Don't judge others because they sin differently than you do!
When you spread gossip, though speaking amongst friends, you create
distrust, resentment and cause people to avoid that other person. You are in
serious trouble with God. When that person whom you slandered tries to live
and stand for God at church, people are going to shun him (or her) because
of your snake tongue! For every person who is shunned because of your sinful
gossiping, you are losing rewards in Heaven. To the same extent as the
damage you've caused by your gossiping words, to that same degree God will
judge you by your own words (Matthew 7:1-2).
Unless it is something that a person absolutely needs to know, it is a sin
to mention anything that will cast a negative shadow upon another person's
character. This excludes preaching, which is taking a Biblical stand against
sin and evil. Preaching does not seek to hurt the individual. Preaching
refutes public sins; but gossip parades past sins. Preaching seeks to honor
God; but gossip seeks to dishonor man. Preaching is intended to eliminate
wickedness; but gossip seeks to showcase wickedness, perpetuating one's
sins. God calls men to be preachers; but God punishes gossippers! Preaching
seeks to proclaim the truth because it is right; but gossip seeks to spread
truth because it is wrong. Preaching pleases God; but gossip angers God.
Preaching produces repentance; but gossip produces a hardened heart.
Preaching tears down to build up; but gossip tears down to destroy.
For example: Actress Cameron Diaz is a wicked woman for starring in the
recent R-rated (R for rotten) Hollywood filthy 2014 movie titled,
“SEX TAPE.” I haven't seen the movie and won't see it. The
advertisement says the story is about a married couple who records
themselves having sex, then wakes up the next morning and finds the tape
missing. So they spend the rest of the movie looking for the tape. This is
the evil Hollywood smut that continually provokes THE JUDGMENT OF GOD upon
our nation, and it is already happening... just look at the police state
being set up right before our eyes, while dumbed-down, decadent, comatose,
sin-loving, party-going, sports-worshipping, obese, television-brainwashed,
indifferent Americans are doing absolutely nothing to fight it!!! Shame on
Cameron Diaz for being involved in such evil smut, nudity and wickedness.
This is preaching!
Yet, I admire Cameron Diaz for recently walking out of an July 22, 2014
interview when the co-interviewer slandered her friend, Drew Barrymore.
While doing in interview with KIIS 106.5 (an Australian radio show), Kyle
Sandilands made a snide remark about Cameron's close friend Drew Barrymore's
troubled past and Miss Cameron walked out of the interview after saying
,
“I'm sure, Kyle, you've never been through a drug phase, have you? Or
alcoholism or anything like that? Pretty clean… always did it right?
Congratulations.” That's a friend! A friend doesn't tolerate gossip
about their friend. If you criticize my friend, church, Savior or preacher,
I'm going to defend the person being criticized. Good for Miss Cameron for
not tolerating gossip! That's what we all need to do, that is, walk away and
leave when people start gossiping. God hates a proud look, a lying tongue
and sowing discord amongst brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19).
Don't judge others because they sin differently than you do!
We Are All Guilty Of Making Future Plans
Without God
I recently heard an AARP Medicare supplemental insurance
commercial on television. The ad shows a woman boasting that she's
60-years-old and has her whole life ahead of her. The Bible plainly teaches
that she is sinning by boasting of future plans without including God.
James 4:13-16, “Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go
into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It
is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or
that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.”
We are all guilty at one time or another of making future
plans without considering that we may not be alive tomorrow. Those who DO
consider the shortness of this life and fear God, will live accordingly by
faith. The reason why so many people live immoral lives, selfishly hurting
others, and are greedy for personal gain is because they have forgotten God.
For years I have been compelled to always say the words “Lord willing” or
“God willing” when mentioning what I plan to do. Proverbs 27:1
says, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day
may bring forth.” Life is what happens to you while you're making
future plans.
I was shopping in a grocery store one day and heard a radio
commercial talk about investing money for retirement. The advertiser boldly
said that “you will have the retirement you deserve and have always dreamed
of.” I immediately thought about how sinful that was, boasting of something
unsure. We have no guarantee of tomorrow. Just because you lay up earthly
treasures is no guarantee of future success. In sharp contrast, Jesus
promised that laying up treasures in Heaven is guaranteed (Matthew 6:20).
