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What Does Proverbs Say About Our Speech 8.18.19 · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  Proverbs chapter 15, verses 1 through 4. It says this, A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Would you pray with me?
• 0:36
  Lord, we ask you to speak to us and make us new. God, we thirst for the waters of eternal life. We yearn to know ourselves as resurrection people. Indeed, that is what we are. We ask that you send your Holy Spirit upon us today. We ask that you would convict us of sin. We ask that you would create in us a clean heart. God, as we open your words, speak to us words of comfort and hope, words of challenge and courage. Holy Spirit, come.
• 1:13
  Move among us, we pray. In the name of Christ, our Savior. Amen. Amen. You can be seated. Thank you. Well, as you know, we've been studying the book of Proverbs. The first three chapters, we've studied verse by verse, sequentially through the book, primarily dealing with the topic of wisdom, getting wisdom at any cost and the value of wisdom. Wisdom was personified as a street preacher, as a woman, to be much valued and desired.
• 1:47
  And also as the person of Jesus Christ. Now that we're finished with the first three chapters, we're actually going to take a break from the sequential preaching of God's word. Because as you know, the Proverbs eventually in the book become proverbial. One sentence statements that are wise, that are compiled and not oftentimes strung together, right? Completely different. And so what we'll do for the remainder of our study of the book of Proverbs is to choose individual topics.
• 2:16
  that will then compile topically what does the Proverbs say about fill in the blank. And this morning, we have what does the Proverbs say about our speech. When we're done with that, that'll take us through about October. When we're finished with that study, just so you guys know where we're going, because I know that some of you guys enjoy knowing where we're going. In October, we'll begin a study in the book of Jude, probably a month and a half or so through that one chapter book. That'll take us through to Thanksgiving.
• 2:45
  Obviously, we'll talk about Thanksgiving at the end of November. And then in December, do a Christmas series, I think, this year on the Messiah. What it means that Jesus is the Messiah. You know, we all like receiving gifts. Hallie, my wife, claims to be the best gift giver in our family. That may be true. But whenever I go out of town, I buy gifts for my family members. And it's usually on extended...
• 3:15
  times away, usually because of missions trips. And I'll go for a couple of weeks to the Philippines or to Mexico or to other places, China and the like. When I'm out of town, I buy gifts, usually some kind of toy for Chase, my nine-year-old, a chess set or some goofy t-shirts for my older boys. I typically like to get a fake purse for my mom. I always think that's funny, you know, and I have. You go to those coach stalls, you know, you can buy a coach bag for like six bucks.
• 3:46
  I usually get a necklace for Hallie. That's kind of become the tradition, some kind of necklace. She has all kinds of necklaces from all over the world. The gifts, regardless of what they are, are meant to bless their recipient. This last year, I took my son, Pearson, with the Young Adults Group to the Philippines, a year and a half or so ago. While we were there, we went to this, it's one of my favorite places in the world. It's called the Green Hills Mall.
• 4:11
  The Green Hills Mall is not a mall like you'd think of the Flatirons Mall. The Green Hills Mall is more like the whole bunch of booths. It is chaotic. I think more accurately called a bazaar. And it is bizarre. Not only is it a bazaar.
• 4:28
  But it's a fun place to be. It's high energy. You can bargain, like you can barter for everything. You can argue prices. Nothing is set. You'll notice that nothing is ever labeled a price. You always have to ask. And the reason for that is the price depends on how you look, okay? So if you look like me, the price is expensive. That's where they always start. They assume, you know? And so, you know, it's really fun and I enjoy it. And it's especially fun if you don't care.
• 4:57
  about actually buying what you're trying to buy. If you don't really care about it, you can just go and have fun and see if you can get stuff for as cheap as possible. And so this last time, Pearson and I bought a watch for Zach. My son Zach, who is 14, likes watches. We bought him this G-Shock watch in the Philippines. And it looks exactly like a G-Shock watch. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but the thing's totally fake. And so...
• 5:22
  I'm over there, you know, we're bartering back and forth on price and all of these things, you know, and I'm leaving, you know, because I'm offended and everything else, and then coming back. So I bought him this G-Shock watch. And, you know, we get it back here. He's all excited about it. He puts it on. And after about a month and a half or so, the battery dies, you know. So we take it over here to the Flatirons Mall, a different kind of mall.
