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Amen. The part of the chapter we're going to focus on is found in verse number one where the Bible says, I said I will take heed to my ways that I sit not with my tongue, I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. The title of my message this morning is bridling the tongue. Bridling the tongue. What does the Bible mean when the Bible says, when David says to bridle the tongue? It means simply this, to control it, right? To govern it. And you think of a bridle, a bridle is an object that's typically used for animals, specifically horses, right? Why is that? Because a horse, if not controlled, can cause a lot of damage, right? A horse is a very strong animal, it's a very fit animal and if you don't control that animal it can cause a lot of damage. In fact throughout the years many people have been paralyzed and many people have been hurt by horses because they weren't controlled, right? And the bridle is there to control the animal, to control the horse so it won't hurt anybody but at the same time when you have a bridle it's actually for the benefit of the rider. You know you can control the horse, you can govern it, you can tell it to go left, right, forward and backward, it's actually used for your benefit. And so a bridle is something that's very much important, it's something that controls something, But specifically in context of what we're reading here, God says we ought to bridle our what? Our tongue. Right? Control our tongue, govern our tongue, allow our tongue to be governed by the spiritual bridle. That doesn't mean we stick a bridle in our mouths, right? And just go about, you know, just have that thing there so you don't talk or anything. No, what it's saying is we are ourselves to have this matter of self-control, discipline, to be able to govern ourselves and say things when they ought to be said but not say something when it shouldn't be said. And we all know that obviously there's times in our lives that we're going to have to say something, we're going to have to rebuke a sin, we're going to have to correct a brother, we're going to have to say something that needs to be said because a word fitly spoken in due season, how sweet it is. But you know what, there's times when we just got to shut up. There's times when we just got to keep our mouths shut. Why is that? Force often causes a lot of damage. But you know what, if you control it, it can be used to benefit others. Go with me if you went to Proverbs chapter 18, Proverbs chapter number 18. The tongue has the potential to cause a lot of hurt, a lot of damage but if used for the glory of God, if used in a manner that you can control it, guess what, you can benefit a lot of people as well. Proverbs 18, 21, the Bible reads here, death and life are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. What a contrast. It says you can cause death by your tongue but you can cause life as well. Go to Proverbs 10, Proverbs chapter number 10 and verse number 20, we're going to look at a couple of verses here in Proverbs, Proverbs chapter number 10 and verse number 20, the Bible says here, the tongue of the just is as choice silver, the heart of the wicked is little worth. What does it say, the tongue of the just if spoken right, of course the Bible teaches that we ought to add learning to our lips. It's like choice silver, it's like something that's precious, you want to be around it, it's worth something, it's valuable. Go to Proverbs 12 and verse number 18, I want to have a tongue that's like choice silver, I want to have a tongue that's like platinum, that's like diamonds, it's very valuable. People find worth in the words that I say to others. Proverbs 12, 18 says, there is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword but the tongue of the wise is health. You know there's some people who have tongues that all they do is they just want to tear people down, right? And let me say this, we often need to tear a lot of things down. False doctrine, false teachers, you know, we need to say the things that the Bible says, right? But there's often times that, you know what, we just tear down others who don't even deserve to be torn down, why? Because they have words that are like a sword that just cut people down and we ought not to have that type of attitude. Go to Proverbs 15, Proverbs chapter 15, and this is, I think, is a subject that a lot of Christians struggle with, the tongue. People struggle with just shutting up, just shut your mouth, you know, because we all have two cents and we all want to put it in, right? We all want to give our opinion, we all want to say something, we all want to give our two cents and sometimes we give more than two cents, we give like a quarter, more than what's needed, right? Proverbs 15, 2, the Bible says, the tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. You ever met someone that just, just foolishness is constantly coming out of their mouths, you know? But the Bible says if you have knowledge, you use it in the right way. You can tell when someone knows the Bible, right? You can tell when someone knows, has some wisdom, they have some knowledge, they have prudence, why? Because out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. And the Bible says that thy speech be rayeth thee. You know, you can tell the character of a person based upon the words that come out of their mouths. You know, you meet someone and all they do is cuss and every other verb and adjective is a cuss word, it means they probably don't do a lot of reading. You know, it means that they need a dictionary for Christmas and a thesaurus, right? It means that they probably don't have a lot of education. But someone who has knowledge, they're able to expound certain truths, especially specifically in regards to the word of God, that's someone who's using knowledge or right. Go with me if you would to Psalms chapter 32, Psalms chapter number 32. Bridling the tongue is very important, we're going to look in just a bit why it's so important. Psalms 32 verse 8, the Bible reads here, I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go, I will guide thee with mine eye, be not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. So what he's saying goes, don't be like a mule, don't be like a horse that they have no understanding, right? Why? Because when you don't have understanding, you need someone to govern you, you can't govern yourself. You need someone to always constantly correct you, say, hey, you need to be quiet, you need to shut your mouth, you don't need to opinionate on everything. Why? The Bible says here, lest they come near unto thee, why? Because they might cause you hurt, right? So you need a bit and bridle, look, I'd rather be a kind of Christian, no thank you, I'll put my own bit and bridle in my mouth. You know, I'm mature enough, I've grown enough that I can tell, you know, I can control my own mouth. I don't need someone to tell me to watch my mouth, I don't need someone to tell me, hey, watch those cuss words, watch those words, don't opinionate on everything, no, I got my own bit and bridle. I don't need someone to put a bridle over me to protect others from me. And then I don't have to be said of any Christian. You know, a Christian who grows