Raised from the Dead (physically)

...Then Ratnekar's last cow died. He would have no way to till his land or provide for his family.

In his distress, Ratnekar remembered the stories in the New Testament about Jesus bringing dead people back to life. And in a recent church service, Ratnekar has also heard testimonies from believers of how God had healed them of their sicknesses.

"Suddenly it came to my mind that if Jesus can heal sickness and raise the dead to life, why can He not make my cow alive?" Ratnekar recalls. "I decided that if God could raise my cow from the dead, I would follow Him."

The cow had been dead for half an hour when Ratnekar cried out to God. Immediately, the animal began breathing again and stood up, completely well.

In that instant of joy and surprise, Ratnekar realized that Jesus was the one true God who really cared for his needs.

"When I saw this, I wept," Ratnekar shares. "And whenever I remember that moment in my life - when God brought my cow back - I always cry. There is a God who can do big miracles in my life."

Click here to read the whole story of how Ratnekar then led a cave man to Christ.

Word

"By the time the average Christian gets his temperature up to normal, everybody thinks he has a FEVER!" - Watchman Nee

"Shocking Message"

Matt told me about this video by Paul Washer and I found it and want you to watch this clip and then maybe even the whole thing.

The Prodigal God

I bought The Prodigal God for my Dad at Christmastime and read it before wrapping it. Great little book! I read on Between Two Worlds this morning that Bill Hybels is having Tim Keller come and speak at their leadership conference and that the book, "wrecked him afresh" - if you haven't heard of the book, check this out to hear it in brief because we all need to understand this message and get it out.

Don't Go To Church

Like most people, I forget most of what I hear in a sermon. But if the little bit that I remember is powerful then it's worth listening to an hour long sermon to hear it. Something that Matt Chandler said that I think will stick with me the rest of my life is this:

"The Bible says very little about going to church, but the Bible says a lot about belonging to a church."

There it is. One little sentence. But so powerful. Don't go to church people - belong to a church!


John Piper says of sentences:

What I have learned from about twenty-years of serious reading is this. It is sentences that change my life, not books. What changes my life is some new glimpse of truth, some powerful challenge, some resolution to a long-standing dilemma, and these usually come concentrated in a sentence or two. I do not remember 99% of what I read, but if the 1% of each book or article I do remember is a life-changing insight, then I don't begrudge the 99%. And that life-changing insight usually comes in a moment, a moment whose value is all out of proportion to its little size. That's why I call it an "immeasurable moment."

Time Magazine: The New Calvinism Is Changing the World

Check out this post from Between Two Worlds.

Unexpected Free Book!

Averil and I got our mail from our old address the other day and there was a package in it and I said to Dean, "It's nice to get something big in the mail and not even remember what you ordered!" When I got home I opened it up and was amazed to see a copy of Randy Alcorn's book, Money, Possessions, and Eternity because I never ordered it and there was no bill! It was totally free. I don't know if Randy Alcorn sent it to me (he did send me the books Heaven and Deception for free after I met him but those were signed and I knew they were coming, this book wasn't signed and I did not know it was coming), or if someone friend bought it and had it shipped to me or what?! But I've been telling Averil lately how I'm not sure what to read next but now I know what I'll be reading! Randy Alcorn is a great author and knows a ton about this topic and this is a topic close to my heart so I'm sure glad to recieve the book in the mail.

By the way, here is a good blog post from Randy: Stephen King, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Angelina Jolie, and Giving.

Billboard

I'm not the biggest Ray Comfort fan in the world but I do like him. And I like this billboard.

"The atheist who wrote the foreword backslid," Comfort said. "I sent him a copy, and a week later he wrote to me and said that he was no longer an atheist."

Billy Graham's Prayer

I got this in an email from Kari today and thought it was a great prayer. I do know that it's not actually from Billy Graham...but still it is real good!

Billy Graham's Prayer - This man sure has a good view of what's happening in our country!

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!"

True Story!

My sister, Rebecca, shared this in her Newsletter:

I had the privilege of visiting with a young OM Missionary visiting Carlisle and he told me this amazing story:

A young believer in a strict Muslim country is told he will be married via an arranged marriage in 3 months. He decides he must bring this news to his few and only brothers in the Lord as he does not know how he will be able to marry a Muslim girl when he believes in Jesus. The guys begin praying together and lifting this up to the Lord. As the wedding approaches, the prayers continue, and he knows that once he is married he must tell his wife about Jesus, even though she could have him arrested.

Once they are married he boldly tells his wife that he is a follower of Jesus. With tears streaming down her face she looks up at him and says, "I've been reading the Bible for 2 years, and now I have found another believer."

This is what God is doing around the world!

This is what YOU are a part of!

Cardboard Testimonies

Joao emailed me the link to this excellent video: