Calvary Chapel Columbia

Having a Desire to Defame.

This past week’s sermon was intense for the hearer, and the speaker. The power of the tongue, I mean really, how hard to you have to look into your life to find something that you said that was out of line? In my life, I don’t have to look very far until I start seeing things that make me wince.

The bitter sweet about the tongue.

With this tiny object we can do a lot of damage, as well as doing a lot of good. God told James to pen down the fact that if a man can bridle his tongue, he could bridle his entire body. Wow! How many of us really do that though? More often then not we are using our tongue to apologize for something we let our tongue say.

The best example of this I can use is a balloon, now the balloon represents us as people; we come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Our tongues have the potential to be a tack, or to be tape. What does the tape do you might ask, well the tape holds things together, it makes things stick, it makes a seal around a leak, and if you were to wrap it around the balloon, it makes a protective layer…to build up. That is what God has called us to do, to speak in such a way that it imparts grace and builds up the hearer. EHP. 4:29 paraphrased.

The tack however punctures, it wounds it pops, and it breaks through the protective layer and cuts deep causing damage to the balloon, in some cases so much so that the balloon can not be restored to its previous place.

I know that is a different example but it could be true with our lives. Sometimes as Christians we say things that go so deep, and do so much damage that people may not as easily return to their previous place on life. James says with our tongues we bless God, and curse men. These things ought not to be so. My spiritual family let everything you say be seasoned with salt and tempered with grace.

The remedy.

#1 If we no longer desire to defame, we must first begin speaking of our Savior instead of our selves.
            James tells us that the tongue being so little boasts great things.

            Don’t be prideful in your caring, confronting, or your common talk.

#2 If we no longer desire to defame we must begin speaking to Build others up rather then break others down

            James also tells is in chapter 3 that the tongue is a an unruly evil, full of deadly

            Poison. Has what you’ve been saying had poison in its intent?

                        -“what you say determines what they see.”

#3 If we no longer desire to defame we must begin speaking to bless the creator instead of cursing His creation.

            With it we bless our God and curse men. If God spoke to you like you speak to

            People how much passion would be in your pursuit of His presence?

It really comes down to Psalm 100. I encourage you to stop reading this blog and go read Psalm 100, its five verses, do you have time? The truth is what comes out of your mouth is already in your heart. Put the high praises of God in your heart in and they will be on your lips as well.

I would much rather the joy of the Lord come out then the junk of the world.

Let your mouth be the reason why people in your circle want to know the Lord instead of why they no longer want to come to church.

Go and Contend for victory.