SWIFT TO HEAR, SLOW TO SPEAK, SLOW TO WRATH…
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Let us establish a truth: WE DO NOT SEE AND HEAR THINGS AS THEY ARE. WE SEE AND HEAR THINGS AS WE ARE!
TEXT:
James 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
James 1:19 (MSG) Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. 20 God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger.
WHAT IS THE GREATEST ACT OF LOVE?
The kiss is mentioned 23 times in the Bible.
To hold hands is mentioned 12 times. For a total of 35 times.
LISTEN is in the Bible 353 times.
HEAR is mentioned 382 times.
Listening is 19 times… For a total of 754 times… To hear and listen is mentioned 33 times more than to kiss…
ARE WE OFTEN DEFICIENT IN LISTENING SKILLS? THERE WILL BE A DILEMMA IN THE LAST DAYS AND THE TIME WILL COME THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL GROW WORSE…
Romans 11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
SEEMS WE CAN TRAIN ANIMALS. WE CAN TRAIN OUR KIDNEYS AND BOWELS… WHY DO WE REFUSE TO TRAIN OUR EARS, OUR MOUTH AND OUR ANGER? IS ANGER A TYPE OF UNFORGIVENESS?
ASSUMPTION: DO WE LISTEN WITH OUR EARS OR OUR MINDS? DO WE LISTEN IN PART… AT BEST WE JUST KNOW IN PART…
1 Corinthians 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
GOD SAID LET THERE BE LIGHT… DO WE KNOW THE POWER OF THE SPOKEN WORD? Our words can release fear and negative emotions… Your ears are not garbage cans.
A LESSON FEW LEARN: YOU CAN’T LISTEN WELL WITH YOUR BRAIN IN NEUTRAL AND YOUR MOUTH IN PASSING GEAR…
SPEAK THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH…
IT IS EASY TO FALL INTO THE TRAP OF EXAGGERATION AND OVER INTERPETING THE FACTS…
COULD YOU BE LISTENING TO ONE OF THE GREATEST PREACHERS IN HISTORY AND GO TO SLEEP AND MISS THE POINT?
Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.
EUTYCHUS WERE YOU LISTENING? BLAME THE LONG WINDED PREACHER? IN AN UPSTAIRS--- HOT, STUFFY AIR? MAYBE IT WAS ALL THE CANDLES BURNING TAKING THE OXYGEN OUT? MAYBE IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LISTEN---
MAYBE YOU SHOULD NOT SIT IN THE WINDOW?
TO LISTEN WE PROBABLY SHOULD NEED TO STAY FOCUSED AND NOT BE DAY DREAMING? ONE OF THE DANGERS OF LISTENING IS WHAT MY MOM SAID OF MY DAD… MOM SAID DAD HAD SELECTIVE HEARING… HE JUST HEARD WHAT HE WANTED TO HEAR…
For example I can change the facts to sound better. My cousin was electrocuted in a prison. Let us state this a different way. My cousin was in a federal institution. He studied applied electronics. HIS END CAME AS A SUDDEN SHOCK.
LISTEN WELL AND TAKE THE WORDS IN A BALANCED WAY… I CAN PROVE YOU SHOULD KILL YOURSELF BY TWISTING THE WORDS…
WHATSOEVER YOU DO, DO WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT…
JUDAS HUNG HIMSELF…
GO DO THOU LIKEWISE… We need to be moderate and balanced.
BE SLOW TO ANGER… DO YOU HAVE A SHORT FUSE…? WE SHOULD PRAY EARNESTLY FOR SELF-CONTROL…
We should not be easily or be willing to enter into the state of anger and wrath. When we get angry we should never stay angry for a long time. BE DELIBERATE. Count to 100?
Ephesians 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil.
Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.
CONCLUSION:
Matthew 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Jesus tried to prepare his followers for what was coming. They would not listen nor receive his words. They would be in fear, lose all hope, indecision, disappointment and self doubt… ALL BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN AND PAY ATTENTION. DO WE STILL SUFFER TODAY BECAUSE WE DON’T KNOW THE WORD OF GOD AND THE POWER THEREIN?
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
Pass this on to others? Check us out on YouTube…
