Your Words Matter

Everybody, this is Arese. She's been serving in the house of God all day long. Good job, girl. Beautiful. Thank you. It might be her last time, because they get mad at me when I do something like that. How many know church is not made on the few? It's made on the people that carry the weight and the responsibilities. It's made on the many dream teamers. We like to call them around here at Celebration Church. And so thank you all. Of course, we want to welcome those that are joining from one of our campuses here in the Austin area. 13 correctional facilities. You are a big deal to us. Mozambique and Italy, our favorite campus. The view's not bad from there. Celebration Church, can we just say hello to everybody joining us online one more time. And again, students, don't forget, wave tonight. Worship night and some testimonies. It's going to be amazing. Doors open at 6.30. Or wives, if you have a husband that acts like a sixth grader, get him to church. We'll send him back a different guy. We are in, in fact, turn with me. If you have your Bibles, we're going to go to the book of James chapter three. I might be there in a few minutes. Just give me a few times or a few minutes to get there. For those that are new to our church, we're in a series, which we often do. We'll take Bibles, we'll take books of the Bible and break them down and just kind of

spend time in that word and in that vein of thought. And the book of James, of course, written by the half-brother of Jesus. Jesus, of course, had brothers and sisters, but they were his half-brothers and sisters. Mary and Joseph had children after his birth. And the Bible tells us that James was one of them. He was, for the most part, he was not a believer until the Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, he appeared to James. James was, in fact, the word tells us, along with other family members, they thought Jesus had gone insane. They really thought that our brother has just gone crazy with this Lamb of God stuff. And then he comes back from the dead. And he goes, I'm back, but not in that way. If I was God, I would have tortured my brothers. How many know, if you were God, you would have done the same? And the Bible says he becomes a believer, he becomes a leader, not one of the apostles, but he does become a leader within the church. Acts 15 talks about James in other places. But James, because of, I think, his radical conversion to Christ, his radical connection to God in the sense that when Jesus comes back from the dead and appears to James personally, I think having that experience, having that radical experience, and then having the radical opportunity to grow up and to be with Jesus makes for a radical book, makes for a radical way that James would write. And often those would say that the book of James is like a staccato epistle, which means it's in rapid fire. It's just one bomb after another. It's just one thought and even one idea, one concept, one subject after another. And so James comes with this really radical, and I would also say, bottom line thinking. How many like bottom line people? Just get to the point. Just don't, hey, hey, what?

I'm busy, what you doing? I'm doing nothing right now talking to you, literally you're stealing my life. Just, what do you want? I don't know, I just want to hang, just want to talk, just want to breathe. Well, you go breathe somewhere else, you know what I'm saying? Get on with it. And so James gets on with it, he really does. He writes radically, and he writes radically to the point. He gets right down into where you and I live, you could say it like this. He's writing, and the book of James is a book of reality. It's very pragmatic, and it's, of course, dealing with subjects. And we're going to hit some of those subjects. We could, and just to kind of summarize, he talks about don't be a victim. Chapter one, he talks about count all things, or anything that you're going through, count that a joy. Look at it from the opportunity that you're going to grow, you're going to become better through the trial, through the temptation, through the season that you may be in. Count it all joy, my brothers and my sisters, when you find yourself dealing with hard things. Count it all joy. You know what he's saying? Don't be a victim. Don't fall into, why is this happening to me? It happens to everybody. Everyone has to deal with temptation. Everybody has to deal with trials. Everybody has to. to go through setbacks, UT. Let's move a little bit deeper, LSU. Another one, he says, don't quit, endure. Let endurance have its perfect work.

In other words, be patient, don't quit before the time. Don't quit, everybody goes through seasons where things seemingly have stalled out. The marriage can stall, the relationship can stall, business can stall, things get slow and you wonder, well, where's God? How come God is not here? Yeah, he's there, but he is enduring or he's putting inside of you an endurance so that you'll learn how to last and not quit. Be patient. Another one, don't be stupid. Now, that's not exactly what it says, but he says, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. And the God who is wise, the God who is wisdom, Jesus is our wisdom, will give you wisdom abundantly. And I think that you and I are as wise as we wanna be. If Christ is our wisdom, 1 Corinthians says, if he's the manifestation of wisdom and we spend time with Christ, you're gonna become wiser, which means you're not gonna live in the dark. You're not gonna live with all these questions and you're gonna, of course, find yourself with all those question marks and living without the light of his wisdom. You're gonna be in a place where you're just literally living behind and living slow and living far from where God wants you to be.

