Spread Love, Not Gossip
Today's our last Devotional on Rejection of Gossip, Slander, Lies and Discord and yes, we can imagine your collective sighs. While each devotional was challenging, we pray that you've committed this scripture to memory and will live by it!
SCRIPTURE: "These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among the brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19
“And then there’s sister Sarah. Ain’t she sweet? She gets the word next thing you know it’s in the streets. By the time it’s been repeated all the truth has been deleted what a shame!” These are lyrics from the song “Spread Love," by Take 6. They ring so true. Gossip and slander undermine and destroy a person’s reputation. The Bible also uses words like slander and backbiting. So what exactly is gossip?
Gossip: the spread of unrestrained conversation or reports about other people that are usually of a personal or intimate nature that has not been confirmed to be true. Gossip breaks the 8th Commandment: Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Make no mistake about it, spreading gossip and slandering is a sin! The Hebrew word, “nirgan” means to whisper maliciously. It denotes complaint and criticism. When used in the Bible, especially in Proverbs, it damages relationships. (Proverbs 16: 27-28; Proverbs 17:9). How uncomfortable do you feel when you are in close proximity of two or more people whispering things to each other that you can’t hear? Does it make you wonder who and what they’re talking about? Or even if they are talking about you?
Since gossip usually involves subject matter about a person’s personal intimate life, we should not be partakers of it. Listening and entertaining the gossiper and gossip should not be tolerated by the children of God since we are not getting it directly from the source, but from secondhand or even 3rd and 4th hand sources (Proverbs 20:19). The Bible admonishes us in Proverbs 4:24 to “put away from you a deceitful mouth.” Instead we should Pursue peace with all people, and holiness” (Hebrews 12:14). Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” So Saints lets show unity in love by not entertaining gossip or the gossiper and guard our hearts and tongues by the power of the Holy Spirit.
To finish the song by Take 6 “What the world needs now is love, more love is what we need.” So spread love, not gossip!
Prayer: Dear LORD, we thank You for Your Word and how it teaches us to love one another and to guard one another. We realize that speaking falsely against our brothers and sisters is totally against what You would have us to do. Help us to not just tame our tongues but to guard our heart against desiring to spread things we have heard. Also help us to guard our ears that we might not entertain personal information about someone without their permission. Let us, in love, go to anyone who has loose lips that we might help them to grow in the areas of confidentiality and care for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen!
Min. Arnell Carter
Gossip: the spread of unrestrained conversation or reports about other people that are usually of a personal or intimate nature that has not been confirmed to be true. Gossip breaks the 8th Commandment: Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Make no mistake about it, spreading gossip and slandering is a sin! The Hebrew word, “nirgan” means to whisper maliciously. It denotes complaint and criticism. When used in the Bible, especially in Proverbs, it damages relationships. (Proverbs 16: 27-28; Proverbs 17:9). How uncomfortable do you feel when you are in close proximity of two or more people whispering things to each other that you can’t hear? Does it make you wonder who and what they’re talking about? Or even if they are talking about you?
Since gossip usually involves subject matter about a person’s personal intimate life, we should not be partakers of it. Listening and entertaining the gossiper and gossip should not be tolerated by the children of God since we are not getting it directly from the source, but from secondhand or even 3rd and 4th hand sources (Proverbs 20:19). The Bible admonishes us in Proverbs 4:24 to “put away from you a deceitful mouth.” Instead we should Pursue peace with all people, and holiness” (Hebrews 12:14). Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” So Saints lets show unity in love by not entertaining gossip or the gossiper and guard our hearts and tongues by the power of the Holy Spirit.
To finish the song by Take 6 “What the world needs now is love, more love is what we need.” So spread love, not gossip!
Prayer: Dear LORD, we thank You for Your Word and how it teaches us to love one another and to guard one another. We realize that speaking falsely against our brothers and sisters is totally against what You would have us to do. Help us to not just tame our tongues but to guard our heart against desiring to spread things we have heard. Also help us to guard our ears that we might not entertain personal information about someone without their permission. Let us, in love, go to anyone who has loose lips that we might help them to grow in the areas of confidentiality and care for their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen!
Min. Arnell Carter
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
7 Comments
Amen and Amen Minister Carter!!!
Amen. Loose lip
Loose lips sink ships.
Yes, Lord! Thank you Min for the exhortation to tame our tongues & guard our hearts. We are not our own!!
Amen and Amen!! GOD has spoken!!
Amen! 🤐🤐🤐
Amen