How a non-believing journalist met Jesus

Denmark: How a non-believing journalist met Jesus What does a non-believing journalist ask Jesus when he appears right in front of her? Danish journalist and author Charlotte Rørth was not a religious or spiritual person. In fact, she grew up in an atheïst intellectual family and was certainly not searching for something. But one day, totally unexpectedly, she met Jesus. Somehow the meeting was prepared. While in Andalucia in southern Spain to write an article on olive oil production, Rørth visited the town of Baeza. There an old woman came up to her with a strange message: “You are called to tell the most important story in the world,” she said. Rørth thought the woman was crazy, and didn’t give it much attention. ‘I couldn’t move. I thought I was hit by a stroke.’ The next day, when visiting the famous El Salvador chapel in Udeba, Rørth suddenly froze. “I couldn’t move. I thought I was hit by a stroke as I felt completely paralyzed. But there was also an overwhelming sense of peace and joy. When my guide Andrea entered the chapel, he said: ‘Wow, Charlotte, how come you have this light around you? You are glowing!’ We both felt something was happening, but I had no idea it had to do with God.” Back in Denmark life went back to normal, until one day she walked her dog in the forest. Out of the blue, a beam of light touched her head, went right through her body and projected her into another world. “I immediately knew it was the presence of God. I’ve never felt so unconditionally loved as in that moment.”

Then she started having dreams. In these dreams she saw herself in the chapel of Ubeda, while a voice was calling her from behind a closed door. Puzzled by these dreams Rørth decided to travel back to Spain and visit Ubeda again. Sitting in the chapel with her eyes closed, she suddenly received an open vision of Jesus. Again she felt fully and thoroughly loved. “Jesus appeared in a kind of hologram. I saw him walking in Palestine until he noticed me and said: ‘Welcome, so good to see you!’ as if we had known each other for a long time and met again. His feet were dirty with dust. When I looked into his eyes, I instantly fell in love. Then he started a conversation in a language I couldn’t understand. So I said: ‘I don’t understand.’ And he said: ‘It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand.’ Somehow I was content with that answer, which is very uncommon for me as a journalist. Then Jesus disappeared. But his love and acceptance have not left me ever since.” ‘Jesus’ love and acceptance have not left me ever since.’ In a book titled ‘I met Jesus’ Rørth mastered the courage to share her experiences, knowing full well the impact it will have on her life. For how do you tell the world that you literally have met and talked with the Son of God when family, friends and colleagues know you as a critical thinking and rational human being? With journalistic thoroughness she began to seek explanation for her experience and researched deep into similar phenomena. Rørth’s memoir received massive press coverage in Denmark and has remained on the Danish bestseller list for more than a year after its launch in January 2015. She is now a much sought-after public speaker, as she cannot keep silent about her encounter with Jesus and her knowledge of his being. Source: Charlotte Rørth Joel News International # 1042, June 22, 2017 General Blogs Index Blogs Index 1: Revivals (briefer than Revivals Index) Blogs Index 2: Mission (international stories) Blogs Index 3: Devotional (including Testimonies) Blogs Index 4: Chapters (Blogs from Books) Blogs Index 5: Images (photos & videos) Back to Main Page

Pentecost on Pentecost and in the South Pacific

Pentecost on Pentecost & in the South Pacific

Pentecost on Pentecost & in the South Pacific – PDF

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Link to Blog: Pentecost on Pentecost Island – surprising stories

Podcast link: 21st-century revivals – Riverlife Church: Geoff & grandson Dante talk with staff about revivals they’ve seen

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Link to Blog: Pentecost on Pentecost Island

Contents:

Chapter  1 – Elcho Island (1994)

Chapter  2 – Papua New Guinea (1994)

Chapter  3 – Solomon Islands: Tabaka (1994)

Chapter  4 – Vanuatu, Australia (2002)

Chapter  5 – Vanuatu, Solomon Islands (2003)

Chapter  6 – Vanuatu: Tanna & Pentecost (2004)

Chapter  7 – Vanuatu: Pentecost ( 2004)

