3 Correct Responses Toward The Word of God (James 1:19-20)

James 1:19–20 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

Note: The Bible gives us beautiful truths to help us get to where we need to be spiritually. 

Two men had an argument. 

To settle the matter, they went to a  judge for arbitration. 

The plaintiff made his case. 

He was very eloquent and persuasive in his reasoning. 

When he finished, the judge nodded in approval and said, "That's right, that's right."

On hearing this, the defendant jumped up and said, "Wait a second, judge, you haven't even heard my side of the case yet." 

So the judge told the defendant to state his case. 

And he, too, was very persuasive and eloquent. 

When he finished, the judge said, "That's right, that's right."

When the clerk of court heard this, he jumped up and said, "Judge, they both can't be right." 

The judge looked at the clerk of court and said, "That's right, that's right."

Note: Truth is not relative. 

Note: Truth is absolute. 

Note: Absolute truth is the key to overcoming the confusion in our world today.

The difference between worldly wisdom and Biblical counselling is that one speaks about ideologies and philosophies and other speaks of Truth.

Note: God is the Creator of Truth.

Note: For the Christian, there are wonderful principles about Truth that we must understand:

A. Truth Is In Us.

1 John 1:8 "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Note: We have the Holy Spirit that abides within us. 

Note: The Holy Spirit guides, directs, and comforts us.

2 Corinthians 11:10 "As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia."

Note: If you are a believer, you have truth in you.

B. The Spirit Guides Us Into All Truth.

John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

Note: A Christian is directed toward the truth by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Note: God always leads us to Himself.

Note: That helps us know who’s leading our life, or at least who we listen to.

C. Jesus Himself Is Declared Truth

Ephesians 5:9 "(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)"

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

The Bible tells us:

1 John 4:4–6 "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."

Note: Notice this word: heareth.

Note: If you are of God, you are going to hear God’s voice. 

Note: There's going to be that guidance of truth in your life.

Once the Devil was walking along with one of his followers. 

They saw a man ahead of them pick up something shiny. "What did he find?" asked the follower.

"A piece of the truth," the Devil replied.

"Doesn't it bother you that he found a piece of the truth?" asked the cohort.

"No," said the Devil, "I will see to it that he makes a religion out of it."

Note: The Devil is busy taking the Truth and trying to confuse the world. 

Note: Truth, if it’s going to make a difference, must be appropriately applied to our lives.

Note: The Bible tells us, “rebuke a wise man, and he will be yet the wiser!”

Note: With that being said, let’s look at this verse together and let’s think about some principles when it comes to responding to the truth so that we can be an overcomer.

In this verse, there is the where you are now (Verse 19) 

In this verse, we also have the where you ought to be (Verse 20)