Hotheads, Loose Lips, And Bad Hearts

 

 

“Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.”

Psalm 141:3-5

Introduction:

  1. I have had this sermon waiting for several weeks, but we can benefit from God’s warnings at anytime.
  2. I asked a member recently, “Where are you on the scale of all our members … in getting angry?”
  3. I receive reports of too much talking about others in their absence, thus we have some loose lips.
  4. We know that all sins, including these first two, begin in the heart, which we must examine and keep.
  5. Many times a day you will have the opportunity to check your passions, your speech, and your heart.
  6. Our goal is very simple … to please God perfectly in our hearts, in our passions, and in our speech.
  7. God’s inspired words of warning and wisdom only profit to the degree you change (James 1:21-25).
  8. You will profit most by applying it to yourself; but you can also profit by learning to correct others, for we have a committed relationship as church members to perfect each other (I Thes 5:14; Gal 6:1).
  9. Much of the Bible deals with these three subjects, but we will limit ourselves to only a few warnings.

Hotheads

  1. What is a hothead? A quick-tempered or impetuous person; headstrong, fiery, rash. You have likely read, “Cooler heads prevailed,” meaning that calm and sober men decided the issue.
  2. A hothead gets angry quickly and powerfully, which leads to ungodly conduct and speech.
  3. A hothead is ruled by his spirit, rather than ruling his spirit – they are slaves to their passions.
  4. A man who gets angry quickly is a fool and causes conflict (Pr 14:17,29; 15:18; Eccl 7:8-9).
  5. A man that cannot or does not rule his spirit is defenseless against sins of passion (Pr 25:28).
  6. It is wisdom to defer anger and gloriously and gladly pass over transgressions (Prov 19:11).
  7. Getting angry very slowly is wisdom, for quick wrath is seldom righteous (James 1:19-20).
  8. The Lord Jesus Christ counts unjustified anger and name-calling as murder (Matt 5:21-26).

Loose Lips

  1. Have you heard the phrase, “Loose lips sink ships”? It was coined in World War II to remind millions of young soldiers to guard what they wrote home in their letters, for information of troop movements or other military operations could lead to death for others. U-boats patrolled the North Atlantic, so knowing a ship’s route or destination could be disastrous.
  2. Loose lips can also sink churches by backbiting, slandering, talebearing, whispering, sowing discord, etc., for a divided church cannot stand (II Cor 12:20; Matt 12:25; Eph 4:16).
  3. These are forgotten sins today (Psalm 15:3; 101:5; Proverbs 11:13; 18:8; 16:28; 17:9; etc.).
  4. If you cannot say something edifying or positive about another person, then say nothing.
  5. God warns about speaking against authority even in your bedroom (Eccl 10:20), and parents should remind children after correction or discipline to guard their thoughts in their bedroom.
  6. Wisdom is not a quick answer, but a studied and correct answer (Prov 15:28; 18:13; 29:20).
  7. You must stop anyone talking about others; listening to them is a sin (Prov 17:4; 25:9-10,23).
  8. God hates those who sow discord, which is any disruption of harmony (Pr 6:19; I Cor 1:10).

Bad Hearts

  1. A bad heart is one that thinks and/or plans evil of any kind toward anyone or anything.
  2. You must keep your heart with all diligence – extreme efforts – due to its impact (Prov 4:23).
  3. Do not allow an evil thought about anyone or anything even begin to form in your heart or mind, but instead fill your heart and mind with the virtuous things of God’s word (Phil 4:8).
  4. Where does evil speech come from? Out of the abundance of the heart (Matthew 12:34-37).
  5. Every sin comes out of the heart (Matt 15:18-19). Even thinking foolishness is sin (Pr 24:9).
  6. Bitterness, envy, strife, or grudges in a heart is devilish and destructive (Jas 3:14-18; 5:7-9).
  7. The Lord plans torment for those who do not forgive from their heart (Matthew 18:21-35).
  8. Get rid of all grudges or bitterness (He 12:15); beg God to examine your heart (Ps 139:23-24)

Conclusion:

  1. Many times a day you will have the opportunity to check your passions, your speech, and your heart.
  2. See all three sins warned against in Psalm 141:3-5, where David showed concern in all three areas.

For Further Study:

  1. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 4:23
  2. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 17:4
  3. Proverb Commentary: Proverbs 25:23