“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents…” (Rom. 1:29-30 ESV

Gossip: to make a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation; to reveal information about the behavior or personal life of other people, often without the full truth revealed or known.

Gossipers are malicious God haters

In the passage at top gossips are described as malicious and as God haters! That’s because gossip is evil and can destroy someone's marriage, job, wealth, and family.

To Gossip is to sow discord, and is an abomination to the Lord

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16-19 ESV)

Gossipers say what they should not

“Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” (1 Tim. 5:15 ESV)

Gossipers slander and reveal secrets

“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.” (Prov. 11:13 ESV)

Therefore…

“If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.” (James 1:26 ESV)

“You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:16 ESV)

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29 ESV)

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak…” (Matt. 12:36 ESV)

“Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:24 ESV)

The righteous get back up time after time

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.” (Prov. 24:16 ESV)

The Lord helps the fallen

“The LORD helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to you in hope; you give them their food as they need it. When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:14-16

“I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” (Psalm 118:13)

The Lord upholds the righteous

“…for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” (Psalms 63:7-8)

“…for the power of the wicked will be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.” (Psalm 37:17)

Therefore…

“We are pressured in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair, we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed. We always carry the death of Jesus in our body, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.” (2 Cor. 4:8-10)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:29-30 ESV)

The great commission

The above passage is Jesus giving the great commission to “go into all the world and makes disciples.” Notice that He doesn’t say to go and make converts, but He says to make disciples. Yes, we do want converts, people genuinely transformed by Jesus, but, unless converts are turned into Disciples (observing all that He has commanded) they are powerless, weak and  non affective.

Bear fruit to glorify the Father

“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8 ESV)

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16 ESV)

Entrust what you have heard to others who will do the same to others

“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim. 2:2 ESV)

Therefore…

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.” (Luke 19:2-3 ESV)

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” (Prov. 11:3 ESV)

Walk in integrity and walk securely

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Prov. 10:9 ESV)

A poor man with integrity is better than a crooked rich man

“Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” (Prov. 28:6 ESV)

“Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is crooked in speech and is a fool.” (Prov. 19:1 ESV)

Walk in integrity and your children will be blessed

“The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!” (Prov. 29:7 ESV)

Therefore…

“My lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit. Far be it from me to say that you are right; till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.” (Job 27:4-6 ESV)

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…” (Col. 3:23 ESV)

“For we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.” (2 Cor. 8:21 ESV

‘Do not practice fortune-telling or witchcraft.” (Levit. 19:26)

Witchcraft is made to appear acceptable within entertainment

Witchcraft is becoming more and more accepted. Much of the Halloween celebration, for instance, glorifies witchcraft. Witches are regularly depicted as lovable and very good in movies and television shows such as in the current made for television Hallmark movie series, “The Good Witch”, and in the old TV series “Bewitched” as well as “Sabrina the Teenage witch.”  Witchcraft is presented as very thrilling and exciting to millions of children in the wildly popular Harry Potter book series. The Harry Potter books encourage children to accept a view of witchcraft that is benign, even good and thus will lead them to adopt some form of paganism or Wicca. The first book of the series, entitled "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", finds the orphan, Harry Potter, embarking into a new realm when he is taken to "Hogwart's School  of Witchcraft and Wizardry." At this occult school, Harry Potter learns how to obtain and use witchcraft equipment. Witchcraft is evil no matter what entertaining form it’s presented in! “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:22 KJV)

Witchcraft is detestable to the Lord

“…do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.” (Deut. 18:11)

People who practice witchcraft will not inherit the Kingdom of God

“Now the actions of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, rivalry, jealously, outbursts of anger, quarrels, conflicts, factions, envy, murder, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I am telling you now, as I have told you in the past, that people who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19-21)

God will put an end to witchcraft and to those who practice it

“I will tear down your walls and demolish your defenses. I will put an end to all witchcraft, and there will be no more fortune-tellers.” (Micah 5:11-12)

“Abstain from all appearance of evil.” (1 Thess. 5:22 KJV)

Evil defined: That which is opposed to God and His purposes or that which, defined from human perspectives, is harmful and non-productive. - Holman Bible Dictionary

Evil images everywhere

Today we have evil images appearing everywhere. R-rated  movies are watched in our living rooms and on smart phones. Pornography is a huge problem because it is so available online.