up in the Lord, you know in the beginning when you first get saved, you don't have a bit and bridle, it just flows out of you, you know, stupidity just comes out, you have no filter. But as you grow and you become more humble in the Lord, you realize, you know, I don't need to say everything that's on my mind. And by the way, if you say everything that's on your mind, you're gonna run out of things to say, especially as a brand new Christian, because you don't really have a whole lot of things in your mind. You understand that? But as we grow up in the Lord, we humble ourselves, we realize, you know what, maybe this is not the best time to say something like this. Maybe I need to wait a little bit, look, in marriage, right, in marriage, sometimes you gotta keep your mouth shut. I'm the man of the house and I need to tell her how it, maybe you could just wait a little bit, you know what I mean? Maybe you could just shut up for a little bit. And by the way, that goes for the wives too. You know, the worst thing you could do to help your husband to get on track is nag. Amen? Well, the ladies can't say amen, amen. Just nod your head. And the men didn't say amen, why not, I don't understand, what's going on? They're like, hey, you know what I mean, they're like, I'm trying to hold my mouth with a bit and I'm getting bridal right now. But look, nagging doesn't help at all. You know, it's like a drop, you know, it's like, well, but my husband needs to get on board, he needs to get right with God, no, you need to get right with God, because you don't correct your husband. Okay, you're not supposed to lead your husband, your husband's supposed to lead you, but he's not leading me. Then pray for him, reverence him, be patient with him, learn that we're all growing a different, that's not your place. And nagging has never helped anybody. Okay, by the way, I'm the kind of guy that if you nag me, I'm just going to keep doing what you don't want me to do, more and more and more and more. My wife has learned that, you're not going to get anywhere. My wife, she uses like reverse psychology on me, you know, you don't have to throw away the trash, don't tell me what I can, I'm going to throw it away right now. An hour later, I'm like, man, I think she got me, you know. But nagging doesn't help, okay. You say, well, I know more Bible than my husband, well, first of all, husband, you need to learn more Bible than your wife. He said, well, she's older in the Lord than me, it doesn't matter, spend some time reading the word of God, you need to be teaching your wife, your wife ought not to be teaching you. But for the wife, look, if you know more Bible than your husband, as of now, don't rub it in his face, you know, don't try to go on and teach your husband, don't try to be the man of the house, no, learn your place, be in your position that God has placed you in, be patient and keep your mouth shut. Don't preach at your husband, you know, it's getting quiet in here, amen. Look, don't preach at your husband, why is that? Because that's not your place, let God deal with your husband, let God mold your husband to what he needs to be. And look, a lot of times, contentions in the marriage have to do with just us opening our mouths and not shutting them and, well, this needs to be said right now, no, it doesn't need to be said right now, you can wait, okay? And often, look, if you just go about it in the biblical way as a wife, you know what, God will deal with your husband, God will teach him, God will deal with him, God will help him, and here's the thing, he said, well, he doesn't deserve my respect and my reverence, the Bible doesn't say that they deserve it, the Bible says you just need to do it. And here's the thing, often, if you respect and reverence your husband as they need to be respected and reverenced, as the Bible says, they will become that man that's worthy of reverence and respect, I'm just telling you, that's just the way it works. Because as you reverence them, they'll recognize, you know what, I need to live up to this reverence and respect, right? And then that encourages them to do so. And then what happens as they grow into that position of being a husband, the right type of a husband, guess what, you actually want to reverence and respect your husband. You know, first it's like you're doing it out of discipline because God says it, right? But after a while, you know what, it'll actually come around on you, and it'll help. But what am I saying? The Bible says in verse 9, be not as the horse or as the mule, man, that's, a lot of Christians just act like mules, you know, they don't know how to shut their mouths, or they don't know how to govern themselves is what I'm saying. They constantly need someone to correct them. They constantly need a bridle and bit because they don't know what they might say. The Bible says that they have no understanding, the Bible says. So we can see that those who have no understanding need to be bitted and bridled to keep them from saying something dumb. But look at Proverbs 17, go to Proverbs chapter number 17. Proverbs chapter 17. So we see here that the horse and the mule, they need a bit and bridle because we don't know what they're going to say, and the Bible says that they have no understanding. Which is interesting, isn't it? Because typically someone who has no understanding would think that they have nothing to say, right? If they don't have understanding. But the Bible says here that the understanding that they don't have, they still like to say stuff about it. But look at the contrast of Proverbs 17 and verse 27. He that hath knowledge, what does it say? Spareth his words. Wow. So the Bible says someone who has knowledge actually refrains himself from saying certain things. Look what it goes on to say. Man of understanding is of an excellent spirit, even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise, and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. See most of the time, people who want to just blurt something out and they have no understanding, they want to make people think like they have understanding. That's why they're opening their mouths. But the Bible says here, if you want people to know and think and have this perception of you of having understanding, just shut your mouth. You know? Be counted, because often what people say is, this guy knows something, he's not saying something about it. This guy's obviously wise, he's mature, there's some, and here's the thing, where you say well Pastor Anderson and Pastor Jimenez, they give their, yeah but they got a platform. They're pastors. And look, Pastor Anderson in Arizona, that's his turf. He can say whatever he wants. And here's the thing, people come to listen to him. You guys get that? Right? People come to listen to the pastor give his opinion regarding the word of God. So it's not the same. You get what I'm saying? And if you want to be esteemed, you want to be respected, most of the time it's not by the things you say, really it's by the things that you do. Because often people say, well this guy looks like he knows what he's doing. Let me ask him for his opinion. Let me ask him for his knowledge, his understanding, his wisdom, instead of you getting up yourself and let me just show you what I