Why My Words Are Destroying My World

Why My Words Are Destroying My World

Colossians 4:2-6

 

PROBLEM - Our words tell the truth about us

You can tell where a person is from by certain accents.

The average human being will speak 7,000 words in a day, the verbal output of your words could translate into a 50 page book.

GOD - My words should reflect what God is doing

Paul, not only talks about prayer, but he asks for prayer.  And he asks not for prison doors to be opened but for prayer for opportunities to talk to others about Jesus

2 years in jail: Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, Philemon 

“Lord, HOW can I get out of this? vs “Lord, WHAT can I get out of this?”

Colossians 4:2-6

2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 

3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 

4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 

5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 

6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

APPLICATION - The 2 best ways to use our words to build our world

With God

God will always answer my prayers the exact same way I would if I knew what he knew

Prayer is stepping behind God as he leads the way forward

Would you go into a restaurant and be vague?

With others

Do I err on the side of grace?

What do they want to say to me?

When speaking to people of other religions, don’t be afraid of not defending Christianity

VISION - Let God talk more

Make a practice of reading a chapter in Proverbs a day

Cranes kept some stones in their mouth when flying over the Taurus Mountains in Turkey

You don’t get into trouble for what you don’t say