Ephesians 4:29 - A Life Style That Honors God
Thomas S. Myers
A Life Style That Honors God
Part 3
Ephesians 4:29
It is interesting the name that parents will give their children. My wife Velva knew a girl that was born on Christmas day whose parents last name was Reith. So her parents gave their daughter the first name of Holly. That made her Holly Reith. My mother had a doctor with the last name Bushyhead, and he was bald. I thought that was bad until I came across Dr. Grief. I once read in the newspaper of a lady whose first name was Ima and she married a man with the last name of Pigg. That made her name Ima Pigg. And then Rosy married Harry Sidebottom, so her name became Rosy Sidebottom. When I worked for Sears I came across the name Douglas Fir Wood. My wife and I knew a guy in college whose name was Forrest Bush, and his mothers name is Rose Bush.
FOURTH -- EXCHANGE CORRUPT COMMUNICATION FOR EDIFYING.
A. INVISIBLE MURDER IS FORBIDDEN.
This is the murder that no one sees. No real blood is shed in invisible murder. But God writes it down as murder. What is it? Its murder that is in the heart. Jesus put it this way:
Matthew 15:19
19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. (NIV)
Read Jesus commentary the 6th commandment.
Matthew 5:21-22
21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, `Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, `You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. (NIV)
Jesus said, "If you heart burns with anger towards other people, in heaven they write it down as murder. You can kill a reputation by your whispering criticism. I heard of man who became angry at someone in his church. So he started some hurtful rumors about the individual. Soon there were a group of people who believed the rumors. The man who's reputation was ruined suffered a heart attack suffered because of the false rumors. As he laid on his hospital bed, in walked the man who started the rumors. He apologized and asked for forgiveness. He said, "I had no idea that it would hurt so. Please forgive me." The man forgive him and then asked if he would open the widow. He opened the widow and then asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" The man said, "Yes, would you get that other pillow over there." The man picked up the pillow and then was asked to hold it out side the window and release all the feathers outside. The wind blew the feathers in several hundred different directions. The man then asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" The man who suffered the heart attack said, "Yes, would you go and gather up all the feathers?" The man replied, "I can't do that, it's impossible." The other man replied, "And it is impossible for you to undue the damage that you heaped on me." The apostle John put it this way:
1 John 3:15
15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. (NIV)
1 John 4:20
20 If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. (NIV)
Its time we hand in America, a good old fashioned baptism of love. One women went to the doctor, he looked very serious and she said, "What's wrong?" He said, "You have rabies." she got out a pencil and started to write and he said, "What are you doing, making out your will?" She said, "No, I'm making a list of people I'm going to bite." I believe I've met her.
B. BY PROFANITY.
What does profanity show about an individual?
First, it shows an utter contempt for God. Anyone who will take the Holy name of God and mix it with the sewer of this world shows a total lack of respect for God. Sometimes after you rebuke an individual for profanity they will say, "Oh, I didn't mean anything by
it." What are they really saying? They are saying, "God is meaningless to me." God means no more to them than a dead dog. That is what the word "VAIN" means for you who have the King James version of the Bible. When you use profanity it shows an utter contempt for God.
Second, it shows who shall receive the judgment of God. Why the judgment of God? Because the third commandment is just that, it is a command of God. Take a good look at it.
Exodus 20:7
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God
It is not a suggestion. To use God's name in cussing or cursing shows absolute rebellion against God's law. If you want to see just how rotten your character is, just listen to your speech. When someone swears it shows they do not care for the laws of God, and God will judge that individual. When a man sins by stealing, he may get what he steals. When a man commits murder, he may get revenge. But what does a man get when he curses? He receives the judgment of God.
Exodus 20:7
7 for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (NIV)
The Bible clearly teaches us that we are to avoid profanity. Look at:
Ephesians 5:4
4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of plac
Jesus said, we ought to pray,
Matthew 6:9
9 "hallowed be your name, (NIV)
A Christian lady wanted a parrot that could talk. She looked in several shops before finding one. The owner told her, however, that the parrot had been previously owned by a bartender and though he could say anything, he also on occasion used profanity. She told him she would buy him anyway and teach him to say good things. Everything went well for about a month. He learned to say "Praise the Lord" and a number of other Christian words and phrases. One day she forgot to feed him and when she came into the house she heard him cursing. She grabbed him up and said, "I told you not to talk that way. I'll teach you never to do it again." So she put him in the deep freeze and shut the door. A few minutes later she took him out and asked, "Have you learned your lesson?" The bird shivered and replied, "Yes, Ma'am." She asked, "Are you going to talk that way anymore?" The parrot replied, "No, Ma'am." About seven months went by and not a bit of bad language. Apparently the bird was cured of his rascally habits. Then one day she forgot to feed him, water him, or change his cage. When she returned home that day he was carrying on worse than ever. She grabbed him and put him back in the freezer but forgot him for some time. He was almost frozen to death when she thought of him. She had to lean him in his cage to thaw out. Finally he began to move and talk a little and she asked him again, "Did you learn your lesson?" "YES, MA'AM!" he retorted. Then he sat there quietly for a few more minutes shivering and said, "Can I ask you a question?" She answered, "Yes." The parrot said, "I thought I knew all the bad words there were, but just what did that turkey in there say?" While we may laugh at that, using the name of God in humor is no laughing matter.
Exodus 20:7
7 for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (NIV)
Third, vain praise.
When we sang, "My Jesus I love thee, I know Thou art mine, for Thee all the folly of sin I resign," do you mean it? To sing, "Jesus you mean more to me than anything," Do you mean that? If you don't mean that, then why do you sing it? You take the name of God in vain. We stand and sing, "I surrender all, all to Jesus, I surrender," then we go out and live for self and self alone. We sing, "Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold." And then hold it with all our might. Jesus was right when he said,
Mark 7:7
7 "They worship me in vain." (NIV)
When we sing we are to sing unto the Lord.
Romans 15:9
9 I will sing hymns to your name." (NIV)
C. THE SLANDERER.
The Bible says in James 4:11
11 Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. (NIV)