you were born for something other than this

8/9/2019 You Were Born for Something Other Than This

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You WereBorn for

SomethiSomethiSomethiSomethingngngngOtherOtherOtherOther

ThanThis

Biblical Response to Bruce Wilkinsons text,You Were Born for This:

7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles

Chris Edward Jensenwww.redpen.org |the red pen


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You Were Born for Something Other than This:Biblical Response to Bruce Wilkinsons text,

You Were Born for This: 7 Keys to a Life ofPredictable Miracles

Copyright 2010 Chris Edward Jensenwww.redpen.org | the red pen


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Table of Contents

Where Do We Go from Here? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Biblical Analysis

Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Endorsements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Chapter 1 : A New Way to See the World

You were born to expect a miracle today . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

A Mysterious Encounter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

What God Thinks is Normal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Everyday Miracle Territory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Jimmy the delivery guy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Doing what God wants done . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Grading You Were Born for This . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25


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Where Do We Go from Here?

Dear Reader,

Thank you for considering this analysis of the latest book by Bruce Wilkinson, You WereBorn for This: 7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles. I trust that it will bless you andhelp to show how easy it is for you to carefully evaluate Christian books for yourself.

If you are new to this format of evaluating non-fiction material, Ill break it down for you:

+ = Good teaching here. In line with what the Bible teaches on the matter.

? = Questionable material here. Either vague, incomplete, or in need of furtherclarification.

- = Bad teaching here. Out of step with biblical teaching. Needs to be omitted for anyfuture editions if biblical truth is the aim of the author.

Since many will question mymotives for evaluating books by popular pastors andteachers, I submit the following paragraph, lifted from my initial letter to Wilkinson.

The goal is simply to hold up what youve written against the infallible Word of God andsee how well you did. Hopefully, all who read will be encouraged and better equipped fortheir Christian walk.

Really, thats what my work at the red penwas all about: holding popular Christianbooks of our day up to the light of Scripture.

To God be the glory!

Chris

PS I typically use a small collection of faithful bible translations when responding to whatI read in these texts: KJV, NKJV, NASB and ESV. (Why not use only one translation?

Because we have more than one faithful translation at our disposal. )

PPS You can find Wilkinsons free copyof chapter 1 of his text at www.ywbft.com. Istrongly encourage you to print a copy, print this off, and have a couple of bibles andyour red pen handy. Pray for Gods discernment upon your studies, and read carefully.

PPPS At the time of this e-book release, neither Bruce Wilkinson, nor his co-author(David Kopp), nor his publisher (Waterbrook Multnomah) responded to any of my openletters or public challenges regarding their text.


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Title

+ / - You Were Born for This: 7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles

Born for a particular purpose?Absolutely. From the Westminster Confession of Faith:

Mans chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

Does God teach in His Word that there are keys (or truths) that unlock (or show us)how we believers ought to live?Absolutely. 2 Timothy 3:16 says:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, forcorrection, for instruction in righteousness. (KJV)

Does God teach in His Word that it is His desire for us to live lives of predictablemiracles? That depends.

If you mean to say that every work of salvation and every step of progressivesanctification in the life of the believer in Christ is a predictable miracle (since the Biblespeaks of such certainties for the elect), then youre right on.

If youre talking about something else, then youre probably off the track.

I cant tell from a title what kind of miracles youre referring to, or whether or not theyhold with the Bibles definition of the term. Time will tell, thoughit always does

++++ ???? ----


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Table of Contents

- Welcome to Everyday Miracle Territory

Got my attention right away, this one did. The reference to territory is obviously a nodto your most popular book to date, The Prayer of Jabez, wherein you challenge people topray that God might enlarge their territory for Him.

The subject of miracles is too big to adequately cover here in the space provided here, butyou know the clich:

If they happened every day, they wouldnt be miracles.

(The skeptic in me, Im afraid. I will strive to stayopen-minded.)

+ A New Way to See the World: You were born to expect a miracle today

You are exactly right when you say that it would be a new way to see things if oneexpected a miracle each day. Looking forward to the explanation

? Behind the Veil of Heaven: You were born to be a living link between Heaven andearth

Red flag. It is true that God desires for believers in Christ to be his living representativesto an unsaved world. The term, living link, though, is vague enough to be troublesome.

(We would agree, I trust, that Jesus, the Son of God, provided planet Earth with the kindof living link youre talking about. Many would say based on what we read in Acts andPauls epistles that, since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit (and only the Holy Spirit) hasserved as a living link between Heaven and Earth.)

? The Master Key: You were born to be sent on miracle missions

What about the believer who happens to be so physically disabled that theyre notphysically going anywhere? (Sorry, but I have to press the point a bit, even on my first dayback.)

+ / - The People Key: You were born to share Gods heart for people

There is truth in thisfor the believer. Ezekiel 11:19-20 says:

And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove theheart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in mystatutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will betheir God. (ESV)


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It would be fallacious to say, You were born to share Gods heart for people, though, tosomeone who is not regenerate. The unbeliever does not share Gods heart for anyoneor anything, we understand, but by faith in Jesus Christ they may.

