There are many people in this world that are quick to spread gossip about
their friends and acquaintances. It is a shame that people find joy in 
bringing others down rather than lifting them up. As children of the Lord
and representatives of Christ here on Earth, we are never to allow the 
temptation of spreading gossip to enter into our hearts. We are to uplift
and love others just as God loves us. The Bible declares in Ephesians 
4:31-32, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to 
another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you." I encourage you to love your neighbor as yourself
and lift others up whom you have seen have fallen.

I hope today's message ministers to your heart to never spread gossip about
someone else because the damage that is caused is irreparable.


THE TRIPLE FILTER TEST

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.
One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know 
what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like
you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend,
it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to
say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is
Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me
is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.
Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are 
about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something bad about him, but
you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because
there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to
tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither true 
nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

Author Unknown


The apostle Peter places gossipers and busybodies in the same category as
murders and thieves as he declares in 1 Peter 4:15, "But let none of you 
suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody 
in other men's matters." This scripture tells us the seriousness of being
a gossiper. We should never think it is harmless to spread gossip about 
someone else. The Bible says the pain that is caused is tremendous as we
read in Proverbs 18:8, "The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they
go down into the innermost parts of the belly." The devil loves to use us
to do his damages. We are to be aware as children of the Lord to do the 
right thing and not fall into temptation in pulling others down, but rather
we are to help lift them up.

The next time you are tempted to spread a bit of gossip about someone else,
please remember this message and the scriptures that I have shared with 
you. Our mothers have always said, "If you don't have something nice to 
say about someone else, then don't say anything at all." Let us remember 
this invaluable advice and keep our mouths shut when we are tempted to 
gossip and spread rumors about someone else.


Read and meditate on these scriptures:

Leviticus 19:16-18 "Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy
people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am
the LORD. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any
wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not
avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."

Proverbs 11:12-13 "He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but
a man of understanding holdeth his peace. A talebearer revealeth secrets:
but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter."

Psalm 15:1-3 "LORD, who shall abide in Thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in
Thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and
speaketh the truth in his heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue,
nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour."

James 4:11-12 "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh 
evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, 
and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the
law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to 
destroy: who art thou that judgest another?"

All scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.


Today's Selected Poem: DON'T SAY YOU'RE NOT IMPORTANT
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/enpoem85.htm

Today's Selected Testimony: FAMILY TESTIMONY
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony75.htm


In Christ's Service, 

Dwayne Savaya 
Gods Work Ministry