Get Ready Get Ready Get Ready gmz family this year we are celebrating the gmz church anniversary little bit different with the first ever gmz Olympics happening on Saturday December 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 300 p.m. this is a day you do not want to miss listen we’re going
To have competition we’re having games we’re having dancing we’re doing a little bit of everything for you so if you want to compete in volleyball if you want to compete in a three onree basketball game if you have a couple of skills in dominoes card games or check
This out if you want to participate in our line dance classes we have it ready for you and that’s right I said classes y’all that means you don’t even have to know how to do the line dance before you get there trust me and listen there’s something for everyone so you do not
Want to miss this sign up today in the gmz app you have until December the 2nd to secure your spot in this year’s Church Olympics don’t miss it this is a chance to be part of an incredible event it’s going to be fun there going to be
Competition and it’s going to be GMG family all day y’all so remember GMC Olympics December 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 300 p.m. let the games begin hello greater my name is Tommy mutah and this is your greater news for the week of December 3rd 2023 greater Collective that’s those of
You 25 to 34 years old now this is the most wonderful time of the year and it is almost here and we’re thrilled to invite you to the greater Collective Christmas party and get ready for an afternoon filled with joy laughter and the spirit of togetherness now you can
Join us on Sunday December 17th following the 9:45 a.m. service in the assembly room and we can’t wait to see you there and celebrate the joy of Christmas together now feel free bring friends for this Unforgettable Christmas experience as we approach Christmas and New Year’s Eve we would like to inform
You of some adjustments to our regular church service schedule now on both December 24th that’s Christmas Eve and December 31st New Year’s Eve our church services will be at 9:45 a.m. only and we believe that this adjustment will accommodate the needs of our community during this season while too assuring
That we have the opportunity to come together and celebrate our Christ now we look forward to worship shiing together as we reflect on the meaning of Christmas and anticipate the beginning of a new year also our church offices will be closed from December 21st through January 3rd now that’s to allow
Our dedicated staff to spend quality time with their loved ones and to recharge for the upcoming year now while the church offices are closed please note that all Ministry meetings are suspended now our team of course will be available for any urgent matters because we are saved to serve
You hello greater family as we embrace the holiday season it is crucial to recognize that this time of year is not joyous for everyone for those that this statement applies to there’s no need to let these feelings of intimidation stop you from seeking the help you need if
You’re facing a mental health challenge did you know that suicide is is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide with approximately 48,000 lives lost to unal living in the United States annually these numbers are a stark reminder of the importance of reaching out when you feel mentally unwell if you
Or someone that you know are experiencing a mental health crisis do not hesitate to dial 988 for the suicide and Mental Health crisis line there are dedicated individuals trained to support you and for medical emergencies call 911 grief deep sadness depression anxiety can all heavily weigh on US
During this season but remember that you no longer have to endure this in silence remember to check on a friend check on yourself and we love you one last reminder about church anniversary weekend next week and you can sign up to participate in the church Olympics on on the gmz Austin mobile app
And please you don’t want to miss it join us on Sunday December 10th and we’re celebrating 93 years we will do that with the guest Pastor Dr Daryl Harton he’s a senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church you don’t want to miss it these have been your announcements
For the week of December 3rd you take care and God bless great are you Lord It’s Your in our lungs so we pour out our praise pour out our prais your breath in our lungs so we pour out a praise to you all great are you you Lord you give
Life you are love you are love you bring life you give hope you restore rest every heart heart God Bren and that’s why we sing great are you Lord oh your bre your bre in our lungs our so we pour we pour pour out it’s your breath your in our our so
We pour we pour out our pra you it’s your your our love our we we pour out our praise pour out our praise your we pour we pour our pra all the Earth Will shout your praise our hearts will cry these bones will sing great are you Lord all the earth the
Earth your will come on somebody shout it out to God say all the Earth You Lord oh on the Earth all the Earth will your my hearts Will great are you Lord come on open your mou and Shout It Out the earth the earth shout our hearts Will C great are you Lord come on one more time all the Earth all the Earth will our heart will prise are you Lord come on we prophesy it here oh miracle miracle Oh you’re going to See you’re going to see Get Ready Get Ready Get Ready gmz family this year we are celebrating the gmz church anniversary little bit different with the first ever gmz Olympics happening on Saturday December 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. this is a day you do not want to miss listen we’re going to have competition we’re having
Games we’re having dancing we’re doing a little bit of everything for you so if you want to compete in volleyball if you want to compete in a three on threee basketball game if you have a couple of skills in dominoes card games or check this out if you want to participate in
Our line dance classes we have it ready for you and that’s right I said classes y’all that means you don’t even have to know how to do the line dance before you get there trust me and listen there’s something for everyone so you do not
Want to miss this sign up today in the gmz app you have until December the 2nd to secure your spot in this year’s Church Olympics don’t miss it this is a chance to be part of a incredible event it’s going to be fun it’s going to be
Competition and it’s going to be GMC family all day yall so remember GM the Olympics December 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. let the games begin hello greater my name is Tommy mutah and this is your greater news for the week of December 3rd 2023 greater Collective that’s those of
You 25 to 34 years old now this is the most wonderful time of the year and it is almost here and we’re thrilled to invite you to the greater Collective Christmas party I get ready for an afternoon filled with joy laughter and the spirit of togetherness now you can
Join us on Sunday December 17th following the 9:45 a.m. service in the assembly room and we can’t wait to see you there and celebrate the joy of Christmas together now feel free bring friends for this Unforgettable Christmas experience as we approach Christmas and New Year’s Eve we would like to inform
