In his sermon titled 'Rivers Flowing From Bellies', Peter Allison explores the theme of wisdom as presented in Proverbs 16. He emphasizes the superiority of wisdom over material wealth, asserting that true wisdom, which is found in Christ, brings blessings and peace. The sermon discusses the dual aspects of wisdom: faith and obedience, and how they work together like spokes on a wheel, as well as the significance of speech in conveying wisdom. Allison highlights how words, when spoken wisely, can edify and bless others, drawing parallels to biblical figures like Hezekiah and historical scientific advancements led by those who trusted in God. The sermon concludes by urging believers to be vessels of living water, spreading blessings and hope through wise and pleasant words.

Please turn in your copy of the Word of God to Proverbs 16. We are in part two of a three-part series here in Proverbs 16. It begins at Verse 16 and goes through verse 30. I'd like to read that section this morning, but we'll be looking in our message beginning at verse 20. Hear the word of our Lord.

How much better to get wisdom than gold? And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He who keeps his way preserves his soul. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.

Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud. He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord happy is he. The wise in heart will be called prudent, and sweetness of the lips increases learning. Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it, but the correction of fools is folly. The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds learning to his lips.

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. The person who labors labors for himself, for his hungry mouth, drives him on. An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.

A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him in a way that is not good. He winks his eye to devise perverse things. He purses his lips and brings about evil. Thus far the reading of God's Word. May He add His Spirit and blessing to it.

Almighty Heavenly Father, your Word does endure forever to all eternity. It is truth. It is truth. It does not pass away, become outdated, inaccurate, or unimportant. But your Word brings wisdom to us.

We ask that you would do that this morning. That wisdom that is hidden in Christ. May you bring that to us. May you give that to us. You promise to give it to those who ask, who do not ask amiss, who do not ask with a doubting and double-minded mind.

You promise to give it without uprating or reproach. This we would ask of your hand this morning. We pray that the words that are said might be true, that you would guard these lips from error in Jesus name amen and please be seated Last week we looked at the investment advice that the Lord gives in this text in comparing the desirability of wisdom and wealth, wisdom and gold and silver, both are good things, but one was better. We saw last week that in calling us to seek wisdom, in declaring that wisdom and understanding is better than gold, That we were being pointed to Christ because Christ is wisdom, has been made to us wisdom. In Him is hid all wisdom and knowledge.

And that that wisdom was a wisdom that made us wise unto salvation. And therein was the greater blessing, the greater benefit, by far, than anything that gold and silver could bring. But there are two aspects to this wisdom. There are two sides to it. You could call them two sides to the same coin.

In verse 20, he who heeds the word wisely will find it good, and whoever trusts in the Lord happy is he. You see those two sides in that text. He who heeds the word wisely, now that word for word Can also mean a matter? Can also mean a business matter so it can be a little bit broader than simply words And so this is saying that he who handles a matter with wisdom shall find good. He who handles a matter with wisdom, he who ponders it, he who brings wisdom to it, he who is especially competent in speech because we see in what we've read this morning that this is all about speech.

It talks all about the organs of speech. Almost every verse either speaks about speech directly or indirectly by referring to the organs of speech, the lips, the tongue, the mouth. These are the organs of speech. We cannot speak without our tongue, we can't speak without teeth, we can't speak, of course, without our mouth. So these are all the organs of speech.

Now the lips as well. We can't speak without lips. Those three things, tongue, lips, and teeth, are even more than the vocal cords, the organs of speech. The cord makes the sound. But it's the lips, the tongue, and the teeth that give distinctness to the sound.

That's what enables us to form the letters. In fact, in some cases, the vocal cords don't have any role in the letter. Those are the unvoiced sounds. They're formed simply with the lips and the teeth and the tongue. So these are the organs of speech.

Maybe we don't think of your teeth as organs of speech or your lips as organs of speech, but they are. Without them, we couldn't speak. We couldn't speak intelligibly. We couldn't form letters. So, he who ponders the Word, or maybe more broadly ponders a matter Will find good and Whoever trusts in the Lord Happy is he there's These are the two aspects of true wisdom.

We might call them in more familiar terms, faith and obedience. The Bible, the Old Testament, when it speaks of faith, it talks about trusting in the Lord. And it's used throughout the Old Testament. This idea of trusting in the Lord throughout the Old Testament is pervasive in the Old Testament as faith is in the New Testament. Trusting in God is not lazy in action.