You'll never hear a commercial about laying up treasures in Heaven.
The best way to
keep your foot out of your mouth is to keep it shut!
Think On Purpose
Our tongue is connected to our emotions. When we talk garbage
with our tongue, our emotions are sinking lower and lower, working us up
emotionally inside. We can speak positive words and elevate our spirit, or we
can drag our emotions down (and others) with gossip, bad news and talking about
dirty laundry. Words are important. People go by what they here, which is human
nature (and a bad thing oftentimes). Believe NONE of what you hear, and only
HALF of what you see. Misery is an option, don't choose it!
Our thinking, whether good or bad, eventually becomes our own
REALITY. Where the mind goes, the man follows. We eventually become what we
think. The way we talk to our-self (called “self-talk,” and we all do it) is a
very important thing in our life, because you can never become greater than what
you think about your self. Even more important is how we talk to ourselves about
ourselves. Most people don't worry about what others think about them, nor even
what we think about ourselves; but rather, what we think other people are
thinking about us. The answer is to meditate in the Word of God (Psalms 1:1-5).
“When we do not
respect God, we do not respect anybody else that needs respect.”
—Quote
from the sermon titled, “BONDAGE,”
by Evangelist Lester Roloff (1914-1982)
God Gave You Teeth to
Cage That Evil Tongue
Keep your cage closed. Don't let the wild
animal out! Keep your tongue secured within those pearly white teeth (i.e.,
the bars of a cage). God gave us a mouth to encage that dangerous tongue!
Literally, you ought to view your mouth as cage for our evil tongue. As
mentioned, the
Bible teaches in James 3:7-8 that the tongue CANNOT BE TAMED. It is
impossible. It's in our human nature to talk trash. Everyone is guilty of
saying things they shouldn't say. You should get very angry at yourself when
you do gossip, determining never to do it again. That's a good attitude.
But for the grace of God, there go I.
So what's the answer? Keep your mouth shut! It
works. If you can bridle the tongue, you can bridle the body. Get the tongue
right and the body will follow. The key is to limit our words, and do our
best with the Lord's help to be careful what we say. Wars have been started
and ended by mere words. Words are the most powerful force in the world.
This is evidenced by the Words of God, which are the highest authority in
the universe (Psalm 138:2; John 1:1-3,14; Revelation 19:13).
Keep your mouth shut! If you don't talk, then
you can't gossip, can't spread gossip, and can't create gossip. Most gossip
is partially true, which is the most dangerous form of gossip. What usually
happens is that people spread misinformation, not having all the facts, and
someone's life and reputation are injured or destroyed.
Proverb 16:27, “An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is
as a burning fire.”
The Lying Newsmedia Are Evil
Scum
God
hates the newsmedia so much (Proverb 6:16-19), because they spread manure
and destroy people's lives. When a crime is committed, the newsmedia looks
for every detail, every crime, every bad thing that every family member,
even distant family members, have ever committed or been accused of. The
newsmedia are the most evil scum on the planet.
I remember many years ago hearing on TV about a
women in Kentucky who got involved with a weird cult. They were troubled
teenagers, who decided to kill one of their peers in a ritual-style killing.
The girl's father is a lawyer. The newsmedia actually tried to make a
connection between the girl's crime and Billy Graham, saying that the father
had once worked as a lawyer 10-years earlier for Dr. Graham. That's one of
millions of examples of how the sick newsmedia distorts the truth, hurts
people, ruins lives and destroys families.
The first thing that news reporters always do
when there's a horrendous crime is to talk with all the neighbors, family
members, co-workers, their friends at church; they're digging and searching
under every rock, desperately looking for any filth, dirt, dark truth, to
destroy someone's life to sell a newspaper or keep their show's ratings
high. Tragically, some people will eat their young as a wild animal does, to
make a buck and get ahead in their career. Such people will weep bitter
tears of regret and sorrow in eternity when they must give account to God.
People are such hypocrites. People love to tear
people down, so that they'll be the last one's standing. I learned years ago
to just shut my mouth. When we open our mouth, we will always be tempted to
talk about someone that has hurt us, or a person that we don't like.
