Gossip is a sin. We all do it.

. . . When a church is growing, people are getting saved, and God is blessing, Satan doesn't like it and often attacks with Believers must nip it in the bud. I'm sure we don't have gossip at my church.

Proverbs 15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Gossip thrives in groups. If you have news nobody else has, you can't wait to tell somebody. That's the lure of it. 

Maybe you said something about someone that didn't sound right, but you had good intentions. If a person is offended, it causes pain and heartache. It can hurt the unity of the church, and we need to guard against that. Words are very powerful and gossip makes gossipers feel powerful.

The following response to gossip will stop most people.

• Say, "Not interested."
• Walk away
• Ask: How do you know?
• Ask: Where did you get your information?
• Be specific

THINK before you repeat a story. Is it:

True?

Harmless?

Inspiring?

Necessary?

Kind?

As Christians, we must live a day at a time.

. . . No person, no matter how wealthy or gifted, can live two days at a time. God provides for us "day by day" as we pray to Him. We must not make the mistake of trying to "store up grace that we need when we need it.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

When we learn to live a day at a time, confident of God's care, it takes a great deal of pressure off of our lives.

Yard by yard, life is hard! Inch by inch, life's a cinch!

Day by day and with each passing moment,

Strength I find to meet my trials here;

Trusting in my Father's wise bestowments,

I've no cause for worry or for fear.

He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,

Gives unto each day what He deems best,

Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Karolina Wilhelmina Sandell-Berg (1832-1903)

On the way to the Passover and Calvary,

. . . Jesus' disciples didn't understand that He was to be the Passover sacrifice, once and for all.

A beggar, people called Blind Bartimaeus, sat beside the road. Can you imagine his excitement, hearing that Jesus was coming by? As the crowd grew louder, he yelled to get Jesus' attention.

Mark 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.

Somebody has instructed this guy that the Messiah would come through the lineage of David. Several told him to shut up, but he yelled louder. Jesus stood still. He stood still for me one day, too, when I was blinded by sin.

The noise stopped, and Jesus asked for him. Wrapped in his blanket --the only thing that gave him comfort -- Bartimaeus gave it away, rose, and came to Jesus.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked. "Lord, that I might receive my sight." Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus. "Go your way; your faith has made you whole."

Don't ever think that Jesus is too busy to stop and open your blinded eyes. Can you leave all behind and follow Him?

Discouraged or Depressed? The Apostle Paul couldn't sing...

...about his circumstances, but he could sing about the God who is in control of all circumstances. He had learned that praise is an important factor in achieving victory over discouragement and depression. 

"Praise changes things" just as much as "Prayer changes things". We should praise the Father because we are as dear to Him as His Son is, because we are in His Son (John 17:22-23)

God doesn't pat us on the head and give us a piece of candy or a toy to distract our attention from our troubles. No, He puts strength into our hearts so we can face our trials and triumph over them.

When you find yourself discouraged because of difficult circumstances, its easy to look at yourself and your feelings, or to focus on the problems around you. But the first step you must take is to look by faith to the Lord and realize all that God is to you.

Psalm 121:1-2 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence commeth my help. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth.