The Power of Prayerful Kindness
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7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.
Children’s Time: Toothpaste. Have you ever said something, you wished you would not have said? Did you you know that’s like toothpaste?
1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. 13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Introduction
Introduction
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ro. 77-10
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
,
The Christian Life is a life of struggle. If anyone ever tells you it is for wimps, or it’s an easy life—then you can count on that person being ignorant of true Christianity!
The Christian Life is a life of struggle. If anyone ever tells you it is for wimps, or it’s an easy life—then you can count on that person being ignorant of true Christianity!
The Christian Life is a life of struggle. If anyone ever tells you it is for wimps, or it’s an easy life—then you can count on that person being ignorant of true Christianity!
In fact the Christian Life, when lived properly makes the endurance of hardship easier; however, when you are a Christian and not living The Life, the Christian Life can produce a lot of misery. Hence it is NOT FOR THE PASSIVE person who just wants to roll through life trouble-free!
Three important passages remind us of who we are and how to succeed. I saved them for this day—the day I would have my final words with you.
When the Apostle Paul was explaining the role fo the Law in bringing people to Christ, he emphasized the problem was never with the OT Law, it was with people.
In fact, Paul says, The Law was good because it revealed how sinful we really are—because the purpose of the Law was to reveal to us, how often we fall short of obeying simple commands. He tells us this in:
7 Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, “You must not covet.” 8 But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. 9 At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, 10 and I died. So I discovered that the law’s commands, which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead.
Paul then deals with our struggle with sin.
I personally find the Christian Life difficult to live consistently. One moment I on a mountain top with God, hearing, experiencing Him, The next I find myself in the gutter— an unkind word, an impure thought, a poor decision takes me from the top into the valley!
Pauls reveals he has a problem. I understand this problem, because I have the same one. I like the way the version, The Message, translates this passage:
I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.
I personally find the Christian Life to be consistently lived! One moment I on a mountain top with God, hearing, experiencing Him, The next I find myself in the gutter. An unkind word, an impure thought, a poor decision takes me from the top into the valley!
Paul reminds us by sharing his experience, that even an Apostle has periods in their life when Christ is not the center; and, when we dwell in sin, rather than in Him—we stumble and grope to get a hold on that thing God calls righteousness!
ILLUSTRATION One writer said (Munson 2018)
The life I live is filled with enormous potholes which I carefully prepared that I might ensure my own failure. You would think I had better sense! It’s as if the best construction crew made a perfect smooth road, intended to make travel comfortable and painless for the weary. And the night before I travel the road, I run ahead to tear up the pavement, and remove all the signage. Then just in case, I sabotage my vehicle and drain the fuel to make sure I feel the full weight of my indiscretions! What’s wrong with me? Have I got no sense!
What’s wrong with me? Have I got no sense!
The Christian Life was lived perfectly by Jesus, who modeled our walk to make us better understand what God expects. Yet we still have a tendency to choose poorly and make decisions which harm us rather than help us. Yet, what the Maker of the road intended for me, is often thwarted by my own bad choices! Like the Apostle, I want to do right, and I find myself too often destroying what is good in my life. Whoa is me!
Paul said, we are empowered to live the right life as new creations in Christ, but our problem is, we still possess the old life that seeks to drag us back into sin.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
“new has come” — an expectation of a new thing! New significance!
The Americans Indians used to say, “the problem is the wolf! My father-in-law Daniel Reed (Running Horse was his Cherokee name), said there are two wolves inside us. He used to tell this story:
An old Cherokee was teaching his grandson about life:
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One is evil–he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you–and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Which one are you feeding?
James tells us the battle for the Christian Life is won or lost with the tongue.
James tells us the battle for the Christian Life is won or lost with the tongue.
He tells us we know we are progressing in our walk with God when we begin to tame the tongue.
Read :
2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
James 3:2-
1 Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. 6 And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 7 People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, 8 but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 12 Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring. 13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. 17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.
Notice James has the same problem as Paul; he is writing about a problem all of us have—how we can’t even control our tongue! Sometimes we speak and trash just pours out!
Notice James has the same problem as Paul; he did not have perfect control of his life either.
he DID NOT have perfect control of his life either.
Like Paul, we want to do good, but find ourselves doing wrong!
Like Paul, we want to do good, but find ourselves doing wrong!
Do you ever have that problem? I do! Sometimes my mouth just opens and garbage comes out!
Taming the tongue can be difficult without good tools
Taming the tongue can be difficult without good tools
Fortunately God provided three tools to help us along the path
The tools God gave to us, can be mastered but few have done it. If mastered, they will produce huge blessings and bring you great comfort, peace, and joy.
We spend a lifetime trying to master them; he mentions them in this passage:
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
What is Paul saying to us?
We hear a lot of things we would better off not repeating—primarily because we do not really know if they are true.
What is Paul telling us?
We hear a lot of things we would better off not repeating—primarily because we do not really know if they are true.
Sometimes we know something is true, yet it’s disturbing; but, it’s really not necessary to pass it on. Often we would do more good by saying nothing—I have times I wish I had said nothing!
