WEBVTT 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:11.759 You're listening to the VFC Sermon Podcast. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:22.320 At the end of this episode, please take a moment to download our free VFC Thomasville app, where you can access all of our messages, sermon notes, announcements, and smaller places. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:27.039 Our app is the easiest way to keep up with everything going on here at VFC. 00:00:27.440 --> 00:00:34.799 We hope that this message helps you in your walk with Jesus and encourages you to belong, believe, and become. 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:35.840 Just call the church office. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:38.959 Before I get to the message, I want to echo something. 00:01:39.120 --> 00:01:54.719 We've been doing a survey all month where we figure out who attends VFC and how you're doing spiritually, and we open up the possibility for you to share about any opportunities for us to grow and serve you better. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:59.280 And here's the deal: we don't have great response so far. 00:01:59.519 --> 00:01:59.840 Okay? 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:04.480 So if you've been putting it off to the last minute, this is the last minute. 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:04.879 Okay? 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:10.719 Now, there are three groups every year that are underrepresented in the survey. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.479 The first group is men. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:16.560 Right now, 70% of the people who've responded to the survey are female. 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:21.840 Ladies, we love you, but we have more guys than that who attend the church. 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:23.520 So, guys, I'm looking at you. 00:02:23.759 --> 00:02:28.400 The other group that historically is underrepresented in this survey is racial minorities. 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:32.879 If you are a racial minority, we want to hear from you, okay? 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:34.879 It's important that you fill this out. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:44.560 The last group that we don't hear from as much usually when we do this survey is anyone under the age of 40, because y'all ain't got time for this. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:46.560 I understand, okay? 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:53.120 But we really want to hear how you're doing, what the Lord's doing in your life, and how VFC can serve you. 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:58.400 So, everyone, especially those three groups, we would love to hear from you. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:08.400 The easiest way to do it is go to our website, bfcthomasville.org, or go to our app, and you'll see the opportunity to take the survey is right there. 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.120 This is the last Sunday, we will be talking about it. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:12.960 Please get to it. 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:24.960 We've entitled this Taming the Tongue, and that phrase comes from the book of James, and we'll look at the passage in a minute. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:33.439 But the definition of taming the tongue is learning to use our words according to God's design. 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:41.520 Taming your tongue is learning to use your words according to God's design. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:45.919 What if, think about this, consider this. 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:52.719 What if your ability to speak wasn't just a gift from God for you? 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:57.360 What if it was a gift to others through you? 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:02.639 What if your ability to speak, what if your words weren't for you? 00:04:02.879 --> 00:04:07.759 What if they were meant to be used for everyone else around you? 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:10.319 Guys, I have a goal in today's sermon. 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:11.759 It's really easy, it's really simple. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:12.560 Here is this. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:13.599 This is it. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:19.920 The goal of today's sermon is to convince you that your words matter. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:21.600 Your words matter. 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:25.519 What you say has significance. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:30.800 Now, as we continue in the series, we're gonna share practical advice on how to tame your tongue. 00:04:30.959 --> 00:04:34.079 But today, we're gonna start in the book of James. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:38.079 As a matter of fact, James chapter 3, if you want to turn there. 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:41.839 James is the half-brother of Jesus, right? 00:04:42.079 --> 00:04:45.199 They shared a mom, different dads, okay? 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:48.959 Um, he was a late convert to Christianity. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:54.879 Uh, he ended up being the pastor of the church in Jerusalem, as far as we can tell. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:05:00.879 Uh, he only has one book in the Bible, but it's very brief and very corrective. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:08.079 As a matter of fact, there are 54 instructions given in the book of James in just 108 verses. 00:05:08.319 --> 00:05:08.800 All right. 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:12.879 So it is an intense book, uh, but it is a great book. 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:19.199 So we're gonna start James chapter 3, and we're gonna read verses 2 through 6. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:26.399 And as we continue through this passage, I'm gonna draw out some things that we can understand about our words mattering. 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:27.519 So here we go. 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:28.959 Verse 2. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:31.439 Indeed, we all make mistakes. 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:32.560 All right, I like that. 00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:34.480 I'm glad he put that in there. 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:41.439 By the way, if you're here this morning and you think you're amongst the people who don't who never make mistakes, that is not the case. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.240 We are the perfect place for imperfect people. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:54.319 For if we could control our tongues, James says, we would be perfect, and could also control ourselves in every other way. 00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:55.759 Verse 3. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:06:02.800 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:11.120 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:12.319 What's he saying? 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:20.480 He's saying the size of your tongue is not representative of the import uh of its importance. 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:28.319 Just like the small bit that's in a horse's mouth that allows someone to turn it, or just like the rudder on a ship. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:33.600 Now you may not know what a rudder is, so I actually have a picture of a ship up here with all the different parts. 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:48.240 If you look uh where the propeller, the thruster is, right in front of that, uh, that is called the steering gear or the rudder that turns, all right, and when it turns, it determines the course of the ship. 00:06:48.399 --> 00:06:55.120 It determines where the ship goes based on that huge ship, based on that small rudder. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:57.600 And so this is what James is saying. 00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:59.279 Let's continue, verse 5. 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:10.720 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. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:17.439 Verse 6, and among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. 00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:22.480 It's a whole world of wickedness corrupting your entire body. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:28.959 It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:30.160 Wow. 00:07:31.279 --> 00:07:33.040 That is intense. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:43.199 But do you notice that the point here, what James is trying to make, is even though your tongue is a small part of your body, it is what gives you speech. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:50.399 And your words, your speech, is what determines the course of your life. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:53.680 It says it can set your whole life on fire. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:56.319 Some of you have experienced that. 00:07:56.480 --> 00:08:01.120 Maybe you said the wrong thing to the wrong person or the wrong thing at the wrong time. 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:03.920 And there is a significant blowback for it. 00:08:04.079 --> 00:08:06.240 Well, this is what James warned us about. 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:16.399 So the first reason, according to James, the first reason that words matter is your words matter because your words determine your destiny. 00:08:17.279 --> 00:08:27.199 Just like a rudder steers a ship, your mouth, your words, your speech is determining what's happening in your life. 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:33.039 Now you may push back and say, oh, Jamie, I have been deeply affected by other people, and that's true. 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:33.840 That's true. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:41.039 You can't always help what people do to you, but you can help how you respond to that. 00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:52.320 Proverbs 18, 21 was a verse that I memorized as a kid, and we made our children memorize it. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:09:00.799 And I memorized it in the New King James Version, which I used to not like because it's a little odd, but I like it a lot now, and I'll show you why in a moment. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:06.879 It says, Death and life are in the power of the tongue. 00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:10.559 And those who love it will eat its fruit. 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:15.519 Now that that second part is why I didn't like this translation when I was younger, because I didn't understand it. 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.799 Those who love it will eat its fruit. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:20.960 Why are we talking about eating all of a sudden? 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:21.840 What? 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:36.720 It says, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it, or those who love to use it, or those who love to talk, will eat its fruit or will suffer the consequences. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:43.919 See what scripture teaches is that every word you speak is like a seed. 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:49.039 It's either a death seed or it's a life seed. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:10:06.000 And these seeds get planted as you speak, and then they grow up and they and they turn into trees that produce fruit that the people around you and yourself will eat. 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:10.720 I've got here two cups filled with seeds. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:20.080 You'll see uh these darker seeds here we're gonna call seeds of death, and then the lighter ones we call seeds of life. 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:26.240 And every time you speak, you are choosing to plant seeds. 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:36.559 And so when you get angry, when you get upset, and you give yourself permission to say whatever, you are planting death seeds. 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:38.720 Yeah, watch out, don't let me hit you right in the face. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:41.759 We believe in healing. 