In 1949 severe wildfire broke out in Mann Gulch Montana. Things were getting out of hand so a team of 14 smoke jumpers were deployed to help contain the fire. The team was headed up by foreman, Wag Dodge. Shortly after jumping and beginning their ground assault on the fire the winds shifted and picked up to dangerous levels. The wild fire began to spread at a speed of 600 feet per minute! The fire consumed everything in it’s path and the smoke jumpers quickly realized the fight was futile and began to flee. The fire was gaining speed and it was apparent to Wag that they could not out run the fire. He came up with a crazy notion to start a fire around them and allow it to burn up all the fuel in that area so when the flames reached them there would be nothing to burn and they may be spared. This had never been done before. His crew thought it was crazy and they chose to run for it. Wag stayed behind and started an escape fire. His planned worked his life was saved. Unfortunately the other 13 perished in the fire. The wildfire of American healthcare is raging. Something that started out small and tame, like a campfire, has spilled into the forest and has raged out of control killing and injuring millions in it’s path. Healthcare in itself is not necessarily bad but when it gets too big and fanned by the high winds of the pharmaceutical industry it can get out of control and become lethal. If you are going to survive you have a couple of choices.

1. You can fight it until you can’t take anymore and then run for your life.
2. You can set an escape fire. (think “health fire”)

How to set an ESCAPE FIRE… Be proactive. Any area that you don’t claim with your escape fire will be quickly consumed. Set your focus on promoting health rather than fighting sickness. Most people spend their time and money going from doctor to doctor getting one prescription after another as they try to fight their sickness until they finally find themselves in a crisis. Getting adjusted regularly, optimizing your nutrition, regularly exercising, & reducing stress will serve as a life saving escape fire and, just like Mr. Wag Dodge, can save your own life! Let’s start a fire!

ANY OTHER GOSPEL… IS NO GOSPEL AT ALL

I believe so often in our Christian walk we here the Gospel message and accept it but either through other people telling us or our own ideas we come to believe we need the “Gospel +”. We believe we need to believe in the good news of the gospel but also….. not say bad words… or …. Listen to Christian music … or… sell all our belongings.. or go on a mission trip… or…. Whatever! We believe that Jesus’ blood is not enough and it still requires some good behavior or good deeds on our part to be totally forgiven of our sins.

The fact is that the gospel message is a story of COMPLETE redemptive love. It is the fact that the God of the universe loved us enough to descend from heaven in the form of a baby, live a blameless, perfect life on earth (something no one else could do) and then willingly hang on a cross for our sins that we may be 100% forgiven by the blood of Christ and the blood of Christ ALONE! It needs nothing else. All the Gospel needs is accepted. Not added to. It is a rescue story. A love story… and it is the most precious thing that I have ever accepted. I hope you don’t dilute it with trying to add your spin on it. I hope you don’t listen when a “church” person tells you that you must accept Christ AND…..

It’s a beautiful thing, the Gospel. It’s a treasure and almost hard to comprehend that a God so BIG and PERFECT and ULTIMATE could forgive and love a sinner like me who is so SELFISH, and DEPRAVED and SINFULL. But it’s a fact and something I’ve put all my hope in. If you have questions about this hope I speak of don’t hesitate to ask. I love you guys!