• 5:44
  to get a new battery put in it. And he walks up with this thing. You know, we go to the place there in the mall to get the battery fixed, hands it over to the person at the counter, and the person at the counter looks at it and says, whoa, this is an incredibly expensive watch. It wasn't just a G-Shock watch. It was some kind of fancy model, okay? And they're just looking at it saying, man, these things cost a...
• 6:11
  You know, and I've just got a smirk. Like, I'm not saying anything, you know. And they're messing with it. They're starting to take the back off. And, you know, Zach is just smiling because he knows, you know. And, man, these things are really expensive. The guy's kind of going on and on about it. And then takes the back off. And then you just hear him say, wait a minute. You know, and Zach just laughs. He's like, ah, my dad bought it in the Philippines. Like, oh, that makes a lot more sense. You know, let me.
• 6:42
  Find the cheapest battery I can and put it in there, you know. Gifts, regardless of what they are, are meant to be a blessing to those to whom they are given. Now consider your words, your speech, and how you use your mouth. What I'm going to call for the sake of this morning's message, consider the gift of tongues. Except not the tongues that we always think about. Not other languages, not miraculous signed gifts, but your actual words, the word that you use.
• 7:19
  Is your tongue a gift? Based on the effect the gift of tongues has had on the church, church splits and fights and arguments, lost friendships, I'm not sure it's a gift at all. It seems more like a curse. In fact, I think if we were to tally it, many people seem to do more cursing with their tongues than blessing. And so, in the continuation of our Proverbs study, and as we turn our attention to our speech, I titled this morning's message, The Gift of Tongues.
• 7:56
  And people are funny when they hear the words, the gift of tongues. Many would say that it is the sign of a truly spirit-filled life. They would say that if you haven't spoken in tongues, then you aren't genuinely saved. And if that's true, then many of my spiritual heroes are unregenerate. Others believe that it is a counterfeit sign of the devil. They would say that if you have spoken in tongues, then you aren't genuinely saved. And if that's true, then many of my spiritual heroes.
• 8:28
  are unregenerate. I've already told you what I believe the scriptures to teach on the subject of the miraculous sign gift of tongues. This morning's message will have little to do with that sign gift. What I want to focus on today and what is really the question posed in Proverbs 15 is instead of asking, do I have the gift of tongues? We should be asking, is my tongue a gift? Is it a blessing to God's people or is it a curse?
• 8:58
  You already have your Bibles open to chapter 15. Turn to the right, if you would, just a page or two to chapter 18 and look at verse 21. Proverbs 18, 21 says, death and life are in the power of the tongue. Man, that couldn't be worded any more strongly, could it? Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit. We've all heard the old saying, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
• 9:32
  We teach that to our kids to give them what little protection we have against the harmful words of their classmates. But what a lie that statement is. There are physical wounds that heal much more quickly than emotional ones. Isn't that true? There are some words, I think, undoubtedly, some words from your childhood that still hurt, that still haunt you. And we found out that some of our former students just found out that they're pregnant with their first child.
• 10:06
  It's fun. It's fun to celebrate with them and receive pictures of sonograms and other things. It's funny, though, that when you have to choose a baby name, you actually have to think about what that name rhymes with. Right? Because you can't just name them whatever you want and then send them off to the first grade. Those kids are creative. I can still remember classmates teasing me. Danny, Danny, Big Fat Fanny.
• 10:35
  I'm telling you, the first grade, I was six. Not to mention, I was horribly skinny. Could never wear tank tops. This is a true story. I couldn't wear tank tops because I had no shoulders. They'd always fall off, you know, so I'd try to wear them, and then I'm always like pushing them back up and whatever. Man, of all the things I can remember from my childhood, crazy to me that that is what sticks. We can all remember hurtful words that have been spoken to us. We can all recall words that we've wished we could take back.
• 11:09
  Proverbs 18.21 says that there is nothing more damaging than our speech. The power of death is in the tongue. The lack of self-control with our words can destroy friendships. Our words can divide marriages. Our words can wreak havoc on our children, blowing up at our wives and nitpicking our husbands, bringing up past mistakes, participating in slander and gossip are all poison to our souls and to the souls of others. But words can also build up and edify.
• 11:41
  It says not only is the power of death in the tongue, but the power of life as well. Encouragement when you're in a dark time can sustain you. Positive words when one feels down can lift up the countenance and bring peace. Go to the right a few more pages to Proverbs chapter 25. Proverbs chapter 25 and look at verse 11. Proverbs 25, 11. A word fitly spoken.