Ephesians 4:30-31 teaches that it grieves God when we speak evil of each
other. Jesus taught us by example to wash one another's feet, not bite and
devour one another. Galatians 5:15, “But if ye bite and devour one
another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.”
Don't Seek Out Gossip About Yourself
I never read what my critics and enemies say about me. If I did, it would
affect the way I write articles. I don't care who you are, if you think
about something, it will affect you. A preacher cannot help but take things
to the pulpit that he has been upset about throughout the week. I have heard
so many preachers mention things in the pulpit that had absolutely nothing
to do with their sermon, but they try to make it fit, because they are
perturbed at someone. Every genuine preacher has enemies who despise the
truth, are jealous and filled with Satan's hatred. I couldn't care less what
my critics and the gossipers say about me. I just don't read it. That way
they have no power over me whatsoever. All they can do is run their fingers
on the internet, or their mouths in someone's ears.
Mark Twain the famous author once said that it takes two people to hurt your
heart... you're enemy to criticize you and your friend to tell you about it.
Never tell your friend anything that is going to cause them pain. They don't
need to know all the bad stuff said about them. Some people are so cruel
that even after you ask them not to tell you gossip about yourself, they
still do it to hurt you. Men are just as bad as women when it comes to
gossiping. God hates the evil newsmedia, who spread manure for a career. I
have more respect for a pimp on the street corner. It is a shame how people
are so eager to volunteer information to the hypocritical media to help
destroy the name of others who have sinned.
The first thing that the wicked do when a person sins is start a
smear-campaign to permanently destroy that person, archiving the information
in a disgraceful newspaper article. Newspapers are Satan's toilet paper. If
someone is prone to continually tell you bad things about yourself which
others have said, avoid that person because they are spreading gossip and
trying to hurt you further. You just stay busy serving God by helping the
poor, sharing the gospel, strengthening the weak, doing good for the hurting
and afflicted, and let the wicked wallow like filthy pigs in their feces.
Judgment day is coming for everyone! The wonderful thing is that it doesn't
matter if your enemies turn the whole world against you, all that matters is
what God KNOWS about you.
James 4:12 and 5:9 warn against judging others, because God is the ONLY
Lawgiver (not the Supreme Court) and Judge. God gives men the power that
they have, to do good or evil; but we will all be held accountable for the
choices we have made throughout life. James 5:9, “Grudge not one
against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth
before the door.” When you publish slander on the internet and ruin
people's lives, you are grudging against them. Critics attempt to hide
behind their evil slander by claiming that they are exposing evil and taking
a stand for God; but the Lord KNOWS each person's true intentions and why
they have done what they have done to ruin someone's name. In my ministry I
only expose evil agendas and teachings, and NEVER anyone's personal sins. I
don't condemn anyone for having an abortion personally, but I DO expose the
evils of abortion. Divorce is a horrible sin, but I don't condemn anyone for
their decision to divorce. That's not my place nor right (James 4:12).
If people believe the gossip they hear, shame on them. God will judge all
humanity in eternity. It's a wise saying to believe none of what you hear
and only half of what you see. I decided long ago that God was the only Person I was
going to try to please. American culture has become so rotten that
television is saturated with commercials to hire a private investigator to
spy on your spouse, or to pay for a background check before dating someone.
Think about how messed up that is! What has America become? Shock factor
reality shows and the manure-spreading newsmedia are destroying our nation,
causing neighbor to distrust neighbor. We have become a paranoid society.
Part of being a good Christian is shunning away gossip and those who try to
spread it. Just say, “I don't want to hear it!” It has become so bad in
America that churches have to do background checks before even hiring a
groundskeeper.
My ministry is for that 1 lost sheep out of 100. I couldn't care less what
the arrogant, jilted and hypocritical self-righteous other 99 think. That 1
person out of 100 is the reason why my ministry is here. Thankfully, out of
45,000,000 visitors over the past 11 years, tens-of-thousands have been
blessed and helped in the Lord because of this labor of love. Amen and amen!
Thank you Lord!
“Baptists are weird people, we
persecute the living saints and worship the dead ones!”
—Evangelist Phil Kidd (a great quote from the MP3
sermon, “What
The Church Is Built Upon.”)
Living the Christian Life
Jesus is precious! John 13:14, “If I then,
your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one
another's feet.” Our own Lord taught us, by example, to get out of the
selfish life.
