Struggling to answer someone's questions about your faith, Pastor Greg Laurie recommends a great book to help. You know, I remember the first time that I shared my faith. I was so young, and I was challenged by an atheist. I did not have a clue as to what I should say. And I wish I'd had a copy of this book by Frank Turek and Norman Geisler, and the title of it is "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist." And we want to send you this book for your gift of any size, available at.
Harvest.org. You know, a word of encouragement—how helpful that is! It's like a fresh drink of water on a hot summer day. How many times has your day turned around when someone said a kind word? Pastor Greg Laurie urges us to extend that grace to someone else.
It may be just what they need at just the right time. There's so much discouragement out there, and I think one of the greatest needs that we have as people is we need to be encouraged. Our words can be a powerful force for good. This is the day when the lost are found. This is the day for a new beginning.
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound. No matter who we are, what neighborhood we come from, whether we're famous, infamous, or unknown, we have something someone else wants. We have something someone else needs. We have a smile and a kind word. It's that simple.
Maybe we don't have a dollar in our pocket. But a moment of kindness may be just what someone needs to get through their difficulty. Today on a new beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie helps us follow the Bible's plan for the wise use of our words. We're back in the Book of James. Who wants to get back into James again?
Yeah, me too.
So it's a series we're calling. Walk this way, and we're in James chapter three. And the title of my message is "Talk This Way." We've heard it said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Actually, that's not really true, is it? You can be very hurt by words. You go back to your childhood, and maybe you remember some words that stayed with you.
Something said to you by your parents or a teacher. Maybe they told you you would never amount to anything, that you would surely fail, or someone said to you you're unattractive, or you're overweight, or or you'll never amount to anything. And those things somehow stuck with you.
Now turn that around. You might also remember words of encouragement. Where someone believed in you, it hopefully was your parents, maybe your grandparents, maybe a teacher, maybe a coach, maybe a pastor. They said something to you that helped you and gave you hope. And it reminds us of the truth of Proverbs eighteen twenty one.
It says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." It's interesting that neuroscience has proven the impact that words can have on us. Two rock doctors wrote in an article that was titled "The Most Dangerous Word in the World," and they wrote, "and I quote: If we were to put you in an MRI scanner and take a video of your brain and flash the word 'no' less than one second, there would be a sudden release of dozens of stress-producing hormones." And neurotransmitters; these chemicals immediately interrupt the normal function of your brain, the empirical logic, reason, and communication. The article continues on. Yet, positive words such as peace and love, peace and love, man, peace, peace and love, alter the expression of genes, strengthening areas of our frontal lobes. Promoting the brain's cognitive functioning.
Not interesting.
So words really do matter. Even the president of the United States needs some encouragement. After President Lincoln was assassinated in the Ford Theater, they found in the pocket of his jacket a worn-out newspaper clipping that was praising him, saying Abraham Lincoln is one of the greatest statesmen of all time. And apparently, despite his amazing accomplishments as our president, many regard him as the greatest of all American presidents. President Lincoln got down, and a little word of encouragement from that article was helpful to him.
Proverbs twenty five eleven says, "The right word at the right time is like precious gold set in silver." And I would add to that: the wrong word at the wrong time can be devastating. We've heard these horrible stories of young people taking their lives when they read comments. On their social media feeds, on their Instagram posts, or whatever they might be, and people mock them or or put them down, and this is so wounding. And more than one young person has taken their life. And by the way, if you're a young person, these people don't mean anything.
Who cares about these people living in their mother's basement? You know, forget these people. Remember the words of God to you, how He loves you, His plan and His purpose for your life. But these words affect people, and words do affect people. More people have died by words than any weapon that man has ever produced.
Dedicated to God, our tongue, our words can be a powerful force for good. One of the greatest use of our words is to proclaim the gospel. To proclaim the gospel, but with that comes great responsibility. James says in James chapter three verse three, dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. James is not discouraging us from sharing our scriptural insights.
We should share what we learn from the Word with other people. First Corinthians fourteen twenty six says, "When we come together, brothers and sisters, every one of you should have a song or a word of instruction." I never aspired to be a preacher or a speaker. I was a behind-the-scenes kind of a person. My interest was in art and design and drawing cartoons and not standing in front of people. But I remember after I became a Christian, I had this burden to talk about what I'd learned and discovered.
