| Recently, I shot out an eMail entitled, | | | | merely have a busy schedule; our busy |
| "JESUS: STILL HEALING AFTER ALL THESE | | | | schedules have us. You get the idea. |
| YEARS." The response was unexpectedly | | | | Galatians 5:22 says one of the Fruits of |
| positive with many requesting the "7 | | | | the Spirit - the evidence that God |
| Hindrances to Healing" that I offered at | | | | resides within and works through a |
| the end (just hit REPLY and type "HEAL" | | | | Christian - is self-control. Too many |
| in your SUBJECT Bar). In the section | | | | people I know are simply out-of-control, |
| entitled "Third World Miracles," I made | | | | slaves to their helter-skelter |
| reference to a book we've read in our | | | | calendars, careers and creditors. |
| House Church group called "Megashift" by | | | | Many moons ago, I penned a letter and |
| Jim Rutz. | | | | sent a copy to the President of WalMart, |
| HIGHLY recommended! Two thumbs up! | | | | the Founder of Chick-Fil-A and visited a |
| Today, March 20th, on the site, a | | | | wealthy local businessman who had a |
| wonderful article of his was published | | | | reputation for helping local churches. |
| which included the following excerpt | | | | The WalMart guy graciously responded |
| that I thought was worth passing along. | | | | with a phone call. The Chicken Man was |
| He wrote: "I speak across the U.S. on | | | | kind enough to mail me an autographed |
| miracles. My desk is swamped with | | | | book he'd written with a note attached, |
| credible reports of astounding, totally | | | | and the local guy selflessly spent two |
| "impossible" events worldwide. And | | | | hours with me, despite my popping in on |
| always, the same question follows from | | | | him unannounced. In each case, my |
| my interviewer or audience, "So why | | | | question was, "What's it like to be |
| don't more of these miracles happen | | | | wealthy and Christian?" Believe it or |
| here?" | | | | not, from what I gathered, it's tough. |
| "Alas, I have to tell you the brutal | | | | A sermon that I can recall hearing some |
| truth: Compared to the on-fire, highly | | | | 8 years ago, lasted less than eleven |
| dedicated Christians in other lands, | | | | minutes. It was spoken by a joyful, very |
| we're a bunch of half-hearted, | | | | pleasant African Christian Bible School |
| borderline agnostics. It's not that | | | | student who was leaving our congregation |
| we're more evil than our foreign | | | | and heading back home. He stole his |
| brethren, we're just distracted and | | | | opening line from Paul's letter to the |
| wishy-washy. An Indian or Chinese | | | | Galatians - kinda - by shouting, "You |
| believer can take a bus to a different | | | | foolish Americans! Who has bewitched |
| neighborhood, preach the gospel on a | | | | you?" He went on to talk about the |
| street corner and plant a house church | | | | subtle manner in which Satan has |
| in the time it takes an American | | | | deceived and distracted us, causing us |
| believer to water the lawn, waddle out | | | | to mistake "good" things for "God" |
| to his car, take Junior to soccer | | | | things. Having observed witchcraft in |
| practice, answer his e-mail and watch a | | | | action back home, he easily detected its |
| couple of TV programs. | | | | warmed-over, Western counterpart. |
| "In other words, Joe American has | | | | He was spot on. |
| drifted away from his forefathers' | | | | In honor of that man's memorable |
| spiritual roots in the Bible." | | | | 11-minute message, I'll keep this one |
| In Luke 18:25, Jesus said, "...it is | | | | short. |
| easier for a camel to go through the eye | | | | Who has bewitched us? The lyrics for The |
| of a needle than for a rich man to enter | | | | Rolling Stones song "Sympathy for the |
| the kingdom of God." Why's that? We're | | | | devil" just came to mind. |
| too affluent. Our backs are burdened | | | | Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm |
| with too many "blessings" - so many, in | | | | a man of wealth and taste |
| fact, that we assume they are from God | | | | I've been around for a long, long year, |
| (anybody remember Satan tempting Jesus | | | | stolen many a man's soul and faith |
| with "all the kingdoms of the world and | | | | And I was around when Jesus Christ had |
| their splendor" in Matthew Chapter 4? He | | | | His moment of doubt and pain |
| said to the Lord, "All this I will give | | | | Made [darn] sure that Pilate washed his |
| you if you will bow down and worship | | | | hands and sealed His fate. |
| me"). | | | | Pleased to meet you, hope you guess my |
| Gulp. | | | | name. |
| There's a fine line between having stuff | | | | Yes, I think we can ALL guess his name. |
| and stuff having us. Many of us don't | | | | |