Kayleb Foerster: This session talking about the power of our words. And in the words that we have, the words that we speak, you know, it's more than just sounds that we're making.

I did a little research to figure out exactly how many words a day a person, an average individual says. Anyone want to take a guess?

Kind of what the average is, how many words you would say? Maybe you've counted your own words. One million.

One million? Okay, there we go. We've got a guess of a million.

Anyone else? 10,000? Okay.

Anyone else there? 10 to 14. 1 million, 10 to 14.

You know, when you start putting it all together, researchers, I don't know who's really average and how they all do it and all that, the different words that are there, but a typical average female would do about 10,000 to 20,000 words a day. That's quite a few, right? The typical average male on a work day in that, do you think it's more or less?

Less. Of course it's less. That's just the way that God's made us.

Not a bad thing, but it's the way we communicate it. About 5,000 to 10,000 words. Now here's an interesting statistic that I saw then.

Out of those 5,000 to 20,000 words that either one of us would say, They say 500 to 700 of those are the only words that have actual meaning. They're really conveying the thought.

Not that all those other ones are peripheral and don't really matter. I mean, it helps to fill out. I was talking with my wife the other night, and I asked her a question.

If I was sitting there talking to my brother-in-law, Joe, who I'm good friends with, I would ask him this question, and he would, in a pretty short amount of time, give me an answer. It would be pretty straightforward.

Oh, this is what I think about it. This is how it comes across. This is what I feel about it now.

That's the end. I would say, that's great. That's basically what I feel.

And we would go on. Asking my wife about it, I ended up sitting there and I started to smile a little bit because it ended up probably being like five minutes.

She was telling me all about how she felt about it, all the different aspects of it. And I realized we are two definitely different creatures, but that's how God has made it. She was explaining her emotions, her feelings, and all that.

and whereas for us as guys, we're just going to be, here it is, that's it, you don't get any more that's there. Either way, whether you find yourself feeling, well, I put a lot more into my words, or, well, I would be more of a not a real big speaker in that,

we do find some biblical principles here that guide in our use of speech, how we talk, how we interact with different ones. it's interesting as i have a 18 month old daughter now and she's learning to speak

you know who's teaching her that really it says she watches her mom and i and she's starting to form words and we're starting to find the power of words that n o word you know and she finds it pretty fortunate no i'm your parent i'm way bigger than you and you're going to tell me no

So it's this training process, but as well you find that language truly is a gift from God. It's something that is not just created in our mind and created and, okay, we can put these kind of words together.

No, language is something that is from God. The blank that you have there as we start into this is the fact that language is designed by God. Hopefully you have a pen.

If you don't have a pen, just remember the words there. There's three parts as we think of language, as we would break it all down,

and we think of the fact, you know, did I say that? Maybe you've been at that point where you've said something and you regretted it.

Or maybe you've been at that aspect and you said something and everyone laughed, and you're like, hey, that was funny, that's cool. Maybe you said something and the person said,

wow, I really needed that. That was an encouragement. You know, the words that we have, there's power.

And the parts of the language that we have there, you don't have it down, but if you want to write it, there's three parts.

You have the one who speaks, you have the words that are spoken, and you have the effects of the words.

So, did I say that? My words, the one who speaks, the words that have been spoken,

and the effects of the words on those that are hearing or maybe not even those that are around. Maybe you say, well, I just talk to myself.

Do you know what it still has an effect? The power of the spoken word. God designed language.

Genesis 1 and 2 is where we first find anything being spoken. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And he goes on and it talks about how he spoke the worlds into existence.

If you want to talk about powerful words, those first words ever spoken that we know of recorded, I think God and Jesus Christ spoke even before the creation of the world,

but those that we think of in our world, wow, created something out of nothing. That's pretty powerful. Hebrews 11.3, you have that verse there,

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. As you think of words, you think of language, we first realize that there is a creator,

there's a designer behind our language. Whether you speak English or whether you're from Ghana and speak the language there or from any one of the seven continents and the many, many languages that God has given us,

God has given this language to communicate truths. It's not just random sounds. And God, who created us in his image, Genesis 127, is the one who first used language,

who showed what language is about. Psalm 33, 6, another verse that speaks on this, By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.

