Amen, all right well the title of the sermon this morning is biting and
devouring one another, biting and devouring one another. Let's pray
Heavenly Father we thank you Lord so much for your word. Lord I pray that you'd
help me to preach this sermon Lord it's an uncomfortable one maybe to some
people but Lord we all need to hear these things in your word this morning I
pray you fill me with the spirit and boldness in Jesus name we pray amen.
So let's focus in Galatians chapter 5 verse 13 it says for brethren you have
been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh
but by love serve one another for all the law is fulfilled in one word even in
this thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself but if you bite and devour one
another take heed that you be not consumed one of another this I say then
walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh for the
flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are
contrary the one to the other so that you cannot do the things that you would
and so what I'm preaching about is biting and devouring one another and
mainly and specifically I'm talking about gossip tail-bearing and other like
things maybe just being hurtful with your words towards other people trying
to make people feel stupid and things like that and that's not a godly
attribute and if you look in these scriptures it's saying there's two
different concepts going on here one is in verse number 13 it says but use not
your liberty for an occasion to the flesh but love but by love serve one
another so what does God want us to do with our lives and towards our brothers
and sisters in Christ he wants us to love by love serve one another okay and
not to bite and devour one another as a matter of fact he says to take heed that
you be not consumed one of another hey you shouldn't be trying to eat people
up and you shouldn't allow people to eat you up either it says take heed that you
be not consumed one of another and hey as a Christian you shouldn't be trying
to bite and devour other Christians and make them feel stupid and do things that
would make them feel like they're not as good as you you know that's not a
godly attribute and that's what the the scriptures are saying this morning that
you know if you walk in the spirit you're not going to fulfill the lust of
the flesh and so doing these acts is not a godly thing it's a work of the flesh
that's what the Bible says and so if we bite if you just think about the words
bite and devour you know what does it make you think of it makes you think of
eating doesn't it you know you take a bite and then you devour it you know you
take that prime rib you take a bite you devour it you eat it right and so Paul
is warning the people of the Galatians Church not to bite and devour one
another and I would say that I'm talking about by using malicious words and your
tongue to do things that it shouldn't be doing which is talking crap about people
you know just talking behind people's backs and it shouldn't be done it
shouldn't be done in this church and look I'm not like I don't know who else
talking crap about each other okay I'm just saying this is something that needs
to be preached from time to time and we need to get our tongues in check
sometimes we need to get our hearts in check and on this issue look it's
everybody does this sometimes all right and and I'm not trying to destroy
anybody today I'm trying to help you I'm trying to help you if your hearts not
right with God when it comes to these things that I'm trying to help you I'm
trying to exhort you to stop what you're doing think about what you're doing and
change okay repent repent of that sin so the term take heed means to listen and
pay attention so when the Bible says to take heed that's what it's saying hey
take heed to this listen up and pay attention wipe that sleep out of your
eyes pay attention what the Word of God is telling me this morning so one act
here is spiritual serving one another with love that's spiritual isn't it
that's what the Bible says but the other act is carnal so talking behind each
other's backs gossiping about each other tale-bearing things that you shouldn't
be repeating to other people hey maybe you catch a part of a conversation
that's going on and then you take that to somebody else that's not your
business to do that that's not your business if it's not your business if
you don't have some authority in the situation or the authority the situation
is not about you then you should not repeat those things all right keep them
to yourself you know have some discretion so people are starting to
sweat bullets right now but hey listen everybody gets in trouble in this aspect
at some point in their Christian life so I mean really I'm taking that you know
that spiritual shotgun I'm just gonna shoot holes through you this morning but
I also want to help you to fix it hey maybe you have a problem in this area
and it needs to be fixed well hey I'm gonna give you the solution to how to
fix it at the end of the sermon so today in churches despite the fact that over
and over again the Bible exhorts us and commands us to love and serve one
another good you know and be good to our brothers and sisters in Christ with some
people I see the exact opposite and I just don't understand it you know I just
don't understand it you know sometimes yeah we slip up but to be malicious on
purpose and to make someone feel stupid on purpose and to bite and devour each
other in the church these things ought not to be happening you know have some
Christian integrity in your heart and stop trying to have the preeminence in
the church and stop trying to be better than everybody else because look if we
compare ourselves amongst ourselves we're not wise so we shouldn't be
comparing ourselves to other Christians and that's what happens that's where
lusting and envying comes in so you know and I see some people that do bite and
devour and treated treat other people like dirt or trash or talk trash or
throw out passive-aggressive insults to people or try to make people bad or make
people feel bad with their mouths using their mouths as a weapon we're starting
factions within the church or causing division look all those things cause