know, right? Let me just give you my understanding. Let me just give you my wisdom. And a lot of baby Christians are guilty of that, aren't they? And it doesn't mean that they're bad people, okay? It's just kind of like the process they need to go through, you know? And often what God does is he takes the carpet out from under new Christians to humble them, to teach them, to afflict them, so they can learn to be humble and so they can learn to keep their mouth shut when it needs to be shut. Look what it says, he that hath knowledge spareth his words. You would think that someone who has knowledge wants to constantly spew it out. No, they don't need to. Why? Because it says choice silver. So you don't just give out knowledge like it's nothing, you see what I'm saying? You spare it. You give it to whom is worthy to hear it, right? Because the Bible says we ought not to cast our pearls before swine. We don't just waste our knowledge. That's why when we go out soul winning, when we go out preach the gospel, we're not looking to waste our time with people who don't want to hear it. I'm not looking to get into any kind of debate. Look debates are fun, all right? Telling people they're wrong is fun, right? Showing people up and showing them from the Bible, that's kind of fun. I know that's bad and I know it's unscriptural, but let me just be honest with you, as someone who's standing behind the pulpit, it's fun sometimes. I get that. I'm with you, all right? It's like, yeah, I got that guy. He didn't have nothing to say. And then you come back, man, I didn't get no one to say, but this one guy, man, I shut him up real good. Right? But here's the thing is we're not out there to debate people. You know, just pour out our knowledge. We want to pour out the knowledge of the gospel. We want to have them understand what the word of God says in regards to salvation that is believed only. But you know what? If they don't want to listen, we're going to spare our words. Okay? If they're like, yeah, but in my Pentecostal church, it's like red flag. I'd rather just go to the next door. And sometimes we get caught up in the debates, right? But what we need to do is make sure that we're conscious of the fact that we're out there preaching the gospel, not just giving out all kinds of knowledge that we have. Let me just tell you what Genesis, let me start in Genesis. All right? Let me just start off in Genesis. Let me tell you what Leviticus means. No, you're not there to preach. You're there to preach the gospel. You're not to preach the whole counsel of God. And often what happens is Christians, they live out, right? They live out their pastoral dreams when they're out sowing them, right? They want to rebuke. They want to reprove, exhort with no exertation, just rebuke and reprove, right? They just want to be known as the preacher out there, the crazy guy. No, we're out there to give the gospel. Be meek. The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle until all men, the Bible says. When we're out there, we ought to be gentle. Why is this a serpent? Harmless as a dove. We ought to go out there with the motive of saying, man, I want to be as gentle as I possibly can because this person is not saved. They're on their way to hell. I want to give them the gospel. I want to see them saved. I'm not out there to just prove them wrong. Now, we want to prove them wrong in regards to their beliefs or what they're trusting in. But we want to do it in the spirit of meekness, okay? Be kind. Now, look, when they come in here, we'll rip the faces off, okay? We'll tell them, hey, keep your mouth shut, all right? But when they're out there, they're not even saved. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them before they are spiritually discerned. So you can't expect them to know some deep doctrine. Let me just tell you about the reprobates real quick. You got any homosexuals in your family? Let me just let you know they can't be saved. Are you sure you don't have any homosexuals? Because if you do, they definitely can't be saved. You know? Now, look, I went soul-wanting where someone brought that up in regards to the reprobate doctrine. And I, with meekness, as humbly as I possibly could, I didn't compromise. I told them what the Bible said about the reprobate doctrine, and they readily received it. In fact, they got saved because of it. Because here's the thing, this lady, she was a Catholic, and she was just like, I can't believe you guys believe once saved, always saved, and believe only. All you have to do is look. What about the pedophile? And I said, well, the pedophile can't get saved. And she was just like, what? I'm like, yeah, the pedophile can't get saved. And I took her to Romans 1, I took her to different scriptures, and she was like, wow, I always thought that your kind of people just believed that anybody could be saved. I said, well, we believe that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But the Bible says that there are those who resist the truth, who are men of corrupt minds, who are reprobate concerned in the faith. And they can't be saved. And she's like, that makes a lot of sense. And she got saved. Amen? But look, I'm not, you know, let me just, before you pray, let me just explain to you about the reprobates real quick, okay? No. Let them learn about that when they come here. And by the way, if they ask, teach them. You know, don't compromise on it. But often, what we want to do is we just want to show off the knowledge that we have, right? And here's the thing. If God has given you some knowledge, he's going to give you an opportunity to give out that knowledge. So, well, what if I'm not the pastor? Look how many people are in here. You think everyone in here knows as much as everyone? No. Obviously, there's people who know a little more than others. And here's the thing. Obviously, I can't talk to every single, or teach every single person in here when I'm away from the pulpit. But with you who have knowledge, maybe you can, in the spirit of meekness, right? And when I say a spirit of meekness, here's the thing. When you give out knowledge, obviously, you want people to come back and ask more questions. Or they're not going to ask you more questions if you're arrogant. Like, I got the answer I wanted, but that guy was just really arrogant, prideful, hottie. I don't want to ask that guy again, you know? You ever talk to someone, he's like, man, that guy's just rude. You know? I'm afraid to ask that guy a question. No. Rather than say, you know, I want to go to Brother So-and-So, I want to go to Miss So-and-So, because when they answered me, obviously, I can tell that they have spiritual maturity, but they're humble enough to give me this answer, and I'm going to keep going back to them. That's what we want. Amen? And how do you get that? By growing in knowledge and a wordfully spoken, in due season, how sweet it is. When they realize the sweet answer that you give them, they come back for more. Where are we at? Go back to, let's see here, go to Proverbs chapter 10. Let me say this, actions speak louder than words. And look, Pastor Anderson, Pastor Jimenez, Pastor Donnie Romero, they've all proven themselves, okay, throughout their Christian life. So obviously, they put in the work, and people have seen