1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,040 This might surprise you, but when I was a fresher at 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:08,800 university, I was probably one of the worst students on the 3 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:11,760 campus. I was the guy, literally first 4 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:15,760 week of freshers week, who heckled the lecturers trying to 5 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,280 look like I was some cool, funny guy. 6 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:20,600 But really, I just had a big chip on my shoulder. 7 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:23,320 I was trying to to look like I was popular. 8 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,400 I was loud. This mouth was so rude. 9 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:29,560 I used to say things to the girls. 10 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,159 I used to be a flirt, all kinds of things. 11 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:35,840 In my first year, I was not a very nice person, very arrogant. 12 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,640 That's what I was known for, being arrogant, starting fights, 13 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,680 all of that kind of stuff. Anyway, in the summer, the Lords 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,080 brought me back to himself. It was actually for a 15 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:50,360 chastisement. I had a problem with the the 16 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,480 bone in my ankle, something called a vascular necrosis, 17 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,680 which basically means death to the bone. 18 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:02,440 And what basically can happen is when your bone loses the blood 19 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:06,040 supply, then the joint can collapse and that's it. 20 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:09,240 You're on a on a stick, You've got a walking stick. 21 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,360 And now in the end, I prayed for the Lord to heal me. 22 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:16,360 And I do believe there was a healing because for some reason 23 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,160 I've got no problem there. And at the time I was struggling 24 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:22,200 to walk. When I went back to university, 25 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:26,280 I knew I had a lot of making up to do. 26 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:30,400 I had to show people that I was a Christian now. 27 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:32,800 And you know what? It was one of the greatest 28 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,320 testimonies, despite, you know, what the Lord has done on 29 00:01:35,320 --> 00:01:39,080 YouTube, despite doing evangelism and preaching in 30 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:44,880 churches, What God did at university in that second year, 31 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:47,280 I just give all the glory to him. 32 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,240 And there was a verse actually, that that helped me through all 33 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,160 of this. This was the verse that that 34 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,440 really changed everything. In Proverbs 17, verse 28, it 35 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:04,400 says even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace. 36 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,479 When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive. 37 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:13,000 So what was my secret to how I showed everyone that I'd 38 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,960 changed, That the Lord had done a work? 39 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,600 Suddenly this mouth which had got me into all kinds of 40 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,680 trouble, this arrogant mouth, I was just quiet. 41 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:25,040 I was silent all of the time. I would only speak when it was 42 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,240 absolutely necessary. And I did tell people I'd come 43 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,360 back to the Lord. In fact, what makes this even 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:33,400 worse is in my fresher year, people knew that I was a 45 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,240 supposed Christian. And it was like, why are you as 46 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:40,600 a Christian acting like this? But you know when it says that 47 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:44,040 even a fool is is counted wise when he holds his peace, when he 48 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:48,200 doesn't open his mouth. I actually remember it was so I 49 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,520 was doing this so much that, you know, these same lecturers that 50 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:54,760 I would hackle sometimes when I was so quiet, they would 51 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,280 actually stop their lecture and say, Joe, what's your opinion on 52 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,480 this? And one said, you know Joe, 53 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,280 you've always seemed like you're quite wise and the 54 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:06,960 transformation was just incredible in what in what God 55 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:10,480 did in that time. And I suppose the the greatest 56 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:12,840 testimony is this. I remember 2 girls coming up to 57 00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:18,960 me and saying, Joe, you've changed so much, basically God 58 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,720 has done a work in you. And one of them said you're just 59 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,200 so quiet and and shy and nice now. 60 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,520 And anyway, I just want maybe you to consider this because 61 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,960 there is actually an art to hold in your tongue. 