Foreword

The Lord in His mercy is giving us time today to prepare to stand before His throne. When the Lord comes again you and I will need to be prepared, and Scripture informs us that to be victorious in that day we must be found without “guile” in our mouths. Many Christians have overlooked the importance of speech in preparing the character for heaven.

“Speech is one of the great gifts of God. It is the means by which the thoughts of the heart are communicated. It is with the tongue that we offer prayer and praise to God. With the tongue we convince and persuade. With the tongue we comfort and bless, soothing the bruised, wounded soul. With the tongue we may make known the wonders of the grace of God. With the tongue also we may utter perverse things, speaking words that sting like an adder.”–The Review and Herald, May 12, 1910.

We carry a great deal of power and influence in our voice. Often we do not realize the tremendous implications inherent in virtually every sound we utter. Today we are deciding if our voice will express allegiance to Christ or to Satan in the great controversy before us. Which choice are you making?

Today the enemy of souls knows that the voice will be a key factor in deciding the destiny of countless men and women. He is trying to make us use this special talent for evil rather than for good. “Not one word is to be spoken unadvisedly. No evil speaking, no frivolous talk, no fretful repining or impure suggestion, will escape the lips of him who is following Christ. The apostle Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, says, ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth’ (Ephesians 4:29). A corrupt communication does not mean only words that are vile. It means any expression contrary to holy principles and pure and undefiled religion. It includes impure hints and covert insinuations of evil. Unless instantly resisted, these lead to great sin.”–The Signs of the Times, July 2, 1902.

Are you prepared, dear brethren, sisters, and young people, for the challenge ahead? Are you prepared to study this quarter about the talent of speech? Are you prepared to dedicate your tongue to the glory of God? We pray that these Sabbath Bible Lessons will help every student who seeks such a preparation that he or she may stand with “no guile” before the throne of God.