• 12:13
  Other translations will say aptly spoken. Another translation, maybe a little easier to understand, would say a word in season. That means the right words at the right time. The right words at the right time are like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Somebody comes along and gives you encouragement when you needed it. And those words are precious, amen? They sustain, they will carry us, those words of encouragement.
• 12:43
  We'll go back to Proverbs 15 and look at verse 23. Proverbs 15, 23. To make an apt answer. Same word. A word in season is a joy to a man. And a word in season, how good it is. The point of this morning's message is that our words matter. I do wish more people had the gift of tongues. In that I wish more people's tongues were a gift.
• 13:17
  In our passage this morning, we have three responses that if employed will bless your hearers, bless your spouses, bless your kids, bless your friends and your coworkers. And notice the first, the first gift. Proverbs 15.1 is the gift of a soft answer. The gift of a soft answer. Look at verse one. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
• 13:45
  That word for soft is the same word as gentle. A soft answer is one that does not retaliate. A soft answer is one that does not hold a grudge. A soft answer is one that absorbs a blow. A soft answer is impossible to return with any force. A soft answer is one that diffuses a situation or argument rather than igniting it. I loved Pastor Sam's sermon from last Sunday.
• 14:17
  We were on vacation. We were out of town. We went to Northern California last week to see Howley's family and to see some friends that we have there. And man, I love the fact, I love technology. I love the fact that all of those sermons are recorded and online. So we went to Spotify and listened to Pastor Sam from Highland Baptist Church teaching through Proverbs chapter three. And as we're driving home, our boys all have their Bibles out. We told them to turn off the Nintendo for 45 minutes.
• 14:44
  And we all listened together to Pastor Sam's sermon on being a peacemaker. And he gave such a simple and yet profound explanation of the peacemaking process. Perhaps my favorite part of his sermon was the challenge that he issued to actually make peace. I loved this. Peace doesn't just happen, right? Being a peacemaker doesn't just mean that you avoid conflict. You can avoid conflict and still not be at peace.
• 15:17
  peacemaker. Peacemaking is not passive. It's an active endeavor. It made me think of this as we were driving. I thought being a peacemaker is a lot like being a bread maker. Bread doesn't just make itself, right? The baker doesn't just sit back and let bread happen. He makes it. The same is true of peace. Peacemaker must engage with others in order to bring about peace. I've been in ministry for 20 years.
• 15:48
  Which means I've been in the people business for two decades. I've begun to see some patterns. I've noticed that people have a hard time letting go of offenses. We are easy to offend and sometimes very difficult to appease. We love holding on to grudges. We love escalating conflicts. In fact, sometimes if somebody says something against us, we feel very justified in lobbing that right back at them.
• 16:20
  Some of us enjoy conflict so much that we seek it out. Turn to the right, if you would, a page. Proverbs 18. Look at verse 6. One of my favorite Proverbs. I love it. It is so true. Proverbs 18, verse 6. A fool's lips walk into a fight and his mouth invites a beating. You ever known anybody like that? Like, yeah, I remember that kid in eighth grade, you know, just begging to get pounded.
• 16:50
  Couldn't keep his mouth shut. Verse 7 continues, a fool's mouth is his ruin and his lips are a snare to his soul. But you'll notice, chapter 15 and verse 1, this soft answer turns away wrath. This wrath was already on its way. It was already coming. And rather than contributing to it or participating in it, inviting a beating, the wise person absorbs it.
• 17:21
  Chapter 16 and verse 24, gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet and healthy. My dad, who passed away a dozen or so years ago, played tennis. And in fact, he was pretty good at it. We would play occasionally when I was in my teens and 20s. I was taller than he was. I was stronger than he was since I was in my 20s and he was in his 50s.
• 17:53
  I was faster and more athletic for the same reasons. And yet he could beat me anytime he wanted. Why? Because he understood the game. I was a baseball player. The harder and farther you hit a ball, the better, right? It was about how hard and how far I could hit it. It wasn't about control. It wasn't about finesse. It wasn't about understanding. It was about strength. But my dad understood that not always the strongest and fastest player wins. He had learned the value.
• 18:26
  of what is called in tennis a drop shot, and it always amazed me. I could hit that ball as hard as I wanted, and yet he could absorb the entirety of the ball's energy and send it back to me almost not moving. I could wail on this thing, and he'd just do this little chip, right, and absorb all of that energy and just pop that thing over the net. I mean, it would just barely get over, and he'd usually send it back with just a touch of backspin on it.