division and so that's not what this church is about look our source what
we're called to be in unity okay and how are we gonna be in unity if we're all
talking crap about each other how are we gonna be a one unit that's out there
trying to do the things in the works of God when we're all just against each
other behind each other's backs and that tells me that there's people that are
walking after the flesh not walking after the spirit and they want to just
be I don't know I don't know what the purpose of it is why someone would do
that why someone would want to treat their brother and sister in Christ like
garbage and talk behind their back and make other people not like them you know
that's what what causing division is say hey I don't want to be around that
person cuz that person's you know their parenting style is just not very good
or maybe they're using some kind of you know medicine that I wouldn't approve of
or maybe they're I mean I'm just trying to think of things they're worldly you
know just whatever whatever you're trying to know obviously you should stay
away from people that are being wicked okay doing wicked acts and you know that
they're doing those things but you know what there's a there's a way to handle
those things and that's the pastor hey if someone's doing something wicked come
talk to me look I don't want to hear you know guess what I saw I saw brother
Ross was smoking cigarettes after church it might have been a blunt I don't know
I think he could you know he should be kicked out of church look don't come to
me and tell me someone smoking cigarettes all right I don't care God
cares you know and I look if it's marijuana cigarettes that yeah I do want
to know but I'm talking about just cigarettes you know whatever there's
things I don't need to know okay I guess what I saw I was over at so-so's
house and they had DVDs from the world all over their walls Pastor Thompson you
need to throw them out no I'm not gonna throw them out don't tell me about their
DVDs okay don't tell me about their Xbox don't tell me about all that stuff I'm
talking about something that someone's doing like fornication things that you
could be kicked out of church for hey I do want to know about those things so
that it's not just festering inside of the body of Christ and I can deal with
those things I look I don't want to kick people out but sometimes people need to
be kicked out and I mean I haven't I mean I'm not on a hair trigger to kick
people out in case everybody I mean everybody that knows me knows I'm not
trying to kick people out all the time I want to try to help people I want to try
to restore people if they're in sin and I want to help them but you know biting
and devouring each other it's it is a wicked sin it's you know and it can it
can spill over into railing and railing will get you a kicked out of church so
someone's just railing and saying wicked things about people that aren't true
what that's wicked I do want to know if someone's just constantly railing against
someone hey I don't care who you are I don't care if it's my wife I'll kick her
out and I'll step down in a second and let somebody else take over I'm not
kidding if my wife is a railer she's gonna get kicked out and I'll kick
myself out too because I'm the pastor and I have to have my house in order so
number one this morning biting and devouring or you know and I just want to
focus on the things that are said by the tongue so biting and devouring things
said by the tongue so behind those teeth right here in your house right here
there's a little red devil that sits rest behind those teeth a little red
devil behind the pearly white gates I'm sure you've heard me say that before but
that's where the gossip that's where the tail bearing that's where the evil
speaking and cutting people down with your mouth comes from that little
member that's in the back of your mouth it's a really small member of your body
but you know that body that little member in your body can just be set on
fire of hell the Bible says turn over to James chapter 3 James chapter number
3 so the little red devil behind the pearly white gates is always getting you
in trouble isn't that sometimes you know the Bible says we can't tame our tongues
completely we can't and so we need both should we try to focus on taming our
tongue it's a hard thing it really is you know you smack your thumb with a
hammer and if you come from my background you know what the next word
coming out of my mouth is it's not it's not something good I'll just tell you
that right now and those are things that are coming out of your mouth that you
you know you don't want to say but you don't know man contain the tongue
James 3 5 it says even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great
things behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth and the tongue is a
fire a world of iniquity so is the tongue among our members that it defileth
the whole body and set on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of
hell some of the things that come out of our mouths are set on fire of hell the
Bible teaches they're not good things to be repeating now am I saying that you're
going to hell no I'm saying Christians can say things that are straight out of
hell though and there are things that we shouldn't be saying so look at verse 7
it says and every kind of beast and of birds and serpents and things in the sea
is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind so you're talking about the birds you
know you have you ever seen where people have like Eagles on their arms or
Falcons on their you know on their shoulders or whatever and you know snake
charmers can you know make the cobras like whatever not bite them things like
that but it says but the tongue can no man tame it is an evil or excuse me an
unruly evil full of deadly poison that little red thing in there that's what
the Bible says right it says it's an unruly evil full of deadly poison and so
we don't have complete control over that tongue it says the tongue can no
man tame no man no man is sinless either right so we are going to use our tongue
sometimes in ways that we don't want to it says there with bless we God even the