So he says, you don't have to be unwise. You can be wise. Another one is, don't doubt. Don't be like the waves that are tossed here and there. If any man has double-mindedness, what he's saying is, you've got all these ideas and you've got all these concepts and you've got all these things that you think about when it comes to God and God says, no. Don't be double-souled. That's what it means. Don't have two souls. Don't have two minds. Make up your mind. Close the door that Jesus is Lord, he is king, he's my savior, he's the only one that died for me, he's the only one that was raised from the dead for me, he's the only one that's coming back, he's the creator of the heavens and the earth. I close the door to all the other stuff. Another one would be, don't gripe, don't complain. He's talking to those that are in that chapter where he says, if you find yourself in low circumstance, boast that you have the opportunity to be humble. In other words, there are those that are in high positions and he says, they think they have it all together. He says, but the ones that find themselves in humble situations or a humble circumstance actually are the ones that God can talk the loudest to. It's because you're not dependent upon the things of this world.

You're dependent upon his voice. Another one would be, don't shift blame. So he says, you're finding yourself in temptation but you're blaming God. He says, take responsibility for your own temptations. Take responsibility for your own future. Take responsibility for where you are. Seattle, New York City lately. The reality is, is that we live in a generation that wants to not take responsibility for future and that we all are to share in other people's bad decisions. And if we're not careful, we're gonna find ourselves going down the road and all of us personally can find ourselves, well, it was my dad's fault. It's my mom's fault. Can I just get something out there? We're all from dysfunctional people. Can I get an amen? You're about to go to Thanksgiving dinner with a bunch of dysfunctional people. Everybody has a dysfunctional family. Oh, I wish I was born in your family. No, you don't. No, you don't. At five years old, my dad said I was a bartender. At five, I was born to be his bartender. He sent me to bartending school at five years old. Seriously, I could make any drink that any master bar craftsman could make.

I'm up there with five years. What would you like? In fact, he made me wear an armband and a little arm sleeve and just the whole, it was a car dealer. But my parents, they were quite the partiers and they were quite that generation after the war. How many believe after you fought World War II, you get to drink all you want to? And so that was them. And then the second thing my dad said was you were born to not just be my bartender, you were born to cut grass. My lawn boy, that's the dream that my parents had for my life. And God delivered me from my parents in the name of Jesus. And I am no longer that bartender, but I am a deliverer of the spirit of God, not the spirits by which don't do you good the next morning. Another one would be don't talk, be quiet. Talk less. In other words, the Bible says, be quick to what? Hear, James says, be quick to hear or listen and slow to speak. The situation in which James is right now, writing was mostly interpersonal relationships in the church. The church that James is writing to, the situation that James was writing to, it's much like all of us. Most of our situations, most of our circumstances probably have to do with interpersonal relationships at home, at work, in the neighborhood, sometimes in church, but the fact is that most of the conversations at the table next to you at the restaurant are talking about people. If I'm ever sitting next to you at a restaurant, I'm listening to your conversation. In fact, Laurie and I were