• 18:56
  which meant I'm playing way back here at the baseline. I'm hitting this thing as hard as I can, and now it's barely getting over the net and finishing way up there. It's not even going to make it to me. And it used to frustrate me so bad. I just wanted to hit. You just let me swing, you know?
• 19:12
  But man, just this little tiny chip, and he'd just laugh. He thought it was the funniest thing. And I'd finally, I'd finally get clued in. I'd figure it out. And so when I saw him doing that little move, right, I'd come running. I'm like, you know what? I'm tired of it. I see him doing it. I'm chasing like this. The problem is the thing would die. It has almost no energy. It ends below the net, which means all I could do with it, if I made it, all I could do with it was just a little pop back over.
• 19:40
  Okay. So I'd pop that thing back over. And as soon as I did that, he'd take a big old step, bam. And just every time you guys, he was so good at this. Every time hit me with it, you know, whack, you know, like, that's my point, you know, like, man, every time. And he told me once like, dad, why, why do you do that? And he says, cause I think it's hilarious. You know, like every time.
• 20:07
  You know, he said, Danny, as soon as I see you running forward, I aim straight at your belly button. You can't get out of the way of that thing. You know, and I've got this rack and I'm like, ah, you know, ducking for cover or whatever. But it was amazing to me. It was amazing to me that he could completely stop the ball. He'd stop it. A soft answer is like that drop shot. That's what it's like. It's cushioning a blow. It's absorbing the energy. And you know what else?
• 20:38
  It is impossible to return. It's impossible. The wrath can be coming, the force and the energy can be coming, but a gentle, soft answer is like that drop shot. It absorbs the energy and it is impossible to return with any force. Are my words a cushion? Are they soft?
• 21:03
  Or instead, are they like the second half of verse one, which says a harsh word stirs up anger? If I'm honest, I think most of the time, my words are not a drop shot cushion, but rather a springboard. When I'm in the midst of an argument, I find that I send words back with even more power than when I received them. Sometimes I even find myself justified, feeling justified. And so I throw off my gloves when I'm offended.
• 21:32
  I suddenly feel the freedom to lash out with my words. Why do I do that? Commentator Jonathan Aiken says this, hatred, anger, and a violent temper. Harsh words, right? Hatred, anger, and a violent temper are not good conflict resolution techniques. The root of these things, catch this, hatred, anger, and a violent temper, the root of these things is idolatry. It's most likely, he says, a worship of yourself.
• 22:03
  That prevents you from letting go of a perceived wrong against you. You've been offended. He says you view yourself as God. How dare you offend God? And so you lob that stuff back at them. Proverbs 19 and verse 11. Proverbs 19 verse 11. Good sense, this says, makes one slow to anger. And it is his glory to what?
• 22:40
  overlook an offense. It is his glory. He says, just let it go. Let it go. A soft answer turns away wrath. Notice second, that was the gift of a soft answer. If you want your words to be a gift, make your words soft. But second, the gift of a sage answer. Look at verse two. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly.
• 23:11
  You ever spoken too quickly? The wise person waits to speak until they have all the facts. Proverbs 18, verse 17. The one who states his case first seems right until the other comes and examines him. Did you catch that? The one who states his case first seems right until the other comes and examines him. Now, anybody who's had multiple kids will know that this is true. Somebody comes to you crying and wailing.
• 23:42
  My brother did this to me. My brother was mean to me. My brother hit me. My brother took away the video game controller. My brother, whatever, right? My brother, my brother, my brother. And you get all enraged and you want to come to the defense of your son. And so you call that older kid in and you say, how dare you? And then the truth comes out. Like, dad, that's not how it happened at all. He said he took you, you took away the video game controller because he was hitting me with it on the head. You know, what was I supposed to do?
• 24:13
  You look at the little one. Well, yeah, I mean, I was doing that. Like, I don't understand. The one who states his case first seems right until he's cross-examined. The wise person slows down his words. Not only are they soft words, they're slow words. He doesn't snap, make snap judgments. He doesn't jump straight in. The wise person is not the one typically that speaks first. Typically, the wise person waits back, waits, listens.
• 24:46
  gathers facts, and then makes a verdict. A wise person does not hastily use their words because they understand once a word is spoken, it is impossible to get back. You ever said anything you wish you could take back? A couple of weeks ago, Tom Calkins, one of our elders who also serves over there at City Kids, was doing a lesson with those kids on the value of words and the power of our speech, and he used toothpaste to illustrate it.