Sometimes it does involve prayerful waiting. But as this verse describes, It often, trusting in the Lord, faith, often involves using the tools, the knowledge, and the means that God has provided, recognizing that all those means are God's means. It's His knowledge and His means that He is providing and through which He is pleased to work to accomplish His purposes. This is the message of the greater chapter, verse 1 says, the preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. There's those two sides again, our work, our labor, our knowledge, Our application, our diligent use of the means that God has given to us, but then the Lord's sovereign purpose.

The Lord works through those. Verse 9, a man's heart plans his way. There's our action again, our obedient action. But the Lord directs His step. The Lord God is sovereign and apart from Him we can do nothing, but as we saw when we looked at verse 9, it is the Lord that sovereignly brings to pass what he has determined to bring to pass.

Or even in the last verse of this chapter, the lot is cast into the lap, But every decision is from the Lord. A lot is a very useful tool. It's one that we see used in Scripture. There's nothing magical about the lot. If we had big enough computers and Fast enough computers, you know when you flip a coin, it's all a matter of physics how many times it flips is is function of the force that went into the thumb as we flipped it and How many times it rolls around on the ground?

It's all a matter of, we might say, physics, the laws of physics. Who passed the law of gravity? Who enacted these laws of physics? Well, they're just God's laws. They're just our description of how God works, of how he governs his universe.

So the lot is cast, and We have no idea what way the coin will come, what number will turn up on the dice, because our minds are just not capable of thinking that fast. But God knows. He determines these things. And so there are then two sides to biblical wisdom. That of our action, our obedient action in applying, in using the means and the tools and the knowledge that God gives, and then trusting in the Lord, having faith in the Lord that he will accomplish his purpose.

This is the idea behind James 5 when we are instructed to pray for those who are sick, anointing them with oil, and the prayer of faith will heal them. There's not mysticism in there, it's simply speaking of Using means that God has ordained, medicinal means, medicine. That's what is often behind the biblical reference to anointing with oil. Remember When Jesus told the parable of the good Samaritan, the man that's accosted and beaten up, how is he treated? With oil and wine on his wounds.

It's not what we think of, but those were medicinal agents. And so what's in view then is the use of means, the use of knowledge, pondering the matter with wisdom, and trusting the Lord. Faith and obedience. This is the response of the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. It brings faith and obedience.

Which one comes first? Well, they're like the spokes on the wheel. When the wheel begins to turn, they both turn together. The wheel can't turn unless both of the spokes are turning. They come together.

James says it this way, faith without works is dead. It's not a living faith. It's not a saving faith. Faith and obedience are the two sides of Biblical wisdom. That wisdom that is found in Jesus Christ, who has created the world, by whom the world was created, and for whom the world was created.

And so this then is where we concluded last week in our look at those seeking wisdom. This wisdom then brings first a blessing to ourselves. Whoever heeds the word wisely will find good. And whoever trusts in the Lord happy is he, or blessed is he. That word is translated happy in places and blessed in other places the wisdom that comes from seeking the Lord brings good to us, it brings blessing.

It brings, first of all, peace. When we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, by faith, believe upon Him, we have peace with God. We are reconciled to the Father. We are not under His condemnation. We are no longer under His wrath.

Isaiah said in chapter 26, You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. We're Satan our conscience can accuse us. Satan can throw our sin at us and accuse us. He is the accuser of the brethren. But for those who trust in Christ, we can have peace by the work of the Holy Spirit, teaching us, bringing to us the knowledge that we have been reconciled to God the Father, that the wrath of God has been appeased by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

And then we can say with Paul, who can bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? He whom God has justified. He whom God has declared to be his friend.

Who can say otherwise? So God brings trusting in the Lord, brings happiness, it brings a blessed condition of being at peace with God. But it brings many other blessings as well. In fact, we sing the doxology, Praise God from whom all blessings flow. All the blessings that we have flow From the Lord and come to us by faith they come to us as We trust in the Lord in second Kings Has a kayas success as a king is related to his faith in God.

Hezekiah began to reign when he was 25 years old, and he reigned almost 30 years. And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father David had done. He was, in the words of the Bible, a good king. He removed the high places. These are places that the Israelites sacrificed contrary to the word of God, which was that they should sacrifice at His altar.