like, whoa, looking around. How many know what I'm talking about? That some of the best conversations are at the other table. Another one would be, don't vomit, bite your tongue. Don't be that one that just is known to going around bringing up all the bad, all the ugly, and that's where we're going to go today, as he comes to chapter 3. I don't want to miss at the very end of chapter 2, but as we go to chapter 3, chapter 3, we're going to cover this whole chapter in a very fast, quick way, but the Bible talks about chapter 3. In fact, let's just get there to verse 1. He says, let not many of you become teachers. Let not many of you, the word there in the Greek means, let not many of you become masters. You might see that in your translation, but the intimation in the Greek is, let not many of you take the responsibility to become an expert or to become, well, to become a know-it-all, to become someone that's an authority. Now, God wants teachers. How many of the five-fold offices in the book of Ephesians, the apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist, teacher, all of that is necessary. Teachers are necessary. So when James is writing, let not many of you become teachers. Let not many of you push or put yourself in the position, much like I'm today, on this platform that becomes someone that is looked to as having the answers. Now, I'm going to break that down for you because I think it's important for us to grab the context. He is not saying God doesn't want you to be, or nor does God say, I don't want people that can teach in the church. Of course, He wants teachers. But what his primary thought is, is that even in the church, be careful that because when you become, when you become that expert, when you become that person that knows that subject better than anybody else in the room, or, here we go, when you're in Thanksgiving meal time, in Christmas meal times, how many have family members that you're with where a lot of the conversations get dominated by the so-called smartest person about that subject in the room? And all of a sudden now, Uncle Harry, he knows everything about everything political. He knows everything about everything going on in the world today. He knows everything about God. He knows everything. And you've got people that are masters or teachers in particular subjects, and they're just going to, they just know more than everybody else. And you and I have to be careful because you and I have subjects. We have lanes, if

you want to say it like that. We've got things that we're all interested in, and we study, we read, we pour our time in. But, you know, it's like a sports fan. Everybody knows how to coach. Everybody knows how to run a company. So, with that being said, he goes, let not many of you have this kind of mindset knowing, knowing, with this background, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. He says, because when you put yourself in a position, when you start to act like you know it all. And let's just say, it's not if, it's going to happen. Let's just say I come into your house, and you've got family that begins to talk to me about Jesus is not really the way, the truth, the life. There are other ways, there's other truths, there's other lives. Let's just say your family begins to kind of come at me a little bit and just begin to dialogue, but we begin to get into some pretty strong discussion. And I come across as being the master, the teacher, the expert, the theologian. I'm talking about coming across. Talking about kind of carrying an attitude. And then your family, because your family probably can do this to me, they start saying things in such a way that I'm getting upset at them. How many have some family members that can break you down? And I now begin, like I have my own family that does this to me every time I'm with them. I begin, because if I'm not careful, because I know more than my brothers, and I know more than them, and I might. But watch what happens. And when they begin, because of the stricter judgment, they begin to say things. And as a result watch this for we all stumble in many ways and if anyone does not stumble in what he says He is a perfect man able to ride the whole body Talking about horses able to move a whole horse through a little bitty bit Or a ship that you're able to control by a little bitty rudder So also the tongue is a small part of the body But yet it boasts of great things see how great a forest is set aflame by such a small Fire the tongue is a fire the very world of iniquity The tongue is set among our members as that which defiles The whole body and sets on fire the course of our life and even hell can enter in through the fire of our tongue For every species of beasts and birds and reptiles and creatures They can be tamed and they have been tamed by the human race, but no one can tame the tongue Notice what he said no one can tame that it's untamable

And full of deadly poison In one moment we can bless our lord. And then the next moment we are cursing people with it My brother and these things should not be like this. You shouldn't have out of that same Source that same opening fresh water and bitter water a fig tree producing olives or a vine producing figs It shouldn't be that way or that source of water that is both salt and fresh If you're really wise and if you're really a person of wisdom and understanding you should show it by your good conversations And that conversation should start with the gentleness of wisdom But if you still have some jealousy and bitterness in your heart, don't be arrogant and so lie against the truth This wisdom is not that which comes Down from above but that's earthly natural demonic For where there's jealousy and selfish ambition and where that exists there's disorder in every evil thing But the wisdom from above is first pure peaceable gentle reasonable full of mercy good fruits unwavering without hypocrisy and the seed it's a seed and those who sow it Sow it righteously and it will end up bringing peace Here's what james is saying when you are in a place and you have made yourself an authority Or you have this idea that you know more than anybody else at the table It's not if they're going to say something to you They're going to say something to you and then when you say something back that is not in peace or purity or gentleness or kindness and if it's not with humility and you say something in the form that comes back like Oh You're just going to hell Or you get in the flesh and you've got some areas in your life that are exposed next thing, you know you say something that you shouldn't say as a christian or you say it as You should not say it in the tone and the next thing, you know, guess what's going to happen. Oh We thought you were a christian Oh, what happened to you mrs. Wwjd Oh, that's that stricter judgment That's that strict that's that you be careful Now it doesn't mean we don't speak truth. It doesn't mean that we don't speak with

