KEEP YOURSELF

JUDE 20-21

Keep Your Tongue

Psalms 39:1 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 must keep our tongue lest we:

Gossip

I Timothy 5:13 And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but

also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.

Colossians 3:8 But now you must also put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your

mouth. Ephesians 4:29 Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but

only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who

hear. Using the Lord’s name in vain is still a sin.

Use Angry Words

Number 37 in our song books.

Because of angry words homes are broken;

souls are condemned. friendships are lost;

Use It For Evil Talk

James 3:8-10 But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of

deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.

Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

James 1:19 But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to

anger;

I Peter 3:10 For, the one who desires life, to love and see good days, must

keep his tongue from evil and lips from speaking deceit.

We need to learn to keep our tongue.

Ephesians 4:26-27 "Be angry, and do not sin'': do not let the sun go down on your

wrath, nor give place to the devil.

Keep Yourself From Idols

I John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Amen. God has always legislated against idolatry.

Excessive love for anything other than God is idolatry.

There many forms of idolatry.

If you put something first in your heart other than God, its idolatry.

Image Worship Hero worship Pleasure WorshipCovetousness or

money worshipSelf

Worship

Who Or What Are You Putting First In Your Life?

Keep Your Heart Proverbs 4:23

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

The heart mentioned here is the spiritual heart of man.

It is the heart in which we:

Think Trust Believe Love Obey

It is the source of conduct.

Mark 7:21-23 "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil

things come from within and defile a man.''

Every good deed or sinful act is first done in the heart.

Keeping the heart will keep one fromMatthew 5:28

"But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Adultery

Murder I John 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that

no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Matthew 5:21-22 "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to

judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his

brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be liable to the hell of fire.

The sins of disposition

Hyper-criticism

Matthew 7:1-5 "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the

judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own

eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck

out of your brother's eye.”

Selfishness and Conceit

Philippians 2:3-4 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also

for the interests of others.

Envy

Proverbs 14:30 A sound heart is life to the body, but envy is rottenness to the

bones.

Psalms 37:1-3 Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And

wither as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good.

Colossians 3:5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth:

fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

Keeping your heart will keep youFaithful

I Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into

subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Pure

I Timothy 5:22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's sins; keep yourself pure.

James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their

trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

HOW IS YOUR KEEPING TODAY?

In the love of God

Jude 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for

the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

• Given by David Hamlin on 1-17-10 am Hollister, Missouri church of Christ www.hollisterchurchofchrist.org