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:47.200 And you go back and say, Oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:48.159 And that's good. 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:55.279 It's good to apologize, but then the very next day, because there's been no change in your life, you plant more death seeds. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:10:58.960 And you may think, well, it was just a little seed. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:03.759 Yeah, but seeds grow into trees that create fruit. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:12.080 Now, you could also just as easily as you learn to tame your tongue, you can learn how to speak words of life. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:18.480 And even though someone makes you upset, and even though someone says something you don't like, you don't have to respond that way. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.240 And you can bless them. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.600 Bless them, Lord. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:23.600 Y'all need to be dodging that, all right? 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:26.879 I just I thought you would dodge it a little bit better, but I give you permission. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:29.679 Like, Lord, if you want it to hit me, it'll hit me. 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:34.879 So, but we need to give seeds of life. 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:42.960 We need to, we need to plant, see, here's the deal: everything you speak, it's either death or life. 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:47.200 It's death and life are in the power of the tongue. 00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:53.120 And if you love to talk, anyone love to talk? 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:59.200 Not only will the people around you, but you yourself will eat the fruit. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:02.080 You ever heard the phrase, you're gonna eat those words? 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:04.480 The Bible said it first. 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:06.799 The Bible said it first. 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:16.559 Matthew chapter 12, 36 and 37, Jesus is talking, and this is very, very uh intimidating passage. 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:21.840 It says, I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.559 Verse 37, for by your words you will be justified. 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:29.519 And by your words you'll be condemned. 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:30.159 Wow. 00:12:30.399 --> 00:12:34.879 So what determines whether or not you're justified or condemned? 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:36.320 Your words. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:38.480 How you speak. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.360 Gosh, your words matter. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:44.159 It's not just no big deal. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:50.799 It matters greatly how you use your words. 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.919 All right, let's go back to the book of James and let's keep reading and see what else he says. 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:59.039 We're gonna read verses 7 and 8 of James 3 now. 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:08.960 It says, People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. 00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:15.759 It's restless and evil, full of deadly poison. 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:19.440 No one can tame the tongue. 00:13:19.600 --> 00:13:23.600 You know, there are certain animals that we keep as pets because we can tame them. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:26.960 There are other animals that we don't keep as pets because why? 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:28.480 We can't tame them. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:33.840 It's not appropriate to have them, it's not safe to have them in our house. 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:37.840 And James is saying that's how your tongue is. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:41.039 You can't ever get used to it being around. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:45.360 It's not tameable by yourself. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:46.720 By yourself. 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:48.399 So here is our next point. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:53.039 Your words matter because you can't tame your tongue without God's help. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:58.159 No man by himself, no woman by herself can tame the tongue. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:00.960 You have to have God's help to do this. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:07.519 How would you act if there was a lion loose in your house? 00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.720 Think about it for a moment. 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:14.320 You come home, you unlock the door, you open the door, you step in, and there's a lion. 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:19.600 All right, just in case you're wondering, the first thing you do is close the door, okay? 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.720 But wouldn't you probably, I imagine, the first thing you would do is the first thing I would do. 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:26.799 Wouldn't you call for help? 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:29.679 Wouldn't you call 911? 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:31.120 Well, it's the same with us. 00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:36.000 Our tongue is an untamable animal. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:39.840 And so the first thing we need to do is to call for help. 00:14:40.639 --> 00:14:54.720 The other thing I bet you would do if there were a lion in your house, is once you close the door and you get on the phone with the police, the next thing you would do is if you see the lion begin to move, you're gonna start looking through your windows. 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.799 You're gonna be trying to keep up with where it is at all times. 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:02.159 And it's the same with our speech as well. 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:06.320 We always have to be aware of our speech. 00:15:06.639 --> 00:15:10.159 We always have to be aware of our words. 00:15:10.879 --> 00:15:17.919 Psalm 141, verse 3 says, set a guard over my mouth, Lord. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.519 Keep watch over the door of my lips. 00:15:22.080 --> 00:15:25.519 Now you keep watch over things that are important, right? 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:28.320 You don't place a guard in front of the garbage. 00:15:29.919 --> 00:15:33.279 You place a guard in front of things that are very important. 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:44.399 And so that's what the psalmist is saying here is like, look, my words, my lips, my mouth, my tongue, my speech, it's really important. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:46.879 Lord, help me. 00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:56.879 Help me to set a guard over what I say because the person who wrote this psalm understood that words matter. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:00.159 Words matter. 00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:06.799 You know, there have been times in my life where I've done a pretty good job of being aware of my words. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:11.919 And there have been times in my life where I haven't done a good job of being aware of my words. 00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:12.960 I was reminded of the story. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:14.480 I don't think I've ever told this. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:20.720 Uh had lunch with a friend Friday, and he was talking about an email that he got, and I remembered I got this email, y'all. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:26.399 It was like the last year uh before I came here in full-time ministry. 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:37.759 I used to work in the corporate world, and I got an email from a co-worker, and uh, I had been there like, I think like 11, 13 years at this point at this company. 00:16:37.919 --> 00:16:39.919 This guy had only been there a couple years. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:48.159 And although I didn't walk around uh telling everyone I was a Christian, uh people knew they figured it out pretty quickly, okay? 00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:52.320 So he knew I was a believer and he knew that I was involved in ministry. 00:16:53.120 --> 00:17:11.440 And so one day I get this scathing email from this guy, and he says, You call yourself a Christian, but you don't have the metrics that I have at work, and I would think that you would work as hard as me, if not more, if you're a Christian. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:27.839 All right, guys, I was ticked because it wasn't fair because he was, without going into all the details, he was judging me based on one metric when I had a whole nother job in addition to his that he wasn't taking into account. 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:32.960 And I and I wrote about five emails that I did not hit send on. 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:35.599 Have y'all done that before? 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:40.000 And I and I go back and I read it and I can hear the Holy Spirit say no. 00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:43.519 I'm like, fine, I delete it all, okay? 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:45.440 Um, to whom it may concern. 00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:50.720 You know, then you you write another one, and then the Holy Spirit's like, no. 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:53.440 I'm like, well, what can I say? 00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:01.359 And finally I respond and I said, hey man, look, I'm sorry I've offended you with what you perceive to be my work ethic. 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:04.799 I would encourage you, I have a supervisor and a boss. 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:08.319 They know exactly what I do, and they're happy with my performance. 00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:10.799 If you have any questions, you can ask them. 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:17.519 Um I do ask you though, however, it's not fair to weaponize my belief against myself. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.519 Ask you not to do that anymore. 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:20.720 Take care. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:22.240 That was the email. 00:18:22.480 --> 00:18:24.079 That was one of the wins. 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:27.119 I'm not gonna tell you a story about one of the losses. 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:38.319 Here's the point Taming your tongue is a lifestyle that requires your constant attention. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:49.119 You'll be tempted to misuse your words at work, at home, at church, in the church parking lot right after this service. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:59.119 I mean, you're going to be tempted at all times because no man, no woman can tame the tongue by themselves. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.119 You need help. 00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:03.839 Turn to your neighbor and say, You need help. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.880 That felt good, didn't it? 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:10.079 Turn to the neighbor on the other side and say, so do you. 00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:11.680 Yeah. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:17.359 We all need help in this area. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:20.319 All right, let's keep reading from James 3. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:23.200 We're gonna pick up where we left off, verse 9 and 10. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:34.319 Sometimes it praises it being the tongue, sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. 00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:40.240 Verse 10, and so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:44.160 Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right. 