62 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,800 There is actually a reason why you shouldn't tell people 63 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,440 everything, why you shouldn't tell people what you're up to, 64 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,640 why you shouldn't give your opinions all of the time. 65 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:45,000 But why, as a Christian, it's very, very important actually to 66 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,600 sometimes be the quietest person in the room. 67 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,880 So on that note, you know what time it is? 68 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:56,400 It's time for a a cup of Joe. So I've got my coffee today. 69 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:58,320 It's just the same coffee that we're on. 70 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:03,600 I think it's an Italian one from booths, so please do pause the 71 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,720 video at this point. Put on the kettle. 72 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,600 If you're having black coffee with me, please do. 73 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,840 Maybe you're a cup of tea fan, or maybe you just want to to get 74 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:17,240 a fizzy drink. A soda? 75 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,800 Whatever it is, pause the video. Have a drink with me, because 76 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,960 we're going to have a look at this idea of holding our tongues 77 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,800 and coming to the Lord quietly. OK, another verse I'd like to 78 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,320 read to you. If you've got a Bible there, 79 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:34,640 please would you turn to Ecclesiastes chapter 5 and verse 80 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:50,480 3? And if you're a bit embarrassed 81 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,560 you can't find it, don't worry, I can't find it either. 82 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,000 I knew it was after the proverbs, but when you're on 83 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,880 camera and sometimes when you preach at the front, your mind 84 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,880 starts to second guess yourself and you're thinking, is this 85 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:03,840 correct? Can't get this wrong in front of 86 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:10,400 all these people. OK, Ecclesiastes 5, verse 3 for 87 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:15,840 a dream comes through much activity and a fool's voice is 88 00:05:15,840 --> 00:05:20,680 known by his many words. If you were going to write 89 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,080 something down today, please write this down. 90 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,880 Empty vessels make a lot of noise. 91 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:30,200 Empty vessels make a lot of noise. 92 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,440 This is actually something that I did learn at university. 93 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:42,400 One of the lecturers taught me this phrase and what he meant by 94 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:47,000 that was, you know, sometimes people who might not be the the 95 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,800 sharpest tool might not be the brightest smart spark. 96 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:53,240 I I can hold my hand up and say that about myself, that they are 97 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,760 so full of their own opinions, so full of their own ideas. 98 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,880 Often they can make a lot of noise, you know, lots of shouts. 99 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:04,440 And just like if, you know, this coffee pot was empty and I put a 100 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:06,760 little piece of gravel, a little stone in it and make a lot of 101 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,920 noise as you shake it around. And it's so with these people 102 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,240 who they don't have much going on inside. 103 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,440 There's not much depth to them, and yet they're so loud. 104 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:18,400 They're so vocal. I don't want to be that person, 105 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:21,160 and I know you don't want to be that person either. 106 00:06:22,320 --> 00:06:24,160 Something else that's quite interesting. 107 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,040 And now I would love to know what country you're watching 108 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,400 this from in the world. Please just let me know in the 109 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:34,840 comment box, But if you don't know yet, I'm from the north of 110 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:40,040 England and in England we also have a north-south divide and 111 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,640 something that Southerners often will say about Northerners, 112 00:06:42,640 --> 00:06:45,920 which I've got to say, the stereotype is true. 113 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,480 When you meet a Northerner within the 1st 5 minutes of 114 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,560 talking to them, they'll tell you their entire life story. 115 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:55,640 They'll tell you all the people who've wronged them, any 116 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:59,520 childhood pain, the man who left them, the person who did this, 117 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,520 the the man who did. They'll tell you absolutely 118 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:03,080 everything. Where they live, how old this 119 00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:06,160 house has been, what job they worked, absolutely everything 120 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,720 within the 1st 5 minutes. And you think, well, just hold 121 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,040 on a second. You know some of these things, I 122 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:13,440 can't believe you're telling me these things. 123 00:07:13,440 --> 00:07:18,120 Some of these things are so private and yet we need to just 124 00:07:18,120 --> 00:07:21,240 be aware that we don't have to share everything. 