the work that they've accomplished. And I remember, they used to say this, your talk talks, and your walk walks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. Let me say that again, if you missed that. This isn't Dr. Seuss, I promise, all right? Your talk talks, and your walk walks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. So you can talk the talk, but to be honest with you, if you just walk the walk, and you keep doing what you're supposed to be doing, that actually talks louder than the words coming out of your mouth. Okay, Proverbs 10, 13 says, in the lips of him that hath understanding, wisdom is found, but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. And look, the Bible even says of Jesus that as a sheep before a shearer is as dumb, he opened not his mouth. I mean, we're talking about the source of knowledge, the source of wisdom. There was times when he refrained himself from saying certain things, because it wasn't worth saying, you know? Go to Galatians chapter number six. And the Bible also talks about Daniel, right? Look, the Bible says that those who have this type of understanding have an excellent spirit. When we think of an excellent spirit in the Bible, who do we think of? Daniel. The Bible says in Daniel that he had an excellent spirit. Let me read it to you, then Daniel 6, 3 says, then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. His excellent spirit got him the promotion. His excellent spirit got him the favor. His excellent spirit caused him to be uplifted and caused him to have favor before the king. And remember what they said, you know, when they made the law that you couldn't pray to any other god but this god or to Nebuchadnezzar and the statue and all this. What did Daniel do? Did he go just preach a sermon? Did he go just show him from the Bible? What did he do? No, he's like, I'm just going to go pray. I'm just going to go do what I'm supposed to be doing. And he went and he prayed. And Daniel is revered as someone who is very meek, holy, but as a man who is very obviously stood for right. Why? Not because of something that he said, because of what he did. And let me say this, we as Christians, don't be so focused on what we say. And don't get me wrong, don't twist what I'm saying. There's times when we need to say certain things, but there's other times when we just need to do what we're supposed to be doing. You know, people who criticize our kind of movement, they don't see the work that's being accomplished, right? They don't see the many souls that we're seeing saved, week in and week out, all the work that's being accomplished by Faith Ward Baptist Church of Los Angeles. They don't see that. But you know, we see it. We understand what's going on. And we need to just be faithful and keep working, keep doing, and not be so concerned about giving out our own knowledge. What do I have you turn? Galatians chapter six, verse number three says, for if a man think himself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. I mean, what a horrible position to be in, right? Man, I'm somebody. And it's like, no, you're not. He deceiveth himself. Verse four, but let every man prove his own work. And then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. You know what you ought to do? Prove your own work. Prove your own self. Okay. If you are a man of knowledge, put that knowledge, put some feet to that knowledge and do something about it. Go to James chapter three. James chapter number three. Bridling the tongue shows that we have understanding, okay? You would think it's the opposite. And often, you know, what it is is because you have understanding, God will send people to you to glean wisdom from you. And they'll see that you have knowledge. And they'll keep coming back to you. They'll keep asking you questions. It shows that we have wisdom. It shows that we know how to exercise temperance and discipline. Where do I have you turn, James, right? The Bible says here in verse number one, my brethren, be not many masters knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a what? A perfect man and is able also to bridle the whole body. I mean, think about that for a moment. The Bible says if you're able to bridle your tongue, you're able to shut up. The Bible says, man, you're a perfect man. What does perfect mean? Means you're complete. You're pretty mature. And look what it goes on to say. It says and is able to bridle the what? The whole body. You show me someone who can't keep their mouth shut, I'll show you someone who's in discipline in other areas in their life. I'll show you someone who's lazy. I'll show you someone who doesn't have any work ethic. I'll show you someone who's struggling with certain sins. Why? The Bible says if you can't bridle your tongue, you can't bridle your whole body. Because this little helm governs the whole ship. That's why it's important that we just focus on this right now. Learn how to keep this. If you can control your tongue, the Bible says, I'm pretty 99% sure you can bridle your whole body. You're a disciplined man. You're a disciplined woman. You have spiritual understanding. You have spiritual disciplines. You know how to take care of business. But you show me someone who can't bridle their tongue, you're probably an undisciplined person in other areas of your life. And see, here's the thing. What you say is what people hear in a public setting is different from what you do in a private setting. What you do in a private setting. Bridling the tongue shows maturity and self-discipline. Go to 1 Timothy. Hold your finger there in James chapter number 3. We're going to go to 1 Timothy chapter number 5. Let me say this. Someone who can't bridle their tongue, the reason why they can't bridle their tongue is because they're idle. Anybody know what idle means? It means they got nothing to do. These stupid YouTubers commenting, often the reason they, like there's this guy on YouTube on the comments. He comments on every single video. And not just like, I hate you and Pastor Anderson, no, it was like a whole paragraph. You have to click where it says read more. You know, it's going to be long when you have to click on read more and it's like. And I don't know where he's from, his stupid little picture right there. I guarantee you that guy doesn't have a job because he comments on everything. And often it's just like, I don't know if you're for us or against us because you're not making any sense. You're not making any dollars and you're not making any sense. I don't know what you're saying. But you know what it is? He's idle. Right. Okay. And what does the Bible say that when you're idle, you're a busybody and you're involved in other men's matters, the Bible says. Look at 1 Timothy 5 verse 13 says, and with all they learned to be idle, wandering about from house to house. This is speaking of, of course, widow women who are younger, but we can apply this to ourselves and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies speaking things which they ought not. Look at the contrast right there, it says, look, if you're idle, then you're a busybody. Well, first of all, let's back up. If you're lazy, then you're probably idle. If you're idle, then you're a busybody. If you're a busybody, then you're a tattler. You