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 listen

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 preaching 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 reading of the Word of God
• The people around us

▸ I am to be slow 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 myself

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 others

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 angry

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)

A solution for real life is when I stop ___________________ myself and begin to _______________ upon what I know

▸ Knowing and doing are ________________ together

Matthew 7:24-27 – 24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” (New Living Translation)

A solution for real life is______________________ my religion with an ________________________ faith

1. An active faith is one that _______________ lives with God’s words rather than __________________ lives with an uncontrolled tongue

Romans 10:14-15 – 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (New Living Translation)

2. An active faith is one that __________________ to others rather than being __________ - _______________

2 Timothy 3:1-5 – 1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! (New Living Translation)

Matthew 25:34-40 – 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” (New Living Translation)

3. An active faith is one that will not __________________ to the world but will be _____________________ by the love of God

Romans 12:1-2 – 1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (New Living Translation)