125 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:23,760 I don't know if that's something in your own culture that people 126 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:26,400 do and it is good to wear your heart and your sleeve. 127 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:30,280 We do want to be transparent, but at the same time just just 128 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:33,200 hold back. Something is it should just be 129 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:37,000 between you and your spouse. Something should be just between 130 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:40,040 you and your family. Some things that should just be 131 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,160 between you and the Lord. I always remember one of the 132 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,360 holiest men I know. I've said this before, There are 133 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:51,040 two holy men I've come across in all of my life, and one of them 134 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:54,520 was my father. And I shouldn't really say that 135 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,600 publicly because it sounds like I'm boasting. 136 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:02,520 But he honestly was the greatest example of a man of God, so 137 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:06,640 consistent in his quiet times. Again, completely opposite to 138 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:11,880 me, quite a quiet man, just very wise and just, yeah, the way you 139 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,560 love my mother. Just a wonderful example. 140 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:17,520 You know, that's the greatest gift the Lord's given me is, is 141 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:22,240 godly parents. And the second one was an elder 142 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:24,720 at the church that I I used to attend. 143 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,920 I won't name his name publicly and I remember he once said from 144 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:30,800 the pulpit. And it really struck me. 145 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,440 There are some things that I cannot even tell my wife. 146 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,840 There are some things that I struggle with that I can only 147 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,679 tell the Lord. And I think there is a lesson in 148 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,360 that. There's nothing wrong in that. 149 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,400 Sometimes there are things, there are burdens that are too 150 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,360 big, that there are stones, if you like, just like the Lord 151 00:08:50,360 --> 00:08:52,520 God. He rolled away that stone just 152 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,000 just when Jesus, you know, rose from the dead, he moved it. 153 00:08:56,320 --> 00:08:58,160 No man could move that stone away. 154 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:01,200 There was no man in his body that could push it away. 155 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:05,280 Only God could push it away. And sometimes there are some big 156 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:09,320 stones in our lives that only God can push away and that's why 157 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,200 we give it to him. Now, the reason I'm doing this 158 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:17,120 video today is because I've actually had quite a bad day. 159 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:21,360 So I'm having a coffee with you. But there's a verse for today 160 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,400 that I really want to share with you that I need to hear today. 161 00:09:24,680 --> 00:09:26,960 And perhaps as someone watching today who needs to hear this. 162 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,360 Verse two, it's Proverbs 29, Verse 11. 163 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:32,760 I'll just have a little bit of coffee while you turn there. 164 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:44,680 Proverbs 29, verse 11. Proverbs 29, verse 11. 165 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:51,040 A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back. 166 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:54,240 Now why do I need to share that verse with you today? 167 00:09:55,760 --> 00:10:01,440 So today someone said some very slanderous things about me. 168 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:05,720 Yeah, some things that just aren't true. 169 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,680 And this person's been doing this for a for a while now. 170 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,400 And there's a big part of me when I first saw, oh, he's done 171 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,560 it again, he's done it again. There was a massive part of me 172 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:20,880 that just wanted to, you know, basically publicly shaming 173 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,160 because, you know, in my flesh thinking, you know, I could say 174 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,280 this to that person. I could say that that would 175 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,200 stump him. He wouldn't know what to do. 176 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,600 And even there was a part of me that, yeah, just wanted to say 177 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:37,160 just to, yeah, I won't go there. But you know what I'm thinking? 178 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:42,000 And I was just very, very angry. But this verse has really hit me 179 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:47,400 today that a wise man holds them back at times. 180 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:50,840 There are times we just want to make that person who's made us 181 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:53,360 look stupid. We want to just wipe the floor 182 00:10:53,360 --> 00:10:55,520 with them. We want to railroad them. 183 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:58,760 We want to show them that. How dare you mess with me. 184 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:01,160 You're messing with me. Do you know who I am? 185 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:02,880 Do you know? Do you not think I've got a 186 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,600 sharp mind? Do you not think I can stick up 187 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,160 for myself? All these prideful, sinful, 188 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:11,120 arrogant thoughts bubble up. But then we remember the Lord 189 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:14,920 Jesus Christ who was led like a lamb to the slaughter. 