Chapter  8 – Vanuatu: Pentecost (2005)

Chapter  9  – Vanuatu: Pentecost (2005)

Chapter 10  – Fiji (2005)

Chapter 11  – Fiji – KBC and COC Teams (2006-2007)

Chapter 12 – Vanuatu, Solomon Islands (2006)

Chapter 13 – Solomon Islands (2007)

Chapter 14 – Fiji (2008-2009)

Chapter 15 – Vanuatu: Pentecost (2010-2016)  

Link to Blog: Pentecost on Pentecost Island

Some photos from the book:

Aborigines baptized on Elcho Island

Creek baptism on Pentecost Island

 

Ocean baptism on Pentecost Island

Mele Palm site of martyrdom on Pentecost

Pentecost Island Bible College site

Bible College chapel

 

South Pacific mission team in Australia

See also:

South Pacific Revivals

Community and Ecological

Transformation

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South Pacific Revivals

Stories of revivals from

Australia, Timor, PNG,

The Solomon Islands,

Vanuatu, and Fiji

Journey into Mission

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Pentecost on Pentecost

plus more stories from

Australia, Africa, Nepal, India,

Sri Lanka, Myanmar/Burma,

Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines

and China.

Amazon Links – Journey into Mission

 

Journey into Ministry & Mission

Journey into Ministry & Mission also includes

the 15 chapters of this book

Pentecost on Pentecost

plus more stories from

Australia, Africa, Nepal, India,

Sri Lanka, Myanmar/Burma,

Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines

and China.

Amazon Links – Journey into Ministry & Mission

Don Hill gives more details in his chapters in his book

Travelling with Geoff

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The Healing Power of Prayer

See current updates on https://renewaljournal.com/

THE STUNNING SCIENCE BEHIND THE HEALING POWER OF PRAYER

Article written by Dr. Don Colbert. Dr Colbert graduated from Oral Roberts Medical School in 1984. Dr. Colbert has practiced medicine in Central Florida and has been board certified in Family Practice for over 25 years.

Even a mere 30 seconds of prayer, acknowledging God and giving thanks for all the blessings in your life, can have a powerful effect on your body, mind, and spirit. If you have a regular practice of prayer, then you are well aware that benefits are very real and wide-ranging. Many people who engage in these activities report psychological and spiritual benefits such as a sense of greater clarity, purpose, gratitude, presence, sense of connection, and overall well-being. However, these sorts of subjective benefits can be hard to measure scientifically. Interestingly, despite the difficulty in quantifying the spiritual effects of prayer, there have been many studies looking at the physical benefits of this ancient practice. A 2013 Pew Research Poll estimated that over half of Americans pray daily.

A University of Rochester study found that over 85% of people dealing with a major illness turn to prayer. Every religion or spiritual belief system has a form of prayer or meditation as a foundational principle. This shows that prayer is not merely a cultural phenomenon but a fundamental aspect of the human experience. Yet, many people still struggle to reconcile belief in the power of prayer with a scientific worldview. Duke University’s Harold G. Koenig, M.D, author of several books on faith and healing, says “studies have shown prayer can prevent people from getting sick, and when they do get sick, prayer can help them get better faster. So how does that happen? Harvard Medical School cardiovascular specialist Dr. Herbert Benson discovered what is called the “relaxation response.”

 This is the physiological state that occurs during prayer. It involves the autonomic (automatic) nervous system shifting over to a parasympathetic (rest and digest) dominant state, as opposed to the sympathetic (fight, flight, freeze) state that most of us spend the majority of the day in. The act of prayer has shown to increase certain helpful neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, which help promote a state of relaxation, focus, motivation, and well-being. But the effects are not confined to momentary relaxation. Long-term prayer can actually rewire and rebuild the brain! With the ability to scan the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers have been able to note the physiological changes that occur in the brains of those who pray regularly.