Clarity, it doesn't mean that we are to apologize For as the bible says speaking truth in love, but james is dealing with people who Think they knew it all So therefore when you become a teacher or a master according to this greek word, what he's saying is You are now an expert experts very rarely listen to people How many know the moment you think you know everything about a subject? You ain't got time to listen to the riffraff You know too much, you know everything and when you stop being a listener You stop being a good leader And whenever you think you've got to have the answer the reason why he is saying over and over be Quick to hear and slow to speak Is that everybody wanted to voice their opinions? And to show how much they knew and james says all this does is cause disorder and confusion and chaos So when you're in christmas times thanksgiving times and you're sitting around the table and they're gonna say So what do you think rick? The bible says let your words of gentleness come forth Let the tone To be in such a way That you are not coming off as combative And the reality is is that you and I have at times been very calm but you know you've got family and you know when you pull up in that driveway all right kids everybody lock and load it get your helmets on mouthpieces in because you know what you're gonna hear in about ten minutes and when it starts to fly hit the ground I'll cover you you cover me but it's let's get ready to run how many know what I'm talking like I'm just telling you from my own perspective this is the way my own journey has been since I came to Christ good news is we don't have that anymore I just don't go to their house so the truth is James before he gets into what's and I want to connect this James deals with our tongue and he

gives a couple of thoughts he talks about our tongue and our words are powerful you gotta understand something your tongue carries a world with it with your words comes a world you want to talk about spiritual warfare the greatest spiritual warfare is keeping your mouth shut some of you're like I just need to pray no no you need to shut up the fights that Laurie and I've had and some of the some of the well I learned really early there are three words you don't say when your wife is learning how to cook or we're learning how to enjoy one another's food and the first words out of my mouth was but my mother how many know that wasn't good I think it was dumplings chicken fried chicken fried chicken fried chicken my mother's from Natchez Mississippi the home of fried chicken my mom and the gravy that came out of that fried chicken the rue that my mother would make with that fried chicken grease and so Laurie makes fried chicken and we were married a couple of months maybe and I just but my mother I set the world on fire that day that's what he's saying hell entered into the world that's what he says the very sort thus the tongue sets on fire by hell literally Satan looks for doors and he looks for opportunities and if you want to set your marriage I'm not talking about a Godfire I'm not talking about a listen I can tell you what was not on fire that night the bedroom became a freezer it became a snow globe it was nothing happening and I love chicken I love my wife's chicken is the greatest chicken in the history of the world that's why we go to Popeyes anyway in fact to this day Laurie refuses to cook chicken she don't have any bitterness who can relate to what I'm talking about and the rest of y'all going to hell every single one of them because it's gonna happen and it has happened and that's what he's saying he says guys do you know how many fights you're fighting you know how many fires you've started because of the words that come off of your tongue death and life are in the power of the tongue Proverbs 18 21 says and those who love it will eat its fruit those who love what does that mean death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it those who love it I think I read it like this those who love the

principle and the systems and the ways of God those who love God's ways and God's ways are through words and they're powerful and when you love how God works in fact look at the book of Genesis chapter 1 we have it on the screen for you I want to show you a concept in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth the earth was formless and void and darkness was over the surface of the deep now what does that mean the earth being formless void and dark that means chaotic and confusing it was empty it was void it was filled with darkness but it was dark because it was without order without life we don't know exactly Exactly, theologians will talk about, God in the beginning made the world, but did He make it like that? No, I think that there was a fall somewhere, somehow, but the Bible says in this particular time we read that it was formless and void, so there was great confusion. And the Spirit of God was moving, that word there, brooding, the literal word is tabernacling. It's the same word that God tabernacles over us, hovers over us like an eagle mother, a mother and her chicks, and that feather, those wings are tabernacling over her chicks. And the reality is that when you and I are in the tabernacle of God, there's this hovering, there's this gathering, this is why we don't need to miss or forsake the assembly or the tabernacling of ourselves together. And the Bible talks about this tabernacle or this hovering over the waters, let me tell you what God was waiting on, because that word denotes time, it denotes a waiting, it denotes a control. And then God said what? Then He said, let there be, then God spoke, let there be light. And there was light, look at verse 4, and God saw the light was what? It was good. Now watch, what was God waiting on? What was He waiting on? Why was He brooding? Why was He just sitting? Because He was waiting on the right word.

