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Transcript

Watch What You Stir Up · Men's Morning Devotional

• 0:01
  Speaker 1: Gentlemen, every day is a battle.
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: A battle for your faith, your family, and your purpose.
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: The men who stand strong don't prepare when the battle arrives.
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: They prepare before it begins.
• 0:14
  Speaker 1: Welcome to the Men's Morning Devotional.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Let's get into God's word.
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: It's time to man up.
• 0:27
  Steve Alessi: Good morning, gentlemen.
• 0:28
  Steve Alessi: Steve Alessi, the old guy on the team, and it's time for another man up moment.
• 0:33
  Steve Alessi: If you're enjoying this devotional, be sure to share with a friend.
• 0:37
  Steve Alessi: He may need this word today.
• 0:39
  Steve Alessi: So we continue looking through the book of wisdom in Proverbs chapter 6, and today's devotional is going to be about a man who's challenged to watch what you stir up.
• 0:50
  Steve Alessi: Proverbs 6, 12 through 15.
• 0:53
  Steve Alessi: It says, a scoundrel and villain who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks with his eye, signals with his feet, and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart, he always stirs up dissension.
• 1:09
  Steve Alessi: Therefore, disaster will overtake him in an instant, and he will suddenly be destroyed without remedy.
• 1:17
  Steve Alessi: Now, we've all been around that guy who seems to always have a problem with somebody.
• 1:25
  Steve Alessi: You know the guy?
• 1:26
  Steve Alessi: He's the drama king who always is stirring it up with somebody, always seemingly having an issue with a guy, always talking trash, always in a disagreement.
• 1:38
  Steve Alessi: And what does he want to do?
• 1:39
  Steve Alessi: He wants to pull other guys into that disagreement with him.
• 1:43
  Steve Alessi: Solomon is calling that guy out right here, and he describes him as one who always stirs up dissension, which is something every man needs to guard against.
• 1:55
  Steve Alessi: Because you don't have to throw a punch to get into a fight and cause damage to others in your relationships.
• 2:02
  Steve Alessi: Sometimes all it takes is your mouth, a comment, a little gossip, a joke or sarcastic remark, a comment on a group text feed.
• 2:13
  Steve Alessi: Before long, something that could have been handled by two people has now spread to five.
• 2:19
  Steve Alessi: So here's a good rule for men don't make someone else's problem your opportunity to stir things up.
• 2:26
  Steve Alessi: Strong men, they don't create unnecessary division.
• 2:31
  Steve Alessi: Strong men bring peace.
• 2:33
  Steve Alessi: Not that we avoid confrontation, as there are times when a man needs to speak up and address something directly or even have the hard conversation.
• 2:42
  Steve Alessi: But there is a big difference, guys, between confronting a problem and stirring up a problem.
• 2:47
  Steve Alessi: One is trying to bring resolution, but the other just enjoys keeping the issue alive.
• 2:53
  Steve Alessi: And Solomon tells us that this starts deeper than our words.
• 2:59
  Steve Alessi: He says, the man who plots evil with deceit in his heart.
• 3:06
  Steve Alessi: That means before you check your mouth, sometimes you need to check your heart.
• 3:12
  Steve Alessi: Why am I telling the story or sending the text?
• 3:16
  Steve Alessi: Why do I want this person to know what happened?
• 3:19
  Steve Alessi: Am I really trying to help or am I just trying to get somebody else on my side?
• 3:23
  Steve Alessi: Am I bringing people together or quietly am I pulling them apart?
• 3:27
  Steve Alessi: You see, men, our words carry weight, especially with our wives, our kids, the friends and coworkers that we hang with.
• 3:35
  Steve Alessi: So use your influence to lower the temperature instead of raising it.
• 3:41
  Steve Alessi: Don't be the guy who walks into a peaceful room and creates tension.
• 3:46
  Steve Alessi: Instead, be the man who walks into tension and helps create peace.
• 3:51
  Steve Alessi: Here's your man up challenge for today.
• 3:53
  Steve Alessi: Pay attention to what you're stirring up with your words.
• 3:58
  Steve Alessi: So before you repeat something about another person, just ask yourself, does this need to be said?
• 4:05
  Steve Alessi: Or am I the man who needs to say it?
• 4:08
  Steve Alessi: If there's a problem, go to the person involved instead of talking around them and look for one opportunity today to shut gossip down.
• 4:18
  Steve Alessi: You can do it.
• 4:19
  Steve Alessi: You can stop the division.
• 4:21
  Steve Alessi: You can even bring two people closer together because you don't want to be the guy who stirs up trouble.
• 4:27
  Steve Alessi: Instead, be a man who brings peace.
• 4:31
  Steve Alessi: Let's pray.
• 4:32
  Steve Alessi: Father, guard our heart and our mouth today.
• 4:36
  Steve Alessi: Help us recognize when our words could create unnecessary division.
• 4:41
  Steve Alessi: Give us the courage to speak truth when needed, but also wisdom to always do what is right in the heart.
• 4:49
  Steve Alessi: Use our words and our influence to bring peace, unity, and strength to the people around us today.
• 4:56
  Steve Alessi: In Jesus' name.
• 4:57
  Steve Alessi: Amen.
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: All right, gentlemen, you've heard God's word.
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: Now go live it.
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: Lead well, stand strong, honor God in everything you do.
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: Share this devotional with another brother.
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: Remember, every day is another opportunity to man up.