Controlling Our Words.
All right, I reading this morning is taken from Psalm 119 versus at 1:05 through 1:12.
It says your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I've taken an oath and confirmed it that I Will Follow Your Righteous laws. I have suffered much preserve my life. Oh Lord, according to your word accept. Oh Lord willing Praise of my mouth. And teach me your laws. Do I constantly take my life in my hands? I will not forget your law the wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. Your statutes are my Heritage forever. They are the joy of my heart. My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end in as we take a look at life today and particularly our tongue. One of the strengths that we have is knowing and understanding God's word that helps us stand firm and faithful. Prayer request let's continue to pray for a Lindy in her recovery. I know it's not an easy recovery from back injury. So that's being a prayer for her and then the pray for our country as well. We are in times of struggle and that's for certain let Sprite. Grace's Father in Heaven, how we thank you that. We can gather around you and then we can bring our desires in our heart request before you and trust that you not only listen, but you respond it may not be an hour away of your response. But it is a response that is the best for we trust that all good things come from you for your the mighty one. You understand far greater than we do father. We do pray for your Mighty hand on the people of our community we
Cry to you for their lives that your spirit would be working on Hearth to help them to learn to know you just turn to you and Define the grace and mercy that you alone can give and father in that regard me. We as followers of Jesus Christ live that life that portrays your grace and your mercy so that they will see a picture of you in us and they will hear words of grace and mercy from our mouths father. We do pray for the needs that are before us and we think of Lindy and the recovery from this back surgery. We pray that your healing hand would be placed upon her body and she would be restored and strengthened and able to move well, I know that others are going through that whole healing process as well and we pray for their lives. Father we seem to go week-to-week, seeing disastrous things happened in our country and we do want to pray for it. We do desire our nation to Humble itself before you that those who have walked away from you would fall on their knees before you and Proclaim your name that we is people who have chosen to follow you would like wise desire your power and your presence in our land and so far there we pray for our country that somehow we would back away from the evil direction that we have chosen and choose to walk toward the light of your presence and Power. May you lead and direct the Living God father. We think of the unspoken request that people have had and continue to have and their hearts are lifted even now to you to think you're mighty guidance in each of those aspects weather is financial or personal or any other way. We know that you understand and we pray that you would bring comfort and peace in each of those situations that people would be drawn to you. Father be with us as we continue to Worship You may we rejoice in your presence in our Lofts. And may we be content with your word is it speaks to us in Jesus precious name? Amen?
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All right. Well, let's start with a word of Prayer. My gracious Father in Heaven how we thank you that we can come before you the Living God and know that you are present and Powerful in our myths that your spirit is in the hearts and lives of each person here and that you give wisdom and guidance. from above Our Father our understanding is more clear as we listen to you and you alone and so father may you guide me by the power of your spirit and every word that I speak that you would be honored Above All Else bless us now and this time as we open your word in Jesus name, amen.
Well, we're begun a series last week called taking control and what is that refers to is our lives how we need to be involved in and taking control of our lives very often. That means it's yielding to God and giving to him who we are today. We're going to take a look at the the second in the series then it's controlling our words controlling our words. You know, probably the quickest way to get ourselves into trouble is open our mouths. You know, I I don't think there's a person here that hasn't said something that they would love to take back. In fact, there are probably many things that we would love to take back because we opened our mouths rashly and foolishly and said something we certainly should never have said, you know, it's just I don't know if you call a human nature but it just simply is part of that sin nature that leads us to do foolish things. We get in trouble quickly. You know what it is impossible to take back words that were spoken. You can't say. Oh my God, I didn't mean that because in the heart of those who heard your words, you know that is glaring in their face. So I guess it really takes responsibility to hold back the words. We speak. We think our to think through before we speak words that can raise up barriers in our lives that last for years and sometimes for your entire life, you know, people look separated from other people in their relationship simply because of a word spoken in anger or frustration.
