In the Wake of Katrina: For Mature Christians Only!

One reason the rescue and relief effort regardingthe United States alone, there are 327,717
Katrina has been handled the way we're seeing itProtestant churches and 19,863 Catholic churches.
is because of the Spirit of Confusion that hasWe refer to our church buildings as sanctuaries.
settled over that region. As you know, we battleSo, with that in mind, if every American church
not against flesh and blood (Eph, 6:12). But wejust took one family, we could take care of
cannot expect the government and law347,580 entire families who have been displaced.
enforcement agencies to understand this. Heck,Our large Sunday School and family centers with
most Christians don't even have a handle on thiskitchens and shower facilities only get used one
truth.Over the centuries, there's been a whole lothalf a day a week. These can EASILY be
of witchcraft practiced down in the Gulf Coast,converted in order to shelter families. Let's think
not to mention the mockery of what isoutside the box! We were born for such a time
commonly referred to as "Carnival," a wordas this.Individually, we need to all be asking right
meaning, "to remove flesh" which has actuallynow what we have that could help somebody
come to stand for sowing TO the flesh. In otherelse. Many things we no longer use - clothes,
words, during the week before Lent - a timetools, vehicles, attics, basements, closets and
intended for self-sacrifice and abstaining fromcabinets full of duplicate household and toiletry
carnal pleasures - many will celebrate with aitems - can make a big difference in the lives of
Carnival, a time of non-stop pleasure-seeking.Inthose who are now in desperate need. But like I
my research, I discovered this product on atold the kid who told me he felt God wanted him
Voodoo Doll website. The caption gave thisto be a missionary, my response was that the call
definition of the "Spirit of Carnival Doll": In Newto serve is actually a call to PREPARE. So, get a
Orleans, we know that the Spirit of carnival is apassport, kid, and learn something about the
living, breathing thing. It completely takes over,culture...then come with me one Saturday and
lifts and enlivens you until you're dancin' to theknock on doors in your neighborhood. If your
music of the St. Aug band and literally grovelin' forchurch wants to be used this way, it's time for
more Endymion & Bacchus Krewe beads. Like thethe congregation to bring its stuff up to the
Spirit of Carnival itself, our doll is cloaked inchurch, get some beds, towels, old dressers, and
mystery and charged up with plenty of greatTHEN go pick somebody up or send them bus
energy to get YOU in the Spirit. Have your besttickets through some benevolent organization or
carnival Time ever. Blessings be with youHouston or Dallas church. When they arrive, help
always.Blessings? The demonic principalities thatthem find work. You'll have a Member for life, in
have ben invited to rule and reign over that partmost cases.HERE'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!
of the U.S desire to cause as much death andBoston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling and his wife
destruction to mankind as possible. That's theirShonda paid to fly a New Orleans family of nine
agenda. As we resist these regional devils, we doto Boston and pledged to provide them with
NOT need to attempt to "bind" them as somehousing for a year. The Fields family, with seven
are teaching (request my booklet "The Battle ofchildren between the ages of 5 and 12, fled New
Caelum Moor" to read a firsthand account ofOrleans just before Hurricane Katrina struck.
what REAL spiritual warfare is all about). Two"When we realized how many people had
reasons: 1) Jesus never taught us to do so, andnowhere to go, we didn't just want to make a
2) the unnecessary backlash upon well-meaningdonation," Shonda Schilling told The Boston Globe.
Christians only burdens the Church all the more."We decided we wanted to bring an entire family
We DO need to pray for great clarity and energyhere and put them up."The families connected
to be given to those who are coordinating andthrough a Web site, OpenYourHome.com, which
participating in the lifesaving efforts. In addition,matches displaced families with people willing to
we must pray for focus and energy to rebuildhouse them. The Schillings registered Friday and
that entire region. This is important for theon Saturday anonymously arranged for the family
country as a whole.When the United Statesto fly to Boston. You, or someone you know, can
defeated Japan in World War 2, General Douglasdo the same.Likewise, the American Red Cross
MacArthur encouraged America's Church to sendhas set up a site where individuals may volunteer
battleships full of missionaries to that nation. Wetheir homes or request a place to stay. That site
did not, and missed a golden opportunity to showis located at KatrinaHousing.org. Check it out. Tell
a defeated people that the gods they servedothers. Someone you may know needs this outlet
were powerless to help them. What a time tofor the burden they're now carrying. To Christians
have shown them the love of Jesus! Likewise, ineverywhere, we must ask ourselves the
this dark hour, just a little bit of light will shine allquestion, if we do not take these displaced
the brighter. The church needs to gear up to helpfamilies in, taking advantage of the opportunity to
the Gulf Coast and we can do so in manymake disciples dangling right before our eyes, who
ways.One of these is by loving the refugees andwill?Let's give 'em Heaven!
restoring them. According to recent statistics, in