father and there with curse we men which are made after the similitude of God
we're made in God's image and yet people will sit there and say all kinds of
wicked things to a person you know I see save people saying things that I
just think man you shouldn't be saying that and you know I'm a safe person I've
said some things that I wish I hadn't said even as a safe person I've said
things I wish I hadn't said because you know what the tongue can no man tame but
we should try to put a bridle on that bad boy right we should try to control
ourselves and and to not say the things that we want to say hey you shouldn't
say everything that comes right into your mind the Bible says to be slow to
speak quick to hear slow to speak you know there's a reason why you should be
slow to speak because you know what sometimes when you're fast to speak
you're gonna say something stupid you're gonna say something rude you're gonna
say something mean and some people just don't realize that they're doing it
because they do it so much they just don't realize that what they're saying
it's like hey did you realize that what you said was offensive I mean do you
have any idea that you just hurt that person's feelings and people just don't
care but you should care because we're supposed to be serving one another in
love not talking crap about one another not cutting people down because you find
their methods of breastfeeding inferior to yours or whatever kind of medicine I
you know I brought the medicine up hey some people go too crazy on the the
natural stuff that's why I like to make fun of it because look garlic drops
isn't gonna cure every single thing and ailment in your body okay so sometimes
it's good to take antibiotics oh well you're that's witchcraft Pastor
Thompson no I think sometimes some of the other stuff delves into witchcraft
thinking and believing and all these different herbal remedies all the time
instead of thinking and saying hey maybe I should ask God what he wants
maybe I should ask God to help heal me but you think that every natural remedy
is the answer hey when you got an ear infection go to the doctor and get some
antibiotics well those are Pastor Thompson you're stepping on toes yeah I
am if you want to believe in the garlic drops that's fine I'm like way delving
out of my sermon notes here but what I'm saying is that hey just because someone
doesn't believe in the garlic drops doesn't mean that you're a better per a
judge of medicine than they are don't get mad I see some salt I'll see some
salt but you know what I'm just gonna try to be balanced on the subject hey
sometime hey if you got a broken leg you're gonna put some garlic drops on
that too go to the stinking doctor oh you know I'm just gonna try to see if
God heals me and walk it off hey you got to have your bones set okay if you blow
your knee out you got to go have surgery done on it you know it's not all things
that doctors do are bad I'll say that a lot of things that doctors do are bad
these days yeah hey I'm trying like I'm saying I'm trying to be balanced here
fair and balanced all right I'm not Fox News by unfair balance anyway but when
I'm saying is hey don't try to look down your nose at somebody else because
they don't do every single medical thing that you think they should do if they
have their kid at the hospital they're not going to hell because of that
they're not a bad parent because of that maybe they're just afraid to do a
homebirth you ever thought of that maybe they don't want to clean up all that
blood and stuff maybe they're strong enough to say no to vaccines no and you
know the hospital thing it's a lot of pressure but don't sit there and look
down here it knows that someone just because you did a home birth and they
didn't look I'm not saying anybody here has done that I'm just like thinking of
things that might trigger you but anyway you can be mad at me you can use your
little tongue against me anyway but the Bible says we can't tame our tongues and
look you don't need to talk bad about people by the way for the way that they
do things you know unless it's super wicked okay but those types of things
are not something that's found in the Bible right okay so the Jesus said of he
that is holding is not a physician so what is he saying well there are
physicians and sometimes if you need if you're not whole you need to see a
physician I mean isn't that kind of what he what it's saying now he's the great
physician we should obviously always go to him first but look if your bone is
sticking out of your arm okay you know you can pray and ask God to put the bone
back in and maybe that would happen out in the wilderness somewhere who knows
I'm not saying God can't do something I'm just saying that the likelihood of
that bone going back in is probably very little very small and just know this
that God said no go to the hospital I'm not putting the bone back in go to the
doctor so anyway let's move on here so skip down to verse actually where was I
at the tongue is full of deadly poison look at verse 9 it says therewith bless
me God even the father went there with curse we men which are made after the
similar to the God out of the same mouth proceed of blessing and cursing my
brethren these things are not so to be hey don't bless God and then curse your
brother and sister in Christ don't bless God and cut down your brother and sister
in Christ don't bless God and then come to church and then talk trash about the
pastor don't bless God and then come to church and talk about your so-called
friend you're friendly to their face but behind your back you're talking mad
smack about them and being a hater it's wicked shouldn't be done skip down to
verse 13 who's the wise man and a dude with knowledge among you let him show
out of a good conversation his works with meekness and wisdom a good
conversation hey well what is a good conversation well that word conversation
means lifestyle let him show out of a good conversation his works with
meekness of wisdom but if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts
glory not and lie not against the truth so bitter and envying strife in your