ever heard of a tattletale? They just get in everyone's business and go rat on people, you know, that's what it's saying. And look, Christians who can't bridle the tongue. They're busybodies. They're just involved in other people's matters. And look, let me say this, go to 1 Thessalonians chapter 4. You're gonna hear me within the next couple years getting involved in other people's business from the pulpit. You say, I thought, aren't you contradicting yourself? No, because there's false prophets and false teachers that need to be called out, okay? And especially if they have a public platform, right? If they have a public platform and they're deceiving people, they need to be called out. And if we hear about it, we're gonna call it out. And it's not, oh, you guys are just for shock value. No, the Bible teaches us we need to call these things out. Because here's the thing, the brand new Christian that comes in here that knows nothing of our movement who just got saved, if he comes in here and I don't bash on Sam Gibb, if we don't bash on John MacArthur and Paul Walsher and we don't talk crap about these guys and show from the Bible where they're in error, this guy could be listening to them within a week. Only just Google, you know, YouTube, salvation by grace through faith and then grace to you comes on, right? Oh, yeah. Great. Okay. Grace to you. That sounds about right. Okay. These guys kind of look like Baptists, right? With this little microphone, Michael Jackson microphone, John MacArthur. And they use the same terminology sometimes, right? And what happens, they're carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craft in this whereby they lie in wait to deceive. So we need to call those things out. But I'm talking about busy bodies when you just have nothing to do. You just got nothing to do. And here's how you fix that. Get a job and do something or get a project, right? Find something to do, keep yourself busy, memorize scripture, work, do something. It's dangerous to be idle. Look, my father-in-law used to say this, lazy people are sinful people. He used to say that all the time. He used to tell me, he goes, Brother Bruce, lazy people are sinful people. Why? Because when you're lazy, you're idle and you're just opening yourselves up to some sinful habit. But when you're busy, you're doing stuff, you constantly got projects going, you got your family, you got your wife, you got your kids, you're doing something, you don't have time to get involved in those things. The only time you have is to reprove the false prophet on Sunday when you got to talk about it. You get what I'm saying? What do I have you turn, First Thessalonians chapter number four, verse 11, the Bible says here, and that you study to be quiet. In the Greek, that's shut up, right? That's what it means. Go to your Greek lexicon, whatever, and do your own business and to work with your own hands as we commanded you. I find it interesting that it says study to be quiet. You know, you got to study how to do that, because we know how not to be quiet. So we have to learn and study how to be quiet. That means when, shut your mouth, just shut your mouth, you know, honey, were you going to say something? No, it was a hiccup. You know, I was about to yawn or something, you know, go to Proverbs 14, you got to do something. Can be idle at your house all day long. Okay. And I'm not saying don't have fun and all these things and recreation and leisure time, but I'm saying our lives are not to be surrounded by those things, obviously, right? And look, when all you do is leisure, then you don't enjoy it as much. We have leisure every once in a while, you enjoy it a lot more. Okay. But work is important. And look, if you have nothing to do, go find something to do. Okay. Come to the church, we'll give you a project to do or something. I don't know, paint the walls or something, you know, move the piano up here and then move it back. Something. We'll give you something to do. Okay. But you need to be doing something. Okay. It's not good to be idle. Proverbs 14 verse 23 says, in all labor, there is profit, but the talk of the lips tendeth only to punary. What does the Bible say there? You're going to go broke if all you do is talk, right? In all labor, there is profit. Digging holes, there is profit, right? There's profit in everything. But guess what? There is no profit in it. Just run in your mouth. There's no profit in that. You're going to be broke. Okay. Go back to James chapter number three. James chapter number three. James chapter number three. We're talking about bridling the tongue. Okay. And this is so important in the lives of every Christian because we all, yours truly struggles with this as well. Okay. This is not, I'm not speaking here as someone who has just got this down pat. No, no, no. I need to practice this. This has to be a daily discipline for us to do. James chapter three, verse three says, behold, we put bits in the horse's mouth, it keeps going back to the animal, that they may obey us and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. 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 seteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell. I mean, that's a mouthful right there. To go to show you the amount of destruction that your mouth can cause, the amount of fire. I mean, these fires that have gone about within the last couple of months, they only started with like a small little fire. You know, someone tossed a cigarette or something, right? Maybe a match or whatever it may have been. It was something small, but guess what? It just burned the whole entire thing. And here's the thing, often we think, well, this little word is not going to do, no, no, it can kindle a great fire. It can ruin a lot of lives, okay? In fact, the Bible says you don't have to turn there, Proverbs 26, 20 says where no wood is, there the fire goeth out. So when there is no tale bearer, the strife ceaseth. Sometimes strife between Christians is because there's a tale bearer involved, right? Someone's just tattletaling, someone's just lying, someone's just slandering, they're saying things that aren't true, and what happens? They kindle a fire and cause divisions amongst Christians. So how do we combat that? Well, in Psalms, go to Psalms 39, Psalms chapter 39. How many of you have ever met a tale bearer, right? I mean, your children are often tale bearers, right? They tell on their brothers and sisters, but you know what it says when adults do that? Because here's the thing, children, when they tattletale, they'll often do what's called embellish. You guys know what that means? They exaggerate a little bit. Well, guess what? Adults aren't really much that different, okay? They just exaggerate on the larger scale, okay? And sometimes adults are not very much different than children, they're just bigger, all right? And tale bearers are someone who basically, they get involved in other people's matters, they tattletale to someone else, but they exaggerate the entire thing, okay? Look what Psalms 39 verse one says, I said that I will take heed to my ways that I send out with my tongue, I will keep my mouth with the bridal while the wicked is before me. And let me say, let me stop right there. If you work in a secular realm, you know, and you