[lead dropcap="yes"]Did you know that every day we speak enough words to write a 500-page book? There are different types of stories being written--from horror stories, to love novels, comedies, and mystery novels. So the question that we need to ask ourselves is this: "Which kind of book are you writing with your words?"[/lead]This week, Pastor Rich continued speaking on the Book of James with a message entitled "Taming the Tongue." As we continue on this collection of talks, we go deeper into the message of how powerful our words can be.

Taming the Tongue

James writes in Chapter 3 that we should tame our tongue and hang onto our faith. He begins with a message for those who want to become teachers of the word. James explains that those who aspire to be leaders in the church will be judged more strictly. This, of course, comes with the territory of being criticized by others.

Those who want to be teachers should take note of the following:

1. Be patient

We have to grow before we start teaching, and that takes time. Do you want to swell or do you want to grow? A mushroom takes up 5 hours to swell, but a beautiful strong oak tree takes 50 years to grow. Growth takes times and requires patience.

2. Be under

Before becoming a leader, you have to be under someone's leadership. Even a teacher needs a teacher to challenge them. This isn't temporary, it's permanent. As long as you want to teach and preach the gospel, you'll need a teacher to guide, instruct, and help you along the way.

3. Be prepared

There will be times as a teacher, pastor or leader in the church that you will not be liked. You can't please everyone all the time. You have to be prepared to hear words spoken against you, to be questioned and criticized for your decisions.

[cta heading="Download the VOUS SOAP Journal" subtext="Join us as we study the Book of James with this 8-Week Bible journal." actiontext="Download" link="http://blog.vouschurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/VOUS-CHURCH-The-Book-of-James-—-SOAP-Journal.pdf"]

The tongue holds great power. We tend to speak positive words as well as harsh words. No one is perfect. Even James understood this when he wrote this chapter. We tend to mess up with our words but he tells us to control our tongue, we must steer it in the right direction. Words should nurture us so we have to check the words we speak every day.The tongue can be a small muscle in the body but it is the most powerful. It has the:

1. Power to direct

In James 3:3, he says, "When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. " You can control your own direction through your mouth, and if you don't like the direction of your life, you need to check what words you are using.

2. Power to destroy

The tongue is a tiny flame that can take off and if we are not careful, it can become a dangerous weapon. This weapon has the power to hurt and destroy people.

3. Power to define

When words come out, it actually defines who we are. Jesus says in Luke 6:45 "For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." Stay close to the source. If you don't like your fruit you have to check your root. Get close to Jesus, get rooted in Him.

Listen to the Full Message

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Creative Night

Want to be at the forefront of the creative expression of VOUS Church? Or maybe you’re just learning about your gifts and want to find out more. Creative Night is designed for you! We would love to meet you in Wynwood on Wednesday night, this week we'll be meeting at Jose de Diego Middle School. For details about the night’s events, follow us on social media @vouschurch.

VOUS GIRL

We are so excited to announce our first gathering designed specifically for women. VOUS Girl is a sisterhood of strength for every season. We’re not meant to do life alone, join us on July 21 as we gather in Wynwood![video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="http://blog.vouschurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/VOUS-GIRL-FN.mp4"][/video]

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