hearts that's what we're talking about here because that's where these things
come from the bitterness that's in your hearts the strife that's caused from
just being covetous because really your your problem with someone generally is
your own problem and it's something that you're jealous or not jealous you're
envious of in their life hey well you know they got a good husband so you're
just hating on that's weird I mean if you think about it that is weird it is
because you know you should be content with the husband that you have you
should be content with the wife that you have and not be covetous and envious of
other people and then that you use that covetous of bitterness and envy and
strife in your hearts and then you just cut people down with it because you're
not content with the way things are in your own life because your job isn't as
good as so and so's you don't have as much money as so and so's your cars and
as nice as so and so's and that's really what war and envy and strife comes from
it's from the bitterness in your heart it's covetousness if you boil it down to
a commandment it's covetousness envying and strife there's it says this wisdom
descendeth is in verse 15 is not from above but is earthly sensual devilish
does that sound like a godly attribute earthly sensual devilish for where
envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work so envy
and strife is not being part you know you're not walking in the spirit you're
walking in the flesh but the wisdom that is from above is first pure then
peaceable gentle easy to be entreated full of mercy and good fruits without
partiality without hypocrisy and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
of them that make peace so the type of people that are are pure and peaceable
and gentle easily and treated full of mercy and good fruits without
partiality without hypocrisy are then that make peace hey instead of being
envious and strifeful why don't you just try to make peace with people hey when
you see someone make a stupid comment to someone maybe take that person aside and
say hey you know it's kind of rude try to try to help make peace with that
person you know that's the type of people we need in this church is people
that will make peace instead of saying oh yeah I heard him say that it was not
rude and then you start with the strifing you start with being the
strife monger yourself and you just jump in with a little click we shouldn't have
clicks here in this church but I'm not saying you have to be best friends with
everybody we all hold hands that are in a circle all the time look there's gonna
be people that just aren't up your up your alley personality type wise but
doesn't mean you need to talk crap behind their back okay so the Bible says
in Proverbs chapter 27 verse 4 wrath is cruel and anger is outrageous but who is
able to stand before envy Proverbs chapter 14 verse number 30 says a sound
heart is the life of flesh but envy the rottenness of bones you know what if
you're an envious person and you're a strifeful person and you're a
tailbearer and you're always gossiping about other people you know what your
bones are rotten it's a rottenness of the bones you don't you know you wait
you think you're gonna feel good about you know yourself by by propping yourself
up and making others look bad but you know what it makes you you know what at
the end of a just makes you feel like garbage because you know in your heart
if you look in the mirror you'll realize that you're not as good as you think you
are everybody if you just look in the the law of the perfect law of liberty
you're gonna see hey I got some problems of my own I need to deal with I guess
maybe I should stop focusing on what everybody else is doing and start
focusing on my life and how I can improve it envy is a feeling of
discontent or covetousness with regard to one to another's advantages success
possessions etc so let me tell let me read that again this is what envy is
okay when I so when I'm talking about envy for the rest of the sermon you
should understand what I'm saying envy is a feeling of discontent or
covetousness with regard to another's advantages success possessions etc and
it's to regard with someone with maliciousness and what is maliciousness
well you're it's something that you just you don't like them so much that you're
gonna try to do bad things to them you're gonna try to say bad things to
make other people hate them and then ostracize them from the rest of the
group you know what you know who does that the world does that you know what
place does that the place you work at does that and they're trying to you know
stab people in the back talk bad about each other so this person who's better
than them doesn't get promoted that's the kind of things that people do at my
work you know once you're you're in the spot where you could be promote you're
kind of in the middle pack where you're like upgraded to do certain things then
then the haters come everybody that's on your crew that day is gonna try to show
why you aren't as good as they are that's wicked we shouldn't be doing that
you know what whoever the boss is that's who you should be obeying that's who you
should be listening to don't sit there and try to make it your own thing yeah
about you I could do it better we shouldn't be acting like that we should
listen and obey our boss that's what God said to do and again I'm running into
stuff that's not part of the sermon but turn to James chapter 4 James chapter 4
you were in James chapter 3 let's look at James chapter number 4 in James
chapter number 4 so good verse number 1
from once come wars and fighting among you come they not hence even of your
lust that war in your members you lust and you have not you kill and desire to
have you cannot obtain you fight in war yet you have not because you ask not you
ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your
lust so what are the wars of findings come from the Bible says come not they
hence even of your lusts that war and your members the things you want the
things you desire the things that are someone else's that you want the
attributes the characteristics of someone else that's not you you want and
