Slow to Wrath: The Power of Listening

example of the Mustard Seed so that being said let's um let's stand up let's pray let's ask God to open up to our hearts what's being said today Lord God we thank you for the service that you've given us Lord and we pray and we ask Lord God speak to our hearts today Lord help us to understand what is being said to us through the word god through the singing Lord we ask you Lord bless the preachers bless the singers Lord guide us and lead us by the holy spirit in Jesus name we pray amen good morning today we're going to be singing the song by the name of soon and very [Music] soon soon and very soon we are going to see the king soon and very soon we are going to see the king soon and very soon we are going to see the king Hallelujah hallelu we are going to see the king no more crying there we are going to see the king no more crying there we are going to see the king no more crying there we are going to see the king hallelu hallelu we are going to see the king no more dying there we are going to see the king no more dying there we are going to see the king no more dying there we are going to see the king Hallelujah hallelu we are going to see the [Music] king the Lord is my life and my salvation the Lord is the strength of my life the Lord is my light and my salvation the Lord is the strength of my life so I will not be afraid no I will not be afraid because the Lord is my light the Lord is my light the Lord is my light in the day of trouble he will hide me he will keep me safe he will guide me through the Lord is my light and my salvation the Lord is the strength of my life the Lord is my life and my salvation the Lord is the strength of my life so I will not be afraid no I will not be afraid because the Lord is my light the Lord is my light the Lord is my light in the dark hour he will K me he will hi no power when he shelter me the Lord is my light and my salvation the Lord is the strength of my life the Lord is my light and my salvation the Lord is the strength of my life so I will not be afraid no I will not be afraid because the Lord is my light the Lord is my light the is my life so I will not be afraid no I will not be afraid because the Lord is my light the Lord is my light the is my praise God praise the Lord brothers and sisters for this morning that we can all come here together and I'm happy it's raining on the weekend CU after can go home and go to sleep but praise God for the promise that he has given us and I'm going to read a Bible verse in uh Psalm chapter 18 verse 1- two and it says here I love you Lord my strength the Lord is my rock my for Fortress and my deliverer my God Is My Rock in whom I take refuge my shield and the Horn of my salvation my stronghold praise God and uh I also want to announce our program for this morning that we have uh we'll have some of our young girls sing a group song for us and then right after that we'll have brother Tim continuing his series and his message for today God bless [Music] I [Music] [Music] maybe they can s that you know that's the uh beauty of of church you know the the Lord teaches us that we're not perfect right and that that we all need him but um I just want to kind of remind us you know uh very good words on the worship song that we were singing that soon and very soon we're going to see the king and that is our goal that is our goal as Christians is that soon and very soon we're are going to see our King you know and um to those who don't have Jesus Christ yet to those who do to those who have not surrendered their life to Christ just yet just understand that he will come and it it's not going to be if he will come it's going to be when he will come are we ready to be accepted by him or not and I would like to start off with a little story before I start my message and this is a little story of Jim Jim prided himself on being a great listener I always pay attention he told that everyone one Sunday he sat in church nodding along with as the pastor preached be swift to hear slow to speak and slow to wrath be doers of the word and not hearers only Jim smiled thinking great sermon I hope everyone else is listening especially Bob that guy after church his wife asked him Jim can you pick us some groceries on your way home and don't forget uh bread Jim nodded of course dear as he kept chatting with his friends an hour later Jim returned proudly from Home Depot with a bag of donuts and a brand new shed as he pulled into the driveway his teenage son accidentally hits his car with a ball Jim clenched his F fists but took a deep breath and he says slow to wrath slow to wrath he reminds himself then as he was closing his car door it KN like it hiss him in the kneecap Jim again clinch his teeth this time slow to wrath slow to wrath by the time he reached the kitchen his wife was cooking dinner I made you your favorite steak honey she said cheerfully Jim sat down still practicing patience but when she said the plate in front of him he stared at the blackened piece of meat with with a halfway smile he humbled or he mumbled great steak honey his wife blinked did you get the uh bread that I asked for Jim Jim asks bread what bread I thought you said shed I thought you said you needed shed his wife tones up on Notch how did you hear shed when I said bread but I guess I'll try to make the sandwich out of those uh those pieces of wood 2x4s as Jim stands up he hits his toe on the coffee table that's it he explodes yelling at the table the chair the floor and at his wife even though it was not her fault and Jim sits down forcefully why is my day going so bad but then he remembers the sermon that said be quick to listen slow to speak and slow to wrath and he understood that he messed up but instead of brushing it off he comes to his wife and apologizes to her I'm sorry honey next time I I won't just answer right away I'll try to listen and I would like for us to open to James chapter 1 because we are going through verses 19 and below and the message today is the power of listening and controlling our words and our anger oh Brothers Z can you give them a Bible it's it's Ricardo in the pink you know many many times we come to church it's it's him in the pink many times we come to church and uh we sit in our seats in our pews you know sometimes you know halfway asleep sometimes all the way asleep sometimes intently listening but the question stands before us that Jame is asking you're listening but how well are you listening you're hearing but how well are you listening and let's be reminded my dear friends that it's not those who hear the word that that actually put it to action but those that listen and put it to action you know today the Bible is going to teach us life lessons that you and I have to put into action to be winners and not whiners so let's read verse 19 James 1 verse 19 and Below it's a lot smaller than I thought it's going to be so then my beloved Brethren let every man be be swift to hear slow to speak slow to wrath for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God so then my beloved Brethren let every man be swift to hear slow to speak and slow to wrath so what's wrath I mean there's there's this word called anger right but over here James uses the word wrath wrath is I would say anger on steroids it's it's an anger that becomes uncontrollable you know sometimes we get angry you know we get angry at something or at someone but we see in the in the story that I just read Jim when he got hit he was angry but he said he still had control over himself he said Slow to wrath slow to wrath but then that final straw where he hits his toe and he explodes that's when it becomes wrath that's when it becomes wrath and and even God himself the Bible says that he has anger and he has wrath but for good reasons for good reasons uh when we know the the story of of Jonah and God was angry with Nineveh but Jonah he was so angry that he wanted God to destroy Nineveh that's wrath but God in his anger he is still able to turn away his anger if the person takes the steps towards sanctification or forgiveness or change or submitting themselves to God God is still able to turn away his anger but when God is Not in on the door of our hearts and says brother you need to change whatever you're doing is wrong and we are ignorant we are stubborn then God's anger turns into wrath and that's where he already does things to to put us in line so then my beloved Brethren let every man be swift to hear and slow to speak you know easy question why does God give us two ears and one mouth so we can listen more and talk less right you know sometimes even I catch myself I talk a lot and listen less and usually when I do that I get into trouble I get into arguments I'm trying to prove my point you know but over here James teaches us be swift to hear be swift to hear meaning that my friend when especially when you're in a conversation when you're listening those words in that conversation they go into our mind they go they go into our mind we start processing them we start processing them and Discerning okay what's right what's not and then we are able to speak with wisdom we are able to give the right advice because we have processed the conversation in our mind and are able to make the right decision but what's happening over here Swift to speak it's a person that wants to prove his point he don't care about your conversation he don't care about what you have to say he wants to prove his point and how many times do we fall into that let's go there oh no no that's it no I'm not going to go brother you need this in your life no no I know what I'm doing like who are you to tell me who are you to tell me what to do in my life Swift you speak not Swift you here because when somebody's giving you advice it's usually for your good when somebody is telling you brother you need to change this in your life sister you need to change this in your life it's because we don't see it in ourselves but somebody around us does and when we are Swift to he we are able to process it and make the right conclusion clusion you know I think um a lot of us have been to Olive Garden and they they they have this thing where the the waiter comes up and they say super salad Super Salad you're like yes Super Salad the biggest one and they're like no no no no super salad you want super solad you're like yeah the the super one no and then your kid is like Dad there they're asking soup or Salad choose one you know you can't have the super Grand salad like ah you know that's the problem we're we're sometimes so busy thinking instead of listening talking instead of listening and making simple mistakes in our life listening leads to wisdom and righteousness speaking without listening leads to problems you know uh me and my brothers we work together and sometimes we go on walks well not sometimes we go every day on walks and there's there's times where I'm just talking just talking and yapping away my mouth and they're listening and and I'm yapping and then I'm talking so much that you know they're saying well that's not right I mean this is what happened here this is what happened there but I'm trying to prove my point and with me trying to prove my point I'm starting to get angry starting to get angry but then when I when I realize that I'm getting angry if I'm not controlling myself it starts building up in me and then I'm even harder trying to prove my point I'm right you're wrong whatever I said you guys are wrong and then what I realize is that by the time we're done with our walk I'm the one apologizing because I was wrong but but there's times yes there is times where I talk less and we're walking and I'm listening they're like is everything okay Tim is everything okay with you why you not talking I don't know I'm just listening you know and I'm listening to their conversations and I'm thinking about them and I'm well I don't agree with this I agree with that in my mind and then when I start talking even I'm amazed did that just come come out of my mouth wow praise God you know and over here James he's trying to teach us one lesson my dear friends is that when you learn to listen you minimize arguments and mistakes in your life over here we see that he says slow to wrath I mean what does the have to be with listening and hearing and and speaking why wrath why wrath how many times has happened where a person is just very um trying to prove his point trying to prove his point and he's getting angry and then there starts an argument and that argument turns into I would say hate then that hate turns into a fight then that fight turns into a murder turns into abuse just because of one step somebody was trying to prove his point his or her point and we see that James is telling us your arguments when you speak trying to prove something it actually leads to consequences that can damage your life because when you are angry you're still able to control yourself your emotions but when you are already in Wrath you are uncontrollable your words start flying out everything around you starts flying around flying apart but it didn't have to be that way it didn't have to and because of these kind of situations in our life from a simple conversation many relationships are broken in our life between our best friends between our parents because we don't want to listen we don't want to listen we want to prove our point no dad he's not a bad person no Mom she's not a bad person we're trying to prove our point and then it comes to where we become living the life of this world because we're just trying to prove our point you know Peter Apostle Peter before he was Apostle disciple Peter he often spoke before thinking uh he was one of the mans in the Bible that Jesus had to constantly rebuke and there was a time where Jesus was kind of foretelling his future what's going to happen to him how he's going to die and then Peter takes him aside and he says Lord no no no no don't say these things don't say these things everything will be okay you know Mr Wise Guy Mr wise guy you know and then Jesus says I rebuke you leave from me Satan I mean those are harsh words imagine somebody you know you're trying to uh prove your conversation to somebody and and that person tells you leave from me Satan I'll be like whoa whoa whoa brother you know uh no no no no I'm I'm a Christian I believe in God I mean that was a wrong rebuke but look at this Peter was able to Humble himself he didn't argue after that point he didn't say Jesus what are you talking about I'm a Christian man I followed the law I'm a Believer no he humbled himself he listened and Jesus said to him and the church will be built on you you are the Rock and the church will be built on you also another example in job you know where job's friends very wealthy man of that age they come and job just lost everything Satan took everything from him his family his kids his business his home and the last thing his wife well his wife just denied she didn't die and he was all alone all alone from having everything from being a hero he became a zero and his friends came to comfort him and they came and they sat over there said and they were sitting for weeks silent but then when they open their mouth instead of trying to hear what job has to tell them they start rebuking him job you're this you're that you you stole from the poor you're the bad guy and he's like wait wait wait stole from the poor what do you mean I'm the one who helped the poor I'm the one who came out to the needy what are you talking about nope God is punishing you you did something wrong in your life and what was the end result God said pray for your friends because they were wrong you know they were wrong sometimes my dear friends when we are well actually most of the times when we are quick to speak is because we are wrong we could be wrong in our opinions we could be wrong in our conversation and being wrong leads to all sorts of types of sins in our life because when you're angry you can make a lot of mistakes you can hurt somebody with your words you can hurt somebody literally you can do a lot of damage in life actually anger also leads to depression nobody wants to listen you lose all your friends you lose all your friends nobody wants to be friends with a guy who constantly argues or a woman who who's always arguing trying to prove her point and then those people they lose everybody and then they become lonely in their life they have nobody and then they're depressed so anger it leads to to consequences that also hurt our life spiritually and physically and in in in Psalms 37 and8 it says refrain from anger and forsake wrath fret not yourself it tends only to evil it tends only to evil but look at this in Proverbs 151 it says a soft answer turns away wrath but like how can we have a soft answer that's when we listen to the conversation we digested it in our mind and were able to speak giving the right advice we are able to speak looking at the outcome correctly we are able to give a soft answer but a harsh word stirs up anger and what does anger do it leads to sin unrighteous anger leads to sinful Act actions arguments how many times I mean look at this world it's a mess Wars everywhere hate you know hate Reigns broken relationships from what because somebody got angry it's literally because somebody got angry and they chose to separate anger SWS division anger SS division in your households anger SWS divisions in church anger SWS division in countries when people are angry at each other when parties are angry at each other there's no peace it takes away peace and the only one that's laughing is the devil the only one that's laughing is the devil he loves division he loves when Christians fight he loves when people die from Anger from wrath because that's one soul that he can win but we do see righteous anger you know we the the Bible talks about righteous anger and that's the anger that Jesus had that's the anger that God had in the Old Testament when he was angry it's not because somebody hurt his I would say uh emotions feelings no it's because he saw Injustice when we see Injustice when we see abuse when we see people murdering others that brings anger anger that's righteous anger but the Bible says do not take it into your hands because with that anger you can cause problems you can cause divisions you can cause your friendships to disappear but give wrath to God give your wrath to God lord what should I do in this situation Lord you see what's happening God please help me what should I do this person did this to me this person did this to my friend or my loved one God help me what should I do and you will see he will guide you you know there was many times well there was many times but one time where just this random person I didn't really know him but I kind of knew him and he was just being really mean to me I mean like with his words yeah I'm not sure what happened in his life but there was just one day he uh blew up on me you know and he started calling me all these names and I wanted to defend myself I wanted to say something to him you know but I told him you know brother God bless you usually I try to defend myself and it leads to more problems but I gave the Wrath to God I said you know brother God bless you and it's funny because he said all these things to me and it it spoiled over how he was going to beat me up and all that stuff but I didn't see him it was over messaging and then a year later I pull up into a gas station I pull up into a gas station and I'm walking out of my car and he's walking out of his car and he sees me and he I've never seen this before he runs into his car and drives out and I'm like wait what just happened you know the thing is that when I when I said God bless you I felt free I didn't feel that I did anything wrong I felt free I didn't let that anger control me could I made that situation worse of course I could no brother are you kidding me don't believe what they say this and that I could have escalated the situation and it could have been worse but I chose to bless him I was free but he was not a year later he was not free you know and so my dear friends if you get angry James teaches us do not turn it into rap wrath don't turn it into wrath give your anger to the Lord Lord this person did this to me I don't like him right now that's understandable okay you don't like him right now give it some time you will see Time Heals when you are slow to speak when you hold your tongue you're slow to speak you'll see couple days passes a week passes you forget about it you forget about that argument as if it was never there before and you're able to move on but when we are Swift to speak oh man the fire just started the spark made a fire that is burning homes in La in California from one little Spark people lose so much and in our life one little spark we can do so much damage to our life so my dear brothers and sisters my dear youth my dear friends I want to ask us a question today are you struggling with anger are you you struggling with anger do do you feel that every time you're in a conversation you're you get riled up every time you're trying to prove your point and you're like I can't even control myself that's why 1 John 1:9 says if we confess our sins he is faithful in just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness if your anger has damaged relationships if your anger has sowed separation in your homes maybe between you and your wife maybe between you and your kids maybe between you and your friends if it sold separation in your life know that Jesus Jesus Christ can heal you can heal you from your pains today when you give your pain to cist say Lord I messed up over there I said things I shouldn't have to that person he will give you the strength to go and apologize sometimes we're we're too prideful oh man I I can't come up to them but when we give our wrath to God even when we messed up he will forgive you and he will give you the strength and the courage to go to that person and say brother or sister forgive me I spoke out of anger you don't have to live years and years remembering what that one person did to you you don't have to live like that if you're living like that that's because you choose to but God wants to heal you from that if you want to be free from the burden of anger give your wrath to God submit to him submit to him he will set you free and you will be so much happier when you make that step than the second before you will be free you will be happy he'll give you the joy back in your your life you won't have to be lonely and depressed anymore he will M your relationships because you will have the courage and strength to say forgive me forgive me right now many of you don't have that courage you're still holding it you're holding on to it to your pains you're holding on to it but the Lord says I can set you free free give your wrath to me I can set you free today and today he wants to set you free if you want to be free from your sins and you feel that God is calling you today we can pray for you if you want to submit your life today to God and say Lord I'm tired of living this life I'm lonely I'm depressed I'm tired of this I want something new Jesus Christ can give you a new life submit yourself to him you can come forward and we'll pray for you we're not here to judge nobody only God is the judge we're here to support and when the kingdom of God gets one more Soul the entire Heaven rejoices and we Rejoice with it amen let's pray Lord God we thank