He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the wooden image and broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made. For until those days the children of Israel burned incense to it and called it Neheshtan. He trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him. For he held fast to the Lord, he did not depart from following him, but kept his commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. The Lord was with him, and he prospered wherever he went.

He subdued the Philistines, that thorn in the flesh to the Israelites, as far as Gaza and its territory. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He resisted the tyranny of that man that was spoiling the blessings of the Lord had given him, taking from them the wealth that God was giving to them. He resisted that. And we will see in the rest of this chapter, then goes on to talk about how God delivered him from Assyria from King Sennacherib but I will look at that in a minute but I want to point out in this in this confrontation that follows how the messenger from King Sennach Reb Shaka attacks the faith of the Israelites.

He realizes that if they are going to be successful they need to defeat the faith of the Israelites and so if we just he's I won't read his whole message it's very arrogant But I want to point out how he attacks the faith of the Israelites. In verse 19, he said to them, say, go tell Hezekiah your king. Thus says the great king the king of Assyria What confidence is this in which you trust? Well, Hezekiah was trusting in the Lord and he's he's questioning that in in verse 20 You speak of having plans and power for war, but they are mere words. There's there's half truth in that They are mere words member the lot is cast into the lap, but the decision is of the Lord.

The plans of men, we make plans but the Lord directs our steps. And so he's saying here, yes you just have these plans, they're just mere plans, what good are they? They are mere words. And in whom do you trust that you rebel against me? He recognized that this resistance to tyranny was because Hezekiah was trusting in someone else.

And because he was trusting in the Lord, he didn't have a fear of what Sennacherib might do to him, because he trusted in the Lord who was greater and more powerful to protect him. But see, Rapsheka understood this. He's attacking this faith. And then in verse 21, Now look, you are trusting in the staff of a broken-reed Egypt, On which if a man leans it will go into his hand and pierce it. In other words, it's not dependable.

He's trying to say, well, you're trusting in Egypt. Well, Hezekiah wasn't trusting in Egypt. He was trusting in the Lord. But Rapshaka didn't know that. He goes on in the next verse.

But if you say to me we trust in the Lord our God, is it not he whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away?" Well no. Hezekiah was taking away the false idols and false places of worship. He says, you shall take away, he is taken away and said to Jerusalem, you shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem. He's attacking their faith again. And he goes on in verse 24.

How then will you repel one captain of the least of my master's servants and put your trust in Egypt for chariots and horsemen. Have I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, Go up against this land and destroy it. Now he's half right in that as well because I think it was last week we looked at has a shenekarib was the servant of the Lord God called them his servant And God did send him on this mission to reduce cities to rubble, to bring his wrath on those who do evil. But Sennacherib was also God's servant and under God's dominion.

And when Hezekiah later on in this text prays to the Lord, the outworking of his trust in the Lord, the Lord puts a hook. The Lord says, I will put a hook in Snekarib's nose and draw him back." You know, you put a hook in the nose of a bull, and then even a little child can lead that bull. And that's how bulls historically have been controlled. They're very strong. But if at birth, or near birth, a ring is put in their nose, then all you need to do is clip a hook onto that ring.

And anyone, even a child, even a little child, can lead that bull by that stick with a hook in its nose. That's how God describes Sennacherib. He would put a hook in this king's nose and completely subdue and conquer him. And you know that he did. He sent his angel into Sennacherib's camp and destroyed 185, 000 of his soldiers overnight.

When he woke up, there they were all dead. His army, the army in which he was trusting, was gone. Distrusting was gone. But even later on in verse 30, He again attacks Hezekiah. Don't listen to Hezekiah lest he persuade you saying the Lord will deliver us.

He realized that the source of Hezekiah's resistance was trust. He didn't know exactly who, he didn't know the Lord, but he recognized this was a trust. That God delivers and protects those who trust in Him. Remember, Ezra was in the same situation. And he had just spoken to the king about how God would provide for them.

And he didn't want to, after he, God would provide protection for the Israelites as they went back to the land of Israel from Persia, where they had been taken captive. So he didn't want to then, after he had talked to the king, boasted to the king, if you will, boasting the Lord, He had boasted to the king that Jehovah would take care of them. He said he didn't want to go back and ask for soldiers. He proclaimed a fast at the river that we might humble ourselves before God to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions. For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road, because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all those who forsake him.