that's where emulations you think of that word emulations that's where
you're trying to copy someone because you can't be yourself because yourself
is just too bad of a person to deal with really and that's what it is have
you ever been around someone that's just all they wanted all they do is copy
other people they don't really have their own personality so those types of
people you know they're that emulation is a sin you know emulation is a sin of
the flesh to copy everything that everybody else does hey have your own
personality and if you're a personality if you if you as a person suck then
maybe you need to get better seriously don't you know if you're just so sucky
that you have to copy everybody else and just be a better person now take a look
at this book and let it change you read this book and let it change you listen
to preaching edifying preaching that helps you to get better you know I mean
I love listening to online preaching but hey if every sermon you click on is
about the homos maybe you need to click on one about hey what how you can be a
better person those aren't the ones that get the clicks the ones that get the
clicks are the ones about the queers the ones about you know hating people or
whatever look I'm almost I love those sermons and I do click on them okay I'm
just saying that sometimes we need a spiritual kick in the pants and we need
to listen to preaching that that is you know but when you look at the numbers if
you just go through any YouTube page of any pastor you listen you listen to and
look at which ones get the most clicks ones about false prophets ones about you
know it's not how you can get the gifts of the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the
Holy Spirit or preaching about the Holy Spirit or preaching about Jesus a lot of
the times it's just preaching about stuff that is your hobby horse the
post-trib rapture Israel those ones get a lot of clicks but once you click on
some that will help you with your life so I'm not saying I'm just saying be
balanced be fair be balanced you know listen to some other stuff every once in
a while you don't have to only listen to the one those ones you know and I
believe me if anybody knows me they know I like to click on ones that like get me
fired up about certain things but I mean we need to we need to have a balance
in our Christianity because if that's your balance if that's all you're in it
for then you're gonna be disappointed someday you're gonna get to the point
where it's like this homeless errand sermon is really not helping me in my
situation right now my marriage is failing I guess I'll go to the home of
sermon I mean you got to go to something else so the Bible says this look at
verse number four says the adulterers and adulteresses known know you not
that the friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoever therefore will
be a friend of the world is the enemy of God do you think that the scripture
saith in vain the spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy you see how these
things are tied together talking about you know wars and your lust and your
members in your flesh and then it talks about the spirit that dwell within us
lust at the envy it's not talking about the Holy Spirit's talking about your
spirit it's talking about the spirit that you have lost it to envy that means
you're wanting to be covetous of other people stuff you want to have the
preeminence over other people and to make yourself prop yourself up and make
you the coolest person in the room you know who you should worry about thinking
you're the coolest person in the room God you know if you're doing the things
that he wants to do you're walking in the spirit you're doing the things and
not walking in the flesh you know what you are gonna be the coolest person in
the room to God but if you're biting and devouring one another you're not the
coolest person in the room to God you're not the coolest person in the room to
anybody unless they're just have no discernment so the Bible says this but
he giveth more grace in verse 6 wherefore he saith God resists at the
proud but giveth grace unto the humble submit yourselves therefore to God
resist the devil and he will flee from you draw an eye to God he'll draw an eye
unto you cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double-minded
be afflicted and mourn and weep let your laughter be turned to mourning and your
joy to heaviness humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift
you up hey what's the what's the the medicine for you when you're lusting to
envy well how about be afflicted mourn weep let your laughter be turned to
mourning and your joy to heaviness hey if everything you do is just funny and
you're never serious you know that's not being humble in the sight of the Lord
there's a time to quit joking there's a time where you know you got to get
serious not everything's a joke and hey when it comes to you biting and
devouring other people in the church that's not a joke that's not funny and
even if you're using your mouth to be funny about that person it's still not
right God is not pleased with that so it says in verse 11 speak not evil one of
another brethren what's it talking about this is this all ties together doesn't
it speak not evil one of another brethren he that speaketh evil of his
brother and judges his brother speaketh evil of the law and judges the law but
if thou judge the law thou art not a doer of the law but a judge there's one
lawgiver who's able to save and destroy who art thou that judges another so
you're judging your brother and sister you're speaking evil one of another and
look speaking evil doesn't necessarily mean what you think it means but
speaking evil could just be me evil just means that you're doing bad that
something harm is happening to somebody doesn't mean it's like some witchcraft
or something that you're trying to say just speaking evil someone could be
something that damages that person and other people's eyes damages that person
in the church's eyes damages that person's in their own eyes because if
they think hey this person all these people think that all this stuff about
me what's the point of me coming here anymore if you can't even trust the
