Keep your foot out of your mouth

TEXT:                                      JAMES 1:19-21

PRAYER

TITLE:              KEEPING YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH

INTRODUCTION

Ø     If you are like me you have probably spoken a few words that you wish you never had.

Ø     In fact, I can remember a number of conversations through the years that I wish I could move back the hands of time and erase.

Ø     One thing I have learned is that words are a lot like toothpaste.

à    Once they leave the tube they can never get put back into the tube.

Ø     I suspect that there is many a person in the hearing of my voice today that has uttered words they wish they could put back into the tube.

à    It is my unfortunate duty to inform you that it WILL NOT happen!

Ø     So, since I cannot help you retrieve those words perhaps I can help you so that you don't utter anymore and put your foot in your mouth!

Ø     There are five simple things that can help us all keep our foot out of our mouths.

Ø     Of course we find these five things in our text in James 1.

Ø     James is what is considered by many to be the proverbs of the New Testament.

Ø     It is a book filled with very practical advice that is still relevant today.

Ø     In fact, as we lead up to our text the basic message of chapter 1 is the testing of our faith.

Ø     In chapter 1 we discover some important things.

à    For instance, when we have trials in our Christian life we are to REJOICE!

à    That is probably NOT the typical response for most of us!

à    Not only that but in verse 12 of chapter 1 we discover that we are to remain steadfast when the trials of life come upon us.

à    This too is NOT the typical response of most of us.

à    If you are like me you want to run for cover!

à    The trials of life usually evoke some interesting responses.

à    We blame God. “God, why me?” 'Don't you care?” “Why would you allow this?”.

›        The trials of life and an incorrect response can shipwreck your faith and absolutely destroy your testimony!

à    We blame others.

›        This puts us into the “vengeance” or “get even” mode.

›        Lawsuits and media hype are all attempts at vengeance.

à    But the bottom line is that the trials of life evoke a response.

à    For the most part some of this response is verbal and that is what James has in view here.

à    Our attempts to deal with other people and to deal with the events of our lives set us up and make us susceptible to put our foot in our mouths.

BODY

 1.  FIRST, TO KEEP YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH YOU MUST BE SLOW TO SPEAK

a.    This important but often forgotten admonition is found in verse 19.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

b.    The old admonition to count to 10 before speaking is a very good piece of advice and squares up well with what James said.

c.    Additionally, we need to weigh our words very carefully.

 i).  This is a large part of what it means to be slow to speak.

 ii). Somebody's else's well-being may depend on it.

 iii).                  In fact, your own well-being may depend on it.

d.    What is the practical advantage of weighing our words?

 i).  The writer of the Proverbs has the answer to this. Listen to what he said.

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

 ii). Let me share that verse from the ESV.

Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

 1).So we see that there are time when it is a real advantage some times in keeping quiet!

 2).In fact there are some people who will be regarded as extremely intelligent just be being silent!

 3).It is a sad day when people think someone to be a fool but it is a worse day when the fool speaks and confirms it!

 iii).                  Words chronically spoken in haste could easily lead to a dangerous and perhaps hopeless situation.

 1).Listen again to what the writer of proverbs said in Prov. 29:20.

Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him.

e.    It is absolutely critical that we understand the power, affect and consequences of our words.

 i).  The writer of Proverbs said another thing about the power of words. Listen to Prov. 18:20-21 in the ESV.

From the fruit of a man's mouth his stomach is satisfied; he is satisfied by the yield of his lips. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

 ii). What this means for you today is that the words you speak on a day to day basis hold the key of life and death.

APPLICATION: WEIGH YOUR WORDS VERY CAREFULLY AND NEVER BE HASTY IN SPEECH. YOUR WELFARE AND THE WELFARE OF THOSE AROUND YOU ARE AT STAKE.

 2.  SECOND, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUGHT YOU MUST BE QUICK TO LISTEN

a.    Listen to verse 19 of James chapter 1 in the ESV.

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger

b.    First you must avoid at all costs erupting into anger.

 i).  The writer of proverbs teaches us the necessity of “keeping your cool” at all times. Listen to Proverbs 16:32.

He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

 ii). Avoiding anger and keeping your cool can be very difficult if you allow yourself to be ruled by your basic instincts.

 iii).                  The flesh tells us that “they” have it coming and you are going to be the one to get the job done!

 iv).                  But the Spirit actually tells us a different story.

 1).The fruit of the Spirit should be the rule for ALL Christians.

