last week we talked about what triggers from unchecked emotions to the old self, the sin nature in us, and the battle we face in our everyday living—this battle that rages sometimes in a split second—before thoughts form into words and actions.
This week we will focus on long suffering and how that kind of constant pressure can tear at us, and we’re tempted to let it be an excuse (to be double minded) to lose self-control with our tongue, or it can grow us and make us (single minded toward Christ) kinder and more compassionate toward others.
While praying for direction for the timing of this blog, Memorial Day came to mind. I didn’t know how it could tie in with the tongue until one man came to mind.
My father’s father, George Mesrop Sarkisian.
George was born in 1915 on United States soil to immigrant parents Mesrop and Julia Sarkisian, both from Armenia.
Mesrop studied tailoring in France before traveling to North America and, once finally settled, opened Expert Tailor in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia.
I can still picture my grandfather telling me the story of how at birth he weighed only two or three pounds.
The doctor believed he was a lost cause and left him to die.
A nurse had compassion on him, rescued him, and nursed him back to life.
As a young man, George was not accepted into the military to enlist because of health issues.
His desire to serve his country anyway brought him to the Philadelphia Navy Yard to work as a plumber’s helper.
I remember every time we would pass by there when I was a child, him telling the story of how they would call him for all the hard-to-fit places on the ships because he was the only one who could squeeze through and get the job done with his slightly-over-five-foot frame.
Not only did my grandfather serve his country well, but he also served his family well.
George would have stayed on with the Navy Yard as a career after the war, but his dad needed help, so George gave it up and worked at the shop with his dad.
Through the years George took care of each of his parents, his brother, and eventually his wife to the end of their years on this earth.
He was intensively caring for someone for a great percentage of his lifetime.
George’s brother Andy was his senior by a number of years.
Andy was in the Army as a young man and was injured during World War II.
Back then they called what he had shell shock.
After their father’s passing, Andy moved in with George and his family when my dad was maybe 13 years old or so.
George took care of Andy until Andy died at 74 years of age.
The amazing thing is that anyone who knew George would say what a great guy he was, a very comical man, the life of the party.
You would think after so much heartache and draining caretaking he would have been curt and bitter.
Even before he came to know Jesus he was a great guy, but in his late 70s, after his wife passed away, he made a profession of faith.
My sister and I had the delight, as young teens, of getting baptized at the same time as George.
George continued to become one of the sweetest and kindest of men, even more so than before. That is what people still tell me all these years later when his name comes up.
As I was asking my parents to remind me of details about George, my mom said, “He was the best and most selfless man I knew.”
George didn’t let the years of long suffering spill into his words. That is not what he was known for. Not that he never had a bad day, but he was known for his kindness.
He was not enlisted, but he committed to work in an unknown occupation to do what he could to support his country, just as he committed to work in supporting his family and ultimately his Lord.
Thanks for this legacy, Grandpop.
I love you, and I can’t wait to see you and Grandmom in heaven someday.
The Sarkisian Family from left to right: Andrew, George, Richard, Julia, Mesrop, and Leo
Jenny and George Sarkisian's Wedding Photo
Grandpop and me as a teen in Ocean City, NJ
Let’s Pray
Abba,
We bow our hearts before you, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth (Ephesians 3:15 ESV; NLT).
We lift up the trials we are faced with, that are with us for days, months, or years at a time.
We humble ourselves before you and cast our cares to you because you care for us (1 Peter 5:7).
We ask for your wisdom, counting the joy of your purposes and the growth you have in store for us (James 1:2-5).
Has my long suffering made me bitter?
Forgive me, Lord…
Have I grown to complain?
Forgive me, Lord…
Have I forgotten my first Love?
Forgive me, Lord…
Teach me your way that I would walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. O, that I would not be double-minded (James 1:7)! Unite my heart (Psalm 86:11) so that my mouth would not speak both blessing and cursing (James 3:10).
We lift up those who are in service to our country.
May they trust in you with all of their hearts, leaning not on their own understanding, but in all their ways may they acknowledge you and see undeniably how you make their path straight and sure.
We lift up the loved ones who have lost someone in service or are missing them to service right now.
May they not worry about anything, but instead, pray about everything.
Help them—and us with them—to tell you what we need, and thank you for all you have done.
Then we trust we will experience your peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.
We trust that your peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.
Enable us to fix our thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable.
Strengthen us to think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Help us to keep putting into practice all we learned and received from you…Then we trust you, the God of peace, will be with us (Philippians 4:6-9 NLT).
In the name of Jesus we pray, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
Amen.
I am viewing this Memorial Day weekend a bit differently as one of my nephews recently signed on with the Marines and is now in Parris Island for boot camp. I am so thankful God is in control and praying this young man will cling to him.
In any suffering you are walking through yourself or with another, may you know the closeness of God holding you in his everlasting arms of love,
Laura Jennifer
Named after both my grandmothers
laurabreece.com
Upcoming Dates
Saturday, May 30, 2026, 1PM
(for a 20 minute set)
Music Festival and Motorcycle Show
Crossing Community Church
80 Lower Silver Lake Road
Newtown, PA 18940
Rain Date: Saturday, June 13
Friday, June 5, 2026, 7:30
No More Chainz Recovery Church
Michael Teaching and we will do a song!
316 Durham Rd. Penndel, PA 19047
(Parking in lot across from church)
Saturday, August 1, 2026, 7-9pm
Acts of Grace Coffeehouse
1609 Woodburne Road
SUITE 403B (very back of complex)
LEVITTOWN, PA 19057
Monday, August 3, 2026, 7-9pm
Karen's Place Outdoor Concert
Doylestown Mennonite Church
590 N. Broad Street
Doylestown, PA 18901