• 25:19
  So the words are like toothpaste. Every word we speak is like toothpaste coming out of the tube. Impossible to get back in. Once the toothpaste is out of the tube, right? It's gone. You can never get that back in. I actually looked up some YouTube videos of people trying to get toothpaste back into the tube. You know, there are some people who claim, you know, I've done it. I've done it.
• 25:43
  And you like look at their thing, you know, and they've got this syringe and they're like sucking toothpaste back up and they're jamming it back in the tube. Like, man, what a waste of time. Toothpaste back in the tube. That's like what our words are. Proverbs 17, 28. Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise. Man, you can be an absolute idiot. Just stay quiet. People think you're smart. Even a fool, if you'll just be quiet.
• 26:17
  Right now, another, and this is not a biblical proverb, but it certainly has been launched from this proverb. What does it say? Better to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt, right? It closes his lips. He's deemed intelligent. Proverbs 13, 3. Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life. He who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Proverbs 10, 19. When words are many, transgression is not lacking.
• 26:56
  And the abundance of words is sin. Where there are many words, another translation says, when there are many words, sin is not far behind. And verses like that one confront me with the reality that if I talked less, I would sin less. I would sin less. Verse 2, the tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. This is the same, that pouring out is the same as bubbling over, gushing forth.
• 27:26
  Proverbs 16, verse 27. A worthless man plots evil. His speech is like a scorching fire. A dishonest man spreads strife. Now listen to this. A whisperer separates close friends. A whisperer. You ever get news from somebody in the form of a whisperer and wonder why they're whispering? I'm telling you, it happens all the time in churches. It happens all the time in churches.
• 27:59
  There are two phrases that I'm going to push into the light because I've heard them. I've heard them at our church. I'm just going to pray that we never hear these phrases again. One is, hey, between you, me, and the fence post. I've heard that phrase. I've heard it a lot. It's kind of be, I don't know if it's a coined phrase here at Highland. I hadn't heard it until I got to Highland. It's how we use it. This is how we introduce gossip between you, me, and the fence post. I've heard another one.
• 28:30
  Hey, you didn't hear it from me. You didn't hear it from me. You know, whatever comes after those two phrases doesn't even matter what it is. Whatever comes after those two phrases is either gossip or slander. Either way, either way, it's folly. May the Lord purge those phrases from this body. Amen. They have no place here. Proverbs 3 continues. This sage answer. Notice in verse 3, a warning is given. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.
• 29:03
  Proverbs here gives the added warning of verse 3. God will hold us accountable for every word we speak. Every word we speak. Can you imagine? He says, be careful with your words. Be soft. Be slow. Don't rush in with your words. And don't forget that the eyes of the Lord are in every place. You may think you're the only ones there, right? You, me, and the fence post, we're the only three here. Well, no, the Lord is there too. His eyes are watching, keeping watch on the evil and the good. And verse 3 is written using...
• 29:37
  Parallelism, which simply means that the second line of the verse completes or enhances the first line of the verse. God doesn't just see what happens on earth and remain unmoved and uninvolved as some would accuse him of doing. But this says that he actually keeps his watch on the good and the evil. He sees and he acts. And what does this action involve? But judgment on the words of our mouths. In other words, our words matter. Matthew 12.
• 30:06
  Verse 36, Jesus himself speaking, Matthew 12, 36, I tell you on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, by your words also condemned. The gift of a soft answer, the gift of a sage answer. Notice last, the gift of a sweet answer. Look at verse 4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
• 30:36
  Gentle tongue. You'll notice there's a translator's note, a little tiny number four next to the word gentle. You look down at the bottom of your Bible, it says, or healing. A gentle tongue or healing tongue is a tree of life. Now, I've observed an interesting occurrence in my sons. When they're hurt, when they need comfort and healing, they do not come to me. They go to their mom. Even the big ones still go to their mom. Why?
• 31:07
  Because teenage boys typically get hurt because of their own foolish mistakes. And when they've been hurt because of their own foolish mistakes, the last thing they want or need is their dad correcting them. I told you, you get no sympathy here, right? I told you not to dismount from the zip line with a backflip. I told you. Now your arm is broken, right? I wish that was not a true story.
