Verses to Abide In
“Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” James 4:11-12 ESV
Digging Deeper
From Bruce Hurt
James has dealt with the problem of the tongue in James 3:1-12+ but now returns to address a specific problem associated with the tongue. In addition, in the immediate context James has commanded his readers to manifest an attitude of humility, hardly possible when one is speaking against another brother! If we are right with God (humble), it will show by being right with people. James is saying they were not right with other people. In fact in a sense one is "exalting" himself over the other brother and in effect putting himself in the position of God, Who alone is the Judge (Jas 4:12).
From Swindoll
Far too often, Christians criticize others before we get all the facts. We observe an event, catch a few words of a conversation, or gather a handful of random facts. We then leap to conclusions and start flapping our jaws about it. The jabbering catches on and spreads, and before you know it the “gossip” becomes “news.” There’s nothing more contagious in a church, student body, business, staff, organization, or home than a negative spirit. That infection is contagious—it spreads like a cold in a kindergarten!...The principle bears repeating: only God is qualified to judge, because only He has all the facts.
Swindoll adds "Remember, in his own letter James confronts fellow Christians about their sins. But there’s a difference between confrontation for the purpose of building up and condemnation for the purpose of tearing down." (Swindoll's Living Insights New Testament Commentary – James, 1 & 2 Peter)
The commentaries above and illustration below are from preceptaustin.org
An Illustration
Christians Don't Slander
I was in Japan with a friend since gone to be with the Lord. We were walking down the street in Yokohama, in conversation. The name of a mutual friend came up, and I said something unkind about that person—a sarcastic, nasty put-down. My older friend stopped, turned, and faced me until his face was nearly touching my own. With slow, deliberate words he said, "Gordon, a man who says he loves God wouldn't talk like that about a friend." He could have put a knife into my ribs; the pain wouldn't have been any less. I hurt because he had me. He'd done what a prophet does. But I bet there've been ten thousand times in the last 20 years I've been saved from making a jerk of myself. Whenever I've been tempted to say something unkind about a brother or sister, I hear my friend's voice once again, saying, "Gordon, a man who says he loves God wouldn't talk like that about a friend."
Let's Pray
Abba,
You are a God of deliverances and salvation, and to God the Lord belongs escape from death, setting us free (Psalm 68:20 AMPC).
We praise you.
We fix our eyes on Jesus, who said, “…I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave (Revelation 1:17-18 NLT).”
We acknowledge your power and authority over life and death.
Search me, O God, and know my heart… Is there any offensive way in me (Psalm 139:23-24)…
Have I judged anyone, gossiped, or put another down?
Have I jumped to conclusions or spoken against others just to fill conversation or make myself look good?
Please forgive me for…
Forgive me for my pride. Forgive me for my thoughtlessness. Forgive me for my lack of love, for my greater love of self.
We ask: Enable us to not speak evil against another, to not judge or criticize (James 4:11).
Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).
Help us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry (James 1:19).
Help us to see the difference between speaking truth in love to a brother or sister versus needlessly condemning someone or tearing them down. May we be filled with the Spirit, overflowing with words that build others up as fits the occasion and give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:15, 29; 5:18-19; Romans 8:1).
Help us to love one another deeply, earnestly, fervently, with intense and unfailing love for one another because love covers over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8 ESV; NIV; AMPC; NASB95).
We acknowledge that you are judge, and we are not (James 4:12).
“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11 NLT).”
Amen! It is in his name, Jesus, that we pray.
Amen!
May God anchor us in his love so that we may love others all the more (1 John 4:19),
Laura
Praise God for a great picnic at Crossing Community Church (my church)! God held off the rainstorm for almost all of it until the very end, when we moved all the sound equipment inside for our closing worship music, safe from the pouring rain and blowing wind outside! I think what stuck out to me today was what a couple of people at church shared: that our freedom in Christ is the greatest freedom of all. Wow, thank you, Lord.
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
Saturday, August 8, 2026, time 7 PM
Red's Room Online Concert
Red's Room Entertainment
Monday Evening, August 31, 2026
Boardwalk Chapel Concert
Boardwalk Chapel,
4312 Boardwalk,
Wildwood, NJ 08260