Evolutionists won't admit that they actually embrace the Supernatural

We hear evolutionary cosmogonists maintaining that the universe evolved itself out of nothing! This is their version of the Supernatural. Creationists at least postulate an adequate Cause to produce the universe—that is, an infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, transcendent, self-existing, personal, Creator God. For those who believe in God, creation ex nihilo is plausible and reasonable. But even if people refuse to acknowledge a real Creator, they should realize that a universe evolving out of nothing would contradict the law of cause-and-effect, the principle of conservation of mass/energy, the law of increasing entropy, and the very nature of reason itself. How can they say such things?

There have always been huge difficulties with the Big Bang theory: how the primeval explosion could be the cause of the complexity and organization of the vast cosmos, and how to explain how a uniform explosion could generate such a diverse, heterogeneous universe.

Sir Fred Hoyle, outstanding astronomer and cosmologist, who finally gave up the steady-state theory which he had originated and long promoted, has also shown that the big bang theory should be abandoned, for still other reasons.

"As a result of all this, the main efforts of investigators have been in papering over holes in the big bang theory, to build up an idea that has become ever more complex and cumbersome .... I have little hesitation in saying that a sickly pall now hangs over the big bang theory. When a pattern of facts become set against a theory, experience shows that the theory rarely recovers."¹

Where did the initial "point-universe" come from? This amazing infinitesimal particle which contained the entire universe and, in principle, all its future galaxies, planets and people—how do we account for it? Now, if one thinks that the scenario up to this point has been enchantingly preposterous, he will surely think the rest of it is simply a creationist plot to make evolutionists look ridiculous. Readers should certainly check this out for themselves!

How did it all come to pass? Edward Tryon, who started much of these metaphysical exercises back in 1973, says:

"So I conjectured that our Universe had its physical origin as a quantum fluctuation of some pre-existing true vacuum, or state of nothingness."²

So our vast, complex cosmos began as a point of something or other which evolved as a fluctuation from a state of nothingness!

"In this picture, the universe came into existence as a fluctuation in the quantum-mechanical vacuum. Such a hypothesis leads to a view of creation in which the entire universe is an accident. In Tryon's words, 'Our universe is simply one of those things which happen from time to time.'"³

Regardless of the sophisticated mathematical apparatus leading the Big Bang cosmogonists to their remarkable statement of faith in the omnipotence of nothingness, there will continue to be a few realists who prefer the creationist alternative: "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

(excerpts from Henry Morris, Evolution Ex Nihilo, Act & Facts, Institute for Creation Research, September 2011)

References (selected)

1. Fred Hoyle, "The Big Bang Under Attack," Science Digest, Vol 92, May 1984, p. 84.

2. Edward P. Tryon, 'What Made the World?" New Scientist, Vol. 101, Mar. 8, 1984, p. 15.

3. James Trefil, "The Accidental Universe," Science Digest, Vol. 92, June 1984, p. 101.

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Abortion operates in a politically protected bubble

The Philadelphia Grand Jury investigation of the Gosnell abortion clinic scandal exposed allegations of murder of women and babies under the guise of medical care.

Even more, the Grand Jury revealed hat the abortion business in Pennsylvania has for many years operated in a politically protected "bubble," performing more than 35,000 abortions a year while escaping common medical standards.

On the Pennsylvania House floor, House bill HB 574 and Senate bill SB 732 are in process to add tough, common sense medical regulations over abortion clinics.

The most surprising moment was when State Rep. Margo Davidson, Democrat from Delaware county, stood to say her 22-year-old cousin died of an infection after visiting Gosnell's clinic 11 years ago. She gave an impassioned plea for the bill, despite being the sole member of the Black Caucus to vote for the bill. "It's still emotionally riveting all these years later," said Davidson. "She didn't have to die."

State Rep. Rick Saccone, Republican Allegheny county said:

"I ask my colleagues to look behind them on the ceiling above and remember the Scripture there from John, chapter 8, verse 32: 'Then you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.' Mr. Speaker, until these clinics are properly and regularly inspected, we will never know the truth of how many Gosnells are out there. I ask my colleagues: Among you, who will champion those who cannot speak for themselves? I implore you to face the truth and force those clinics out of the darkness and into the light!"