A couple of Billy Graham’s personal rules

When Billy Graham began his ministry in the 1940’s, he met with some wise Christian advisors to discuss ways to keep his ministry free from the troubles and scandals which have wrecked many other ministries. They were aware that most ministry scandals involved ministry-money and/or women. Therefore, they came up with a list of safety rules to protect him and the ministry from these things. They didn’t want him to be involved in anything that could even appear wrong, questionable, or evil. For instance, two of the rules: 1) He would never handle ministry money, and 2) he would never allow himself to be alone with any woman other then his wife. He followed the safety rules faithfully and maintained a stellar reputation for himself and his ministry over his long and successful career.

Flee from evil and pursue righteousness

“But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.” (1 Tim. 6:11 NASB)

“Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. “ (1 Cor 6:9-10 NLT)

A list of wrong doers

According to the above passage, you won’t inherit the Kingdom of God if you are a wrong doer. And, in case you don’t know what that means, a list is given to remove all doubt.

• Sexual sin
• Idol worship
• Adultery
• Prostitution
• Homosexuality
• Thievery
• Greedy
• Drunkards
• Abusers
• Cheaters

There is an answer!

The passage at top says there is an answer for those who have committed the above sins: “Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor 6:11 NLT)

Don’t cover your sins, rather confess and forsake them

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Prov. 28:13 ESV)

Therefore…

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9 ESV)

“Then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” (Heb. 19:17 ESV)

“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalm 34:3, ESV)

Taking a closer look at God

The passage above says to “Magnify the Lord. ”The best way to understand this is by thinking about a magnifying glass. We use a magnifying glass to take a closer look at things and see details that may be hidden from the naked eye. Note that a magnifying glass does not change the actual image but rather it makes it more clearer to us. In the same way, when we magnify God we are not changing anything about who He is. He does not change when we take a closer look at Him. We are the ones who change how we see at Him. What we are doing, when we magnify God, is taking a closer look at His attributes, and who He said He is through the Word. The second part of the above passage says, “let us exalt His name together.” Exalting God is to raise Him up, to glorify Him. And you do that by giving Him praise.

Magnify Him with thanksgiving

“I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving. And it will please the LORD better than an ox Or a young bull with horns and hoofs.” (Psalms 69:39-31)

Bless the Lord at all times

“I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” (Psalms 34:1-3)

Because His lovingkindness is better than life

“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.” (Psalms 63:3-4)

Therefore…

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1:11-12)

“…the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.”  (Gen. 39:5)

When we look at the story of Joseph in Genesis 38-41, we see that “the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.” This was true no matter what others did to him or where he was. Even though he had been sold into slavery by his own brothers, falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and imprisoned, yet he was blessed. He prospered and was successful in everything he put his hand to because God was with him. Even though he faced great problems and challenges, God’s presence and blessing made the difference. Eventually he went from the pit to the palace and to a position of great power and authority. And all of this didn’t happen over night, but it took years of faithfulness to God to achieve as he navigated through the long process. Today, we as born again Christians under the new covenant have even a closer relationship with God than what Joseph had. We have the Holy Spirit within us as well as the Word of God with its thousands of promises available to us. We just need to find them in the Bible, mix faith with them, and apply them.

Our new covenant blessings

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 ESV)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” (Eph. 1:3 ESV)

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” (2 Cor. 9:8-9 ESV)

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9 ESV)

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31:33 ESV)

“For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” (Rom. 6:14 ESV)

Therefore…

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:13 ESV)

“And to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:19-21 ESV)