In this sermon, the preacher reflects on his early days of preaching with great zeal but little wisdom. He emphasizes the importance of having both wisdom and fire in one's faith. The preacher also highlights the significance of controlling one's words and the potential harm that can come from an unruly tongue. He shares a personal story of a man whose wife's bitter and venomous words have caused great pain and destruction in their relationship. The sermon encourages listeners to seek God's guidance in controlling their speech and to understand the power of words in shaping their testimonies and relationships.

Thank you good brother, and thank you all for coming tonight. I'm very grateful. I'm grateful to God for the privilege he's given me of being here, and thank you to our brother Troyer. I'm not sure how to say your name brother, I always say names wrong, so is it Lamar? Lamar, oh my, one of the few times in my life I got something right. That is good, it's been a blessing to be here, and in his home, and here in these meetings, and thank you brother for giving me that joy of coming to this corner of the vineyard, of Christ's vineyard. Just for these three days, once in my life, I have been to literally thousands of towns. You might find that hard to believe, and thousands of homes. You must think, oh my, he's 90, but believe me, I'm not quite 90 yet, but I have enjoyed most towns, I'd say even the darkest moment, I knew God was with me, and when all hell rose up against me, God came and did something of a wonderful blessing in those towns. You know, I was in a town when I was a young fellow, younger than most of you fellows, that's when I started preaching. About 38 years ago, I started preaching, and almost every day since that day to now, I've preached, sometimes four times a day. But I was a young fellow preaching in a town where I made appeals in my zeal, you know, I had a great, a lot of fire, not much wisdom, but a lot of fire, and I think it's not too good to have too much wisdom and no fire. Give a little bit of wisdom so long as there's fire. Oh, I shouldn't do that, you'd all get frightened, at least you won't go to sleep, admit that. When I was in a town, I made these appeals, you know, and no one came out, and I was a bit staggered. I was young, I wanted to see people, see God, not on a carnal level, but I really wanted, but you know, a few years went by, and a little girl, a lady, in her early 20s, I suppose 22, 23, she knocked at the door, many hundreds and hundreds of miles from that town, and she said, I wanted to come here to tell you something, Brother Daniel, do you remember when you were in that town called Naboom Sprite? So I said, oh yes, I remember, I was a young fellow, it wasn't the first place I'd ever preached, for about two weeks, meetings every night. She said, do you remember no one came out in the meetings to see God? I said, I do remember that. She said, do you know more people were saved in that series of meetings than in the history of the town, whenever, throughout any living memory of meetings? Nobody responded, but so many were saved. I said, can that be true? She said, yes, don't you believe what God says, my words are not returnably void? So I felt a bit rebuked, the lady teaching me. They are allowed to teach sometimes, you know, but she said, I was saved in those meetings. I was sitting in that chair, listening, and something so happened in my heart that I reached out to God in a way that he saved my soul that night, as I was crying out while you were preaching, and the fear of God came upon me. And I'm leaving the country, she said, to be a missionary, and this is my last day in South Africa, I've sought you out to tell you how I came to Christ. And now these few years later, she said, quite a number have come and gone out into saved, in those meetings. I was blessed and thrilled, and I've often said to the Lord, when I see no one, it doesn't matter, God, I must believe. My words are not returnable void. God has committed himself to that. He cannot deny himself. Hallelujah. So I'm glad to be here, and every single town God ever let me go. Over all these years, there is a staggering passage in the Bible. I wonder if you have ever allowed God the Holy Ghost to speak to you as if it was God sitting with you, looking you in the eyes, and speaking to you. I know you've read these words, I know you've heard them, but tonight I dare you, no matter who you are, to just let it be God in you. Listen, probably one of the most fearful passages in the whole Bible, certainly one of the most feared books in the Bible, and I have quoted this book across hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of towns and cities over the years, the book of James. But the third chapter, I want you to listen carefully now, where God says through this godly James, who staggered the world, no one was more revered, not Peter, not John, but then James, amongst the early church. It was James, he was so godly, and he said these words in chapter 3 verse 2, If any man offend not in word, if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man. God said, and able also to bridle the whole body, the foremost proof of holiness, the foremost proof of vital reality with God, is what? What do you say, sir? The way your