Video Transition: Redeemed
Series: “The Healing Church 2023”
Summary Sermon 1: The Healing church – the disease of porn
But Jesus said in John 10:10: ‘The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”
A few weeks back I talked about the white elephant in the corner of the church called porn and if we want to create a healing church this elephant needs escorted out of our church and out of our families.
The church, our church and our school need to fight hard in the battle for the hearts and minds of our children and teens. We need to get our heads out of the sand and address the need at hand and bring healing and health to our children’s hearts and minds. But parents have to see the importance of instilling a Biblical worldview in their children.
Summary Sermon #2: Healing Church – Words Matter
The truth is “Words” create environments – they can create a healthy and whole environment or an unhealthy and toxic environment. Words are powerful and create other worlds around us. Your words matter and I have been impressed with the show Ultimate Cowboys and the words these cowboys use – I hear words like “Please, yes sir, thank you, and I hear words like” I am sorry I messed up” and in the midst of a tough competition over four seasons- I am blown away by their words! Cowboys who are not known for being chatter boxes have learned to use their words well! We should learn from these individuals and their words, and we need to hear what James says in his letter about words – he says your tongue – your words have power to bring healing or hurt! And you better make sure your tongue is in check because if it is not your religion is worthless. Solomon said there is death and Life in our words. The Bible itself has a lot to say about our words!
Thesis: A church/ ministry that creates a healing environment and literally sees healing taking place is a church that focuses on the Good News of Jesus and on making right decisions in life. It’s a church which focuses their words on the positive dimensions of life revealed in Scripture. It’s a church that uses their words wisely and in a kind manner. A church that brings healing accepts people “as is” and forgives people’s flaws but provides means of seeing people delivered and set free from their addictions. A Church that heals strictly follows the path of dealing with others with love and truth.
Words – we all use them every day!
Scripture Text: James 3
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olive, or a grapevine bear fig? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Words – your words – my words can bring blessings or curses!
So, a Question: “What do your words say – do they heal or hurt?”
Mark’s book “Please, Sorry, Thanks” is a powerful book describing the power of our words to heal or to hurt: Here is his intent in writing this book: “This book is about three small yet powerful words: please, sorry, and thanks. Often referred to as magic words, they can work wonders. Nothing opens doors like please. Nothing mends fences like sorry. Nothing builds bridges like thanks. These three words have the power to change your life.” Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. xii). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Does your tongue speak these three powerful words?
Series: The Healing Church 2023
Sermon 2 (cont): The Healing Church – Words Matter!
T.S.- To be a healing church we have to deal with the white elephant in the corner of the church called porn. But to also be a healing church we have to be a people who see the good in others, we need to be positive and not negative toward others and toward life. We need to speak words of life and not death.
Thesis: Words our words carry the power to create a positive environment or a negative environment. Words create worlds – yes- the world’s around us are created by our words. What do your words sound like each day?
I. To create a healing church, family, office, or school means we must guard our tongues – we need to listen to our own words.
a. Christians must emphasize the affirming good news of the Gospel to one another – we are told not to gossip and to not be reckless with our words and remarks about others.
I. Proverbs 12:18: “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
1. Do you want to hurt people with your words, or do you want to bring healing to your environment?
II. James 1:26: “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.”
b. Mark Batterson states, “Dr. John Gottman is famous for his ability to predict divorce with more than 90 percent accuracy. How? He examines language in thin slices and analyzes the way people argue. In doing so, Dr. Gottman identified negative communication patterns that he called “the four horsemen of the apocalypse”—criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. If you want to change your relationships, you must change your words.”
I. What do your words sound like?
1. What rolls off your tongue each day?
II. Mark Batterson did a self-test talk and found out the reason he was overwhelmed, depressed and emotionally spent was rooted in his words: Listen to his comments:
1. Batterson: “You know what I realized? I was speaking negativity into existence and giving it power. By emphasizing how hard leadership was during that season, I was making it harder than it had to be! My words became a self-fulfilling prophecy that reinforced a vicious cycle of negativity. The same thing happens when you complain about people behind their backs, which was a second revelation. Want to change that dynamic? You flip the script by catching people doing things right, then bragging about them behind their backs! If you want to change your attitude, you must change your words.
a. Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. x-xi). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
III. I have heard and read stories of people committing suicide because of the force of another person’s tongue.
1. Don’t underestimate the power of your tongue. It’s usually quick to destroy and slow to build others up. The Bible states that this should not be – especially in the Body of Christ!
a. Friends, we need to take a reality check and check our tongues and evaluate if they are building others up or tearing others down.