Have you thought about that? If God could use words to create everything that we see, you know, you think of the person sitting next to you on either side,

think of the amazing body even that God has given you and just how it functions the fact that you're not thinking about breathing you're not thinking about your heart beating you're not thinking about some of these different things you don't think about growing and all that just happens wow God

designed that and God designed it first and foremost as he spoke the word there at creation not only did god create language and designed it by god he didn't do it just for creating the universe he did it specifically so he could communicate with man so that blank there god

communicates with man so designed by god first of all to bring the world into existence but then even so much more important than that is the fact that god wanted to have relationship with you God wanted to speak to you

God wanted to have that communion with you it talks about it there in Genesis chapter 3 how he walked in the cool of the day

when Adam and Eve sinned we find God coming to the garden Adam?

Eve? where are you? they're walking here

and God was wanting to come and to talk with them God created Adam

and gave him the whole world he had the different commands that he gave here in the garden.

Take care of this. Enjoy what I have created. God then didn't just stop his

communication with man just because sin came in the world, though. What did he give us to communicate with us?

He gave us his written word. And that brings us to a point that I want you to consider even this morning, and as you are young people and going into this world that is becoming more and more

online and social and through technological devices, the fact that we're not just thinking of what I said verbally. We're thinking of language as well, what you would write down.

You know, when you have your device and you text something. When you have your computer and you're sitting there and you're typing out an email,

or you're updating your friend status or something of that nature, all these words are communication what are they communicating god gave it to us because he wanted to communicate finally after we sinned that jesus christ was going to come into the world to save us

that we can have a relationship with god we find then as well genesis 127 i know i mentioned already but the fact that god communicates with man the fact that we were created in the image of god Scripture guides our use of words

both spoken and written. We can look that blank there, guides.

Our tongues can create worlds of hurt or blessing. If you have your

Bible, turn to James chapter 3. We're going to look at all kinds of verses, New Testament, Old Testament.

The Bible is full on verses of the tongue, how we speak.

the Bible says here in James 3 even so the tongue is a little member and boasteth great things

behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth you know you think of the fires that are going on there in California

they don't know how they started You know, maybe a spark, maybe a lightning bolt, you know, something there, something probably small. Think of one year, a couple years ago, the guy who got a letter from his girlfriend,

turned it on fire, threw it down, started a whole forest fire. Something small that created so much damage. And God's word says, as you think about language, the language that God has designed,

just as language can be good, and God gave us language to tell us how much he loves us, tell us of the relationship he wants with us, we have to realize as well that language can be used to be very hurtful.

I remember I was working here one day at church, and I was on a project, and we had a meeting during a certain time. Well, I got going on this project, and I needed to

finish this thing up, so I decided I'm not going to go to that meeting. It's, you know, it is an important one, but, you know, I think the others can take care of it.

Well, I got a text from the leader there who helps to head up that meeting that I was going to, and he said, you know, that's not decide whether you want to come to the meeting or not.

So here we are, we're using written language to communicate. When I got that, I was feeling the pressure of the project, and I was thinking of this

meeting that doesn't always really go places, and you know, a lot of it's just because I don't come prepared, and so I was thinking, you know what, I'm going to send back a really nasty text message to him.

Tell him just like, no, you know, this is more important than that meeting that you're going to. I remember having it all written out, ready to send it.

And the Holy Spirit said, you shouldn't send that. You know, sometimes people can do things to us and it may not even be like that.

It could be maybe a sibling. Have you ever had a sibling and you wanted to say mean things back to them?

Have you ever heard the phrase, sticks and stones may what? Break my bones, but your words never hurt me.