Ill stop for today, as the rest get somewhat repetitive:

The Spirit Key: You were born to share Gods heart for people

The Risk Key: You were born to take risks of faith in dependence on God

The Five Signals That Guide a Miracle Delivery: You were born to understand andrespond to miracle-related signals

The Five Steps That Lead to a Miracle Delivery: You were born to know and follow

miracle-related delivery steps

The Money Key: You were born to deliver miracles of financial provision

The Dream Key: You were born to deliver miracles of life purpose

The Forgiveness Key: You were born to deliver miracles of forgiveness

Very formulaic, these are. Address in more detail as we proceed, I will.

++++ ???? ----


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Endorsements

???

I looked high and low, from the free sample of your text, your books site, reading fromyour publishers page, reading from several bookstore sites, to even scouring a few blogs,but I didnt find a single endorsement for this new book.

To be fair, I browsed the site of your publisher,Waterbrook Multnomah, just to see ifthey included endorsements for other books (either in the published material orsomewhere else on the site).

What I found was strange, to say the least.

At the webpage for John Beveres book, Extraordinary, your publisher includedendorsements from Kurt Warner, James Robison, Darlene Zschech, Dr. Jack W.Hayford, Chris Tomlin, Bishop T. D. Jakes, Ed Young, Aaron Baddeley, MattRedman, Shaun Alexander, Tommy Barnett, Ron Luce, and Louie Giglio.(http:/reader.waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?isbn=9780307457721)

Like I saidstrange, to say the least.

(Bruce, if you do have endorsements available and Im simply not seeing them becausethey werent included in the free PDF sample of Chapter 1, or in any material your peoplesent to book distributors please send those my way that I may include them in thisevaluation. Want to be as fair as possible. Thanks.)

+ ? -


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Chapter 1: A New Way to See the World

You were born to expect a miracle today

Page 3

- What if I told you Im certain you missed a miracle yesterday? And not just anymiracle but one that Heaven wanted to through you to significantly change someones lifefor the better maybe your own? I would understand if you were doubtful.

If we are to approach these questions biblically, then weve got to spend some time withthat word, miracle.

Within the pages of the Bible,what constitutes a miracle? We see them throughout the

Old and New Testaments, but if were not careful, well end up muddying the waters foryour readers.

From Theopedia:Amiracle, broadly defined, is any action in time where the normaloperation of nature is suspended by the agency of a supernatural action.

Thats pretty good, but I believe Richard Purtills definition to be even better:an eventin which God temporarily makes an exception to the natural order of things, to show thatGod is acting.Purtills definition takes into account the reality that God is the primaryagent behind those occurrences we call miracles.

Understanding what miracles are, though, begs the next logical question: what purposedid/do miracles have?

From Thomas Miles: Miracles have a purposethey are for edification and revelation:John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son ofGod; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Miracles are also by faithaccepted as coming from God. No known system of laws can give answer to the workingsof miracles by God. John 4:48, then said Jesus unto him, except ye see signs and wonders,ye will not believe. Acts 2:19, And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in theearth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke: 2 Corinthians 12:12, Truly the signs

of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mightydeeds. (http://www.essortment.com/all/miraclesbibleg_rmiz.htm)

Was the burning bush a miracle wrought by God? Certainly.

Were the ten plagues done unto Egypt miracles wrought by God? Certainly.

Was the parting of the Red Sea a miracle wrought by God? Certainly.

Did God use miracles in the lives of His prophets Elijah, Elisha, Jonah and Daniel?Without question.


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Did Jesus, the son of God, perform many miracles during His life on Earth?Absolutely.

Did God produce miracles during the early church (by using those earthen vessels weknow as the apostles)?Absolutely.

And what was the purpose of each of these miracles? For edification and revelation,according to Miles apt conclusion. So, if I apply these definitions to specific miracles weread about in Scripture, my perspective grows to be more biblical.

When Jesus fed the five thousand (for example), the fact that people were fed wassecondaryto the peoples need to see God and His power and His Hand of providence atwork in their lives.

I also like what Doug Bookman has to say about miracles. I heard him put it like thisonce (and Im paraphrasing loosely now):

Lets say youre driving some rainy night and the van begins to fishtail. Just before slidinginto the ditch, you regain control. You might be apt to calling what just happened amiracle. For sure, we would be on sound theological footing to say that Gods divine handof protection was at work.

But a miracle, biblically speaking, involves the supernatural. It cannot be scientificallyexplained or repeated. Lets say that youre driving a van on a rainy night. Just before yougo sliding into the ditch, the van levitates off the ground 15 feet before safely righting

itself on the road. That, ladies and gentlemen, is a miracle.

Remember Purtills definition: an event in which God temporarily makes an exception tothe natural order of things, to show that God is acting.As 21st-century Christians, wemust endeavor to compare what the Bible says about miracles against what popularvoices of our time say about them.

Impossible situations can become possible miracles. (Robert H. Schuller)

The miracle is not that we do this work, but that we are happy to do it. (Mother Teresa)

Miracles happen everyday, change your perception of what a miracle is and youll seethem all around you. (Jon Bon Jovi)

Miracles dont just happen, people make them happen. (Misato Katsuragi)

Everything is a miracle. It is a miracle that one does not dissolve in ones bath like alump of sugar. (Pablo Picasso)

Men create real miracles when they use their God-given courage and intelligence. (JeanAnouilh)


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Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives. (Louise L.Hay)

You can either take action, or you can hang back and hope for a miracle. Miracles aregreat, but they are so unpredictable. (Peter Drucker)

Whats lacking from all of these quotes? The fact that God initiates miracles.

Whats lacking in your springboard question, Bruce? The fact that, since God initiatesmiracles, no mancan knowwith any amount of certainty whether or not any of us haveever missed a miracle.

In fact, biblically speaking, since miracles are supernatural events wrought by the veryhand of God to edify the believer and reveal His presence to the unbeliever, we can sayauthoritatively that there is nothing that any of us can do to interfere with Godsschedule for miracles.

++++ ???? ----

+ / - / ? Almost everyone in the world whatever their religious belief can point toan event in their lives that seemed directly orchestrated by Heaven, that seemedimpossible to explain without using words like, I cant believe what just happened! That

was a miracle! We call these experiences divine coincidences, miracle moments,supernatural provisions.

Since I gave all three marks (+, - and ?) for this particular portion of your text, let mebreak it down.

Yes, nearly everyone has had the kind of universal experience of which you speak. It isbiblically accurate to refer to these as supernatural provisions, as you termed them.

To call them miracle moments, though, does not fit the biblical definition or patternof miracles. Have some people in our day and age witnesses authentic miracles in our day

and age? I believe so. Have most of us witnessed this nearly universal experience, as youput it? Biblically, the answer must be no, especially when we take into account that thefrequencyof miracles (as documented in Gods Word) was such that fewer and fewer ofthem were wrought by God as He got closer and closer to the time when the writing ofScripture would be completed.

To call them divine coincidences places God, who is sovereign over every situation, inthe same category as fate, chance and happenstance. (Personally, Im glad to be able tosay, I used to believe in coincidence.) Please omit this phrase in your next edition.


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++++ ???? ----

Page 4

? Why do we remember such events so clearly? I think its because we feel that wehave been touched by Heaven. Its as if God Himself stepped through the curtain thatseparates the seen from the unseen to make something happen for us, something only Hecould do.

Clarification would go a long way toward making this portion of your textunderstandable.

Are you now writing about coincidences or miracles, as referred to on page 3?

I think its because we feel that Loaded with conjecture, this is. Why use yourthoughts about our feelings definitely the most unreliable source for truth there everwas when you could simply use a short study on the biblical history to show (withunwavering support) that God is and always been the God of miracles?

If this is a Christian book (which your publisher says it is) and you are a Christianauthor (which Im not debating one iota), then shouldnt you use the foundation of theChristian faith Gods Word as support for your claim? How else can we, as Christian

readers, come to the conclusion that your claim is biblical?

You could replace the phrase Its as if God Himself with God Himself to clear up anyambiguityhere, too. When we Christians read of or witness something so clearlysupernatural that must be classified as a miracle, we should have no doubt whatsoever so long as it in keeping with the rest of what we know about the truth about God fromHis Word that God did it.

(One more note: I would ask your editor to do a sweep on the term Heaven wheneveryou mean to speak of God. We wouldnt think of using the place called SaddlebackChurch and the person known as Pastor Rick Warren interchangeably, so please dont do

it with Heaven and God. Doing so takes away from Gods unique personality and will.)

++++ ???? ----

- But heres the best part. In the experience we hear a personal and unforgettablemessage from God. Something like, Im here. I care about you. I can do for you what youcannot do for yourself.


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Terribly dangerous. In the previous passage, you write too vaguely to be consideredbiblical. Here, you take an idea farther than you should, and the result is the same: onefuzzy message.

When I hear a personal and unforgettable message from my wife, for example, actualwords are audibly transmitted from her vocal cords to my ear canal and into my brain.Now, those words may or may not be in total agreement with everything else that she hasever said to me, but they are from her nonetheless, and (if the message is personal andunforgettable) I ought to take notice of what shes saying to me.

When people believe they have heard audible messages from the spiritual realm, theycannot automatically assume that they were from God. Pastor Bob DeWaay of TwinCity Fellowship puts it much better, so Ill refer people to his article regarding Gods

Word and voices from beyond. (http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue98.htm)

Why the apprehension? Why not just assume that a supernatural whisper must havecome from God? Because Hes not the only spiritual being with that capability!

If we are to carefully guard our minds and lives against the wiles of Satan, then we musttest whatever we believe we hear against the truth of Gods Revealed Word to us, theBible. God has spoken to us, and we read what Hes spoken to us every time we read fromour bibles. To say that we need to rely on more than that is to tell God, What youvesupplied is simply not enough for me.

Something like, though, sounds more like some kind of impression or thought were leftwith rather than a personal and unforgettable message from God. How something canbe opaque and crystal-clear at the same time is beyond me.

++++ ???? ----

- This book asks a few simple but intriguing questions:

o Why are these experiences of the miraculous so rare for most people?

o What if Heaven actually wanted you to experience them on a regular basis?

o What if ordinary people like you and me are invited to partner with God todeliver miracles to others?

Ive already addressed the first of these earlier, so Ill address the other two together.

