Digging Deeper Days 26-29

Digging Deeper Days 26-29

Yes, it is day 29. It has been four days since the last Digging Deeper. Please don’t get worried about the length of this one since it says 26-29. It is actually shorter than the average daily Digging Deeper. There were some barriers however that we missed which must be dealt with. I apologize for falling behind. It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to put together each Digging Deeper and the weekend just doesn’t provide the time to do it. I’ve tried to get ahead so you could have these the morning of the actual day but all of this is on top of what I already do is a challenge to say the least. Since we are on day 29 I think it is safe to say I’m not going to be able to catch up and get the information to you on the morning of the actual day. I guess a consolation could be that the next time we go through the 40 Day Calendar the information will be ready and more timely. The problem with that is that the Lord seldom seems to release me to do the same thing the same way every time. So there will be another idea and another way of going through this next time I’m sure.

For those of you that have worked faithfully through this I know that it is a challenge to remain focused and intense for 40 days. In fact, I am sure that you have experienced days of strength and focus and days where that focus was next to impossible. I’m also confident that many of the days you struggled were the very days and barriers you need to approach with the most intensity. Coincidence? I don’t think so. If you have had days like that go back and camp on those barriers and pray for breakthroughs because more than likely your focus has been off on those days because of the “resistance of dark forces” which feel their stronghold in your life is being threatened. Don’t give in. “Draw near to God, He will draw near to you. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Doesn’t this 40 day exercise make you appreciate our Savior and the 40 days he went without food and the temptation he endured during that time? I know it has rained a lot here during these 40 days, but don’t you now appreciate the potential flood of 40 days and nights of rain? 40 days is a significant period of time. 40 days can change your life. Let’s finish strong and if, after the 40 days is over you still find barriers/sins controlling your time, your thoughts, your feelings, your life—Go back and seek a breakthrough! Don’t let the thief “steal, kill or destroy” the breakthrough God has given in order for you to experience “life to the full.”

Now I can’t skip to day 29 without saying something about days 26-28. These three days covered “sins of the tongue.” Sins, after 25 years of ministry, I have found to be the greatest threat to unity, love and breakthrough for churches. Rampant sins in the church and dangerous because those who commit them do not consider them as transgressions. They are veiled in the cloak of “now don’t tell anyone,” “It is the truth” or even more insidious “pray for….” Nothing arouses the ire of God like these sins.

I will not do a full word study on these barriers: boasting, gossip and slander but I will say this. People have often concluded that because something is true, it is not gossip or slander. The greatest gossip and slander I have ever seen is a truth carelessly tossed around. I’ve had leaders in the church look at me and say that something was not gossip or slander because it was true. That is false! That is a lie! Truth pitched around like a hand grenade through “whisperings and phone calls and “did you hear about” and “we need to pray for…” have destroyed more souls than all the great immoral sexual acts, murders, rapes and addictions of man!

In fact I have no doubt these matters were exactly what Solomon was talking about in Proverbs 6:16-19 when he said: “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable (an abomination literally) to Him: haughty eyes (Pride, Judgment, Arrogance, a feeling of superiority because you are not a sinner like the person you are “concerned about…”) a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood (nothing more devastating than slander and the destruction of a person’s name and reputation—even when the party is “guilty” of a transgression), a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil (just burning to tell about what you heard or what you know to be true…Did you hear about???? I’m concerned about, did you hear??? We need to pray for so and so, did you hear??? This is sin---It is an abomination to God---More people are going to hear God say, depart from me I never knew you over this than the “evils” the victims of slander and gossip have committed), a false witness who pours out lies (the “truth” always becomes bigger than the TRUTH as it spreads---the truth becomes lies…the sin of pride breeds the sin of arrogance which breeds the sin of judgment which breeds the sin of prejudice which breeds the sin of gossip which breeds the sin of slander which breeds the sin of lying which breeds the sin of murder (sermon on the mount murder)…. You get the point… this ultimately leads to the “murder” of a person’s character, reputation which leads to feelings of great desperation, deep depression, even suicide just to name a few…, “and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.” (That describes this whole process…)

Bottom line---You must use the eight-fold test of Paul on any morsel of information you consider passing on to others (Philippians 4:8-9)

“Is it True?”
“Is it Noble?” (Originate from above)
“Is it Right?”
“Is it Pure?”
“Is it Lovely?”
“Is it Admirable?”
“Is it Excellent?”
“Is it Praiseworthy?”