And it breaks that relationship completely we can besmirch besmirch another's character really easily by just the word a little word of Gossip here or there. And we can falsely lead people astray in their understanding of God. Because of the words we speak we're going to get that three different areas today taken from James chapter 3 the first 12 verses there, but we're going to start off by reading the first two and this is James is very straightforward and is riding and when people read it, you know, it's kind of in-your-face, but it is good stuff. There's not many of you should become teachers my fellow Believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
We all stumble in many ways anyone who ne'er is never at fault in what they say is perfect able to keep their whole body and check. You know and I don't know any of us that are perfect. So this is a real Cry by particularly to those of us who are teachers and God speaks about teachers quite a bit. You know, we have two particularly those of us who are believers and are trying to teach about God we have to be able to clear clearly State what is true? Because if we do not God says you will be judged more strictly more strictly what people have been given the opportunity just speak. You know, it listed in the Bible. There are some that are chosen to be people that speak the truth about God's word in Ephesians 4:11. It says so Christ himself gave the Apollo Shuffle the prophets the Evangelist the past and teachers all of those people are chosen by God to Proclaim his word. But that doesn't take them off the hook about being clear and precise and true in what they have to say. But it gives them the responsibility to really make sure what that what they have to say is the truth because you can lead people astray in Creve the things that you say that are taken out of context of the word of God. And you can change the passageway of people. It happened often in the day of Christ and it's happening nowadays in our world today. We are directed by God to focus our teachings on Jesus Christ and his word. Remember Jesus Christ is the word of God and does so when we talked about Jesus Christ, we talked about his teachings that he gave while he was here, but it is also the power of His word some of the false teachers of that day the teachers of the law and the Pharisees and so distorted the word of God that they were doing things that were absolutely against God's word if he blasted anybody more severely than the Pharisees. I don't know who that might possibly be. Even the Roman government didn't take his from Jesus, but those Who mistreated the word of God? Took a lot of his judgment in Matthew 23. He speaks is he gives the seven?
This is seven judgements against the Pharisees and he is speaking about them here and he says a Matthew 23:10 nor are you to be called instructors for you have one instructor and that's the Messiah? That's Jesus Christ. He is our instructor and if we vary from that word we get ourselves in trouble. And there are so many things that are happening in our world today. So many things that people stand forward and say, oh you need to follow this pattern distance to the merciful way to go when it's directly against God's word. It's not the merciful way to go. It's a deadly with it ago and we have to remember that our power. Our strength has to be in God's word and Jesus Christ who gave it the word needs to be a part of our lives and when I say, you know, we have Bible studies we have the Bible that we can read each and every day we have different ways of knowing God's word. We need to be looking at that is Faking It. And I challenge each of you to truly want to abide in God's word and know what it says so that you're not let astray. You know if if a leader like myself says something that is contrary to the word of God you have every right to say that's wrong. And this is what the word of God is to it. Psalm 119:11 says I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. you know send begins when we defy the word of God all sent when we defy the word of God and do what is contrary to what God has called us to do and say and think
and that is what James is talking about here. He wants us to make sure that when we talked about the word and when we talk about God that we're doing the right way. Be truthful. What happened with the Pharisees and the teachers of the law is they made up a bunch of their own rules and those rules were contrary to God's word and that's why Jesus a blasted them the way he did Back to stop Matthew 23 verse 13 He says to those teachers woe to you teachers of the law and Pharisees you hypocrites. I you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces you yourselves do not enter nor will you let those and her who are trying to in other words people want to go to the word of God so many times of people came to Jesus and wanted to know, you know, are are we're going to heaven, right? And very often Jesus had to tell them, you know, not very many people are going to get their why because they were dividing in the word of God. They weren't biting in the truth and they've been LED astray by the Pharisees the teachers of the law. And taking them a different way. They taking the way they were going they were going to get into heaven and neither were the people. Because they've been LED astray truth is very important. We are chosen. Okay, how do we keep going