wife dresses, your child, giving time, never missing a meeting, not going into the world, separation from the world, no, oh no, you can dress like a nun and stay in a monastery, and you can be wicked. What is your concept of the foremost proof of holiness? Listen to this man, through God speaking. The foremost proof of holiness is a man's ability to refrain from entering into any conversation whereby he becomes defiled in the sight of God and man. Listen again, if any man, or woman, or child, or preacher, or missionary, if any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, in the light he's been given, that is, he's living it. And able also to bridle the whole body, the whole body is in control of whatever the devil aims to try and get at any weak spots in your past or life, where he could make you fail morally on any, you are in total victory over everything God says, if you have victory here. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horse's mouth, we put bits in the horse's mouth that they may obey us, and we turn about their whole body. Behold, also the ships, which though they be so great and had driven the fierce winds, yet they turned about with a very small helm, with the silver of the governor, let's just even show the tongue, he's a little member and boasts his 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 it is set on fire of hell, for every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea is tamed, and has been tamed of mankind, but the tongue can no man tame. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison, God says. Do you think God exaggerates? You know, a snake is the only thing you'll ever find you can compare, whose tongue is full of deadly poison. It's an unruly evil, if it isn't controlled by God the Holy Ghost, and if it isn't controlled by God the Holy Ghost, nothing in your life is controlled by God the Holy Ghost, nothing, nothing. It's the tip of the iceberg, if there's no control here, there's no control anywhere, God says, God says. Has it ever occurred to you, brother, sister, young boy, has it ever occurred to you that the sins you weep over and worry over and groan over, you don't need to come to God about that sin, you need to get victory by grace here. And when you, by grace seeking God, find victory here daily, you find the victory over all these things you so desperately want God to deal with. This, when you have no control here, sets the whole fire of your whole sensual emotions. This, has it ever occurred to you, you need to seek God desperately, set a watch, oh God, upon my mouth. If you don't pray that daily for your home, let alone out there, brother, sister, I doubt you have any discernment at all about what God wants for your life. If you don't realize that this makes or breaks my testimony, this opens the door for all unimaginable sins taking over. If I lose control here, God says, a multitude of words, one does not sin. You got control here, brother, sister, set a watch, oh God, oh God, upon my lips, oh I lose everything today, beginning with my family, concerning a testimony of honor. Now, according to James, it's an unruly evil full of deadly poison, God says, God says. If it's not controlled, what it can do? You know, in my country, South Africa, before I left, I stood and I was shaken when a godly man came broken to me. And he told me of something that happened in my country that is sending shockwaves in certain circles. A young lady who trained for years to be a teacher, she arrived at a small town, lots of children, because all the farming communities for hundreds and hundreds, they send their children to these hospitals where they don't do homeschooling all over Africa like you people do, but she was given her first post. Her first post, it's something she's always longed to be, a teacher. And here she was, put into what we'd call under a little hospital where the young ladies who were single were staying, and a watchful eye put over them. And over the roads was a very religious man and woman, the chief elder of the very large church of that town, where ninety percent of the people would go. The head elder, his wife, looked out the window to this little hospital where all these teachers were staying and she saw a man with one of these girl teachers. Late in the night, they were laughing and joking and playing around loudly. So this woman was shaking and disgusted. She began to whisper, the morally wrong, the decadent, the moralness of this woman. A young woman in a town like this, she saw this man again. She saw a man again through the curtain and they were laughing and joking and late in the night. She went to her husband and she told him, this student, this young girl who's come now from the teacher's training college, she's wicked, she's morally indecent, she's got men and wickedness. What sort of a message is this for the young people of this town? She's a teacher. We've got to do something about it. Her husband went to the du-mini, the minister of the big church. He's shocked and shaken, went to the principal of the school. They called the girl in and they confronted her. They didn't ask her for an explanation. They said, you are wicked. You might get away with it in the big cities today, but not in a town like this. This isn't the right