How we misuse our tongues! It looks like we ooze with ill feeling towards others, just ooze with evil speaking. I cannot understand why we should ooze like a slithering snail, and be speaking some evil about somebody else. Some people take great delight in speaking evil of God’s children. Let me tell you, it is very dangerous to do so. Great darkness will come into your heart, and you will find yourself declining and getting into a deep morass from where you will never get out. God wants to fill your heart with all goodness and love. Look at the patience of God towards you. Why is it impossible for you to be patient towards some frail person?

As a matter of fact I was very frail myself. I had many long-suffering of God that has held me and kept me and strengthened me. When I came to the Lord Jesus Christ, the tongue was one of my great weaknesses. But the Lord Jesus Christ put a clamp on it right away. He bridled my tongue. And thereafter God began to teach me to speak those things which He had first spoken to me. And when I began to just relay some of the things which God was speaking to me, I found people getting blessed. That was way back 54 years now. As a boy I saw the Lord take hold of my foolish tongue, and began to teach me the words which came from Him, so that when I spoke to some people, some of them would be startled, because they were the secrets of their hearts.

The Bible says that you will prophesy the secrets of men’s hearts, so that they will fall on their faces and say, ‘surely God is in you’.

Now I find that many people who pretend to teach others know nothing about spiritual diagnosis. For spiritual diagnosis you need to go into the presence of God and pray. And without His awakening your ear, you can talk a ton of rubbish and get nowhere with the person you are speaking to or trying to help.

Friends! What does the Bible say? "He gives me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary." We sometimes come out with an avalanche of words at a time when a person is totally unfit to receive even one plain honest sentence. Why waste your breath, when somebody is ill-prepared to receive it? You must first go and pray. And when you pray the God who gives you the tongue of the learned, will also tell you the season when you should speak.

If you want to have the tongue of the learned, you need to have an ear that hears. What is it that your ear is attuned to most? It has become a normal habit these days for young people to turn on the radio or TV as soon as they enter a room.

If your ears are attuned to the noises of the devil and those erotic suggestions, how can you hear the voice of God? Your ears are not awakened to hear the voice of God. That is why we constantly say to people, as we address the multitudes, "Go home and pray, God will speak to you." We have a speaking God. He is no dumb God.

Some people apparently think that God is very deaf. That is why they make a big noise.

Sometimes I miss my ear plugs when I sit on the platform when some of these people really get going. They get so effervescent and emotional, that by the time they quit singing, I suppose all their strength is gone. And they are not even fit enough to listen to the Word of God. The devil will make some people abject slaves. Outside the church doors they are worthless. What is the use of leaping to the roof? What good does it do? It does nothing. God is not deaf. He does not require high decibel religion. That is the idea that the heathen have of religion. High decibel and endless noise, have no place in the Church of Jesus Christ. We need the ears that listen to the still small voice of God. ‘Be still and know that I am God.’ Never mind the raging Red Sea before you. ‘Stand still and see the salvation of God.’ If your religion does not bring you to the stillness it is no religion at all. You might well practise your religion out in the bazaar or in the market place. It will not work. You need the ear of the learned.

‘For the tongue is a world of iniquity’, says the Bible. It is a fire. It is a tongue of iniquity. How much evil comes out of that mouth! Some religious people cannot speak a kind word. If somebody is weary, or sick, or discouraged, all that they can speak is some harsh, hard word which will just break them and turn them off. It takes years for them to recover from this hard usage. Friends, I tell you, that is not the tongue of the learned. That is not the ear of the learned. It is a world of iniquity that comes out of you.

God wants you to have the tongue of the learned. Where do you get the learning? Not in the university. You learn it at the foot of the Cross. When you humble yourself you receive this great favour from God. May the Lord give you the lips and the tongue and the ears of the learned!

-Joshua Daniel

It is said that the true secret of greatness is often traced to a mother’s prayers and personal piety. Little perhaps did Monica think of what an unspeakable blessing would follow her long years of agonizing prayers for the conversion of her son, Augustine, and the use God would make of him in after years for His cause and kingdom. When Moffat’s mother pleaded with him to accept Christ as his Saviour, she never thought that God in answer to her prayers would fill his renewed soul with such amazing zeal for the salvation of the heathen, and crown his labors with such abundant success.

It is said that John Newton learned to pray at his mother’s knee, and such was the influence of her life upon his mind that, although she was called to her heavenly Home before her son John was eight years of age, in later years, when at sea and in the midst of dangers, his agonizing prayer was, "My mother’s God, Thou God of mercy, have mercy upon me." The prayer was heard, and from the time of his conversion the name of John Newton has been honored in the churches.