 Lisa Miller, professor and director of Clinical Psychology and director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute at Teachers College, Columbia University conducted a study on 103 people who were at a high risk of depression. Using MRI, she found that those who prayed regularly tended to have a thicker cerebral cortex which has been associated with less depression and anxiety. Another study has shown that urban children with asthma cope better when incorporating prayer into their lives. Prayer is also good for your heart. Christians have been shown to have lower average blood-pressure than non-believers. Prayer also is correlated to less heart attacks and quicker recovery from heart surgery. There is even evidence to suggest that regular prayer will help you live longer! So with all these benefits, you should consider incorporating prayer as part of your daily regimen.

 According to a study published in the journal Sociology of Religion titled “Prayer, Attachment to God, and Symptoms of Anxiety-Related Disorders among U.S. Adults,” looked at the data of 1,714 volunteers. What they found is that those who pray with a loving and protective conception of God experience a more dramatic reduction in anxiety related symptoms compared to those who pray without the expectation of comfort or protection. This shows us just how important faith actually is! The publishers believe that the emotional and spiritual comfort from prayer to a loving and compassionate God offers a sense of hope and security, while those who pray with a more judgmental conception of God breeds resentment, rejection, and detachment. So understanding the character of your God is important.

 The most beautiful thing about all of this research is not only that it validates the ancient wisdom behind prayer, but it also shows us how incredibly easy it can be to implement powerful healing practices into our lives. With so many benefits on the physical, psychological, and spiritual levels, there is really no reason to not pray or meditate every single day! The best times of day are first thing in the morning and right before bed. However you can pray in the car on the way to work, in line at the grocery store, sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, or before you eat your meals. Even a mere 30 seconds of prayer, acknowledging God and giving thanks for all the blessings in your life, can have a powerful effect on your body, mind, and spirit. So what do you think? Have you been inspired to reinvigorate the prayer in your life?

 Source: Breaking Christian News (bold font added)

HEALING BLOGS

Renewal Journal 4: Healing

Prayer ~ Good for the Body as well as the Soul

How I Learned to Pray for the Sick

Healing in the Atonement, by Brian Mulheran

Acts 3 acted out in faith in PNG

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He woke up totally healed in Ghana

 

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Solomon Islands: hostile tribe’s chief died and met Jesus

Solomon Islands: How a hostile tribe’s chief met Jesus and opened the door for the Gospel The interior of Malaita in the Solomon Island chain had a long history of opposition to missionaries and other outsiders. Many of them were killed by the Kwaio tribal group. But God had a plan to reach the Kwaio using missionaries from Fiji. Several Fijian evangelists affiliated with Every Home for Christ had been part of a campaign to reach Fiji’s 106 islands when in 1990 they turned their attention to the 100 islands of the Solomon chain, 1000 miles away. They reached the island of Malaita and spent time evangelizing the coastal areas. One night as their team sat around a campfire, a team member pointed to the rugged interior of the island and asked, “Are there people there who have yet to hear about Jesus?” “Yes,” one replied. “It’s one of the most difficult areas in all of the islands to evangelize because of the rugged terrain and the hostile people.” An argument ensued within the team as they heard more about the history of the people group. Some were intimidated and urged caution. Cannibalism had been practiced until the end of the last century; who could be sure it had not ceased? ‘For seven days they confronted each demonic entity with focused warfare prayer.’ The team finally agreed they would pray and fast for seven days before attempting to send a team to reach the Kwaios. With the help of two witch doctors who had become believers, a list of 87 different evil spirits were identified that were said to hold sway in the region. They pointedly confronted each demonic entity with focused warfare prayer over the seven-day period. On the eighth day, missionaries Jack and Japta joined ten other Christian workers on a day-long journey into the rugged interior of the island.