Is that true? Have you ever thought about that? You know, like sticks and stones,

man, I want to give you some really nasty words. Or maybe you've gotten some nasty words, like this doesn't bother me,

this doesn't hurt, this doesn't hurt. And God's word says that's not true. Whoever came up with that statement,

and they made a cute little rhyme, but that's not true. Because the destruction of words,

the power of words is incredible. It can create a great fire. we also have to realize Matthew 12 36 not only can words be powerful for good or for evil

would you realize with me today that you have to give an account for the words that you say Matthew 12 36 says but I say unto you that every idle word this is Jesus Christ speaking every idle word that men shall speak they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment

Idle is kind of that even idea of carelessness. It's just, you know, thrown out there You know, it's not bad to have fun and it's not bad to, you know, enjoy yourself and different things

But god says that even the idle words that we speak We're going to give account for and if we're going to give account for the idle words. I think that shows

as well the reverse of it that Those that words that we've seen that we think are important. We're going to give account for

You know, you may have a friend or maybe a brother or sister a mom or a dad and you feel like They mistreated you. And so you have a right then to speak your mind.

You have a right to give them some words. You can text them. You could email them.

What do you think as a young person? What do you think when those times come up? I'm going to give account for these words.

What I say, it does matter. God has thine language and Satan has hijacked it, so now there's evil and there's good.

God doesn't want me to use what I say or what I would write for evil. Is this honoring God? Is this going to glorify God?

So not only do words, the small things make a big difference, not only are we going to give an account, words are powerful.

They can destroy or they can build up. You can destroy friendships with words. Just a few words here, a snarky comment there,

something that is sarcastic, you know, saying something about someone, maybe don't even really mean it,

you know, about their looks or about their intelligence. You don't know what that person is going through. I was just in Ghana here the past couple, two weeks ago,

and I was celebrating my birthday there in Ghana. If you want to celebrate your birthday, don't go to Ghana. Because in Ghana, they like to do what they call a pounding.

They like to go and put an ice block in the freezer and then pull it out on the day of your birthday and then chip it up into all kinds of little block,

you know, little pieces of ice, and put it in a bucket, make it as cold as they can get it, and then eventually sometime throughout the day when you're not looking

or you're not expecting it, they like to dump it on you. Okay, that's all good, except for the day that we were going to do it was a rehearsal for a wedding.

I don't really live in Ghana, and so I'm kind of at the mercy of everyone else. You know, the church is 15 minutes away from where we're at, and they're talking about this.

We've got to pound you today. This is your birthday. It's great.

I'm thinking, man, thanks. I wish I wasn't alive right now. And it was their words that they were saying, and thankfully none of their actions ever came to it.

But I remember their words. I remember kind of just the focus of that, and they were always bringing it up. And some of these people I didn't know really well, and I didn't know what they would do,

because sometimes they put paint in this stuff, and it ruins your clothes and all that. And I was thinking, man, that's not what I want. In the middle of the day, here I get a pounding.

I get all this paint on me, and my clothes are ruined, and the wedding that I came over for is no good. All these thoughts are coming through my mind. Why is that?

Because a few people were saying a few words, and they were really bothering me. And I probably didn't show it a whole lot.

They probably didn't know that all this was going on, and they probably didn't realize the release at night when I finally got to bed.

It's like, good, my birthday's over. They don't do anything after a birthday. I think I made it through this.

The power of words. You can destroy friendships. There are some people there thinking,

I don't think I want to be your friend. If that's what you do to friends, I'd hate to see what you do to your enemy.

This is the power of friendships. Proverbs 18.21, Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Do you love death? Well, you'll eat the fruit of that if that's what you like.

Like that bitterness, that evil talking, sarcastic. Or do you love life?

Having grace in your speech. Words can be corrupt, they can edify. Ephesians 4.29,

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that may minister grace unto the hearers. That word corrupt has the idea of being rotten.

It's just no good. It stinks. It doesn't help anything.

Edifying is building up. It's helping each one. Not only do we see that language is designed by God,

we see as well that language is given to us to communicate God with man. Scripture is what guides our use of words. And then the last thing here, Jesus is the source of right words.

So you might say, okay, I have a problem with what I say. I get angry and I say bad words. I have a sibling and they just frustrate me.

I have a parent. You don't know what they did to me, what they wronged me. This friend, this person in school, I don't know,

but I know this, that God holds you accountable for your actions. God holds you accountable for what you say, what you speak, what you write. So it's important then that we go to Scripture.

What does He say? The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated. This is in James 3, verse 17.

