As we wrap up this series I want us to explore one of the greatest stories of the Bible from a 10,000 foot view. It's Joseph's story in Genesis. We'll see some application for us about our words and their power! What Joseph couldn’t have known, was that God’s plan for the ages was hanging by a thread of his words in this moment of reunion with his brothers. He had every right to 'lower the boom' with his words, but instead he rescued and raised up a legacy of love with them. If our words are stones, we can choose to THROW them or USE them to pave a path forward. Let's choose to speak words that make souls stronger. (*see Romans 12:17-21)

Over 165 million complaints were filed with the BBB in 2018 - it seems we live in a culture that cultivates complaint and in an age of outrage. But what if we as followers of Christ were to cultivate gratitude and limit our complaining, arguing and dissension? As we continue to look at how to maximize and leverage our words for God's good, we lean into how we're to exchange many ways our words can go negative and lean on the words of God's promises to help us. Let's learn to take our thoughts captive, shrink the complaint and grow the gratitude!

Tonight we lean into some wisdom when it comes to conversations going sideways. Where we’re not talking TO a person, but we’re talking ABOUT that person. Some refer to it as gossip and we need to ZIP IT. Those with loose tongues cannot expect tight relationships. We are to be people that are building up others with our words, curating healthy relationships and fighting for them to keep from going sideways.

We continue looking at our communication - we are to lean into a new purpose for our words, that the Apostle Paul suggests (see Ephesians 4:29). We are to see our words as 'building material' that we can use to build people up. Each conversation is a construction zone moment. We're to use our words to benefit those who listen; so they walk away better for having encountered us. Imagine the impact if we all used our words to BUILD UP and not to tear down.

We continue in our series and looking into what James has to say to us about the power of words! He starts off entitling this section in chapter 3: ‘taming the tongue’ then he proceeds to tell us in the next 12 verses, it’s impossible. Our tongue: a small part of your body – has HUGE influence over our life. Our words control the direction, destiny and quality of our life. From our first word until our very last, we must wrestle with the tension that comes with the unpredictable nature of our tongue. Our mouth cannot be tamed, it can only be guarded. We must intentionally and continually be on our guard.

It takes 2 years to learn to talk, but it takes the rest of one's life to learn to control what we say. Our words have power and we must lean into a new rhythm as it comes to navigating our conversations, conflicts and communication. We must learn to be QUICK TO LISTEN and slow to speak.

We want us to finish our time leaning into navigating money & life by growing our generosity. It truly is the More Blessed Way to living life. Generosity isn’t necessarily a natural reaction – but it can become a cultivated habit and choice. Generosity TRANSFORMS and GROWS me. Generosity BLESSES and REFRESHES me. The generosity of God is meant to generate generosity within us. Our hearts grow in generosity, not when we think about it - but when we practice it!

We all have made some money mistakes in our time. What Jesus is alluding to as we seek to be good managers of all He's provided is that we would be good stewards. A good steward operates via wisdom. We see the biblical and wise rhythm of living with margin in life. We examine practical wisdom as we each discover our plan to manage money as Jesus is leading. What’s a wise tactic that you sense God nudging you to take with money? What does it look like to take a step toward that this month?

Jesus had much to say about money. It’s like he knew that this subject would compete for our hearts devotion like none other and he reminds us that we cannot serve both God and money. There will always be this 'tug-a-war' tension that calls us to choose. So the Scriptures have some wisdom for us as it comes to relating and interacting with money. Tonight we look into 4 biblical money mental shifts we're called to make.

Jesus bled for us and he is calling us to bleed for one another! When did our love for one another become so safe, so shallow, so measured, so rational that it no longer resembles the love of Christ? We must return to our first love and a fresh revelation of just how deep and wide the love of Christ is! Then will we be empowered to go into the world to love well.