SOMETHING GOOD IS ABOUT TO HAPPENWritten by Irvin L. Rozier
Genesis 50.20 "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."One day my son, Joel, wanted some sausage patties to cook for breakfast. I told him I'd run down to local grocery store, Wall's IGA, and get that item plus a few more things. I picked up my hand basket and went back to meat department. As I approached meat, I saw a lady I had went to school with. I patted her on back and said, "Hey, how are you doing?" The next thing I knew, I was laying on my back about 15 feet away from where I had stood, my glasses were bent and blood was seeping from a small cut on side of my face. The first thought that came to my mind was, "Lord, why did this happen to me?" The Lord spoke quietly, "They nailed me to cross." I then knew that Lord was in control. I sat up, and there stood a demon possessed man who had been stalking this lady. He had beat on her, and she was trying to get away from him. I asked store manager to call police, because in my experience with these types of individuals, I didn't know what to expect next. Innocent people could be seriously hurt. The manger said, "The phone is up front, you can go use it." I could barely see because of my bent glasses, and I told man who had hit me not to go anywhere. He was just going to walk out like nothing happened. The verse of scripture, Psalm 105.15, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm" came to my mind. I said to myself, "Fellow, you done hit wrong man."
| | Paul’s Letter to 21st Century ChristiansWritten by Rev. Saundra L. Washington
I received a letter this week that is written in Greek that I have translated and would like to share with you. It is from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by will of God, and it is addressed to: all my brothers and sisters living in 21st century. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ.For many years I have longed to see you. I have heard a great deal about you and all marvelous things you are doing. News has reached me that your scientific and technological advances are phenomenal. You have at your disposal automobiles so luxurious that average man in my day would never have conceived such a possibility. I have heard about your ingenious skyscrapers and huge builders. I understand some folks become a bit dizzy and faint, just looking up at them. It boggles my mind just contemplating fascinating achievements you have attained. It is my understanding medical technology can cure in twinkling of an eye, plagues and diseases that would destroy us by thousands. All of this is wonderful. You can do so much more in your day than I could do in Greco-Roman world of my day. Your educational facilities and advantages are superb and beyond compare to any other time in human history. You can travel distances in 5 days that in my day, required 5 years. All of this is marvelous. And what is this I hear about that high-tech deluxe jumbo jet called Air force One. I’m told it’s a floating mansion with sophisticated and extensive electronics. You have computers and cellular phones that make it possible for you to contact just about anybody in world while cruising tens of thousands of feet in air. All of this is simply fabulous. I am a staunch believer in progress. I believe in development. I believe in growth and advancement. I think all of these are splendid. But I wonder if your moral and spiritual progress has kept up with your scientific and technological progress. From what I have been hearing, your spiritual progress lags far behind your technological progress. It seems to me that you have plenty of money – but very little manners; lots of gossip – but little Gospel; prey on bad news – ignore God’s good news; play too much – pray too little; fine houses – very few homes; lots of lust – very little love; talk too much – testify too little; lots of churches – few temples of God; lots of formality – little spirituality; lots of beliefs – no faith. And what are these Situation Ethics I keep haring about? In my day it was, children obey your parents. But it seems like you all have changed it to; parents obey your children. I am proud to hear America, that through your political genius you have managed to make your world a neighborhood. I understand that you have been able to establish working relationships with far away countries and that is beautiful. But it is tragic that with all you have at your disposal; you have failed to make it a Brotherhood. Oh yes, my brothers and sisters, you have managed to produce ultimate in scientific knowledge. In my day in my wildest imagination, we never would have thought of invention of nuclear bombs; that deadly weapon that can be dropped from a plane on heads of millions of people and can set whole world on fire with press of a button. You live in an age of technological genius. But I also heard other day that you live in an age of longing, age of anxiety, age of suspicion and fear. You live in an age in which people are afraid to defend faith for fear of offending disbelievers; an age of compromise and acceptance and tolerance for intolerable. You live in an age where all representations of Christianity in work place, community and government offices are considered inappropriate and to be reserved for private home environment only. So it seems like you have plenty of genius but no wisdom. Therefore I find it necessary to write to you to remind you; in midst of all your great knowledge and advancement, of responsibility laid upon you to represent Jesus Christ.
|