About five o’clock in the afternoon they reached one village. There was a large assembly of people, indicating something unusual might be going on. The two men were quickly surrounded by large warriors, wanting to know where they were from and why they had come. Jack explained as quickly as he could in the Kwaio language that they were bringing the Kwaio people Good News. But the burly guardians led them away to be questioned by five village priests or elders. These were elders who had gathered in anticipation of the impending death of their chief. The strangers had arrived at a sacred moment and might be infringing on the customs of the Kwaio – a taboo of taboos that could meet with dire consequences. As the Christians were questioned, they could not help but notice that some of the large warriors standing near them had 24-inch machetes and some carried bows with poison-tipped arrows. ‘Why are you here? one of the elders demanded.’ “Why are you here?” one of the elders demanded. “We have come to share Good News,” they repeated once more, as they went on to describe the one true God who created everything in the heavens and on earth – including the Kwaio. “Our eternal God sent His only Son to be like us, a man, and to sacrifice His own life willingly on our behalf.” The elders said they had never heard a message like this. They understood the concept of a blood sacrifice, however. After a few moments of heated discussion one said, “We can not believe anything you say unless our chief believes.” Jack and Japta requested permission to see the chief, knowing it was customary in many villages to seek approval from the chief. Once granted, that would open up opportunities for their message to be heard. But the elders refused because their chief, Haribo, was dying. Seeing him was out of the question. Then one of the Christians had an idea. “When Jesus Christ came as the Son of God, He came not only to deliver men from their sins, but to heal sick people, too. God is quite capable of healing your chief.” In response, the elders began to argue among themselves. Jack and Japta spent the night locked in a hut, but at seven the next morning the elders returned with surprising news. They were granted permission to pray for Chief Haribo! When they entered the chief’s hut, they could see he was very old and weak, struggling for breath. Jack shared with him quickly God’s plan of salvation, explaining that Jesus was the only way to eternal life. ‘I have waited my entire lifetime to hear this story!’ The chief had a most amazing response. “I have waited my entire lifetime to hear this story,” he told them. “I have always felt there was some sacred message like this. But no one ever came to bring us such words. How can I receive this Jesus into my life?” Jack and Japta led Chief Haribo in prayer. A few moments later a profound peace transformed the countenance of the chief.

But two hours later the chief died. For the rest of the day, his body was prepared for a traditional Kwaio burial. Meanwhile, Jack and Japta left the village and headed back to the coast. But as dusk descended on the village something shocking happened. Chief Haribo sat up and began to speak! “Let the elders gather,” he said to his startled hearers. When they gathered, the chief related an amazing story about seeing heaven. A being dressed in glorious white had taken him a great distance to the most beautiful place he had ever seen. A person called Jesus Christ, the Son of God the young men had told him about, was being worshiped by a huge crowd of people. Peace had come to his life, Haribo said, and he had no more pain, nor had he seen any suffering among the people who worshiped Jesus. The being in white told the chief he had to go back for a short time to tell the elders of the village that the message about Jesus was true. “This Jesus is the only way to experience eternal life,” he said. ‘Every person, including the Chief’s entire family, received Christ as their Savior.’ When the chief learned that Jack and Japta had left, he ordered runners to go after them and bring them back so they could preach to the rest of the village. When Jack and Japta returned they were astounded by what had happened. They presented the message of salvation again, this time to the entire village. Every person, including Chief Haribo’s immediate family of 21 members, received Christ as their Savior. And soon more than 300 villagers throughout the area (in 10 nearby villages) had surrendered their lives to Christ. Haribo remained alive all that night and into the next morning. Then he lay back down quietly in his earth bed and went to be forever with Jesus.  Today, more than 8,000 Kwaios have become followers of Jesus, including 1,000 in the most remote areas.   Source: This compelling story is told in the book ‘Look What God is Doing’ by Dick Eastman, Every Home for Christ (Chapter 2: Mountains of Mystery) # 1040 | June 7, 2017 Joel News on Facebook See also See Dick Eastman interviewed about this book Free book: Look What God is Doing See also: God’s Visitation, by Dick Eastman Look what God is Doing! by Dick Eastman Ch 3: People of the Trees   Pygmy tribe of 6,000 saved in 5 years when chiefs believed Ebola area miracles  Look what God is doing – and rejoice!   Pentecost on Pentecost Island, Vanuatu, South Pacific Pagan chief’s wife returned after death to tell the tribe to believe in Jesus. GENERAL BLOGS INDEX  BLOGS INDEX 1: REVIVALS (BRIEFER THAN REVIVALS INDEX) BLOGS INDEX 2: MISSION (INTERNATIONAL STORIES) BLOGS INDEX 3: MIRACLES (SUPERNATURAL EVENTS) BLOGS INDEX 4: DEVOTIONAL (INCLUDING TESTIMONIES) BLOGS INDEX 5: CHURCH (CHRISTIANITY IN ACTION) BLOGS INDEX 6: CHAPTERS (BLOGS FROM BOOKS) BLOGS INDEX 7: IMAGES (PHOTOS AND ALBUMS) BACK TO MAIN PAGE  FREE SUBSCRIPTION: for new Blogs & free offers

