Terrific Stories & Articles – Page 4

Want a Donut? Incredible Story

There was a certain Professor of Theology named Dr. Christianson, a studious man who taught at a small college in the Western United States. Dr. Christianson taught the required survey course in Christianity at this particular institution. Every student was required to take this course his or her freshman year regardless of his or her major.

Although Dr. Christianson tried hard to communicate the essence of the gospel in his class, he found that most of his students looked upon the course as nothing but required drudgery. Despite his best efforts, most students refused to take Christianity seriously.

This year, Dr. Christianson had a special student named Steve. Steve was only a freshman, but was studying with the intent of going on to seminary for the ministry. Steve was popular, he was well liked, and he was an imposing physical specimen. He was now the starting center on the school football team, and was the best student in the professor’s class.

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. “How many push-ups can you do?”

Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.”

“200? That’s pretty good, Steve,” Dr. Christianson said. “Do you think you could do 300?”

Steve replied, “I don’t know… I’ve never done 300 at a time.”

“Do you think you could?” again asked Dr. Christianson.

“Well, I can try,” said Steve.

“Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it,” said the professor.

Steve said, “Well… I think I can… yeah, I can do it.”

Dr. Christianson said, “Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.”

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room.

When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. Now these weren’t the normal kinds of donuts they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson’s class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts?”

Cynthia said, “Yes.”

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?”

Steve said, “Sure,” and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia’s desk. Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe, do you want a donut?”

Joe said, “Yes.” Dr. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?” Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.

And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Dr. Christianson came to Scott. Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good of a condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship.

When the professor asked, “Scott do you want a donut?” Scott’s reply was, “Well, can I do my own pushups?”

Dr. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.”

Then Scott said, “Well, I don’t want one then.”

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn’t want?”

With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, ‘HEY! I said I didn’t want one!”

Dr. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don’t want it.” And he put a donut on Scott’s desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow..

Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a donut?”

Sternly, Jenny said, “No.”

Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten more pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn’t want?” Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say “No” and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten pushups in a set because he couldn’t bear to watch all of Steve’s work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.

During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it.

Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?”

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they’re your pushups.. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.” And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, “NO! Don’t come in! Stay out!”

Jason didn’t know what was going on. Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.”

Professor Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him?”

Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut.”

Dr. Christianson said, “Okay, Steve, I’ll let you get Jason’s out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut?”

Jason, new to the room hardly knew what was going on. “Yes,” he said, “give me a donut.”

“Steve, will you do ten pushups so that Jason can have a donut?” Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve’s arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was profusely dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was no sound except his heavy breathing, there was not a dry eye in the room. The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a doughnut?”

Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.”

Professor Christianson quietly asked, “Steve, would you do ten pushups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn’t want?”

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda. Then

Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. “Susan, do you want a donut?”

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. “Dr. Christianson, why can’t I help him?”

Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, Steve has to do it alone,

I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve, here is the only student with a perfect grade.

Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups.. He and I made a deal for your sakes. Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?”

As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, Into thy hands commend my spirit.’ With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he yielded up His life.. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.”

Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. “Well done, good and faithful servant” said the professor, adding “Not all sermons are preached in words.”

Turning to his class the professor said, “My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who spared not the only Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all for the whole Church, now and forever.

Greater love hath no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends … John 15:13

Walking With God

There are two times recorded in the Bible where God walked among us, and spent large amounts of time on a daily basis interacting with humans. The first time is in Genesis, where we see God walking with Adam and Eve on a daily basis. It is the beginning of mankind as we know it, and modern science has revealed to us why it was necessary for God to spend this amount of time with Adam and Eve.

When you make a human being, you do not have a complete human yet. Biologically, you have an animal, but to take it to the next level and get a human being, there are years of work still left to be done. And God did this in the beginning. He literally raised Adam and Eve, and downloaded (if you will allow the computer metaphor) the required information into their brains that finished the work of creation.

He was literally a father to them, in that he raised them and taught them how to think, speak, etc. God jumpstarted humanity in the Garden. He designed the system to be self-replicating, but the original content of “Humanity”, in the image of God, came directly from Him. He put it in Adam and Eve, the first humans, and then they in turn passed the information on down through the generations.

When a human baby is left in the wilderness and grows up without human contact, eventually that person is never able to learn language or to be a civilized/socialized human. We know this, because a few of them have been found. (You can check this out on the internet if you are interested in learning more about it.)

