Ecclesiastes 5:1‑3 (NIV)
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.
Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know
that they do wrong. Do not be quick
with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares,
so the speech of a fool when there are many words.
Ecclesiastes 5:7
(NIV)
Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.
Therefore stand in awe of God.
Psalms
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
All kinds of prayer can occur at any time or place,
but you must be willing to patiently wait for God’s voice if you want to hear
Him.
Luke
8:8‑10 (NIV)
[Jesus] called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." His disciples asked him what this parable
meant. He said, "The knowledge of
the secrets of the
What is “the knowledge of the secrets of the
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday and today and forever.
Again, we must be willing to listen for (or wait
on) God's voice.
John 10:1‑5 (NIV)
I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter
the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a
robber. The man who enters by the gate
is the shepherd of his sheep.
The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes
on ahead of them, and his sheep follow
him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in
fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's
voice."
Also, when you are witnessing or otherwise going
about your daily business, it is good to be attentive, open to hearing God at
all times. Your spiritual “ears to
hear" are open to God when you believe that they are, and are walking in
the Spirit and in obedience to the Word.
In the following passage, note that Christ expects us to hear His voice
when we are talking to others as well as when we are talking with Him alone.
Luke 12:11-12 (Amplified)
And when they bring you before the synagogues and
the magistrates and
authorities,
do not be anxious [beforehand] how you will reply in defense or what you are to
say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very
hour and moment what [you] ought to say.
Jeremiah
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you
repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not
worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but
you must not turn to them.
Ephesians
4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building
others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
(Whole Chapter: Ephesians
4 In context: Ephesians
4:28-30)
1
Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, he should do
it as one speaking the very words of God.
(Whole Chapter: 1
Peter 4 In context: 1
Peter 4:10-12)
If you are talking, you
are not listening. So many Christians
babble when they talk with God, and also when they talk with people.
Jeremiah
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "If you
repent, I will restore you that you may serve me; if you utter worthy, not
worthless, words, you will be my spokesman. Let this people turn to you, but
you must not turn to them.
Ecclesiastes
The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded
than the shouts of a ruler of fools.
James 1:19-20
(NIV)
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone
should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's
anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
Instead of babbling with people, listen for what
God is saying to the person, and then tell the person that.
Numbers
The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with
the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the
princes of Balak.
John
But
when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will
not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you
what is yet to come.
Colossians 4:3-6
(NIV)
And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for
our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. Pray that I may proclaim it
clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way
you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let
your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you
may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:4-6 (Amplified)
That
I may proclaim it fully and make it clear [speak boldly and unfold that
mystery], as is my duty.
Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with
discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the
non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the
opportunity. Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome),
seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know
how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you].
Christians should place their faith and hope for answers to life’s problems in God’s words—not their own words. For the scriptures warn us about our own words.