JUST ANOTHER MIRACLE

By looking in the Bible, we can find all kinds of miracles ranging from healing, walking on the water to feeding more than 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Not bad. This man Jesus was pretty impressive until the Jews and the Romans teamed up to crucify him. They naturally didn't count on him coming out of the tomb alive.

Those Biblical miracles still form a great part of Christianity; however, there is nothing like a modern day miracle. There are several miracles to which I can point. If you knew Lindenwood University in the 1970's and 1980's and then saw it today, you would be forced to say, "That is a miracle!" Growing from a few hundred students to more than 15,000 is a modern day miracle.

I want to share a miracle with you from someone who walked into my life while I was in the United States Army. He was Chaplain (Lt Col) William Kirkpatrick. His son David, taught at William Jewell College in Liberty. MO. Chaplain Kirkpatrick was an enlisted man during WWII. He was captured by the Germans and sentenced to be executed. On the day he was scheduled to be shot, he was praying something like this: "Lord, get me out of this and I'll preach." A few moments later, an order came down canceling  the execution.

True to his word, Chaplain Kirkpatrick became a minister for the Lord, and sharing his personal testimony regarding miracles.

I am on the verge of a miracle. When the process comes to a conclusion, perhaps I will have the opportunity to share it with you. Meanwhile, I pray God's blessings come to you.

A Thought on Violence in America

I know I am old. I was born in a previous century, went to elementary and high school in a previous century and went to college in a previous century and received my degrees in a previous century. Most of my work life was in a previous century, so you might perceive that I am still in that century. In these, my later years, I have endeavored not to be caught up in the "way it used to be." I have seen that approach too many times to count. One, however, can't help to have questions about why the violence in America in the 21st century. We have always had various kinds of mental illness. Although we haven't treated it the same way, we have had it. We have always had good and not so good schools. We have always had good and poor parenting. We have always had single parenting. We have always had good and poor churches. What then is the problem? Could it be that people with mental illness is not the problem? Could it be that our schools are not teaching the "right stuff?" Could it be that some parenting is not doing the right thing and parents are not role models? Could it be that many of our churches are leaving out the most important part? I kinda think that if we go back to where violence really began in America, it started when we decided to make Jesus just another guy who has appeared on the world' stage. Our schools, in the name of political correctness, and following orders from the government feel His teaching are old fashioned and out of date. Many of our homes have said that Jesus is not relevant in today's society. We should be able to do most anything we want to do. There are far too many churches that talk about the "Mythology" of Christianity. I do believe in the freedom of religion. I just happen to believe that Jesus IS the Son of God. That means I now live under grace that is more than flavored by what Jesus said. If Jesus is truly the Son of God, why is that not important in the 21st century. If Jesus is the most important person to grace our planet, why is it politically incorrect to have a class about him in school. Could it be that violence in America is really caused by neglect of the perfection of Jesus? Could it be that violence is caused by the products of today's schools, parents and churches? Maybe we should rethink our problems, trace their origin, and find out that what we are doing in many places is absolutely the wrong thing.