JOEL 2 GENERATION

Sometimes we DO NOT see the results we are praying for. I am sharing this story to illustrate the fact that things don't always go the way we would like. I approached a Gulf Arab muslim man today with a cane. I asked him about what the problem was and it he explained he had a rare infection in his heal that caused tremendous pain. I shared the testimony of another Gulf Arab man who had a similar situation - extreme pain in his foot (related to a tumor, not an infection). I told him how I had prayed and that God had taken away all the pain. He asked if I did "black magic"? I assured him that I was asking God to bring healing. I had already explained that I was a Christian but they often ask. I put my hand on his foot and while praying I felt there was something happening. I asked him how it was - if the pain was any less, or if he had felt anything. Nothing he said and went on his way. With all the healings we are seeing and sharing about, sometimes it is important...

this past week Acts 19:1-7 caught my attention again. It is considered to be a controversial passage because of an argument between an Evangelical and Charismatic interpretation about what kind of "disciples" these guys were - were they not-yet-saved as the Evangelicals contend, or followers of Christ as the Charismatics would argue? Since Luke ONLY uses the term "disciple" to describe Christians (every other time he uses that term), I believe the Charismatic interpretation to be the stronger one. (this whole debate continues because Paul and Luke use the term Baptism in the Holy Spirit in different ways and the problem comes because certain scholars have sought to read Luke through the lens of Paul's writings). In short, Paul uses the term Baptism in the Spirit to refer to the Holy Spirit's work in salvation, whereas Luke uses the term to refer to the Holy Spirit's work in empowering us for service. With that background, the Acts 19 passage caught my...