Speak Right Live Right

The way we speak and the way we live are intimately connected. God has wonderful things in store for us, but we need to make sure our what passes our lips is what He wants.

James 3:1-3

Controlling your tongue and what you speak is a vital part of living the right way.

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James 3:3-6

Just as a bit in a horse’s mouth can control the horse, so even though the tongue is small it can have an impact on things.

James 3:6

He was emphasising this whole aspect of the use of our tongue and what we say. We can cut someone dead or build them up, bless them or curse them.

James 3:7-9

Isn’t this a bit over the top – to say that the tongue is almost evil of itself? In the beginning was the word, and the word was of God. God is a communicating God. He wants to communicate with us and be in fellowship, and He is the word. James is saying that when you use words in the wrong way, you’re going against what God was doing, if you use your means of communication to do the work of evil.

James 3:9-12

The first twelve verses of this chapter are all about the problem of the tongue. In the second part of the chapter, he moves to what we should be doing with our tongue. Some people feel you have to be natural, to be yourself. But we need to be naturally supernatural. As a Christian, it’s Christ that lives inside. I don’t like swearing. I think a looseness has come in. Some people will say I’m just being religious. But you wouldn’t encourage a small child to swear would you?

James 3:13

The way you live – your conversation, your manner of life – out of that way, show who you are with meekness of wisdom.

James 3:14-17

He’s gone deeper here. If you have bitter envying and strife in your heart, what comes out of your tongue will reveal it, and bitterness and envying will kill you and destroy others. If you have these things in your heart, don’t boast about it. It’s earthly, natural, devilish.

Where envy and strife is, there is every evil work. If I’m gossiping about someone behind their backs, there is in my heart that which will destroy me. That doesn’t mean we don’t judge. But if I cash in on a conversation which pulls someone else down, there is confusion, tumult, every evil work. You know if a conversation is going that way, it’s easy to throw your bit in...

As we go forward together, and together we’re going forward as God wants us to go forward, as His people, and we’re part of a worldwide. If we have envy and strife, there will be confusion and evil works.

James 3:17

Eight things which are the wisdom from above. I want to get involved in that wisdom because Christ lives inside me. I am involved in it. I have a choice. I can use what I’m saying in accordance with that wisdom, or I can go contrary to it. Eight things which are from above, and we didn’t get these from our first birth, but from when God got hold of us on the inside and changed us.

James 3:18

We are facing a critical time over the next weeks. And that time God knows about. And that time will result in God being glorified in what He is doing.

And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Philippians 1:9-13

We kick off with love – that it may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all judgment.

By your fruit ye shall know them. Fruit is apparent. The wisdom from above is apparent. God’s love and life in your heart is apparent. And what I pray, is that ye being filled with the fruits of Jesus ... it’s wonderful, glorious, as a result of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who took sin into His own body, rose from the dead and conquered death so you can live forever, and so that the creator God will cause you to be thankful joyful, and enable you to achieve His destiny for you in your life.

We don't know what will happen to the younger generation. But i know we want them to know Him as Saviour. Am I confident in that? Yes. Can we educate them into it? No. How we will help? We will help the parents work as a unit, helping but not interfere.

God’s going to build his glorious church. How will he do it? We don't know we need to take it a day at a time, and God is in control, and there is no reason to fear anything. Perfect love casts out fear. Who is perfect love? Jesus Christ. Who lives inside you? He does. Are you afraid? No.

But whatever God wants for your life, that’s where we want to be. Whatever God wants is the best. And it’s rooted and founded in Him, in His love for you and for me.

It’s a wonderful Gospel.

I have no doubt that in the weeks ahead, people will be drawn across your path, and you’ll invite them, and He’ll meet them. We need to make sure that we reach out and do not isolate people, and we’ll reach out together for whatever He has in store for us – filled with the fruits of righteousness: not with the miracles, but with the fruits of righteousness. God will do miracles, yes, but we’ll reach out filled with the fruits of righteousness.