Science has shown us that the human brain continues to develop as late as our early 20’s usually, and that if the neural pathways are not formed during this period, especially ages 0-5, they never form, and the brain is not normal, not as human, more like an animal. In order for these pathways to form, interaction with other humans is required so that the information that God put into Adam and Eve can be downloaded into the new human. In the process of downloading this information, our brains build the neural network that allows us to speak, think, reason, imagine, etc. It is what distinguishes us from the animals. It is the image of God, that He put there in the Garden.

We read about God’s word being in all of us, and it turns out, it literally is. It has been passed down to us all the way from the original two humans, Adam and Eve, through socialization as discussed above, and also genetically (it turns out that some information is actually passed down biologically somehow, but we do not fully understand it yet – if you want to discuss this further, please give me a call – too long to go into this here). But there was another thing that happened in the Garden that has been passed down to us.

We often hear or talk about a “God shaped hole” that is in all of us. We try to fill it with all kinds of things to no avail. But only God can fill this hole. Where did this hole come from? It came from Adam and Eve. They walked with God. The God shaped hole that is in us all, came from our original parents literally walking with God on a daily basis.

We were meant to be with God every day, and once we were removed from the Garden, we have had this empty place in our lives that we try to fill with all kinds of things, but only God can fill this hole in our being. Just as we inherited the sin nature and our humanity from Adam and Eve, we also inherited our God shaped hole from them.

So humanity tools along for centuries, and then in the fullness of time, God shows up again, in the form of Jesus. God is among us again on a daily basis, and the world is never the same. Think of it as a software upgrade. Jesus downloaded new information into humanity, and it has spread the world over. His life impacted every aspect of human society and civilization.

There is a great book by John Ortberg about this if you are interested in learning more (Who is this Man?). In addition to the software upgrade we received, we also received something else. That God shaped hole can finally be filled again. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit showed up, and filled the hole in the lives of the first Christians. And He has been filling the hole in Christians lives ever since. Amazing.

Are you walking with God today? Have you let the Holy Spirit fill the God shaped hole in your life yet? If not, what is holding you back? What are you putting in that hole that is not working out? Are you ready to live life the way you were designed by God to live?

Turn to God today, and walk with him in newness of life. Let Him fill that hole in your life today, and you will walk with God as Adam and Eve did. And when you are tempted to put something else there, remember that God is your life, not that thing or that person.

Be Blessed,

Ed Levy

Two Great Stories – True and Worth Reading

Two Great Stories – BOTH TRUE – and worth reading!

STORY NUMBER ONE
Many years ago, Al Capone virtually owned Chicago. Capone wasn’t famous for anything heroic. He was notorious for enmeshing the windy city in everything from bootlegged booze and prostitution to murder.

Capone had a lawyer nicknamed “Easy Eddie.” He was his lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie’s skill at legal maneuvering kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well. Not only was the money big , but also, Eddie got special dividends. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him. Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong. Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn’t give his son; he couldn’t pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done. He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al “Scarface” Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some semblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great!

So, he testified. Within the year, Easy Eddie’s life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street . But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay. Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine. The poem read:

The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop
At late or early hour.
Now is the only time you own.
Live, love, toil with a will.
Place no faith in time.
For the clock may soon be still.

STORY NUMBER TWO
World War II produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gage and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank. He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship. His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to the mother ship he saw something that turned his blood cold: a squadron of Japanese aircraft were speeding their way toward the American fleet. The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenseless. He couldn’t reach his squadron on and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger.

There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent. Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible and rendering them unfit to fly.

Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction. Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch’s daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft.

This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy’s first Ace of W.W.II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Congressional Medal of Honor

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29.

His home town would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O’Hare Airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man
So, the next time you find yourself at O’Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch’s memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honor. It’s located be tween Terminals 1 and 2.

SO WHAT DO THESE TWO STORIES HAVE TO DO WITH EACH OTHER?

Butch O’Hare was “Easy Eddie’s” son.

These Men Have Been With Jesus

From:	devotions@davidwilkersonglobal.org
Sent:	Fri 4/03/09 7:43 AM

In Acts 3, we find Peter and John going to the temple to worship. Just outside the temple gate sat a beggar who had been crippled from birth. This man had never walked a step in his life. When he saw Peter and John, he asked them for alms. Peter answered him, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee” (Acts 3:6). Peter then prayed for the beggar, saying, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth., rise up and walk” (3:6). Instantly, the man was healed! In utter joy, he began running through the temple, jumping and shouting, “Jesus healed me!”