people in this room right here then why even come to church I don't want people
to feel like that when they come here I want people to feel like hey brother
Ryan's in my corner brother Anthony's in my corner and hey I know that they're
not speaking bad behind my back I know I got brother Ross in my corner I know I
got brother Evan in my corner hey they're trying to serve me and and and
do and be loving towards me not doing harm towards me wouldn't you like to be
in this building and think that I hope you feel that way I hope there is some
people talking behind each other's back all the time and that that's all you can
do that's your hobby if it is you need to change it turn to 1st Peter chapter
2 1st Peter chapter 2 my pastor Thompson I didn't come here this morning to get
picked on well you know the Bible takes on you sometimes doesn't it 1st Peter
chapter 2 verse number 1 the Bible says wherefore laying aside all malice and
all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings what is evil
speakings again is speech that can hurt other people speech you know you're like
well with sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me no
words can't hurt you you know when when the Bible when Jesus comes back it says
that he's gonna destroy people by the sword of his mouth and words can hurt
people they're gonna make you explode okay so our words can't hurt people the
things that you say can dig down and inside their people and make them feel
bad do you want people to feel bad is that what you want I don't understand
it says as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that you may
grow thereby if so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious you
know what he's saying there hey let all these things hey stop your envying stop
your evil speaking stop your malice stop your guile as newborn babes desire the
sincere milk of the word they may grow by thereby hey he's saying why don't you
read the Bible why don't you read the Bible and and get rid of all this
garbage that's in your heart and all this garbage is in your mind and all
this garbage is coming out of your mouth
pick up the Bible and read it maybe you'll feel a little bit different about
the way you are hey if you have the Word of God in your heart and maybe you
won't have so much time to talk about other people so let's see the solution
okay number two let's see the solution to fix to those that bite and devour now
I'm talking about look I don't know who's biting devouring here but what I
do know is that God has a solution and a way for you to help yourself he wants to
help you stop being a dirty rotten no-good backstabber someone that
prates and and and and says wicked things about their brother and sister in
Christ hey he's got a way to fix you oh thou backstabber oh thou trash talker
oh thou tail bearer only tell on half the tail you know that that that game
campfire and people play it they're like I think people just you know if people
actually were honest it probably would come back somewhat near the same but
then when you get it back you know I'm talking about that game campfire the
game campfire is when when it's done right and honestly I'm sure that would
be like you know be like he comes out King James and comes back in IV it's
still kind of the same but when people play that game in church when they're
talking you know they hear a story isn't it funny how those stories come back and
are nothing near what was told in the beginning and that's when people like in
that game campfire if if it's done correctly it's gonna be it's gonna be a
little bit different but it's not gonna be totally crazy but we should when we
play that when you play the game campfire in church guess what people are
gonna twist those things and say things that weren't added maybe they only had
half the information when they told the other person or whatever and maybe some
people are twisting the story on purpose to try to make other people feel bad and
that's not right so this let's turn to the solution let's turn to Philippians
chapter 2 of verse number 1 Philippians chapter 2 and verse number 1
Galatians Ephesians Philippians says if there be therefore any consolation in
Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels
and mercies fulfill you my joy that ye be like-minded having the same love
being in what one accord of one mind let nothing be done through strife or vain
glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves hey
you know what's gonna help you is if you see esteem other people in this room
better than yourselves and you don't think you're better than everybody else
that's what's gonna help you having one accord one mind hey what's our what's
the one accord that we want to do we want to reach this world for Christ how
are we gonna reach the world with Christ when everybody's biting and devouring
one another and causing people to drop out of church causing people to feel bad
about themselves causing people to hey I'm just gonna go to another churches
just church is too hard hard for me he men of Zara why are too hard for me
you're way better than everybody in every single way shape or form I can't
believe that person went and saw Avengers hey woman why don't you let
them get mature before you just judge them as a heretic going to hell I by
the way I didn't go to the theater to see the Avengers okay but anyway so look
what it says in verse number four look not every man on his own things but
every man also on the things of others now some people will take this verse out
of context to this is not saying to be a busybody okay being a busybody in other
men's affairs is not what God wants you to do not trying to get in other people's
people's business and find out all the dirty secrets of so-and-so we all have
dirty secrets in this room don't we we all have things in this room that we'd
rather not tell in front of other people we're not supposed to confess our sins
to each other and that you shouldn't be confessing sins of other people to other
people won't you let them deal with that with God but it says look on look not
every man on his own things but every man on the things of others others so we
