Creature of Habit 2

Last week we looked at learning what putting off the old person and putting on the new meant. It means that spiritually we’re going to change our clothes.

And we’re spiritually dressed in the attitudes and thoughts of the mind as well as the desires of the heart.

So to put it plainly we should be diligently working from the point of salvation on to change our habits.

Now that we understand that ..then it’s only natural that we start with one of the biggest players in our change or lack thereof.....

You may or may not remember last Sunday when we challenged each other.......Do You Remember??? Fasting negative speech.

That was all to start you on the journey of change for this most unruly of members........The Tongue.

Text , , 18:21

Because the tongue is the instrument of speech, many passages use the word metaphorically (or metonymically) to praise or criticize the kinds of speech in which humans engage. The speech that comes from the tongue can be either good or evil (; ; ; ).

Proverbs addresses these matters in picturesque language. “The tongue of the righteous is pure silver” (10:20 HCSB). “The tongue of the wise [brings] healing, … but a lying tongue [is for] only a moment” (12:18–19). “The tongue that heals is a tree of life” (15:4). “A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone” (25:15). Finally, for the “capable wife,” “loving instruction is on her tongue” (31:26).

The tongue can be a window into the human heart.

It pronounces the thoughts and intents contained in the heart, which could be good () or evil (; ; ; ; ).

The tongue is important in demonstrating one’s true relationship to God.

For the unbeliever the tongue is an instrument of deceit, showing man’s true nature (). Jesus said that it is by men’s words that they are justified or condemned ().

Controlling the tongue is one of the keys to a successful life (; ; ). It is so potent that both death and life are in its power (). The tongue is sharp, even as sharp as a sword () or an arrow (, ).

So Heres Todays Big Idea

Big Idea For Today: As believers, we need to cultivate good habits for our most unruly member—the tongue.

1. Appetite of the Tongue

Proverbs 18: 21 The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Another translation states that,“those who love [the tongue] will eat its fruit.” ,

The Hebrew word here that we translate to love, is

“aheb” which means “an appetite for”

Thus, those who have an appetite to speak will reap either life or death, depending on the words they use with others.

Maybe that is why Scripture teaches us to be swift to hear and slow to speak ().

Your appetite to talk in any given situation shows your growth or lack thereof.

Your appetite or “love” tells on you…

Appetite:diet

*Sometime your appetite shows you either don’t care that you look like a hypocrite when you talk or you’ve never recognized that its a pattern you need to change……

**who knows maybe the other pastors you’ve been under in the last 30 years didn’t teach on this….

so that brings us to our next point.

2. Recognize the Key Cue

The Key to changing any destructive habit of the “old clothes” we once wore, is the same as the key to changing the way we speak.

or The Key to changing any destructive habit of the “old clothes” we once wore,

That key is to slow life down and recognize the “cues” and then respond correctly.

is to slow life down and recognize the “cues” and then respond correctly. I would not have been successful in sobriety if i didn’t slow down, recognize the cues and respond correctly. See Habits can be changed if we understand how they work. Habits are shaped around a cue, routine, and reward. Certain cues trigger cravings that lead us to follow a certain routine to get a certain reward. The routine is the habit that is changeable”

I would not have been successful in sobriety if i didn’t slow down, recognize the cues and respond correctly.

“Know yourself, Manage yourself”

See Habits can be changed if we understand how they work.

Habits are shaped around three things/steps 1. cue, 2. routine, and 3. reward.

So Habits revolve around a cue, the routine and then a reward.

1. cue, 2. routine, and 3. reward. Certain cues trigger cravings that lead us to follow a certain routine to get a certain reward. The routine is the habit that is changeable”

Certain cues trigger cravings that lead us to follow a ; certain routine to get a ;certain reward.

The Cue is out of our control, and the reward is hardwired ......Its #2 The routine that is the habit which is changeable”

Illustration:

Joe has held onto hurts and pains from years in the past..and actually finds friendship in Insecurity because its all hes ever tried to know. This Insecurity has caused Joe to form many habits or routines that may temporally relieve him but in the long run only cause a larger void in his heart.

One routine is lashing out.....Hes corrected or given constructive criticism {Thats the cue} and instead of accepting this guidance his Routine is to lash out in defensiveness and harsh criticism of his brother.....even bringing up private discussions and slanderous lies.... Just to gain the REWARD of feeling better about himself.