in this? Let's read James chapter 3 verse 3 to 6 when we put bits in the mouth of a horse's make them. Obey Bay us we can turn the whole animal or take shifts as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds. They are scared by a very small Rudder whenever the pilot went wherever the pilot wants to go likewise. The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great Bose consider. What a great Forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body says the whole course of one's life on fire and is his self set on fire. itself set on fire calls us to really think about everything that we say, in fact it directly calls us to get our minds in the proper place so that we don't go to those places of distortion and struggle and we'll take a look at that right now, but think about what you say keep yourselves clean. The easiest way to stay away from sin is to be sinless in other words trying to strive to not be sinful in our lives. Jesus was speaking with the people in the Pharisees were we're coming forward and they wanted to know why the disciples didn't wash their hands before the age. You know, that's sacrilegious to not wash your hands before you eat. And and so Jesus said these words to say to the Pharisees you said what goes into someone's mouth does not defile them. But what comes out of their mouth that is what defiles them Matthew 15:11. Excuse me. I didn't give you the reference but What comes out of our mouths is what really demonstrates where we are both in our thinking? and our desires and so when it comes to our lives it requires us to truly think through where we are where am I in terms of my ideas and my thoughts we need to be guarding those things in our lives and that's what the Bible calls us to Solomon. Very wise guy speaks a lot about that in Proverbs, but in Proverbs 21:23, he says Those Who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from Calamity. Well guarding your mouth is really guarding your mind where your mind goes and what comes out of your mouth is an extension of what you've already been thinking. And so think through those things, you know, Satan desires to lead us astray. He wants us to think falsely. He wants us to take up ideas that are ungodly and present them as somehow Godly in our lives. The only way to fight against that is to know the truth Proverbs 23:23 says by the truth truth and do not sell it wisdom instruction and insight as well. There is truth there by it. What it means is you have to go after if you have to find it and you find those nuggets of Truth by being involved in God's word by examining the life of Jesus Christ by placing those things into your own life. Then what comes out of your life will be an example of what you were actually placing into it lacing into your life. And there's a great caution that goes along with this, you know, the winds are blowing they're trying to deceive you you need to steer wisely. And so there is this question that goes forth Proverbs 18-6 to eight the lips of fools, bring them strive and their mouth invites a beating. The amounts of fools are there on doing and their lips are a snare to their very long lives the words of a gossip or like tourists Choice morsels. They go down to the inmost parts, you know, there are some people that just love to gossip about different things and you know, what are other people that love to hear that and just spread it around a lot? And so we need to be careful when we hear something, you know, try to cover your ears when somebody start speaking gossip say something against the walk away from them. Don't listen to No, Secret Ruth seek, the truth. God wants us to be cautious in every way about what comes out because it does change Lots it does change locks. Okay. Trust the guide trust the guide in all of this. Let's take a look at James 3 7 to 12. Says all kinds of animals birds reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. That's a strong statement. It is a Restless evil full of deadly poison with a tongue. We praise our Lord and father and with it. We curse human beings who have been made in God's likeness out of the same mouth comes praise and cursing my brothers and sisters. This should not be can both freshwater and saltwater flow from the same spring my brothers and sisters going to fig tree bear olives or a grapevine bear figs. Neither. Can the Salt Spring produce fresh water. You know, it's like I've said where we go. Trust in the god who's the guide Jesus Christ and the power of His word that's the guide to our lot and we need to trust in that guy. That's why it's so important to be involved in it tonight. Just come here Sunday morning and listen to the word and say, okay. I've got that done. I'm good for my week. You're not you need to spend time in God's word to examine it. one of the big purses for campus Crusade for Christ what its crew now called crew was Ephesians 5:18, very big verse for the Elmo says do not get drunk with on wine which leads to debauchery. I instead be filled with the spirit. And what is essentially saying is don't fill yourself up with the world and all it has to say but feel yourself up. With god with the spirit with Jesus Christ play yourself up with those things. So that you will be right and pleasing before Mankind and before the Living God. You know and if it is our God and we need to rely upon it. If we say we're Christians, we need to be following Christ.