Everyone in the temple marveled at the sight because they recognized the man as the cripple. When Peter and John saw the crowds gathering, they began preaching Christ. Thousands were saved. Yet, while Peter and John were preaching, the synagogue rulers “came upon them, being grieved” (Acts 4:1–2). These high and mighty men asked the disciples, “By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?” (4:7). Peter was emboldened by the Holy Ghost. He answered the rulers, “His name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the man you crucified just three weeks ago. God raised him from the dead. And now he’s the power that healed this man. No one can be saved by any other name. You’ll be lost if you don’t call on Christ’s name” (see 4:10–12).

The rulers sat stunned. Scripture says, “They marveled [admired them]; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (4:13). The phrase took knowledge comes from a root word meaning “known by some distinguishing mark.”

What was this mark that distinguished Peter and John? It was the presence of Jesus. They had Christ’s own likeness and Spirit.

Those who spend time with Jesus can’t get enough of him. Their hearts continually cry out to know the Master better, to draw closer to him, to grow in the knowledge of his ways. Paul states, “Unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7; see also Romans 12:3). What is this measure Paul speaks of? It means a limited amount. In other words, we’ve all received a certain amount of the saving knowledge of Christ.

For some believers, this initial measure is all they ever desire. They want just enough of Jesus to escape judgment, to feel forgiven, to keep a good reputation, to endure an hour of church each Sunday. Such people are in “maintenance mode.” And they give Jesus only the bare requirements.

Paul desired the following for every believer: “And he gave some apostles …prophets…evangelists… pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints…till we all come in…the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men…whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ” (Ephesians 4:11–15).

Paul was saying, “God has given these spiritual gifts so that you may be filled up with Christ’s Spirit. This is crucial, because deceivers are coming to rob you of your faith. If you’re rooted in Christ and maturing in him, no deceptive doctrine will ever sway you. Yet, the only way to grow to such maturity is by wanting more of Jesus.”

The Resume of Jesus Christ

Address: Ephesians 1:20
Phone: Romans 10:13
Website: The Bible
Keywords: Christ, Lord, Savior and Jesus _____________________________________________________ Objective My name is Jesus – The Christ. Many call me Lord! I’ve sent you my resume because I’m seeking the top management position in your heart. Please consider my accomplishments as set forth in my resume. _____________________________________________________________________ Qualifications I founded the earth and established the heavens, (See Proverbs 3:19) I formed man from the dust of the ground, (See Genesis 2:7) I breathed into man the breath of life, (See Genesis 2:7) I redeemed man from the curse of the law, (See Galatians 3:13) The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant comes upon your life through me, (See Galatians 3:14) _____________________________________________________________________ Occupational Background I’ve only had one employer, (See Luke 2:49 ). I’ve never been tardy, absent, disobedient, slothful or disrespectful. My employer has nothing but rave reviews for me, (See Matthew 3:15 -17) _____________________________________________________________________ Skills Work Experiences Some of my skills and work experiences include: empowering the poor to be poor no more, healing the brokenhearted, setting the captives free, healing the sick, restoring sight to the blind and setting at liberty them that are bruised, (See Luke 4:18). I am a Wonderful Counselor, (See Isaiah 9:6). People who listen to me shall dwell safely and shall not fear evil, (See Proverbs 1:33 ). Most importantly, I have the authority, ability and power to cleanse you of your sins, (See I John 1:7-9) _____________________________________________________________________ Educational Background I encompass the entire breadth and length of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, (See Proverbs 2:6). In me are hid all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, (See Colossians 2:3). My Word is so powerful; it has been described as being a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path, (See Psalms 119:105). I can even tell you all of the secrets of your heart, (See Psalms 44:21). _____________________________________________________________________ Major Accomplishments I was an active participant in the greatest Summit Meeting of all times, (See Genesis 1:26 ). I laid down my life so that you may live, (See II Corinthians 5:15 ). I defeated the arch enemy of God and mankind and made a show of them openly, (See Colossians 2:15 ). I’ve miraculously fed the poor, healed the sick and raised the dead! There are many more major accomplishments, too many to mention here. You can read them on my website, which is located at: www dot – the BIBLE. You don’t need an Internet connection or computer to access my website. _____________________________________________________________________ References Believers and followers worldwide will testify to my divine healing, salvation, deliverance, miracles, restoration and supernatural guidance. _____________________________________________________________________ In Summation Now that you’ve read my resume, I’m confident that I’m the only candidate uniquely qualified to fill this vital position in your heart. In summation, I will properly direct your paths, (See Proverbs 3:5-6), and lead you into everlasting life, (See John 6:47 ). When can I start? Time is of the essence, (See Hebrews 3:15 ). Send this resume to everyone you know,
You never know who may have an opening!
Thanks for your help.

