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James 1:2-5, 19-22 - 2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. 5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.
19 My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for man’s anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. 22 But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
5TH MARK OF A MATURITY: POWER OVER TONGUE.
James 1:26 - "If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself."
James 3:2,4-6 - If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body.
4 Consider ships: Though very large and driven by fierce winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 Consider how large a forest a small fire ignites. 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell.
Proverbs 18:6 - A fool’s lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating.
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE GUIDANCE YOU GIVE BY THE WORDS YOU SPEAK OR DO NOT SPEAK.
- WARREN WIERSBE
Proverbs 18:21 - Life and death are in the power of the tongue.
James 3:8 - No man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
MATURE BELIEVERS CONTROL THEIR TONGUE BY SPEAKING WORDS THAT BRING LIFE.
JAMES 3:9-10 - We praise our Lord and Father with it, and we curse men who are made in God’s likeness with it. 10 Praising and cursing come out of the same mouth. My brothers, these things should not be this way.
Luke 6:43-45 - A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. 45 A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.
WHEN JESUS CHRIST IS THE LORD OF THE HEART, THEN HE IS LORD OF THE LIPS TOO.
- WARREN WIERSBE
THE ENEMY WILL USE THE WORDS OF IMMATURE BELIEVERS TO SPEAK LIES INTO THE HEARTS & MINDS OF OTHERS TO DETER THEM FROM KNOWING JESUS
James 1:26 - "If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongu.e, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself."
THE WORKS OF OUR WORDS BECOME A DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE WORK OF GOD'S WORD IN US.
James 3:2 - If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a mature man who is also able to control his whole body.
MATURING IN OUR FAITH IS ABOUT BECOMING DISCIPLES WHO MAKE DISCIPLES.
Greek for disciple mathētēs
A disciple doesn’t merely absorb knowledge but actively strives to emulate their teacher’s character and values, making discipleship fundamentally about reshaping one’s entire way of life.
- Chris Byrley
DISCIPLESHIP IS MATURITY AND IT REQUIRES ACTIVE PARTICPATION IN WHAT THE WORD REVEALS AND HOW THE SPIRIT CONVICTS.
Matthew 28:19-20 - Go, therefore, and make disciples… 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you.
