Whoah Brad that is good and convicting ouch

thanks I know I needed that


Lelia Struve email [log in to unmask] msn [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad D" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 10:07 PM
Subject: Whispers In The House


> Our churches are filled with varying flavors of people, with varying=20
> levels of skill, talent, giftings, wisdom and etc. in which, as a
> whole,=20
> cover the needed area of the churches daily business. You have Brother
> or=20
> Sister Dollar Bill who is gifted in financial wisdom and tracking to
> bean=20
> count the churches receipts and keep things lawful and etc. You have=20
> Brother or Sister Sound Byte who are gifted in audio concerns. And
> perhaps=
> =20
> you have Brother or Sister Hand Shake who are people person's and
> gifted=20
> in making anyone and everyone feel welcome and at home. Each using what=20
> they are good at for the building and maintaining of God's house of=20
> worship, feeling good about what they are doing because they are busy=20
> about the work they do best. Sitting next to any one of these fine
> people,=
> =20
> or even perhaps any one of these folks may have a dual personality that
> go=
> =20
> by different names like Brother or Sister Sandpaper. No matter how they=20
> rub you, it seems rough and cross grain. Or Brother or Sister Wax
> paper,=20
> no matter what goes on in life, they seem just so smooth like glass,=20
> providing an opaque finish to give the appearance you can almost see=20
> through them, but just enough clouding to prevent or protect any real
> look=
> =20
> at what goes on inside. Otherwise known as Brother and Sister Pickett=20
> Fence.  We also might have Brother or Sister Megaphone that no matter
> what=
> =20
> they do in the church, they blow their own horn and wish for all to
> know=20
> what they've done no matter how subtle they choose to announce it; it=20
> seems loud and clear nonetheless. And of course we have Brother or
> Sister=20
> Cupped Hand. They do not find satisfaction in what they do in church,
> or=20
> perhaps do not have anything to do in church but put a cupped hand to=20
> mouth and talk about what others are doing, spreading the disease of=20
> gossip like a computer worm over the internet.
>
> Can you recognize some of these folks? Perhaps you know some, are
> friends=20
> with them, or have been or find you are one yourself even at times.=20
> Perhaps we all have put on the Sand or waxed paper suit, carried a=20
> megaphone with us for a time and even found our hand to be cupped
> around=20
> the mouth rather than over the mouth. I know I have as I look back. God=20
> forgive me.  The whisperings whispered  are like gaulker traffic,
> drivers=20
> by an accident that really do not want to see the gore, yet can't help=20
> themselves and therefore stare as they go by taking mental pictures for=20
> better of the telling of the story when they get to the office. Seems
> we=20
> find similar   telling of the unfortunate spiritual accidents or wrecks=20
> encountered on life's highway by those who whisper their morsels=20
> passionately among those who will listen. Charlie Daniels has two very=20
> bold Christian CDs out since the 90's which one contains the following=20
> song and illustrates the scripture to follow.
>
> New Pharisee
> By Charlie Daniels
>
> They go walking into church
> Every Sunday morning
> They're the self-appointed sin control
> Well they whisper and they gossip
> Behind the back
> Of anybody that they can't control
>
> See that girl in the choir
> She's got evil desire
> She must be drinking from the devil's well
> She's a downright disgrace
> With that paint on her face
> She looks just like a Jezebel
>
> And you're running around putting everybody down
> What are you trying to do?
> You need to pick up the book, take another look
> 'cause brother I got the news for you
> 'Cause Jesus was sent with a new covenant
> And he even died for you=85
> You Pharisee, (You Pharisee)
> Like a fatal disease, (Like a fatal disease)
> Always a flapping your jaw, (flapping your jaw)
> Trying to live by the law, (awwww)
>
> You see that boy over there
> With that long shaggy hair
> Ought' a be ashamed of his self
> He's wearing hip hop clothes,
> Got a ring in his nose
> Don't he know he's going straight to hell?
>
> And then yesterday morning
> Me and Sister Johnson
> Were talking on the party line
> She said that deacon Brown
> Was having dinner downtown,
> Someone seen him with a glass of wine
>
> And you act so righteous
> And you look so pies
> You always pay your tithes
> But there's a rock in your heart
> And a fire on your tongue
> And there ain't no love in your eyes
> Bad news is beguiling
> And the devil is smiling
> You gossip and you criticize=85
> You Pharisee, (You Pharisee)
> Like a fatal disease, (Like a fatal disease)
> Always a flapping your jaw, (flapping your jaw)
> Trying to live by the law, (Trying to live by the law)
> Well you can't live by the law, (can't live by the law)
> So quit flapping your jaw, (flapping your jaw)
> New Pharisee, (new Pharisee)
> Yes you're a lot like me
>
> Ouch!
>
> Proverbs tells us=85
>
> "For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer,=20
> contention quiets down. Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire,
> so=20
> is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a whisperer are
> like=20
> dainty morsels, and they go down into the innermost parts of the
> body. --=20
> Proverbs 26:20-23
>
> Not only is God talking about whispers going into the innermost parts
> of=20
> our body physically, poisoning our minds and thought, but also the body
> of=
> =20
> Christ.
>
> My pastor in a former church use to have a rule=85 if you aren't
> directly=20
> related to the cause of a problem or directly related or assigned to
> the=20
> solution, he didn't want to hear what you have to say about it and it
> was=20
> merely gossip. It really is amazing how a whisper will carry farther
> than=20
> any shout for help. And, with the repeating of the whispered morsel, it=20
> gets juicier and juicier with each telling. If you don't believe me, or=20
> just want to try a humorous yet sobering object exercise, gather about
> 20=20
> or so people in a room and without telling them why you are doing this,=20
> instruct each one to repeat in a whisper to the person next to them
> what=20
> they've heard whispered to them. Then when done, announce the original=20
> statement and have the last one say what he heard. You'll be amazed how
> it=
> =20
> changed from the original statement in one room in a matter of minutes.
> It=
> =20
> is human nature to obviscate or embellish what we hear simply due to
> our=20
> own interpretation of words or the desire to tell it juicier than we
> heard=
> =20
> it in attempts to wow others with our telling.
>
> So what do we do if we see Deacon Brown with a glass of wine? I'd think=20
> nothing. What if we saw five empty glasses sitting along side his plate?
> I=
> =20
> might pray for God's protection and guidance if it is needed in that
> area.=
> =20
> What if we saw him staggering drunk down the sidewalk? Perhaps approach=20
> him quickly, take him into your care, sober him up, and confront him on=20
> it, pray with him, and go with him to see the pastor or leader of the=20
> house of worship he serves. In any case whispering morsels of gossip is=20
> not in order and serves no godly use. What do we do if we begin to hear=20
> someone whispering to us? Stop them and tell them you do not wish to
> hear=20
> about such things and recommend if they have issue with someone to=20
> approach the person they are about to gossip about  and if it is not
> wise=20
> to approach them for some reason, bring it before the pastor. If it is
> a=20
> real concerning issue it is best the pastor know, if it is petty or
> turns=20
> out untrue, I expect you'll get a good talking to and instruction in
> what=20
> to do in the future. What if you offend the person whispering to you?=20
> Good. They need to be jerked out of that mode and tell them why you do
> not=
> =20
> participate in such talk.
>
> In any case always remember that we are in no way perfect, we all  do
> make=
> =20
> mistakes, as well project how it might feel being the topic of juice
> among=
> =20
> others if we made a real mistake and try to get past it, or to be
> falsely=20
> accused as you casually sip your harmless glass of wine.
>
> Brad
>