The Divinity of Christ

The New Testament only refers to Jesus Christ as “the Son of God” in a few places. However, it does testify to his divinity – that he is God in multiple passages:

Jesus as Son of God

Mark 1:11 – At Jesus baptism, a voice from heaven said: “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Same for Matthew 3:17

Matthew 16:15-17 – Jesus asked His disciples “But who do you say that I am?” And Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

Matthew 26:63-65 – After interaction with Jesus, the high priest tore his clothes, which is what the priests do when they hear blasphemy (someone claiming to be God): “And the high priest answered Him and said to Him, “I adjure You by the living God that You tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.’ And Jesus said to him, “It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, “He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!’

Jesus as God

Matthew 2:23 quotes Isaiah 7:14, referring to Jesus: “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated ‘God with us’.”

Matthew 3:3 quotes a prophecy in Isaiah 40:3, referring to John the Baptist and Jesus: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight.”

Matthew 4:7: Jesus is talking to Satan, who is trying to tempt Him: “Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, you shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

Matthew 8:22: Jesus talks about people calling Him Lord, and He not denying it: “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

John 10:30–33 – Jesus stated: “’I and My Father are one.’ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of these works do you stone Me? The Jews answered them, ‘For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a man, make Yourself God.”

John 18:4-8 – Jesus talking to the soldiers who came for Him – “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, ‘Whom are you seeking?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am He.’ And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Then, when He said to them, ‘I am He’, they drew back and fell to the ground.”

NOTE: The word “He” was added to later translations. The statement “I Am” was known by the Jews to be a direct claim to divinity, as indicated in Exodus 3: 13-14.

Seven Incredible Stories – Following Jesus is Like Wiring a House With the Current on

Notes from The 2010 Gathering on Lake Ouachita

April 23-25, 2010

Following Jesus is like wiring a house with the current on. It is exciting, and you never know when you are going to get a shot of juice.

We are used to taking in information and making decisions. A life of faith is different.

It is not natural for grown men to get up before a large group of men and bare their souls, confessing their sins to each other and to God. But that’s what happened. It is supernatural, and reflects the convicting presence of the sovereign, living God. What is natural is for men to get together, talk about women and cars, and lie about how many fish they caught.

Incredible Story #1 – Jesus as a Peacekeeper

In 1991, South Africa was on the verge of violent civil war. Henry Kissinger from the U.S. and a top diplomat from Great Britain came to South Africa and tried to negotiate a peace. They were unsuccessful and left. Then a pastor from Dublin called a prayer breakfast in a soccer stadium, and invited the leaders of the Zulus, Nelson Mandela, and the head of the South African government to attend.

As they were sitting at the front table and people were singing, the head of the Zulus wrote on a piece of paper a simple plan for elections. He passed it to Mandela and to the South African leader, and asked if this would work. They said yes, and it was all settled. Away from their assistants and attorneys, these leaders resolved a dangerous national crisis that would have led to enormous loss of life, while they were sitting at the head table of a Jesus rally! God truly moves in strange and wondrous ways.

Sin leads us to cover up, to hide, and to blame each other. That’s the way it was in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve covered up with leaves, they hid in the bushes, and they blamed each other.

And that is the way it still is today. God wants us to take the cover off, come out from in the bushes, and take responsibility. The work of the Lord is that we believe Him and His mercy and love. Soak yourselves in the Gospels.

Incredible Story #2 – the Peace of the Lord Which Passes All Human Understanding

In Rwanda, a country of 10 million people with 100% of its land arable, two thousand people were killed every day for 200 days – 800,000 people were killed. (Comparatively speaking, it would be like 60,000 people in the U.S. being killed every day for 200 days). The speaker of their parliament, a woman who would be the equivalent of Nancy Pelosi, was in a vehicle with our speaker and a few other leaders, and they were traveling through the countryside. They were all singing, with great joy. She showed where her family had been killed. She now has a new family. She is a Tsuti, she married a Hutu, and they adopted two Tsuti children and two Hutu children. This kind of joy is not natural; it is supernatural.

