Text: Prov 12:18
- Intro:
- In prior studies we studied the unruly tongue and its wicked manifestations.
- In this study we will study a wise wholesome tongue and its various manifestations.
- A good tongue is a:
- Wise tongue – Prov 12:18 – “the tongue of the wise is health,” [Prov 15:2].
- Pray for a wise tongue [Jas 1:5].
- Solomon prayed for understanding and God gave him a wise and understanding heart [1 Kings 3:9, 1 Kings 3:12].
- Get in the Bible and let the Bible get in you.
- Stand where the Bible stands and say what the Bible says.
- Learn to say the right thing, in the right way, at the right time [Prov 15:23].
- Wholesome tongue – Prov 15:4 – “a wholesome tongue is a tree of life.”
- Rather than criticize others and complain to God, find ways to encourage and strengthen others.
- Discouragement knocks a lot of people out of the race.
- Encourage them with a wholesome tongue.
- Give them excellent counsel.
- It should be our desire to edify others.
- Soft tongue – Prov 25:15 – “a soft tongue breaketh the bone.”
- People think they need to be demanding and mean to persuade someone who is adamant.
- But the Bible says that a soft tongue is what is needed.
- You don’t have to beat them down.
- Speak softly and let the words of God do the work.
- Prov 15:1, “a soft answer turneth away wrath…”
- Confessing tongue – Rom 10:9-10 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus…”
- Phil 2:11, “every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”
- Rom 14:11, “every tongue shall confess to God.”
- We need to confess the Lord Jesus Christ before men that others who don’t know him can get to know him.
- Bridled tongue – Job 6:24; Psa 34:13 – “I will hold my tongue,” [Psa 39:1; Prov 21:23; Jas 1:26].
- You are better off saying nothing than saying something foolish. W.A.I.T. (“Why Am I Talking”) before you speak.
- The less you say, the better.
- Conclusion:
- Before you were saved you couldn’t have a good tongue because you had a bad heart.
- Now that you are saved and your heart is beginning to clean up, you should begin to see the qualities of a good tongue appear in your life.
- Develop these qualities.