November 09, 2008
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Screwtape Letters
We are not ignorant of the enemy or his schemes. In this newsletter we're using a form of satire patterned after Screwtape Letters to highlight Kingdom issues. Have some fun with it. Our characters are two fictional demons; Itchy and Scratchy.
Itchy: "Don't you think we should be planning ahead? The new year is approaching and all we have to show for last year is a few church splits and a failed revival." Scratchy gathered his thoughts from a swamp of failures. Itchy was full of talk and ideas that wearied him more. Their only real power anymore was deception so a few new lies was their best path forward. Salvations were up dramatically worldwide and their department was under increasing criticism from the powers and principalities. Even worse, the concept of Kings ministering in the marketplace was a worrisome front. Scratchy finally muttered, "Ah what's the harm. We may as well make hay while the sun shines. Jesus promised us the abyss, but I don't think that will be for while." Itchy excitedly got a white board to start the brain storming session while Scratchy shook himself free of a few more fleas as he took up a recliner to facilitate his best thinking. Itchy offered the first item, "I think we should continue to operate covertly. The more we can get these Christians to believe we don't exist and don't have any strategy the better off we'll be." "That's a start," said Scratchy, "I think we should also plant the seed that God is responsible for hurricanes and recessions. It has a nice complementary feel to it." "Very good said Itchy," as he alternated between writing on the white board and scratching his hardest to reach extremities. It had been a bad year for fleas and ticks. Itchy wrote a big number 2 on the board and tried raise the enthusiasm in the dark, damp pit they called home. "Let's do a few points on the church. We've got to keep people inside the four walls. We haven't had much success separating them from Jesus once they've had a taste of the Holy Spirit. I think we need to keep them busy in church and keep them out of the rest of society." "That's good" said Scratchy, "I like the idea of the church being a perpetual motion machine - lot's of activity; no impact in the Kingdom. That whole program where we call transfers 'church growth' was a big success last year." Itchy was writing (and scratching) feverishly now that Scratchy was engaged. "This year I think we need to focus on finances. Let's use our success in the recession to keep them living from paycheck to paycheck... no investments, no new businesses and nothing that will generate income. That spirit of Poverty has been our best friend; the way he's kept money as 'filthy lucre' has been real genius. He trumped that lie with 'wealth transfer.' Now we've got Christians waiting for the wicked to hand over their finances - I love it! No initiative!!! They don't have a clue that money can be converted to ministry or how to make it. Most of them don't even believe the Holy Spirit is trying show them how to multiply finances. Yes, Poverty is probably up for a promotion. I just wish we'd have thought of that one ourselves." "Excellent point," as Itchy captured the poverty delusion on the white board and countered with the next, "I think we need to hit some root issues along that line. Let's make sure we keep Christians identified with sheep, servants and slaves... keep them mindlessly and obediently going in circles on the perpetual motion machine. We can't let them operate out of their own heart's desires or think of themselves as friends of Jesus - they might get motivated and unmanageable." "That's true, keep them serving in another man's vision as long as possible. Masters and teachers, but no mentors to show them how," Scratchy offered, as he adjusted his centuries-old recliner to a more upright position. "We need to make sure they 'wait on God' and stay away from creativity and initiative. The Holy Spirit is flooding the earth with opportunities and we need to keep them focused on their defeats, the recession, and their poverty. Let's continue to help them spiritualize mediocrity as though it's the will of God. That one has consistently stayed in our top 10 delusions. I just love false humility." Itchy was writing smaller to make sure everything would fit on the board. "Let's summarize our delusions of the year" said Itchy. "For 2009 we need to make sure Christians stay broke and unmotivated and ineffective in the 7 mountains. We have to keep them in the perpetual motion machine and out of the Kingdom. The last thing we need is someone like Sarah Palin shaking up everything we've done in the political mountain. That was a close call!" "Very true," nodded Scratchy. "I think the bottom line is that if we can keep them away from mentors and broke, we can keep their level of influence in society at a minimum. Let them think the Church and the Kingdom are the same thing and that success is coming in the form of a rapture. Keep them all waiting for someone else to do something." The floor of the pit was covered with moldy feathers as Itchy had nearly scratched himself raw with excitement. Scratchy moved his recliner back to a more comfortable position. It was his only, and favorite, possession: an item he'd stolen from the Reichstag after Hitler committed suicide. It reminded him of his glory days when a good delusion caught some momentum and took off under it's own power... until the Spirit of Truth and some Kings brought the whole initiative down in defeat.
Love,
John & Sue (are dancing - Join us) Harold is dancing too ... with Linda You're invited into the vision to release Kings; communicate the message, make the money, and do the mission.
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