(excerpted from Thomas J. Shaheen, Pennsylvania Citizen, Pennsylvania Family Institute, September 2011 newsletter)

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A Table in the Wilderness

From a Christian missionary to Africa: A few months after we arrived in Liberia, our family ran out of money. We received nothing from home and used what remained to purchase food. We lived near a large village of about ten thousand people, called Bahn, where we bought most of our food. The women there sat near the center of the village with produce such as vegetables, fruit, and rice displayed on cloths in front of them. There was also a man in the village who sold meat. He usually sold goat meat, but occasionally he had deer or beef available. The meat hung in the open, covered with flies. We ate whatever the Africans ate, but we needed money to purchase it.

We soon used what little food we had on hand. It would have been easy for my wife and me to get discouraged as we had a family to feed, but we did not. We didn’t share our problem with the children. Also, due to WEC’s policy of not making financial appeals, we didn’t share our need with others. We simply prayed. We had seen God provide before. We wondered how He would provide food for us now—back in the jungle with no one knowing our need.

The prophet Elijah was also
fed, by ravens!

After we ate our last food, we prayed. My wife told the Lord that we needed meat, and she requested deer meat and rice. Well, before it was time to prepare the next meal, a little old lady who looked very poor came to our door with some rice rolled up in a piece of cloth. She said she felt she should bring it to us. Another old lady showed up with a piece of deer meat. Others brought vegetables, and we had enough for a very good meal. We thanked God for that meal and prayed for the next one. Before the next meal time, more villagers came with food, providing another good meal.

How long would this continue? Each month we expected funds from America, yet nothing came for four months. We didn’t write about it or tell anyone, including the other missionaries or the Africans. Every day for four months, Africans came with food. Many looked so poor—like they had very little themselves—but they gave to us in our need. They were God’s servants feeding us. We never missed a meal.

After four months, we received money to buy our own food. Immediately, Africans stopped bringing food. Never again did they bring food. God used them to spread a table before us in the wilderness. It was very humbling to accept food from people who looked so poor, but we knew it was God who sent them. We learned a tremendous lesson—our God can provide for us in any situation! He can do the same for you! Praise His holy Name!

(from WEC.Go Magazine, Fall 2011, excerpted from Bob McCauley, The Still Small Voice: A Journey in Listening)

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Pray for Suzan

Suzan is a young woman whose Muslim family angrily shouts at her and puts her down over every issue due to her faith in Jesus. She longs to be married to a faithful believer and have her own home. Pray that God will bring the right man into her life and rescue her from this daily barrage of persecution.

(based on a Christian prayer letter, September 2011)

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What you don't know CAN hurt you

From Christians in Venezuala: "When my friend was shot, dying instantly in her car, I began to ask questions. Why, for the past five years—at the same time of year—had a member of my friend’s church been murdered? I felt compelled to investigate my friend's death, believing the powers of darkness were at work. I sought counsel from a pastor knowledgeable in spiritual warfare. We drove around the church. To our amazement, each wall opposite the church displayed satanic graffiti symbols of death requiring blood. We were shocked at the overtness of this curse. We knew the area was flooded with Satanism and was hostile to the church, but now the attack was clear."

In Hosea 4:6 the Lord declares, "My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."

"We met with the pastor of the affected church. As we pointed out the symbols surrounding the building, he was amazed. His only words were, “I will never look at graffiti the same way again. I always thought it was senseless. I didn’t know it carried hidden messages.” After someone prayed aggressively in the name of Jesus Christ to break all death curses raised up against the church, the pattern of murders ended. It has now been seven years since the last related murder! Hallelujah to Jesus, the King of kings, who has given us the tools to overcome the enemy!"

(from WEC.Go Magazine, Fall 2011)

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Christian book impacts many students at a Muslim university

"From Adam to Jesus"

Engin Duran was amazed to learn that the young man had read his book Adem'den İsa'ya  (From Adam to Jesus). He explained that it was being passed around among students at his university.

