When Gossip Isn’t Gossip

When you spend over 20 years serving in the military, you acquire a lot of friends (acquaintances, allies or people) who you know by name or sometimes, only by face.  Some people may be good life-long colleagues and some persons you may never want to see or hear about them again.

Nevertheless, there may be a time when you might want to pray for that person (nothing evil, but good).  But without former knowledge, we discover that a friend has left this earth, (bought the farm, passed-away, died) and not one of your associates on social media mentioned the fact that this person was gone from this earth.

We tend to use these social interaction sites to post what we may think is funny, informative, inspiring, or aspiring.  We say, “It’s our page and we can post whatever we want to post on our page as long as it’s not offensive to others or derogatory according to the website creators.”  That’s fine, but all I’m asking is that we let others, in our inner circle of chums, know what’s happening with other people that we have in common.

Whether it is a death, a celebration in that person’s family, an illness, a milestone or something else that would be encouraging to know; we should make mention of it and not assume that someone else will tell the story.

It’s not gossiping to talk about our friends stations in life.  We can call our other friends, text them or message them.  We never know when we would be needed to encourage others who may need to hear a kind word or know that God is there with them in their time of need.

Gossip – idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others.  Don’t be confused about what we communicate.  The prayer of a good person has a powerful effect.

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Give to Get to Give Again

Have you considered what the Bible phrase “…shall men GIVE unto your bosom…” from Luke 6:38 actually meant?  Recently our small group had to privilege to help someone who was in need of assistance.  Our group did not know the individuals, but we were informed and had to ask ourselves, “WWJD” (What Would Jesus Do?).

Take a look at their story here on Examiner.com, and see if you would like to be a blessing to this family.  Or maybe you know of someone else who would like to see a little bit more of what Jesus is truly like right here on this earth.

If you don’t know what a Small Group is; take a look below and find a connection where you live.  Check your local church and ask them about “Small Groups” in your area.

What Is A Small Group?

A "Small Group" {Cell Group, C.A.R.E. (Christians Are Reaching Everyone), Bible Study Group or a Home Group} are a small group of individuals that gather together to have fellowship.  These groups are normally branched out of "Mega Churches" where the Pastor cannot meet with the entire congregation, but he has appointed individuals to get to know a portion of the flock on a more intimate scale.

Small Groups (from 10 - 15 members) live in close proximity to each other and have a common relationship besides the church.Groups may include athletics, shopping, couples, young adults, cooking, dancing, coupon shoppers, motorcyclist, singles, divorced', or any other shared activity and common interest.  They allow members to connect in an atmosphere that’s perfect for intimate worship, regular fellowship, close discipleship, targeted service, and widespread evangelism.

The group is not intended to take the place of a corporate place of worship, but to enhance the church body.  Even if a person is not attending a physical church building, they may even find the comradery of the Small Group to assist them in finding a "Church Home".

Small Group members help each other in times of need. They let the church know if there is something that might need professional attention.  Small Groups stand in the gap for each other and pray for and check on each other and get closer to God.

http://icjax.com , www.victoriapoller.com

To read more – get the book: “Bent But Not Broken” by Ms. "V" (Victoria Thomas Poller)

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   • Orange Park, FL

   • Ocala, FL

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   • Redwood City, CA

   • Tempe, AZ

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Care About Someone

The following letter was to a sister in the Lord who had a spirit of Bulimia.^[1]  She is a dear friend of mine and I was very concerned about her welfare.  I had found an article in my local newspaper concerning the disease and was urged by the Holy Spirit to send it to her along with this letter.  I hope that it may also help someone else troubled with this condition.

Dear Sister _____,

You are very dear to me, and I hope that what I am about to say will not disrupt our friendship.  If I have missed it (the Lord’s message that I was instructed to give to you), please forgive me and pray that I hear the Lord better next time.  I am using “I” throughout this letter because you know it is we (God and me) who are speaking to you, and that our God is in both of us.