190 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:18,680 Quiet like a sheep before, as shearers, is silent. 191 00:11:18,680 --> 00:11:21,280 There was no guy on his mouth. He was quiet. 192 00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,600 And at times we need to be that wise man that the Proverbs talks 193 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,720 about. We We need to be quiet, and we 194 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,760 need to remember if this person is speaking wrong about us. 195 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:35,320 Know this Vengeance is mine, save the Lord. 196 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:40,720 And if they've done injustice to us, the Lord will act justly and 197 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:42,440 something will happen to that person. 198 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:44,720 Something will come into that person's life. 199 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,920 If they're a believer, the Lord will chastise them like I was 200 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:51,360 chastised, or something will happen at some point. 201 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:53,320 We believe in a God that is just. 202 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:58,640 And yet, if it is true for what this person's saying, there's 203 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:02,320 also a time for us to reflect and quietly think. 204 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,160 Is what that person said accurate? 205 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:12,520 Is there any truth in this? Why is the Lords allowed this to 206 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,880 happen? Maybe I need to just quietly 207 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:18,720 reflect and think. Am I in the wrong here? 208 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:23,360 So there is a lot of wisdom in in in holding back. 209 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:27,720 Now the key verse. OK, another really key verse for 210 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:31,200 today that I want to share with you is again in the book of 211 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,720 Proverbs. I really recommend if you've not 212 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:39,360 made yourself familiar, familiar with the book of Proverbs, then 213 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:41,720 please just just read through it. 214 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:45,720 Just everyone who I've known that's had some level of wisdom 215 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,760 has really been familiar with the book of Proverbs. 216 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,120 And it's something, again, I know I'm talking a lot about 217 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,800 university. I had a tape, like, not even 218 00:12:55,800 --> 00:13:00,080 like ACD, literally an old fashioned, like cassette tape 219 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:02,320 that I played in my old banger of a car. 220 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,600 And I just played it on repeat over and over again. 221 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,160 The Proverbs being read out until it's sunk in. 222 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,360 And these verses, you know, they become part of you and and you 223 00:13:12,360 --> 00:13:14,840 need those things. You need those lessons because 224 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:21,320 we need to act wisely. So Proverbs 10, verse 19, just 225 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:27,000 look at that with me, please. In the multitude of words sin is 226 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:32,400 not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise. 227 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:46,800 And I would like to suggest to you, today there are four ways 228 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:52,520 that we can speak too much and thus cause sin in the multitude 229 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,960 of words. We can commit transgressions by 230 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:58,720 speaking too much. The first one is this. 231 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:05,120 You want to write this down. Religious boasting We have, we 232 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:10,680 all have this idea inside of us that if we somehow tell people 233 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:14,560 what we're up to, if we tell people, you know, all of our 234 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:19,520 Christian activity, somehow that's making us seem more holy, 235 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,520 Somehow people will think better of us. 236 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,240 Whether it's fasting, you know, you know, you might say, you 237 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,880 know, I'm fasting this week because I'm, I'm wrestling with 238 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,520 the Lord over a particular issue. 239 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:30,720 We like to share these things, don't we? 240 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:34,320 Some people say, oh, this morning the Lord woke me up at 241 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:38,360 4:00 AM And I went into the prayer closet and I prayed and I 242 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:40,560 met with the Lord God. And it was wonderful. 243 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,400 And other people might say, oh, I've been out in the open air 244 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,400 this week. You know, I was there and I was 245 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:48,680 preaching the gospel and I was letting people know. 246 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,760 And and you know, there was 4 decisions for the Lord and many 247 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,840 souls were saved. And you know, we emptied hell 248 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,600 that day because we went out and we took the gospel out. 249 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:01,120 Or some people in this modern world, they might say, oh, I put 250 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:04,280 out this video and I got 10,000 views on the video. 