Here is what it says on the back cover (translated to English):

"Who am I? Where do I come? Where will I go? What is the purpose of my life? Who created me? How do I recognize him? What should be my relationship with God? These and many other questions are questions that need to be answered and can not be ignored. The answers we will find not only affect our lives in this world, but also beyond this life. There is a single source where we can find these answers. It is the Bible, the Word of God, which is unchanged to this present day. This author of this book that you hold in your hands can tell you from his personal experience how he came to understand that the Bible is the Word of God. God is telling you this, ands want to point you to His will. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:16 that "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." The Bible explains how God showed himself to mankind in history, to people that put their trust in our Creator.

Pray that the book's message will have a powerful impact on many lives at this Muslim university. Also pray that God would encourage Engin Duran in his ministry.

(based on a Christian prayer letter, September 2011)

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Dino-Birds? Behinds too Bulky to Fly, Sorry...

A bird’s center of mass is toward the front, in between its wings. This is a crucial aerodynamic arrangement that enables in-flight control of balance and maneuvering. It is also one evidence that birds are not descended from dinosaurs. A dinosaur’s bulk was situated above its hind legs, and there is no fossil—let alone a series of fossils—showing that bulk gradually shifting forward. In fact, a creature with its mass centered in the middle would not yet be able to control itself in the air. It would also not be able to maneuver on the ground as well as its dinosaur peers. Surely, such an imaginary creature would have become food for its better-equipped companions, thus ending the whole evolutionary experiment.

Surely the great Creator deserves credit for His fantastic handiwork!

(for more, see Brian Thomas, Fit for Flight, Acts & Facts, Institute for Creation Research, August 2011)

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Bibles are Scarce in World's Largest Christian Country

"I was an atheist, but then I surrendered to God and my life was changed. I had always heard the missionaries share how miraculous God's Word was. I started to hope that one day I could have my own Bible. I prayed to God that I could have a Bible to read his words.

"Today after the Sunday service, there was a brother in church who asked if there were people who wanted a Bible. My heart sped up. I was so excited, and I walked toward the platform to receive one. Finally I got a Holy Bible! I know this is through God's provision, and it is free! I will cherish his words, which are as precious as my own life."

This was written by one young man who has turned to Jesus. Last year, underground Bible distributors carried 165,000 Bibles to Christians in all 31 Chinese provinces. They distributed all the Bibles they had, but many believers are still without.


The Christian faith has grown incredibly in China over the last decade, making China one of the world's largest Christian countries. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences estimates China's Christian population at 23 million, which includes only members of the state-sponsored Three-Self Patriotic Movement "church" (TSPM), but the number of Christians worshiping at unregistered house churches increases the total to an estimated 80-130 million.

With such rapid growth of Christianity and a population that is 91 percent literate, the need for Bibles is immense. "China needs Bibles," says Pastor Joel. "We need hundreds of thousands each year." Even with the output of the world's largest Bible printer, Nanjing Amity Printing Co., 12 million additional Bibles are needed each year. Bibles printed by Amity are distributed only through TSPM book stores, which are few in number and often have very limited opening hours. Our workers have found that some TSPM books stores are open for only an hour each week. China's largest book-store chain, Xing Hua, sells the holy books of Daoism, Islam and Buddhism but is not permitted to sell the Bible.

New converts need Bibles, and most cheaply produced Bibles wear out in about five years. In addition, more than half of all Chinese citizens live in poor, rural areas, and most could never afford to purchase a Bible even if they were available.

(from Voice of the Martyrs newsletter, September 2011)

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Satan did not want that van to get to the village, but Jesus did...

A true story from Christian missionaries in Central Asia: "We assumed it would be an uneventful six-hour drive to our target mountain village. As an intercessory prayer team we had faced several spiritual battles the previous week. On this day of travel we wanted to rest and rejuvenate. When the oil suddenly disappeared from the van's engine in the middle of the desert, we didn’t think much of it. Our mechanic/driver added oil. But when we entered a certain river valley to get up to the top of a pass, the van began to unravel. First, the brakes went out; then the transmission broke. Next the steering went out, and things that were already repaired on the vehicle began to break down again. This series got our attention, and we began to pray a bit more aggressively. When the van almost went over a cliff on two occasions we knew we were in a battle! The enemy did not want us to reach that mountain community with the truth of Jesus Christ."

