Somebody Loves You

Raul Ries: I'm going to have to give an account to God for your lives when I stand before the Lord. So I have to have fear before I get up in this pulpit, before I get the programs out on the radio, because people are listening to my words. And if they're not true words, I am in big trouble before God and before men. So I really take my calling very seriously as a pastor, teacher, and evangelist.

Guest (Male): Welcome to Somebody Loves You Radio, the Bible teaching ministry of Raul Ries in Diamond Bar, California. It is good to have you along for wisdom from the book of James. Most of us have regrets about the things we've said that we wish we could take back. And today, Raul will urge us to be more careful about the words coming out of our mouths.

As God's representatives, we need to remember that our tongues have the power to both build up and destroy. Stay with us for a challenge to think before you speak. Here's Raul Ries with our lesson from James chapter three, beginning in verse one.

Raul Ries: We see that James devotes now a great portion of his letter to attack a careless and corrupt tongue because they had a problem in the church where he was pastoring. People gossiping, people misjudging, people talking trash. And he makes an appeal and yet, however, not only for the control of the tongue, but also for the controlling of the thoughts, what you think. Because we need to really bring every thought into the captivity of Christ Jesus because our minds can really wander. They can really create problems.

But also, the mouth is a very dangerous thing because the mouth is connected to the mind. We have to think before we speak. Some people don't do that. But we really need to think about what we're going to say before we speak or we get ourselves in big trouble. Winsome speech demands a wise source because both control talk and they cultivate the thoughts that are necessary in a human being to be able to speak.

And yet from his discourse, James here is speaking on idle faith. James proceeds now to discuss the idle speech within the body of Jesus Christ, speaking to believers, not non-believers. And that is the failure to bridle the tongue, which is something as disturbing as anything else to those who have faith in Jesus Christ. But no works? It's of no value. If you say you have faith but you have no works, I mean, what's the difference? There's nothing there. True faith brings true works. That's what he's trying to teach us as Christians.

And yet one's tongue should be able to be controlled because, as small a part as it is, it is a perversion and a pollution when we don't think about it and then we speak it out. We can build up or we can destroy people's characters with the tongue, such a little member and so powerful a tool. Someone said that a man speaks 24,000 words in one day. But women? 30,000 to 40,000 in one day. To me, that's pretty amazing because it is true. But it's really something that we really need to think about because as women do speak 30,000 to 40,000 words per day, yet we spend one-fifth of our lives talking.

James has two observations made in chapter three verse one, which is interesting. Number one, he says don't multiply teaching and don't misunderstand teaching. He's going to start it in chapter three to make sure that pastors and leaders or anybody that is a teacher to be careful what he teaches or what she teaches. Too much is given, much more is required. So it's really important that we understand.

Because he's going to start here in chapter three verse one, look what he says as he begins. He's going to begin in verses one and two and talk about how the tongue is able to condemn. He says, "My brethren." Now, "my brethren" here is used all over the book of James. Eight times in the book of James he's talking to Jews in the church where actually James is pastoring. Throughout the New Testament, 51 times he uses the term "my brethren," speaking of Christians all the way through the New Testament.

And what's amazing here is that here he says, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers." A lot of times young people will come to me and say, "How do I get in the ministry?" I say, "Don't get in the ministry." It's not a good place. It's a place of great responsibility. And yet I think of all of the seminaries that used to train people for the ministry where there used to be 300 people graduating in June into the ministry to become some part of a ministry, whether pastor, teacher, or evangelist, or Sunday school teacher or whatever.

And I've gone back to some of those seminaries today after 20-some years and you begin to see there's only like five or ten or 15 graduating with a degree in ministry. Everybody graduates with psychology and business. Times are changing. The mighty dollar. You don't make a lot of money in the ministry unless you cheat people and you steal from people. Peter has a lot to say to those people. They're going to be judged for fleecing the flock of God.

That's why it's really important to me to study, to pray, to seek the Lord so that when you stand up for God, you speak for God and you speak God's word, not your word. What does God say? And here God is saying through James, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers," why, "knowing that we shall receive the stricter judgment." He's warning us. He's warning pastors. He's warning evangelists. He's warning Sunday school teachers.

He's warning anybody that is involved in ministry. You better listen up if you're in the ministry. It's not a place where you build your kingdom. It's not a place where you enrich yourself from the people. It's not a place where you use it to abuse it. It's a call of God. It's an anointing of God for people to be in the ministry. So I really feel in my heart that as we teach the word of God, and here as James begins his letter in chapter three, there's a very important warning here.

