Fresh Water Flows - James 3:1-12
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James 3:1-12
James 3:1-12
All through James, he is talking about various tests our loyalty to Jesus is put through…
James 1 says testing produces a purity of our faith.
Your Faith must be tested.
Your Faith must be tested.
A test reveals what is hidden.
it purifies what is seen
Your words reveal if your heart is fresh or bitter.
Your words reveal if your heart is fresh or bitter.
salty speech comes from a bitter heart.
life-giving words come from a fresh source.
Your words reveal a cynical and critical heart.
Your words reveal a cynical and critical heart.
vs 1
At the root of this is envy and comparison.
Not many should be teachers…we are judged for our words more strictly
this is also why I tent to avoid being critical of other pastors…my job is less about correcting what they say, and more about teaching you correctly.
we don’t want to live with envy of someone else’s life. comparison causes us to be ungrateful and entitled. we grow cynical and critical. ...when it comes to others, assume the best, be curious about the rest.
the anti-venom to envy and comparison is genuine celebration and gratitude.
Every sin comes back to unbelief expressed in lack of gratitude to God.
Your tongue is a one of the most difficult things to control but it is crucial to our maturity.
Your tongue is a one of the most difficult things to control but it is crucial to our maturity.
we all sin and stumble, and the easiest, and most frequent place we do this is with our words.
if you want to see your life flourish, watch how you talk. if you want to see your kids break free from their rebellion, watch how you talk to them and about them.
…even against odds and opposition (v4), correct thinking moves our life forward.
Words, seed thoughts; thoughts fertilize the soil of your heart. heart produces the fruit of your life.
Words initiate thoughts. Thoughts incubate in your heart. Heart directs your life.
Romans 12:1–2 “1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
If you want to change your life, change your thoughts. If you want to change your thoughts, change your words using God’s Word.
If you want to change your life, change your thoughts. If you want to change your thoughts, change your words using God’s Word.
Joshua 1:8 “8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”
…what are some God-honoring mindsets or values you need to write down.
WE have 5 Mindsets at Faith Church that help direct us toward God-honoring values as a church.
We are rooted.
We are for people.
We are together.
We are focused.
We are advancing.
If you can’t control your mouth and how you talk, you cannot control your life. Its an indication you don’t have the fruit of the Spirit growing in you. It may be dormant, but it aint growing.
Now, i’m not talking about manifesting your own destiny…it’s about taking inventory of your hearts condition. its about identifying who is LORD in your life — You or God.
You cannot control your tongue without God.
You cannot control your tongue without God.
just like the good deeds we talked about last week in James 2:17 + James 2:26, our words reveal who is King in our life. God or Me?
James 3:8…“no man can tame the tongue”; you can’t do it.
In Matthew 19:16-30 The rich young dude with social influence came and asked what works he needed to do in order to receive eternal life. Jesus told hime to obey the God’s commandments. Then Jesus affirmed he had done those well, but still lacked something…He was greedy and it was polluting his soul still. But the man was unable to submit that area of his life to God.
Jesus said these things are impossible with man, but with God it’s possible.
Jesus was not teaching works righteousness or being delivered by works alone.
Jesus was our atonement, paying the price required to establish a renewed covenant. He started a covenant, we participate in keeping in alignment with the terms of the covenant. Delivering us from sin’s penalty is done, it’s the delivering us unto a life of holiness and wholeness that is taking work (sanctification)
Matthew 19:26 “26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”
It all feels impossible and exhausting…which is why the idea of not “doing any works” seems like such good news, the problem is it makes the gospel about us, not Jesus.
That can seem frustrating…but God is at work in you unto HIs good pleasure, and is faithful to complete the work until the day of Christ’s return. Don’t shrink back.
God is after our fully devoted, undivided surrendered heart. What area of your life is yet to be made whole? What area of your life is not yet fully devoted/submitted to Him?
God is after our fully devoted, undivided surrendered heart. What area of your life is yet to be made whole? What area of your life is not yet fully devoted/submitted to Him?
for the young ruler it was greed and money..for you it might be gosipping and your mouth.
to submit to it, means to go along with it. Prioritizing HIS ways over the WORLDS ways.
mark of the beast is 666. trifecta of humanism (selfish pleasure, power, & greed).
mark of the Holy Spirit (righteousness, peace, & Joy)
Romans 14:17 (CSB) - for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
John 7:37–39“37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’ ” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)”
Acts 2:1–4“1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”
Galatians 5:22–23“22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”
Ephesians 4:30 “30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.”
(CSB) And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit. You were sealed by him for the day of redemption.
Jude 20“20 But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit,”
1 Corinthians 14:2“2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.”
1 Corinthians 14:4“4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.”
1 Corinthians 14:14–15 “14 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. 15 Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand.”
Ephesians 5:18–20 “18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The Holy Spirit is the living water, springing fresh water and causing life-giving words to flow from our mouths.
The Holy Spirit is the living water, springing fresh water and causing life-giving words to flow from our mouths.
Let the fresh water flow…his word, praise to his name.
God is so good, He longs for us to thrive in His ways, and life and death are in our tongue - so why wouldn’t God give us a gift that aids us and graces us to live in victory over sin in this area of life too?
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PRACTICING THE WAY
As disciples of Jesus, we know our allegiance to Him as King is expressed in our daily practice. We are not pursuing perfection but want to practice our faith each day. These practices will point you toward spiritual formation as an apprentice (disciple) to Jesus.
(1) Start the Bible Recap reading plan.
(2) Recite this prayer/liturgy daily: “The Gospel is the good new that God our Father, the Creator, out of His great love for us, has come to rescue us from sin, satan, death and hell, and to renew all things, in and through the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf, to establish His kingdom, through His people who participate in loyal allegiance in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is for God’s great glory, and our profound joy.”
(3) Talk it Over (with friends, a spouse, or your Group)
The message was about passing the test of taming our tongues. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?
Read James 3:1-12 What does this passage teach us?
Do you tend to be more cynical and critical with your words or more grateful and encouraging?
Read Romans 12:1-2. What are some old ways of thinking you’ve had to change?
Do you have any God-honoring mindsets or values that you have that help direct your thought life?
How do you think prayer, worship, and God’s word can help change our thought patterns and help tame our tongue?
What is one area of your life (spirit, soul or body) God is helping you to surrender?