You of some adjustments to our regular church service schedule now on both December 24th that’s Christmas Eve and December 31st New Year’s Eve our church services will be at 9:45 a.m. only and we believe that this adjustment will accommodate the needs of our community during this season while too assuring
That we have the opportunity to come together and celebrate our Christ now we look forward to worshiping together as we reflect on the meaning of Christmas and anticipate the beginning of a new year also our church offices will be closed from December 21st through January 3rd now that’s to allow our
Dedicated staff to spend quality time with their loved ones and to recharge for the upcoming year now while the church offices are closed please note that all Ministry meetings are suspended now our team of course will be available for any urgent matters because we are saved to serve
You hello greater family as we embrace the holiday season it is crucial to recognize that this time of year is not joyous for everyone for those that this statement applies to there’s no need to let these feelings of intimidation stop you from seeking the help you need if
You’re facing a mental health challenge did you know that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide with approximately 48,000 lives lost to unal living in the United States annually these numbers are a stark reminder of the importance of reaching out when you feel mentally unwell if you or someone
That you know are experiencing a mental health crisis do not hesitate to dial 988 for the suicide and Mental Health crisis line there are dedicated individuals trained to support you and for medical emergencies call 911 grief deep sadness depression anxiety can all heavily weigh on US during this season but remember that you
No longer have to endure this in silence remember to check on a friend check on yourself and we love you one last reminder about church anniversary weekend next week and you can can sign up to participate in the church Olympics on the gmz Austin mobile
App and please you don’t want to miss it join us on Sunday December 10th and we’re celebrating 93 years we will do that with the guest Pastor Dr Daryl Harton he’s a senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church you don’t want to miss it these have been your announcements
For the week of December 3rd you take care and God bless well even on this Wednesday night we declare great is the Lord and our God is greatly to be praised happy Wednesday evening greater Nation for those of you who are in the room hey what’s
Happening and then for those of you who are joining us online what a tremendous and significant Joy honor and privilege that it is uh for you uh what a joy honor and privilege it is for me to be able to welcome you into this space even
In a virtual way of course we’re being a and uh adequately LED under the leadership of our lead pastor Pastor gayen Clark and uh we praise God for his life his influence his walk and his witness if this is your very first time and you’re jumping on with us why don’t
You let us know in the comments where you are joining us from if you are not from the Austin area the Austin proper area the Austin and vicinity area or as they say down even further south from where we are Austin and by cinity uh if you’re not from the central Texas area
Why don’t you let us know in the comments and uh we want the privilege of being able to love on you and if at ever you find yourself anywhere in the Austin and vicinity area the Austin area make your way to 4301 Tanny here we we we
Like to tangibly touch you and love on you as well how was your day today it was all right it was all right how are you today I’m good and and getting better I’m good and I’m getting better um well I’m excited about tonight for a couple of reasons um let me
Reiterate first of all uh that as you know our birthday is this weekend we celebrating 93 years and our plan is to party like it’s $1 18991 1999 and if the Lord’s delays is coming and we still around here 2099 we going to turn up all
Weekend and uh we need you here I hope you are as excited as I am um um man God has used this place to influence my life and I would imagine you have the same testimony so let’s hang out together this weekend Saturday of course you know
We’re going to be here from 10 a.m. to 300 p.m. you probably want to get here around 10 1112 uh cuz I saw the the news I believe it was this morning when I was in the gym they said somewhere around 1 2 3:00 um it’s going to be cooler it’s not
Going to be cold still going to be a beautiful day um but they say um it’s going to be a little cooler and so I want you to we want we want to invite you to dress for the weather I got a feeling somewhere around two 2 or three
It’s going to be a whole bunch of good um Uno and uh spad games and dominoes going on around that time um but really want to invite you to join us of course you can bring your entire family um we got something for everybody the entire
Day from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. that’s Saturday and then of course on Sunday 9:4 45 and 12 noon we celebrating in Earnest with the Reverend Dr Daryl Horton our friend from around the corner at the Mount Zion Baptist Church so we want you here here’s the other thing I
Want you to take note of we at the last two Bible studies for this year a where is 2023 gone uh in a couple of weeks we’ll be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and uh usually around this time we begin to wh L down as a staff
And as a church cuz as soon as January 1 hits we turning up for 2024 and so uh tonight and next week uh will be uh the last Bible studies that we will have for 2023 uh when you came in in addition to your notes uh you should have received a
Survey uh uh one of the things that we want to do in preparation for 2024 is to figure out how we can make this space even more meaningful and even for those of you who are watching online um we have in our app and of course the notes
For tonight but you can access that survey as well if you would do me a huge favor if you can fill it out and if you don’t feel comfortable filling it out you want to think about it between now and next week when you come back next
Week please bring it with you um because I want to pray over these things I want to take into account particularly again for those of you who make it your business to come every week I want this time to be meaningful for you and uh in
Addition to that if you would join me in praying that in 2024 we able to reach more people of course both on site but even online we want to be able to reach more people with the Glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ and so if you could do that
For us that would be most amazing and if the Lord says the same and the creek don’t rise not quite sure what all that means in literal form but I got the figurative form if Jesus doesn’t come back if he delays this coming in 2024 we’ll come back for Bible study on
January the 10th January the 10th all right and so we’ll end on the 13th we’ll come back 13th of December rather come back on January the 10th all right all right all hearts and Minds clear I think I got all that off my chest all right um open your Bibles tonight to James
Chapter 3 James chapter 3 James chapter 3 and tonight we’re going to be looking at verses 1- 12 um as you’re thinking about as you’re filling out your survey as you know James cuz y’all read ahead don’t have three chapters it got five chapters which means we’re going to end the year
