But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
James 3:8
Have you heard the old saying; Your tongue reveals what your heart feels? Well, it's true. The quickest way to ruin a ministry for God is to start rumor's and gossip. You say you would never do that? Here goes;
Hey, did you hear about Michael and Kelley? I heard they were having a rough time in their marriage.
Hey, I heard the preacher didn't like the songs Bro. Brown picked out?
Boy, Claude and Jennifer sure are hanging out a lot together.
Cynthia really dislikes our deacon...I'm going to pray for her.
Yes, as innocent as some of them seem....they are vicious and deadly to a ministry or even to a friendship. Something started out so simple can turn out so bad. I admit that sometimes I'm bad about speaking before I think. I'm working on that in my life. Some people are not happy unless they are causing problems for others. Pray for them. Don't tell your best friend Sarah about them.....PRAY FOR THEM!
IF ANYONE CONSIDERS HIMSELF RELIGIOUS AND YET DOES NOT KEEP A TIGHT REIN ON HIS TONGUE, HE DECEIVES HIMSELF AND HIS RELIGION IS WORTHLESS.
JAMES 1:26
It is so easy to get drawn into gossiping. We need to learn to bridle our tongues and not get polluted by the world. Easier said than done I know. But with God's help....it is possible. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD! I have had to ask God for a lot of forgiveness lately. I don't want to be the one to bring his ministry down. I want to be the one to lift it up. I am praying hard and steady for control of my tongue.
LORD, WHO MAY DWELL IN YOUR SANCTUARY? WHO MAY LIVE ON YOUR HOLY HILL?
HE WHO WALKS BLAMELESS AND WHO DOES WHAT IS RIGHTEOUS, WHO SPEAKS THE TRUTH FROM HIS HEART AND HAS NO SLANDER ON HIS TONGUE, WHO DOES HIS NEIGHBOR NO WRONG AND CASTS NO SLUR ON HIS FELLOWMAN.
PSALM 15: 1-3
Now I'm just going to give you a fact right now. There was a rumor started recently about me and a friend. It became poison to both of our ministries. Our first reaction was to get them back, I know...not very Christ like of us. After giving it a couple of days and praying to God about it, I came to the point of forgiveness. Two wrongs were not going to make a right, and I knew that. While my friend and I were discussing this rumor and forgiveness and what God could do, we discussed how we should forgive and let God have control of the situation. Because God had shown us how to forgive once we became a child of his. My friend has been in the ministry a long time, as I have too, but realized that he was not able to forgive. He stuggled with anger and vengence. After talking to him, this is what I did. I looked him in the eye and said; If you die tonight, are you going to Heaven. He sat there for a minute and then said; well, yea. I'm a preachers son, I'm in the ministry and my mom told me I was saved when I was 8 years old. I said; Do you remember asking God into your heart or what you said or are you just relying on what your mom told you? Then I asked him again. If you die tonight, are you going to Heaven. He said; No. He realized he was not a child of God's. I had the opportunity to lead my friend to Christ that night. Gossip that led to forgiveness led to Salvation. But had we let the devil destroy, and I could have very easily fallen victim to that, the devil would have won and my friend would still not know Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. The devil will use your best friend, even the preachers wife to spread his poison if you let him.
KEEP YOU TONGUE FROM EVIL AND YOUR LIPS FROM SPEAKING LIES.
TURN FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
PSALM 34:13-14
We can tame our tongue. We just need to ask God to help us do that. Don't speak ill of others. Don't be the one to put the flame out on a ministry. Be the one to set the ministry on fire with God's help. My friend is on fire for God and the ministry now. He knows that God has great things instore for him. He is no longer full of anger and no longer running from the devil. He is looking him straight in the face and telling him to get behind him! Don't give in to the devil. He laughs at you every time you do.
I SAID, 'I WILL WATCH MY WAYS AND KEEP MY TONGUE FROM SIN; I WILL PUT A MUZZLE ON MY MOUTH AS LONG AS THE WICKED ARE IN MY PRESENCE.'
PSALM 39:1
FOR, 'WHOEVER WOULD LOVE LIFE AND SEE GOOD DAYS MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM DECEITFUL SPEECH. HE MUST TURN FROM EVIL AND DO GOOD; HE MUST SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT.
1 PETER 3:10-11
I don't know about you, but I think I would rather keep my eyes on Jesus than to focus on destroying others lives with my tongue. Simple gossip could cause someone not to come to Christ. If they see a proclaimed Christian spreading lies, what desire do they have to be a part of God's family? Don't be the reason someone ends up in hell. How disgraceful that would be when you face your father in Heaven and have to answer to him why. If your spreading gossip and starting rumors and not feeling guilty about it, maybe you should check your heart. Maybe you are not a child of God's.
AS LONG AS I HAVE LIFE WITHIN ME, THE BREATH OF GOD IN MY NOSTRILS, MY LIPS WILL NOT SPEAK WICKEDNESS, AND MY TONGUE WILL UTTER NO DECEIT.
JOB 27:3-4
God gave us our first breath and every breath we have taken since then. He gives us life. Let's go out and serve him in a mighty way. Think before you speak and hit your knees in prayer right where you are if you need to. Let's praise God in all things and be a witness for him so that others will come to know Christ. Hate the sin....love the sinner. Forgive so you can have peace. God bless you!
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