you we thank you for the word that was spoken Lord Jesus we ask for your blessing Lord God Lord God we ask for your blessing upon each person here Lord God May the seed that was spoken today May the seed that was being sown Lord God God do its work in our life God to make us more Holier and righteous like you Lord Jesus forgive us God wherever we were angry and that anger turned into to wrath where it caused like all sorts of problems in our life God give us strength give us strength to go into men relationships with those that were that are divided may your name be praised and glorified in jesus' name amen amen and as we rise and stand we're going to finish with the song by The Name of Love Lifted Me [Music] I was Sinking Deep in sin far from the peaceful Shore very deeply stay with him seeking to rise no more but the master of the sea heard my despairing cry from the waters lifted be now safe am I Love Lifted Me Love up lifted me when nothing else could [Music] help my dear friends praise God today the Lord has spoken into the into the heart of Alan and Alan wants to share with us something um I never accept Jesus in my life I've been to church but I never accepted him and I feel depressed and lonely so I what Jesus coming into my life amen let's pray and yes let's pray but before we pray I want to say that Jesus Christ can give a second chance amen whatever Alan did Jesus Christ is going to eras all of his sins and he have Second Chance in his life let's pray for it hallelujah hallelujah God we thanking you for brother Alan that he accepting you in the name of Jesus Christ alen actually I want you to repeat after me Jesus Christ I'm a sinner Jesus Christ I'm a sinner but I want a forgiveness I want forgiveness I've seen so much in my life I've seen so much in my life but you died for my sins died for my sins and I'm accepting your sacrifice I'm accepting your sacrifice forgive me for my sins forgive me for my sins and I want to follow you for the rest of my life I want to follow you the rest of my life in the name of Jesus Christ amen in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen hallelujah praise God praise God God gives a second chance to the everyone who comes to him we asking for your blessing and alling that from now on he actually can follow you and be your child because you are accepting him into your family we praise you praise oh you God are so mighty we praise your name in the name of Jesus Christ amen congratulation Alan God bless man all right God bless you prise God [Music] sing verse one I was Sinking Deep in sin far from the peaceful Shore very deeply stayed with him seeking to rise no more [Music] but the master of the sea heard my despairing [Music] cry from the waters Lifted Me Now save and I Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me When I nothing else could know Lifted Me Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else could help Love Lifted Me Falls and danger look above Jesus completely saves he will lift You by his love out of the angry ways but the master of the sea theosis will oy he your saor wants to be be Sav today Love Lifted Me Love Lifted Me when nothing else could help LIF de me Lifted Me Love Lifted Me When and nothing else could help Lifted [Music] Me praise [Music] God my dear friends let's have a seat um our our youth is going to sing a song for us but let's listen let's accept it and let's glorify Our God Amen [Music] I will dwell in the shadow of your wings I I will know of the peace Your Love can bring night will fall but I will not be afraid when I dwell in the shadow of your wng fall but I will not be afraid when I dwell in the shadow of your we in the shadow in the shadow in The Shadow of Your Wings in the shadow in the shadow in the shadow of your wngs safy lies in the shadow of your wings I rely on your faithful covering Arrows fly but I will not be afraid when I dwell in The Shadow of Your Wings in the shadow in the shadow in the shadow of your wings in the shadow in the shadow in The Shadow of Your Wings in the shadow in the shadow in The Shadow of Your Wings in the shadow shadow in the shadow in The Shadow of Your Wings God praise the Lord What A Perfect Ending what a perfect ending and I just want you read my dear friends you know uh from Luke 157 and it says here I say to you this is the words of Jesus Christ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just person who no need repentance there will be more joy and today the heaven is rejoicing today Heaven has received one more soul and that's the soul of brother Allan prise God we can call him a brother now he has received Jesus Christ into his life so let's all stand up and rejoice and pray Lord God we thank you Lord we thank you Lord Jesus that you are touching lives Lord God and Lord one more Soul has been sent to you Lord Jesus you have accepted it you have cleansed him and now he is wider than snow Lord God you bless him in his life you bless his walk you strengthen him Lord you know his needs God and we pray God that you lead him in your spirit that you lead him in your truth Lord God that he rejoices God that you saved him Lord and now Lord when we're all going to move on God from this Earth God we will see you in heaven heaven we no longer have to be afraid of hell we will see you there in heaven and brother Allan will be with us Lord and we Rejoice we rejoice in this God and also Lord God I pray Lord may you bless each Soul here Lord you know the people that still need you Lord God may you stir their hearts God that they give that they give their life over to you Lord Jesus may you touch them and may you God do your work in their hearts in jesus' name amen Our Father in heaven Hallowed Be Your Name Your Kingdom Come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from the evil one for your kingdom your power and Glory forever are yours amen God bless everyone