struggle with this matter of cussing or whatever it may be, when you're before the wicked, make sure you shut your mouth, if that's something you struggle with. Why is that? Because we need to have a good testimony, okay? We need to have a good testimony. And the Bible says here that you need to keep your mouth with the bridal while the wicked is before you. For ambassadors for Christ, verse two says, I was done with silence, I held my peace even from good and my sorrow was stirred. My heart was hot within me. While I was musing, the fire burned, then spake I with my tongue. So here we see that David has something in his heart, he was causing a burning within him, okay? He was having a heartburn, a spiritual heartburn. And he was musing, what does that mean? He was just thinking, and often people open their mouths and say something they shouldn't say because they're constantly thinking about something. It's always on their mind and they, why? Because they're idle. And when you're idle, all you have to do is think. By the way, that's where imaginations comes from, okay? If you think that someone's against you or someone is talking trash about you or that person looked at me a certain way in church, it's probably because you're too idle and you're thinking just a little too much. Because imaginations can carry you like very far. Yeah, I think they did look at me. Yeah, you know what? Yeah, they did. Yeah, because then they sat in the seat that I wanted to sit in. How do they know where I wanted to sit? Did you notice he grabbed the same DVD that I grabbed? Yeah, oh yeah, I'm on to something. No, you're not, okay? You're tripping out. You need to lay off the spiritual LSD. You're imagining things. Why? Because you're too idle. Keep your mind busy, okay? And look, Satan's not going to come to you with a pitchfork and a tail. Often the battle's in our mind, okay? The battle is in your mind. And the Bible says to cast down the imaginations in every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. When you have an imagination, when you think something's going on, you need to just captivate that thing and start quoting scripture and go with the truth, okay? Because look, imaginations, often what they'll do if you're not careful, if they're not taken care of right away, they'll lead to actions. They'll lead to accusations. They'll lead to other things that it's just like, where did you come up with this stuff? It's like right here, okay? But what happens is because you're idle. But look, here we see that he says, my heart was hot within me while I was musing the fire burn, then it spake I with my tongue. Now, does it say that he went to just go tell on everyone? No, look what it says. Verse 4, Lord, make me to know mine end and the measure of my days, what it is that I may know how frail I am. You see, when David's heart was hot within him and he was musing, you know who he went to instead? He went to God. You know what you need to do when you're musing and those imaginations are gaining the best of you? Get down on your knees and just give it to God. God, I think that, you know, the sister over there doesn't like me, okay? I think the people over there are kind of weird. I think they said something about me. I think in my job they have something against me. I think this, I think that. Just give it to God, okay? It's not bad to say, God, I'm suspicious of this person. Just pour, the Bible says, pour out thine heart like water. You know, just pour it out, you know? People accuse us, you guys are weird. You pray for the death of people and stuff like, it's biblical. It's Bible, you know? Look, if someone murders my son, I got to fight every bone in my body to not take matters into my own hands, right? But if someone murders my son, I'm going to definitely pray for the death of that person. I pray they die a horrible death, okay? The worst kind there is. You know why? Because that'll help my heart. That'll help my heart. That'll comfort me knowing that God is just and then the wicked will receive their recompense in due season, okay? But that principle applies to every area in our life, right? When you're just mad and you're angry and you're frustrated, instead of taking it out on your wife, why don't you just take it out on God? Just explain your frustrations to the Lord. Instead of, you know, smacking your dog or something, you know? You know, just kick that thing, get out of my way. Just go talk to the Lord. Yeah, I mean, that's not bad. If that's you, then that's you, you know? But when you're mad and stuff, you know, just go tell it to God. And then get up on your knees, go get a punching bag and go let that thing up, okay? And look, often some of this stuff is just like you need to let some frustration out, okay? Go get a punching bag, don't punch the wall, okay? You know, as you go to your house, there's a bunch of holes and go, hey, I can see that you haven't been tattletaling lately, you know? Yeah, I've been really working on that, you know? This is Monday, that's Friday. No, just, obviously there's a physical aspect to this, right? You know, you get a stress ball or something, I don't know. But the main thing is pray. Lord, help me with this. I'm ticked off right now, you know? And this is especially for the men. Because you know, men, we got short tempers, okay? We got short fuses and we get ticked off real easily sometimes, you know? People tick us off, all right? So what do you have to do? You have to just give it to the Lord. And here's the thing, he that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down and without walls, the Bible says. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he that ruleeth the spirit, then he that taketh the city, the Bible says. So look, just because he's like, well, no, but I need to show them, I need to show them who's boss. You know, often what you need to do is just restrain yourself and God says, now you're really mighty. Because you're able to restrain yourself, okay? You're able to restrain your tongue, you're able to restrain your body. But he gave it to the Lord. People often like to kindle fires, though. They like to kindle fires. And look, I've noticed this within the last two months since we started our church. This is so true, even people who criticize our movement, you know? They love just talking trash and kindling strife. You know, I'm sure most of you know about the watchdog, right? The watchdog. Okay? I remember when I first saw this guy, I'm like, why is he attacking Pastor, and this guy's an idiot. And then he started attacking Pastor McMurtry, all the guys, he's like, okay, this guy, this guy doesn't have a job. He obviously doesn't have a job. And now he's attacking yours truly, amen? I'm part of the club. But I find it interesting that this watchdog calls himself a dog. Very ironic, isn't it? That he will call himself a dog. That's exactly what you are. A dog. Okay? And by the way, the Bible says beware of what? Dogs. And it ain't talking about the Chihuahuas over in where you're out sowing them. Beware of dogs. And here's the thing, the problem with watchdog is he's too idle. He has nothing to do. Can someone please help him with his graphics? They suck. I went on his YouTube channel, I was like, dude, what is this, from like the 80s? You