Chapter 8—The Influence of Words
Tongue Control by Divine Grace—My brethren and sisters, how
are you employing the gift of speech? Have you learned so to con-
trol the tongue that it shall ever obey the dictates of an enlightened
conscience and holy affections? Is your conversation free from levity,
pride and malice, deceit and impurity? Are you without guile before
God? Words exert a telling power. Satan will, if possible, keep the
tongue active in his service. Of ourselves we cannot control the unruly
member. Divine grace is our only hope.—
Testimonies for the Church
5:175
.
An Influence to Balance Souls—Words spoken in season, how
good are they! How much strength a word of hope, courage, and
determination in a right course will give one who is inclined to slide
into habits that are demoralizing! The firm purpose you may possess
in carrying out good principles will have an influence to balance souls
in the right direction.—
Messages to Young People, 125
.
Choice of Words in Light of the Judgment—If you cherish a
habitual impression that God sees and hears all that you do and say,
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and keeps a faithful record of all your words and actions, and that you
must meet it all, then in all you do and say you will seek to follow
the dictates of an enlightened and wakeful conscience. Your tongue
will be used to the glory of God and will be a source of blessing to
yourself and to others. But if you separate from God, as you have been
doing, take heed lest your tongue shall prove a world of iniquity and
bring upon you fearful condemnation; for souls will be lost through
you.—
Testimonies for the Church 4:244
.
Links in the Chain of Human Events—You may think that what
you do or say is of little consequence, when the most important results
for good or evil are the consequence of our words and actions. The
words and actions looked upon as so small and unimportant are links
in the long chain of human events.—
Testimonies for the Church 3:542
.
Christ’s Way—God’s servants in this age have been given most
solemn truths to proclaim, and their actions and methods and plans
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