If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. For some of us that would mean we should take a vow of silence. Today we're learning about the power of our words and the effect they have on those around us. Words can start wars and end relationships, or they can bring peace and give hope. Matthew twelve, thirty four says...for out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Remember, the heart is the control center where all our decisions are made. It's what we allow in that comes out so we must pray, set a guard O Lord, over my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips.

Every time we hear the word of God we have an option, If we obey what we hear, it softens our hearts. Scripture says search me oh God, know my heart. Test me, know my thoughts. See if there's any wickedness in me and then lead me in Your way that's everlasting. Today Pastor Mark gave us three keys to guarding our hearts. First of all, we must remember the battle for our control center is life-long. Second we must keep a soft heart. And finally, strive for a fully committed heart. God's Word says, the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those hearts are fully committed to him.

A little bit of compromise is all satan needs to take back control over our lives. Soon we'll find our hearts have grown cold, hard and divided. He wants to destroy what God set in order. We go from being peaceful, happy and wise to anxious, bitter and foolish. Often we're blinded to our own sins because from the outside we look pretty good. Acts of service mean nothing, if your heart hasn't been regenerated by God. He wants to give us a new heart and a new spirit, so will follow Him and keep his commandments. He wants us to be His people. He wants to be our God.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Today Pastor Mark delivers a diagnosis that we don't fully comprehend. Humanly speaking there's no remedy. Divinely, we're in luck. We learn our spiritual heart is the control center where all the decisions of life are made and that apart from God our control center is flawed. Listen in to hear biblical solutions for keeping this in check and maintaining focus. Keep in mind, when we're not under God's control, we're under satan's control, which means we'll never be able to do. life. right

Today's message deals primarily with our responsibility in developing, maintaining and evaluating the impact we have in our friends lives and the effect they have on us. Scripture has much to say on the subject because we've been divinely designed for friendship. It say's we're to encourage each other daily. Sometimes it's such a small gesture, you might not even realize you've made someones day. Other times it's complicated and messy, demanding focus, dedication and time. Either way it's important to remember, God orchestrates these relationships so we'll help one another do life right.

A quick search on the internet will bring up countless examples of true friendship. WikiHow even has an entry complete with step by step instructions and visual aids! Having and being a true friend is invaluable and when the going gets tough...well, it's crucial. Friends are God's way of taking care of us and the right ones will help you grow spiritually, mentally and emotionally. Today Pastor Mark helps us understand what qualities we should possess and look for in others, that'll ensure we're checking all the right boxes when it comes to our closest compadres.

God designed us to not try and do life alone. Life's difficult and we shouldn't try and do it by ourselves. We're wired for companionship not isolation, for intimacy not loneliness. Proverbs 18.24 say's, a man who has friends must himself be friendly. As we walk down this road today, you'll realize that you must first be a friend if you want to have friends...it's not a one way street. What does the snapshot of you're friendliness look like? Is it one dimensional, or is it as God intended it to be...three d? Listen in to hear biblical teaching on this important facet of our lives.

Today Pastor Mark points out that If discretion will save us, then indiscretion can kill us...it'll destroy us. We must realize we'll never be free from temptation, but that doesn't mean we should willingly place ourself in it's path. If we're living with the end in mind, it'll greatly affect our decisions and as Christians, we must resist the devil. We can't do this under our own power, we need. the power. of God... nothing is too big for Him to handle. Make the choice to submit yourself to Gods Word. There's no way to be victorious in sin, if you're living in it.

The world is full of people who've minimized the power the old flesh has over them in their lives. The second we think we're immune to sin, we're in trouble. In order to be victorious, we must put into practice the principles of God's Word, so we'll grow in the ability to make right decisions and avoid satan's trap. His main activity is temptation and he'll use any means necessary to detour us, when we're headed in the right direction. His go to tricks involve troubles, the lure of wealth and our own selfish pride. Don't forget, there are two paths in life, the path of God, and the path of self.

Satan's goal is to get believers off God's path. He hates where we're going because he knows there's peace there, he know's there's forgiveness and joy there...he know's what the end is. We're going to heaven and it's his main agenda to attract us off the right path onto the wrong one with things he knows will entice us. Often we like to excuse these detours with the famous saying...the devil made me do it. Keep in mind, the devil can't make us do anything we aren't willing to do. Only God has that kind of power but He won't exercise it because He wants us to make the choice.