PHOENIX RISING

Well.

Just in case you are wondering, this is not a continuation of the last post. Not in the way you might think. There is something that I want to put out here for all to read.

There is too much suspicion going on these days. Too many people are afraid. Fundamentalists are too afraid of liberals and liberals are too afraid of fundamentalists.

Men and women are afraid for their ‘ministries’.

The ‘literal’ are afraid of the ‘allegorical’ and vice versa.

On and on.

Left and right…

blah, blah, blah….

Listen to your hearts, saints, not your ‘flesh’.

Listen to your Lord, not to men. Not even to me.

So what if God can speak through man? Don’t you know the difference?

Children differ nothing from servants, but when faith comes….the anointing within will lead you into all truth.

Brothers and Sisters in high places:

Sorry.

You are disqualified.

You must start over.

Don’t grasp The Equality, it’s not healthy.

If you just don’t get all of this, you are blessed.

If you do….the Kingdom is near you.

Whew.

Glad that’s out.

Now I want to say something else.

Not everything that comes out of my mouth is an encouragement.

As a matter of fact I recently wrote a post expressing grief over the fact that I struggle with back-biting.

How horrible of me!

I’m not kidding here.

This issue really troubles me. And no, I’m not the only one.

This disease seems to be running rampant in the believing community.

Which brings me to the meat of this particular post.

‘Sideways Talk’.

What is it?

Remember when Nathan the prophet told that parable to king David, and king David was in harmony with what Nathan was saying, and then Nathan told David that the parable was really about David and his sin with Bathsheba?

Well ’sideways talk’, to me, would be if Nathan had not ever said ‘You are that man’.

Sideways talk is almost like straight talk, but cockeyed. It’s the art of almost confronting someone with a word of correction or even rebuke.

Brothers and sisters, some of you know me quite well, and some of you know just how good I am at doing this. Well, right now, within the realm of this virtual community, I confess, generally, to this crooked practice and I turn back to the Lord concerning this aspect of my conduct.

I apologize in whatever humility that I truly possess.

I ask your forgiveness.

So does this apply to the first half of this post?

Not really.

Consider that an ‘open letter’.

There is a difference.

I harbor no convictions about anyone in particular at this moment for the above mentioned suspicious mentality.

Now for ‘The Invitation’.

Brothers, Sisters, family, friends, enemies, and strangers:

Come to me if you have issues with me. Please.

I beg of you.

And the same goes for all of your relationships.

Sure. If you are able to ‘take it to the cross’, then bless you. But if you take it to the cross, don’t drag that dead thing to everyone else’s doorstep looking for consolation.

Hold on just a second now.

YES.

There are times and places for seeking counsel, for seeking direction. This is all well and good. Healthy, even.

This is altogether different from backstabbing and crooked-speak.

In this type of conversation, there is no ill intent, but there is only humility and honesty. You will know the difference.

Well….

That’s about it for today.

I haven’t posted here in a while, but this is soon to be my blog-home of choice.

I believe I will have some good stuff to share here very soon!

Grace and Peace to you ALL in and from the Lord Jesus Christ.