“Jesus didn’t come to eliminate suffering; He came to fill it with His presence.” C.S. Lewis

Incredible Story #3 – If My people who are called by My name…

When Ronald Reagan took the oath of office to become the 40^th president of the United States, he opened his Bible and put his hand on this verse: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

II Chronicles 7:14

How did Jesus spend His time? How did He talk? How did He think? Who did He spend time with? Jesus trained his guys to Be, Think, and Do. Do the things Jesus would have us do.

Community – communion – Jesus reproduced what was in His heart with people in all kinds of ways. When Jesus encountered the rich young ruler, He spoke to his heart.

Jesus always talked in stories, He never bored anyone, and He always loved them.

Incredible Story #4 – The Cross as a Sign of Encouragement

Dr. Martin Luther King was wounded by a man with a knife who tried to kill him. This left a scar the shape of a cross near his heart. Dr. King stated: “Every morning I am encouraged – I see this cross near my heart.”

We are human beings, not human doings. We need to be who we are in Christ, not just always be doing things.

A ship is safe in the harbor, but a harbor is not what a ship is built for.

What is Going on in Washington, D.C.

You have been lied to. Washington, D.C. is worse than you can possibly imagine. There are 500,000 people in D.C. who are trying to keep fights and battles going. We are going to put 535 people in D.C. in one building whose primary motivation is greed, and expect anything good to happen? The natural state is toward chaos. The second law of thermodynamics: the natural state of things is to move toward chaos. The gap between the people who give you the laws and you is like the Grand Canyon times ten. They are cynical, critical people, and their pride always comes through. But the power of God is greater than you can imagine.

(Our speaker was involved in the political scene in Washington)

We have the ball, and they can’t beat us.

Incredible Story #5 – Servant Leadership

When Colin Powell met with the aging Norman Vincent Peale, he noticed that his shoe laces were untied. He knelt down and tied them. A guard standing nearby said to his buddy: “Now you know why we are willing to follow that guy into battle.”

Be absolutely sure you are involved with a small group of guys who will hold you accountable. Al Gore said every leader who does not have a small group of people to whom he is accountable is an accident waiting to happen.

Friendship is one means through which God reveals Himself.

Incredible Story #6 – God Makes Things Happen

When we hold a national prayer breakfast, we cast a wide net and invite a lot of people. We invited some leaders from the United Arab Republic. UAR is almost completely Moslem and is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, with 1 out of 5 people being millionaires. Three guys came, and after the breakfast, they took out their checkbooks, and asked how much money we wanted. We told them that we didn’t want their money, but encouraged them to hold a Jesus discussion group when they got back to UAR.

When they got back, they learned that George Bush Sr. was coming, so they called us and said, “why don’t we invite him to come to our Jesus discussion group?” We asked when he was coming, and they said “tomorrow morning”. This led to frantic calls, including calling Barbara Bush in the middle of the night. They finally reached George Bush Sr., who was only going to be in UAR for four hours! So these guys started their Jesus discussion group, when there was a knock on the door. It was George Bush, Sr., who said he only had 5 minutes. He told them four things: “This is the most important thing going on in the United Arab Republic. Keep it up! This is probably the most important thing going on in the Middle East! Good by.” Now what are the chances a former U.S. president could drop in on the first Jesus discussion group in the United Arab Republic? God truly moves in wondrous ways.

God brings people into our lives who will speak truth to us.

Incredible Story #7 – Discussing the Life of Jesus

A U.S. insurance executive was living in Bangladesh when the floods came. Bangladesh is a large flood plain, so when the rain water comes down from the mountains, it floods huge areas. Because his house was on stilts two feet higher than the houses around him, when the floods came, it flooded all of his neighbors’ houses. He and his wife invited eight neighbor families to come and stay with them while the water was up. Wednesday came around, and he told them they always have a Bible study on Wednesday evenings. So he asked them if they would like to join him and his wife. They would spend half of the time reading the Koran and half of the time reading the Bible. They said yes, that would be fine.