The cue is correction, The routine is the habit, and the reward is feeling better about himself. Change the habit to positive acceptance and the reward is the same just more meaningful , more than surface level

“Know yourself, Manage yourself”

3. Why Start Here

We start with taming the tongue, because it is a significant player in our entire walk with Christ, as seen in

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.

“The design is to show that if a man can control his tongue, he has complete dominion over himself, as much as a man has over a horse by the bit, or as a steersman has over a ship if he has hold of the rudder. He is perfect in that sense, that he has complete control over himself”

The aim of the believer is control over self…..you give control of yourself over to Christ. Meaning you don’t speak the things that YOU would but what CHRIST would.

Unfortunately James also reminds us that the tongue of flesh is a deadly poison…..and his Brother in Christ offered us something for that poison

which is point 4

4. The Antidote

Paul offered the antidote to destructive speech as he shared the contrast of poor speech with good speech.

So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

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.

Rather than lying, speak truth ()

and instead of tearing down, build up with your speech ().

“Paul forbids all foul-mouthed speaking; and then goes on to put the same thing positively.

The Christian should be characterized by words which help his fellow men.

In Job and his friends have been siting in silence for 7 days

Eliphaz the Temanite Sees his friend Job has been knocked off his feet, which he believes is due to sin but before he rebukes Job he paid Job a tremendous compliment. ‘Your words,’ he said, ‘have kept men on their feet’ ().

Such are the words that every Christian ought to speak”

Application Point:There is great power in the spoken word, and so we must habitually speak goodness and life with that power.

Along with building others up Paul was burdened to mention another type of talk:

Living in a world that speaks falsehoods, it is ever important to speak truth. Phycologist at U of Massachusetts have studied lying for more than a decade,

and the research has reached some startling conclusions.

Most shocking is that 60% of people lie during a typical 10-minute conversation and that they average two to three lies during that short timeframe”.

on top of that they’ve found that

Physiologically, words can affect our brains.

“Positive words, such as ‘peace’ and ‘love,’ can alter the expression of genes, strengthening areas in our frontal lobes and promoting the brain’s cognitive functioning.

They propel the motivational centers of the brain into action, and build resiliency.

Conversely, hostile language can disrupt specific genes that play a key part in the production of neurochemicals that protect us from stress. Humans are hardwired to worry— part of our primal brains protecting us from threats to our survival—so our thoughts naturally go here first”

Closing

Messly. Megan and/or Wesley=Messly Music time IF’n i dont call jalen up…if youre still reading this and i havent called jalen up you should be playing music.

My Closing illustration is taken from Gene Edwards’ book, “A Tale of Three Kings.”

It is based on the Old Testament story of King Saul and King David.

Saul was trying to kill David due to his hurt and jealousy. ()

his hurt and jealousy. ()

There once was a tale, a tale of two kings, King Saul and King David...and a third king, if you like - that would be the King in you.

It is the story of how we all grasp for power, control and the “kingship” in different ways in our lives.

So what makes a King after the “Order of Saul”?

All Kings after the order of Saul love to throw their words like Spears towards anyone friend or foe in order to maintain the illusion of control. They love power more than people. They care more for their own comfort than for their friends. They believe that the only way to answer hurt is to hurt back.

And every “King Saul” will die some day,

still believing they had a right to throw all their spears, but they die bitter and bloody from their own swords.

What was David’s secret to keep from being hit by the “spears” of King Saul?

Never pick up the fashionable, easily mastered art of spear-throwing. It is an “art” which is quickly learned, but costly and difficult to unlearn.

Stay out of the company of spear-throwers. If you continue to watch and listen to their“spears,” you will soon find yourself throwing your own.

And lastly and perhaps most importantly, learn to keep your mouth tightly closed, even when talking with those closest to you.

So today, you answer the question...

“AM I A KING AFTER THE ‘ORDER OF SAUL’...OR AFTER THE ‘ORDER OF DAVID?’” There is an eternity of difference, you know.

All Kings after the order of Saul love power more than people. They care more for their owncomfort than for their friends. They believe that the only way to answer hurt is to hurt back.

And every “King Saul” will die some day, still believing they had a right to throw all their spears,but they die bitter and bloody from their own swords.

was David’s secret to keep from being hit by the “spears” of King Saul?

Never pick up the fashionable, easily mastered art of spear-throwing. It is an “art” which isquickly learned, but costly and difficult to unlearn.

Stay out of the company of spear-throwers. If you continue to watch and listen to their“spears,” you will soon find yourself throwing your own.

And lastly and perhaps most importantly, learn to keep your mouth tightly closed, even whentalking with those closest to you.

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