There’s an elephant in the room. That phrase comes from an old British idiom which means, an obvious truth that we want to ignore because it’s also an awkward truth.
No one likes to deal with conflict. Think about conflict…it affects all areas of life.
Conflict is an opportunity.
Proverbs 18:21 “21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Words have power!
James 3:5-12 “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6And 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. 7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”
• The power to Wound.
• The power to Kill.
Sinful speech can take many forms:
1. Reckless words –
Proverbs 12:18 “18Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
2. Grumbling and Complaining –
Philippians 2:14 “14Do everything without complaining or arguing,”
3. Falsehood - (including lying, exaggeration, telling only part of the truth, or distorting the truth.)
Share story of girl who committed suicide over a lie on myspace……
4. Gossip - Proverbs 16:28 “28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.”
There are different types of gossip – this is the one sin most “Christians” legitimize.
Prayer request gossiper
I love that guy gossiper
I dont know when to shut up gossiper
I told the truth gossiper
Psalms 57:4 "I find myself in a pride of lions who are wild for a taste of human flesh; their teeth are lances and arrows, their tongue as sharp as daggers."
5. Slander involves speaking false and malicious words about another person.
2 Timothy 3:3-5 ““1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”
Proverbs 18:2-8 “2A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. 3When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. 4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. 5It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. 6A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. 7A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 8The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”
1 BIG IDEA: Conflict is a spiritual formation practice.
The 7 A’s of Confession
1. Address Everyone Involved
2. Avoid If, But, and Maybe
3. Admit Specifically
4. Acknowledge the hurt
5. Accept the Consequences
6. Alter Your Behavior
7. Ask for Forgiveness (and Allow Time)
• The power to Heal.
• The power to breath life.
Why is it important to think about the words we speak? Matthew 12:36 “36I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,”
1 Peter 4:8 “8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Clean up the destruction by asking forgiveness.
"Therefore if you are offering your gift at the alter and thee remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-25
Who have you left in your path of destruction?
Who must you ask for forgiveness?
Take action today!
No one likes to deal with conflict. Think about conflict…it affects all areas of life.
Conflict is an opportunity.
Proverbs 18:21 “21Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”
Words have power!
James 3:5-12 “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6And 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. 7For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.”
• The power to Wound.
• The power to Kill.
Sinful speech can take many forms:
1. Reckless words –
Proverbs 12:18 “18Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
2. Grumbling and Complaining –
Philippians 2:14 “14Do everything without complaining or arguing,”
3. Falsehood - (including lying, exaggeration, telling only part of the truth, or distorting the truth.)
Share story of girl who committed suicide over a lie on myspace……
4. Gossip - Proverbs 16:28 “28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.”
There are different types of gossip – this is the one sin most “Christians” legitimize.
Prayer request gossiper
I love that guy gossiper
I dont know when to shut up gossiper
I told the truth gossiper
Psalms 57:4 "I find myself in a pride of lions who are wild for a taste of human flesh; their teeth are lances and arrows, their tongue as sharp as daggers."
5. Slander involves speaking false and malicious words about another person.
2 Timothy 3:3-5 ““1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”
Proverbs 18:2-8 “2A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. 3When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. 4The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. 5It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. 6A fool’s lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. 7A fool’s mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 8The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”
1 BIG IDEA: Conflict is a spiritual formation practice.
The 7 A’s of Confession
1. Address Everyone Involved
2. Avoid If, But, and Maybe
3. Admit Specifically
4. Acknowledge the hurt
5. Accept the Consequences
6. Alter Your Behavior
7. Ask for Forgiveness (and Allow Time)
• The power to Heal.
• The power to breath life.
Why is it important to think about the words we speak? Matthew 12:36 “36I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak,”
1 Peter 4:8 “8Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Clean up the destruction by asking forgiveness.
"Therefore if you are offering your gift at the alter and thee remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter. First go and be reconciled to your brother, then come and offer your gift." Matthew 5:23-25
Who have you left in your path of destruction?
Who must you ask for forgiveness?
Take action today!
No comments:
Post a Comment