1 John 3:14-2014 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother[a] abides in death. 15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.The Outworking of Love16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know[b] that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. 20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

James 1:19-27 Qualities Needed in Trials (Doers—Not Hearers Only)19 So then,[a] my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.26 If anyone among you[b] thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Self-Control Needed• RESTRAINING ANGRY WORDS (VS19-20)

• THOSE WHO TRULY KNOW GOD EXPRESS THEIR FAITH IN SELF-CONTROL. JAMES EMPHASIZES THAT SELF-CONTROL BEGINS WITH OUR SPEECH.

• THE RESULT OF QUICK HEARING AND SLOW SPEAKING IS THAT OUR WORDS CAN BE REDIRECTED BY THE WISDOM OF GOD.

• RECEIVING GODS WORD (V 21)• FILTHINESS – SOILED HEART • SUPERFLUITY OF NAUGHTINESS – ABUNDANCE OF EVIL.

• GOD’S WORD SHOW US WHO WE REALLY ARE! • RECEIVING THE IMPLANTED WORD MEANS RIGHTLY ASSESSING OUR

DEEP NEED FOR GOD TO DO FOR US WHAT WE CANNOT DO FOR OURSELVES

House with many rooms.

Hearing and Doing Required• THE COMMAND (V 22)

• THOSE WHO HEAR AND DON’T DO ARE IN SELF-DECEPTION• IF THE BEHAVIOR HASN’T CHANGED THE WORD HAS NEVER BEEN

GRAFTED• THE REASONING (VS 23-25)

• LOOK IN THE MIRROR – WHAT DO YOU SEE? • “I LOOK LIKE I DID IN HIGH SCHOOL” RIDICULOUSNESS!!• A CAMERA DOESN’T LIE, GOD’S WORD IS A REAL REFLECTION OF WHO

WE ARE AND PUTS US ON THE RIGHT PATH TO FULFILL HIS WILL. AS LONG AS WE DON’T FORGET WHAT WE LOOK LIKE.

• THE CHECK BOOK! YOUR CALENDAR! WHAT ARE SOME OTHER MIRRORS• THE 10 COMMANDMENTS – NOT JUST A MIRROR A MEDICINE CABINET

Proper Religion Described• CONTROLLED SPEECH (V 26)

• ARE YOU RELIGIOUS? A RELIGIOUS MAN GIVE THE PROPER RESPECT. GOD DOESN’T REQUIRE SACRIFICES OR PERFECTION BUT DOES REQUIRES US TO REFLECT WHO HE IS.

• OBEDIENCE, JUSTICE, MERCY, GRACE, AND FORGIVENESS• THE SPEECH OF A GOD-HONORING PERSON FOLLOWS THE PATH

THAT GOD SETS. SUCH SPEECH IS FILLED WITH LOVE, GRACE, AND FORGIVENESS, BUT TEMPERED BY RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTICE.

• POSITIVE GODLINESS (V27) • HELPING THOSE IN NEED (II.E. WIDOWS AND ORPHANS) IS JUST A

PICTURE OF THE TYPE OF WORK THAT GOD WANTS US TO DO. WE MUST STAND UP FOR THE WEAK AND BE THE VOICE OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO STAND UP FOR THEMSELVES.

• What does the Bible show you? • Are you a “motor-mouth” with a touchy

accelerator? • Do you have a sense of entitlement?

• God’s Word reveals many things about us, we need to take that and use it to align ourselves with His Will.

• Talk God’s Talk and Walk God’s Walk