August 3

2 Chronicles 33:14-34:33, Romans 16:10-27, Psalm 26:1-12, Proverbs 20:19

Pray: It’s so easy to gossip, isn’t it? We join in without even realizing it. It somehow makes us feel important if we have information about another person. We do it, yet it is clear in Scripture just how wrong it is. Proverbs 20:19 tells us “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.” If you are easily drawn into gossip, repent during your prayer time and ask the Lord to help you stay away from other “chatterers.” If you don’t join in gossip, ask the Lord in your prayer time to help you be bold enough to squash it! There’s no place for it in the church of Jesus Christ, nor is there a place for it in the life of those who follow Christ!

Read: David challenges me in Psalm 26 when he writes, “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me. Test my motives and my heart” (v.2). Even when my actions are good (they’re not always), there are many times my heart may be in the wrong place or my motives impure. What about you? Could you pray such a prayer and be confident that if God were to honor that prayer your heart and motives would be found pleasing to the Lord? 

Edify: Age is never an issue when it comes to effectiveness in the Kingdom of God. I find this over and over again throughout Scripture. Josiah was 8 years old when he became king of Israel. He returned the people to the Lord. Many Christians will say they are too old or too young to do certain things. It simply is just not Scriptural to say such things. God can use people of all ages, as long as they are seeking Him.

Practice: We must be careful of things that are contrary to Scripture and against the Christian faith. Paul, as he closes out Romans makes one final appeal to “watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them” (16:17). What is in your life that is contrary to what the Bible teaches? Is it a tv show, images/video on your phone/tablet/computer, pride, greed, etc.? Rid yourself of such things and honor the Lord so that everyone will know “that you are obedient to the Lord” (Romans 16:19).