If God wants me to experience miracles moments where God suspends the laws ofnature to show His greatness I dont believe theres anything that I could do about it.


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As I pointed earlier, we can safely assume that theres nothing we can to stop Godsschedule for miracles.

One more question: When you speak of ordinary people, are you speaking ofborn-again Christians, or are you talking about all people in general? You have yet toidentify who exactly you are writing to, which makes this book even more suspect.

Last observation: When you speak of us partnering with God to deliver miracles toothers, its pretty clear that youve completely abandoned the biblical description ofwhat constitutes a miracle. Looking forward to reading how you redefine the term for ourunbelieving age

++++ ???? ----

A mysterious encounter

? Let me tell you about a mysterious encounter I had in a restaurant outside Denverwith a waiter named Jack.

All I can say is WOW.

I invite readers to read pages 4-7 of Wilkinsons book, and decide for themselves if wevereally entered into Everyday Miracle Territory or not. People can get a free copy ofChapter 1 here: http://bit.ly/j1OHZ.

WOW.

+ ? -

Page 7

What God thinks is normal

- What just happened here? Lets break it down: Jack drove to work that evening towait tables, but he brought with him a secret, pressing need; I had come to Colorado fromAtlanta on business and ended up having dinner with friends in Jacks restaurant;unbeknown to Jack or my friends, I was prepared to meet someones financial need withmoney that wasnt mine; by the end of the evening, God had used one person to deliversomething that met a big need for another personand in a way that was clearlymiraculous to everyone involved.


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Clearly, you have mistaken what has been understood through the ages as good workswrought by born-again believers (acting as obedient agents of Gods will in their lives) formiracles wrought by anyone (believer or non-believer) who feel unexpectedly nudgedto help someone else (and follow the nudging).

Bruce, Im calling you out. You are trying to capitalize on the word, miracle, for thesake of your book sales when you and I and everyone else reading this knows that you aretalking about good works. The Bible calls them two very distinct things, and so weought to as well.

If you truly desire that your writing would be biblical, I ask you to recant from yourposition and your misuse of the word, miracle, lest a holy God be offended by whatyouve written.

++++ ???? ----

- Youll see, I promise, that God is just as likely to have plans for five dollars or twentydollars as He is for a hundred dollars and that He never asks you or me to serve Him in away that doesnt fit us personally and perfectly.

Really? Lets think about that for a moment.

How many times throughout the last 20 centuries have true believers suffered for thecause of Christ? How many of saved souls have experienced imprisonment for the truegospel? How many martyrs died?

The Bible tells us that real believers will take part in Christs suffering. Lets compare whatthe apostle Paul writes in 1 Cor. 4:9-13 against your previous statement.

For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced todeath, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We arefools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. Youare held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are

poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands.When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. Wehave become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things. (ESV)

Youll see, I promise, that God is just as likely to have plans for five dollars or twentydollars as He is for a hundred dollars and that He never asks you or me to serve Him in away that doesnt fit us personally and perfectly. (Bruce Wilkinson)

Does your claim honestly reflect what Scripture clearly states? Do you reallybelieve thatbeing buffeted, reviled, persecuted, slandered, and executed for Christ fit with thosepast and present-day Christians personally and perfectly?


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Sounds like youre writing to comfortable Americans, knowing how much we love ourcomfort. The truth is that, by shielding people from the real cost of doing Gods will,youvewatered down the truth of Scripture.

Please omit, and consider recalling this book. If the subject of our writing were in thescientific field, this would be called intellectually dishonesty. Since were talking aboutfaith-based matters, and you know the content of the Bible much better than most, Imcalling you and your text biblically dishonest.

++++ ???? ----

Page 8

- imagine a lifestyle of such encounters, where God works through you inunexplainable ways to do a miracleand on a regular basis. This kind of life is not onlypossible but is what God thinks of as normal when He thinks of you. You see, He did notplace you on this earth to notice Him at work only once or twice in your whole life. Hedid not create you to consistently miss out on the wonder of His presence and power. Thetruth is, you were born to live a supernatural life doing Gods work by Gods power. Youwere born to walk out your door each morning believing that God will use you to deliver anecessary miracle today. This book will show you how.

If I use my imagination, I can hearJohn Lennon now:

Imagine all the hope and wonderAfter reading Bruces bookMiracles all overYou wouldnt have far to look

Imagine all the peoplePraising themselves aloudWhoo-OOO-ooo-oo-oo

Why doesnt the Bible promise me a lifestyle full of miracle encounters throughout myday-to-day existence?

So howd your day go today, Honey?

God and me did 18 miracles for folks this morning. I was caught up in meetings afterlunch, otherwise wed be well over 20.

Is that all?


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Yep. Pretty slow day.

Can you see the problem with this, Bruce? God calls His own to live out a life offaithfulobedience to Him, not a life of everyday miracle encounters.

Can you imagine how a humble Mennonite orAmish believer would read this tripe?Theyd probably shake their head and say, with a tear in their eye, Only inAmericacould this material be mistaken for biblical Christianity.

Imagine what our Lord Jesus must think

+ ? -

- When it comes to miracles, most people I know see the world as divided in two. Onthe far left is a region we could call the Land of Signs and Wonders. In this land amazingmiracles seem to happen a lot, although only for a select fewOn the far right is the Landof Good Deeds. Nobody is putting on a show here. Fortunately, though, the place is full ofgood people watching out for each other, doing good worksInterestingly, in Good Deedsland a lot of people believe in miracles and spend time studying them. They just dontexpect to actually see any miracles, much less be a part of them on a regular basis. Whenthey praise God for miracles, theyre grateful for things that occurred long ago. GoodDeeds land doesnt dazzle like Signs and Wonders, but things are more manageable

there. More predictable.

And just around the corner from the Land of Good Deeds is CandyLand, where Foozlesand Neezles meet regularly to discuss the importance ofbelly-button lint.

COME ON, Bruce. Where does the Bible speak of any of these places? This smells anawful lot like The Dream Giver, where you paint God out to be the One who makes allyour dreams come true.

Please admit publicly that you saw The Wizard of Oz too many times, repent, and plead

with your publisher to recall this book that is so far removed from biblical truth that onewonders how it is that even got published in the first place. (Oh, yeah. I forgot. YoureBruce Wilkinson. You write stuff that sells.)

++++ ???? ----


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Page 9

The Everyday Miracle Territory

- A large majority of people live in the Land of Good Deeds. Even though some wouldsay they have experienced meaningful personal miracles in the pastat a point ofspiritual awakening or in a time of crisisthey believe those experiences are rare.

The majority of people would call these occurrences good deeds because thats what theBible calls them: good deeds.

++++ ???? ----

- More important, they believe we dont have a role in whether one happens again ornot, so theres no point in leaving the house today on the lookout for one.

Way to speak down to your audience, Bruce. Reallyloving of you.

++++ ???? ----

- What I want you to realize is that if you live in either land Ive described, youve

overlooked the most promising region of all. You see, between the dazzle of Signs andWonders and the duty of Good Deeds lies a broad and promising middle ground. In thisbook we call this in-between land the Everyday Miracle Territory.

Again with the Woozles and Neezles? Aw, come on, man. A promising middle ground?Whatever happened to reality?

++++ ???? ----

- Here people believe that God wants to interveneand doesin supernatural waysin human affairs on a regular basis. Here unmet needs are seen by ordinary people asgolden opportunities for God to show up, and to do so through them, at almost anymoment. Theyre not waiting for special powers for themselves or for God to part theskies on their behalf. They have experienced miracles and know beyond doubt thatmiracles are for them and others like them, right here and right now.

I am almost without words. I literally had to take a moment to collect myself beforeresponding to this, because what you propose is so far removed from reality.


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? I wrote this book to help you see that the land of personal, everyday miracles is yourrightful home turf. Instead of focusing on the nature-defying acts that God is able to do,this book invites you to encounter the miracles that God does do on a regular basis

Actually, I dont know why you wrote a book about good deeds that people ought to do,yet continue to refer to them as miracles.Why, Bruce? Whyd you do it?

++++ ???? ----

- Youll discover that what God chooses to depend on for these divine encounters issimply a willing servant. No previous experience required. No record of perfection. No

special religious gift or qualification.

WOW. You mean I dont even have to be a Christian to experience Gods miracle-workingthrough me? Where do I sign?

Fortunately, Gods Word is clear about the qualifications of those that would do His will.In Matthew 17:20, Jesus disciples asked Him why they couldnt cast out a demon.He saidto them, Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain ofmustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move,and nothing will be impossible for you." (ESV)

The people that God has commissioned to perform His good deeds on planet Earth sincethe time of Jesus earthly ministry are believers.

++++ ???? ----

Page 12

Jimmy the delivery guy

(Bruce writes a story about Jimmy, a regular guy, who essentially gives his buddy Nick thefirst piece of advice that comes to mind. Readers,youve got to read this one foryourself. He then follows it up with some commentary, to which Ill be respondingdirectly below.)

- To me, this story demonstrates Gods willingness to do a personal miracle if we arewilling to deliver one. Nick wasnt expecting help from a stranger. And Jimmy didnt thinkhe had help to give. What he had, though, was a readiness to pass along what Godprompted him to say.


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With all due respect, Bruce, Ive got to ask: are you kidding? Jimmy says one thing toNick and you call that a personal miracle?

Weve gone round the bin with this one. Miracles are deeds wrought by God. When Hebends the very laws of nature, we know Hes done a miracle. Until then, call it what it is: agood deed.

(Could God have given Jimmy just the right words to say to Nick in this situation? Yes. Dowe know that for sure? No. Why not? Because Satan and his minions know as muchabout Nicks situation as Nick does, and the source from which Jimmy received the wordshe told Nick may not have come from the most righteous of sourcesif you know what Imean.)

++++ ???? ----

- He (God) cared enough to show Nick a practical step he could take that might say moreto his wife than a love letter and just might turn things around for the couple. All Heneeded was Jimmy, delivery agent.

Two very important things to cover here.

Might turn things around for the couple Might? Youre hinging your argument on astory (a story that is, quite possibly, fictional you say nothing of the reality of itshappening, leaving readers to wonder if were reading a hypothetical missive or an actualaccount), and things might turn around for this couple? Some miracle. Real powerfulstuff there.

