A message explaining the results and rememdy to gossip in the church.

1. Part 2 “ Victory This New Year” Series Selected Passages

3. The Results of gossip / slander and division in Christ's church. Gossip is deadly to the church.

5. 1 Peter 3:10-11 - "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.“

6. 2. A Diminished Testimony

7. Psalms 15:1-2 "LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is 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... “

8. 3. A Demoralized Church.

9. Proverbs 26:20 – “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.”

10. 1 Corinthians 4:12-13 - "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.“

11. Revelation 12:10 – “he ‘accuses’ the brethren day and night...”

12. Nehemiah 4:4 - "Hear, O our God, how we are despised! Return their reproach on their own heads and give them up for plunder in a land of captivity. Do not forgive their iniquity and let not their sin be blotted out before Thee, for they have demoralized the builders. “

13. Isaiah 58:9 "Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry, and He will say, 'Here I am.' If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness ,”

14. 4. A Diffused Fellowship.

15. Proverbs 16:28 - "A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.“

16. Proverbs 17:9 - He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

17. Proverbs 18:8 - The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.

18. The remedy for gossip...

21. What if the observation about the person is true?

22. Colossians 3:12-13 - And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”

23. 2. If you are listening to gossip... stop it!

24. Proverbs 17:4 - A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.

25. 1 Samuel 24:9 - " Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'?

26. Haggai 2:11-14 - "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Ask now the priests for a ruling: 12 'If a man carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and touches bread with this fold, or cooked food, wine, oil, or any other food, will it become holy?' "And the priests answered and said, "No. "

27. 13 Then Haggai said, "If one who is unclean from a corpse touches any of these, will the latter become unclean?" And the priests answered and said, "It will become unclean." 14 Then Haggai answered and said, "'So is this

28. people. And so is this nation before Me,' declares the Lord, 'and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. When we speak unclean words - it makes us unclean...

29. Matthew 15:11 - What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"

30. 3. Avoid people who gossip...

31. Proverbs 20:19: "He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, Therefore do not associate with a gossip."

32. 1 Corinthians 5:11 - "But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer.. . With such a man do not even eat."

33. 4. Make it your ambition to heal wounds.

34. Proverbs 26:20 - For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down.

35. 5. Some things need to be heard with a deaf ear.

36. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 "Do not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you - for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others."

37. Ephesians 4:29-32 - Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all

38. bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

39. Part 2 “ Victory This New Year” Series Selected Passages

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