Words

1. Seems Harmless
2. Tastes Good
3. Sounds Godly

Proverbs 26:18-28
Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death

19 is the man who deceives his neighbor

    and says, “I am only joking!”

20 For lack of wood the fire goes out,

    and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

21 As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,

    so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife.

22 The words of

 a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

    they go down into the inner parts of the body.

23 Like the

 glaze[a] covering an earthen vessel

    are fervent lips with an evil heart.

24 Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips

    and harbors deceit in his heart;

25 when he speaks graciously, believe him not,

    for there are seven abominations in his heart;

26 though his hatred be covered with deception,

    his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

    and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

28 A lying tongue hates its victims,

    and a flattering mouth works ruin.

Ephesians 4:29-30

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, 

but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, 

that it may give grace to those who hear. 

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, 

by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

1. A bad friend makes you foolish; a good friend makes you wise.

• Proverbs 12:26. One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. 
• Proverbs 13:20. Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. 

2. A bad friend is fickle; a good friend is faithful.

• Proverbs 19:4. Wealth brings many new friends, but a poor man is deserted by his friend. 
• Proverbs 20:6. Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? 
• Proverbs 17:17. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
• Proverbs 18:24. A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 

3. A bad friend is emotionally disconnected from you; a good friend is emotionally connected to you.

• Proverbs 25:20. Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda.

Proverbs 10:22

Proverbs 10:4

Proverbs 10:15

Proverbs 28:11

Proverbs 30:8b-9: Give me neither poverty nor riches…lest I be full and deny you and say, “Who is the LORD?” or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.

Proverbs 22:9

Proverbs 11:24-5

Proverbs 11:26

Proverbs 28:25

Rev. Dr. Mike Honeycutt
Proverbs 14:29, 30; 19:19; 15:1

I.    Own our Anger

II.   Acknowledge that our Anger is Destructive

1. Anger can destroy our ability to act appropriately (Proverbs 14:29)
2. Anger can destroy our health (Proverbs 14:30)
3. Anger can destroy our ability to turn from our anger (Proverbs 19:19)
4. Anger can destroy our relationships (Proverbs 15:1)

III.  Take Responsibility for our Anger

IV.   Apply the Gospel to our Anger

Rev. Jonathan Garrett

Rev. Chris Florence

I. Heart is the COMMAND CENTER (v. 23)

II. Heart needs GUARDING (v 23)

III. Heart requires REHABBING

1. Keep Away (v. 24)
2. Focus (v. 25)
3. Weigh (v. 26-27)

Rev. Dr. Mike Honeycutt

I. We Must Not Do Harm to our Neighbor

Proverbs 12:18
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

II. We Must Do Good to our Neighbor

Proverbs 2:27-28
27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,[a]
    when it is in your power to do it.

28 Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
    tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you.

Exodus 23:4-5
If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him.  If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him.

Rev. Dr. Mike Honeycutt

When we’ve forgotten or ignored that charge, our congregation has suffered the most.  For what is as insufferable as self-righteous leaders?  Scotty Smith

I. We Have to Stop Sugarcoating our Sin

Success

Suffering  

II. We Have to Start Applying the Gospel to our Sin

James 1:9-10: “Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation….”

Success

"I don’t care how much the world sucks up to you, I don’t care how beautiful you are, I don’t care how rich you are, I don’t care what your credentials are, I don’t care how good your resume is.  You are a sinner before God, and you are lost without the grace of Jesus Christ.  Before the cross, you are just like the next guy, no matter how degraded he is, no matter how much a failure he is." Tim Keller

Suffering

"To say to God, “don’t let anything bad happen to me” is to say to God, “don’t love me.”" C.S. Lewis

Rev. Dr. Mike Honeycutt

I. You can’t enjoy the good life if the good life is your goal in life.

II. You can’t enjoy the good life if you think you can earn it.

III. You can’t enjoy the good life if you’re not willing to work hard.

• First discipline, get rid of the idea that God doesn’t delight in you…because he does. 
• Second discipline, get rid of the idea that you can figure out life by yourself—because you can’t.
• Third discipline: get rid of the idea that you can trust in yourself…because you can’t—you’re not God.    

 IV. You can’t enjoy the good life if you want the good life more than you want God. 

Rev. Chris Florence