We might need to share a concern with someone who can do something about it; but, too often we share what we know with anyone who will listen!
That’s what Paul was referring too when he said we know what is right, but we still do what is wrong! That’s what he means when he says, “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
Paul highlights three words that give us guidance to deal with our problems, and we use them we will have comfort, pace, and joy!
Paul highlights three words that give us guidance to deal with our problems, and we use them we will have comfort, pace, and joy!
Kindness: friendly, considerate, generous, not harmful
He uses the word “Kind” (friendly, considerate, generous, not harmful)
“Tender-hearted” better translated as "compassionate” (To give the best part, a peace offering)
“Forgiving” (the action of setting aside a wrong)
My parting words to you are brief, so that you might remember:
My parting words to you are brief, so that you might remember:
29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
First, BE KIND!
First, BE KIND!
Be friendly, considerate to one another, generous to a fault, and never harmful to other—even when others seek to harm you.
You never know how your words and actions, may just be the difference someone needs to make through another day.
Next BE COMPASSIONATE!
Next BE COMPASSIONATE!
, ,
Give the best part of yourself. Be the first to make a peace offering.
Last, BE FORGIVING!
Last, BE FORGIVING!
Always remember, you represent the King of kings as a child of the King, and the world will only know Christ if they see Him in you!
Always remember, you represent the King of kings as a child of the King, and the world will only know Christ if they see Him in you!
As Jesus set aside your wrongs so you could become his friend, be the first to set aside the wrongs others committed against you. Make your enemies into your friends.
BE KIND! BE COMPASSIONATE! BE FORGIVING!
If you do, you will be blessed with comfort, peace, and joy.
It is true, the Christian Life when lived properly makes the endurance of hardship easier; however, when you are a Christian and not living The Life, the Christian Life can produce a lot of misery. Hence it is not for the passive purpose who just wants to roll through life trouble-free!
Two important passages remind us of who we are and our responsibilities. These two passages I saved for this day—the day I will have my last words with you.
When the Apostle Paul was explaining the role fo the Law in bringing people to Christ, he emphasized the problem was never with the OT Law, it was with people.
In fact, Paul says The Law revealed how sinful he really was—because the purpose of the Law was to reveal to us, how often we fall short of obeying simple commands. He tells us this in
Paul then deals with our struggle with sin.
Pauls reveals he has a problem. I understand this problem, because I have the same one. I like the way the version, The Message, translates this passage:
I can anticipate the response that is coming: “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise. So if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.
I personally find the Christian Life to be consistently lived! One moment I on a mountain top with God, hearing, experiencing Him, The next I find myself in the gutter. An unkind word, an impure thought, a poor decision takes me from the top into the valley!
Paul reminds us by sharing his experience, that even an Apostle needs to be reminded they have periods in their life when Christ is not the center. And when we dwell in sin, rather than in Him—we stumble and grope to get a hold on that thing God calls righteousness!
ILLUSTRATION One writer said (Munson 2018)
The life I live is filled with enormous potholes which I carefully prepared that I might ensure my failure. It’s as if the best construction crew made a perfect smooth road, intended to make travel comfortable and painless for the weary. And the night before I travel the road, I run ahead to tear up the pavement, and remove all the signage. Then just in case, I sabotage my vehicle and drain the fuel to make sure I feel the full weight of my indiscretions. What’s wrong with me? Have I got no sense! The Christian Life was lived perfectly by Jesus, who modeled our walk to make us better understand what God expects. Yet we still have a tendency to choose poorly and make decisions which harm us rather than help us.
Paul said, we are empowered to live the right life as new creations in Christ, but our problem is, we still possess the old life that seeks to drag us back into sin.
The problem is the wolf, aunt he Americans Indians used to say. My father-in-law Daniel Reed (Running Horse was his Cherokee name), said there are two wolves inside us. He used to tell this story:
An old Cherokee was teaching his grandson about life:
“A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One is evil–he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”
He continued, “The other is good – he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you–and inside every other person, too.”
The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Which one are you feeding?
The battle for the Christian Life is won when when we begin to tame the tongue.
Read .
Notice James has the same problem as Paul; he did not have perfect control of his life either.
Taming the tongue can be difficult without good tools. Fortunately God provided two tools to help us along the path. The tools God gave to us, can be mastered but few have done it. If mastered, they will produce huge blessings and bring you great comfort and peace.
We spend a lifetime trying to master them. The tools are KINDNESS and COMPASSION.
We hear a lot of things we would better off not repeating—primarily because we do not really know if they are true.
Sometimes we know something is true, yet disturbing, but it’s really not necessary to pass it on. We might need to share with someone who can do something about, but too often we share just because we want too.
That’s what Paul was referring too when he said we know what is right, but we still do what is wrong!
He said it was because we sin. The Cherokee’s said it’s because we feed the wrong wolf!
Paul reminds us to do what is kind and compassionate!
Kindness: friendly, considerate, generous, not harmful
Compassion: The best part, a peace offering.
My parting word to you are to be KIND, be COMPASSIONATE. You never know how your words and the way you deliver them, may just be the difference someone needs to come or return to Christ.