message to give to young children. And they know. You pack your bags, you're dismissed. You're fired. Get out. She tried to stand up, burst into tears, and she said, but what have I done? They wouldn't speak. The religious minister and the elder's wife said, you wicked woman, get out. Just go. We don't want you here. And that night they found her dead. She'd committed suicide. She had a little letter beside her hand that she managed to write as she was dying. I cannot face life. My first post as a teacher to be dismissed like this for moral indecency. I will never ever be allowed to teach anywhere again. I cannot go to my father and mother and tell them what's happened. Such disgrace will come from this. It's going to kill my father. I can't face him with this. I have searched my heart as to what they mean, what I've done. Was it when I was counselling some of the young girls at Mepps they had the wrong message of what I'm saying? To think I was evil? What have I done? All I can think, the only time I ever let a man come near me was when my brother, who was based in the army in the town close by to this town, had an off weekend. And on his off weekends, I was given permission that he could stay here. He can't go thousands of miles to father and mother. But me being so close having this room, we were given permission. My brother was the only man I've let in near me. But I cannot face life. I choose to take it. There's nothing to live for. You know they called, when they saw that letter, they called the doormanee, the pastor, the minister of the town, the elder, the chief elder, the elder's wife and others. And there lay the dead body and the police and the letter. And questions were being asked. And the matron came in of this building. And she said, yes, I knew about it. It's her brother. He's in the army base. There's nothing wrong in it. I gave them permission. It's right. It's nothing wrong in that. It's her brother. I can't tell you what happened to the lady when she realized what this had done, what she did. There's no ending to the sorrows of this. Proverbs 12 verse 9, a hypocrite, God says, with his mouth, destroyeth his neighbor. Do you know, you don't have to take a gun now. You don't have to take a knife. Yeah. You want to destroy someone? Yeah. Go ahead. With this, you have the ability to destroy a life, God says, if you're a hypocrite. Be careful. You can be religious. Proverbs 10 verse 18, he that uttereth a slander is a fool, God says. Now, I can't call you a fool. But if God says you are a fool, I have the right to tell you. And God says, he that uttereth a slander is a fool, God says. A fool. You argue with God if you think that's not true. It is true. He that uttereth a slander is a fool. A few years ago in your country, I was preaching, and this is the 24th time I've toured your country, mostly 10 weeks of preaching, three times, three nights in a town, 20-something states, and every tour, I've been very grateful to God for that. But a few years ago, I was preaching in a town where there were many, many people, and there was one man who somehow I felt I had to go and stand with, the way he was sobbing all by himself, just sobbing, broken. I said, tell me, tell me what to pray for, why you're so broken, sir. He looked through eyes that I saw were wounded and hurt and scarred from hurt. He said, my wife, my wife speaks to me with such hatred, such venom. I was backslidden, sir, and I did cause her great hurt. But I have been right with God now for years, and she cannot forgive me. She is so bitter, she is so angry, and she's destroying everything in life. She's destroying my life with her tongue. She always waits for people. If there's guests, if we're in public, if we're anywhere, she just lashes out me with such cruelty, accusing me of things that are lies. In front of the children, our children, sobbing just about every time my wife comes near me, the way she carries on in hatred and bitterness against me. I have said to her, why, why do you refuse to forgive me? You know what you're saying is not true. You know I'm not that. No matter what I did, what more must I do to make you forgive me and love me once again? I'm virtually crawling to make you forgive me. Please forgive me. She holds abusive, offensive hatred at me, and she'll never forgive me. He said, after this message, Brother Daniel, I'm going home to reveal Christ to her as never before by God's grace. I'm going to reveal Christ to her, no matter what she does, and I know God's going to give me grace. Well, he went a year later, I was touring your country, and a little lady came up to me and said, do you remember that man in that town? I said, yes, I do. She said, well, he went from your meeting, Brother Daniel. He went to his home, and he did everything, everything by God's grace to reveal Christ to that woman. But she lashed out with such venom, and such anger, and such cruelty, that he turned to her while the children were sobbing, and people wanting to run out of the house in shock at her venom and cruelness. And he sobbed, and he cried, why, why, when you know it's not true? If I die today, you will never forgive yourself. You will never be able to forget or forgive yourself for what you've said, the cruelty of what you said, what you've done to the