Be Mature Chapter 7 Warren W. Wiersbe The World

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Be MatureChapter 7Warren W. WiersbeThe Worlds
Smallest but Largest Troublemaker

• James 3 1-12

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• Characteristics of Mature Christian
• Patient in trouble (Chapter 1)
• Practices the truth (Chapter 2)
• Power over tongues (hands)
• Power of speech we can make or break
• We can praise God or lie to break a persons
  heart or reputation
• James gave 6 pictures to show importance of
  controlled speech and consequences of our words
• Bit (bridle), rudder, fire, a poisonous animal,
  fountain, and fig tree

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• Power to Direct (31-4)
• 31 Not many of you should act as teachers, my
  brethren.
• Teachers are impressed with authority and power,
  but they face stricter judgment. Therefore, they
  must practice what they teach. They have
  responsibility and accountability.
• Christians stumble in many way (32, NIV)
  including sins of tongue. The mature (perfect)
  person controls the whole body by controlling his
  tongue (what is being said). Word leads to deeds.
• Prov. 1821 - Death and life are in the power of
  the tongue
• Ps. 1413 - Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth
  keep the door of my lips.
• Matthew 1234b for out of the abundance of the
  heart the mouth speaketh.
• Heart

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• The words we speak affect the life of others
• Prov. 151 - A soft answer turneth away wrath
  but grievous words stir up anger. -
• Power to Destroy (3 5-8)
• Fire can begin with spark and grow to destroy a
  city
• Chicago fire in 1871
• Words can start a fire
• Prov. 2620-24
• Fire can heat up
• Ps. 1391 - I said, I will take heed
• to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue
• I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the
• wicked is before me.
• The words we speak affect the life of others
• Prov. 1727a - He that hath knowledge spareth his
  words

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• Hot head
• Fire can defile (ruin) so can your words. Fiery
  words can defile a home, church Sunday School
  class
• Fire burns and hurts so can our words burn and
  hurt
• Jesus was called a man gluttonous and a
  winebibber (Matt.1119)
• Fire spreads and more fuel you add, the faster
  and farther it will spread
• James 36 And the tongue is a fire,
• a world of iniquity so is the tongue
• among our members, that it defileth
• the whole body, and setteth on fire
• the course of nature and it is set on
• fire of hell.

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• A persons life can be injured or destroyed by
  tongues (hands)
• Confession of sins of tongues will not stop
  spreading
• As fire spreads, it destroys. So can our words.
  We can break ones heart and ruin his reputation.
• Col 46 - Let your speech be always
• with grace, seasoned with salt,
• that ye may know how ye ought to
• answer every man.

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• Dangerous animal is restless and cannot be ruled
  (controlled). It seeks a prey, pounce (jump
  upon), and kills. Like poisonous animals, tongues
  (hands) spread poison. Poison works secretly and
  works slowly before it kills. Animals can be
  tamed, but not tongues.
• Power to Delight (39-12)
• Fountain provides refreshing cool water for
  drinking
• Prov. 184 - The words of a man's
• mouth are as deep waters, and
• the wellspring of wisdom as a
• brook.

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• Prov. 1011 - The mouth of a righteous man is a
  well of life but violence covereth the mouth of
  the wicked.
• Prov. 1414 - The law of the wise is a fountain
  of life, to depart from the snares of death.
• Water is life-giving so our words can give life
  gift of refreshment.
• Prov. 1821 - Death and life are in the power of
  the tongue
• Water also cleanses.
• John 153 - Now ye are clean through the word
  which I have spoken unto you.

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• Eph. 526-27 - That he might sanctify and
  cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
  That he might present it to himself a glorious
  church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
  thing but that it should be holy and without
  blemish.
• Tree is delightful, because it holds down the
  soil provide beauty and shade and bears fruit.
• Prov. 1021 - The lips of the
• righteous feed many but fools
• die for want of wisdom.John 663 - It is the
  spirit that
• quickeneth the flesh profiteth no
• thing the words that I speak unto
• you, they are spirit, and they are life.
• Our words can encourage the weary travelers.

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• Root system
• If we are rooted in the things of God, our words
  will be the fruit of our fellowship with God.
• Ps. 12-3 - But his delight is in
• the law of the LORD and in
• his law doth he meditate day
• and night.
• And he shall be like a tree
• planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth
  forth his
• fruit in his season his leaf also shall not
  wither and
• whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
• Warning Fountain cannot give both sweet and salt
  water. Likewise, Tree cannot not give both figs
  and olives. Fountain provide only fresh water
  while fig tree only figs. Our words likewise
  cannot provide both blessing and cursing
  blessing God and then cursing men who are made in
  Gods image. Example of family members

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• The cause of the problem tongue (hands) or heart
• Matt 1518 - But those things which proceed out
  of the mouth come forth from the heart and they
  defile the man.
• Twelve Words that can Transform Your Life
• Only if you mean from your heart
• Please Thank you You are treating others
  like people, not things and showing appreciation.
• Im sorry a way of breaking down the wall and
  building the bridge
• I love you As a Christian we should love the
  brethrens and enemies. Its a statement that can
  carry tremendous power
• Im praying for you Be sure you do. When you
  talk to God about people, you talk to people
  about God.