02.23.20 || WATCH YOUR WORDS

WATCH YOUR WORDS Faith That Works Scott Young ~ Pastor of Hope James 3:1-12 1. Words Create Influence Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. – James 3:1 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 14:36-37 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Words Show Our Need For God For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. – James 3:2 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. – James 3:7-8 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Words Set Your Direction If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. – James 3:3 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. – James 3:4 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Words Can Bring Destruction So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. – James 3:5-6 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. Words Will Bring Blessings From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. – James 3:10-12 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________