Living A Toxic Free Life

INTRODUCTION: House Rules

Give Up Falsehood

Ephesians 4:25 ESV

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

we are members one of another - if we are one body, when you lie, you are hurting yourself and all of us.

We lie to make ourself look good, to keep peace, to cover sin. etc…But we are hurting ourselves.

Give up Anger

Ephesians 4:26–27 ESV

26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil.

Be angry and do not sin - command, but not to be angry. Emotions are not sinful, but what we do with that emotion is. God has emotions. He has been angry, therefore it is not sin.

(V31 says to put away anger)

We should be angry about what God is angry about. (But always be more angry about your sin than others)

This anger should drive us back to God. Like my kids when they hurt each other. They come to their parents. (maybe specific example? haha)

From Psalm 4:4 - this is great life advice. Don’t go to bed angry. AT ANYONE. First your spouse, laying two different ways.

Is winning the fight worth losing your marriage over?

But also, don’t go to be angry about others, (fox news)

Give no opportunity to the devil - if you don’t let your anger go, it will leave the door open for the devil to come in.

Give up Theft

Ephesians 4:28 ESV

28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.

thief no longer steal - if you are a thief, that is what you do. We sin because we are sinners. But Paul says stop. Only by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In today’s culture, we have less and less people actually working. If you can work you should.

Notice why: SO THAT - have something to share with anyone in need. You should work hard enough to be able to share with others.

Give Up Corrupting Talk

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

corrupting talk - Lord’s name in vain. Curse words. dirty jokes, racist language. - literally the word is rotten.

Building up - life giving vs life sucking.

as fits the occasion -

give grace to those who hear - give God’s grace (more here?)

Give Up Grieving the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 4:30 ESV

30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Don’t make momma cry - haha.

Many of us had to see our kids live through horrible times, and that is some of the worst grief you can face. That is a picture of what happens when we are sin, ecspecially towards each other.

Ephesians 4:31–32 ESV

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor - All this divisness be put away.

Be kind,

Why do we forgive? Because God forgave you.

Its really hard to climb on top of people who you care deeply about.

CONCLUSION: illustration of unforgiving man parable. maybe modern. … Mom’s just want kids to get along.