The Sweet Dropper

In an address at the recent Desiring God Conference, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson listed 20 resolutions drawn from the book of James (in the style of Jonathan Edwards’ resolutions) “that need to be part of the Christian’s covenant with God about how the believer is going to employ the tongue and lips, and master the heart in such a way that the beauty of Jesus is expressed:”

James 1:5 To ask God for wisdom to speak and with a single mind
James 1:9-10 To boast only in exaltation in Christ, & humiliation in world
James 1:13 To set a watch over my mouth
James 1:19 To be constantly quick to hear, slow to speak
James 2:1-4 To learn the gospel way of speaking to poor and the rich
James 2:12 To speak always in the consciousness of the final judgment
James 2:16 Never to stand on anyone’s face with my words
James 3:14 Never to claim as reality something I do not experience
James 4:1 To resist quarrelsome words in order to mortify a quarrelsome heart
James 4:11 Never to speak evil of another
James 4:13 Never to boast in what I will accomplish
James 4:15 Always to speak as one subject to the providence of God
James 5:9 Never to grumble, knowing that the Judge is at the door
James 5:12 Never to allow anything but total integrity in my speech
James 5:13 To speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer
James 5:14 To sing praises to God whenever I am cheerful
James 5:14 To ask for the prayers of others when I am sick
James 5:15 To confess it freely whenever I have failed
James 5:15 To pray with and for one another when I am together with others
James 5:19 To speak words of restoration when I see another wander

All the conference addresses and panel discusssions are available in mulitple formats at Desiring God.