And I still remember the day I spoke up for the first time. I was in a little small Bible study group, high school students and. And people were just sort of sharing what they read in the scripture, and I'd read something in the Word that day, and I thought, should I share it? My heart's beating, beating, beating, and I finally blurted it out. It was just great because I thought that's what the Lord showed me, and I am thankful I can share it.
But then one thing led to another, and I found myself speaking publicly, and I realized I needed to prepare myself because. I am representing God. And that's why the Bible says, "Study to show yourself approved unto God a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." You know, I've had people say to me, "Well, what's it like to stand in front of a huge crowd and speak? It must be really fun and thrilling." It isn't as thrilling as you think. The reality of it is, I feel a real responsibility when I stand in front of any group of people and speak.
For God, and when I, because I know I'm a representative of God, just as you're a representative of God, and so I pray and I prepare and I study and want to have just the right words because I will be held accountable for what I say one day. My job as your pastor is to bring to you the Word of God. That's my job. I'm not here to be a political pundit. I'm not here to be a social commentator.
I'm not here to be an entertainer or a comedian, though I'm very funny at times, or at least I think I am. But I'm here to bring you God's word, and I take that responsibility seriously. And we all should take that responsibility. We should use our words to build up and not tear down. Use your words to build up, not tear down.
No one can tame the tongue. Verse eight says, "It's a restless, deadly poison." Sometimes it curses those who've been made in the image of God, and sometimes it praises our Lord and Father. You know, a word of encouragement—how wonderful it is! Have you ever been down and had someone write you? A letter of encouragement.
Maybe it just happened that you opened an envelope and there was a card, and someone just said something very thoughtful and kind. Then maybe they wrote it a week ago, but it got to you at the right moment. Or they shot you a quick text. Or you ran into them and they just said these words: "I just wanted to tell you this. How helpful that is!
It's like a fresh drink of water on a hot summer day." Proverbs twenty five twenty five says, "Good news from far away is like cold water to the thirsty." And I think one of the greatest needs that we have as people is we need to be encouraged. There is so much discouragement out there.
So many things that bring you down out there, especially if you scroll through social media and and have a constant diet of media coming into your life, be it television or other things, it can really bring you down. And we need to encourage one another. When we come to church, we are here to encourage one another. Hebrews ten twenty four says, "Let's spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Don't give up meeting together.
As some are in the habit." Doing, but encouraging one another, and so much more as we see the day of the Lord approaching. The problem is some people don't know how to pay a compliment. It's called a compliment salt. Do you know what a compliment salt is? It's when someone is supposedly complimenting you, and it's really barbed.
Let me give you an example. They show up at your house and you say, "Wow, you're on time," which means you're usually late. How about this? You're a really good driver for a woman. Oh wait, what?
Can't see that. It's compulsion. How about this one? You look so good when you wear makeup. What is that?
So you look bad most of the time, but you look better now when you're painted. Right? How about this one? You're so pretty. Why are you still single?
Really? You look great for your age. I've heard this one. Recently, I was, I was getting my suit tailored. I would like to say I was taking it in.
I wasn't. I was wanting my suit to fit, and so. I don't know how I got in the topic. Is well, I just turned seventy, and literally the tailor said, "What? I I didn't say I'm dead.
I said I turned seventy." And then he says, "Wow, you look good for your age. I mean, I think you're around sixty-five or something." None of this is a compliment, okay? A compulsal. I think some people think they have the gift of criticism. This is my gift.
It's not a gift. You don't have it. Pastor Greg Laurie will have the second half of his message in just a moment. Hearing about listeners who find Jesus because of Harvest Ministries is so encouraging. Pastor Greg, I was a long time truck driver and going through a very low moment in my life.
I somehow ran into your voice. On the radio, and I remember that day as I was rising, giving my life to God with your beautiful prayer. My life completely changed after that. That same moment, I started shaking, crying for no reason. It was a cry of such a weight off my shoulders.
I want to thank you so much for what you do, Pastor, and and our Lord continue to bless you. What a great story of how Pastor Greg's teachings from God's Word have made an impact on this man's life. If you have a story to share, call Pastor Greg and let him know. Call one eight six six eight seven one one one four four. Again, eight six six eight seven one eleven forty four.