know, he's like drawing stuff or whatever, it's like, who'd you get your kid to do that or what? But here's the thing, the Bible says that reprobates are dogs. And the characteristics of a reprobate who's a dog, in Revelation 21 it says that they're fearful, unbelieving, and abominable, and he fits all three. But especially the first one, he's fearful. He said, well, brother Bruce, how do you know that he's fearful? Has anybody ever seen his face? Has anybody ever seen his face? He never posts his face. Why? Because he's scared. He's fearful. Okay? He's afraid. He said, well, you don't post your face. My face is on the YouTube channel every week. Him in his fake little accent, you know, I, brother Bruce, now he shaved off his beard, it goes to show that he's really a Muslim now. He's going to say whatever, he's going to say all kinds of crazy stuff now. See he is an infiltrator. All this stuff is just like, you obviously have nothing to do. Let me help you out. Go get a job. Okay? And it's funny, he spends so much time on YouTube, you would think that he'd get better at these graphics. Go take a course or something, you know? Someone help him, please. Look, he downloads his pit bull jpeg from Google images and slaps it on. Someone needs to just email him like a chihuahua or better yet, like a Mexican hairless. Okay? But people like that, all they want to do is kindle strife, right? And here's the thing, they lie so much. These people are liars. And they'll do whatever they can to tear down the man of God, even to the extent of just lying. Okay? And they want people to join him and, you know, and then you got the other guy who I don't want to make famous right now. You know, the one who got kicked out of Verity, you know, him and his 50 subscribers. You know, and it's like, dude, you need to, first you need to make your bed. When you make your videos, you need to make your bed. And if you don't feel like making your bed, turn the camera like slightly so no one, so no one sees that you're not like, is that the same beanie you wore last time? Like these people have nothing to do. They're so idle. And here's the thing. I guarantee you that guy is just sitting in his home thinking about Pastor Jimenez. Just musing and mad and he's angry and he can't take it. I'm gonna put out another video, you know? And it's just like, what are you accomplishing with that? No one's subscribing to your channel, buddy. Within the last two, three months since I've seen this thing, no one has subscribed to your channel. It's just like Watchdog. Oh yeah, Watchdog subscribed to his channel. There you go, Watchdog. Get that guy to help you out. Maybe he can help. His graphics are a little better. Okay? Training Day Baptist Church was pretty good. I like that one. All right? It made us look like gangsters and stuff like that. I'm fine with that. I don't care. But here's the thing. These guys have nothing to do. But try to pick the man of God off, try to talk a bunch of trash, and they're not even good at it, okay? Kindling strife. But on a normal level, okay, on a not abominable level, Christians, right, Christians often do the same thing. But it all stems from just having too much time on your hands, okay? You need to keep your schedule busy. You need to find something to do. You need to make sure that you're, look, growing in area, okay? If you got nothing to do, get a piano and learn how to play the piano because we can use another piano player. By the way, I sell this guitar here. Is that yours, Brother Philip? All right. We're not going liberal, I promise, all right? He recommended electric. I said, no, we need to go acoustic. No, I'm just kidding. If you know how to play an instrument, you need to like approach me after the service and say, you know what? I know how to play an instrument. I haven't done it in a long time. Well, guess what? There's no way for you not to be idle. Practice that instrument. Because we need it here, okay? But get, do something to keep yourself busy so you don't get involved in the most heinous of sins. Proverbs, or go back to James, chapter 3, Proverbs chapter number 3, verse 7 says, for every kind of beast and of birds and of serpents and of things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed of mankind, but the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil full of deadly poison. Man, that's a strong terminology. Deadly poison. You can really do some damage with your tongue. Proverbs 10, 31, you don't have to turn there, it says, the mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom, but the froward tongue shall be cut out. Proverbs 15, 2 says, the tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright, but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. Proverbs 17, 20, he that hath a froward heart findeth no good, and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief. Proverbs 21, 23, whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from trouble. I remember when I used to be in high school, the guys who would get beat up the most are the ones who had the biggest mouth, right? Their mouth called for strokes. In fact, strokes was like on speed dial for some of these guys. Why? They would constantly yap in their trap, and they would always get beat up. Well, the Bible says it right there. Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. You'll get out of a lot of trouble if you just watch your mouth. The Bible says in Proverbs 18, 6, I read this, it says, a fool's lips enter into contention, his mouth called for strokes. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. The words of a tail bearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. He also, that is slothful in his work, is brother to him that is a great waster. So it follows all that stuff up by the tongue, all that by being what? Slothful. Because they go hand in hand. When you're slothful and you're lazy, more than likely, this is the problem you have with your tongue, okay? Go with me if you would to, you guys are in James, go to Proverbs, excuse me, go to Ecclesiastes chapter number 10. Hold your place there in James. We're going to go back to that. Ecclesiastes chapter number 10, verse number 12, the Bible says, the words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. It's through his own destruction. Go to Proverbs 10, 32, 10, 32, we'll look at a couple of verses in Proverbs. Proverbs talks a lot about this issue here. Proverbs 10, 32 says, the lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked speaketh forwardness. Go to chapter 14 and verse 3. Chapter 14 and verse 3, the Bible reads here, in the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride, but the lips of the wise shall preserve them. Look man, I mean, that's self-explanatory. People who just run their mouths, they got a lot of pride, not humble. Proverbs 14, verse 7 says, go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge. So that goes to show, that's a good soul-winning tip right there, by the way. When you're talking to someone, it seems as though they're open, but after a while, they just want to be argumentative, and they're just saying a bunch of stuff. If you perceive that there's no words of wisdom within him, you need to just walk away and go find someone else. If they just want to argue, or even look, even this, if they just want to flatter, I'm not going to go to your church, and I believe what I believe, you can believe what you believe, but I think you're doing such a great job, and all these things, and they just go and they go on and on and on and on, you need to just depart. Say thanks, I got to go though, you know, bye. You know, don't just, what else? What else? Tell me more, you know, no, you need to depart from people like that. It's a waste of time. Proverbs 15, go to Proverbs chapter 15 and verse number 7, the lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the foolish doeth not sow. Now go back to James chapter number 3, we're almost done. James chapter number 3 and verse number 8, the Bible reads, but the tongue can no man tame it as an unruly evil full of deadly poison. Look at the sentence in verse 9, therewith we bless God, even the Father, and therewith we curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeded blessings and cursings, my brethren, these things ought not sow to be. Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Look, if you're going to comment on YouTube, don't cuss. I've seen way too many times when it's just like, these people are on our side, but they're just like blankety blank you, you faggot. Now I don't have a problem with faggot, call them a faggot if they are a faggot, but here's the thing, keep the other words to yourself, because you're making us look bad, okay? Because look, here's the thing, people look at us like, man, they're radicals, they're hardcore, and I agree with them. But I don't want them to look at you and go, but you know, their speech though, they got dirty mouths, you know? And here's the thing, the Bible says here, therewith we bless God, even the Father, right? And therewith we curse men, you know what I'm saying? You know, oh yeah, I'm a Baptist, independent, fundamental, blank, it's like that doesn't go, it doesn't go together, okay? And if you have a, look, here's the thing, if you have a problem with cussing, it's different if it just slips out of your mouth, but when you're like typing it, it's like oops, send, you know, reply, you know, I didn't mean to do that, no, you type that out, okay? That's wrong, okay? I'm not saying, look, I've been around Christians where it's just like they, cuss word just comes out of their mouth, and I don't, and they apologize, they're like, sorry about that, man, you know, it's like, it's cool, you know, happens, whatever, you know, and they gotta work on it, obviously, but when you're like typing out cuss words, and you're, and they, sometimes they say the most grotesque things, too, and look, if you're fighting with some faggot on YouTube, you don't have to talk about the things that they do in secret. That's pretty disgusting, because you're defying the minds of those who even go on there. You understand what I'm saying? I don't need to know what they do in secret, okay? I don't wanna think about it, I don't wanna imagine it, I just know they're like dogs and we'll just keep it at that. You don't need to be typing in all kinds of, why, because they're with, you bless people, you bless God with your mouth and then you're cursing men, you're a fountain that brings forth bitter and sweet water, it just doesn't go together, and if you're a brand new Christian, I get it, you gotta work on it, understandable, you know, you gotta grow in grace, you know, and here's a way that can help you, you need to get around, you need to get away from your old buddies, okay, because often what it is, is that people who cuss and they have this problem with, you know, laughing at dirty jokes, it's because they're constantly around people who do, but you know, when you get around a holy people, not a perfect people, but you get around church people, you're gonna learn not to say those things, why, because Brother Mark's not saying it, okay, Brother Milan's not saying it, all right, Brother Bruce is not saying it, so you get around people like that, the normal conversation you hear is pure conversations, pure words, okay, but if you're around your cousins, you're around your old, your unsaved brothers and sisters, the carnal people, and they're constantly cussing, telling dirty jokes, that's something that just becomes a part of you, you know, he that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed, you know, associations is very much important, but the Bible says in Proverbs 25, 26, a righteous man falling down before the wicked is a troubled fountain and a corrupt spring, verse 12 says, can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries, either a vine, figs, so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh, and we'll stop right there, but let me say this, it's important to just practice this matter of bridling your tongue, okay, and look, don't, I'm not gonna hold it against you if you come up to it, we're talking and you just, a cuss word slips out of your mouth or whatever, now if it's like a constant thing, you know, hey Bruce, you know, how's it blinking going, it's like okay, now you're taking it, now that, we're not like that, okay, we're not cool like that, right, that's not the way we talk around here, but if it's like, oh man, sorry about that, you know, I'm working on it, Pastor Bruce, I'm working on it, you know, it's like hey, cool, you know, I had to work on it when I first got saved, you know, cuss words are like adjectives and verbs and stuff like that, but then I started reading, okay, reading helps, reading the Bible specifically obviously helps with that, you know, but bridle your tongue, and what's the sermon for this morning, if you take nothing, get this, just shut up sometimes, just shut up, in your marriage sometimes you just gotta shut up, in the church sometimes you gotta shut up, we obviously know when we have to say something, and I don't think, I don't think I need to teach on when we need to say something, I think it's very obvious, some pedophile walks in here and is just like, well I gotta shut my mouth, I can't say anything, you know, like hey, maybe we should talk brother, no, we can't, we need to keep our mouth shut, no, obviously something needs to be said, right, it's like, pedophile, unclean, you know, that's fine, but I'm talking about other small matters, you know what I mean, where it's like, maybe you can like, just wait off on that for a little bit, okay, maybe you don't need to say something right away, okay, by the way, apply this to your marriage and it'll help a lot, okay, amen, and it's something that we constantly need to work on, as men, as wives, and as husbands, and as fathers, alright, let's go ahead and bow our heads and have a word of prayer, Father we thank you so much for your word, and we thank you that it's so relevant to us today, and so many of these principles that we see from thousands of years ago still apply to us in 2017, in our marriages, in our church, with our children, and I pray that you help us to apply them, and Lord help us to be humble to even receive such a teaching, you know, rebuke a wise man and he will yet love thee, the Bible says, and if we don't receive a teaching like this, it just goes to show that we're not wise, help us to grow in this area, and bless our people, in Jesus' name we pray, amen.