"We began to battle quite vocally through prayer and worship despite being in a communist country with a driver who was not Christian. We knew our lives were at stake. Our day trip had now extended late into the freezing-cold night. Since there is very little travel in the remote desert, the probability of help was slim. Suddenly, a driver in a jeep appeared and stopped to help fix our van. He followed us and repeatedly stopped to help us. Eventually we reached the summit and could coast down to the village. The jeep? Well, it just vanished into the darkness. Over the next few days, as we prayed through the region, the van almost flipped over twice for no reason at all while driving on flat ground. Satan did not want to give up his territory and wanted us out of there. When we finally returned from the trip, our driver confessed that he had been scared and shocked at how the van almost tumbled for no apparent reason. Today, two-and-a-half years later, a church graces that remote mountain village!"

(from WEC.Go Magazine, Fall 2011)

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My Sunshine, Daughter of sacrifice

Here is a quote written by Sunshine in her Bible: “If we meet and you forget me, you’ve lost nothing. But if you meet Jesus and forget Him, you’ve lost everything.”

This true story about Sunshine  not lets you see the unfailing devotion of a 19 year old girl who even through hours of torture, gave her life for our heavenly Father.

It is also a look into the world in which we live. It gives insight into how occult influence has made inroads even into our government, law enforcement and judicial systems.

The message is, if we are putting our trust in anything or anyone other than God, we will be in for a rude awakening. Thousands said they have become closer to God and Christ through reading this book. I hope, beloved, that through this book you’ll meet Jesus.

(from Teresa, author of My Sunshine Daughter of sacrifice, available as an e-Book PDF file at the Jacob's well website)

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Blind Muslim girl finds Jesus

Ever since Ayse was a little girl she had been hungry for God. She searched for him in Islam, the faith of her her country. But this had never satisfied her. She found Christian radio broadcasts and began listening to them. She reached out to Christians, who invited them to church. She found Jesus there! It was two years ago when she began following him, and now her father and two brothers have also turned to the Saviour. Please pray for their growth in the knowledge of God's word, and for the salvation of the mother and other family members.

(from a Christian newsletter, September 2011)

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One area where U.S. leads the World: Expenditures on Presidential Administration

The United States under Barack Obama is word leader in Presidential administration expenditures. The Executive Office of the President costs taxpayers $1.5 billion a year in operating costs, or $4.2 million per day, according to the Ukrainian website Korrespondent. His daily expenditure is equal to the average monthly income of 1200 U.S. citizens.

This is an increase from $341 million a year in 2005 under George W. Bush. The EOP includes the President's chief of staff, policy evaluators, press secretary, speechwriters, and other "communications" aides, travel planners, itinerary schedulers, multiple levels of support staff reporting to the President. The core White House Staff appointments do not require Senate approval, For more information, see Wikipedia.

Here's how the U.S. stacks up against some other countries, in terms of the number of average citizen monthly incomes required to support their leaders (prime ministers or presidents) operating on a daily basis, administration costs only:

Country	Citizens	Daily	Yearly
U.S.	1200	$4.2M	$1.5B
Russia	977	$706k	$258M
Ukraine	675	$229k	$84M
France	169	$440k	$161M
Poland	136	$151k	$55M
Spain	63	$169k	$62M
Germany	51	$163k	$60M
Czech Republic	35	$49k	$18M
Finland	22	$93k	$34M

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Communist Belarus - Persecuting Christians inside Europe

Belarus stands out as an island in Eastern Europe surrounded by countries with greater religious freedom.

When Belarus was part of the U.S.S.R, the militant atheism encouraged by communism destroyed almost every church in the country. Today, many Christian groups are caught in the net of a restrictive religious law passed in 2002. Groups of fewer than 20 Christians are "illegal" and are fined about six months' worth of income ($150) for holding Bible studies in homes. KGB policemen sometimes film the sermons of visiting pastors to document their "crime." New congregations are told they must register, but when they comply, their registration is delayed or denied.