251 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,000 All glory to God. Look what God is doing. 252 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,120 And the question needs to be asked when they're saying these 253 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,280 things. And I could be wrong in this. 254 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,040 I might be, you know, wrongly speaking now. 255 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,480 But are they really giving glory to God when they're saying these 256 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,680 things? Or are they actually trying to 257 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:25,600 draw attention to themselves to bring some kind of validation 258 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,800 that, wow, you got 10,000 views on a video. 259 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,480 Wow, you led 4 souls to the Lord. 260 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,520 Wow, you're you're fasting or I haven't fasted in a while. 261 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:38,360 You really are a man of God. You really are a woman of gods. 262 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,160 And then there's something else that we tend to do as well, that 263 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,000 there is a danger and it's name dropping. 264 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:49,040 Sometimes we might like to say, oh, the pastor came over to 265 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:53,040 visit me, or, you know, there's that respectable Christian, that 266 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,040 evangelist or that missionary, and, oh, they've been writing to 267 00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,280 me. Or, oh, I've got his number and 268 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,080 he's been texting me. I was on the phone to name a 269 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:04,440 famous preacher. We do like to name drop, don't 270 00:16:04,440 --> 00:16:06,840 we? And yet the Bible says that God 271 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,640 is no respecter of persons. God hates it when we look at 272 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:15,240 another person and put them up on a pedestal, because he alone 273 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,160 deserves the glory. He alone is the one that we 274 00:16:18,160 --> 00:16:22,560 should worship. Another verse that is really 275 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:24,000 applicable to this. We're actually now in the 276 00:16:24,000 --> 00:16:27,040 Gospels, Matthew chapter Matthew chapter 6. 277 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,760 If you turn there with me, Matthew 6, the Sermon of the 278 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:34,680 Mount and verses 16 to 18, please would you read that with 279 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:44,080 me? Moreover, when you fast, do not 280 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:48,400 be like the hypocrites with a sad countenance, for they 281 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:53,000 disfigure their faces, that they may be appear to be fasting. 282 00:16:53,440 --> 00:16:56,720 Assuredly, I say to you, they have their rewards. 283 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:03,280 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so 284 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:08,200 that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father, 285 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:12,480 who is in the secret place. And your Father, who sees in 286 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:17,520 secret, will reward openly. Do you see the lesson there? 287 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:22,480 When we fast, we just do it private, just on our own. 288 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:26,200 It's just me and you, Lord. And if there is a blessing to 289 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,480 come, if there is an answer to prayer, the Lord will reward us 290 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:32,480 openly and everyone will see about it again. 291 00:17:32,560 --> 00:17:38,280 I remember Precious Preacher years ago when I was a very, 292 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,880 very young man and I was doing open air work. 293 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:43,840 I'm not boasting as I say that, but we were doing an open air 294 00:17:44,120 --> 00:17:49,400 mission week and the preacher at the front said if you've got 295 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,640 your quiet time and your meeting with the Lord privately and 296 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:56,560 you're praying, the private will soon become public because 297 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,760 everyone will be able to tell what's inside you out of the 298 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,720 abundance of the heart. So the mouth speaks and if you 299 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,760 are spending time in private with the Lord, everyone will be 300 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:08,360 able to tell. So don't be the the kind of 301 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:10,280 Christian who's like, I'm doing this, I'm doing that. 302 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:14,360 Even preachers, we see preachers and they they do they disfigure 303 00:18:14,360 --> 00:18:17,040 their faces. They oh, I'm, I'm so sad that 304 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:19,640 you know I won't do impressions. But they act like, you know, 305 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:24,040 they they they put on a fake cry or they put on a fake feat of 306 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:27,240 anger. If those emotions come, let them 307 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:28,360 come. Let the Lord. 308 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,720 Let the Holy Spirit work. There's nothing wrong with 309 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,680 emotions in the pulpit. We're emotional creatures. 310 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,720 The Lord's made us that way. But don't force it out. 311 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:38,960 Just let these things come naturally. 312 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,960 And I think that's what the scripture's trying to say here. 313 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:47,440 OK, #2. Anxiety and negativity, OK, 314 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,800 that's something that we can often do with our mouths. 315 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,760 Or we speak all kinds of things that aren't helpful and we need 316 00:18:53,760 --> 00:18:57,480 to stop moaning, don't we? I am. 317 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:02,440 I hold my hands up. And I I do admit this is me all 318 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:04,560 over. I am someone who is very 319 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,360 anxious, who does worry. And I know that when I enter 320 00:19:08,360 --> 00:19:12,000 into a conversation, if I've had a bad week, and particularly if 321 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:15,400 I'm on my own, like we talked about in one of my last videos, 322 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:17,520 and we're talking about being isolated. 323 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:22,120 If I'm on my own, I find myself in this negative spiral. 324 00:19:22,120 --> 00:19:26,280 And so when I do go out and meet people, I can often pour out all 325 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,320 of my anxieties, all of my worries, and that's not a 326 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,560 helpful thing to do. Now there are friends, praise 327 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,800 the Lord, there are friends and family members who we can trust 328 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:37,440 and we can be totally honest with. 329 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:41,640 And I would recommend if you are hurting inside, please do speak 330 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,160 to those people. But don't just go around all the 331 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:46,680 time talking. Have you heard about this that's 332 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:48,240 going on? Have you heard about this 333 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:50,120 celebrity of what that person's doing? 334 00:19:50,360 --> 00:19:53,840 Have you heard about this? And it's always just so negative 335 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:57,920 all the time. The scripture says death and 336 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:02,680 life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it 337 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:07,040 will eat its fruit. So what am I trying to say? 338 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,800 I'm just trying to say that there's life in this tongue. 339 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,680 We can encourage people, we can help them. 340 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:17,200 You know, one of the best things you can do to to be a good 341 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:21,040 friend or to be a loving person is just ask people how was your 342 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:24,200 week and listen to them. If they want to be negative and 343 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:26,760 offload, that's great. If they need to do that, that's 344 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:28,840 great. But what we're trying to do as 345 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:33,080 believers is we're trying to just be that positive light, to 346 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,720 show them there is life in US. There's eternal life. 347 00:20:35,840 --> 00:20:38,640 The Lord God is. It is living inside of me. 348 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:42,240 Here is the life of God living in the soul of man. 349 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:45,760 And God has saved me and so I have a joy, I have a hope and I 350 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,720 just want to share it with the whole world. 351 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:54,160 OK And the 3rd way that we can sort of speak too much and and 352 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,640 act sinfully is through rude humor. 353 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,480 Please just tell me is there too many Bible verses in this? 354 00:21:00,480 --> 00:21:03,280 Now obviously the the most powerful thing we have is the 355 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,360 scripture, but just tell me if I've got you flicking around too 356 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:08,240 much and you just want me to stick to a few. 357 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:10,200 Please let me know in the comments section. 358 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:15,320 But Ephesians 5, verse 4, this is a very challenging verse, 359 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:24,240 neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor coarse jesting which 360 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,960 are not fitting but rather giving thanks. 361 00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,920 So here the Apostle Paul is talking to the Church of Ephesus 362 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,960 and he gives a whole list of of sins that should not be named 363 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,960 among the Saints that Christians should not be doing. 364 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:43,160 And one of them is that kind of rude humour. 365 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,080 I'm going to share something again, very personal with you. 366 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:51,320 As you can probably tell, this is just really me talking as a 367 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:57,680 friend to a friend. But two of my very good friends 368 00:21:57,680 --> 00:22:03,160 recently were were talking and one of my friends said something 369 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:07,400 that was, you know, a bit close to the edge, a bit close to the 370 00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:11,520 knuckle, a bit rude. And my other friend said, 371 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,320 listen, you cannot say, and it was about me as well. 372 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,000 It was to do with me. He said you cannot say that to 373 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,840 Joe, You know, he will not find that funny. 374 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:23,800 And then the other friend said, yeah, the old Joe. 375 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,720 You couldn't say that kind of thing in front of the old, old 376 00:22:26,720 --> 00:22:32,200 Joe, but this Joe now, I think he'd probably find it funny and 377 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,880 that probably out of anything this year, that's probably been 378 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:42,120 the most challenging sign that I'm not where I once was. 379 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:46,120 And I need to sort it out because maybe in the last couple 380 00:22:46,120 --> 00:22:49,480 of years I have got a bit too involved with what we call lad 381 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:51,920 banter. And I have got a bit, you know, 382 00:22:52,240 --> 00:22:54,520 silly. And some of the things that I've 383 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:58,440 been laughing at have not been honourable before the Lord I 384 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:00,960 even remember, I don't know if you you, you have been watching 385 00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:03,920 the the main channel for many years off the Curve Ministries. 386 00:23:04,120 --> 00:23:07,480 Remember back in 2020 I did a video and it was about the 387 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,200 things that we shouldn't say as Christians and one of them was 388 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,040 Bible jokes. Because I truly do believe, you 389 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:16,560 know, when we laugh at the word of God and we make these jokes, 390 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:20,560 you know, we say things, even just trivial things, and we're 391 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,960 laughing at them. I think it does it it it it 392 00:23:23,960 --> 00:23:28,200 brings down the word of God and it makes it less honourable and 393 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,240 it gives Chris a non Christians permission to not take the word 394 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,800 of God seriously. And yet I found myself even 395 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:37,920 making a few Bible jokes myself and maybe even in some of the 396 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:42,560 videos recently and I just want to publicly apologise for that 397 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,400 and I need to get myself sorted. So over to you. 398 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,080 Are you someone in? When you're at work, When you're 399 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,560 you know you're with your your friends, your mates? 400 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,440 Do you say rude things? Do you say silly jokes? 401 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,000 Do you take the word of God? Irreverently? 402 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,440 The Bible says here we we mustn't. 403 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,520 Now that doesn't mean we can't have a sense of humour, you 404 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,480 know, There's clean sense of humour and there's nothing more 405 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,040 wonderful than having a good, a good chuckle. 406 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,560 Butty, as my friend Vinny Commons would say, there's 407 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,800 nothing better than having a good laugh with friends. 408 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:19,440 And there is, you know, a holy sense of humour. 409 00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:23,520 You know we can joke about having a cup of Joe. 410 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:25,720 I know that's not that funny, but I find it funny. 411 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:27,880 But you know what I mean? We can joke about things like 412 00:24:27,880 --> 00:24:29,600 that. There's nothing wrong with with 413 00:24:29,600 --> 00:24:32,640 having a good laugh. The Lord made humour. 414 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:35,720 And I do believe in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. 415 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,040 I believe Adam and Eve would have laughed. 416 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:40,840 I believe it's not a product of the Fall having a sense of 417 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:43,040 humour. No, Laughter is is a gift from 418 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:44,440 God. So let's enjoy it. 419 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,320 But let's make sure our laughter is wholesome. 420 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,600 OK, #4, I'm not going to talk on this for very long at all, but 421 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,120 it's gossiping, as you know. I've made a full video on that, 422 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,680 and I'll tell you where that is in a in a moment's time. 423 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:01,120 But we're going to turn back to Ecclesiastes. 424 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:05,600 Ecclesiastes chapter 10 and verse 20. 425 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,760 Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts. 426 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:14,760 Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom, for a bird of the 427 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,400 air may carry your voice and a bird in flight may tell the 428 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,720 matter. As I said, I've talked about 429 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,960 this in the other video, but it is this, this imagery, isn't it? 430 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,720 That if you're just gossiping, if you're, you know, running 431 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:31,760 your mouth and talking about someone, the Bible's saying, 432 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:33,920 now, this won't literally happen, but it's using a 433 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:36,000 metaphor. A bird might just hear what 434 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,400 you've got to say, might just gather it in its wings, fly off 435 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,480 and it'll fly and sit on the windowsill of the person that 436 00:25:42,480 --> 00:25:45,240 you're gossiping about and suddenly they'll hear. 437 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:49,080 In other words, gossip often gets back to the person. 