Our thoughts come from our mind where it what you thinking, you know, do your thoughts in life go to those things which are grape and and wonderful and praiseworthy. Paul talks about that in Philippians, you know Philippians chapter 4 goes through a lot of little things it just a whole bunch of little Snippets that he goes along and he speaks about and he tries to get us to understand these different things. But in chat first aid of chapter 4, he says these things finally brothers and sisters whatever is true. Whatever is Noble whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely whatever is admirable. If anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things in other words. Where's our mind going? Is it going to the things that are true and Noble and right?
Are we being led astray? Are we involved in things that are true or trustworthy? All these things God calls us to focus on the right things not on the wrong things because if we focus on the right things what will come out of our mouths are those things that are our blessings Philip is around us and that's what we ought to be. We ought to be blessings to people around us. Not the other way around. It is the thoughts of the Mind where it begins. And then when that mind is turning its what comes out it was it's what comes out. So we back up a couple of chapters in Philippians and we get the expression of our lives and it says do everything without grumbling of Philippians 2 1415 do everything without grumbling or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure in other words sinless righteous. Holy that's what God wants you children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. We live in a warped and crooked generation. So where's the mind going? And what is the expression that you have? Finishes if anything is excellent or praiseworthy or I'm sorry, then you will shine among among them like stars in the sky. We will shine in the community. We live if in fact we are listening to Philippians chapter 4 verse 8 and displaying it as it says in Chapter 2 verses 14 and 15 what happens in our lives comes out of our mouths. You know, it's an expression of who we are and if we are people that Express wonderful loving and praiseworthy things. We're going the right way. But if we're not if we're struggling it were complaining and arguing about things, you know, we have a lot we could be complaining about with the things that are happening in our country today, right? We don't need to go there that's her choice. That's your choice. Where you going these sort of things. When did be more joyful to think about what God is doing in your life and make a difference in you and you can express those things that other people that would be the wonderful thing. the big thing is that we need to hold fast and Who We Are we are people of the Living God. We are people who call ourselves Christians so are limes need to demonstrate who Christ is within us.
John 15:4, Jesus is talking last supper and he's talking with the disciples. He's telling them that he is the vine and we are the branches and he says this to them John 14:15 for remain in me. As I also remain in you no Branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither. Can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. In other words what Jesus is saying is that I am lie. I am the expression of that which brings goodness and light to the world. And if you remain in me, if you do the things that I have called you to do if you respond in the way I respond to the world. You will. bear fruit you will help change lives. You will grow in the Living God and be that light to a world that is in desperate need of that. We're all called to go there.
What is more important what I be? or what God Said and if you can say it's what God said. It is more important than what I believe and you should if you are a Christian that ought to be the priority for your life. You will make a difference but you have to know what God Said and this is where God said it in his word in a life of Jesus Christ and in his book that he has given us to make life clear to each and everyone of us.
So, where are you going to go? I hope that your desire is to
fall more and more in love with Jesus Christ and to follow his lead because as you do as you grow in him and you know him more and more and it becomes more a part of your life the expressions of your life those things that you say and do will not bring hurt and harm to those around you but it will bring joy and peace and comfort and there will be a building a relationship rather than the destroying of that relationship. Our tongues are a powerful instrument and they can bring the greatest joy by the things we say and do Or they can bring incredible harm the burns and scars lives for all eternity all well, maybe all eternity depending upon where we are, but were all your life for sure.
Watch out what we say. That's so important. So important. Let's pray.
Grace's Father in Heaven, how we thank you that we can come before you the Mighty God to?
Express to you our love and their care the father may we also express to you and desire to take on the image the likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and portray to the world. One who is Desiring that they know the truth the truth of Jesus Christ the changes the pathway of the Trinity of all who come to believe. May you guide us O Lord by your Mighty commands in Jesus name. Amen.
Brie Bella
We've been through those Spirit come because so far from annual fee cast down. Give Us Clean Hands Give Us Clean Weber We Band on the Run.
Give Us Clean Hands, give us pure clean.
Truly father may you give us clean hands and pure hearts and words that are Comfort comfortable and blessing. And help us to rejoice and praise you in everything we do and say for you are like our hope and strength guide us as we step out into our world in Jesus name. Amen. Praise God from heaven.