And the reason why most of us don't see good, and we cause some very difficult situations in our marriage, is we didn't wait on the right words to say, we just said it. Am I just talking to myself here today? And you and I have all said words that we wish, oh my God, I hope it doesn't hit her ear before she hears it. And we're like, oh, I shouldn't, oh, bam, it wasn't good. God waits, you and I, when we're like Christ, we should learn to wait on the right words to speak, or don't speak at all. Don't open your mouth. This is what James is saying, lest you bring the world of hell into your home. Because when God spoke, it was what? Good. It was good. And then, it's good because it was truth, and it brought order, and it began to bring clarity, to bring understanding, and the Bible says He began to separate. If you just go through the book of Genesis, the book of Genesis is unraveling a jigsaw puzzle. And the reason why some of our marriages, and our children, and our homes, and our finances, we're just a big knot. It's like a ball of yarn, it's like, I don't understand how it happens, but your shoelaces just get all entangled, and we want to see clarity, we want to see things begin to come into order, and what God says is, when you learn to speak what I speak, and speak it in the way you're supposed to speak it, instead of hell entering into your world, heaven starts to enter into your world. My mom and my dad, I jokingly say funny things about them, but I can tell you this, the words that they spoke over me, were always filled with life. They weren't always so life-giving to each other, but when it came to the baby, and I'm the baby of three, I was supposed to be a girl. Thank God. Thank God.

That's all I got to say. Thank God. But my mom and my dad were very careful to speak life over their three boys. And all of us can say, we were loved. What James is saying, and this is where I want to grab, as he talks about our tongues, and let me just give you these thoughts, he says, our tongues and words are powerful. Our tongue and our words hurt. They do bring hurt. I think all of us can remember words spoken to us like darts, and we can still hear it. Our tongue and our words, they spread, they enlarge, it gets bigger. Bible talks about a whole forest fire. Bible talks about the pain of words. Another thing that he just said, our tongue and our words can destroy. It doesn't just hurt. It can bring down It can bring removal. Another one is our tongue and our words can bring blessing The Bible says this is why we need to be careful where there are many words Proverbs 10 19 says transgression is unavoidable But he who restrains his lips is what? How many know the older you get the wiser you should get And the wiser you get the quieter you get I'm gonna have a grandpa grandma great-grandpa great-grandma. They just sit over there in the corner And they just looking at you You know what they're looking at stupidity that's what they're looking at They're looking at that young generation going y'all think y'all know So we come to this story and I don't want to miss this story So we come chapter 1 chapter 2 at the very end of chapter 2 before you get into don't become a teacher He deals with a woman by the name of Rahab the harlot So He says Rahab the harlot

Who was justified by works? And not just by her faith alone Rahab the harlot how many would like to be in the Bible? By not just your name but by your past Rahab the harlot Hey, have you met my sister? Who is that the harlot? The harlot Rahab She was justified not just by her faith, but by her works now watch what she did Rahab she would take God's messengers the spies God had sent spies out to look at Jericho and Before he went into Jericho these spies these messengers these angels as They came in the Bible talks about that there was an attack upon the angels lives or upon these messengers lives and Rahab had a pretty good reputation of hiding men That's a whole nother subject But the Bible says she knew that this was God I think she had had a conversion to Christ she had come to God She had experienced God and so now she knows who God is and now she knows God is on his way And so she makes a provision she makes a way for these messengers Not only to be hidden from these attackers and these that wanted to kill God, but she gave them words of instruction she gives them words of salvation Then you come to the next verse the first verse of chapter 3 let not many of you become masters Let me tell you what I think and this is how I like to read it The moment you forget That you are a sinner saved by grace the moment you think You don't have something in your past and you become an expert you become an authoritative figure You're not going to be able to speak to people the way God wants you to speak to people Does this make sense? I? Of course in fact before you judge her just remember she is in the lineage of Jesus Jesus came through

