Do It!
Do It! Part 2
James 1:19-27 – 19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. 21 So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. 22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 26 If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. (New Living Translation)
A solution for real life is listening well and responding thoughtfully
▸ I am to be quick to _______________
Mark 4:24 – . . . Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given – and you will receive even more. (New Living Translation)
Luke 8:18 – “So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” (New Living Translation)
What are the things we need to be ‘quick to listen’ about?
- The __________________ of the Word of God
1 Corinthians 1:21 – Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe. (New Living Translation)
1 Samuel 3:10 – . . . And Samuel answered, “Speak. I am your servant, ready to listen.” (The Message)
- The _______________ of the Word of God
- The _______________ around us
▸ I am to be ____________ to speak
Proverbs 10:19 – The more you talk, the more likely you are to sin. If you are wise, you will keep quiet. (Good News Bible)
Proverbs 17:27 – A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. (New Living Translation)
Proverbs 17:28 – Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hole their tongues. (New International Version)
Proverbs 21:23 – Keep your mouth closed and you will stay out of trouble. (The Living Bible)
What things should I be ‘slow to speak’ about?
- I should be slow to speak about _______________
Romans 3:27 – Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on our faith. (New Living Translation)
1 Corinthians 4:7 – What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own? (The Living Bible)
1 Corinthians 9:16 – Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! (New Living Translation)
- I should be slow to speak about ____________
Proverbs 26:20-26 – 20 Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops. 21 A quarrelsome person starts fights as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood. 22 Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart. 23 Smooth words may hide a wicked heart, just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot. 24 People may cover their hatred with pleasant words, but they’re deceiving you. 25 They pretend to be kind, but don’t believe them. Their hearts are full of many evils. 26 While their hatred may be concealed by trickery, their wrongdoing will be exposed in public. (New Living Translation)
▸ I am to be slow to get ____________
Ephesians 4:26 – And “don’t sin by letting anger control over you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, . . . (New Living Translation)
Proverbs 22:24-25 – 24 Don’t hang out with angry people; don’t keep company with hotheads. 25 Bad temper is contagious – don’t get infected. (The Message)
James 1:21 – So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. (New Living Translation)
Ephesians 4:22-24 – 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy. (New Living Translation)
Hebrews 12:1 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. (New Living Translation)