This went on for some time, and then the Moslem families said, it’s OK with us if we don’t read the Koran – yours is a little more interesting. This went on for some time, and then the host said: “Why don’t we try an experiment, by going out to villages, and starting Jesus discussion groups with the people in the villages, just as an experiment. They said sure. So they took the Jesus discussion groups out to villages. Someone asked the insurance executive how many people they had reached so far. With tears in his eyes, he said “over a million people. But don’t tell anyone! This is under the radar, and if the radical Moslems find out about it, there will be big trouble.”

As soon as Jesus puts something on our hearts, act on it.

Walking with the Lord is a great adventure. Pray to be available to carry out His will.

Thanks so much to The Gathering team that put this retreat together, to our guest speaker from Minneapolis, to everyone who came, and to our Lord, for revealing Himself through this experience, this fellowship, and His Spirit.

To God be the glory

Mark Peterson

Remember Who You Are

Remember Who You Are and Act Like It – Daily

You are a son of Adam, created in the image of God, and a son of the second Adam (Christ), created for good works. Remember this. Live like you belief this. You are a son of Adam and a son of God. The life you are looking for can only be found in God.

The life that you are looking for can only be found in God through His Son Jesus Christ. It cannot be found in the daughters of Eve, in money, in power, in experiences, in fame, in possessions, in sex, or in work. It can only be found in God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Only He can fill the hole, fill the void. Only He can answer the question. Only He is worth living for, dying for. Only He is worthy of being the reason we do what we do. True joy and peace and freedom can only be found in Him. Healing is only found in Him. He is the end game. He is what we live for. He is the audience we live for. He is life.

Remember who Eve is, and her daughters. The daughters of Eve were created. They were created to be our helper. Eve is not the end game. God is. In the Garden of Eden, Adam chose Eve over God. We continue to make this choice to this day. Do not do this. Choose God. Eve’s beauty reflects the beauty of God. Perhaps we glimpse eternity in it. We see God’s glory. It is magnificent. She is truly beautiful. That is why we are so drawn to the daughters of Eve. That is why her beauty is so compelling, why we so easily think she is the end game. She can easily become the reason we live and do what we do. But she is not. GOD is the end game. He is the reason we live and do what we do. Remember this. He is our reason to live.

And remember that the life you are looking for can only be found in God. Remember this when you gaze upon the daughters of Eve. Do not be fooled and think she has life. Only God has the life you crave. I must remind myself of his every day, every time I look upon her beauty. Only God has life. Life abundant.

So, having said this, truly believing this, what does this mean to me? How now should I live? How should I view the daughters of Eve when confronted by their beauty? How should I live with my wife, the daughter of Eve that I have chosen as my helper?

I am a son of Adam and a son of the second Adam, Jesus Christ. I am restored to fellowship with God by the work of Christ. God grant me the wisdom, strength, and courage to walk with You and accomplish the works You created me to do while I am here on this earth. Train me to think rightly and to act rightly. Train me to look upon the daughters of Eve as you intend me to. Don’t let my flesh overcome me. Do not let me fall in to the traps of the world, sin and Satan. Teach me your ways and show me how to live.

Remember, you are a son of Adam, born again. You are also a son of God. Remember this. Act like it. Think like it. And act like a man. Don’t act like a woman. Don’t act like an animal. Don’t act like a child. Act like a man.

Every trap the devil sets is upside down. It delivers the opposite of what it promises. The fruit delivered death, not life. Following Satan leads to bondage and a loss of freedom and fewer choices, not the freedom he promises. Everything he says is a lie. Every trap he sets delivers the opposite of the promise he uses to bait us into the trap. You would think we would figure this out be now. I guess we are easily fooled.

Remember that everything he says is a lie and you will be well served. Remember that every trap delivers the opposite of its promise and perhaps you will keep your foot out of it. Remember that every argument he makes is upside down and you will not be fooled and led astray by this theories and teachings.

Everything he does is to keep us from God and occupy our time in worthless endeavors. Remember Egypt and the Wilderness. Do not settle in either of these places; they are Satan’s. Move on to the Promised Land. Egypt is his land of bondage and slavery. The Wilderness is his land of wasted life. Move out of both of these places, and get God’s help as needed to do so. And move into the Promised Land life of working with God and building His kingdom. Be a Matthew 6:33 kind of guy. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.

Accept responsibility. God has put you in charge. Be in charge. Don’t blame others, don’t pretend you don’t know what is going on. Don’t abdicate decisions to others when it is your decision to make. Accept responsibility. Be responsible, for good or bad. Step up and be counted. Face the music. Move towards the conflict and not away from it. Move towards problems and not away from them. Don’t hide; be accessible and available. Accept responsibility.