Rahab the harlot that is nuts to be That is crazy that God says guess how I'm gonna enter into the world through a harlot But it was her harlotry It was her sin that brought her into the kingdom of God and you might be in a really bad place today You might be in a really sinful place today. You might be in a really bad situation a bad relationship You might be in an affair as I speak to you today Don't let it drive you away from God come to God and She never forgot the grace of God Rahab the harlot would not only be of course used to bring in Christ But she would be used to bring the messengers to to give them salvation And I think the connection if I like to read it the way I like to read it. I want to be like Rahab. I Don't want to be yes, I want to be forgiven and yes, she was absolutely cleansed But she used her testimony not her title to bring people to God And I know a lot of people that know this Bible backwards and forwards and they forget that that they were a heart like Rahab. They forget that they were sinners. They forget that they were blind. They forget that they were lame. Are you with me today? And we need to walk in. Listen, you need to walk in. Don't you walk in going, let me just tell you, I've been to church. Pastor Joe, been teaching us. Hell is hot, hot, hot. It's time for you to get righteous and give your life to Christ.

Give me some of that turkey. And your family's sitting there. Uncle Eddie with another shot of bourbon. Shut up. And you know Eddie's not saved. You know that Eddie is far away from God. Eddie knows he's far away from God. Who has an Eddie in their life? Maybe I'm okay. A lot of Eddies in this family. Lord Jesus. Sorry, Eddie. But I think that when Rahab is inserted in this idea and this connection to the next verse, she doesn't come with a know-it-all spirit. She comes knowing one thing. God is merciful. God is gentle. God is peaceable. See, now you can begin to plug in these thoughts. Now you can begin to make the connection. So I will close with this, and the worship team can come. Look at you. You're right on time. I'm in Bulgaria, and I'm preaching at a conference. Five, 600 pastors in Bulgaria. Flew into Sofia, and then you drive about two hours to Lovac, Bulgaria.

In fact, in Romania, there was some missiles flying around, but that was a whole other subject. So I'm preaching to this conference, and I was brought to lunch with the leadership, and I am in this hotel restaurant, the same hotel where we're staying, across the street from the convention center. I'm just kind of set it up, and I am now in our second or third day with a couple other pastors from the States, and I ordered again what I had the day before, and that was probably the greatest cobb salad I've ever had in my life. In Bulgaria, in the Baltic region of that area, like much of Russia and Ukraine, I'm telling you, the tomatoes, the cucumber, they're so fresh. Can I get another one of those cobb salads? You know, turkey and ham and egg and all that. They're like, man, you really like it. I said, yeah, this is awesome, because I wasn't quite sure about the other mystery meat that y'all are going to serve out. I mean, you know what I'm talking about. And so I'm just going to town. I said, can I get some more? They bring me out some more turkey and ham cobb salad, and then I can tell the pastor sitting around me, they're all Bulgarian, and I could tell they're talking about it.

I'm like, hey, can y'all include me in what's going on? And they said, well, we're just actually talking among ourselves that we've never seen a pastor that loves raw cow tongue as much as you love it. Raw. Raw. Did I hear the word raw? Now, I'm from Louisiana, guys. We eat everything. But it's pickled. Pickled pigs feet, pickled lips. Hog jaws, I can eat everything and anything, South Louisiana. But we don't eat anything raw. And I said, wait a minute, what is this? They said, this is raw cow tongue. And they started. All of a sudden, I went from this is the greatest meal in my life to being sick to my stomach. And that's because of the tongue. Let me tell you something. Y'all wake up, living a really good life, and then your tongue can mess up your life. Your tongue can mess up your marriage. Your tongue, your tongue, your tongue can mess up a relationship. And I was sick to my stomach. To this very day, from that day to this day, if y'all ever order for me,