2. Quote: “Francis Schaeffer once noted that if we were all forced to wear a voice recorder that captured all our conversations and if those conversations were made public for the whole world to hear, all of us would go into hiding for the rest of our lives!”
a. Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. 44). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
3. Idea: “If you struggle with negative self-talk, give yourself a gag order
a. Yes, put a gag order on your tongue – if you cannot say something positive – take a vow of silence!
i. The story of the monk! Who complained once a year for three years and the lead monks response to him.
b. Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. 44). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
c. To create a healing church means you commit to affirming others and the first way to do this is with your words.
I. The truth is people want to be affirmed.
1. They want to know that they are doing the right thing, and they want to be encouraged to keep on doing the right things in life.
II. The truth is we can deliver the message of Jesus in a positive way without always beating people up with the Bible and with twisted tongues.
1. People want to know that others can see what they are doing right, and they want to be affirmed for it.
2. We are not to primarily focus on the areas they are doing wrong but see the things they are doing right and point it out for encouragement.
3. You will never shame someone into healing. It does not work that way!
4. Want to change your environment change your words!
Sermon 3: Healing Church – Helping Others!
Thesis: To create a healing and healthy church requires us to be willing to bless others, and to accept people as is!
Introduction:
Do you want to be blessed? I'm sure you do. Everybody wants to be blessed in almost every area of life: finances, health, relationships, name it. It's a good thing to be blessed.
Definition of being Blessed: The invoking of divine favors through gestures and words. 2. Manifestation of God’s grace, as in Proverbs 10:22: “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” 3. State of being blessed (by having faith in Jesus and being connected with the Holy Spirit – which connects us with God). George Thomas Kurian, Nelson’s New Christian Dictionary: The Authoritative Resource on the Christian World (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001).
1. To create a healing church, we need to be intentional about blessing people!
a. “Blessing is the deepest longing of the human heart. Why? It’s our oldest collective memory! The first thing God did after creating humankind in His image was to bless them: “Then God blessed them.” Original blessing precedes original sin, and that sequence is not insignificant. It sets the tone. It sets the table. God’s default setting is blessing! Blessing is His most ancient instinct. It’s who God is. It’s what God does.”
i. Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. 45). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
b. Yes, you heard me correctly – God’s biggest desire is to bless his creation –His people - not judge and punish His creation!
i. We as Christians should be blessing the people around us if we desire to be like Jesus! Have you noticed how Jesus blessed people – he healed people – he encouraged people – he called people who were imperfect to follow him and minister by His side – he showed compassion for the people! He wept over Israel! He forgave people when others chose to condemn them – He placed value on every person!
1. Cases in point:
a. The woman caught in adultery! (John 8:1-11)
b. Jesus’ weeping over Jerusalem. (Luke 19:41-44)
c. The healing of the leper and even touching them. (Matthew 8:1-14)
d. The setting free of the demonically possessed’ man. (Mark 5:1-5)
e. Reinstating Peter after his denial of Him. (John 21)
f. Calling Paul to follow him. (Acts 9)
ii. Logos states: In the NT the word “blessed” often translates makarios, meaning “blessed, fortunate, happy.” It occurs 50 times in the NT, most familiarly in the “beatitudes” in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:3–11).
1. Thus the NT concept stresses the joy people experience as children of God and citizens of his kingdom of God (Rom. 4:7–8; Rev. 1:3; 14:13).
2. Blessing others with words is crucial and necessary! It changes the world around you.
iii. Quote: “For the act of “blessing,” the NT generally used the verb eulogeo, whose etymology reflects the meaning “to speak well of” or “praise” (Luke 1:64). The related adjective eulogetos was especially used with this sense (Luke 1:68; Eph. 1:3). More often the verb refers to bestowing benefits (Gal. 3:9) or asking God to do so (Heb. 7:1). The noun eulogia, “blessing,” has a range of meaning similar to the verb (e.g., Rev. 5:12; James 3:10; Heb. 6:7).”