Without completing James and so uh I’m wrestling with do I want to pick up at chapter 4 or uh or do I want to start something a fresh and if that’s of some significance to you please put that in the comments as well um as I begin to
Pray about layout what 2024 time of study will look like okay James chapter 3 tonight and of course you know we’re in this section where James is talking about what faith in action authentic realistic meaningful life shaping Faith looks like and um last week we talked about how our faith works the week
Before that um we we were talking about the ways in which our faith is shaped by Duty and Doctrine and so uh in light of where we are James continues this thought and he teaches us tonight that a faith and action is a faith that’s not afraid to weigh their
Words all right James chapter 3 I’m looking at verses 1-2 look look at what the scripture says it says not many of you should become teachers my fellow Believers because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly we all stumble in many ways anyone who is never at fault in
What they say is perfect pause if you ever need a proof text that nobody in the world is perfect this is it cuz can’t none of us uh say that we’ve said everything perfect right James says anyone who is never at fault in what they say they are perfect able to keep
Their whole body in check verse three when we put bits into the heart the mouths of horses to make them obey us we can turn the whole animal or take ships as an example although they are so large and are driven by strong winds they are steered by a very small Rudder wherever
The pilot wants to go likewise the tongue is a small part of the body but it makes great boast consider what the what a great Forest consider rather what a great Forest is set on fire by a small spark the tongue is also a fire a world of evil among the
Parts of the body it corrupts the whole body sets the whole course of one’s life on fire and is itself set on fire by hell all kinds of animals birds reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind but no human being can tame the
Tongue it is a Restless evil full of deadly poison with a tongue we praise our Lord and father and with it we curse human beings who have been made in God’s likeness out of the same mouth come Praises or another translation says come blessings and cursing my brothers and
Sisters this should not be can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring my brothers and sisters can a fig tree bear olives or a grape vine bear figs neither can a Salt Spring produce fresh water that’s a lot to unpack and so
Let’s see where we end up tonight let’s pray father tonight we give you glory honor and praise for this time that we have to study your word thank you for how your word is light and light light and life for us thank you Father that
When we study your word we not only gain fresh and exciting and exhilarating information for our heads but this is also a time whereby our hearts are inspired and more than anything you use this time to transform our lives and so God that’s my prayer tonight that you
Would do just that would you not allow anything in me around me or about me to get in the way of what you want to say to your people and for these who have come to 4301 tanah heal and for those who are logging on who have logged on I
Pray by the power of your holy spirit that you would make our meeting matter for your glory honor yourself as my prayer in Jesus name amen and so James teaches us in verses 1-2 of James chapter 3 that a faith in action is a faith that weighs their words friends our words
Matter what we say is significant and the reason why what we say is significant is because the world was shaped by words the opening scene of the Bible the Bible says that in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and prior at that moment the world was formless and void
And darkness covered the deep and the Holy Spirit hovered the Bible says that in verse three God said let there be light one preacher said before he said light everything in the earth strained to become everything that God said that it was supposed to be that light came out of Darkness long
Before he even said light why because words matter our world is formed and sh shaped by words but do you realize that the world was also deformed by words we spent a whole session in Bible study talking about Genesis chapter 3 Genesis chapter 3 you wouldn’t remember that the Bible
Says that as Adam and Eve were enjoying the beauty of God’s creation the Bible says that the enemy is able to tempt Eve with words but not just with words Miss Dina the enemy is able to Temp Eve with words about words you remember it did God really
Sa so the Bible tells us that the world was formed by words the world was deformed by words but our world is transformed by words and this is why friends most of us every day all day have a war over words Bible tells us right that uh one
Of the most vital and the most at times difficult things for us to master is what we say and this is true whether these are referencing to words that are spoken by by you or words that have been spoken about you many of you you can testify to some
Of the things that you hate about yourself came as a consequence of what somebody else said about you when you were young and you weren quite sure how to process what was going on with in your life somebody with whom you gave influence with gave influence
To who had influence over you who you did life with shaped your your world by their words words friends they matter and this is what James is trying to get us to understand here in James chapter number three it’s a simple premise and principle what we say and
How we say them matter in the lives of those with whom we do life with he wants to make sure that our works and our words line up because remember he tells us that our faith is shaped by Doctrine and Duty and so here he tells us right
That what we say matter and this is a principle that is clear throughout all of the scripture The Book of Proverbs you would remember James uses the Book of Proverbs as a pattern for which he writes this letter he uses the Book of Proverbs and his big brother his big brother Jesus’s
Sermon on the Mount to write his letter to the church I want you to note some of the Proverbs or what Proverbs rather has to say about the weight of our words let’s look at a few of them of course these are not all inclusive if they were all inclusive
We’d be here until Saturday when it’s time for us to come back for the for the party the church Olympics but let’s look at a few of them Proverbs chap 10: 18 look at what it says it says whoever conceals hatred with lying lips and spread slander is a
Fool look at what Bible says in same chapter couple verses down verse 20 and 21 it says the tongue of the righteous is Choice silver in other words when we use our tongue for right it is like silver but the heart of the wicked is of little value the lips of the righteous
Nourish many but fools die help me Lord Jesus for lack of sins Proverbs chapter 16 verse 24 says gracious words are a honeycomb sweet to the soul and healing to the bones chapter 17 verse 28 says even fools are thought wise if they keep silent this is why your mama
Said if you ain’t got nothing nice to say don’t say nothing at all because you don’t want to show yourself to be a fool if you’re ever in a fight with somebody and somebody’s is on the outside looking in and y’all fighting verbally don’t nobody know which one the
