There is a spirit in the world today which seeks to spoil the joy of life. It is a spirit of scarcity. It is a spirit of stinginess.

Light – It might not come to mind first, but I believe it even exists in church architecture. Few are the churches that I’ve visited which allow natural light and fewer still with windows that have views of the outdoors.

Water – Baptism is supposed to be by immersion in water. That is in other words by complete submersion of the baptizee. Fresh water is acceptable, saltwater is acceptable, dirty water is acceptable. Yet while the world is virtually covered in water, people baptize (or attempt to baptize) people with a sprinkle of a few drops of water or by pouring from a pitcher.

Oil – Spare the oil and spoil the carpet. James 5:14-15 clearly tells us how God will perform miracles of cures in his churches today. Why is this not performed? Is it for scarcity of oil, lack of belief in God’s word or fear of ruined carpets?