Sunday
April 30
1. UTTERING THE NAME OF THE ALMIGHTY
a. What should we keep in mind about God’s holy name? Exodus 20:7; Psalm 111:9.
“All should meditate upon [God’s] majesty, His purity and holiness, that the heart may be impressed with a sense of His exalted character; and His holy name should be uttered with reverence and solemnity.”-Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307.
“What faint views some have of the holiness of God, and how much they take His holy and reverend name in vain, without realizing that it is God, the great and terrible God, of whom they are speaking.”-Early Writings, p. 70.
b. What are we admonished about when praying to a holy God? Matthew 6:7. What is the duty of ministers and parents in this regard? Ezekiel 44:23.
“Many use careless and irreverent expressions, which grieve the tender Spirit of the Lord and cause their petitions to be shut out of heaven.”-Early Writings, p. 70.
Monday
May 1
2. TAKING OATHS
a. Against what type of oaths are we warned? Matthew 5:33-37; James 5:12.
“[The Jews did not] shrink from perjury so long as it was veiled by some technical evasion of the law. Jesus condemned their practices, declaring that their custom in oath taking was a transgression of the commandment of God.”-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 66.
“[Matthew 5:37, R.V. quoted.] These words condemn all those meaningless phrases and expletives that border on profanity. They condemn the deceptive compliments, the evasion of truth, the flattering phrases, the exaggerations, the misrepresentations in trade, that are current in society and in the business world.”-Ibid., p. 68.
“Some exaggerate in their language. Some swear by their own life; others swear by their head-as sure as they live; as sure as they have a head. Some take heaven and earth to witness that such things are so. Some hope that God will strike them out of existence if what they are saying is not true. It is this kind of common swearing against which Jesus warns His disciples.”-Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 201.
b. What does Christ’s example reveal about the judicial oath? Matthew 26:63, 64.
“Our Saviour did not . . . forbid the use of the judicial oath, in which God is solemnly called to witness that what is said is truth and nothing but the truth. Jesus Himself, at His trial before the Sanhedrin, did not refuse to testify under oath. . . .
“But if there is anyone who can consistently testify under oath, it is the Christian. He lives constantly as in the presence of God, knowing that every thought is open to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do; and when required to do so in a lawful manner, it is right for him to appeal to God as a witness that what he says is the truth, and nothing but the truth.”-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 66, 67.
Tuesday
May 2
3. OTHER TYPES OF SWEARING
a. What are some of the more subtle forms of swearing? James 4: 11, 12.
“ ‘Let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of the evil one’ (Matthew 5:37, R.V.). . . . If these words of Christ were heeded, they would check the utterance of evil surmising and unkind criticism; for in commenting upon the actions and motives of another, who can be certain of speaking the exact truth? How often pride, passion, personal resentment, color the impression given! A glance, a word, even an intonation of the voice, may be vital with falsehood. Even facts may be so stated as to convey a false impression.”-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, pp. 67, 68.
b. What attitude is totally unacceptable in God’s church? Matthew 5:21, 22.
“O, how much there is in the Church [cherishing anger against a brother or sister] today! [Matthew 5:22 quoted.] God has a controversy with that man. He thinks he has occasion for feeling angry, for calling his brother raca, ‘vain fellow’; but these passionate words are a savor of death unto death. He who utters them is not cooperating with God but with Satan. In heaven his wicked railing is placed in the same list as swearing.”-The Review and Herald, April 1, 1902.
c. What call comes to every believer in Christ? Colossians 4:6; Ephesians 4:29.
“Everything that Christians do should be as transparent as the sunlight. Truth is of God; deception, in every one of its myriad forms, is of Satan; and whoever in any way departs from the straight line of truth is betraying himself into the power of the wicked one. Yet it is not a light or an easy thing to speak the exact truth. We cannot speak the truth unless we know the truth; and how often preconceived opinions, mental bias, imperfect knowledge, errors of judgment, prevent a right understanding of matters with which we have to do! We cannot speak the truth unless our minds are continually guided by Him who is truth.”-Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 68.
Wednesday
May 3
4. SWEARING AT HOME
a. What do we too often overlook in our family circle? Psalm 101:2; Proverbs 16:32.
“Sometimes the spirit of fretting and complaining invades the domestic circle. The will may be crossed in little things which a person of a cheerful spirit would scarcely notice; but the fretter is annoyed and chafed as though he had suffered an aggravated grievance, and the passionate reproaches he utters against the person, who, he thinks, has committed some blunder, are scarcely less sinful than swearing.”-The Signs of the Times, June 12, 1884.
“Among the members of many families there is practiced the habit of saying loose, careless things; and the habit of tantalizing, of speaking harsh words, becomes stronger and stronger as it is indulged, and thus many objectionable words are spoken that are after Satan’s order, and not after the order of God. Should those who indulge in speaking words of passion, study the Guide Book, and with a serious mind seek to know its requirements, and to do them-should they make practical its injunctions-what a transformation would there be in the conduct and conversation! Burning words of passion should never be spoken; for in the sight of God and holy angels they are as a species of swearing. . . .
“Every relation in life, every position of responsibility, every affection and habit, every emotion of the mind, is to be brought to the great standard of righteousness, the commandments of God, which are exceeding broad.”-The Youth’s Instructor, September 20, 1894.
b. What qualities should we conscientiously cultivate? Proverbs 16:24; 2 Peter 3:14.
“You may look surprised at [your duty to place a firm hold upon the bridle of your tongue as well as your thoughts], but it is a species of swearing to be constantly irritated and irritating others by your faultfinding and gloomy reflections. These fits of indigestion are trying, but hold fast to the bridle that you will not swear to those who are your best friends or to those who are your enemies.”-Mind, Character, and Personality, vol. 2, p. 410.
Thursday
May 4
5. VICTORY THROUGH OUR SAVIOUR
a. Describe the liberty that comes as we gain the victory over complaining. Romans 8:21.
“Men and women who fret and chafe will lose the affections of their friends, for they are forever stinging some one. Whatever their position, however exalted their profession, they can have no decided influence for good until they remedy this defect. They have complained long enough to test the matter, and prove that complaints do not make them any happier or their way any easier.”-The Signs of the Times, June 12, 1884.
b. What hope can we glean from the experience of Peter? Matthew 26:33-35, 69-75; 1 John 2:1, 2.
“Mark the course pursued by Peter. His fall was not instantaneous, but gradual. Step after step was taken, until the poor, sinful one denied his Lord with cursing and swearing. He denied the Man of Sorrows in his acquaintance with grief. . . .
“But Peter was not left in hopelessness. The look that Christ had given him brought a ray of hope to the erring disciple. He read there the words, ‘Peter, I am sorry for you. Because you are sorry and repent, I forgive you.’ While Peter’s soul was passing through such deep humiliation, through the awful struggle with satanic agencies, he remembered the words of Christ, ‘I have prayed for thee’ (Luke 22:32); and they were to him a precious assurance.
“The watchcare of Christ for Peter was the cause of his restoration. Satan could do nothing against the all-powerful intercession of Christ. And the prayer that Christ offered for Peter He offers in behalf of all who are humble and contrite in heart.”-The Youth’s Instructor, December 15, 1898.
Friday
May 5
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTION
1. In what ways may I be actually guilty of swearing, and how can I change this?