should be helping others not you know looking on you know stop focusing on
yourself so much and look at the things that other people are going through and
try to help them that's what it's talking about
well this is mine being you which is also in Christ Jesus but being in the
form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no
reputation hey instead of thinking you're the best around you're the next
karate kid or something you know why don't you look at yourself of no
reputation you're not the best you're the worst if you start thinking of
yourself a little worse than you than you really think you are then maybe God
can help you maybe God can help your unhumble heart instead of being a
striper striper no strife II don't be a striper all right so it says he took the
form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men you know what God did he
took himself a form of a man his own creation you know he made himself of no
reputation he didn't say you know I'm the king I was born in Jerusalem
you know he was born in Bethlehem he was born amongst animals he was born in a
barn basically there was you know people came angels came and people shepherds
and things like that and the Kings came to see him and things like that but
those that was a few and far but not everybody even realized who he was you
know and he was the king of glory and he came down of no reputation took upon
himself the form of a servant and was made the likeness of men and found in
the fashion of man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the
death of the cross so let me back it up here again it says let this mind verse
5 be in you which was also in Christ Jesus well what was in his mind to be of
no reputation to be in the form of a servant where did we begin this sermon
at to serve one another with love and Christ loved us and he came down in the
form of a servant so he could carry our burden every single step to the cross of
Calvary that's humble so when God says that let this mind be in you which is in
Christ Jesus think about that the next time you want to talk bad behind
someone's back it's before you try to ruin someone else's reputation think
about how Christ mind was and how your mind is supposed to be like Christ he
humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the cross
so how can I get rid of my envy and strife pastor how can I get rid of that
well we already saw you know how we're supposed to have the mind of Christ and
we're supposed to you know think about the way he was and apply that to us well
look at let's look back where we started in Galatians chapter 5 and let's look at
number 6 verse number 16 I'm only gonna have you turn one other place besides
this for the rest of the sermon so this will be our second to the last verse I
have you turn to this morning how can I be rid of my envy and strife this
morning well look at verse 16 in Galatians chapter 5 it says this I say
then walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh well
it sounds so simple pastor you know how can I walk in the spirit well do the
things that the spirit would want you to do serve one another with love hey
instead of talking trash behind people's back why don't you help them won't you
you know help that person if you're so spiritual why don't you help them be
more spiritual that's the things that we should be doing hey well they're just
you know they only come to church once a week help them be more spiritual
encourage them say hey brother I missed you in church last week you know where
were you you know there's nothing wrong with a little prodding too but you know
how can I how can you help them we'll help them be more spiritual some people
just need some help you know in that area says for the flush lusts against
the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to the
other so that you cannot do the things that you would are you always gonna be
Spirit no you're not always gonna be walking in the spirit but you know if
you feed your spiritual man more than you feed the unspiritual man the the
dead flesh that you have then you're gonna walk in the spirit more than you
walk in the flesh so these things it says you can't do the things that you
would when you're walking out walking in a spirit you're gonna walk in the flesh
you're gonna do the things and the lust of the flesh it says but if you'd be led
by the Spirit. You're not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest
which are these adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, strife, heresies or seditions, heresies. So
strife is one of the works of the flesh that's what we've been talking about the
whole sermon right? Envenes is another thing that's not a spiritual thing it's
a bad thing. It's a sin. Murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such alike of
which I tell you before as I have told you in time past that they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Now I'm not saying if you do these
things you're not saved. That's not what it's saying. This is what false prophets
do. They'll say well see if you do those things you're not saved. It's a
work of the flesh. If you're already saved you still have the flesh okay? You
still have to deal with that flesh but you have a new man that you can walk in
the spirit okay? And false prophets and heretics will get a hold of that and
twist it but that's not what I'm saying. But you know the people that do those
things there's people that aren't saved that do those things and they're not
walking in the spirit and they are going to hell they're not going to heaven. So
when you do those things you're doing the things that people are not going to
heaven are doing okay? So it says but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. Against such there
is no law and they that are Christ have crucified the flesh with the affections
and lust and if we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us
not be desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another and
that's how it ends right there. So what is the lesson to be learned today? Let us
not be desirous of vainglory, things that you know it's just you want to glorify
yourself and make yourself look good but you know what it's just vanity.