All He needed was Jimmy, delivery agent Needed? God needs any of us?Wrongagain. He doesnt need anything or anyone. He is entirely self-sufficient.

Chapter and verse, Bruce. Youre 12 pages in, and we have yet to see you refer toanything in Scripture. Lots about the Everyday Miracle Territory, but nothing from the

Bible. Wonder why that it isactually, Im not wondering at all. Kind of speaks foritself.

+ ? -

Doing what God wants done

? You might be like Jimmy, completely unprepared and unqualified but ready to trysomething different. You may have grown up in the church and have a long list of


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religious accomplishments to point to. You may be like Nick, uncertain that God exists orthat He cares for you. But Heaven works in ways that seem to apply no matter what ourspiritual mind-set happens to be.

What does this even mean?

This reminds me of a mystic character in one of my favorite movies, Mystery Men, astory about a group of would-be super-heroes. The Sphinx was a guy who could cut gunsin half with his mind. He led the team, but always spoke in riddles.

He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions.

When you can balance a tack hammer on your head, you can head off your foes with abalanced attack.

When you care for what is outside, what is inside cares for you.

But at one point, Mr. Furious, one of the teams founders, sees these quotes for what theyare: absolutely worthless.

Mr. Furious: Okay, am I The only one who finds These sayings just a little bit formulaic?"If you want to push something down, you have to pull it up. If you want to go left, youhave to go right."

Sphinx: Your temper is very quick, my friend. But until you learn to master your rage -

Mr. Furious: - Your rage will become your master? Thats what you were going to say.Right? Right?

Sphinx: Not necessarily.

++++ ???? ----

- Perhaps youve heard about my book The Prayer of Jabez.

Youve got to be kidding. Ive been asking for chapter and verse, and now youre goingto use your own book, The Prayer of Jabez, for support?

This is what the FDAdoes when it allows big pharmaceutical companies to manageindependent studies of their newly-manufactured drugs that they want to sell. They callit big business, but we should understand that all credibility goes out the window at thatpoint.

Bruce, you just lost all credibilityas a teacher.


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++++ ???? ----

- Think ofYou Were Born for This asJabez to the miracle power.

Say no more. Thank you, Bruce. You just convinced me not to spend another minutereviewing this text that so clearlydiverges from what is taught in the Bible.

++++ ???? ----


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Giving You Were Born for This a Grade

Dear Bruce,

As I see it, youve got five very important questions to answer, questions that you havenot yet satisfied.

For each, Ill state the question, give probable reasons for why things are the way they arein your text (which is the best I can do since you never responded to my open letters),and then explain to you (and the reader) why the text is so very problematic:

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1) You never identifythe identityof your reader. You write so generically that both thenon-believer and the Christian might believe you are writing to them. To whom are youwriting, and why be so generic?

Probable Reason #1: Sell more copies. (Thought Id get that on the table right away.)Why limit your readership to the few believers in Christ, when you could sell so manymore books by keeping your intended reader generic?

Probable Reason #2: Sell more books of the same type. If someone wants to see whatother books youve written recently, theyll be pleased to find new editions ofThe Prayerof Jabez, The Dream Giver, and Secrets of the Vine available at WaterbrookMultnomah. Coincidentally, each of these books were written so generically that a non-believer might believe you were writing directly to them.

Premise: You Were Born for This teaches that we can be used by God to delivermiracles in the lives of others.

Problem: Gods Word says absolutely nothing of the need of the unbeliever to performany task or deed. In fact, Isaiah 64:6 says that all our righteous deeds are like a pollutedgarment. (ESV) Isaiah is, of course, speaking of those good deeds committed by a

disobedient nation.

You know this holds true for the unbeliever today. The unbeliever in Christ can performno good deed in the sight of God, and you know it, yet you write as though theunbeliever can be used of God to deliver miracles!

You also know that Ephesians 2:10 andJames 2:18 teach that only born-again believerscan do anything valuable and good in the sight of God. Why do you write as though theBible teaches something different?


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Problem: What possible value can this fictional miracle delivery systemhave in the life ofthe unbeliever whose greatest need is that they would repent and place their trust inJesus Christ for salvation?

You know how mans religion works, Bruce. Set up a system of works, get people onthe treadmill, give them a clear goal, and turn em loose.

Do people in these false religions believe theyre doing the will of God?Yup.

Do they believe theyre performing good deeds in the lives of others? Uh-huh.

Do you they know that salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone, and that their deeds areactuallyan affront to a holy and just Judge? Nope, and thats one of the greatestproblems with your texts as of late.

Those nonbelievers who have picked up your more recent book titles will undoubtedlybuy in, get on the treadmill youve assembled and go-go-go to the march of your drum.

Are the miracles they deliver getting them any closer to God? Not at all. Rather thansoftening readers to the things of God, youve found a way to actually harden the mindsand hearts of unbelievers to the things of God.

Im certain God isnt too pleased with the hamster wheel youve created. But I know whois

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2) Your definition of a miracle, which is the main topic of your text, is not biblical.What you describe as miracles in your book are defined as good deeds in the Bible. Whychange the terms when the Bible (and 2,000 years of solid Christian teaching) has alwaysunderstood the clear difference between miracles and good deeds?

