| One reason the rescue and relief effort | | | | are 327,717 Protestant churches and 19,863 |
| regarding Katrina has been handled the way | | | | Catholic churches. We refer to our church |
| we're seeing it is because of the Spirit of | | | | buildings as sanctuaries. So, with that in |
| Confusion that has settled over that region. | | | | mind, if every American church just took one |
| As you know, we battle not against flesh and | | | | family, we could take care of 347,580 entire |
| blood (Eph, 6:12). But we cannot expect the | | | | families who have been displaced. Our large |
| government and law enforcement agencies to | | | | Sunday School and family centers with |
| understand this. Heck, most Christians don't | | | | kitchens and shower facilities only get used |
| even have a handle on this truth.Over the | | | | one half a day a week. These can EASILY be |
| centuries, there's been a whole lot of | | | | converted in order to shelter families. Let's |
| witchcraft practiced down in the Gulf Coast, | | | | think outside the box! We were born for such |
| not to mention the mockery of what is | | | | a time as this.Individually, we need to all |
| commonly referred to as "Carnival," a word | | | | be asking right now what we have that could |
| meaning, "to remove flesh" which has actually | | | | help somebody else. Many things we no longer |
| come to stand for sowing TO the flesh. In | | | | use - clothes, tools, vehicles, attics, |
| other words, during the week before Lent - a | | | | basements, closets and cabinets full of |
| time intended for self-sacrifice and | | | | duplicate household and toiletry items - can |
| abstaining from carnal pleasures - many will | | | | make a big difference in the lives of those |
| celebrate with a Carnival, a time of non-stop | | | | who are now in desperate need. But like I |
| pleasure-seeking.In my research, I discovered | | | | told the kid who told me he felt God wanted |
| this product on a Voodoo Doll website. The | | | | him to be a missionary, my response was that |
| caption gave this definition of the "Spirit | | | | the call to serve is actually a call to |
| of Carnival Doll": In New Orleans, we know | | | | PREPARE. So, get a passport, kid, and learn |
| that the Spirit of carnival is a living, | | | | something about the culture...then come with |
| breathing thing. It completely takes over, | | | | me one Saturday and knock on doors in your |
| lifts and enlivens you until you're dancin' | | | | neighborhood. If your church wants to be used |
| to the music of the St. Aug band and | | | | this way, it's time for the congregation to |
| literally grovelin' for more Endymion & | | | | bring its stuff up to the church, get some |
| Bacchus Krewe beads. Like the Spirit of | | | | beds, towels, old dressers, and THEN go pick |
| Carnival itself, our doll is cloaked in | | | | somebody up or send them bus tickets through |
| mystery and charged up with plenty of great | | | | some benevolent organization or Houston or |
| energy to get YOU in the Spirit. Have your | | | | Dallas church. When they arrive, help them |
| best carnival Time ever. Blessings be with | | | | find work. You'll have a Member for life, in |
| you always.Blessings? The demonic | | | | most cases.HERE'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT! |
| principalities that have ben invited to rule | | | | |
| and reign over that part of the U.S desire to | | | | Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and |
| cause as much death and destruction to | | | | his wife Shonda paid to fly a New Orleans |
| mankind as possible. That's their agenda. As | | | | family of nine to Boston and pledged to |
| we resist these regional devils, we do NOT | | | | provide them with housing for a year. The |
| need to attempt to "bind" them as some are | | | | Fields family, with seven children between |
| teaching (request my booklet "The Battle of | | | | the ages of 5 and 12, fled New Orleans just |
| Caelum Moor" to read a firsthand account of | | | | before Hurricane Katrina struck. |
| what REAL spiritual warfare is all about). | | | | |
| Two reasons: 1) Jesus never taught us to do | | | | "When we realized how many people had |
| so, and 2) the unnecessary backlash upon | | | | nowhere to go, we didn't just want to make a |
| well-meaning Christians only burdens the | | | | donation," Shonda Schilling told The Boston |
| Church all the more. We DO need to pray for | | | | Globe. "We decided we wanted to bring an |
| great clarity and energy to be given to those | | | | entire family here and put them up."The |
| who are coordinating and participating in the | | | | families connected through a Web site, |
| lifesaving efforts. In addition, we must pray | | | | OpenYourHome.com, which matches displaced |
| for focus and energy to rebuild that entire | | | | families with people willing to house them. |
| region. This is important for the country as | | | | The Schillings registered Friday and on |
| a whole.When the United States defeated Japan | | | | Saturday anonymously arranged for the family |
| in World War 2, General Douglas MacArthur | | | | to fly to Boston. You, or someone you know, |
| encouraged America's Church to send | | | | can do the same.Likewise, the American Red |
| battleships full of missionaries to that | | | | Cross has set up a site where individuals may |
| nation. We did not, and missed a golden | | | | volunteer their homes or request a place to |
| opportunity to show a defeated people that | | | | stay. That site is located at |
| the gods they served were powerless to help | | | | KatrinaHousing.org. Check it out. Tell |
| them. What a time to have shown them the love | | | | others. Someone you may know needs this |
| of Jesus! Likewise, in this dark hour, just a | | | | outlet for the burden they're now carrying. |
| little bit of light will shine all the | | | | To Christians everywhere, we must ask |
| brighter. The church needs to gear up to help | | | | ourselves the question, if we do not take |
| the Gulf Coast and we can do so in many | | | | these displaced families in, taking advantage |
| ways.One of these is by loving the refugees | | | | of the opportunity to make disciples dangling |
| and restoring them. According to recent | | | | right before our eyes, who will?Let's give |
| statistics, in the United States alone, there | | | | 'em Heaven! |