Alopen: Christians who changed their world

Alopen and the Opening of China

Christians Who Changed Their World

by: Eric Metaxas

Category:  Christians Who Changed Their World

June 5, 2015

You’ve certainly heard of Augustine, Luther, and Bonhoeffer. Great Christian heroes. Well, it’s time to let Alopen inspire you, too!

As you probably know, I’m a writer by trade. More specifically, a biographer. Men like William Wilberforce and Dietrich Bonhoeffer have inspired me to spend years researching and writing about them—and sharing their faith-inspiring stories with the Church.

That’s why I love the series of articles written by my colleague Dr. Glenn Sunshine at ColsonCenter.org entitled, “Christians Who Changed Their World.” But Glenn isn’t just focusing on the big names. He introduces us to lesser known but equally significant heroes of the faith. Women like Hannah Moore, and men like Alopen.

That’s right, Alopen. In Glenn’s latest installment, he writes, “Although it is not very well known, for the first thousand years of church history there were probably more Christians outside of the old boundaries of the Roman Empire than within them. Christianity in India may date back as far as the Apostle Thomas; the first kingdom to convert to Christianity was Armenia…and there were large numbers of Christians in the Persian Empire who spread their faith into Central Asia and beyond via well-established trade routes to China.”

One of those Christians was Alopen, a Nestorian Christian living in central Asia. The Nestorians believed in the full humanity and divinity of Jesus, but disagreed with the specific formulation adopted by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The Nestorians, or Church of the East, set up churches, schools and monasteries along the major trade routes throughout Persia and central Asia.

In 635—before most of Europe had been evangelized—a group of Nestorian missionaries led by Alopen traveled east to the court of the Chinese Emperor Taizong.

Taizong was a scholar and promoter of religious tolerance. His library is reported to have held 200,000 volumes, rivaling the great library at Alexandria. When the Emperor learned that Christians were people of the book, he asked Alopen to translate the Scriptures into Chinese. We don’t have a complete record of Alopen’s work, but the first book he translated was the “Sutra of Jesus the Messiah”—a collection of 206 verses that sought to explain Christian beliefs and show how they were compatible with traditional Chinese values.

The Emperor ordered that copies be distributed around the empire. In 638, Taizong granted official tolerance of all religions and gave special protection to the Nestorian church. Further, he built the first Christian church and monastery in China, housing 21 Persian monks.

After Emperor Taizong died, his son continued a policy of religious freedom, but later political turmoil led to the persecution of Nestorian Christians for a time before another Nestorian, a Persian nobleman named Abraham, earned the trust of the bloody Empress Wu. When she saw his loyalty, she relented in her attack on the church.

Safe again from persecution, Nestorian Christians continued to influence Chinese culture and enjoy imperial favor for the next 200 years until the fall of the T’ang Dynasty in 907.

I love this story because it shows what can happen when a faithful Christian answers the call of God. In Alopen’s case, God used his zeal and knowledge to open a door with an Emperor who also valued learning. God prepared a way for him to enter China and influence Chinese culture for almost 300 years.

However, Alopen’s is just one such story of God utilizing a person’s God-given talents and abilities to serve Him in a unique way.

Come to BreakPoint.org and click on this commentary, and we’ll link you to Glenn Sunshine’s story of Alopen and to the rest of his series on “Christians Who Changed Their World.”

FURTHER READING AND INFORMATION

Alopen (7th Century)
Ching-Ching (Adam) (8th Century)

Glenn Sunshine |The Colson Center for Christian Worldview | May 27, 2015

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