Episodes
Thursday Sep 19, 2013
Don't Stumble Over Your Mouth
Thursday Sep 19, 2013
Thursday Sep 19, 2013
Series: Beware of the Little Things 9/15/13
We all stumble in many ways, but one of our
greatest challenges is our tongue. Who of us, in the heat of the moment,
has not said something that we immediately wished we could take back?
Our problem with the tongue is multifaceted. It is not just angry
words. It is prideful words, malicious words (ie: gossip, slander,
condemnation, judgement, criticism, sarcasm), and hurtful and unkind
words that reject, depreciate, or put others down.
Is it any
wonder that the wisdom writer says “When words are many, sin is not
lacking” (Prov 10:19). There is so much opportunity to sin with our
tongue every day. In fact, research indicates that we spend
approximately 1/5 of our life talking (approx. 15 years). Someone has
said that each day the average person fills a 50 page book with their
words. That’s a lot of talking and a lot of opportunity for sin. This is
why James’ teaching on the tongues is so very important for everyone of
us today.
Thursday Sep 19, 2013
The Truth About Lies
Thursday Sep 19, 2013
Thursday Sep 19, 2013
Series: Beware of the Little Things 9/8/13
Lying is another one of those “little foxes”
that we tend to overlook, but it has grievous consequences. God takes
lying very seriously, so much so that it made the top ten list of “Thou
Shalt nots” – the Ten Commandments (Ex
20:16). It also made the list of seven things God hates (Prov 6:17). Rev
21:8 says, “. . . all liars, shall have their part in the lake which
burns with fire and brimstone.”
God hates lying because it is
diametrically opposed to God’s character: Hebrews 6:18 says that it is
impossible for God to lie. Everything God says is true (Jn 17:7). As
Christians our lives must reflect the character of God. If we are truly
his children, then we must bear our father’s nature.
Lying is
easy, but the truth is difficult at times. Sometimes the truth is
costly. Do you tell the truth even when it costs? Today we want to look
at the truth about lies, we want to see what the Bible really has to say
about lying.
Thursday Sep 05, 2013
The Great Sin
Thursday Sep 05, 2013
Thursday Sep 05, 2013
Jesus told a story of 2 men who went to church (the temple). One was a highly respected Pharisee, a spiritual leader, and the other a despised tax collector. As Jesus introduces the characters, the people probably expected the Pharisee to the be the hero and the tax collector the villain. But Jesus shocks them with the outcome, when He declares that the tax collector is the one who is justified in God’s eyes. Then He states the spiritual principle: v14b “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Jesus warns of the danger of pride.
Pride is extremely dangerous because of how deceptive it is, and the people who are proudest are the least likely to admit that they are proud. CS Lewis, called pride “the Great Sin,” "the worst of all vices" because, "it comes direct from Hell." It creeps into our religious life by the devil himself. He wants us to be secure in our own selves,” self-sufficient, rather than relying upon God.
As we look at the story Jesus told, it reveals several important truths about pride.