Dealing with slandering gossips in the church

Based on this, and the other thread(s) started by this poster, that seem to indicate a particular nature...you'll forgive my suspicion, but is this guy a troll?

 

John,

Have you ever heard what Christ said?

"Pray for them which despitefully use you," is not an opinion.

You will meet many who while pretending to be your friend will use you, deposit all manner of evil upon you, and even falsely accuse you.

No believer has lived long for Christ who does not face and live with the disillusionment that all who name the name of Christ are not "like me."

What should you do?

You are Not run to others, not run off at the mouth, not be critical and expecting others to live to your standards.

You are to pray for them.

You are to pray for your attitude toward them.

You are to pray to be so submitted to Christ that the grace of God manifests itself in your living.

You are to pray that you may demonstrate living "peaceably with all."

You are to pray.

You are to "grin and bear it" because it is one of the hallmarks of the believer's maturity.

You are to pray.

You are to pray in thankfulness to God for what you are and who He is making you to be.

You are to pray.

Rather than speak out, pray.

Rather than confront, pray.

Rather than contend for the flesh, pray.

Rather than be disturbed in spirit, pray.

You are to pray.

For until you have prayed this and all other matters through until you have direct filling and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, you must pray.

There is no fight to be planned, no battle to be won, no victory to be had outside of first praying this (and all matters you are in conflict over) through.

This kind of prayer needs time not minutes but hours, days even weeks, alone and without interruption.

This prayer is for personal cleansing and subjection of all things the believer would hold a dear as gifts to the Lord.

The prayer is extremely humbling and no self justification can be found, no self righteousness, no self importance, no self.

Very few believers have ever prayed through. Most don't bother, lack the courage, or exist in their own strength.

It is important that one remember than the "groaning" spoken often in the Scriptures is NOT some charismatic gibberish. But total sincerity and honest pleading for wisdom and the leading of the Holy Spirit in all matters that leads to serenity of abiding in Him.

 

Don,

He's not a troll bro. He just needs to take a step back and see that it is him. It won't be easy, and it will be hard to admit. If he does this, he'll change and we'll see it. He needs our prayers.

- Peace

 

"For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously;" 1 Peter 2:20-23

 

what I have heard is that prayers meetings can become "Gossip fests", as the person asking for prayers tends to 'add in' enough additional information to cause it to move into the realm of the Gossip!

when we have an official "welcome new member" to my church, its down public before entire Church, and the pastor tells them and all of us that we have the responsibility to tell one gossiping to "stop it" in order to NOT have division in the ranks!

 

We are to confront the person with gentleness in private first.

 

This is a very good and godly response which is direct contrast to asking him if he has a mental problem.

 

Agreed, its just usually that Gossips in church like the school bulley...

many times ONLY way to get their attention and have them back off is through a "show of force", in this case, getting "in their face"