children. You'll never forgive yourself, if I die today. She looked at him and hesitated for a moment, and then she screamed, if you die today, I will spit on your face in your coffin. Well, he did die that day. You think God will let you say such a thing and get away with it, lady? Don't play the fool with God. That man had had enough, and God saw he could take no more. God wouldn't leave him any longer to reveal Christ to you, lady. Strange thing about the way he died. His whole face was cut off. There was no face to spit on in the coffin. Do you think that has happened? How do you know, lady, when you're speaking to your husband, that that's the last words you will ever be allowed to say to him? How do you know that, sir? How can you be sure, sir, that that's the last words God will ever, ever suffer you to utter to your loved one? Oh, God set a watch before my mouth. Now, now, God, now, today. Is that your greatest crime? If it isn't, I'm sorry for you, who have a testimony but not a life. When I was a young boy, I'm ashamed to say this, but I was rebellious. I had a friend who smashed up his life in anything that came near him, with drugs. You can't believe how young he was in drug addicts' homes, trying to keep him alive. His life so smashed and crushed when we were teenagers, and mine, I say to my shame, I'm so ashamed of it, I'm scared to speak about it. I'm scared to think about it, let alone talk like some people seem to gloat over their past. I can't, I'm too scared to even think. I'm so ashamed. My life crumbled, his life crumbled, I didn't see him for a few years. He just smashed and destroyed and me equally. We didn't see each other. And then Jesus Christ reached out to this unworthy, and he saved me. I fell down on my knees thirty-nine years ago, and I cried with such a groan, I do not believe God could say no to such a despair. He saved me in such a way that he shook multitudes of people, was shaken. And as the time went by, people came to me and said, Keith, you owe it to God to go to that friend. He'll listen to you, no one else on this earth will he listen to. You owe it to God, you owe it to him to go and find him and tell him what Christ can do for a life. Show him what's staggering everybody. Go and let God stagger him when he looks at you and sees how changed you are, what God can do with a life no matter how low it sunk. Oh, two days went by, and one morning in my quiet time, suddenly this deep, deep, staggering impression on my heart to go and find that young friend, though I hadn't seen him for a few years now, and to tell him about Christ. Now I only had that day. The next day I was going a few thousand miles, and wouldn't be coming back to that situation for a long, long time. And I got on the phone, and I tried to find people who knew where he lived, and I could get no one. I tried, and the hours were going, and I said, Lord, I know he stays in that town. It's about two, nearly three hours away from where I am, and it's a big town. It's bordering on a city, but I have no address. I have no direction. I just know he's in that town. They said he's there. And something in my heart said, get in your car, get in the car and go now. It wasn't an audible voice, but it was so deeply impressed that I didn't hesitate. I just got my Bible, and I got into my car, and I drove those two, three hours, and I came to this town, and as I went into this town, and I saw the size of this town, my heart began to sink. And I thought, God, what am I going to do? How, how did I possibly think it was you telling me to come to this town? It's so big, I'll never find him. Suddenly, suddenly, as deeply as God impressed on my knees to get up and get in that car and go, so deeply, suddenly, there was this thing in me crying out, stop this car now. It was so deep, I just turned the car into the gutter. I stopped, and I felt myself weeping. I was so conscious something was abnormally happening. I got out of the car, and I walked to the first door of the city of hundreds of thousands of people. I knocked on the door, and he opened the door. When I saw him, I started sobbing, realizing how God had made me know this was not people who wanted me to see him. This was God. When he saw me sobbing, he began to sob. I went in the house, he was married. He had been married very, very young. He had children there in the carpet, and this lady who had married him was so pure-looking, I was staggered just looking at her. She had like an integrity. She wasn't saved, she just had an integrity. I looked at her. She'd given her life to this man. I told him, if ever I know God is in anything, it's this that I came here today. If ever I'm sure God wanted to speak to someone, it's you, and I don't want to fail him and waste time. I want to tell you what Christ did for me when I desperately cried with my whole being for him to do it, to save my life from sin, not just to save me from hell. And the change, every value change, every priority, things I would have fought for to gain in life, I wouldn't look at again, things I never looked at once with any value I would die for now. My values, my priorities, my perspective changed in one moment, not in a year, when God saved me. Oh, I said to him, Lionel, I believe God wants to save your soul. Won't you seek him like I