Be responsible for those in your charge – for their well-being, for their spiritual growth, and for their safety. Take responsibility for the work God has given you to do.

Lead courageously. Leading is what you are to do. With courage is how you are to do it. God has put you in command and you are to lead. You take in the relevant information, get whatever input you need, and talk to God about it. But ultimately it is your job to make a decision and lead your family, your team, your business unit, your friends, your girlfriend, whatever and whoever God has put you in command of. People may not like your decisions. You may not like some of the decisions you have to make. You may not like the outcome of some of the decisions you make. You may not even want to make the decision. But is your job to lead, to lead with courage and to make decisions. Just do it.

The issue isn’t whether God is speaking but whether or not you can hear Him or want to hear Him. Are you living your life in such a way that you can hear from God? Are you giving God opportunities to speak to you? Are you stopping to listen? Are you taking the time to record what he says to you? Do you need to slow down your life? When do you hear from God? Where do you hear from God? Do you need to establish a time and a place to hear from Him? What works best for you? Make time for God.

Ed Levy

Little Rock, Arkansas

Compelling Portrait of a Relationship

I see her only once a week but only from one to two hours.

Sometimes during that time she might say something to me but usually it is something she says repeatedly every week, something memorized.

She never stops to hear what I have to say. Mostly she just sits there listening to someone else and then she gets up and leaves without saying goodbye.

For the most part, she doesn’t even know I’m there. The rest of the week she doesn’t see me nor speak to me at all. I don’t think she ever even thinks of me or our relationship except maybe on that day once a week. Many times I don’t get to see her even then.

You see, she leads a very busy life and there always seems to be other things more important to her than visiting with me. I miss her terribly. What hurts most is she is my bride to be.

We seem to be drifting further and further apart. It wasn’t always like this. When we first met, our hearts were filled with love and we spent every free moment with each other.

There almost wasn’t any time when we weren’t in conversation with each other. We would talk for hours on end, never noticing the time as it quickly slipped away. We did everything together.

She would dream about our future together. We talked about what we do and how much we enjoyed each other’s company.

We took long walks each and every day. It was a joyous time filled with joy and laughter. I love the way she laughs. She is so adorable to me.

Until we met, she did not know just how precious her life was to me. Now her eyes are beginning to open and her heart is just beginning to see the depth of my love for her.

But something happened along the way in our journey together. Nothing earth shattering, just a slow drifting away. Her interest in me began to fade. She says she still loves me but her actions say differently. Her visits have become farther and farther apart. Sometimes, she doesn’t come visit me except for a few days a year, usually Christmas and Easter. Every now and then she will call me but that usually happens when she is in desperate straits. I will help every time without fail and she will show her gratefulness for a time but, again, the same pattern returns. I miss her so!

If you see her, will you tell her how much I miss her and my love for her will never end. Thank you.

What? Oh, how will you recognize her? It’s easy, she looks just like…………..YOU!

Eternally,

Jesus

THIS IS A LOVE LETTER FROM JESUS TO THE BODY OF CHRIST, HIS BRIDE. HE INVITES US TO WALK WITH HIM EVERY DAY, TO FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM, AND TO ENJOY HIS PRESENCE – FROM NOW INTO ETERNITY!

https://rev217.wordpress.com/2015/11/02/short-sweet/ Jerry Sundberg

Pat Robertson’s Horse

In his book “The Plan”, Pat Robertson describes how many years ago he purchased a beautiful Arabian stallion. It stood 16 hands tall, and was a very powerful animal. To make sure he could handle it, Pat hired a professional horse trainer to train it.

After a couple of months, the trainer brought the horse to Pat, and was showing him how to ride it. With the trainer on the horse, it would move forward, backwards, and turn to the right or left. But Pat could not see the trainer pulling on the reins. So he asked the trainer how he did it. The trainer replied that the horse was so well trained that just the slightest nudge would move the horse away from the nudge.

Pat was impressed, then concluded that that is how we are to be with the Lord. We are to be so in tune with the Holy Spirit that the slightest nudge will move us to act. Jesus said that He is the good shepherd and His sheep hear His voice. So we should be so in the Spirit, and know the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit, that we don’t debate, or pray about it, but take action because we know it is from the Lord.