Why don't you just let make yourself look good in front of God you know and do
the things that he wants you to do. Keep his commandments, do good to your
brothers and sisters in Christ and look there's tons of verses, tons of verses
about loving one another. I'm not gonna go to them all today because I'm almost
done but let me turn well have you turn to one John chapter 13 this will be the
last scripture we turn to this morning. John chapter number 13, John chapter
number 13. This is Jesus speaking says a new commandment I give unto you that you
love one another. It's not just something that he suggests, it's something he
commands that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one
another. That's the commandment from Jesus it's a new commandment he gave he
says that you love one another like I've loved you. Can you say that this morning
about your brothers and sisters in Christ that you love one another the way
Christ loved you? It's a hard commandment to keep. Some people are not very lovable
but you know what you probably weren't very lovable to Christ either. When he
bore your sins on the cross of Calvary when every single sin that you've ever
done from the time you the first sin you ever made to the day you died all those
sins were on him and he had to go through three days and three nights of
hell. If he had to die for your sins you're a dirty rotten person too just
like everybody else is okay. So it says by this shall all men know that you're
my disciples if you have loved one to another. Hey you want to show that you're
a Christian? Hey have love towards your brothers and sisters in Christ. By this
shall all men know that you're my disciples. Hey how do you know
that he's a disciple of Jesus? Well he loves his brothers and sisters in Christ.
That's a that's a good way to show it isn't it? So before I end I just want to
ask you have you asked yourself these questions you know this question do I
love my fellow Christians like the Lord Jesus Christ loved me? It's a good
question to ask. That's the benchmark according to these verses isn't it? So
that's a tough hey why don't we just focus on getting there because you're
probably not gonna ever get there. Well why don't you focus on trying to get
there. Trying to restrain that little red devil behind your pearly white gates. If
you don't have any teeth then you know there's there's nothing guarding it but
sometimes we just need to learn to shut our lips. If you don't have any teeth just
shut your lips. Just zip it up throw away the key you know. But in a sermon like
this generally it doesn't reach the ones that need to hear it most. Someone can be
sit here and they just they turned off as soon as I started talking about their
sin. Well hey let me wake you up a little bit. If you don't think it's you that
that you know it's everybody else it is probably you. Okay so and I'm not looking
at anybody in particular I'm looking around I'm just gonna look up right now.
It's you. So it's meant for you it's meant for everybody. Okay it's a shotgun
blast. Take it whatever whatever is in your heart that's wrong when it comes to
this sermon try to fix it. Ask God to help you. Hey that's that's a good thing
you could do. Hey ask God to help you be a better Christian. Ask God to help you
be better to your brothers and sisters in Christ. That's a good way to try to
fix it isn't it. And then receive the correction that you're getting in this
sermon and fix it. Don't just keep going on and then like oh yeah well it wasn't
meant for me. By the way did you hear about so-and-so? They lost their job this
week you know. If they would have came to church three times last week then they
wouldn't have lost their job. That's that's so wicked to do stuff like that.
It just is. So don't do that kind of stuff. So are you walking in the Spirit
of God or the lusts of your flesh this morning? Have you tried to rein your
tongue in? We all need to rein our tongues in don't we? It says no man can
tame them. So I know nobody in this room has tamed their tongue because the Bible
says no man or woman all right. Especially women. No I'm just kidding. So
you know let's let go of the envy and in strife with our brothers and sisters in
Christ and turn and start serving one another all right. And this is a good
start to the holiday season right because the holidays are all about
trying to get things right right. You try to you know do better at the first of the
year and everybody makes all these resolutions. I'm gonna why don't you make a
resolution right now and start it today instead of waiting till the first of the
year. Why don't you make a resolution I'm gonna stop talking trash about my
brothers and sisters in Christ. I'm gonna stop trying to lift myself up and look
at better try to look better than everybody else. And how about you esteem
others more than you esteem yourselves. And I'll tell you what your New Year's
gonna be off to a great start all right. So and then you know if people are you
know that someone said something about you. Hey you just forgive them just take
just take it and move on. You know if you can't then just pray that they get their
heart right and they come and ask you for an apology. Because look I'm not
gonna say and you know I believe this that we have to forgive we have to
forgive everybody that sins against us. That's not that's not biblical. God
doesn't forgive anybody unless they ask him. So that's why we're supposed to
confess our sins to God on a daily basis. Because you know he's the one that's
gonna help us out in that area. So let's work on being peacemakers and not strife
monitors all right. Let's pray. Heavenly Father we thank you so much. Lord some of
these things are hard to deal with and sometimes when you say thou art the man
in our our spirit Lord it's it's hard on us. And I just pray the Lord that you
would help us to be a congregation here Lord that when people come they say
those people were disciples of the Lord. Those people are this church is a great
church because the way we treat each other. And I pray these things in Jesus
name Amen.