Philippians 2:4-5 teaches for us to have the
mind of Christ, by looking upon the things of others. This means more than
just meeting a person's needs, it means thinking about others in general, as
a way of life. I saw a rainbow a couple weeks ago and took a picture. I
burned it to CD and shared it with my neighbor. I was looking on the things
of others as the Bible commands. We ought to be thinking about others, how
we can express God's love in our heart toward them. Maybe it's a quote you
read in a book that you think would interest them. Maybe it's a product that
you found at a store that you think would be helpful to them. If it's
something you can afford, and you think they'll use it, maybe buy it for
them as a gift. There's many things we can do, thousands of things, to show
other people that we are not selfish, and Christ is in our life.
I generally don't like to give much money to
people on the street who ask, because there are so many cons; so what I do
is give pocket change to those who ask, but I give dollars to those who
don't ask. Either way I always give something, to stay in the habit of
giving. The Bible says to give to those who ask (If I see someone who looks
homeless (dingy looking and obviously a street person), then I'll go hand
them $20 and a small Bible. I like to give money to those who don't ask,
that are obviously homeless, because then I know that I'm not giving money
to someone who has a new car around the corner.
It's our nature. Great minds talk about ideas.
Good minds talk about things. Weak minds talk about people. I don't want to
be weak-minded. I choose rather to talk about things and ideas.
As believers, we should hate gossip too! Gossip has destroyed
more churches, marriages, and friendships than adultery, drunkenness or
theft ever has! Gossip has destroyed more people's reputations than
anything else. People need to learn to keep their mouths shut! Although a
cheap form of entertainment for some weak-minded people, God will hold
everyone accountable for their words spoken... "But I say unto you, That
every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in
the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).
Proverb 11:9 warns, "An hypocrite with
his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just
be delivered." It is hypocritical when we condemn our neighbor,
co-worker, or a stranger; while simultaneously overlooking our own sins and
faults in self-righteousness.
Divorce is a perfect example of such hypocrisy.
Many women drag their husband before a judge in divorce court, because of
modern liberal laws that cater to rebellious wives; while that wicked wife
fails to acknowledge her own sins and faults. There are no laws requiring a
wife to obey her husband in America. This is a sore evil which has led to
feminism,
abortions, broken homes, pornography, lesbianism, et cetera.
Gossip is deadly. Like bullets fired from a
gun, words cannot be taken back. The Bible has much to say about the words
we speak, especially as Christians.
Every Christian ought to mind his or her own
business...
“But let none of you suffer
as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other
men's matters.” —1st Peter 4:15
American Society Loves Bad News
People love to gossip. It's in our sinful
nature. Humans are prone to attack one another.
This is the carnal way of
the world. As such we tend to analyze everything and express our opinions
concerning what we think about other people.
This is why the newsmedia is so
successful... because society can't get enough of the dirty, shocking,
rotten details. American society is infatuated with death, misery and
sorrow.
Sexual crimes rank highest in newsmedia viewer ratings. It's
downright creepy to see a news anchor woman smiling just seconds after
reporting on a brutal rape, or a grotesque murder. Have they no conscience?
The entire newsmedia are a bunch of malicious manure-spreaders!
Leviticus 19:16,
“Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither
shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.”
Proverb 1:22, "How long, ye simple ones,
will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning,
and fools hate knowledge?" Proverb 14:6 summarizes every TV talk show in
America... "A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not:
but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth." We see and hear a
lot of so-called "experts" on TV nowadays who are nothing more than a bunch
of scornful idiots, i.e., critics who have something bad to say about
everybody except themselves. They are fools... "Ever learning, and never
able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2nd Timothy 3:7). The world
is filled with idiots who have rejected the God of the Bible.
“There is also the danger in our
special prayer groups for us to pray for others to improve, which is
simply a way for us to criticize someone to a friend and place it in the
disguise of spirituality and prayer. If one is going to pray for the
improvement of another and mention his faults, it is best for him to go
into the closet and pray alone.”
SOURCE: Dr. Jack Hyles, a quote from
the book,
EXPLORING PRAYER WITH JACK HYLES,
chapter 46.
