Categories
Gossip and Slander Life With God

Like ripples from a pebble are injuries from an ‘evil tongue’: Lessons on gossip

Gossip is a premeditated destruction of one human being by another. Scripture and James Foley’s “Drop a Pebble in the Water” poem teach that we need to let our “ripples” be encouraging and uplifting.

Categories
Appointments With God Discussions Gossip and Slander Life With God Passover Torah

Numbers 8–12: The LORD calls, but will we answer?

As the Torah reading בהעלתך Beha’alotcha begins, the menorah and the Levites are dedicated to God’s service, and the Tabernacle is ready for business. However, this reading is permeated with all sorts of ingratitude and complaining, from the people complaining about the manna to Miriam and Aaron complaining about Moses. God doesn’t put up with any of it. Whether it’s sending down a consuming fire or a plague, God doesn’t put up with people grumbling about His provision.

Categories
Anger Discussions Gossip and Slander Life With God

Lassoing lashon ha-ra (evil tongue): Grappling with gossip and slander in God’s family

We’re taking an excursus from our exploration of Yeshua’s “apocalyptic discourse” in Matthew 24-25, Luke 21 and Mark 13 to explore one of the most pervasive sins among God’s people today. It’s not the Sabbath. It’s not sexual deviance. This is a study about kosher — distinguishing between “clean” and “unclean” — and God’s judgment on the Day of the Lord.

There is a deeper meaning of kosher and what God considers “clean.” Many are very concerned about Moses’ commands about eating kosher, but little concern about Yeshua’s command to speak kosher.

Apostle Ya’akov (James) wrote a lot about the essential matter of keeping control of what comes out of one’s mouth.