00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:51.359 Alright, the next reason that our words matter, your words matter because you can hurt others with what you say. 00:19:52.319 --> 00:20:06.240 Ephesians 4, 29 says, 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 bring grace to those who hear. 00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:08.319 See, you have a choice. 00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:13.359 You can use words that corrupt, and that word for corruption there, it literally means rotten. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:14.960 It means to rot something. 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:23.839 You can use words that corrupt, bring people down, or you can use words that bring grace and build people up. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:27.839 I like to put it this way: words are like bricks. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:33.200 You can help build someone's home, or you can help bust someone's window. 00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:35.599 It just depends on how you use it. 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:43.440 And every day we are making the decision on how to use those words. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:51.440 Now, I love this verse, I love the way it says, but only such is good for building up as fits the occasion. 00:20:51.839 --> 00:20:53.920 Can I just share something with you? 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:59.279 Saying the right thing at the wrong time is the wrong thing. 00:21:01.519 --> 00:21:06.559 The right thing at the wrong time is often the wrong thing. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.640 It says, as fits the occasion. 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:14.240 You know, sometimes you may be right about something, but it may not be the correct time to talk about it. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:15.519 Are you with me? 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:25.359 And that's what makes something a good word that's helpful and builds up, or a bad word that's harmful and corrupts. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:34.160 So it's not just about the words that you say, it's also about the timing, the tone, and the way in which you say it. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:38.319 And we'll be talking about these things even more as we continue in this series. 00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.359 Here's another verse, Proverbs 12, 18. 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:49.759 It says, the words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. 00:21:51.119 --> 00:21:54.079 The words of the reckless pierce like swords. 00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:59.759 Notice it doesn't say the words of an evil person, although the words of an evil person would definitely hurt. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:06.319 It says the words of the reckless, meaning you didn't mean to. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:08.880 It was an accident. 00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:10.880 It was unintentional. 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:12.880 But it still pierces. 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:16.000 And this is why our words matter. 00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:22.000 They're so powerful, not only in our life, again, it's either death seeds or life seeds. 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:25.200 It can be a mistake. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:34.559 I would say most harmful speech that the people in this room and watching online have used was unintentional. 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.880 But it was still harmful. 00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:46.079 And so we've got to learn how to tame our tongue, manage our mouth. 00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:50.559 So that even if we have good intentions, we still don't pierce people. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:56.720 But we're we have uh a tongue or words like a wise person that brings healing. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:57.519 Amen? 00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:02.960 All right, back to James chapter 3, picking up where we left off. 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:05.039 Verse 11 and 12. 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:11.200 It says, Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:16.559 Does a fig tree produce olives or a grapevine produce figs? 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:17.200 No. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:21.759 And you can't draw fresh water from a salty spring. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:28.640 By the way, this is the end of James's passage about our words, and he doesn't really give us a whole lot of hope. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:33.279 He says, hey, the tongue is terrible, all right? 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:35.039 It'll set your life on fire. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:36.640 You need desperate help with it. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:37.839 I mean, think about it. 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:42.079 Like the sea can't be fresh water and salt water at the same time. 00:23:42.400 --> 00:23:42.960 Bye-bye. 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:45.279 And he just changes the subject. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:54.559 But the good news is we're going to keep talking about it over the next month, and we're going to not just look at James's passage, but passages all over Scripture to determine how we can tame our tongue. 00:23:54.640 --> 00:23:56.240 But here's what I want you to understand. 00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.519 Here's what he's saying. 00:23:57.680 --> 00:24:03.279 Your words matter because your words reveal the real you. 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:04.799 Oh. 00:24:06.720 --> 00:24:13.680 Don't we like to just say whatever we want to and then act like, well, that's not really me. 00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.759 That's not the real me. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:17.359 That was just for a moment. 