 2).Listen to Gal. 5:22-23.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

c.    Second it is extremely helpful to assume the posture of a listener.

 i).  Listen to Proverbs 18:13.

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

 ii). These words warn us of the necessity to listen very carefully BEFORE we speak a word!

 iii).                  Don't make “snap” judgments. LISTEN beforehand!

 iv).                  When we DON'T heed this instruction we usually wind up PUTTING OUR FOOT IN OUR MOUTHS!

d.    The people of Moses' day were certainly known as a people who put their foot in their mouths but God sent instruction to them by Moses.

 i).  Listen to those words from Exodus 15:26 (ESV)

 "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer."

 ii). The instruction was incredibly simple, “Listen” and “Do”.

 iii).                  Could it be that these are good words for our day?

APPLICATION: YOU HAVE TWO EARS AND ONE MOUTH FOR A REASON. BE A LISTENER!

 3.  THIRD, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH YOU MUST BE SLOW TO ANGER

a.    We already touched on some of this but look again at verses 19 and 20 of James chapter 1.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

b.    As a parent you MUST be low to anger.

 i).  No amount of yelling (outburst) at your kids will turn them into righteous kids.

 ii). If you are prone to yelling at your children would you consider engaging them in conversation.

 iii).                  Find out about their world and the pressures they are under.

 iv).                  If you can understand where they are at and what they are dealing with you will be better positioned to “steer” towards righteousness and hopefully towards Christ.

c.    As a person you MUST be slow to anger.

 i).  No amount of yelling (outburst) will make you look good.

 ii). There is nothing more pitiful than a Christian person who has temper problems.

 iii).                  What a disservice they do to the name of Christ.

 iv).                  Not only do they make Christ look bad but they make themselves look bad and it simply destroys any testimony they have.

d.    As a Christian you MUST be slow to anger.

 i).  No amount of yelling (outburst) will accomplish what God wants to accomplish in your life.

 ii). In fact listen to James 1:20 again from the ESV.

For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God

e.    The bottom line is this, you will have no influence at all in your Christian life if you are a person prone to anger.

APPLICATION: POWERFUL CHRISTIANS ARE THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR SPIRITS IN CHECK AT ALL TIMES.

 4.  FOURTH, IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR FOOT OUT OF YOUR MOUTH GET RID OF IMMORALITY AND EVIL IN YOUR LIFE

a.    Friends, if you allow sin to reside in your life you will be prone to doing foolish things.

b.    Look at verse 21.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

c.    Now that verse can be a little difficult to get a handle on. Listen to it in the ESV.

Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

d.    When we become distracted by sin in our lives there is no possible way to devote yourself to controlling anger in your life.

 i).  You see, when sin reigns in your life we are prone to feelings of guilt and shame and this distracts us from our purpose.

 ii). We become angry at ourselves and this spreads to others as well.

e.    The sad truth is this, when anger is not controlled you will invariably put your foot in your mouth!

APPLICATION: CHECK YOURSELF INTERNALLY. IS WHAT IS LIVING INSIDE KEEPING YOU ANGRY AND CAUSING YOU TO PUT YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH?

 5.  LASTLY, HUMBLY ACCEPT THE WORD OF GOD

a.    Preventing putting your foot in your mouth hinges on this one!

b.    Look at verse 21 again as we prepare to close.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

c.    The key to making it all work resides in our ability to submit to the Word of God.

 i).  The Bible must always be our final authority and guide.

 ii). Everything you do, everything you say, everything that you allow in your life must submit to the authority of the Word of God.

 iii).                  Quite frankly, we are in the shape we're in both individually and corporately because we are NOT in submission to the Word.

d.    Submission to the Word yields incredible results.

 i).  When we yield to the Word we get freedom in our spirits.

 ii). Listen to the words of Paul as found in Colossians 3:16.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

 iii).                  Submitting to the authority of the Word will put a song in your heart.

 iv).                  It will free you to truly worship, love the brethren and love the lost.

CONCLUSION

Ø     What if I put my foot in my mouth?

à    Admit it is the first step.

à    Second step is to ask for God's help to prevent another occurance.

à    Third step is to find those you hurt and confess it.

à    Finally, move on. Don't linger long over the failure.

w      To do this invites the adversary to play with your emotions.

Ø     If you want to avoid putting your foot in your mouth:

à    Be slow to speak.

à    Be quick to listen.

à    Be slow to anger.

à    Get rid of any known immorality or sin.

à    Humbly submit to God's Word.

à    AND MOVE ON in faith!