Well, we're considering the power of our words today, as Pastor Gray continues his series called "Walk This Way" from the Book of James. Let's continue. We should use our words to praise God. When we open this service with worship, I hope you were all worshiping, because this is one of the reasons God has created you. You're wired to worship.
It's the highest use of the tongue. David wrote, "Thy loving kindness is better than life. My lips shall praise Thee. Thus will I bless Thee. I'll lift up my hands unto Your name." It's not enough to just think it any more than it's enough to think you love your parents or you love your siblings or you love your husband or you love your wife.
That's all great. When's the last time you told them verbally? Told them. Oh, by the way, and you don't even have to preface it with that. But just say I love you, and maybe tell them why you love them.
But it's a good thing to say. Ephesians five nineteen says, "Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves and psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing a mighty melody in your heart to the Lord." Hebrews thirteen fifteen tells us to give the sacrifice of praise to God. You know, some people think, well, that's sort of fanatical. I'm not really into lifting my hands in church to God. Oh, really?
But you go down to the football game, and when your team scores, you freak out. You're painted. Your face is literally painted in the colors of your team. You probably have their logo on your shirt right now. You know who I'm talking to.
You're you're all you're good with that, but oh, say something about Jesus, and express your passion for Christ. That's excessive. No, I don't think so. We should use our tongue and words to preach the gospel. You know, Jesus did not say go into all the world and be a good example.
That's not to say that we should not seek to be a good example. And in fact, when you are a good example in many ways, it earns you the right to share the gospel. But to the point, Jesus did not say go into all the world to be a good example. He said go into all the world and do what? Tell me, preach the gospel.
Now, when we use the word preach, it doesn't mean you have to yell. You can preach quietly. You can preach conversationally. You can preach on a keyboard through social media, through text, through other means. But the idea is to communicate verbally the gospel.
That is how God has chosen to primarily reach nonbelievers. Hebrews ten fourteen says, "How can they call on Him?" To save them, unless they believe in Him, and how can they believe in Him if they've never heard about Him, and how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? Tells them.
So, my job, your job, our job is to tell people about Jesus. That is one of the highest uses of your tongue. One last thing, we should use our words to confess our sins. The Bible says. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
But if we will confess, that's verbally acknowledge. If we will confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We don't like to say I've sinned. We like to blame it on someone else. We like to blame it on our circumstances.
But we need to say, Lord, I've sinned, and we sin every day. I'm sorry to tell you that. Even James says, "Hey, we all we all make mistakes every day. None of us are perfect." But so, of course, this is something we should confess on a regular basis. I am interested to point out that in Daniel chapter nine, we have Daniel leading the people in prayer, and he says in verse four, "I prayed to the Lord my God, and I confessed." O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of loving devotion to those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned and done wrong.
Now, here's an interesting thing: when you look at almost every Bible character, apart from Christ, of course, every Bible character, every man, every woman that God used, the Bible is very honest in pointing out their flaws. But in my study of biblical characters, I've never seen any flaws. Though I know they had them pointed out about two people in particular, and that would be Daniel, and the other would be Joseph.
Now you could say, "Well, Joseph maybe shouldn't have done this or said that," but really, you have sterling examples in these men. Daniel was such a man of God. And yet he said, "Let's pray." And he said, "We have sinned." He didn't say, "You've sinned," pointing to the people, or "They have sinned." We have sinned. We have to acknowledge our sin before God.
So, what's the best use of our words? Number one, to build up, not tear down; to encourage, not discourage. Number two, to praise God. Number three, to proclaim the gospel. Number four, to confess our sins.
And as we close in prayer, I can't think of a better thing to do to ask God to forgive us of our sins. Let me say a word to anyone who has joined us here in person, or you're watching or listening wherever you might be. Maybe you don't have this relationship with Jesus Christ we've been talking about. Here's the bottom line: we're all sinners. We've all broken God's commandments.
We all fall short of His glory. We're never good enough to get to heaven because we've all sinned. But the good news is, two thousand years ago, God sent His Son Jesus Christ to be born, then to live a perfect life, then to die a perfect death on the cross for us. He died for us. I love how the apostle Paul said, "You loved me, and you gave yourself for me." He personalized it.
