“What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” (1 Cor. 14:26 ESV)

Build up the body of Christ in love

“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;” (Eph. 4:12 NASV)

“…from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.” (Eph. 4:16 NASB)

Iron sharpens iron

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” (Prov. 27:17 ESV)

Therefore…

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.” For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:1-4 ESV)

“So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Rom. 14:19 ESV)

“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” (1 Thess. 5:11 ESV)

“He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.” (Dan. 2:22 NIV)

God is a revealer of mysteries

“The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” (Dan. 2:47 NIV)

Secrets made manifest

“For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.” (Mark 4:22 ESV)

Mysteries revealed to His saints

“The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.” (Col. 1:26)

Revelation from God to know Him better

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”(Eph. 1:17 NIV)

“The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalm 119:130)

“So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.” (2 Peter 1:19 NASB)

“The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul.” (Psalm 19:7 NIV)

Refresh: To bring back to a former condition or vigor; freshen, recharge, recreate, regenerate, rejuvenate, renew, repair, restore, resuscitate, revitalize, revive, revivify

Refreshing from the presence of the Lord

“That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” (Acts 3:20-21 ESV)

He refreshes your soul

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3 NIV)

He refreshes the weary

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” (Jer. 31:25 BIV)

Therefore…

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19 NIV)

Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Prov. 11:25 NIV)

“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)