1. From E. Ray Clendenen, “Blessing and Cursing,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 224.
c. Blessing Others:
i. Proverbs 11:25-31(message)
1. 25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.
2. 26 Curses on those who drive a hard bargain! Blessings on all who play fair and square!
3. 27 The one who seeks good finds delight; the student of evil becomes evil.
4. 28 A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.
5. 29 Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air; common sense tells you it's a stupid way to live.
6. 30 A good life is a fruit-bearing tree; a violent life destroys souls.
7. 31 If good people barely make it, what's in store for the bad!
a. He who blesses is blessed – those who reach out to help others are blessed!
d. Blessings in the Bible:
i. Melchizedek blesses Abram — Melchizedek blessed Abram. Abram refused to take anything from the king of Sodom.
1. Genesis 14:17-20: 17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. 21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’ 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share.”
a. Abram had the faith to give back to God for the blessings he received in the victory over Kedorlaomer! He knew the power in returning to God part of the blessings of God!
b. Being blessed by God is a common phrase that is often used to describe the feeling of being favored by God. According to the Bible, being blessed by God means experiencing His favor and goodness. It is not limited to material possessions or success, but rather it is a state of well-being and prosperity of our souls in Christ.
i. Abram was greatly thankful to God for the victory and the spoils he received from the victory – so he honored God by being a blessing back to God thru this priest!
c. Abram knew God had blessed him with a great military victory! But he would not keep what belonged to God – because Abram knew that in his giving he was returning the blessings from God to him and giving him 10% back to show he loved God and believed in God so he blesses him thru the priest Melchizedek!
i. To be blessed by God means I bless God back with my life, my resources, my talents, and my possessions.
ii. Blessings are a crucial part of being in connection with God – God loves to bless – then you bless him back – he blesses you again just read on into Genesis 15 – where Abram receives the promise of God to give birth to his heir in his old age!
ii. Isaac blesses Jacob — Isaac intended to bless Esau. When Esau was away, Rebekah and Jacob deceived Isaac and stole the blessing for Jacob.
iii. Isaac gives Esau a lesser blessing — Esau returned from hunting, but Isaac had already given his blessing to Jacob.
iv. Jacob blesses Ephraim and Manasseh — Jacob blessed Joseph’s sons as if they were his own. He gave Ephraim the blessing of the firstborn, and gave Joseph his land near Shechem.
v. Jacob blesses his sons and gives burial instructions — Jacob blessed his sons and told them to bury him in the cave at Machpelah.
vi. Moses’ farewell address: Blessings and Curses — Moses and the elders and priests instructed the people to build an altar and pronounce curses for disobedience on Mount Ebal and pronounce blessings for obedience on Mount Gerizim.
vii. Moses’ final blessing — Moses blessed the Israelites a final time.
viii. Jesus blesses children — People brought children to Jesus. The disciples discouraged it, but Jesus wanted the children to come so he could bless them.
1. Luke 18: 15-17: The Little Children and Jesus
a. 15 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Lk 18:15–17.
2. Key point of Blessing others - To “bless” meant to fill with benefits, either as an end or to make the object blessed a source of further blessing for others.
e. If I have learned anything over my 40 years of ministry, it is this – when you bless others God blesses you – you cannot out bless God – He is the author of all blessings:
i. Words of blessing could also be used as a salutation or greeting, similar to an invocation of “peace” (shalom, Gen. 48:20). As such it may be used in meeting (Gen. 47:7), departing (Gen. 24:60), by messengers (1 Sam. 25:14), in gratitude (Job 31:20), as a morning salutation (Prov. 27:14), congratulations for prosperity (Gen. 12:3), in homage (2 Sam. 14:22), and in friendliness (2 Sam. 21:3). To be blessed by God was considered the essential ingredient of a successful and satisfying life. A related word “Asher”, often translated “blessed” (Ps. 1:1 in KJV, RSV, etc.) refers especially to the state of happiness (cp. HCSB) resulting from being blessed.