He starts out by warning teachers what they teach. Are you really called? Are you really anointed of God? Or are you doing it for popularity? Are you doing it for self-glory? Are you building your own little kingdom? Or has God really, really called you and really anointed you and is he really using you? And who gets the credit and the glory? Jesus. Nobody else. Go with me for a second to Jeremiah 23. Let me prove it to you.

Here Jeremiah the prophet speaking about these false teachers. He goes on here and he starts out, verse one. "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture, saith the Lord. Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed my people, you have scattered my flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings, saith the Lord God.

But I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their folds. And notice, and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking, saith the Lord. Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, that I will raise up to David a branch of righteousness. A king shall reign and prosper and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel will dwell safely. Now this is his name by which he shall be called, the Lord our righteousness," speaking of Jesus coming to the Jews. Then he goes on, "Therefore, behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, that they shall no longer say, as the Lord liveth, and brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the Lord liveth, who brought us up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them. And they shall dwell in their own land.

My heart within me is broken because of the prophets. All my bones shake and I am like a drunken man and like a man who wine has overcome because of the Lord and because of his holy words. For the land is full of adulterers, for because of a curse the land mourns, the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up and their course of life is evil and their might is not right. For both prophet and priest are profane. Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Therefore, their way shall be to them like slippery ways in the darkness. They shall be driven on and fall in them, for I will bring disaster on them, the year of their punishment, saith the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria, and they prophesied by Baal and caused my people Israel to err." Notice that. The false prophets were lying to the people.

Guest (Male): You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Visit somebodylovesyou.com for resources to help set your feet on paths of righteousness. Our free app also provides a variety of ways to infuse the Bible into your daily life, including digital Bible studies and livestream teaching. Let's rejoin Raul now for the conclusion of our study.

Raul Ries: Now go to Second Peter, chapter two. Listen to what he says as he writes this great letter here. He says, "But there were also false prophets among the people, even there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down into hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction and marking them as an example to those who afterwards would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.

For that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries or government.

Whereas angels who are greater in power and might do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these, like natural brute animals made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of things they don't even understand and will utterly perish in their own corruption and will receive the wages of unrighteousness as those who counted pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots in your blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you. They're in your congregation. Notice that.

Having eyes full of adultery and they cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but he was rebuked for his iniquity. A dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by the tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

For whom they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure you through the lust of the flesh, through lewdness, and one who has actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise you liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption, and by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the later end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it and turned from the holy commandment delivered unto them." Imagine that. The judgment of God is worse upon them than anybody else.

I mean, this is heavy what he says here. So that's why I'm taking my time here in chapter three verse one, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive the stricter judgment." That is those desiring to be teachers. Make sure it's the Lord and it's not your flesh. Make sure of it. Why? Because according to the Bible, the characteristics of the false prophet: Number one, they pervert the grace of God according to Galatians 1:6-8. They're money lovers, Luke 16:14. They also, they resist the truth of God in Second Timothy 3:8. And they love fables. They love myths and stories that are not true, according to Second Timothy 4:3-4. They're deceitful, Ephesians 4:14, and they're lustful, Second Peter 2:12-19.

And when they speak, their speech are lies, cursings, enticements, blasphemies, and they speak of earthly things and great deceptions. But they don't speak the truth. But a man of God, a true person that really is called of God, then they have what? They have God's righteousness. They have God's wisdom. They have God's word. They have God's truth. And they know the mysteries of Christ and they have sound doctrine in their lives because they fear the Lord. They fear Jesus Christ, who he is.

And so it's really important that when you listen to radio, you watch television, or you even read books, make sure you have discernment. Are they really from God? Do they really love God or do they love themselves? The word that he uses here for "stricter" in it means greater. He says, he says we shall receive a greater judgment than anybody else. And by the way, in the book of Hebrews, chapter 13, turn for a second there, just turn backwards from James. It's Hebrews, chapter 13, verse seven.

Listen to what he says. This is so cool. "Remember those who rule over you and have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow considering the outcome of the conduct," speaking of spiritual leaders that really care for the flock of God. And then again he says it in verse 17. Look what he says. "Obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give an account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for what be unprofitable for you."

What is he saying? That I'm going to have to give an account to God for your lives when I stand before the Lord. So I have to have fear before I get up in this pulpit, before I get the programs out on the radio, because people are listening to my words. And if they're not true words, I am in big trouble before God and before men. So I take my calling very seriously as a pastor, teacher, and evangelist.