00:24:17.920 --> 00:24:22.319 Well, according to Scripture, your words reveal the real you. 00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:29.440 And I know that's hard to hear because we often judge ourselves by our intentions instead of our actions. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:33.359 And we often judge others by their actions and not their intentions. 00:24:34.400 --> 00:24:36.480 But we've got to get real, you guys. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:44.400 If we're going to be the people of God, then we've got to realize that our words reveal the real us. 00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:54.799 Luke 6, 45, Jesus is talking, he says, a good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart. 00:24:55.279 --> 00:25:01.119 And an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:04.960 What you say flows from what's in your heart. 00:25:05.119 --> 00:25:10.880 Or you may have heard it put this way, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:18.079 So Jesus is saying, look, now he's not saying you're evil through and through when you say something wrong. 00:25:18.400 --> 00:25:21.680 He's saying you've got to get real with yourself. 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:25.839 You're not done taming your tongue. 00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.640 You're never done. 00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:33.839 And don't give yourself an excuse to say, well, God knows my heart. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:37.200 No, we all know your heart because we heard your words. 00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:44.240 Because the words that you speak, the words that you speak reveal what's in your heart. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:47.039 Now, here's the good news. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.200 I know I'm beating you up pretty good. 00:25:49.839 --> 00:25:51.039 You can change. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:25:56.640 You can change, but you can't change what you don't admit is there. 00:25:57.920 --> 00:25:59.599 So that's why we have to get on. 00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:05.440 That's why I'm desperately trying to convince you that your words matter this morning. 00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:09.599 This verse is rough, you guys. 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:11.599 Just I'm telling you, get ready. 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.640 Here we go. 00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:14.880 James 1, 26. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:24.400 If you claim to be religious, but you don't control your tongue, you're fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:26.400 I know, right? 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:28.400 I want to meet James like in heaven. 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:29.759 I'm like, bro, what? 00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:31.599 Who are you mad at, man? 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:33.279 Why you gotta be so hard? 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:37.680 But it's but it but see, you know this. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:56.160 I guarantee you, you know at least one person that publicly, their public persona, their social media facade is all Jesus-y, and and and every Instagram post, they've got their coffee and their Bible open and their little legs are on, right? 00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:03.359 And then you spend time with that person and they are just ripping everyone to shreds. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:08.240 What do you think about their devotion time? 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:15.200 I would think you need to stay a little bit longer, put the phone down and keep reading. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:16.559 Right? 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:23.759 Because it's true, our religion, our spirituality is worthless. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:25.519 It's not exportable. 00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:31.920 We can't share it with anyone if our words disqualify us. 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:38.319 This means that your tongue can destroy your testimony. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:48.880 This is why it's so important that you pause and you think through the things you say. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:52.400 Because people are listening. 00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:55.680 Now, again, there is grace. 00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:59.519 God wants to help you with this. 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:04.640 God wants to help us tame our tongues. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:12.799 But we we've got to recognize that our words are revealing the real us. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:17.920 You should ask someone who genuinely loves you and is willing to be honest with you. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:22.240 You should ask them, how do I do with my word, how am I doing with my words? 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:31.039 Do I do I speak with words that help, words that hurt, words of hope, or somewhere in between, or depending on the day? 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:40.799 And you should ask someone how you're doing so that you can surrender your words to the Lord. 00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:45.440 I'll tell you guys about a tree I learned about this week. 00:28:45.920 --> 00:28:48.079 This is the manchineal tree. 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:51.839 It's in South Florida, it's in parts of South America and the Caribbean. 00:28:52.079 --> 00:28:56.799 Scientists say that this may be the deadliest tree in the entire world. 00:28:57.519 --> 00:29:06.160 It was given the name La Manzanilla de la Muerte by Spanish explorers, which means the little apple of death. 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.799 That's intense. 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:10.559 Check this out. 00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:19.920 Touching the sap, the leaves, or the stems of this tree causes blisters on your skin. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:26.559 Eating the fruit can paralyze your digestive system and can kill you. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:35.920 If you stand underneath this tree while it's raining, it will rain toxins down on you. 00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:44.240 The smoke from burning the wood of this tree can cause temporary and sometimes permanent blindness. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:50.160 Interestingly, the fruit tastes sweet. 00:29:52.160 --> 00:29:54.880 So why is this tree so toxic? 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:58.160 What's the deal with this angry tree? 00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:14.000 Scientists believe that since the tree lives in an area, now listen, since the tree lives in an area where there are more toxic plants than normal, it's grown an overdeveloped defense mechanism to protect itself. 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:20.000 Some of us are manchineal trees in this room. 00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:25.759 Maybe you grew up in a toxic family, work in a toxic environment. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:30.160 Maybe there's been a lot of disappointment and discouragement in your life. 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:39.279 And like the manchineal tree, your words have become toxic fruit used as a defense mechanism to protect yourself. 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:45.039 This is you, what do you do? 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:49.359 You receive healing. 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:59.440 You receive healing from the words that have hurt you, and you stop the cycle of continuing the hurt. 00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:09.759 I've heard a phrase that it says this if you don't heal from what hurt you, you'll bleed on people who didn't cut you. 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:18.240 So if if as we're talking about this, you recognize, you know, I'm a manchineal tree. 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:25.119 I'm I'm my words, I it's toxic, and I'm hurting the people around me. 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:28.079 My brother, my sister, please hear me. 00:31:28.240 --> 00:31:29.599 You need healing. 00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:39.839 You need healing, you need forgiveness, and you need to offer forgiveness to those who have hurt you. 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:45.839 Receive healing for yourself so you'll stop hurting everyone else. 00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:57.119 I encourage you as we continue in this series. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:58.400 We're gonna talk next week. 00:31:58.480 --> 00:32:03.759 Eric's gonna talk about idle words, we're gonna talk about angry words, and we're gonna talk about ugly words. 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:06.000 It's all coming down the pike. 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:17.119 But I encourage you, allow the Lord to minister to you in those areas where your heart has been hurt so that you don't continue the hurt. 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:21.279 Guys, do you speak as if your words matter? 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:27.519 Or have you given yourself permission to say whatever you want to? 00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:30.319 Let's stand for prayer. 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:53.519 So maybe, maybe next week. 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:57.119 Let's close our eyes. 00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:00.480 Let's do some business with the Lord. 00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:05.599 Let's ask him the question that I just asked you. 00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:07.759 Think this thought to the Lord. 00:33:08.160 --> 00:33:14.480 Lord, am I speaking as if my words matter? 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:20.720 Or am I speaking as if it doesn't matter? 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:25.839 Think that thought in God's direction. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:37.279 And then listen for, be aware of a bounce back thought or an impression that you might get in response to that question. 00:33:38.319 --> 00:33:40.960 It's probably the Holy Spirit speaking to you. 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:53.839 Some of you may be replaying in your imagination arguments that you've had, maybe even this morning or this weekend. 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:57.039 Now, don't let guilt creep in. 00:33:57.279 --> 00:33:59.359 Don't let shame creep in. 00:34:00.079 --> 00:34:02.160 God knows your heart, he loves you. 00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:06.640 He loves you enough, though, that he wants to change this part of your heart. 00:34:07.440 --> 00:34:12.480 He's not interested in condemning you, he's interested in saving you. 00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:29.440 I want to invite you to pray this prayer where we submit our tongues, our mouths, our speech, our words to the Lord, and we ask for his help in taming our tongue. 00:34:29.679 --> 00:34:31.039 If you will, pray this after me. 00:34:31.199 --> 00:34:35.360 Say, Father, thank you for the gift of speech. 00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:42.480 My words matter because my words are powerful. 00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:54.800 You gave me my tongue to bless others, to build up others, and to help people. 00:34:55.920 --> 00:35:07.599 Forgive me, Lord, when I've used it to tear others down and to hurt those that you died for. 00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:10.159 I repent of that sin. 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:17.920 And I invite you, Holy Spirit, to convict me and correct me. 00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:39.679 When I use my words in the wrong way, I want to be someone who speaks words of life, words that help, words of hope, and be a blessing to people around me. 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:48.800 Thank you for changing my heart and changing my words. 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:51.199 In Jesus' name. 00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:52.559 Amen. 00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:53.920