October 25 2015 Sermon On The Mouth

Sermon on the Mouth

Memory Verse: Proverbs 13:3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (LB) 

"Self control means controlling the tongue.

HOW TO STAY OUT OF TROUBLE

1. THINK  before you speak.

Proverbs 16:23 (GN) "Intelligent people think before they speak. What they say is then more persuasive."

Proverbs 18:20 (GN)"You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say.  "

Proverbs 20:25  "It is a trap for a man to dedicate something rashly and only later to consider his vows. 

2. Always speak the TRUTH

Proverbs 10:10 (GN) "Some one who holds back the truth causes trouble.  "

Proverbs 24:26 (GN) "An honest answer is the sign of a true friendship."

Proverbs 28:23 (LB) In the end people appreciate frankness more than flattery. "

3. Speak the truth IN LOVE

Proverbs 12:18 (GN) "Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal

Proverbs 15:4 (LB) "Gentle words cause life and health.  '

Proverbs 12:25 (LB) "A word of encouragement does wonders!  

November 9 2014 Fully Engaged In Friends

Fully Engaged in My Friends

The eyes of the Lord search to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose hearts are completely His.– 2 Chronicles 16:9

““Never abandon a friend—either yours or your father's.  Then in your time of need, you won't have to ask your relatives for assistance.  It is better to go to a neighbor than to a relative who lives far away.” – Proverbs 27:10

FOUR ACTIONS TO ENGAGE MY FRIENDS THIS WEEK

1. Provide Encouragement

“For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means ‘Son of Encouragement’).” – Acts 4:26

• Through my words (see Matthew 12:36-37)
• Acts of kindness.
• Just listening.         

2. Play together.

“So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people to do in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them.” – Ecclesiastes 8:15

3. Pray specifically for my friends.

“God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God.” – Romans 1:9

(See other of Paul’s prayers for friends in Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:4;

4. Pursue an opportunity to talk about God.

“If you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way.” – 1 Peter 3:15-16

Memory Verse: “I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure it – the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for their friends.” – John 15:12-13

October 12 and 19 2014 It's A Different World (parts 1 and 2)

IT’S A DIFFERENT WORLD!

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NLT)“All these men [the men of Issachar] understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.”

KEY IDEA: We’ve got to parent to THEIR CHANGES

Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)“Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older,

IN TODAY’S WORLD ... AMAZING KIDS NEED

1. They need affirmation.

Proverbs 12:6 (NLT) “The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of

2. They need communication.  

Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NLT) “And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.”

3. They need to be taught responsibility.

• Chores (Dougfields.com\amazingkids)

Proverbs 27:12 (NLT) “A prudent person foresees the danger ahead and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”

• When natural consequences are too dangerous
• When natural consequences don’t exist
• When natural consequences are ineffective

Proverbs 3:11-12 (NLT)“My child, don’t ignore when the Lord disciplines you and don’t be discouraged when He corrects you for the Lord corrects those He loves just as a father corrects

WHAT DO PARENTS NEED?

1. Parents need to battle wisely.

Proverbs 2:3-4, 6(NLT) “Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure... the LORD gives wisdom!”

2. To Not give up, but hang on.

Philippians 1:6 (NLT)“God began the good work within you, and will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.”

3. They need to get the right relationship right.

Colossians 1:20 (NLT)“...by him [Jesus] God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of his blood on the cross.”

Romans 5:1 (NLT)“Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.”

February 2 2014 My Life To The Power Of Influence

My Life To The Power Of Influence 

2 Kings 6-7: The Influential Lepers

2 Kings 6:24-25 Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mobilized his entire army and besieged Samaria. As a result there was a great famine in the city. After a while even a donkey's head sold for two pounds of silver, and a cup of dove's dung cost about two ounces of silver. 

2 Kings 7:3-11 Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. "Why should we sit here waiting to die?" they asked each other. "We will starve if we stay here, and we will starve if we go back into the city. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway." So that evening they went out to the camp of the Arameans, but no one was there! For the Lord had caused the whole army of Aram to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. "The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!" they cried out. So they panicked and fled into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys, and everything else, and they fled for their lives. When the lepers arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating, drinking wine, and carrying out silver and gold and clothing and hiding it. Finally, they said to each other, "This is not right. This is wonderful news, and we aren't sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some terrible calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let's go back and tell the people at the palace." So they went back to the city and told the gatekeepers what had happened that they had gone out to the Aramean camp and no one was there! The horses and donkeys were tethered and the tents were all in order, but there was not a single person around. Then the gatekeepers shouted the news to the people in the palace.

HOW TO LIVE A COMPOUNDING LIFE OF INFLUENCE

(From 2 Kings 6 - 7)

• Influence: USING MY WORDS AND ACTIONS TO MOVE PEOPLE TOWARD JESUS CHRIST

1. YOU HAVE TO RISK DOING SOMETHING GREAT FOR GOD

2 Kings 7:3-5““Now there were four men with leprosy sitting at the entrance of the city gates. ‘Why should we sit here waiting to die?’ they asked each other. ‘We will starve if we stay here, and we will starve if we go back into the city. So we might as well go out and surrender to the Aramean army. If they let us live, so much the better. But if they kill us, we would have died anyway.’’ So that evening they went out to the camp of the Arameans, but no one was there!” 

Luke 19:26“Risk your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag.”

2. REMEMBER HOW MUCH GOD HAS BLESSED YOU.

2 Kings 7:8““When the lepers arrived at the edge of the camp, they went into one tent after another, eating, drinking wine, and carrying out silver and gold and clothing and hiding it.”

Luke 12:48“Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.”

3. BEGIN TO RELAY GOD’S GOOD NEWS TO OTHERS

2 Kings 7:9-11““Finally, they said to each other, ‘This is not right. This is wonderful news, and we aren't sharing it with anyone! If we wait until morning, some terrible calamity will certainly fall upon us. Come on, let's go back and tell the people at the palace.’ So they went back to the city and told the gatekeepers what had happened . . . Then the gatekeepers shouted the news to the people in the palace.””

Memory Verse: Romans 1:16“For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes!”

September 1 2013 The Power Of Words

THE POWER OF WORDS

Memory Verse: “The Tongue has the power of life and death.” – Proverbs 18:21

THREE TRUTHS ABOUT MY WORDS

Truth #1: Words are a Gift from God

Truth #2: Words can build up or tear down

Truth #3: The quality of my life is determined by the quality of my words

HOW TO HARNESS THE P.O.W.E.R. OF MY WORDS

1. PRACTICE STARTING MY DAY WITH PRAISE.

Psalm 145:2 “I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever” 

2. OFFER WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHERS DAILY.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “So speak encouraging words to one another” 

3. WORK TO REMOVE ALL CURSE WORDS FROM MY SPEECH.

James 3:8-10 “[The tongue] is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth . . . this is not right!” 

4. EXERCISE LISTENING TWICE AS MUCH  AS I SPEAK.

Proverbs 12:15 “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.”

5. RELEASE MY WHOLE LIFE TO GOD.

Matthew 15:11 (Jesus) “But the words you speak come from the heart – that’s what defiles you.”

Romans 6:13 “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.”