Police officers raid homes and confiscate Christian CDs, audiocassettes of sermons and Christian literature. Authorities defend the fines and raids with statements such as, "What the people did was illegal" or "We have
the right to raid unauthorized worship." In March 2011, two Baptist congregations were raided and warned that they could face two years of imprisonment for their activities, according to Forum 18 News Service.

In November 2005, Belarus passed an amendment to its criminal code that enables authorities to punish Christian leaders who harm the rights, freedoms and legal interests of citizens.

A church led by Pastor Valentin Borovik was fined $149 (a large sum in Belarus) in June 2008. The church's crimes, according to the Mosty District Court, were, "At their meetings they read the gospel, discuss questions of religious faith, sing songs and conduct religious rites."

Communist governments have always used the term "freedom" to take away their citizens' freedoms. This pattern is recurring today under the guise of income and land redistribution. China, Cuba, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos and Belarus - all of which espouse varying degrees of Marxism-Leninism - have established religious freedom laws that are artfully crafted to deny their citizens religious freedom.

Pray for Christians in Belarus as they struggle to worship God under restrictive laws.

(from Voice of the Martyrs newsletter, September 2011)

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Sila Nzongo, Expert on Multiplication

Sila Nzongo was raised as an orphan in Congo and suffered in poverty. But when he grew up, he earned six degrees, translated the Bible into Lingala, and worked on a half dozen literacy primers to teach people how to read. Today he is a missionary with LEI, Literacy & Evangelism International.

Reverend Nzongo has trained over 7,000 literacy teachers in Congo, who in turn taught more than 262,000 people in Kinshasa to read the Bible. Many of these people also came to faith in Christ, including about 1,000 Muslims! Sila has a goal of teaching over one million illiterates and leading them to the Lord by the year 2019.

(from Rev. Robert Biederman, Literacy & Evangelism International newsletter, July-September 2011)

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Theistic Evolution - an Impossible Middle Position

In his book titled God and Evolution, Jay Richards and other contributers to this book present convincing arguments that theistic evolution as incompatible with the Biblical Christian faith. One of their goals is to persuade atheists that there is a God who has worked over eons of time. But evolutionism is a faith-based natural philosophy that takes no prisoners! Theistic evolutionists do not and have not appeased the atheistic scientific community controlling the teaching of biology in public. And some theistic evolutions have gone so far as to repudiated their Christian beliefs, proving once again that compromising the doctrine of creation is a dangerous path for believers.

Selections from  Thedore J. Sick's book review of God and Evolution, by edited Jay Richards.

(These selections, edited by Marko Malyj, are of the book review published in Creation Research Society Quarterly Journal, Volume 47, Number 4, Spring 2011)

Howard Van Till, now retired from Calvin College, is typical of theistic evolutionists. His own proposal is the “Robust Formational Economy Principle,” is that from the beginning God endowed the universe with the full capacity to evolve by providing the primordial state with all the necessary capacity to organize and transform by random events and natural selection. This sounds like some form of emergent evolution. Richards (p. 129) notes that Van Till, like many intellectuals who were once nominally Christian, has repudiated his Christian beliefs, proving once again that compromising the doctrine of creation is a dangerous path for believers.

But how can God direct an undirected process? In his section, Steven Meyer lays bare the problem. Lamoureux, a theistic evolutionists, proposes a front-loaded view of intelligent design in which the initial conditions of the universe are arranged or designed in such a way that life will inevitably evolve without any additional input or activity of a designing intelligence. But when and how did the spirit and soul of man come onto the scene; when did man obtain the “image of God”? Meyer points out that the origin of specified information is not considered by theistic evolutionists.

Evolutionism is a faith-based natural philosophy that takes no prisoners. Even setting up the whole process prior to the beginning by God or godlike force is forbidden by this comprehensive atheism.

In his section, John West makes the statement that the doctrine of redemption depends on the doctrine of creation and the Fall (p.34). At this critical point young-earth creationists insist that the fall depends on a historical Adam and Eve. This then leads to the obvious questions of the age of the earth and humanity.

(God and Evolution, edited by Jay Richards, Discovery Institute Press, Seattle, 2010, 387 pages, $22 paperback.)