sought him? He stood up. Tears were running down his face. He was staggered. He was shaking. He was trembling, literally. He said, Keith, I am staggered. I am shaken as nothing has ever shaken my life. But Keith, I can't. I can't seek God to save me, to become a Christian. You see, Keith, I grew up from a little boy hearing what you're telling me. There's a hell, there's a heaven. You must be born again. You must repent. You must receive Christ. I heard that from the first things I could hear in life was just about salvation. My mother and father dragged me to every single meeting there was in the church. Every prayer meeting, they were there praying the loudest. Every opportunity for testimony, they were the first to stand up with the most staggering things of what God is doing for them or done for them. And hallelujahs and praise the Lord. But, Keith, when they walked out of that church and we went home, it was just when the door shut moments later, the fighting started. The fighting that you cannot believe what I grew up from a child. I was fearful to come home from church, to get through that door, to know what hell we're going to. I trembled and wept in my room in fear where it was leading, what was going on, how uncontrolled it was. Keith, about the time I met you when you were young, you were boys, it was about that time, Keith, something happened in my heart. I said in my heart, I will never, ever, ever want this till the day I die, not for anything. I will never, ever put my children through this. I don't want Christianity. I never will. I'll never, ever, ever seek this. Keith, I said it in such a way that I know I can never, ever change my mind, Keith. And he was sobbing when he was looking. And then he said, Keith, listen carefully to me. If you want to speak to me about other things, I want you so much to stay. But if you want to say one word again to me about Jesus Christ and Christianity and my need for it, I want you to get up now and get out of my house. Keith, I don't want your religion. Keith, I've had enough of it. You know, I got in my car, and as I drove hours back, I wept aloud. I remember crying out to God, Oh God, don't let my children ever give me that testimony. Oh God, don't let my son ever say that of me. Oh, set a watch, oh God, upon my mouth. You know how desperately we need to all cry that before we get out of bed, brother, sister, to not send our children to hell. The children we tell there's a hell, tell me, are you the only reason they'll go there? Will you answer God, sir? Lady, I was staggered once when one of the most famous priests of our land, my land, probably one of the most evangelical countries in history, apart from America, is South Africa, and one of the greatest and most well-known preachers in our land history. His books, well, they're there in all the Christians' homes. He's so, so revered, but his daughter walked up to me and said, Mr. Daniel, I need to speak to you about something. Have you time for me? When I realized who it was, whose daughter it was, I said yes, even though they wait and tell me. What is it you need to speak to me about? And this girl looked at me and said, you know my father, of course, I said, well, who doesn't? She said, sir, I heard a preacher that I know you know and that knows you, Will Macfarlane. Our beloved Will Macfarlane is the godliest man I ever met in my life, and I admit, I would say the godliest men probably in this world, most many of them I've had the privilege. I don't know why God ever gave me that privilege across this world, but I've prayed with men who have staggered this world. Will Macfarlane is no doubt the godliest man I ever had the privilege of ever coming near in my life, and that is the opinion of multitudes of people across this world who came near him for minutes. He has stood with people who fell on their knees and sought God just standing near him. They came under such conviction, I know of no other man I can say that of. This girl said Will Macfarlane was preaching, and he said from the pulpit, my wife and I have never ever argued once in 50-something years of marriage. We have differed, we have disagreed, but we never ever lost our testimony once in that home or in front of anyone. We never raised our voice once, we never became angry, we never ever ever had an argument and lost out in testimony. It's possible to do that brother sister, he said, if you really require it from God, but you have to desperately require that from God and seek him. He is obliged though to give you the grace to live what he wants and is commanded as the standard of Christianity. You're as holy as you want to be. Don't lie and say I blame peer pressure, I blame this, I blame my wife, I blame my children, I blame my parents. You are as holy as you want to be. Don't ever doubt that and don't blame God if you're not holy. Do you want such a life in your marriage brother sister? It's there but you've got to want it with all your heart. She said sir, I went to my father staggered. My mother was sitting in the room and I told my father what I had heard Will McFarlane preach in his old age. I said daddy isn't that wonderful that a man has such a testimony that he says it's possible Danny. My father jumped up and began to laugh out of nerves and socks more than