To make sure that I'm spending time in prayer and in the word. And then I'm doing everything God's word says because if not I'm a hypocrite, a man with many faces. So it's really important for me as a senior pastor and as a teacher of the word of God to teach my staff, to teach my leadership, to make sure that I'm an example of what the Bible talks about. Not to speak with a forked tongue and lie to people.

But you have to be honest and you have to have integrity. And you can't be proudful either, you have to be humble. And you can't say, "I'm humble." No, people will know. But imagine how sad it is for teachers and pastors and leaders and evangelists and people that are in the ministry, those that do not live in their home and they don't practice what they preach and they're total hypocrites and their children see it and confuse them.

Think of how many kids have walked away from the church because of the parents, because of the double standards. Don't do what I do. No, you can't do that. To much is given, much more is required. The first day you got saved and you got that light in your life, you are responsible. The greater judgment will be to you. That's what James says, the greater judgment. God's not going to mess around. One day God's going to judge every pastor, every evangelist, every elder, every deacon, and everybody in the congregation will be judged.

Our sin already has been taken care of at Calvary. But there's a day coming where we're going to stand at the Bema Seat of Christ and we're going to be tested to see what kind of a foundation we have. Wood, hay, stubble, you see. And I pray for leaders and I pray for parents in their homes because you are the leaders of your homes, to please do what you say. Be a doer of God's word. Be a hearer, be a doer so your children can continue to walk with the Lord in the years to come so they can see there's no hypocrisy, but there's truthfulness in our home. So we need to be careful how we live.

Because James says, "My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive the stricter judgment." We are in great, great trouble because of who we are and what we have been called to be. So we need to be people of God.

Guest (Male): It is good to be reminded that our words have significant power and one day we'll all be held accountable for the impact our speech has had on others, either for good or for bad. You're listening to Somebody Loves You Radio with Raul Ries. Today's lesson is available in its unedited form for a donation of five dollars or more. If you'd like to get a copy, just call us at 800-634-9165 and mention today's teaching from James chapter three, verse one.

Now as you consider how to honor the Lord through your edification of those around you, we'd like to offer you a spiritually enriching resource titled Traits of a Christian. Raul's eight-part study is available on either CD or USB. Every lesson explores a unique aspect of living out your faith and will inspire you to prioritize daily personal time with the Lord, listening for his leading and allowing him to transform you in righteousness.

Visit somebodylovesyou.com or call 800-634-9165 to order Raul's Traits of a Christian series. We'll send you the thumb drive for twelve dollars or if you'd like the CD set for twenty-two dollars. That's 800-634-9165. Or you can write to us at Somebody Loves You Radio, Post Office Box 4440, Diamond Bar, California 91765.

Be sure and catch Straight Talk with Raul on the Somebody Loves You Worldwide YouTube channel every Tuesday at 10 AM West Coast time. Now you'll also find podcasts of all previously aired programs on that YouTube channel as well as on iTunes and Spotify. Every tax-deductible gift you give helps us keep sharing biblical inspiration and instruction. Thanks so much for your partnership. And join us next time as we return to the book of James for more guidance in glorifying God through our words. Controlling our tongue is incredibly difficult, but when we ask for the Lord's help, he will equip us to eradicate negativity like gossip, malice, and lies from our speech. Now with a final word, here's Raul once again.

Raul Ries: The Bible says that if we don't have Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior and he hasn't really forgiven us of our sins, then we're in trouble, we're going to hell. But he gives us the opportunity that as we come to church or we hear a message or somebody witnesses to us, that we get conviction in our hearts. And that conviction brings me to a consciousness that I have sinned against God and that I need to repent of my sins. To go one way and make a 180-degree turn and not go the other way.

And so if you're here tonight and you want to repent, then you need to confess your sins to him and he'll hear you and then he'll forgive you. He'll cleanse you and wash you by his blood and then he'll write your name in the Book of Life and he'll give you the assurance that if you were to die tonight you would go to heaven. And what's so beautiful is that his blood that he shed on Calvary, he will wash your sins away. He'll cast them as far as the East to the West, bury them in the deepest part of the ocean and never, ever again remember them ever again.

And if there's anybody here tonight that would like to receive Jesus, mother, father, brother, sister, son, daughter, whoever you are, I don't care who you are. I'm going to ask you right now to stand to your feet, to walk out here to the front and I'm going to pray with you.

Guest (Male): This program is sponsored by Somebody Loves You Radio in Diamond Bar, California.