And so we fasted and entreated our God for this, and He answered our prayer. He provided protection for them, and they were able to safely go back to Israel because God protected them, because they trusted in Him. He who heeds the word wisely will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he." Psalm 2, Kiss the son lest he be angry, and you perish in the way when his wrath is kindled, but a little blessed are all those who put their trust in Him." Psalm 5, But let all those who put their trust in Him rejoice. Let them ever shout with joy, because you defend them. O taste and see, David said, that the Lord is good.

This is Psalm 34 when he was delivered from Saul. When he had escaped out of the city and his wife Michael had put that image in the bed to give him time to get away. David said, Blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust. Blessed is the man that trusts in the Lord. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.

Blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust. Psalm 40 says, and respects not the proud or such as turn aside to lie. Psalm 84, O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in You. 2 Samuel, the God of my rock, in Him I will trust. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, my Savior.

You save me from violence. As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He is a buckler to all them that trust in Him." The blessing of those who trust in the Lord, that comes from the wisdom of seeking Christ. But It doesn't stop there.

The wisdom that comes from seeking Christ is first a blessing to us. It brings us peace with God. It brings us protection. It brings salvation from the wrath of God. But it also then makes us a blessing to others.

The wisdom that comes from seeking God brings speech, as in our text this morning, that edifies others. These next verses speak about this speech that edifies others. You see, words are, as we all know, very powerful instruments that can be used for great good and for evil. We'll look next week at the use of words for evil. But this week in this verses here are giving us a picture of the power of words, of wise speech for good.

The wise in heart will be called prudent. See what is indirectly being said there? Will be called prudent. That means there is this wisdom that is being recognized by others and it's being appreciated by others, by those around us. Wisdom enables God's people to dispense knowledge, as Proverbs 15 tells us.

The wise are those who dispense knowledge. And that is a blessing to those who are around us when it's spoken in true wisdom. Spoken in true wisdom. Science has advanced the most when it has been led by people who trusted in the words of God, who believed the words of God and not the ideas of the consensus around them when it was not a godly consensus. And I'll give you a very recent example.

It would be fascinating to be a whole other talk or many talks to look at historically, how great advancements in science have come, have been led by cultures and civilizations that trust in the Lord, where the Word of God is believed. Just think of the Western world since the Reformation. Compare its advances in science to the advances of all the other countries, countries that we often call third world. But I'd like to give you just one example very recently by a man that's living today, A man who has looked to the scriptures for his presuppositions about the physical world. So those without wisdom, the fool today says that Everything that we see around us has come into existence out of nothing.

And that everything that we see is very ancient. Millions and millions or billions of years old. But the Bible says very clearly that's not the case, that the world is 6, 000 years old. And it also says that God created the worlds out of water. He created the earth, the heavens out of water, formed them out of water.

One of the, and this scientist saw that and pondered it and applied it. One of the mysteries today is where the earth's magnetic field comes from. And there are models that are popular today that we would say science, the consensus, is that they are essentially like a dynamo like a like a motor and you've got this molten core of metal basically in the earth that's and because you and out of the motion of the earth and you have essentially a current being created and that's what's producing this magnetic field that is around the earth. It's very important by the way it protects us from a lot of things But there are a lot of problems with that model. And this scientist said, well, let me apply, let me start thinking about this problem from the perspective of what the Bible says.

Let me start with the presupposition that the Bible is true. Let me trust in the Word of God first, that the earth was water initially. How might the earth have arisen from that condition? He has developed a completely different model that explains the arising, the creation, of the Earth's magnetic field, as well as the decay of the Earth's magnetic field. Now, we have the measurements of the Earth's magnetic field, so anybody can build a model and fit it to the data we have and say, look, see, my model fits the data.

But that's not a real test. The real test is when you apply your model to a situation you don't have any data for and then you get the data and then you see does it fit my model. And the space probes that have gone to these different planets, the Voyager, have made measurements of the magnetic field in all the different planets. And the unbelieving science, I'll call it that, has made their predictions about the magnetic field that would be encountered in each of these planets based on their models. Now these planets are very different.

Some are solid and some are gaseous. Some are big and some are small. Some are dense and some are less dense. There's a lot of variables that will affect the size of the magnetic field that you measure. But this believing scientist took his model and applied it to each of the planets and made a prediction about the magnetic field that would be detected.

