February 26, 2025 – Putting Out The Fire

Putting Out The Fire

February 26, 2025

KEY FROM GOD’S WORD:

Proverbs 26:20
Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

THOUGHTS ON GOD’S WORD:

   

    There are a few ways to stop a fire from burning. One is to quit putting wood or fuel on it. When there is nothing left to burn, it must stop. This is such a simple idea you might say, but we never seem to get it. The same is true of gossip in and out of Church. If we quit feeding it, it will die. Do not listen to it, respond to it, repeat it, discuss it, or even ask another person to pray with you over the latest gossip so you have an excuse to share it. If you really want someone to pray about it, simply ask him or her to pray about a situation that includes some gossip you are concerned about and would rather not share and drop it there. God knows what the situation is, so they do not need to.

    Another way to put out a fire is to take the oxygen away. If there is no oxygen, there is no fire. I once read that a gossiper has used so much oxygen with their words that they have none left for their brain. The only other way to deal with gossip is head-on. Tell the person they are gossiping, and you want no part of it. If believers would do this, you would find the gossiper would do one of two things. Repent and quit gossiping or quit sharing with you and go find another place to spread the fire. I know this sounds cruel, but either one will make for a better church. How do I know? The Bible says so. “…where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”

  

CARRYING THAT THOUGHT THROUGH THE DAY:

      Sharing a true prayer request is not gossip. We have people call all the time wanting us to pray about issues they deal with. It becomes gossip when we do not include God. When our motive is to tell the hurtful story and not to really be a help, we fall victim to the sin of gossip. You see, God wants to be part of everything in our life. However, He cannot help if we are just telling tales about one another. He hates it when we talk bad about His family. Let’s put out the fire of gossip when we can.

Ask yourself, What will I do next time someone
wants to share gossip about someone else with me?

IF YOU ARE JOURNALING:

Ask yourself, what are MY THOUGHTS concerning this Passage, and today’s Devotion?

Do I find within this reading a CHALLENGE for my life?

What are one or two things I WILL DO today or this week to accept that CHALLENGE?

  

GOD TALKING TO ME:  February 25, 2025

THROUGH THE BIBLE ACCELERATED READING
^{(O.T.-1,   N.T. & PS.-2,   Prov. – Monthly)}
Leviticus 19, 20 – Psalm 51
Proverbs 26, 27 – Luke 19

THROUGH THE BIBLE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT DAILY
Leviticus 26-27 – Mark 5