L iving B eyond Y ourself From Bitterness to Compassion

There is life and death in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21

WORDS GIVE LIFE They’re either poison or fruit You choose WORDS KILL

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Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any “rotten talk” come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

The Negative Command Stop the Poison!

Get rid of… Bitterness (Poison) Bitter envy Personal Trauma

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15-16

Get rid of… Rage (Burning) Rage (Burning)

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 2 Corinthians 12:20-21

Get rid of… Anger (Hothead)

Proverbs 29:22 - An angry person starts fights; a hot-tempered person commits all kinds of sin.

Get rid of… Brawling (shouting matches)

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Get rid of… Slander (blasphemy)

Slander is worse than Cannibalism

Get rid of… Every form of Malice (Meanness)

A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Proverbs 26:24

32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other… The Positive Alternative

Be Kind (Show Grace) Proverbs 15:4 - Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim.

The Positive Alternative Be Compassionate (Feel Grace)

8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will He harbor his anger forever; 10 He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. Psalm 103:8-13

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our trans- gressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him Psalm 103:8-13

We have been forgiven Our Motivation 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Father, forgive them…

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? James 3:9-12