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Operation Deterrence

In December 2010, the Politburo of the Chinese Communist Party, the powerful nine-member committee of top party leaders, launched a new strategy to deal with their growing "evangelical problem." At a national conference, China's director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) outlined a program intended to "guide" Protestants who worship at "unauthorized gathering places" toward churches controlled by the state. They named the program Operation Deterrence.

Operation Deterrence greatly increased the pressure on Christians who worship in unregistered churches, making 2011 the worst year for persecution against Christians in China since 2003.

The government's actions come at a time when the Chinese house church movement, which includes all Christians who worship at unofficial churches, is experiencing unprecedented openness. "Nobody in China hides from the police anymore," says Pastor "Joel" of the house church movement.

Although many house churches have met openly for the past five years, Pastor Joel says church leaders understand that persecution has not ended. "On any given Sunday, 95 percent of church leaders will go to church without any problem," he says. "But they all know that the possibility is there. Church leaders can go to prison any day, at any time. Every church leader I know has counted the cost."

(from Voice of the Martyrs newsletter, September 2011)

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To fully address Poverty - begin with God's original Creation

In Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert's book "When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself", they analyze the issue of poverty. It may surprise you that the authors rely on the Creation account in Genesis!

Selections from  Jean Lightner's book review of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert.

(These selections, edited by Marko Malyj, are of the book review published in Creation Research Society Quarterly Journal, Volume 47, Number 4, Spring 2011)

The Genesis account provides an understanding of reality on which a useful understanding of poverty and its alleviation can be built. Creation is important to all areas of life. In missiology, for example, New Tribes Mission begins with Genesis when they bring the gospel to tribal people who have no background in Christianity. While poverty alleviation overlaps with missions, I was still impressed by how important the first few chapters of Genesis are to developing an understanding of poverty.

Thus man, who is created in the image of God, is inherently relational also. Four fundamental human relationships are identified: with God, with other people, with self, and with the rest of creation.

While all relationships were harmonious at Creation, things did not stay that way for long. The authors do a nice job of examining the effects of the Fall on each of the relationships. While most Christians are very well acquainted with the effects of sin on man’s relationship with God, some of the observations made on the other relationships are quite interesting.

The authors describe two extremes that are common when the brokenness from sin is evident in our relationship with ourselves. They term this as "poverty of being". The first is low self-esteem, which is common among the poor. In their marred identity, they feel worthless and powerless. They do not recognize that they were created in God’s image and have an inherent value and dignity. They do not realize that God cares for them and has given them talents and abilities to use to bless others and provide for themselves.

A second manifestation of a poverty of being is found in the god-complexes of the rich, “a subtle and unconscious sense of superiority in which they believe” they have all the answers and can fix the problem for others. They often help in the way they feel is best and leave with a sense that they have successfully solved the problem. Unfortunately, there are times when they have actually made the problem worse. The book provides some excellent examples that illustrate this point clearly.

When we suffer from god-complexes, we seem to forget that it is God who has all the answers and everyone is dependant on Him. We also fail to realize that God has gifted others too, and, if we are willing to listen, we might learn something. Scripture certainly encourages us to have a teachable attitude (Proverbs 1:5, 7; 9:8–9; 12:15).

Christ sustains things, even in this fallen world. They bring out the point that wherever we go, God has been there first and is already at work (cf. John 5:17). I know this realization has been very important for missionaries who minister in some of the most challenging and seemingly God forsaken places on earth. Perhaps we need to recognize that this is also true in the secular universities where it sometimes appears that the atheists rule.

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor… and Yourself, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert Moody Publishers, Chicago, 2009, 230 pages, $15.00.

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You do not need both peace AND understanding

A sufferer once came to a pastor and asked him many questions. The pastor answered, "Kneel here in church and ask Jesus for the answers."



The man replied, "Do you really think I will hear a voice from heaven?" "No," said the pastor, "but by keeping quiet in prayer for several hours before God, you will realize that you can go along without answers to all your problems. This would have been Jesus' answer, and it will quiet you."

You do not need more than His peace, which passes all understanding.