Fool cuz even fools are thought wise if they keep their mouth shut and Discerning if they hold their tongue chapter 18 verse 6 and 7 I’m just going through I just start going through uh The Book of Proverbs up that’s a good one up that’s a good one all right
Here’s the next one it says the lips of fools bring them strife and their mouths invite a beating I’m not going to say this is the scriptures way of saying you should put hands on people but what I am saying is what the scriptures say is that they mouths sometimes invite a
Beating y’all go help me tonight we gonna do this so we GNA do this right the the mouths of fools here it is are they are there undoing and their lips are a snare to their very lives Chapter 19 Verse one better the poor whose walk is
Blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse and then chapter 25 verse number 11 it says like apples and gold like apples rather of gold in settings of silver get the image here like an apple of gold in a setting of silver so this Beauty on top of
Beauty is a ruing a ruling rightly given I love how it reads in The New American Standard Bible it says like go like apples of gold and settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances I don’t know if I put this
On the T I know I didn’t send it I don’t know if I put this on your your paper or in the notes but I know I didn’t send it to Clarence because as I was writing after I sent the notes I came across what I believe is my new favorite
Proverb about how uh about our speech Proverbs 21:23 out of the New Living Translation just listen to what it says it’s says watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut and you will stay out of trouble friends what we say matter in fact one of the first things that
Happens according to one Theologian uh when a man is filled with the spirit is not that he speaks in tongues one of the ways one of the first things rather that happens when a person gets filled with the Holy Ghost is that he learns how to hold the tongue that he
Already has I messed that up let me see if I can give it to you again one of the evidences that you fill with the spirit isn’t that you speak in tongues one of the evidences that you are filled with the spirit is that you and I have the ability to hold the
Tongue that we already have because we understand the significance of our words the weight of our words and so why is it important for us to watch what we say why is this significant why should we weigh our weigh our words well James highlights for us three three things
Tonight I’ll give them to you and then we’ll go home together James teaches us first of all that we ought to weigh our words because there’s coming a day when we will be held culpable for the weight of our words I’m in verse number one James opens chapter
3 with a warning an admonition to those of us who are teachers listen to what he says he says not many of you should become teachers James chapter 3 verse number one not many of you should become teachers literally he makes the command he gives the command and in literal form
He’s saying man y’all stop becoming teachers now let’s be clear here Mr John he’s not trying to necessarily discourage people from becoming teachers but here’s what he’s doing AC he’s trying to get those who desire to become teachers to man manage the motivation for why they want to become
Teachers this is important and significant for James and for those who were listening to James in that day because in that day teachers much like the preachers and teachers of our current culture were highly respected they were highly revered they had Prestige and power and position and apparently there were those
Who were in the church who wanted to teach and be become a spiritual leader because they saw the power they saw the prestige they saw the prominence that came with being a teacher in fact many of them we know that James is writing to a Jewish audience and so they were
Familiar with the rabbi and one of the L one of the names for Rabbi was the great one of course we know it’s translated teacher but one of the names associated with rabbis in that day that they were familiar with in their common vernacular was the great one so whenever you saw a
Rabbi that Rabbi was known as the great one and many of them conscious of this became impressed with the authority and Prestige of being a teacher but they never took into account the responsibility and accountability that came with the office and I only highlight this here one because James highlights it but I
Also highlight it because when I look over the landscape of our culture with the increase of social media and podcasting I see some incredible similarities between this day and that one don’t know if you’re paying attention but social media fairing is giving people greater access and increased opportunities to speak in our
Culture and let people know that they got a word from the Lord now I’m I’m I’m I’m okay maybe I’m maybe I’m medling a little bit but I’m I’m not intentionally meding but here’s what I’ve discovered you those of you who are on social soci
Media you you know this you see it all up and down your timeline everybody got something to say everybody has an opportunity to offer their opinion on spiritual matters and things related to God I thought I start thinking about it and I start realizing because I got to deal with my
Own self why this bothers me so much and I I’ll tell you why it bothers me so much because if there’s one thing that irks my soul is when I scroll down social media and I see somebody responding to either a post or uh or or a video and they saying you preaching
But they ain’t saying nothing Godly oh that’s a word from who you get what I’m saying now I’m trying not to overreact here because on the surface I don’t think they mean any harm on the surface it’s it it’s probably not a big deal but hear me
Friends what James is trying to get us to understand here is that it’s one thing to be a person who has to say something it’s a completely different thing when God has given you something to say there’s a distinct difference between feeling the need to always feel
Like you got to say something and actually having something to say friend that was a time when people who spoke about God in public were people who were in relationship with God both in private and in public the people who were the subject matter experts on the things of God were
People who spent time with God in prayer and in study of the word of God and friends I’m convinced that’s the challenge with so many people uh that because we don’t give enough conscious reflection to what it actually means to speak truth according to the word of God
So the question becomes am I responding to this truth because this actual truth or is this truth because I feel like it agrees with what I feel like I got going on in my life James says don’t be so quick to call yourself a teacher I love
What Paul writes in a parallel passage 1 Timothy Chapter 1:7 he says they want to become teachers of the law underlying this circle this highlight this but they don’t know what they talking about or what they confidently affirm there a whole lot of podcast prophets and tiktock theologians
That feel like you can speak your mind and in doing so it’s a it’s it’s it’s a sign of leadership but James opens this chapter by speaking a word of warning to anybody who desires to be a teacher and what he says here is friends don’t rush
Into this too soon because there’s a seriousness to the position that you may not be ready for I started thinking about this because as a preacher of the Gospel um um I I get people who say to me you know I think the Lord is calling me to teach
