Destroy or Build

Destroy or Build

Coaching girls and boys..

Also.. love languages

Justice and Ace

James 3:1-12 (ESV)

Seriously consider how we use our words

As teachers:

James 3:1 (ESV)

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

A Special warning to teachers..

Psalm 141:3(ESV)

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;     keep watch over the door of my lips!

JLM.. sing acoustic show Guard

1 Corinthians 9:27 (ESV)

27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Those of us who disciple others..which should be all Christians..

Matthew 18:6 (ESV)

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

The tongue is powerful

James 3:2-5 (ESV)

2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

The tongue and facial muscles are the most used muscles in the human body (the heart isn’t a muscle it is an organ).

For its size it can be argued that the tongue is one of the strongest muscles in the body, and a man once lifted 24lbs3oz with his tongue.

The longest human tongue on record was 3.86” from tip to back.

The widest human tongue on record was 3.1” from side to side.

Women have much smaller tongues than men.

The blue whale has a tongue the size of an elephant and this tongue weighs 5,400lbs.

The saying “cat got your tongue” originated 2,500 years ago in Assyria when conquered soldiers had their tongues cut out and fed to the king’s cats.

Roy Williams has said the following about the power of the tongue, “Words start wars and end them, create love and choke it, bring us to laughter and joy and tears. Words cause men and women to willingly risk their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.  Our world, as we know it, revolves on the power of words.”

James two illustrations

Bridle pic

Rudder pic

We cannot underestimate the tongues power

James makes an interested point here on who is guiding the bridle and rudder

Rider pic

Steer pic

Vs 3 so that they obey us,

Vs 4 wherever the will of the pilot directs

Tongue is the tool the heart is the master

The heart is in control

Matthew 15:11,18 (ESV)

11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.”

18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

So what comes out of the mouth is from the heart

Yesterdays game.. frustration.. amy’s present

Tongue’s destruction

James 3:5-6 (ESV)

5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell

Recently there fires in California that burned almost ten thousand acres and it was because of one person who accidently started a fire.

Forest fire

Proverbs 16:27-28 (ESV)

27 A worthless man plots evil,     and his speech is like a scorching fire. 28 A dishonest man spreads strife,     and a whisperer separates close friends.

Psalm 57:4 (ESV)

4. My soul is in the midst of lions;     I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

Get out your phones..

Anger. 1:19 Mt. 5:21ff Pr. 11:9,11 25:28 29:22 12:18 14:17 15:18 Judgment. 1:20 4:11-12 Mt. 7:1 Fighting. 4:1-2 Pr. 26:21 18:6 13:10 10:12 17:1,14,19 21:9 Threatening. Gen. 27:41 Lies. Eph. 4:25 Ps. 120:3-4 Pr. 26:28,12:17,19,22 Slander. 4:11 Pr. 18:8 11:13 Gossip. Pr. 11:13 26:20 Flattery. Pr. 29:5 26:28b 8:21 Proud boasting. Pr. 27:2 Isa. 14:13 Impure speech and innuendo. Eph. 5:3-4 Over talking. Pr. 13:3b 10:19 29:20 Interrupting. Pr. 18:13 Untimely speech. Pr. 27:14 Blasphemy. I Tim. 1:20 False teaching. Acts 20:29 Criticism and cursing. Ro. 12:14 Seduction. Pr. 7:21

Unwelcome teasing or humor. Pr. 26:18-20

The Tongue can build

James 3:7-9 (ESV)

. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God

Discipline

Harry Ironside

“So the tongue, seemingly so weak in-itself, has power to make or break one’s life and testimony. Nor can any man control it in his own strength. When the tongue is surrendered to Christ, and dominated by the Spirit, it becomes one of our most useful members. When it falls under the control of the Enemy, it works untold grief and damage.”

Luke 18:27

What is impossible with man is possible with God

1 Peter 2:24-25

New International Version

24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

What does this look like?

Proud boasting

Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

How may people at your church..a couple

So how do we change our pride.. well make it about others.. or Christ..

Don Gilmore Freedom to Fail. Has a friend..

“The depth of a person’s freedom is revealed in and through his ability to hold his silence and to use it discerningly. The most famous Christian I know is a man who remains silent on any subject that might lead to self-congratulations. Whenever conversation reaches a point where he might need to comment on his latest writings, honors, speech makings, experiences with other important people, he grows strangely silent or attempts to change the subject. There is a great power and freedom in him because there is much that runs deep in his soul, unarticulated and secret. I cannot imagine this man namedropping or relating his most recent prayer experience or exclaiming for all to hear how wonderfully the Lord is using him. A man like this is rooted and grounded in God’s presence and is free of the external need to be babbling like a shallow brook.”

So we build up someone’s esteem instead of making ourselves feel better

We could go through everyone today

Instead of anger ..kindness

Instead of hate.. love

Instead of gossip.. flattery

Instead of course jokes.. tell a dad Joke.

Why is this important?

Matthew 12:34-37

34 You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 35 The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. 36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

But the only way this happens is to

So in order to build and not destroy…

We must give God control of our heart

How do we do this?

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

23 Above all else, guard your heart,     for everything you do flows from it.

This is the way July 17 and 24th

Guard our hearts by putting on the armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18

Helmet of salvation.. God’s grace

Belt of truth ..Gods truth

Breastplate of Righteousness.. Gods holiness

Shoes of Gospel.. God’s redemption

Shield of faith God’s mercy

Sword of the Spirit. Gods word

Praying in the Spirit.. God’s provision

How will you use your Tongue?

James 3:10-12 (ESV)

10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Praise or Curse? Build or Destroy

Hebrews 13:15 The Message

13-15 So let’s go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is—not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. This “insider world” is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. Let’s take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus’ name.

rtt

James 3:1-12 (ESV)

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.