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