You do not need both peace and understanding, for understanding presupposes qualifications that most of us do not have.

Rev. Richard Wurmbrand, excerpted and edited from 100 Prison Meditations, pp. 16-17.

(from Voice of the Martyrs newsletter, September 2011)

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Standing before Murderers for the Truth of the Gospel

A 22-year-old former guerrilla and new Christian named "Fernado" was one of those murdered in Columbia. The main pastor was afraid to preach at Fernado's funeral. So young Lily volunteered. "I was very scared, but I went to do this.' Lily had led Fernado to the Lord, and she and her husband had discipled him. "I did the funeral because ... God called me to do this,' she said.

During Colombia's guerrilla insurgency, which has lasted more than four decades, Christians have hindered the FARC guerrillas' ability to recruit new soldiers. Christian love is ultimately more powerful than Marxist hatred, so the guerrillas frequently murder Christians. Fernado had been shot eight times in front of the village church by guerillas on a Sunday afternoon. Most of the congregation would not attend the funeral, but Lily did.

Lily reopens churches that have been closed by the guerrillas, an act for which other believers have been killed. She has reopened four, by pushing or breaking the door open, cleaning the building and forming small, courageous groups of believers. One congregation has grown to 40 believers and another to 100, half of whom do not have Bibles.

"I am scared and I know I am in danger, but the One who is with me is stronger!" Lily said. "Also, my husband's family hates me. I have been married 15 years. We have three children. One of the things that worry us in our personal life is that we do not have a house that stays dry. When it rains, we all get wet, and we have to move the beds to keep them dry."

By sharing the gospel at great risk, she gives us a gift of equal value - a portrait of the aggressive love that Jesus and his disciples embodied in the face of their enemies.

(from Tom White, Voice of the Martyrs newsletter, September 2011)
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Spiritual Capital: How the Church Is Uniquely Equipped to Break the Poverty Cycle

At the beginning of the twentieth century, one of the founders of sociology examined the origins of successful capitalism. Why, asked Max Weber, did capitalism thrive in certain parts of Europe and especially in the United States? His conclusion was simple and powerful. He noted that predominantly Protestant nations had adopted values of vocation, hard work, and personal piety that led to greater economic success. Neighboring countries with similar resources and people groups didn’t fare as well. Weber noted that in Catholic societies, the pious served in the Church; in Protestant cultures, the spirit of personal piety permeated into the marketplace and built spiritual capital. Applying internalized biblical values to business resulted in successful capitalism. Almost a century apart, Max Weber and Douglass North reached very similar conclusions—that a society’s beliefs and values are strong determinants of its economic success.

What Is Spiritual Capital?

Spiritual capital is the collective societal faith, trust and commitment to do what is right—not only what is right in our own eyes or what benefits us the most, but what is right in the eyes of God. Showing integrity, being accountable and honest, offering hope, being loyal and trustworthy, loving and encouraging others, exhibiting good stewardship, being fair, creating order and serving others—these are not, for the most part, covered by the laws of the land. We have no legal compulsion to love others, exhibit good stewardship, create order or serve each other. There is no legal compulsion to encourage one another to pursue new ventures in hope and faith, trusting that God will go before us. But where these biblical values are exhibited, spiritual capital is built.

Spiritual Capital: The Missing Leg in Economic Development

Indeed, it is interesting to observe that with very few exceptions, every nation at the top of the GDP-per-capita list has a long Judeo-Christian tradition. That’s no coincidence. There’s a relationship between economic prosperity and the pervasiveness of biblical values in the culture. When biblical principles are practiced in business, spiritual capital grows, and economic success follows. Thus, spiritual capital provides the link between biblical principles and business success.

Depleting the Trust Fund

Most developing nations are trying to build their economies with very little spiritual capital, and they lack the business practices and institutions necessary to grow that capital. In these situations, people who draw on the nation’s spiritual capital account can bankrupt it. After the fall of communism, Western corporations rushed into the former Soviet Union, attracted to cheap labor, an educated workforce, and a large market. However, many were stung by corruption and lost millions of dollars in the process. Russia is not an isolated case. Companies have encountered similar situations in China and other emerging economies.

