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We continue this evening our study, Sowing and Reaping. Our text, Book of Galatians, Galatians chapter six, please. Galatians chapter six. verses seven and eight. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. He that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. Chapter five, verse nineteen. Not the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, the works of the flesh. Verse twenty two. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance. And many of your Bibles, instead of saying temperance, say self-control, which is actually a better word, self-control.
And that is the aspect that we want to consider tonight of sowing and reaping, self-control. Turn with me, please, to Exodus chapter four. Exodus chapter four. Verse ten. Exodus four verse ten. Moses said unto Jehovah, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since has spoken unto thy servant.
I'm slow of speech and of a slow tongue. I have an impediment in my speech. I can't talk well. Numbers chapter twelve. Slow of speech, can't talk well. Numbers chapter twelve, verse three. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all men which were upon the face of the earth. What a combination. The meekest man on earth, and he couldn't talk.
Numbers chapter twenty. Meekest man on earth, and he couldn't speak well. My, my, my. Numbers chapter twenty, Verse ten. Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock. He said unto them, Moses said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels. Must we fetch you water out of the rock? Does that sound like a man that can't talk? Does that sound like a man that's very meek?
Hear now, ye rebels. Oh my. What happened to Moses? What happened to Moses? Psalm one oh six. Psalm one hundred six. m Verses thirty two and thirty three. They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses, because they provoked his spirit so that he spake inadvisably. What happened to Moses? He lost his self-control and spoke inadvisably.
First Samuel chapter twenty four. First Samuel chapter twenty four. Verses one through seven. It came to pass when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engendi. Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. And as he came to the sheep goats by the way, where was the cave, Saul went in to relieve his feet, and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.
And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the Lord said unto thee, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul privily. It came to pass afterward that David's heart smote him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the Lord's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing his, he is the Lord's anointed. So David stayed his servants with these words and severed them not to rise against Saul.
Chapter twenty six. What self-control. Saul was out to kill David, and David had a chance to smite him, but he didn't. What self-control? Chapter twenty six, please, verse one. And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Halcar, which is before Jehoshwan. Then Saul arose and went down into the vil- wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand men of Israel with him to seek David in the wilderness.
He was out to kill David. Saul pitched in the hill of Hekia, which is before Jeshmon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw that Saul came after him into the wilderness. David therefore sent out spies and understood that Saul was come in very deed. David arose and came to the place where Saul had pitched. David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner, the captain of his host. Saul lay in the trench, and the people pitched round about him. Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite and to Abishai the s- son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down with me to Saul in the camp?
And Abishai said, I will go down with thee. So David and Abishai came to the people by night. Behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster, but Abner and the people lay around him. Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thy hand this day. Now, therefore, let us smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. And David said to Abishai, destroy him not. Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's anointed? David said furthermore, as the Lord liveth, the Lord shall take care of him.
Self-control. Saul was out to kill David. David had two occasions on which he could have smite- smitten Saul, but he manifested self-control. Psalm 116. Self-control. Psalm one hundred sixteen, verse eleven. David speaking. I said in my haste, all men are liars.
The tongue. David lost control and spoke inadvisably. Moses lost control and spoke inadvisely. Turn with me, please, to James chapter three and let us read a little bit about the tongue and the damage that it can do. James chapter three verse one. My brothers, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. In many things we all offend, if any man offend not in word.
The same is a perfect man and able to bride the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths that they may obey us, and we turn about the whole body. Behold also the ships, which, though they be so great, are driven of fierce, fierce winds, yet they are turned about by a very small hell, whithersoever the master leadeth. Even so, the tongue is a little member, boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth.
The tongue is a fire, a whirl of iniquity. So is the tongue among our members. It defileth the whole body, setteth on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire of hell. Verse seven. Every kind of beast and birds and serpents and things in the sea is tamed and hath been tamed, but the tongue can no man tame. Animals of all kinds have been tamed. You've heard of lion tamers?
I've seen them. Train lions, those fierce animals, to jump through hoops, to crawl on all fours. And a very mean ale- animal can be the elephant. And I've seen elephants trained to get up on their front paws and rest on the back of the elephant in front of them, standing only on their hind legs, with their snouts up in the air and marching beautifully. You can train elephants. I've seen bears that have been trained to do various tricks and obey.
We've all heard of snake charmers. I've seen them too. As they play music, they get these snakes to move in certain directions. And among the best that I've seen, sea lions. It's amazing what sea lions can be trained to do. I have heard and seen a sea lion play a wind instrument, play the national anthem. Now that's some training. But the human tongue, hard to train. Now let's look at some warnings about the human tongue.