I think the Lord is calling me to preach and I will instinctively say to them first lady you sure you see they they they see the suits or they they they see the little photos that we take around the church they see how for 40 minutes whoever’s preaching has the baited breath of
Everybody in the room and they say that’s what I want to do you sure cuz hear me friends as somebody who’s been doing this for next year will be 30 years here’s what I’ve come to discover this ain’t something you can pick up and put down when you want in
Fact I say to them AC listen if you can do anything else other than and be satisfied go do that because there’s a gravitos to this call hear me friends this call is going to cost you some sleepless nights this call hear me is going to cause you to
Wonder where is God when you’ve been pouring in the life of people and when you need them the most they ain’t nowhere to be found this call has a seriousness attached to it this is not something that you run toward this is something that you run away from cuz
This is a high and holy calling this is not merely a career because the truth is for those of us who have made it a career by God’s grace the reality is even when we retire we we can’t stop working you can’t quit this you can’t say I’m going to go do
Something else when times get tough or you don’t get your way with God no it don’t work like that and so I say to them listen if you can do anything else and be satisfied you better go do that cuz here’s what I know when you really been
Called you ain’t going to have no other satisfaction except to be able to do it if you can do something else and be satisfied then this ain’t for you but when you really been called it this it’ll be like what Jeremiah says he said it’ll be like fire shut up in your bones
And so James says listen whatever you do be careful not to call yourself a teacher cuz there’s a weighty responsibility literally those of us who teach I start thinking about this cuz I I start thinking about this in light of my own life th those of us who teach
James says we will face a much stricter judgment when we stand before God and there going to be a whole lot of people who claim to be teachers who gonna have blood on their hands that they going to have to account for for words that were spoken in an attempt to look
Like they somebody special and here’s why the accountability is significant I’m going say it and then we’ll move here’s why the the the accountability is so significant because as teachers we have the ability to influence people for the good or the bad Mo most of us when we come across
Teachers we we experience the good but there are some false teachers in our culture and who’ve come across our and who had big large stages who influenced people for you remember Jim Jones I only know cuz I read I wouldn’t there but some of you you remember you remember David Kesh you remember Hitler those are negative examples but the principle is the same these people were able to Influence People both for good and for bad because as teachers we use our tongues to share what we believe to be truth let me just say while I’m here yeah let me just say
While I’m here this is why when you come to this church we don’t just give you what we think about a particular situation one of the things you never have to worry about here no matter who’s standing up to proclaim the word of God we’re not just merely going to give you our
Opinion we’re want to give you God’s opinion because at the end of the day what God thinks is what matters the most this the significance of this is because we understand I want you to get this picture we understand that as teachers of the gospels we function as Heralds not merely as
Messengers on the surface they appear to be the same thing but there’s a slight difference there’s a subtle difference you you remember in the days of old when there were monarchies and kingdoms a Herald was somebody who spoke the words of the king so whenever the king had
Information he wanted to get to the town’s people he didn’t call no press conference no he would send a Herald into town saying hear ye hear ye and instead of watch this putting uh or so what would happen is in those moments the king would put his words in
The hero’s mouth and the only responsibility of the herald was to say what the king said to the people now on one hand this came with great Authority because when you speak on behalf of the king you have the authority of the king so anybody who
Does not abide by the words of the king spoken by you they have to respond to the king that would be the equivalent of not listening to the king But Not only was this great Authority this was also a great responsibility because you were only supposed to say what the king said
Nothing more nothing less and one of the worst things you could do as a Herald was misrepresent the king because to do so would end up in your death and your demise and friends can I remind you every time I stand Here on Wednesdays or Pastor Clark stands on Sundays or
Whoever standing before you to declare the word of God the responsibility of that person is to say what the king says nothing more nothing less and this friends is why you got to constantly play Pray for Pastor Clark it’s why you have to pray for whoever’s preaching each week because
That week you want to pray that they have have enough time to hear clearly what the King has said so that that person can regurgitate to you with Crystal Clarity what the king says and while we may do it in creative ways friends we cannot sacrifice Clarity on the altar of
Creativity cuz here’s what we understand when I’m standing in front of you on Wednesdays when Pastor Clark is standing in front of you on Sundays it ain’t about us not even in the least bit we understand that literal lives are on the line every time we declare what the king
Says and so James says I know this looks like something you want to get into but don’t cuz for those of us who do we got a much- weighted responsibility we’re going to be cable for the weight of our words but James also teaches us as I move that we
Ought to weigh our words because of the capacity everybody shout capacity capacity of our words and so watch it I’m in verses 3 4 five and six after giving an admonition and warning he then gives us a picture an illustration of the power of the tongue
Look at what it says verse 3 through6 it says when we put bits in the mouths of horses to make them obey us we can turn the whole animal or take ships as an example although they are so large and are driven by strong winds they are steered by a very small
Rudder wherever the pilot wants to go likewise the tongue is small is a small part of the body but it makes great boast consider what a great Forest is set on fire by a small spark the tongue Lord listen to this language is also a fire a world of evil among the
Parts of the body it corrupts the whole body sets a the whole course of one’s life on fire and itself and is itself rather set on fire by hell and so James teaches us here that we ought to weigh our words because our words very simply though small are
Significant they have the power to control our destiny and to cause great damage to others look look I just want to look at the word picture real quick he uses three small things to speak of the significance of something small he uses first of all the example