1. E. Ray Clendenen, “Blessing and Cursing,” ed. Chad Brand et al., Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2003), 224.
T.S. – To create a church with a healing environment means we must emphasize the good news and cut out the bad news which is associated with gossip and divisionary statements. The church must make the “As is” welcomed in this place!
2. The church must make the wounded and sick feel welcomed, accepted and they must give them hope.
a. For healing to take place at church means we all must feel welcomed and accepted.
i. John Ortberg wrote the book, “Everyone is Normal Until You Get To Know Them.”
1. John stated on pages 13, 14: In certain stores you will find a section of merchandise available at greatly reduced prices. The tip-off is a particular tag you will see on all the items in that area. Each tag carries the same words: “as is.” This is a euphemistic way of saying, “These are damaged goods.” Sometimes they’re called slightly irregular. The store is issuing you a fair warning: “This is the department of Something’s-Gone-Wrong. You’re going to find a flaw here: a stain that won’t come out; a zipper that won’t zip; a button that won’t butt-there will be a problem. These items are not normal. “We’re not going to tell you where the flaw is. You’ll have to look for it. But we know it’s there. So, when you find it-and you will find it-don’t come whining and sniveling to us. Because there is a fundamental rule when dealing with merchandise in this corner of the store: No returns. No refunds. No exchanges. If you have received fair warning. If you want this item, there is only one way to obtain it. You must take it as is” (13, 14).
a. The same is true when working with and associating with other people in life – we all have flaws – irregularities and we come with a tag from God “As-is!”
i. The reality check is the Bible tells us that everyone has fallen short, and everyone has sinned –everyone on this planet has flaws! The truth is no one is perfect but Christ alone.
ii. John Ortberg adds: If you were looking for perfection, you’ve walked down the wrong aisle. We are tempted to live under the illusion that somewhere out there are people who are normal” (Page 14)
1. But the truth is there is no such thing as a perfect person! They don’t exist!
2. But here is our reality check according to John from page 15:
a. He states: Of course, the most painful part of this is realizing that I am in the “as –is” department as well. Throughout history human beings have resisted owning up to that little tag. We try to separate the world into normal, healthy people (like us) and difficult people. Sometime ago the title of a magazine article caught my eye: “Totally Normal Women Who Stalk Their Ex-Boyfriends.” The phrase that struck me was “totally normal women.” What would one of these look like (or a totally normal man, for that matter)? And if obsessive stalking of a past lover is not just normal but totally normal, how far would you have to go to be a little strange?”
b. For healing to take place at church requires that we be honest with ourselves and others and let people know that we are not perfect.
i. We need to assert the truth that God uses imperfect people to do his perfect will and I am one of the imperfect ones!
ii. The truth is the Bible is filled with less than perfect people and the truth is this normality: The following thoughts are taken from John’s book from pages 15-17, and I have inserted some of my own examples as well:
1. Cain is jealous of Able and kills him.
2. Lamech introduces polygamy to the world.
3. Noah the most righteous man of his generation gets drunk and curses his own grandson.
4. Lot offers his own daughters up for sex to protect a group from rapping the angels who have visited him.
5. Lot’s daughters get him drunk and then have sex with their own father and one gets pregnant.
6. Abraham plays favorites with his two sons, and they end up hating each other.
7. Abraham lies and denies that Sarah is not his wife, so another man takes her.
8. Abraham has sex with his wife’s servant, impregnates her and then sends her off into the wilderness with his own son by the request of his wife.