Probable Reason: Sell more copies. (Yeah, I know. I wrote that as a reason foryesterdays question, but it applies here, too, Im afraid.) Think about it, though.

Good deeds seem soboring. God can use me to do His good deeds. Sounds almost passin a way, next to miracles! WOW! When I think of miracles, I think of Moses parting theRed Sea and Jesus bringing Lazarus back from the dead. Youre saying I can be part ofGods miracle delivery system?Where do I sign up?

Premise: You Were Born for This teaches that we can be used by God to delivermiracles in the lives of others.


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Problem #1: Youreviolating the clear warning found in Revelation 22:18-19. For Itestify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any manshall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in thisbook: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, Godshall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, andfrom thethings which are written in this book. (KJV)

I wrote extensively about this. Look at the number of times that pastors and teachers andreligious leaders take a biblical term and twist it so far out of context that it meanssomething completely new and different. Typically, a big hullabaloo results, as thefellow believes he has now uncovered some new revelation or some new profoundteaching that gets many people interested and excited. Unfortunately, we know that theend result is always the same: man jumps on yet another religious bandwagon, leading

him further and further away God, all the while offending the very God he believes he isserving.

Back to Rev. 22:18-19. If you dont perceive replacing the term good deed with miracleas the same as taking away and adding, (which is what Rev. 22 speaks about), thenyour very souls are on dangerous ground. Please repent of these teachings, Bruce, forthey are more dangerous than you realize.

Problem #2: This particular reworking of the definition of miracle will undoubtedly resultin people being drawn to power in the same way that way bees are drawn to honey.

Bruce, why are the cults so popular with people? Because the leaders draw people in withthe promise of seeing Gods mighty power at work in their lives. Satan has used, over thelast two millennia, countless religious programs to entice non-believers and believersalike to jump aboard the Powerful Works Express.

It literally blinds them to the truth, which (by the way) is so unlike the true power of theHoly Spirit, who quietly calls and draws out those who would respond to the things ofGod unto salvation. Its so unlike Gods ways and His program for this human race thatone has to ask if youre even familiar with this particular trap that has afforded Satan somuch success.

Youre a very influential and respected Bible teacher, Bruce, yet you write as though thisparticular concern is off your radar completely. How is this possible?

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3) You refer to places (attitudes, really) like Everyday Miracle Territory, the Land ofGood Deeds, and The Land of Signs and Wonders, as though they are mentioned in the


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Scripture, when (in reality) they never appear. Why speak so authoritativelyaboutthings that simply dont exist?

Probable Reason: This idea is necessaryif the rest of the text is going to be consideredvalid and valuable.

Getting people on board to this idea that they can be used to deliver Gods miracles eachand every day is quite a stretchwhen you think about it. Its going to take some doing toconvince people that their biblical understanding of good deeds is completely off themark.

Problem #1: Its not true!

As I pointed out, these attitudes that you speak of are simply not biblical.

In Hollywood, directors and writers speak of the suspension of disbelief, that idea thatwe have to put some of our critical thinking aside for us to buy in to the popcorn thrill-ride were enjoying on the big screen. In this book, asking us to adopt the mindset ofEveryday Miracle Territory is simply asking us to suspend more disbelief than weshould.

To overcome this huge hurdle, youll have to supplychapter and verse showing us wherethe Bible teaches that we can expect to be involved in the delivery of everyday miracles.What attitudes and mindsets are we believers to have according to the Bible?

According to 1 Cor. 13, we are to be charitable, rejoicing, hopeful, and enduring.

According to 2 Peter 1, we are to live with all diligence, virtue, knowledge, temperance,patience, kindness and charity.

According to several other passages in the New Testament, we see much of the same. Weare to live as Christ lived, fully reliant on the Holy Spirit to accomplish this.

Problem #2: While trying to challenge your readers to consider attitudes like EverydayMiracle Territory, you actuallyinsult those of us who have been the proper biblicalmindset regarding good deeds. On page 9, you write the following:

Good Deeds land doesnt dazzle like Signs and Wonders, but things are moremanageable there. More predictable. Whats the one big disadvantage in Good Deedsland? God rarely shows up in a supernatural way. Why would He? No one is expecting themiraculous, and besides, everything is running just fine. Or so it seems.

More manageable and more predictable, you say. This is the equivalent of saying, Youtraditionalthinkers actually place limitations on Gods supernatural working in ourlives, and you dont even know it. Youre telling those of us who read and believe what


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the Bible has to say about good deeds and miracles that we are simply too narrow-minded in our thinking for God to do the incredible in and through our lives.

To that, I lovingly and respectfully say: PHOOEY.

In Matt. 17:20, Jesus clearly teaches that we can a part of his supernatural work: Verily Isay unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain,Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible untoyou. (KJV)

Biblical scholars have pondered the depths of this passage ever since it was documentedin Scripture. Clearly, Jesus is not speaking of us telling a mountain to physically move, sowhat does He mean?