If the answer to any one of those questions is “no” then don’t think it, don’t say it, and by all means don’t do it. God is not with you!

If the answer to all those questions is “yes” then proceed because the God of peace is with you.
According to Jesus these sins are not just sins of the tongue---they are actually sins of the heart. Which means you have a deep, deep problem and you need to ask the Lord to heal you. Matthew 15:19 - For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

The actual word “prejudice” is not in the Bible. Here is the definition from Webster’s:
(1) : preconceived judgment or opinion (2) : an adverse opinion or leaning formed without just grounds or before sufficient knowledge b : an instance of such judgment or opinion c : an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics...

Prejudice is certainly a sin of the heart and as mentioned earlier leads to all the other sins of the tongue and heart mentioned above. It is a blight on our world and has been since the beginning. We have this natural tendency to stereotype everyone different than us. To put absolutely everyone who is of a different race, different sex, different culture, different region of the country, different religion, different social class, different educational background, you know anyone who is different into a big pot and say this is the way they all are… This is just completely false, completely ignorant, and completely sinful.

Only two verses of scripture are really needed to counteract this. The most familiar verses of the Bible. “For God so loved the world (The world-you-me-male-female-black-white-yellow-red-yankee-rebel-rich-poor-Republican-Democrat-American-Chinese-African-EVERYONE!!!) that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever (The world-you-me-male-female-black-white-yellow-red-yankee-rebel-rich-poor-Republican-Democrat-American-Chinese-African-EVERYONE!!!) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” For God did not send His Son into the world (The world-you-me-male-female-black-white-yellow-red-yankee-rebel-rich-poor-Republican-Democrat-American-Chinese-African-EVERYONE!!!) to condemn (Tell jokes about-Put down-Stereotype-Judge-Tear Down-Hate-Gossip About-Slander) the world (The world-you-me-male-female-black-white-yellow-red-yankee-rebel-rich-poor-Republican-Democrat-American-Chinese-African-EVERYONE!!!) but that the world (The world-you-me-male-female-black-white-yellow-red-yankee-rebel-rich-poor-Republican-Democrat-American-Chinese-African-EVERYONE!!!) through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

So stop condemning and judging. Stop complaining and whining about people who are different. You are different to someone. How does it make you feel to know “they” are talking about you? Don’t do the same to “them.” You are a Christian, so be Christ to “them.” Pray for “them”, love “them”, serve “them”, encourage “them”, accept “them”, save “them” and then “them” will become “US” and “WE.” And that after all is what Jesus came to do. “We” (The world-you-me-male-female-black-white-yellow-red-yankee-rebel-rich-poor-Republican-Democrat-American-Chinese-African-EVERYONE!!!) were “them” until He gave His life for us so that all who believe in Him might become “US” WITH “HIM!” THANK YOU JESUS!!!

LOVE AND ONLY LOVE WINS!!!

Word Study if you want to dig a little deeper...
Proverbs 11:13 - A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.
Proverbs 16:28 - A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.
Proverbs 18:8 - The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.
Proverbs 20:19 - A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.
Proverbs 26:20 - Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.
Proverbs 26:22 - The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.
2 Co 12:20 - For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Leviticus 19:16 - "'Do not go about spreading slander among your people. "'Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the Lord.
Psalm 15:3 - and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
Psalm31:13 - For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.
Psalm 38:20 - Those who repay my good with evil slander me when I pursue what is good.
Psalm 41:6 - Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad.
Psalm 50:20 - You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son.
Psalm 54:5 - Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.
Psalm 119:23 - Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.
Matthew 15:19 - For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.
Mark 7:22 - greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.
2 Corinthians 12:20 - For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
Ephesians 4:31 - Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Colossians 3:8 - But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.
1Timothy 5:14 - So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander.
Titus 3:2 - to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
James 4:11 - Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.