Of U of of of of a bit now I’m city boy through and through uh my wife on the other hand is a country girl and as a country girl my wife likes things outdoors I’m the Cosmopolitan you could put me in the middle of downtown I
Don’t even got to be on the top floor I just want to be in the building I want to be able to walk to wherever I want to walk to get to wherever I want to get to my wife on the other hand she likes space she likes
Land she had a couple of uh animals like like like turkeys and chickens and goats and sheep like she and rabbit like she had all that and uh I only bring this up because uh I think it was either 2015 or 2016 for her birthday I took her on a
Ranch and we rode horses I wasn’t crazy about it but it was an act of love and when I got on that horse I wanted to make sure sure that that horse has something in his mouth I was waiting on the instructor to put something in my
Hands I wasn’t going to get on there if that horse had not been tamed no no no no no no no if I could not control and it was interesting because the instructor said to me said to us listen if you want it to go one
Way all you got to do is turn it this way you want it to go the other way just turn it that way you don’t got to make a lot of major movements you don’t have to yank it just just just nudge and we enjoyed ourselves he also in in verse number
Four talks about uh these great ships um I ain’t been on a cruise just yet um I know that’s crazy never been on a cruise um cuz my wife don’t like water like that uh but on these cruise ships these big long cruise ships that travel six 7 3
Days they able to get to their destination and back because of something small these big old cruise ships where you can eat as much as you want and gamble as much as you want for those of you who ain’t saved at least pay your ties if you win
That’s all I’mma ask at least pay your ti if you win all right but you’re able to do all of these things and it’s from what I hear it’s literally like a world on top of a boat but it moves slow but it moves at all because it got something small
Moving it it’s the rud of the ship and the principle here is this Friends James is teaching us that in the same way that Rudders move ships and bits move horses our tongues though small have the capacity to influence the direction uh of Our Lives influence our
Direction that’s the next line and so catch it James is saying here that we shape people with our words because the truth is whether or not you consider yourself to be a teacher in the traditional sense all of us no matter where we fall in the spiritual spectrum and spiritual giftings all of
Us no matter where we are have the capacity to shape those with whom we do life with if you’re a parent you are shaping the life of your children if you lead on your job in any capacity you are shaping those who you supervise those of you who have
Influence in fraternities and in sororities or just in your friend Circle you have the capacity to shape those lives and watch this even if you’re not doing it in an official capacity most of us who are believers whether we know it or not we’re shaping the lives of the
People around us whether we realize it or not I I thought about this against the backdrop again of my own life uh anybody familiar with the five love languages five love languages got a few people five love languages Gary Chapman it’s an amazing book um uh that talks
About um the way in which most people feel and encounter and experience love in deep ways all right and so he he highlights uh five love languages five ways to speak a person’s love language the first one quality time anybody quality time cool acts of service you you like
When people do the dishes and and and and wash your car and bring it back to you bring your laundry anybody ask a service okay uh physical touch anybody yeah yeah and we’re not necessarily talking sexual you like hugs you like handshakes you like embracing people right um
Gifts my man is like yep yeah buy me something you want to show me how much you love me buy me something then the last one is words of affirmation anybody words of affirmation word most of us are probably experience love in each of these ways in
Some way shape form or fashion but there’s in each of us a dominant and for me my dominant is words of affirmation first lady only reason I highlight this is because whenever somebody is thoughtful enough to express some kind of kind word to me you don’t know it but that’s like
Breathing air into my lungs because the assumption is as the assistant pastor Greater Mount Zion you hear how great you are all the time now the truth is I hear it far more than probably I would have if I was at another church because y’all just greater
People but but here’s the reality there are some of you in this room there’s some of you who are watching online it didn’t seem like much to you but you had no idea the ways in which you encouraged me and inspired me and kept me from quitting and pushed me
And Shak me by saying I see what you’re doing Pastor didn’t seem like much to you but it was everything to me it was bigger than you knew and the only reason why I bring it up is not so much again to talk about me but I think it highlights what
James is trying to get us to understand here and that’s this whatever we do do not ever underestimate what we say and how we say what we say because on the surface it may seem insignificant and meaningless but like a little old bitty bit in the mouth of a
Horse it can shape the world of somebody else for the better then he moves down to verse six and so we he mentions um uh um how our words um influence our Direction but he also mentions here verse six how in the opposite way what we say can bring about infinite
Destruction infinite destruction I’m in verse six look at what it says verse number six it says the tongue is also a fire a world of evil amongst the parts of the members it corrupts the whole body sets the whole course of one’s life on fire and
Itself and is itself I keep messing that up and is itself set on fire by hell James still using this idea this analogy that small things are significant then turns in a more drastic way and he says to us in no uncertain terms that in the same way that one little
Spark can light up and burn down an entire fire you and I have to be very careful of the negative words that we speak because they too can burn down meaningful relationships what one spark one steel lit cigarette one word spoken in Anger one sentence spoken out of
Frustration one phrase spoken from a place of bitterness one post on Facebook where you trying trying to get somebody back who hurts you publicly can bring about irreversible and irrevocable damages to those with whom you love friend hear me sometimes you can’t take it back hear me
Friends there are certain things that we say that cannot be taken back that’s why before you say it realize how much God loves you because before it comes out of your mouth your tongue is protected by two things your teeth and your lips because the issue is the
Tongue God says before it comes out your mouth that means it got to go past your teeth and past you gonna go past these guards that I’ve given you to say this for real and you already know how this is going to come out sometimes you can’t
Take it back whoever says Sticks and Stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me they lying I I’ve been around here been around Pastor Clark for like I don’t know 16 17 years one of my favorite phrases that he says he doesn’t say it