• 31:41
  They go to their mom. Why? Because her words heal. You know what I've noticed about Hallie is she doesn't lecture while hugging. She doesn't do that. She hugs. She tells them it's going to be okay. She even tells our six-foot, two-seventeen-year-old, it's okay, baby, come here. Right? And you know what? I mean, I'd have thought he'd been offended by that. But man, if he doesn't go in there and like, yeah, mom, it does hurt. It's crazy to me. There's comfort. There's healing.
• 32:11
  There's healing in her words. Do your words heal? You can imagine for a moment the parable of the prodigal son, right? This boy comes to his dad asking for his inheritance, which is the same as saying, I wish you were dead. I wish you were dead. That's exactly what he's saying, right? Give me my money now. I want it now. The dad, because of his love for his son, it breaks his heart, but he does. He gives it to him. Okay, treat me as if I'm dead. Gives him his money. The son takes off, spends it.
• 32:47
  idiotically finds that he has nothing and then comes back. Do you remember the response of the father? Do you remember that response? Rembrandt famously painted what he thought was the response of the father in a painting called The Return of the Prodigal, and I have it here for you. It's one of my favorite paintings of all time, honestly. I've seen it various places. It's difficult to tell in this image, but there have been dissertations, entire dissertations written on this painting.
• 33:19
  Because not only does Rembrandt paint kind of what he views as the image, but he also in it gives what he thinks is a commentary on the character and nature of God in the painting. It's remarkable. It is incredible that it's almost universally agreed upon that he paints two different hands with the father. The father is standing there hugging the son. Do you see that? The son has come back. Is that his father's feet?
• 33:45
  Just crying, you can imagine, heartbroken, embarrassed, ashamed, expecting to be taken back as a servant, not as a son, and yet here is the father hugging this young man, welcoming him back, putting his ring back on him, putting his cloak back over him, right?
• 34:02
  But the hands, and Rembrandt was an unbelievable painter. I mean, you know, he was good at painting hands. He could have painted the hands any way he wanted, but there is almost universal agreement that the hands were purposely painted differently. The father's left hand, stronger, wider, bigger. The father's right hand, smaller, petite, almost feminine. I know it's hard to tell from this image, but can you guys see that?
• 34:32
  Two different hands. And it's like Rembrandt was saying, you know what? Our Father is that way. Yes. Strong? Yes. Can punish sin? Yes. Wrath? Justice? Yes. But don't forget, nurturing, healing, caring, receptive. Are those your words? There are times, certainly, where we have to rebuke or we have to correct.
• 35:06
  certainly where lectures are appropriate, but are your words also healing? The healing tongue, verse 4 says, is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit. Perverseness means deceitful, subversive, even duplicitous, like forked. It's a forked tongue. James 3, verse 8, no human being can tame the tongue. It's a restless evil full of deadly poison.
• 35:38
  With it, we bless our Lord and Father, and with it, we curse people who are made in his image. Makes no sense to me at all how I can do this. I can do this. I can worship the Lord with my mouth and yet curse people with it. The same mouth. He says, brothers, this should not be so. You can't get fresh water from a salty spring. How can both of these things exist?
• 36:02
  Never understood my ability to sing praise with my lips and yet complain and curse my brothers and sisters. And the image I have in my mind is how dare I walk across the white carpets of God's presence with the mud of slander on my shoes. Proverbs 4, verse 24. Put away from you crooked speech. Crooked. You get that right? Devious, deceitful, duplicitous, subversive. It's all the same word, perverse. Crooked speech. Put devious talk.
• 36:35
  far from you. Do you have the gift of tongues? I don't mean can you speak in other languages miraculously and all of that, right? The New Testament deals a lot with that. That's not what this sermon is about. I mean, is your tongue a gift? Do you use it to bless others the way the Lord intended? Do you have a soft tongue, one that absorbs a blow and is impossible to return? Do you practice the use of a sage tongue, one that thinks before it speaks? Do you have a sweet, healing tongue?
• 37:10
  one that heals, one that comforts, that will be a gift to your spouse, to your kids, to your friends. Lord, give us the gift of tongues. Amen? God, thank you. Thank you for your word. Thank you for the Proverbs, God, and I pray that your word would be rightly divided from this pulpit. God, I pray that we would exercise the use of soft, sage, and sweet tongues. I pray that our tongues would be a gift, a gift to your body, the church.
• 37:42
  to our friends, to our classmates and coworkers. God, may they be a gift. May they be redeemed for your glory. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.