My concern is your weight loss.  If you remember, I did ask you how you lost all that weight so fast, and you never gave me a response.  No; no one in your family told me anything about your sudden weight lost  You once told me, when we were in ________ (location) about how you lost weight once before and that your family did not approve.  I am not going to lecture to you, but I would like to share an article I came upon along with a few scriptures.  At first, I was going to send you this anonymously so you wouldn’t get upset with me, but the Lord told me to do it this way (using the computer because it’s faster—not impersonal).  I too, am trying to lose some weight but by natural means.  If “the three Ds” (diet, discipline and discipleship) doesn’t work for you anymore; there are other ways.

Would you introduce the way that you are losing weight to a church group?  Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and we know that God dwells in a clean temple (I Cor. 6:19).  And, if I were a weak Christian, and was in the same situation of wanting to reduce; should I follow your example?  If my physical body couldn’t take the strain, what would you do?  Would you be able to carry the responsibility of my death for following your pattern? (Romans 14)

It has taken me awhile in prayer to our Father before I could confront you with this letter Sister _____.  I love you and your family, and I don’t want anything to happen to you.  Again, if I am wrong about this situation, let me know and pray for me.  But, if I am right, know that I am here for you, and we can get through this together.

Sincerely,

Your Sister in Christ

Enclosure

Our physical bodies are not our own.  They are on loan to us from our Father, to do His will.  We have seventy-plus years’ of life expectancy on earth, and I believe that our bodies were made to endure that life span.  We are not supposed to abuse our bodies with overeating, or any other form of abuse (i.e. drugs, alcohol or cutting).  It is our responsibility to exercise proper care in what we do to our bodies in moderation and take care of what God has given us just as much as we take care of that new automobile, home, child, or other possession that He has blessed us with.  Have you noticed how very well-preserved many Christians, who are doing the will of God, actually look?  They look marvelous, and so can you!

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[1]A habitual disturbance in eating behavior mostly affecting young women of normal weight, characterized by frequent episodes of grossly excessive food intake followed by self-induced vomiting to avert weight gain

To read similar stories – get the book: “Where Did That Come From?” by Ms. "V" (Victoria Thomas Poller)

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“A Time to Sew, So I Can Sow”

As I continued to cross-stitch, I had an inward desire to worry.  “What would happen if I didn’t pay   Sure, it’s important for me not to forget about my debts, and worrying wouldn’t get me any money to pay them.  I prayed for peace.  I had to allow myself to bathe in that perfect peace that God offers.  I had to cast my care and fill my spirit with positive music.  I continued to recall God’s promising scriptures and continued to produce fruit from my hands.  You know, there are seeds in that fruit, and when planted, those seeds will produce more fruit.  Lord, I thank you that I have my health, and I thank you for the prosperity that is to come.  I’m able to drive to the gym (about seven miles) and keep gas in the car.
this bill or that bill?”

I look back on the lives of David, Job and Jeremiah, to name a few, who had good years and some not-so-good years, yet, through it all, God came through and supplied them with victory.  Their deliverance may have taken some time, but nevertheless the victory came.  Time even passed a little slowly for Esther before she came into her deliverance and victory.  Her success to reign as queen took a few years.

Today, at the place where I pick up my mail, I was talking with a gentleman about how I was so ready to receive my millions from Dick Clark and Ed McMahon and that I wasn’t going to order any more magazines.  He laughed, but I was serious.  Satan had to take his hands off of my finances.

Last nights’ Bible study lesson was about “Putting Your Trust in God and Not in Man.”  “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is” (Jer.17:5, 7).  Sure, God has promised us blessings and that men will be the vessels to give to us (Luke 6:38), but we cannot select who it will be, when it will happen, or what they will have for us—only God knows all the ingredients and how to mix them.

To read the rest of this story – get the book: “Bent But Not Broken” by Ms. "V" (Victoria Thomas Poller)

NEW!  Top 5 Google Areas to Ms. "V"s Website for Oct. 1 – Oct. 14, 2013 are:

• Florida

• Colorado

• New Mexico

• Tennessee

• Austria

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