Nearly as often first lady but you’ve heard him those of you who’ve been around here he often says sticks and stones may break my bones but certain words will break my heart and all it takes is one watch this and even if the relationship on some level is restored
It’s it’ll never be what it used to be cuz you cannot take certain things certain things back here’s why because our words have a wide reach it’s like the image of a wildfire right that he gives here it’s um once the spark is lit everything in the path gets
Destroyed it’s out of control and in the same way friends the enemy wants you to think that what you say doesn’t really matter oh I was just playing I it wasn’t that big of a deal grow up man up that’s what the enemy wants you to
Think but hear me friends what we say matters in ways that we may never realize until it’s too late because it has a strong reach but here’s the other reason CU we can’t control how other people receive our words so as a uh uh communication study majors at Texas State I’ll never forget
In my very first 13 I think 1301 communication 1301 as a freshman I’ll never forget what my professor said in that group of think it was like 400 people he said the goal of communication is to ensure that message given equals message received and often the great challenge of
Communication is that there are there’s a lot of static in the channels and you can say something and assume that a certain person is heard it this way when in actuality they heard it a different way this is why you can’t have some certain conversations over text messages you get what I’m
Saying this is why certain conversations require face-to-face interaction because if we just talking on the phone I can’t see your facial expressions and sometimes certain conversations require all of that to ensure that message given equals message received James says friends you want to be careful what you
Say cuz it can have imminent and infinite destruction like toothpaste coming out of a tube once it’s out you can’t put it back in I read uh the story of A A Woman by the name of Elise arton and she she talks about how she handled her children
Whenever they would uh talk Reckless to one another she had multiple children I think she had about three or four children and she said here’s what I would do whenever there was a particular problem in my home I would counteract every bad word with a good word she said
I would I based this idea on Philippians chapter 4:8 where Paul says finally my brothers and sisters whatever is true whatever is Noble whatever is right whatever is pure whatever is lovely you you get it whatever is of uh excellent and praiseworthy that’s what you ought
To think about right so that was the context behind the decision and so she said what she would do is when one of her kids said something out of pocket to their sibling she would stop them immediately and make them say something that they liked about their
Sibling in that moment right then right there because she understood friends there’s great power in saying positive words and she knew of the infinite destruction and damage that could be caused when words just lay out there without actually being dealt with I thought about that what what would
Happen friends if for the rest of this year you made a practice out of that that every time you attempted to make a negative comment toward a person you immediately followed it up with something that you like about them now I know for some of us this going to be a
Stretch cuz for some folk it’s harder to find things but it ain’t impossible you what I’m saying and so that’s what James is trying to teach us here he’s trying to help us to understand that Faith and Action weighs our words because of its capacity because ultimately we will be held culpable for
What we say but then here’s the last one we ought to weigh our words because when we do not weigh our words it reflects a lack of consistency everybody say consistency come on say say it like you want to be here say consistency yeah I’m in verses 9 through2 this is
Where we’re going to end up close tonight I’m in verse 9 through2 look at what it says it says with the tongue we praise our Lord and father and with it same tongue we curse human beings who have been made in God’s likeness out of the same mouth come praise comes blessings and
Cursings my brothers and sisters this should not be can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring my brothers and sisters can a fig tree bear olives or a grape vine bear frigs of course the implication here they know we know the answer is it’s no
It’s absolutely not that’s why he says neither can a Salt Spring produce fresh water James wants us here to know that the reason why we need to weigh our words finally is because our tongues reveal ultimately what is in our heart and in many respects it’s the greatest indicator of our spiritual
Condition and so what that means is that with our words we have the ability to influence people we talked about that impact our own lives and honor God and so while the possibility of us being able to influence others for the glory of God and impact our own lives
For the better and honor God in what we say while the possibility is there James acknowledges that there’s a problem here James says the problem here is that when we open up our mouths we don’t know what’s going to come out of our mouths that there’s a level of inconsistency at
Times with what we say James here helps us to close our time by highlighting two reasons I’ll give them to you and then we’ll be done for the night why this inconsistency is problematic he tells us first of all verse 11 and verse 12 simply because it’s Unthinkable it’s impossible in the natural
World I’m in verse 11 and verse 12 listen to it again it says can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring the answer is no my brothers and sisters can fig trees bear olives or grape Vines bear figs absolutely not he uses this illustration this image because many of
James readers knew that some Springs had been contaminated in that day by salty water so it was nasty it was foul but then there were others that they would connect with that they had around them that was more safe and clean the drink and so James says can salt
Water produce fresh water and can fresh water Produce Salt Water and the answer is no for them this would be tantamount to the fresh flowing water of the Jordan coming out of the Dead Sea the fresh water of the Jordan will never come out of the Dead
Sea and so James says friends you and I cannot express expect good things to come from bad things and you and I cannot expect bad things to produce good things is simply impossible it is simply Unthinkable but finally not only is it impossible Unthinkable unnatural in the
Natural world he says that frankly it’s unacceptable for those of us who are in the spiritual world I in verse 9 and verse 10 is this making sense and helpful to anybody tonight and look at what he says he says with the tongue we praise our Lord and
Father and with it we curse human beings I love this line I love this image we curse the same people who look like like us cuz they too have been made in the image of God out of the same mouth comes blessings and cursings and James says my
Brothers and sisters this should not be friend if there’s anything more frustrating for some people who are connected to Believers if there’s anything that is more cons inconsistent it’s often what we say because many of us can lift our hands in worship during 9:45 and if you get out there too late because you’ve been hanging out in the lobby too long and that parking lot ain’t moving the same mouth you was using to say thank you Jesus we can speak in unknown tongues in here as the spirit gives utterance and then walk outside
And speak in very known tongues as the devil gives utterances James says friend this should not be now I know I know some of y’all y’all y’all don’t cuss that’s not your issue but we’ve all had moments where we have in figurative ways engaged in the act of using our
Mouth to speak both blessings and cursings some of us have done so with God like like Peter that great disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ who in Matthew chapter 16 sayth after Jesus asked the 12 disciples in cesaria Philippi who do men say that I am and they say you’re like Elijah and
You’re like Jeremiah you’re like John the Baptist and one of the prophets then Jesus turns to the 12 and says I heard what they say but who you think I am and prompted by the Holy Spirit this same Peter opens his mouth and without a second thought says
I know who you are you you you the Christ the son of the Living God in that moment in Matthew chapter 16 He blesses God but if you flip over 11 chapters in Matthew chapter 27 this same Peter who was very clear who Jesus was in Matthew chapter 16 and declared that
He was Christ the son of the living God when Jesus had gotten arrested and was about to be crucified the Bible says on three different occasions when asked by people who knew that Peter had been with Jesus hey where Jesus at you’ve been with Jesus you look like
Jesus You Walk Like Jesus Peter that same Peter said I don’t even know the man in fact the Bible says on the third time it was a little girl he was talking to and he cuss a little girl out friends you and I can be inconsistent
With our words about God we can sing praises to God on Sunday and not really say much about him at work on Monday through Friday there are others of us we we use our words and we come in here and we get our spiritual charge we’re aware of
God’s sufficiency for our we we talk rather about how God is sufficient and can supply all of our needs according to his riches and Glory but then when you got more month than money you like I don’t know what’s going to happen blessings and cursings I believe that
The Lord is the one who can heal but you get a little stuffy nose and you can’t come to church blessings and cursings same mouth real inconsistent with the words but but then there are others of us the reality is we don’t just do it with God we do it with ourselves
Many of us Mr John would be further along in our faith Journey we be stronger if we learn the power of speaking God’s word over our lives with greater levels of consistency this is more than positive selft talk but it is a form of positive selft talk that’s why the Bible says uh
When when when when David found himself in a place of discouragement what did he do he encouraged himself in the Lord and this is why ladies and gentlemen believing God’s word is significant and knowing God’s word is crucial because when you don’t know the word of God you
Don’t know what to say over yourself when life start lifing because it don’t take no God to be negative you don’t have to pray to be negative you don’t got to read the Bible to be negative you just got to get up and engage this mean old world and
Before long if you ain’t prayed up you’ll mess around and find yourself in the flow of the world talking and speaking and engaging in negativity but some of you tonight are where you are and I close here because you’ve forgotten how to speak life over your
Situation James says you and I have to engage a level of consistency in spite of what we see Speak Life to the circumstance I’m here where I am now and I don’t like where I am now but I am coming out I may be broken now but God’s getting ready to make something
Beautiful out of this Brokenness I may be broke now no scratch that I’m not broke I’m in between blessings the doctor said that there’s something on the chart that we need to look at I don’t feel my best and I can use the language of saying I’m sick and I guess intellectually that
Would be true but Faith Walkers we talk like we believe God can even if he doesn’t so I may be sick in my body but I’m not really sick on my body in my body this body this sickness this moment is just a display for God to
Prove himself to be Jehovah Rafa the Healer I may have some enemies on my trail may have a few people who don’t like me a few people who trying to run my name through the mud may have a few people who don’t like me can’t stand me
Don’t want to have nothing to do with me but I ain’t worried about it because even though they trying to be Petty towards me I’mma still give God praise cuz I understand that even in the presence of my enemies God is preparing a table and sometimes you don’t get
Certain tables until you get certain enemies it depends on how you see it friends those of us who are believers in the Lord Jesus Christ understand that we can speak those things that are not yet even though we can speak those things rather that are not yet as though they
Already are because we have faith that comes from the truth of scripture I’m done Philippians I mean Colossians chapter 4 verse6 I I held you longer than what I what I what I what I planned on but we only got two more so let me finish look at what Paul says I’m I’m
Done here how how do how do we do this Paul tells us listen let your conversation be full of grace let your words be full of grace seasoned with salt so that you may know how to answer everyone so the question becomes how do we do this how do we cultivate the kind
Of consistency needed to influence others impact ourselves and honor God it’s real simple in fact it’s so simple I’mma say it and I’m going be done for tonight the only way that this is going to happen that we’re going to develop a level of consistency with our words and
Understand the weight of our words and the ways that we speak life and not death in our lives toward God and toward others is when we let God change our heart because Jesus said out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and so tonight as we close I pray
As the psalmist prays in Psalm 19 and4 Lord let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight because I know that you are my strength you’re my rock and you’re my redeemer let’s pray father thank you for this lesson on
Our words for the reminder God that you have en have empowered us to be just like you were in creation to use our words to shape our worlds and shape the world of those around us and I just pray very simply that we would be with a greater level of
Intentionality Greater level of specificity wise with our words because we recognize that our words matter in Jesus name amen all right well thank you for tonight I do want to let you know remember I want to invite you if you filled out uh the survey if you didn’t
Do that you can take it home with you bring it back with you next week I’m excited about next week next week of course is our last one but we going to do like a part two I already the Lord and told me you got to like dig another
Level deeper into this uh uh uh weighing your words and so we’ll end weighing our words but we’ll have some kind of more of a practical lesson so I’m excited about it would love to have you with us as we close out the year for those of
You who going to join us online please do so we love you May the peace of God be yours we G to see you on Saturday y’all have a great night we’ll talk to you later that was
source