438 00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:54,600 I've got a very good friend and one day he was working and he'd 439 00:25:54,600 --> 00:25:57,000 done a full day's work. It was a manual job. 440 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:01,600 He was really, really tired. And his boss is driving him and 441 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,280 his other Co workers, his other work colleagues home in the back 442 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,560 of the van. And then his boss just says, oh, 443 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,600 actually, there is another job, come on, we've got an come on, 444 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:13,800 can we just do another hour? Let's just do another job. 445 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:17,600 And you know, it's getting late now, it's like 6:00 and and the 446 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,480 guys are just ready to eat some food, to have their their tea, 447 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,240 their dinner. They're really hungry. 448 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:27,560 And so my friends, who was a Christian, started texting his 449 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:30,920 other friends saying, oh, he's so selfish. 450 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:34,240 He's such a rubbish boss. He's this, he's that, he's he's 451 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,240 lazy. We always do all of this and 452 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:38,200 said some really horrible things about him. 453 00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:43,120 And and then presses send suddenly ping the boss's phone 454 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:46,360 goes off. Oh, oh, it's a it's a message 455 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:50,800 from you that's interesting. Oh, wow. 456 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:53,960 Well, that's hurtful. Wow. 457 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:57,000 You really think that about me, do you? 458 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:01,400 And by accident, my friend had text the message to this boss of 459 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,320 his. And of course, guilt came over 460 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:06,520 him, and he regretted all that he'd said. 461 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:10,400 The point is this gossip does get back to people often, and we 462 00:27:10,400 --> 00:27:12,640 just need to be very careful what we say. 463 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:17,440 So that's my list of four things, four ways where we can 464 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,520 tell people too much, what we're up to, where we can, you know, 465 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:24,080 say some sinful things, and how our our mouth can get us into 466 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,240 all kinds of trouble. So let me ask you now, what 467 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,600 might you add to this list? What would you put on on your 468 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:31,400 list? What? 469 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,400 What kind of things do you think can get us into trouble? 470 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,080 Is there anything I've missed? Please just leave it in the 471 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:49,720 comments section and then also please do let me know what kind 472 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:52,560 of videos you would like me to make in the future. 473 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,520 As you know I'm I'm going to let you into a big secret now. 474 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,400 And this is for those of you who stuck around right to the end. 475 00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:02,160 You're the true true friends of this ministry. 476 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,280 I'm only teasing. The other guys are great too. 477 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,160 But I will tell you this, I actually am enjoying these 478 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:09,760 videos more than my main channel. 479 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,960 I really do look forward to making these, not only because I 480 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:16,680 get to drink coffee, but I just really just find it. 481 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,840 You know, this this literally took me 20 minutes to do and I 482 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,880 can just share some things with you and just share the scripture 483 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:26,080 versus my other video that I've filmed just this morning. 484 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,880 It took me 3 days to to research, to get it all together 485 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:33,360 and that's before the editing. So I'm really enjoying this 486 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:36,360 channel and I really hope the Lord will bless it and I hope 487 00:28:36,360 --> 00:28:38,720 it's blessing you. So please just pray for this 488 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:41,080 work. And yes, please do let me know 489 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:45,080 if there's anything you would like me to cover in the future, 490 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:47,800 because any topic I'm, I'm willing to do it. 491 00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:50,400 And the other thing is, yeah, if you're new here, please do 492 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:52,200 subscribe. And if you would like to see 493 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:56,040 that video all about gossiping, I'll put it up here on the 494 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:58,280 screen now and please do click there. 495 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,720 God bless you all and thank you for watching. 496 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,720 And I hope you're enjoying the rest of your coffee, because I 497 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:05,760 certainly am too.