Three Truths about the Tongue:
1 - The Tongue is Powerful
James 3:3-5a (NLT) – 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.
James 3:2b (NLT) – For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way.
2 - The Tongue is Destructive
James 3:5b-6 (NLT) – 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.
James 3:6b (NLT) – …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.
Proverbs 16:27 (ESV) – A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
3 - The Tongue is Double-Minded
James 3:7-8 (NLT) – People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:9-12 (NLT) – 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.
Proverbs 18:21 (MSG) – Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.
Words
June 7, 2020
The Warning Lights
July 5, 2020 • Anthony Morehead
*We don’t connect the PLACE we want to the PATH we’re on. * Three Warnings Lights: 1. The Attitude of Judging When we judge, our misinformed assumptions produce misguided accusations. Don’t speak evil against each other… —James 4:11 Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. 12 God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor? —James 4:11-12 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged. —Matthew 7:1-2 2. The Spirit of Pride Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil. —James 4:13-16 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. —James 4:17 3. The Love of Money Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. 2 Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. 3 Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment. 4 For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you. —James 5:1-6
Prayer Changes Everything
June 28, 2020
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. —James 5:13-16 3 Ways That Prayer Changes Everything 1.) Prayer Activates Our Faith And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. —Hebrews 11:16 If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. —Matthew 17:20b If you can’t stop thinking about it, don’t stop praying about it. 2) Prayer Aligns Our Heart’s Desires with God’s Will “Father, if you are willing take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” —Luke 22:42 2) Prayer Works Every Situation Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. —James 5:13 Every Emotion Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. —James 5:13 Every Sickness Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. —James 5:14 Every Battle Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. —James 5:16
Resolving Conflict
June 21, 2020
Three Types of Conflict: 1. External Conflict What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?… —James 4:1 2. Internal Conflict What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. —James 4:1-2 *Key Thought: Our unfulfilled internal wants produce our uncontrolled external wars. * 3. Upward Conflict Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. —James 4:2b-3 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. —James 4:4-5 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” —James 4:6 Upward Peace Creates Inward Peace That Produces Outward Peace So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. —James 4:7-8 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. —Ephesians 6:12 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. —Matthew 28:19 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. —James 4:19-10