9. Isaac and Rebekah fight over which son gets the blessing.
10. Isaac plays favorites with his kids and they become bitter enemies.
11. Jacob marries two wives and ends up with both maids as his concubines and a battle over fertility between them all.
12. Jacob plays favorites with his kids and the others try to kill Jospeh his favorite one.
iii. Bierly in his book How to Thrive as a Small Church Pastor adds to the list:
1. “Even in the Bible, the only true, consistent hero is God:
a. Jacob was a liar and a cheat.
b. Moses was a hot head.
c. Jeremiah acted like a manic-depressive.
d. Mary tried to dissuade Jesus from the ministry.
e. Peter was a braggart and a coward.
f. John who wrote “God is love” wanted to call fire down on unbelievers, he also wanted to be a big shot in the Kingdom of God.
g. Paul broke up with his friend and advocate, Barnabas, when they had a major disagreement.
i. People throughout my 40 years of ministry have disliked me – some because of my mouth or an action – some because of my personality – some because I did not let them control the church.
ii. But I admit I sometimes created my own problems:
1. Harsh words – outbursts of anger toward others!
2. Not being empathetic and the list goes on!
iv. I add to the list:
1. David a man after God’s own heart steals another man’s wife and then has him killed to conceal his getting her pregnant. He also could not manage his family very well!
c. The reality check is we are not the Walton’s nor is this the town of Mayberry! All churches have issues and are filled with broken and hurt people – and hurt people hurt others.
i. God’s people are sick and that is why God sent Jesus to help us!
ii. So don’t miss one of the main points of the Bible “Everyone is flawed, everyone is imperfect, everyone sins, and everyone needs a healing!”
1. Romans 3:23
iii. John Ortberg says it best, “Everybody’s weird” (page 16)!
1. Reality check – I am weird and so are you in some form or fashion!
iv. Beirly states, “The stories in the Bible are told, not so we will sit around moping because we’re not apostles, but rather so we can say, “If God can use sinners like them, he can use me, too!” (Page 145).
v. People need to know that when they come to Christian Hills they will be cared for and loved despite their flaws.
1. Acceptance is what they want not rejection. They receive enough rejection daily in a loveless world. So, they want to come to church and experience the wonderful feeling of acceptance.
a. It becomes imperative when we minister to each other and to people who are less than perfect that we resist the urge to fix them our way!
b. We need to make sure that we try to pretend we are healthier than we really are – we need to be genuine and willing to face the truth – “We are all flawed!”
2. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of the day because they tried to present themselves as perfect and flawless. Listen to his thoughts in Matthew 23; 23, 24: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.”
a. The Pharisees did not help the hurting instead they rejected them because of their wounds while they themselves put on a good exterior show and lived with contaminated twisted hearts on the inside.
i. Their sin – unforgiveness, lack of grace toward others, lack of mercy, no empathy or compassion for the lost.
b. Murren states, “Rejection is a common experience in today’s fast-moving world, where sexual experience so often replaces love, and the quick fix replaces any attempt to alter one’s lifestyle in a disciplined way. Ours is a world where marriages are easily terminated, kids are shuttled between homes, and employees are laid off after giving the best years of their lives to the company. This compounding of rejection has created a crying thirst for acceptance” (174, 175).
c. Jesus demonstrated to us that we are to accept the hurting into our arms and help bandage their wounds and lead them along the path of healing.
i. This means we open our arms to the lost and to one another in the church.
ii. Jesus showed what love was when he opened his arms to allow the soldiers to put nails into them so that we could be free!
vi. To create a healing environment, we must express transparency to one another and not be phony’s.
1. When we present ourselves as perfect and flawless then people’s radar perks up and says, “They are liars!”
2. People know that no one is perfect or flawless in this life. We all fall short and have flaws. These flaws may be masked with a lot of makeup or religious talk, but they can see the bulging flaw under the disguise we wear.
3. Romans tells us that we have all have fallen short and the truth is we must be willing to admit it to ourselves and also be willing to forgive the imperfections of others.
d. When the searching and the hurting enter a church, they come looking for hope, forgiveness and acceptance. They want to know that there is a better way.
i. When Nicodemus came to Jesus to talk theology and truth. Jesus threw at him this phrase, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).
1. Max Lucado describes this scene this way:
a. “Nicodemus inhabits a land of good efforts, sincere gestures, and hard work. Give God your best, his philosophy says, and God does the rest. Jesus response? Your best won’t do. Your works don’t work. Your finest efforts don’t mean squat. Unless you are born again, you can’t even see what God is up to. Nicodemus hesitates on behalf of us all. Born Again? “How can a man be born when he is old?” (v. 4). You must be kidding. Put life in reverse? Rewind the tape? Start over all over? We can’t be born again. Oh, but wouldn’t we like to? A do-over. A try-again. A reload. Broken hearts and missed opportunities bob in our wake. A mulligan would be nice. Who wouldn’t cherish a second shot? But who can pull it off? Nicodemus scratches his chin… (3:16, page 5).