or if I ever come to your house, or if we ever at a restaurant, and I want the Cobb salad, my first question is, is it turkey or tongue? And I wanna give you something. The Bible says you can't control your tongue. But you can control your spirit. You can allow the spirit of God to control you. And so with that idea, I want you to think, every time you say something that's not healthy, when those words come out of your mouth, if the Bible tells us it's not. mental. It's not pure. It's not right. Let me tell you what you may be doing. You may be setting your world on fire. And you may be setting a tone in your home, a tone in your children, a tone in your marriage, a tone. And we all work with people, we've probably all been around people. Here's the scripture, the Bible says in Proverbs 6, there are six things the Lord hates, seven things which is an abomination, an haughty eye, that look of pride, but look at the next one, verse 17, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among the brothers. Most of the things that God hates has to do with what comes out of our mouth. Life and death is in the tongue. Jesus said you and I are going to be judged by every word. And why is that? Because it brings either life or death. The Bible talks about a foolish tongue. The Bible talks about a profane tongue. The Bible talks about a false, as we just read, or a lying tongue. The Bible talks about an impure tongue. And the last one is that the Bible talks about a malignant, cancerous tongue. And you're going to get caught into conversations, it's not if, you're going to get into conversations. And you're going to be, oh, I don't think I want to hear. You just say, I've got to go. Some of you need to go to your children

and say, I'm sorry. Probably this morning, maybe you all had a good morning and all of your church. And you might need to say, you know what, mom, dad, or whoever that is, I blew it. And that's where you just begin to show people what it looks like to repent. That's how you show people what God looks like. And the moment you forget your Rahab the heart, listen guys, the reason why Rahab is mentioned, and the reason why it's important for us to bring this concept and this idea into this is it just keeps us all humble. How many know what I'm talking about? I'm 37 years doing this, speaking every week, days, many days a week. I get ideas. I get, I, people say, oh, you're a theologian. No, just a sinner saved by grace. Because I want people saved. And people are not saved except by the gentleness. And the psalmist said, thy gentleness made me great. How many know it's the goodness of God that leads a man to gentleness, purity, kindness, gentleness. We speak truth. I have no problem dropping the bomb. You dropped a bomb on me, gap band. Is that the gap band? Thank you. I'm sorry, my brain starts to work like this at the end of the service. Closing out with this. First Samuel chapter 16, verse 18, there was a great dark day. Saul, the Bible says, was given a tormenting spirit by the devil, or from God the devil was having his way in Israel through Saul. And a guy said, well, we need help. And there's a young man by the name of David, the son of Jesse, the Bethlehemite. He knows how to worship. He's a mighty man of valor. He's a warrior. And look at those words, one prudent in speech. He knows how to control his tongue. Who wants God to help you with your heart to think before you speak? Can we just bow our heads, please, just for a moment? Lord, you said that we control the world. We can actually change our worlds through our mouth. And so today, Lord, there are people in this room who have never with their mouth said, Jesus, you are Lord. And you said very clearly that without the tongue, without the confession, through one's mouth, one cannot be saved. How many of you would say, Joe, I don't want to just have a mental concept of God. I want what the Bible says in Romans chapter 10, verses 9 and 10. With the mouth, one confesses that Jesus is Lord. That leads to salvation. And if you're here today and you'd like to be included in that prayer, the prayer to receive Christ as Lord and Savior, how many would say, Joe, would you pray with me? In fact, would you help me pray that prayer? Yeah. Thank you. Would you just lift up your hand? Can I just see? Awesome. So many hands. Beautiful.

I don't care if you've been in church a hundred years. I don't care if you've been raised your whole life in church. If you don't have a personal relationship to Christ, you're lost. He's gentle. He's kind. And he's here today to tell you, follow me. How many would say, I want to be a great witness with my mouth? How many want to be that kind of man, that kind of woman, prudent in speech? Let's say this out loud, Lord Jesus, you are the word, and you came to me, giving your life on that cross, not because you hate me, but because you love me. I've received that love, the gentleness of your love, the kindness of your love, and I thank you that you've opened up for me a world to heaven in the kingdom of God. I receive you as my Savior, my Lord, my God. Now Lord, use me like you used Rahab, my testimony of how great you are. In Jesus' name, everybody said, come on, can we give the Lord a clap of praise today? Amen. Amen.