Beware of Critics
Be careful what you tell a gossiper because
everyone will eventually know about it. Let me tell you friend, there
is a form of communication faster than the telephone! There is a form
of communication faster than the television! There is a form of
communication faster than the telegram! It is the tell-a-woman! I'm being facetious here of course, men are just as guilty about gossiping
as woman are. God HATES hate gossip because it destroys people's
lives, ministries, homes, marriages, businesses, churches... you name it!
"He that goeth about as a
talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth
with his lips." —Proverb 20:19
BEWARE! Stay away from gossiping people,
meddle not with them. One of the hallmark qualities of a true friend
is someone who refuses to gossip about you behind your back. As a
matter of fact, we should never listen to or gossip about anyone! Proverb 11:13
reads, “A talebearer revealeth secrets:
but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.” Do you
have a faithful spirit? Or are you a troublemaker who enjoys hurting
others with your slimy vomiting mouth—set on fire of Hell as James 3:6
warns?
|
“A lie can travel halfway
across the country before truth has a chance to put its boots
on.”
“It takes your enemy and
your friend, working together, to hurt you to the heart; the one
to slander you and the other to get the news to you.”
—Mark Twain |
By the way, gossip starts during the childhood
years. I remember when I was a teenager, we knew everything about
everybody. Teenagers often share the families dirty laundry with each
other. Children should be taught NEVER to share dirty laundry about
their family with anyone! They should also be taught to avoid
gossipers like they would homosexuals. Yes, I believe that we should
teach our children to avoid homosexuals. Frankly, I think the
gossipers are much scarier.
Proverb 15:12, “A
scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the
wise.”
People inherently like to criticize each other,
simply because we are discontent by nature (the sin nature). The
carnal nature is continually trying to magnify itself (that big EGO, the "I"
problem). By the way, women have a problem with egos too, it's not
just men that are filled with pride.
"And withal they learn to be idle,
wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also
and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not." —1st Timothy 5:13
God hates gossiping! It doesn't matter if
the news is true or false, it is gossip. Gossiping is a SIN!
"But the tongue can no
man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." —James 3:8
So if the tongue CANNOT be tamed,
then what are we supposed to do? Well, God gives us some good advice
in Proverb 17:28... Shut up!!!
"Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that
shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding." —Proverb 17:28
It is our own wicked pride that
causes us to criticize others. Gossiping is a SIN! Gossip is the
most DEADLY poison on the face of the earth because there are no hazardous
warning labels anywhere. Gossip is deceitful, you never know when it
is going to sneak upon you or the temptation to speak it. People
are sly aren't they? They approach you with an intent to gossip, but
behind a false front. They'll say something like, "I'm not being
critical of Mrs. So-and-so, but did you know______?"
Oh SHUT UP! Here's another one, "Let's pray for Mr. So-and-so because______? What
you are doing is evil, you are assassinating the character of another
person. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, it shouldn't be
repeated. We live in a gossiping world. You can go to any place
on this earth and you will find gossip. Where there are people, you
will find the works of the flesh (and gossip is definitely one of them).
God HATES gossip because it causes
strife and arguments...
"These six things doth
the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying
tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked
imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness
that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among
brethren." —Proverbs
6:16-19
Have you ever told somebody
something in confidence to regret it later? I remember hearing in the
news a couple years ago about a woman who should have kept her mouth shut. She was depressed one day at work and muttered to a co-worker that sometimes
she just felt like killing herself. Within an hour, a S.W.A.T team had
invaded the building, acting upon a tip that a suicidal co-worker was ready
to shoot up the workplace. My ONLY point here is... be careful what you
say or repeat.
I could easily write a whole book
on what the Bible has to say about our mouth. It is our worst enemy! Jesus said that the mouth speaketh out of the abundance of the heart. The people who are scorners, critics and gossipers do so because it is
ingrained in their heart... they are frozen in a dark state of being a
critic. Only Jesus Christ can cleanse such a heart of mischief.
Gossip involves WORDS. The
Bible teaches us to "season" our words with grace. Hence, we should
use the Holy Spirit's guidance when we are speaking or listening. When
in doubt, we should keep our mouths shut.
Pastors hear more gossip than anyone, because
everyone confides in them. I love Dr. Jack Hyles' awesome book titled “