Do you Gossip?

Spend some time with the Lord today.  Pretend like Jesus is actually sitting with you as you talk with Him and share with Him.  Ask Him to teach you something through His Word as you study it.
1.  Read and review James 4:1-10.  Write down 3 main things the Lord taught you.
2. Read James 4:11.  Read it a few times.  What do you think this means?  It is talking to Christians because it uses the word “brethren”.  It plainly says for Christians not to speak evil of one another.  The Lord knew that we would struggle with gossip toward our brothers and sisters in Christ so He put this verse in the Bible to remind us.  Why do you think we speak bad things about other people?  The reason I do is because it makes me feel better about myself.  If someone else’s fault is spoken of then it gets my eyes off of all my own faults and sins.  I see the spot in their life and not the plank in my own eye.  Yes, I just admitted a fault.  I have gossiped before, who hasn’t?  But I don’t want to.  It is sin.  It can ruin friends, families and churches.  It can destroy like fire.  (Earlier in the book of James we talked about the tongue being related to a fire-read James 3:6).  Ask the Lord to show you your motive in gossip and then confess your sin and repent and go and sin no more.
The second part of verse 11 goes on to say that the person that speaks evil of a believer is speaking evil of the law and judging the law.  The Bible says if you judge the law you are not doing the law.  You cannot be the Judge of the law and the doer of the law.  Imagine yourself as a Judge sitting down and watching other people to see when they mess up.  You would not be able to sit and judge at the same time you were up and serving.  The Lord is the Judge and we should be so busy serving Him that we don’t have time to gossip or worry about what others are doing.
3. Read James 4:12.  Who is the one lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy? 
     It is King Jesus.  The Bible says in verse 12, paraphrase, ‘Who do you think you are to judge someone else?’  We are like little ants, we are dirt, nothing in comparison to the Glory of God- so why do we act high and mighty to judge another?  This is a good reminder.  The Bible puts it pretty clear.  Read Matthew 10:28.  We should fear the Lord.  He is our Judge and will judge every word and motive.  Ouch. 
Let’s work together to quit speaking evil of others.  If you see me do it, tell me to stop.  If I see you do it I don’t want to participate.  If you hear others do it, stop them.  Let’s be pleasing to the Lord sisters!      

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