2. The truth is people want the opportunity to try to do things the right way! They know they have blown it-their life reflects all their poor choices.
a. They look at their families and they are a mess!
b. They look at their bodies filled with wounds and scars and they say “I am tired of hurting myself show me a better way!”
c. They cry “Help me!”
3. We as Christians as believers in Jesus are to show them the better way by our lives, our families, our actions, our attitudes and our love for God!
Conclusion:
Murren states, “It’s true: A church that is consciously pursues a healing environment by encouraging optimistic, hope-filled thinking will positively affect the physical health of its members. According to scientific studies, the body’s T cells (the kind that drive the immune system) actually increase when optimistic thinking is applied. In a positive environment, the immune system works better, and overall health is approved” (177).
When love is central in the church a healing environment rolls in and it mends the broken hearts. So we must commit to do our part as the Body of Christ to see to it that our church is known as a place that brings healing.
Let’s recall some of the character traits of a church that brings and creates a healing environment:
1. The church must focus on our children and teens and teach them a proper view of sex and marriage.
2. The church people must be committed to promoting good news and overlooking the bad news for the sake of healing in the church. Creating a healing environment starts with your words and my words.
a. Words matter – your words create worlds around you!
i. It’s time to take inventory.
1. Are your words reconciling or dividing?
2. Are your words encouraging or discouraging?
3. Are your words helpful or hurtful?
4. Are your words blessing or cursing?
a. Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. 45). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
5. Do you need to put a gag order on your words?
b. Story from mark Batterson:
i. “There is a Jewish story about a woman who visited a rabbi and confessed to spreading falsehoods about another person. The rabbi gave her two tasks. The first task was to take feathers from a pillow and put one at the doorstep of every home in the village. After doing this, she returned to the rabbi and said, “What’s the second task?” The rabbi said, “Go and gather up all the feathers from each of the houses.” “But, Rabbi, that’s impossible,” the woman objected. “The wind has spread them far and wide.” “Indeed it has,” said the rabbi. “To gather those feathers is as impossible as taking back the harsh words you have spoken. You would do well to remember that before you speak in the future.”
1. Batterson, Mark. Please, Sorry, Thanks: The Three Words That Change Everything (p. 43). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
3. The church people must be willing to love the “as-is people” and show them where their hope for new life comes from – Jesus.
Closing video: Need
Closing Prayer: Numbers 6
24 “ ‘ “The LORD bless you
and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD turn his face toward you
and give you peace.” ’
Altar Time:
Illustration: Code of the West – more cowboy sayings and words:
• Cowboys did not hold any governing law as dearly as their own unwritten code. All told, it was a smart way to live.
• Never ask a man about his past.
• Theft of a horse is punishable by death.
• Look after yourself and those you love.
• Remove guns before sitting down to dine.
• Only make a threat if you’re prepared to take the consequences.
• On the trail, greet others before you come into shooting range, especially when approaching from behind.
• When greeting a person on horseback, nod rather than wave to avoid spooking the horse.
• Looking back at someone you pass on the trail implies a lack of trust.
• Riding a horse without permission is akin to violating his wife.
• A real cowman saves his breath for breathing rather than talking.
• Tend your horse’s needs before your own.
• Never cuss in front of a woman.
• Complaining about the cooking earns you a stint as the cook.
• Use your gun hand to drink whiskey to show good will.
• Help those in need, even enemies.
• Never steal another man's hat.
• Show hospitality to strangers
• Fight fair.
• To avoid being shot, never shake a sleeping man awake.
• Help a friend in need.
• Never brag.
• Be loyal.
• Be grateful.
• Don't complain.
• Never quit.
• Show your grit.
• Never shoot an unarmed man.
• Never shoot a woman for any reason.
• Let your word be your bond.
• Uphold the Golden Rule.
