I've been thinking a lot about gossip today. In my Sunday School class we have "prayer request time" just like anybody else, but it's become more of a "how's so-and-so this week" time. Nobody directly trashes on anyone else, but usually when Joe Bob and Bobbie Sue get a divorce, it's "such a tragedy how those kids were treated" or when Russel Lee is in the hospital, "you know that it's really because he started drinking when he lost his job."

That makes God sick. Well, at least it makes me sick, and I know that God is infinitely more putrified (is that a word?) by sin.

But what about me? What about my friend Brian and the stuff I had up about him a while back? What about when I gripe to my wife about Billy Bob (who is 21) and his 16 year-old girlfriend? What about when my wife and I talk about how lame the preacher's sermon was?

Characher Assassination. Murder.

When you give someone else a bad reputation (kill their character) to another person, true or not, you are sinning.

Whew. Chew on that. That kicks my butt.

1 Corinthians 9-11

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
--09:49

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope."

Matthew 12:17-21

This is the same passage as yesterday.

I heard a story from an old guy who lived in the country when he was young. He said that during an ice storm, the power to his farm would be knocked out for days and they would have to use lanterns for light. They would let them burn all night because Dad would have to get up during the night and put more wood on the fire or someone would have to use the bathroom or something.

Inevitably, the lantern would run out of oil. Have you ever smelled a lantern that has run out of oil? The wick begins to burn itself. He said that it is the most sickening, penetrating smell in the world, and the only thing you can do is open a window and throw the whole lantern out as soon as possible.

Once again, God is not that way with us. When we run out of our "oil," --righteousness, walking in the spirit, spiritual gas, whatever you want to call it-- we stink to God. And you need to know that He has every right to throw us out the window, but He doesn't. He might have to trim our wick, but He will fill us back up with oil again.

In James it says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." (James 1:5) If you ask God for wisdom, and you mess up again, when you ask Him for more, he's not going to say, "What did you do with the last stuff?"

God loves you so much. If you understood what He's gone through for His love for you, you'd never be the same. I promise.
--09:20

Matthew 12:17-21

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory. In his name the nations will put their hope."

*These verses are talking about Jesus.*

Back in the day, kids would play with reeds. They would make flutes out of them, and probably hit each other with them when they got bored. There's only one problem with the reeds--they are hollow and therefore very fragile. When one would bend or break, they wouldn't waste their time trying to duct tape it back together, they would just throw it away and go get one of the millions that were all over the place.

We are like that, too. We are hollow, and we do things all the time to make ourselves unusable by God. Lucky for us, God is not like those little kids in Israel. He doesn't throw us out and try again with someone else. "A bruised reed he will not break." Thank God.

God is not the "god of second chances" that some people call Him. If He was, you'd have used it up a second after you turned your life over to Him. He is much greater and much more patient than that. We are very lucky that He is.

Thank God.
--10:06

Here's the song I've got stuck in my head today. It's just the chorus, actually. Check out the website. If you can find it on napster (it's out there), download it. It's a good song.

rest in me little david
and dry all your tears
you can lay down your armor
and have no fear
cause i'm always here
when you're tired of running
i'm all the strength you need

Pedro the Lion, Lullaby
--10:21

I really like the astrology pop-up window that Geocities has today. It's a nice touch to a conservative Christian site.
--10:18

Thanks for the link, Dead Yet Living.

Check out his page. It's some pretty cool stuff. He's not ignorant, and he doesn't scream. I appreciate that.

Looks like only short sentences today.
--10:05