Ecclesiastes 3:7 …a time to keep silence…

  What the old saying; "if you do not have anything nice to say, do not say it at all”.  When we look at today’s society, whether on social media or the news, we will see many instances of people screaming at the top of their lungs, most often very vulgar to just to try to get their point across. Those people think the louder they are it makes them "right”. We have gotten to the point of we feel we always have to speak to persuade people to see or accept our point of view. We can admit even in our own lives, we have the tendency to have to speak to everyone around us, pointing out flaws, disagreeing to make our point the "right point”, Etc.… etc.… etc …... Did we ever stop to think to maybe just keeping our mouths shut. Sometimes it is ok to really mind our own business. Today we are going to touch on a few instances the Bible talks about us about being silent.

Acts 19:36 Seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

Ecclesiastes 9:17  The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.

 First let talk about our relationship with God. As stated above, we can be so focused on trying to be vocal and heard, we will often times shut out the voice of God. In order to hear Him, we must be silent.

Psalm 46:10   Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Job 3:13   For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

We need to start taking the time to slow down and actually listen to God. We need to be still, be quiet and Meditate on the Lord.

Usually when we get vocal about things we should not we can truly say we are catering to the flesh instead of the spirit.

Zechariah 2:13   Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for he is raised up out of his holy habitation.

In Ephesians 6:12, the Bible tells us we do not battle against flesh in blood but against spiritual things, principalities, etc. But often we make everything physical, and start being very vocal about issues. Next week we will talk more on when it is time to be vocal. There are times we just need to stop. Let God be who he is in the situation.

Psalm 46:10   Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

  Before we speak, we should always wait on God to make sure when we speak, it is coming from Him.

In John Chapter 8, the story is, the pharisees brought Jesus a woman who was caught in adultery, of course they were trying to tempt and accuse Jesus, but at first He stayed silent as if He never heard them, then after them still pestering Him about it He just says, he who is without sin cast the first stone. Jesus did not make a spectacle of it, did not make a scene, He stayed silent enough for when it was time to speak, it was the right words and to the point. The one thing to remember, It is not our job to be accusing people of sin, knowing ourselves are sinners. There is a time and place for everything. After all that is what we are studying, a season for everything.

 The Bible will also let us know that because of our unbelief, God Himself will silence us.

Look at these verses in Luke Chapter 1:

(20) And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. (21) And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. (22) And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

  Pretty simple here. God had a plan for Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth. Zacharias unbelief could possibly spoil the plan. God made him mute to not say anything. But he needed to know because he and his wife were going to be a part of it. It a great story that leads to Mary also being approached by an angel concerning the birth of Jesus. Too often we think we know best, when a times we do not. It is better to be silent, be still, just wait it out. I know my biggest fault in life is being too fast of a problem solver. That usually means when ever and issue arises, I’m on the phone quickly, already trying to talk to people to help out, when at times I should just be quiet and allow my self to think and let God be the one to handle the situation.

Luke 6:45  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Ephesians 5:12  For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

 I will finish with those last two verses. In Luke 6:45 many times we start speaking on things that we are affected by and many times it is not in a good way so we will start to speak down on the situation. I am guilty in the 1^st degree on that. Many times, our hearts are so caught up in the situation we just start ranting and so forth. It in these times we need to recognize we need to be silent and wait upon the Lord. There in Ephesians 5:12 the verses leading up to that have to do with all the things we should not do and people we should not associate with. Nor should we make public things we know of people in private. Pretty much fall under the guise of gossiping. Some things are better off not said at all. Once again, if you have nothing nice to say, do not say it at all. Keep silent.