anything else and to defend himself and he said no there's something abnormal about that, that's going too far. How can you not have a argument and raise your voice once at your married life? That's going too far, that's not possible. And then he said and besides think of all the times I would have missed making up to your mummy after we had a good fight. All those times of making up. Well that's a bit funny I suppose but you know the tragedy of this man is not one of his children, not one is saved of seven children. Not one follows Christ. He's dead now. Do you think there's no consequences of failing with the tongue? Do you think there's nothing going to result that Satan is going to use? Do you honestly think there's no consequences brother? Oh God set a watch upon my mouth before I send my children to hell though by grace through the gospel I led thousands to Christ but probably none would have listened had they just heard one conversation in my home just once. I don't think anyone would have listened. Do you honestly think there's no consequences to faith sister brother? If you don't get desperate with God about the one thing he says you and everyone that comes near you will know whether you're real or just a hypocrite. I can't think of another word apart from hypocrite. If that doesn't worry you brother, sister. A little lady called me to sit with me she wanted to be alone so I said to this minister of the biggest church in this city I said no I will never sit alone with a lady no sorry but sir you have to. Her husband is a preacher of great repute and she has needs she says she'll speak to you and you only. I said well normally if my wife says she can deal otherwise your wife says a woman should deal with a woman. How many men haven't I met who a woman had need and they went great pastors but they weren't wanting God they were wanting him and they got him. He left the ministry how many haven't I known personally that the devil got to this. He said well listen my wife and I will sit just the other side of the dining room with this little separation we won't hear what's going on but you know we'll know you and we won't shut it all together. I said all right she came she was weeping broken and then she said brother I don't know if you know who we are me and my husband who you know. I said yes I've heard she said everyone knows us everywhere in this community all over in our denomination. Sir my daughter married a young man who said he was saved fought to get her and he married her but he has treated her so wrongly and now he doesn't want her anymore he wants a divorce. You don't know what a divorce in my home is going to do to our testimony and our usefulness for God. You cannot begin to imagine the repercussions when this becomes public sir. As to who whose child is divorcing after this little while of marriage I cannot face it. I've cried out to God and something in my heart said I must speak to you while you're in the vicinity of southern Africa. What am I going to do brother Daniel? I said lady do you mind if I ask you a question that might offend you? He said please go ahead. I said is it possible that it isn't just his fault that this marriage is destroyed? Is it possible your daughter gave him reason to stop loving her? That your daughter gave him real reason to not want to be with her anymore? To divorce? Is that possible it's not just him but her? You know she was so shaken she just burst out sobbing uncontrollably. I was shaken enough to stand up I thought what have I done? Eventually after a long time this woman said oh God sent me here sir. Mr. Daniel I haven't been willing to admit it to myself. I've been lying it isn't my daughter's it isn't my son-in-law's fault it's my daughter totally sir. I've been so foolish that I didn't want to see it I couldn't see it in my darling daughter. She's to blame the way she speaks to him and treats him but sir there's something worse coming it's really my fault. You see when I look at her the way she treats him that's how I spoke to my husband. That's the example I gave her and the other children of what marriage is all about of what a woman does to her husband. I can't challenge her I've never had that liberty because it's like looking at me. I only now realize what grace my husband had to stay with me and not divorce me. When I look and see how she speaks and conducts herself to her husband oh he needed grace my husband did. I only realize it now it's me sir. I want to ask all you mothers do you honestly think there's no consequences if you fail? Yes. I'm not talking about one little favorite. I mean you just fail. Yes. And you fathers you want to know how many sons beat their wives for one reason they saw their father beat their mother. You want to know how many sons swear and curse at their wives in front of the children for one reason that's what daddy did to mommy. You honestly think you honestly believe but for the grace of god and a miracle that there's no consequences coming. I mean tragic consequences if you fail. You think they've left the house that's it now. No brother you may have to fast and pray and beg for forgiveness if that's what they're doing what you did to their wives. Can I close by asking you to listen to these verses in the scriptures. Proverbs 21 verse 