Listen, yes, it's true. Jesus died for all of humanity, but if you were the only person on the earth, He would have died for you. That's how much He loves you. He died on the cross for your sin, and you must understand that. What a sacrifice he made!
And if you'll turn from your sin, and if you will admit your sin and stop blaming everyone else, and just say, "I have sinned," and turn from that sin, God will forgive you. Am I talking to somebody here right now that is living without their sin forgiven? Am I talking to someone who's racked with guilt and the pain of your actions?
Well, you can be forgiven, and you can have a fresh start. This is for a person who has not accepted Christ yet. By accepting Christ, I mean a person who has asked Jesus to come into their life as their friend and their Lord and their Savior. And I'm also talking to people who are believers but have lapsed; they've fallen away, or to use a biblical word, they've backslidden. But here is what God says: Return to me, you backsliding children, and I will heal you," says the Lord.
So we have to come back to the Lord. I think of the story of that prodigal son that most of us know, who came to his senses and he came home and said, "Father, I've sinned." He admitted it. Will you admit it? Let's all bow our heads and pray. There is anybody here who has never asked Jesus Christ to come into their life?
To forgive them of their sin, I want you to pray this prayer right where you are. You can pray it out loud if you like, but this is a prayer where you are asking Christ to come into your life. Just pray these words, Lord Jesus. I know that I'm a sinner, but I know that you are the Savior of the world, who died on the cross for me. I turn from my sin.
And I choose to follow you from this moment forward. And Lord, we all, we all confess we sin, and specifically we admit we sin with our words. We think of things we've said that we should not have said, words we wish we could retract. Lord, help us to dedicate our tongues, our words to your glory. To use our tongue, to use our words for what they're designed for—to bring glory to Your name, to bring the gospel to other people, and to lift up, not tear down.
Help us to be bridge builders, not bridge burners. Help us to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks. Help us to be known as people of love. Who elevate others, not tear them down. Lord, we commit ourselves to you.
We commit our words to you. Use us, Lord, for your glory. And we ask all of this in Jesus' name. Amen. Pastor Greg Laurie with an important word of prayer.
And if you've made a first-time decision for the Lord today, if you've asked Him to forgive your sins, well, we want to first welcome you into the family of God, and we'd also like to help you get started living the life of faith. Let us send you Pastor Greg's New Believers Bible. It's a Bible that answers some of the basic questions about the Christian faith, and will help you build a solid foundation for your walk with the Lord. We'll send it free of charge when you call. Us at one eight hundred eight two one three three hundred.
Reach us any time twenty four seven one eight hundred eight two one three three zero zero, or just go online to harvest dot org and click No God. You know, Pastor Greg, I've read so many listener letters over the years where folks have said that they pray for you. Many say they pray for you on a regular basis, and I know that means a lot to you. Yes, that's one of the most encouraging and and actually helpful things they can do. Isn't that right?
Absolutely. You know, when people come up to me and say I pray for you all the time, some have even said we pray for you every day. Wow, I'm humbled. I'm blessed, I'm thankful, and I need your prayers more than you know.
So, if you do pray for me and our family and our ministry, thank you so much for that. And as you pray, I would ask you to pray about one other thing, if you would please. Would you pray about giving to our ministry? You know, giving of our finances is a very spiritual thing. You know, Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." If you want to see where a person's priorities are, look at where they spend their money.
And when we invest in the work of the kingdom of God. We're laying up for ourselves treasure in heaven.
So we have this really cool program we put together called Harvest Partners, and what it means is these are folks that simply not only give to our ministry, but they give on a monthly basis.
So we can depend on their gifts, and that helps us to respond to new opportunities to bring the word of God and to preach the life-changing message of the gospel.
So pray about that if you would. Keep praying for us, and if the Lord directs you, become a harvest partner as well. In in advance, let me say thank you so much. Yeah, yeah, that's right. And as the Lord leads, we hope you'll call us so we can explain more and help with the details.
Our number is one eight hundred eight two one three three hundred. That's one eight hundred eight two one three three zero zero, or go online to harvest dot org.
Well, next time, Pastor Greg exposes those things that people think are in the Bible, but really aren't. It's a study called "Things Jesus Never Said." Join us here on a New Beginning with Pastor and Bible Teacher Greg Laurie.