Guess who was right? The scientist who based his model because he believed the word of God. When lo and behold as the Voyager went and measured these magnetic fields in the planets, his model was within an order of magnitude. The other model, the consensus model, is five orders of magnitude off in its prediction That's just one little tiny example you could say it's somewhat irrelevant and yes it is because you know in a sense what what value has come from that magnetic field. But I use it to illustrate the blessing, the knowledge that is dispensed by those who trust the Lord.

That many of the things that we enjoy in our culture today, that we call science or technology, have arisen, have come out of a culture whose foundation was built on trusting the Lord, just like Hezekiah did. Those who trust the Lord and have this wisdom persuade others. So it's not just a mere blessing, but there's an ability to persuade others. The wise in heart will be called prudent and sweetness of the lips, sweetness of the lips increases persuasiveness or learning. In verse 21 and in verse 23, the heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

Or in the King James word, it adds learning. That word can be persuasive as well. In other words, when There is wisdom that flows from trusting the Lord. It produces speech that is persuasive, speech that moves, speech that influences, speech that blesses those around us. Motivating other people to greater study.

Drawing influence to the message that is being communicated. In verse 22, there's another picture of how this wisdom blesses others. And then it says, understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. A wellspring of life. Now if I had more time I would have given you a little picture today in your handout.

If I had a color printer at home, I suppose too. But I immediately thought of the Nile River. If you go home, you can Google it or look on Google Maps and go to the satellite image you can look at a picture of Egypt and And from space you can see this you can see it looks like a barren land but where the Nile is is this strip of green And then where it gets to the delta, it branches out in a very wide cone as the Nile flows into the Mediterranean Sea. And it's green. It's green from space.

It looks green. Some places it's only four miles wide and some places it's 12 or more miles wide. It's not very wide compared to all the space in Egypt, but it's very obvious that this is a land that has been made lush, productive, blessed, because of this Nile River that is flowing through it, watering everything. That is a picture of what the wise believer is to those who are around a wellspring of life a river of living water that pours itself out in blessing to those who are around it. This is the picture that is given for us in Ezekiel 47.

Ezekiel has just had this very lengthy vision of the temple. He's gone through and he's measured it in every little detail. It goes on for many chapters, this description of the temple. But then when it's all done, he's gotten this overview of this temple. He's brought back to the door of the temple, and there was water flowing under the threshold of the temple toward the east.

Now that is not what you would normally want to see coming out of your house. That is probably especially true given the recent flooding in our area. But there is a picture here of a river of water flowing under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east and there was water flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. But this is a different sort of river. This is not a destructive river.

And so then Ezekiel is brought around to the north gate by the outside. And he comes around, So he's seen it from the inside now. He's going to come around to the outside and see this river that started under the Threshold of the temple From inside it's now flowing out of the temple and keeps on going in fact This is a pretty big river now They go a thousand cubits in and it comes up to the ankles and then they go a thousand cubits more. So this is a very a thousand cubits is maybe 2, 000 feet so not quite half a mile. This is a very big river And then the water comes up to their knees.

And then they go more and the water came up to their waist. And then they realize it's too big, so they come back. And he comes back to the river and there he looks along the bank of the river and there are very many trees on one side and the other side. He is told by his guide, the water flows toward the eastern river down onto the valley and enters the sea. It shall be that every living thing that moves wherever the river goes will live." There is a river of life.

And there will be a very great multitude of fish. And then it says, along the bank of the river on this side on that will grow all kinds of trees used for food. For their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail and they will bear fruit every month because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food and their leaves for medicine. Well, that's a picture of the blessing of the Lord that is brought by His Holy Spirit that then flows out, bringing food, bringing growth, bringing healing to the area in which it flows.

Says in our text, it speaks of the same thing. Health to our bones. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Pleasant words are words that flow from a heart that has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. A heart in which the fruit of the Spirit is being produced.

See when the Holy Spirit works faith and obedience in us, He also then begins to work through us. Jesus stood in the middle of the temple. He cried out, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the Scriptures said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." King James says, out of his belly, because that's the innermost part, out of our guts, out of the innermost part of our being. Those who believe, those who trust in the Lord out of them will flow a river of living water.

Well, we've talked about what is produced, the fruit of trusting in the Lord, the fruit of faith. But what are specifically pleasant words? What are words that are sweet? As we close this morning, I want to give a few examples of this type of speech, because that's what this is focusing on, this text. It's words, speech, what we say That is sweetness to the soul and health to the bones brings physical healing to people See this sweetness of speech or that that pleasant words are isn't about being sentimental Necessarily or syrupy, but it's about how our speech is delivered to the hearer, about how it is tailored to what a person needs to hear, a particular person needs to hear.

It's the opposite of trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. But rather it is the idea that what we say is crafted, it is adapted, it is fitted, it is appropriate to those who are listening. It takes into account the context. It takes into account the situation. It takes into account the needs, the particular needs of the one to whom we are speaking.

It takes into account the time. Because you can have wonderful words that are spoken in love, but there might not be the right time to say them, the right context to say them. Ephesians 4 says that it speaks about something that is true and needs to be said, but speaks of the right time and the occasion so that it ministers to the hearer. So words have to be true. I'm not talking about flattery.

Flattery and other forms of false praise are not pleasant words. They don't bring sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. Flattery are words of praise that are spoken insincerely in order to give a benefit to us. Flattery are words that we would say to a person. Flattery is saying to a person what we would never say behind their back.

We would never say those words of praise to somebody else necessarily behind them, unless we figured that that person would hear. Those words would get back to them. I suppose there is indirect flattery that way. But where we have no expectation of any of those words coming back directly, that's praise. So words that are true, words that affirm gifts and abilities in others, commending the saints.

As Paul does in Romans 16, he commended Phoebe for her labors. He commended her publicly before the congregation, but there's also words of affirmation that are given privately. Words that express our approval of what is good in others and our gratitude for other people's labors are pleasant words. Words that support the needy and the defenseless. Not those that are needy and lacking in food, but those that are wrongly under attack.

Our words can be pleasant and healing. Words that cheer the anxious. See, anxiety weighs down the heart, but a good word cheers it up That's a word that is pleasant to the soul and health to the bones Words that are gentle especially when we need to bring a rebuke. Gentleness is very important in bringing words that are healing. Talking about the future with hope.

Speaking about the future with hope. This is especially important as we speak with our children. That we don't speak to them about their future without hope or negatively. Why? Because the Holy Spirit can give us power to change anything that is bad in us.

The wisdom of Christ teaches us that He is the Good Shepherd. It teaches us that He is sovereign. It teaches us that He controls the future. It teaches us His kingdom will triumph. It teaches us His saints will be preserved and the wicked will be punished.

And that's why we can speak about the future with hope. You know, that's one of the most powerful ways that we can bless others with our words, is to bring to them these promises of scripture and to speak with hope about their future. But also, active listening is another way. Now you can say, well how can active listening be an example of pleasant words? Well, active listening involves asking questions for clarification.

It involves Communicating that we are following what is being said, that it's important to us, that we value it. Active listening. Asking questions for clarification. Summarizing what has been said and seeing if that's correct expressing Appreciation for what has been said interest in what is being said Expressions of agreement when we agree with what is being said. These are all parts of active listening that communicate blessing to others.

Also confessing our sins to one another and asking forgiveness when we have sinned against people. Think about What is the most wonderful thing that you could hear? Someone has sinned against you. If somebody has wronged you in a way, it's to hear their humble confession, acknowledgement of the hurt they have caused. See, those are indeed pleasant words.

Those are words that are healing, very healing to our bones. Those are the words that the Lord speaks to us as well. To those who have sought the wisdom of Jesus Christ and who have put their faith in Him, Come unto me, all you that weary and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me. I will give you rest.

The Lord comes speaking peace to us that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus Who don't walking according to the flesh but are walking according to his spirit That is indeed healing a message of health to our bones. Praise the Lord for it. Almighty Heavenly Father, We thank you for your words to us, your pleasant words that are sweetness to our soul and health to our bones, that proclaim to us the forgiveness of our sins, that proclaim to us your faithfulness and your promptness to forgive us our sins, that speak peace, that there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Indeed, those are words of life, of healing. We praise you, the author of those words, the one who has brought those things to pass by your sacrifice, by your obedience.

Father, we do ask you that as you have worked in us, that as your spirit has brought fruit in us, that we would be a wellspring of life to all those around us, an oasis in a dry and thirsty land, speaking words of comfort, of blessing, of encouragement, of truth, and bringing light and bringing hope. Father, we know that this is Your work, for there is nothing in ourselves that is worthy or good. But this is your promise to us, and by faith we ask that you would enable us to apprehend it. Through Jesus Christ we pray, Amen. Thanks for watching!