23 Whoso keepeth his mouth God says and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. God says whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles. 1 Peter 3 verse 10 for he that will love life. Do you want to love life? What do you think will make you love life brother when your business does a double turnover? No no. Listen to what God says. Sister young man who has all sorts of dreams of what will make you love life. Listen my brother's first church was mostly multi-millionaires and most of them brought to God when they tried to commit suicide. You think wealth is going to make you love life? Wait you don't know sorrows until you get wealth that you don't need. This is what God says will make you love life. He that will love life and see good days. You want that? Well this is all God says now. Let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile. God says. God says. Proverbs 10 verse 19 he that refraineth his lips is wise. Literally he that holds back from speaking his thoughts. He that holds back from speaking his mind and thoughts. He that refraineth his lips until you're sure you elders wives. You could murder your neighbor with one statement. He'll be dead by tonight and you'll die of a broken heart. Proverbs 13 verse 3 he that keepeth his mouth. He that holds back speaking his immediate thoughts. Keepeth his life. God says. Do you want to argue with God and say there's other things that'll keep my life intact? Keep me in good days and loving life? No brother. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin. Well James tells us that what causes all sin if you can't control here it just opens up everything. If any man offend not in words the same is the perfect man. A man have joy by the answer of his mouth God says. Proverbs 15 verse 23. Why? Because the Holy Spirit is in you and the joy of the Lord is your strength. And when you fail here you lose joy because his grief is experienced. The joy of the Lord is a result of how you speak. God's joy is experienced in your heart and expressed in your heart by how you speak. A man have joy by the answer of his mouth. That's why most Christians walk around with no joy because of God's grief at how they fail here. You want to know joy the joy of the Lord which is your strength. Take that joy away. You got no strength. That's why other sins come. Find victory here. Seek God for victory here. Well reject this message. How many men have walked from this church? But you know the devil had to find one person. I can take you to the biggest theological seminar in the world and the mother earth is dead today and he died a drunk in the gutter. Though he was revered by thousands and sent out thousands of the godliest from his training and theology. You know what destroyed him? Two students, young fellows who were offended because he challenged them about things in their life and they took offense and they whispered at the table. One little whisper just loud enough a whisperer you see just whispers loud enough and that whisper went around and within days that man was excommunicated. Not only from that being the principal of one of the greatest bible schools in the history of the world but from his denomination. Do you know his wife and children led him to the door and said get out go when they believed without checking up. Amazing how Christians don't need much to oh the power of suggestion it's as good as done. Jesus got to suggest the lie. That's how powerful it is. Do you know that that man later on three years later one of those students couldn't live with himself anymore and came and faced everyone and said it was a lie. What do you do now church of christ what did they do oh you should have seen his sons and his daughter and his wife running down the street screaming to god weeping help me to find my father that I threw out for leaving that liar. Oh be careful what you believe from a whisperer. They went down the streets wherever people had heard he was cited months before and they found him lying in the gutter. They put him into homes they begged his forgiveness publicly as a church as a denomination. He was given counseling therapy everything you can find. One day he walked out of that bible school store the slum soldiers out into the street no one's ever seen him again. I could go on I suppose. A man who I didn't know just a few minutes later would die things were said to him that were not kind by others not wise to say anyway and I saw his broken heart and his broken eyes and I walked up to him and oh I thank god I did no one else did and I put my hand here and I said brother I love you and Jesus loves you I thank god I said that because no one not even I knew he was about to die minutes later. While thou art in the way you know what that means oh be careful while thou art in the way with them. A man attacked me at the door oh before I preach that's not the right time to attack a man who's about to preach you know oh did he attack me. I do thank god though while you're in the way while you came that I revealed Jesus Christ to him that I didn't give him back what he gave but with love and tenderness I basically asked forgiveness for what I even wasn't guilty of. I thank god I did that because a few minutes later sitting while I was preaching he just fell dead.