It was through Newton that Thomas Scott, the commentator, was led to Christ, also Wilberforce, the champion of the emancipation of slaves and the author of Practical Views of Christianity, which led Leigh Richmond into the ministry of Christ. Jonathan Edwards, Bishop Hall, Philip Henry, Hooker, Payson, Doddridge, and the Wesleys—all had praying mothers, to which through God they attributed the secret of their success.

"When I was a little boy," said a very noted man, "my mother used to bid me kneel beside her, and placed her hand upon my head while she prayed. Before I was old enough to know her worth, she died, and I was left to my own guidance. Like others, I was inclined to evil passions, but often felt myself checked, and, as it were, drawn back by a soft hand upon my head. When I was a young man, I travelled in foreign lands and was exposed to many temptations, but when I would have yielded, that same hand was upon my head and I was saved. I seemed to feel its pressure as in the days of my happy childhood, and sometimes there came with it a solemn voice saying, ‘Do not this great wickedness, my son, and sin against God.’"

In a diary of a Christian mother was inscribed this record: "This morning I rose very early to pray for my children, especially that my sons may be ministers and missionaries of Jesus Christ." Her life corresponded to her piety, and her influence upon her children was blessed. Her prayers on their behalf were abundantly answered. Her eight children were all trained up for God. Five of her sons became ministers and missionaries of Jesus Christ, and the others were well known in the Christian Church.

It is recorded in the life of Mrs. Winslow that she determined with God’s blessing that every one of her family should appear with her at God’s right hand. She wrestled long in prayer; but not in vain, for she had the joy of seeing each of them brought to a knowledge of the Saviour.

It is said that the nine children of Mr. And Mrs. Scudder, of India, have given their lives to missionary service in that land—seven sons and two daughters. The only explanation is that given by Mr. Scudder: "The children were literally prayed into the kingdom by their mother." She was accustomed to spend the birthday of each child in prayer for that child.

Many years ago there was a mother in Somerville, N.J., whose son, a young man, had begun to lead a dissolute life. One evening she begged him not to spend that evening away from her, but he declared that he would. He said, "Mother, I am not going to be tied to your apron string; I am going to go." The mother replied, "Please try and remember that every moment tonight, until you come back, I am going to be on my knees asking God to save you."

The son, with a rude gesture and muttered oath, rushed from her presence, and spent the night in a shameful carousal. It was four o’clock in the morning when he got home. He had managed to keep his mother out of his mind during his revelry. As he got to the house he saw a light shining through the shutters. Looking in, he saw his mother on her knees and heard her pray, "God save my wandering boy."

Going to his room, he threw himself on his bed, but could not sleep. After a while he arose, then knelt down, and it seemed to him that Christ’s power proceeded from a room where his wrestling mother was pleading with God, and it led him to cry out, "God be merciful to me a sinner." That very morning he was saved.

The news of his salvation soon spread in the neighborhood, in three weeks from that time more than two hundred young people had been converted. This young man was the father of Dr. T. De Witt Talmage.

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Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on earth. God does nothing but in answer to prayer. -John Wesley

"The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." Psalm 14:1

"One evening," said a pious widow lady, "we were eating our supper- we had nothing but bread, and of that not sufficient to satisfy our hunger. ‘Mother,’ said little John, when he was finishing his last morsel, ‘what shall we do tomorrow morning? There is no bread in the house; we shall have no breakfast.’ I answered him, ‘Do not fear, John: God has not forsaken us; let us pray to him, and be assured he will remember us.’ I made him kneel down by my side, and prayed to God that He would, in His goodness, have pity upon us, and give us bread for the morrow. I then put my child to bed, telling him to go to sleep quietly, and to depend upon his God, who never forgot those who put their trust in Him. I myself went to bed, firmly believing that God had heard my prayer, and, commending myself to the protection of our Lord Jesus Christ, I slept comfortably till four in the morning, when John woke me; ‘Mother,’ said he, ‘is the bread come?’ Poor little fellow! He had but a scanty supper, and was very hungry. ‘No,’ I answered, ‘it is not yet come, but be quiet and go to sleep again; it will come.’ We both went to sleep; I was awakened a little before six in the morning, by some one rapping at my window. ‘Dame Bartlet,’ said a woman, ‘you must get up immediately; Mrs. Martin’s dairymaid is taken very ill, and you must come and milk her cows.’ Here then was bread for us.

