scripture: james 3:1-3:18

Special Guest - Rev. Keith Hinton

Morning Worship 26 June '22

Those who profess God should control their tongue. Earthly wisdom is jealously self seeking but, true wisdom shapes the wise. Teachers should continue in humility and in a spirit of a learner.

Words do affect other people. We are to watch what we say and seek wisdom from above in what we are speaking and saying to others.

Did you have a favorite coach or teacher in school who was able to really challenge and push you, but also encourage you? Looking back at your notes from this week’s teaching, was there anything that you heard for the first time, caught your attention, challenged or confused you?

Southeast Baptist Tabernacle

The Power of Our Words

Exhortations Concerning the Tongue

Fighting my selfish ambition will need me to control my selfish desires. This will imply discipline in my life. The impact of if I am disciplined or not will be reflected in my speech, my tongue. If I can not control my tongue I am lacking discipline. Being ambitious in this world is applauded in some circles. However in this text to be ambitious in this text is not the case. Ambition is defined as one who is self-seeking for a political office by unfair means. This word "ambition" is used as a human vice and not as a virtue in the Bible. For that reason we see Paul instruct in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;” (Phil 2:3 NAS95). This instruction is good to follow today as it was then.

We've all had the experience of saying something foolish, or having something hurtful said to us. James tells us this is deeper than a simple common human foible - this is us revealing the content of our hearts. Only God can change us from the inside out, and transform our natural language from foolish and selfish into encouraging, wise, wholesome words from above.

Struggling Spiritually, Failing Spiritually, Falling Spiritually are not hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is being two different people, and not living life being who you really are.

Struggling Spiritually, Failing Spiritually, Falling Spiritually are not hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is being two different people, and not living life being who you really are.

Chapter 3 of James likens the tongue to six objects, and shows, through the example of these objects, three powerful ways it can impact not only our lives, but also the lives of others around us. In this study, Pastor Brown presents the key to taming the tongue.