From Matthew Henry: Note, An active faith can remove mountains, not of itself, but inthe virtue of a divine power engaged by a divine promise, both which faith fastens upon.(Matthew Henrys Commentary on the Whole Bible)

From John Gill: You shall not only be able to perform such a wonderful action as this,were it necessary, but any, and everything else, that will make for the glory of God, theenlargement of my kingdom and interest, the confirmation of truth, and the good ofmankind. (John Gills Exposition of the Entire Bible)

What kinds of wonderful actions (as Gill puts it) should we pursue? The Great

Commission, of course! Spreading the Gospel to all the world is our Gods mandate tobelievers.

Good deeds ought to be commonplace in the life of the believer, to be sure, but the maingoal ought to be that unbelievers would have the Good News of Jesus Christ shared withthem, that they might come to a saving faith in Him.

++++ ???? ----

4) For support, rather than supporting your claims with biblical support, you use yourprevious text, The Prayer of Jabez, for support. Why not back it up with Bible verses?Which bible passages back your extraordinary claims?

Probable Reason: Because you and your co-author, David Kopp, know that no suchsupport exists in the Bible.

During last Tuesdays LiveStream event, I wrote the following question:

Bruce, I was wondering if you could share with the other believers here what particularpassages from the Bible you use to support the ideas in your book.


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You replied that they were passages upon passages, as though there was a mountain ofbiblical support for your claims. You then proceeded to share how we find biblicalsupport for forgiveness in these books here, and biblical support for giving to othersfinancially in those books there, and so on. That would have been good enough, except

that you ducked the question completely.

As you know, I was asking about the overall premise of your book, asking for biblicalsupport for your incredible claim. Since you gave support for the details of your book,but could not give any biblical references to your overall premise, you did, in a fashion,answer the question. As they say: Silence speaks volumes.

Problem #1: Theres no biblical support!

Problem #2: Its not biblical for you to use The Prayer of Jabez for support unlessyoure a secular humanist. (Then you can do whatever you like, since the ends alwaysjustify the means.)

Like the Bereans of old, we are called to search the Scriptures and learn for ourselveswhat is true, not search the bookshelves of my local Christian bookstore and rely on thewisdom of modern-day sages.

Problem #3: Its vain.

I could write more about this, but you know as well as anybody how damaging it is toyour own credibility when you have to use yourself as source material.

This would never hold water in any seminary or bible college worth its salt. Kind ofpedestrian for such an accomplished Bible teacher, dont you think?

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5) Theres no place in your text where you actually talk about the one place where truebelievers can be used by God in a miraculous way: EVANGELISM. When a Christianshares the Gospel to an unbeliever (in obedience to the Great Commission given to allbelievers, and out of love for said unbeliever), God does His miraculous work ofconversion in the life of that person. How could you overlook the most obvious andmost important miracle we could ever be involved in?

During the 11/17 LiveStream event, I asked you this very question. Your answer wasaltogether unsatisfactory.

To paraphrase, you said that you and your co-author (David Kopp) considered that veryquestion, but that you decided that there were many other texts on the subject of


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evangelism, so you didnt feel it was necessary to include that matter in the text. Youfinished by sharing that perhaps youll address that in a future volume.

Why is your answer unsatisfactory? Because you dont even make mention ofevangelism. In a book written about people delivering miracles for God, you makeabsolutely no reference to the greatest endeavor any Christian could be about, the GreatCommission.

Something else is going on here, and I suspect I know what it is. (And because you wontemail or call, the best I can do is careful conjecture.)

Probable reason: Sell more copies. (We keep coming back to this one, dont we?)

Think about it, Bruce.You didnt dare go there. Speaking about the miracle ministryopportunity of evangelizing to lost family members, friends, co-workers, acquaintancesand strangers would be tantamount to eating a single peanut out of a Snickers barand being satisfied.

If you had included the reality of evangelism in your text, you wouldve lost manypotential readers who are (in fact) in need of salvation themselves. You wouldve been ona more biblical footing, but your text wouldve a) offended those non-believers who donot know Christ, and b) made uncomfortable those believers who (for some strangereason) do not have a passion to be used by God in the Great Commission.

Problem: Youre carefully writing in such a way as to avoid what are the most importantthings in Gods economy, and are instead writing of less important matters as thoughthey are most important, all for the sake of selling more copies.

Offending people and making them uncomfortable is so against the grain of what I thinkof when I think of you and your teachings, Bruce. You project such awarm, kind,grandfatherly Christianity

just like Jesus when He confronted and sarcastically corrected His disciples.

just like Jesus when He corrected and cursed the Pharisees.

just like Jesus when He picked up a cord of rope and cleansed the temple.

Whats the biggest problem with being committed to playing the nice guy? You alwayswind up telling people what they want to hear. As if that wasnt bad enough, it forcesyou to abandon the most important truths we could ever share with others, which is inviolation to what God would have us to do in our teaching ministries.

Please think on these things, Bruce, and return to the truths we find in Scripture. Cleanseyourself of these humanistic teachings before you write another word, and God willagain be pleased with what you write and say. You will lose a percentage of readers for


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doing so, obviously, but you will reap eternal rewards for faithfully proclaiming thefullness of His Word to others.

Therefore, it can be no great surprise when I unapologetically and most sincerely give thisbook an F.

Truly hoping youll consider my analysis and evaluation, that you would repent andrecant of these contra-biblical teachings,

Chris

you were born for something other than this

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