"I went to Mrs. Martin’s, and milked her cows, and afterward sat down in the kitchen to breakfast; but I thought of my child and would not eat. Mrs. Martin observing me, said, ‘You do not eat your breakfast, Dame Bartlet.’ I thanked her and told her I had left a little boy at home in bed, very hungry; if she would permit me, I should prefer carrying my breakfast home to him. ‘Eat your breakfast now,’ was the kind reply; ‘and you may carry some home to your little boy besides.’ Mrs. Martin then gave me a basket of provisions, sufficient for myself and child for several days. As I returned home, I could not but thank my God, and feel grateful to him, and my kind benefactress. I rejoiced my little boy’s heart by the sight of his breakfast. He got up directly, eager to partake of Mrs. Martin’s kindness; after a good breakfast, I made him kneel down again by my side, whilst I returned thanks to our gracious God, who had heard our prayers the evening before, and who had given us a kind benefactress. When we rose, I took him in my lap, and said to him, ‘Now, John, I hope what has happened to us will be remembered through your whole life. Last evening we had eaten all our bread; we had none left for this morning; but we prayed to God that, through his mercy, and for the sake of Jesus Christ, he would give us our daily bread. God has heard us, and has given us bread; may this teach you through life to put your trust in your Heavenly Father. I most earnest pray God that you may never forget it.’" "And, madam," continued the good woman, "I have never wanted bread since. I am blessed in my son, who is now a man. He is dutiful and good to me, and has never forgotten the exhortation I then gave him to trust in God."

And who will dare say that this poor, humble woman, and the interests of her little household, were objects too insignificant for the care and attention of Almighty God? Is there a child of His, or any circumstance which bears in the smallest degree upon the well-being of His children, too insignificant for His attention? "Cast thy care upon the Lord for he careth for thee." Do such promises as this belong to the kings and princes and great ones only of the earth? Nay, verily, God has pledged the honor of His name, and the sanctity of His charter, to comfort, sustain, and save every one, high or low, rich or poor, that trusteth in Him.

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Evidently three men were walking by in front of the tent of Abraham. When Abraham saw them, he ran to meet them. Abraham was watching. He was not spiritually sleeping. He was cautioned about this three months ago. "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; Walk before me, and be thou perfect," God had great purposes for Abraham but they could not be fulfilled unless he met Him constantly. He was lifted higher with each meeting with God.

God may demand greater self-denial from you. Self prevents the best in you from being multiplied by God to live the life of a thousand in usefulness. Every time God meets us, the self-dying increases. Now God was walking before Abraham’s house. In those days when men were more innocent, they could see angels. When revival broke out in Kakinada, people saw Christ in their homes. If the atmosphere is suitable and pure, God can meet us. After the resurrection, people saw the saints in Jerusalem. God came to see Abraham nine months before he became a father.

God wanted to see if Abraham had taken His warning given three months ago. Abraham had taken the warning and was improving. Abraham must have been meditating at that time. He was not worried about the servants and property. Otherwise he could not have seen God. In the time of our meditation, God wants to meet us and speak to us. But you are too much taken up with the world and the gains of the world. Abraham ran and met God and besought Him to come into his house and dine. He called a young man and asked Him to prepare a fatted calf. That was the honor given to distinguished guests in those days. The angels talked to him about God’s promise to him . What have you done with the promises God has given you? Have you lost them? If you love God, you will love His promises also.

If you give time for your morning-watch grudgingly and serve the Lord half-heartedly, how can God bless you? God was on His way to destroy two great cities. But before that, Abraham began to plead with God. Let our fellowship with God be such that God will share His most intimate problems with us. It was not a pleasure for God to destroy those cities. If there was any hope of improvement, He would have never done it. There was only one self-righteous man in it.

Is God a destroying agent? No. Evil destroys itself. It is so ordered of God. Would you wish it otherwise? Wickedness destroys itself. I know my classmates who were very sinful. They are already dead. They destroyed themselves. Sin destroys itself. But it should not destroy you and me. We belong to God. He says, "You are my witnesses." Please read Isaiah 43:10; 44:8.

The work of salvation- saving men- is given to you and to me. Acts 10:32. "Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee." The angel came to Cornelius, but did not give the gospel. The angel said, "Send for Simon Peter and he will tell you." This work of saving men, is not given even to angels. But it is given to us. May the Lord help us to be faithful in this great work.