It's full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy. Do you want to speak right? Do you want to have right speech, that which builds up, that which helps make friendships?

Well, then the source, what you need to dwell on, what you need to think about is God's Word. It's Jesus Christ. That first blank there is pure.

Jesus is the source the scripture is the source our words then need to be pure words secondly the second blank there they need to be soft words they're not harsh you know you can say right things but make it in a harsh manner and I'm learning that more and more as I raise my daughter

don't do that okay well should she not do that well yeah she shouldn't do that but the way it comes across. So a soft answer turneth away wrath,

but grievous words stir up anger. What you speak, even in a text message, an emoticon that you send.

Oh man, if I just send this, maybe that would get my feeling across. Remember that we're going to give account.

Not only should they be pure words, soft words, but they should be carefully spoken words. Colossians 4.6 says,

Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man. Calvin Coolidge was one for known, not saying a whole lot.

One day, this is one of our presidents, and he was sitting there with a reporter next to him, and his wife was observing,

and the reporter said, you know, President Coolidge, I made a bet with one of my fellow reporters

that during our mealtime here, I could get you to say more than three words to me. President Coolidge calmly looked at her and said, you lose.

The reporter said, wow, amazing. And here a man who knew what it was to have words that were thought out, he was careful in what he said, that's what we wanted to be.

It doesn't mean that we don't speak. That is, we go out from here, hey, how was the session? Good.

I'm not talking anymore. I have to give account for my words. No, but it is that Jesus Christ would be at the forefront of our minds and our thoughts.

Because people would ask you about your day. Hey, how was your day? Man, it's going good.

God's mercies are new for me. It's incredible. You know, things of that nature.

That the fact that it'd be carefully spoken, they're not just put right out there. The last point then, point to Jesus. Our words are pure.

They should be soft. They should be carefully spoken. And they need to point to Jesus.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. Young people, your words need to point other people to Jesus Christ.

And I know you impact people. I know you are round friends that don't know Jesus. I know that you would spend time out and about in your community.

And yes, your life, people should be able to look at you and say, there's something different about them. I think they're a believer.

But do you know that what you say is so important as well? that you could give a word of witness, a word of testimony, maybe someone that's sitting off on the side who, you know, they're more homeless.

Maybe you could just go up to them. Hey, can I pray for you? In your family life, even.

Hey, brother, sister, what's a need in your life that I could pray with you on? What do you want to see God do with your life? Maybe you could talk to your parents.

Mom, Dad, how could I be an encouragement around the house? How have I been doing with my speech? You know, Jesus has been speaking to me as I've been reading my Bible,

as I've been doing my devotions, and I want my words to be those that are powerful, those that are impacting others.

You can encourage people, not even just by what you speak, but how about a written note, texting someone. Do be wise online.

We're not going to touch on it a whole lot here. Time is basically up. But don't be a fool.

It's easy to hide behind the screen. It's easy to hide behind the phone and say, okay, I can put this out there and it doesn't matter.

It's like the Aesop fable, where the donkey was going along in his day and he found this lion costume out in the grass.

This is cool. So he puts it on, he starts walking around, and all the animals were scared of him.

Here this lion is, and he thought, this is awesome. And so to kind of help to boast and make what he thought was great a reality,

he decided to open up his mouth. And instead of a roar coming out and all the animals being really scared of that, a bray came out.

And the animals understood then at that point, this is a fool. This was not one that he should have kept his mouth closed. And you know, online we can sometimes be that way.

We can make ourselves look like something. And we open our mouth, we put everything out there. And it doesn't help us.

It doesn't help our reputation. It doesn't help maybe those that we're talking about. Let me just remind you of this.

Jesus must be your meditation. The last thing, what you think about, will affect what you say.

What are you thinking about? You feel like, oh, I'm angry, oh, I'm bitter. Well, then angry, bitter things are going to come out.

Psalm 1914, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight. Oh, Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

Young people, your words are powerful. No matter how insignificant you think you are, no matter how little you're saying,

your words do have power. Remember that God designed language for good and ultimately that language is to help to direct us to God,

have that relationship with Him, and help us then help other people to have that eternal impact.