The Book of Psalms, please. Chapter nineteen. Psalm chapter nineteen, verse fourteen. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. What a prayer. And what a necessary prayer. That the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable to the Lord. Chapter thirty nine, Verse one.
I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue. I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. We can sin with our tongues. We need to control our tongues. Chapter fifty two, Verse two. The tongue devises the mischiefs like a sharp razor. Oh my, what we can do with the tongue, like a sharp razor.
Chapter fifty five, verse twenty one. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. His words were surf- softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. The human tone, what it is capable of. Chapter sixty four, Verses one through four. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer.
Preserve my life from the fear of the enemy. Hide me in the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity, who wet or sharpened their tongue like a sword. The human tongue can be sharpened like a sword. Ver- Psalm 141. Psalm 141, verse 3. Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth.
Keep the door of my lips. You know that's a prayer that I often pray, especially when I have to meet with certain people of differing opinions. Set a watch before my mouth. Control my mouth. I have several others here, and I'm going to ask you to share them with me. It's just saying one thing, how terrible the tongue is and what the tongue can do. Proverbs chapter twelve. Proverbs chapter twelve.
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is health. We can hurt with our tongues. Chapter thirteen and verse three. He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life, but he that opens wide his lips shall have destruction. Chapter fifteen, verse one. A soft answer turns away wrath, grievous words stir up anger. Chapter sixteen, verse twenty four. Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, health to the bones.
Chapter twenty one, Verse twenty three. Who keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. Chapter twenty five, verse eleven. m A s- word fitly spoken is like apples of gold and pictures of silver. How beautiful when we speak fitly.
I hope you're not bored with what I'm reading, what we're reading. The human tongue. And you know why it's important to read these? God wouldn't put all of these scriptures in the Word if it wasn't important. That's why we do well to read what the tongue is capable of. I'm going to skip Jeremiah chapter eighteen. Jeremiah chapter eighteen, verse eighteen. Then said they, come and let us device devices against Jeremiah.
The law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Now notice, come, let us smite him with the tongue. Oh my, isn't that terrible? We can hurt people with our tongues. Self-control, controlling the tongue. Colossians chapter four. Colossians chapter four. Verse six.
Let your speech be always with grace. Let your speech be always with grace. Luke chapter four, verse twenty two. Let your speech always be with grace. Luke chapter four verse twenty two, All bear him witness, the Lord Jesus Christ, and wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth.
Isn't that nice? Gracious words proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have some people running for president. They want to be the next president. And the three of them, at one time or another, have had to take back words that they have said. They have to apologize for what they have said. You know the beautiful thing about the Lord Jesus Christ? He never apologized for anything he said. H- have you noticed that?
To me, that's precious. That- that's thrilling. Here are these candidates, they want to lead the nation, and they all said something that they have to apologize for, and the Lord never apologized for anything that he said. What a savior. Aren't you glad he's yours? He never apologized, and he never altered anything that he said. To me, that's thrilling. And here are these people want to lead the nation, and they say one thing and change it. The Lord never changed a word that he said. Gracious words flowed from his mouth.
Coming back to Colossians, let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt. Oh my. What does that mean? Seasoned with salt. Book of Job. Seasoned with salt. Book of Job, chapter Chapter six. Chapter 6. Verse six. Can that which is unsavory, untasteful, be eaten without salt?
Why do you put salt in your food? To make it tasty. You know, I find it thrilling that the Bible even tells you that you season your food with salt. You'll have to excuse me, but I find it amazing. The Bible tells us that if you're going to season something, you have to put salt in it. And then Job goes on to say, is there any taste in the white of an egg? Is there? You have to put salt in the white of an egg. What a thrilling book. All phases of knowledge are in this book.
We are not only to speak with grace, but we are to speak with salt, tasting. We are to present our opinions, whether we are contrary or for that person, with salt. In our speech, we are not to be rude, crude, and uncouth. With salt. Make it tasty, even though you don't agree with the person. You know I'm about finished. James chapter one. Verse nineteen.
James chapter one verse nineteen. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak. How about it? Swift hear, yeah, be swift to hear, slow to speak. And you know why you should be slow to speak? Because every word that you put out is like an arrow, you can't pull it back. You are in control of the words that you don't speak, but the words that you speak are in control of you.
Self-control. May that be ours. Unfinished. In closing, let us sing that hymn. Oh my, I have it here. Isn't that terrible? You must be getting old. Take my life and let it be.
Five forty eight.