Power and significance of speech

Words.....

Words are so powerful, they can speak life into someone or they can destroy someone.

There is a phase out there that they say came around 1894 “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.

This phase is one that I grew up, I was being bullied when we lived in Germany and my mother taught me this phase to help with the words that where being throw at me.

As we all have grown, we have realized that bones heal quickly, but recovery from words that are spoken over you that meant harm can take a life time to get over.

So this morning we will be talking about Gossip.

Gossip.

What is Gossip: Gossip is a casual conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true

what if I told you that Gossip is one of the greats tools that satan uses to destroys individuals, couples, and families. It ruins careers and it even destroys church congregations.

So this morning we will be looking a:

The impact of speech

The timing of speech

Speech is an expression of ones character.

This is our main passage this morning.

Ephesians 4:29 NIV

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

1. The impact of our speech

It has the power of life and death

Proverbs 18:8 HCSB

A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being.

Proverbs 15:4 HCSB

The tongue that heals is a tree of life, but a devious tongue breaks the spirit.

Proverbs 18:8

When we are in conversation with someone we must realize that the words we say about someone can bring life or death on someone. This verse is so powerful, the tongue that heals is a tree of life. We see in this verse that there is power in the words we speak over someone. When it says heal, its saying that our words of encouragement could be exactly what someone needs to help them get through there day.

We also see in this verse that the devious tongue breaks the spirit.

There are times we can get all caught up in gossip and sometimes we don’t even realize it because its 2nd nature for us.

We love a good story, Hollywood stays so popular because of all the drama.

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Proverbs 12:13–14 HCSB

An evil man is trapped by his rebellious speech, but a righteous one escapes from trouble. A man will be satisfied with good by the words of his mouth, and the work of a man’s hands will reward him.

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It can destroy others

Proverbs 11:9 HCSB

With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.

When I was doing some research these past couple of weeks I ran across a quote that really hit me.

“Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.

Eleanor Rossevelt

I had to read this quote a number of times to really see what The First Lady was saying.

What happens is, when we spend our time talking about people instead of other things we will get ourselves all caught up in Gossip.

Gossip is the devils radio, don’t be is DJ

Like we heard earlier by Chris, lying words is the devils language, are we going to speak destruction on someone or restoration.

All it takes is for someone to take what was said to them and then twist it into something that wasn’t in the first place. When we do that it can destroy individuals, destroy marriages, families, careers and so on.

You know its been said: believe none of what you hear, and only half of what you see.

The facts are nearly always distorted as they pass from ear to ear.

It can bring life to others

Proverbs 10:11 HCSB

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

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2. The timing of speech

There is an appropriate time for speaking

Ecclesiastes 3:7 HCSB

a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak;

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 HCSB

There is an occasion for everything, and a time for every activity under heaven: a time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot; a time to kill and a time to heal; a time to tear down and a time to build; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to avoid embracing; a time to search and a time to count as lost; a time to keep and a time to throw away; a time to tear and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace.

My wife was reading the bread of life booklet and when she read chapter 1-3, I had picked up on a verse. chapter 3 verse 7b

My wife was reading the bread of life booklet and when she read chapter 1-3, I had picked up on a verse. chapter 3 verse 7b

There

“a time to be silent and a time to speak.”

Proverbs 11:12–13 HCSB

Whoever shows contempt for his neighbor lacks sense, but a man with understanding keeps silent. A gossip goes around revealing a secret, but a trustworthy person keeps a confidence.

These are some wise words written down by king Solomon.

There are many times we are quick to spread the next big juicy story around town.

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I remember when I moaved to Ellaville from Bradenton, Fl. I had moved to Ellaville at the end of May, so it was summer, I didn’t know anyone my age here. That first summer I learned what real hard back labor was all about. When I started school in August I had no idea that most of the high school had known that I was in town and rumors are spread of why I had moved here.

There are times when we are in conversation with someone its probably best just to keep our mouth shut and steer the conversation in another direction.

Spoken witness produces faith

Romans 10:17 HCSB

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

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Jesus Christ was silent before his accusers

1 Peter 2:22–23 HCSB

He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth; when He was reviled, He did not revile in return; when He was suffering, He did not threaten but entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly.

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3. Speech is an expression of ones character

Matthew 12:33–37 HCSB

“Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 12:34–37 HCSB

Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good man produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil man produces evil things from his storeroom of evil. I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Matthew 12:33

We finish this morning with this last point, you can tell the character of someone by the way and the words they us while talking to them.

Growing up Military I have meet a ton of people in my life and seems to me that no matter where we ended up there was the same people. I don’t mean the same people, but the same kinds of people.

So has being the social butterfly that I am, I have learned how to pick up on cues.

wither its bodily cues, verbal cues, and even facial cues.

And doing so, while growing up in different schools I was good at picking which groups of friends would better me.

We see in this passage Jesus uses the tree bearing fruit for us on how we act and treat others.

If you know anything about raising a garden what you feed your fruit trees will determine what kind of fruit it produces.

Jesus speaks so much volume on how important it is to make sure we feed our hearts with words that will encourage our self and others, but more times than not, we will fill our hearts with so much trash and eventually that trash over flows instead of the good.

When we begin to gossip about other people, the thing is the one your talking to will think, “man is that what he/she says about me when he/she is talking to someone else.”

Walking in integrity is so important. We should be the salt and the light to the world, when we speak it should be of things that encourage others not tear them down.

Because remember this, they are a child of God and God says vengeance is mine says the Lord.

So, is your heart filled with Gods word, or is it filled with the world.

satan wants to us those hearts that are filled with evil to kill and destroy.

I have seen some of the strongest, faithful men be used by satan because they had stepped away from Gods word for just a short while.

All it takes is for one little detail to be missing in a story, and it will destroy, an individual, a family, a marriage, and even destroy the congregation of a church

Time of restoration for the broken

Philippians 2:1–4 HCSB

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal. Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Philippians 2:1-

I would like to give a moment to those of yall that have either been on the receiving end of gossip or even the gossiper.

Jesus tells us that we should look out for others.

Jesus reminds us that He can heal the broken.

Stop holding on to the guilt and shame.

For those of yall that have been hurt stop holding on to it, bitterness has already done enough damage in your life. Its time to forgive so you can move on with your life and you will better be able to see what Christ has in store when you let go of that bitterness.