Misguided Development Efforts and the Failure to Recognize Spiritual Capital

The lack of recognition of spiritual capital’s importance has led to disastrous outcomes. For example, it has been thought for decades that the world’s financial community holds the keys to success for developing nations. What’s holding back certain regions of the world, the argument goes, is a lack of access to economic capital. Bangladesh has been the focus of the largest microenterprise development programs. More than 10 million people have received business loans over the past thirty years, yet poverty is still pervasive, and the economy hasn’t developed much. Why? Bangladesh also suffers from the highest perceived corruption in the world. Development efforts provided economic capital but not the tools to build the nation’s spiritual capital.

Building Spiritual Capital: The Transforming Power of the Gospel

Spiritual capital is the foundation for successful commerce, and the Church is uniquely equipped to develop and produce Kingdom business professionals who will equip the nations with the life-changing means of growing their spiritual capital account. We shortchange a nation if we introduce laws that facilitate commerce and teach principles of accounting and yet fail to equip the nation with the means to establish a spiritual capital base on which to build its economy. Without the integrity, morality and love that comes from the Spirit of God transforming the hearts of men and women, nations will fall short of God’s ultimate blessing.

Jesus’ parable about the wise and foolish builders (see Matt. 7:24-27) is particularly instructive here. The wise man builds his house on the rock. The foolish man builds his house on sand. Business principles, technical training and start-up funding are just the walls, doors and roof of business. The transforming gospel of Jesus and the ultimate authority of God are the rock foundation. The businessperson must be committed to pleasing Jesus and doing what is right, or his business will be built on sand. If these rock principles are not in place, they will not support the business structure in times of trouble. When the economic storms of life come, the uncommitted businessperson will revert back to what he fundamentally believes.

The gospel is an important component of developing an economy and blessing the nation through Kingdom business. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform the hearts of men and women. Only the gospel can work at the core level and alter the collective DNA of a society. Only the gospel can ingrain the biblical values that lead to spiritual capital accumulation and successful business.

Transformed hearts lead to renewed minds. Fundamental beliefs, values and attitudes are radically changed. Spiritual capital is built, laying the foundation for economic development. And that’s why the church is uniquely equipped to break the poverty cycle.

(for more, see Ken Eldred, Spiritual Capital: How the Church Is Uniquely Equipped to Break the Poverty Cycle, Mission Frontiers, July-August 2011)

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Ramadan is Finally Over

The month of Ramadan finished on August 18th this year. Thoughout the Muslim world, Ramadan brings a dark, evil spirit over the entire region. It's a month that brings oppression, fear, anger, and even death.

One missionary wrote to explain how in a dream, the Lord showed him that when the call to prayer goes off, it releases demons across the region who draw heavy nets over the minds and hearts of the people, keeping them bound in darkness. He writes...

Historically and in our experience, it is truly a time when minds are dulled to truth, hope, or faith. New and national believers in Jesus very often come under very strong attacks and setbacks. Every local knows that the spirit of argument is waiting to explode on every street corner. There are times of day when it's best to not be traveling, as drivers and road rage are so ridiculous it would almost be funny if it wasn't so tragic or potentially dangerous

With every call to morning prayer, people in many Muslims countries start their day facing the summer heat, hunger and irritation. They do this to please "Allah," whom they do not know personally, nor believe they CAN know personally. He demands meritorious work to gain his favor, but offers virtually no assurance of salvation.

But they do know the consequence they will face if they break the fast and eat during the day. Some people are socially ostracized and hassled; others are beaten for insulting Islam!

This is a huge contrast to the message of Christ who said "Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." What the Muslim heart needs is rest from dead religious works and the free gift of salvation that comes through Jesus Christ!

Please, we ask you for urgent, intensive intercessory prayer!

Please pray that the light of Jesus Christ will pierce the darkness. Many Muslims are opening their hearts to Christ, as they hear the gospel. They recognize the hopelessness of their own religion and are deeply seeking other ways to know God. Christ is the only solution for the Muslim heart who cannot find rest or peace in Islam.

(from a Christian prayer letter, August 2011)

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