Lifetree Café - Goderich

10/18/2016

Escaping North Korea is a daunting task filled with dangers and hardships that don’t stop at the border. Here is one woman's story.

10/13/2016

Christian mother of five is the first woman sentenced to death for blasphemy in Pakistan.

09/29/2016

"Unlike his father, Klavan was not particularly worried about anti-Semitism growing up in the United States, but is growing more concerned today in light of rising hostility toward Jews in Europe and even here in America.

The answer, Klavan opines, is pretty evident: "People hate Jews because they hate God."

"The Jews are the chosen people of God and they brought the notion of God back into humanity after we lost track of it after the fall, they were the doorway for God to re-enter the world and people hate them for it. To take it even one step further, people hate the Jews because they hate God, and you hate God because you hate yourself. I really do think that that is the failure to accept original sin essentially.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-a-secular-jew-came-to-faith-in-jesus-christ-interview-170086/ .99

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/how-a-secular-jew-came-to-faith-in-jesus-christ-interview-170086/ .99

A secular Jew who has come to faith in Jesus contends that Americans do not recognize how powerful the intellectual current of unbelief is in society, a culture where atheism is the default setting.

09/27/2016

"“Apart from Jesus himself, the only reason I am alive is the fact that the abortionist had not yet arrived at work that morning,” she said.

Jessen says she has cerebral palsy due to a lack of oxygen to her brain during the abortion attempt.

“And cerebral palsy, make no mistake, is a tremendous gift,” she said. “I don’t know if any of you understand — maybe you do — what a tremendous honor it is to have to lean on the strong arm of Jesus all the way to heaven.”"

Abortion survivor Gianna Jessen spoke at a congressional hearing about contested abortion policy.

09/23/2016

"“Heavenly Father, please let me know your will. I really need to know what you want me to do about . . .”

This is my will for you: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

“Thank you, Lord, for this reminder. I really do need to be more thankful — but getting back to my request, I’m not sure what you want me to do about . . .”

I want you to “give thanks in all circumstances.”

“I know, Lord, I know. That’s important and I can see where I have neglected that. But thankfulness is sort of a constant need, isn’t it? I mean, everyone needs be more thankful, right? Seriously, this is urgent, and I don’t have clarity from you. I need your direction. What do you want me to do?”

I am being serious and specific. I want you to “give thanks in all circumstances,” and right now, in this particular circumstance."
http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/lay-aside-the-weight-of-thanklessness?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedpress.me&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dg-articles

[Speechless exasperation]

Until you learn to “give thanks in all circumstances,” much of my will for you will be veiled. I have guiding and providing graces you can’t see now because of your ingratitude. Be faithful to obey my revealed will for you, and I will be faithful to guide (Psalm 32:8) and provide (Philippians 4:19) for you.

We may think gratitude is a peripheral part of the Christian heart and life, but God says it’s a clear sign of spiritual health or sickness.

09/22/2016

"When I was 14 years old, Hezbollah – the Iranian terrorist militia – recruited me. They said I was one of “the best and the brightest” of young Iranians and they had big plans to groom me as a jihadi warrior, fighting Iran’s enemies.

At first I was dazzled by this golden opportunity, but didn’t take long to figure out that the mullahs who were in charge were not especially pure and righteous.

More and more I asked myself, “Is this really Islam?”

A few years later, I left Islam altogether. In 2000, I converted to Christianity and gained a wonderful new life.

But it was a dangerous decision."

You may recognize my name. I’ve been in the news recently because I was one of the three prisoners with dual US-Iranian citizenship that Iran released in January.

09/18/2016

"Dr. Schroeder is a unique individual—he is an MIT-trained physicist and also an applied theologian. He understands modern science, has read the ancient and medieval biblical commentaries, and is capable of translating the Old Testament from the ancient Hebrew. He was thus able to give a scientific analysis of Genesis 1. His work proved to me that Genesis 1 was scientifically sound, and not just a “silly myth” as atheists believed. I realized that, remarkably, the Bible and science agree completely. (If you’re interested in the details of this, you can either go through my slideshow here or read Dr. Schroeder’s book.)"

I’ve had numerous requests over the years to write down my personal testimony and post it here. I was asked to give my testimony at a local church here in Austin as part of their Easter celeb…

09/14/2016

"That, I think, is science in its purest and most compelling form, which may be why the inscriptions at the entrance to one of the world’s greatest centers of physics — the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge — have since 1874 quoted Psalm 111: “Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.”"

Psychology professors have identified an insidious factor in science films and videos that undermines the ability of viewers to be good Darwinists — awe.

09/12/2016

"It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is the skilful singer who can sing when there is not a ray of light by which to read,— who sings from his heart, and not from a book that he can see, because he has no means of reading, save from that inward book of his own living spirit, whence notes of gratitude pour forth in songs of praise "

Carl F. H. Henry was right to call Charles Spurgeon “one of evangelical Christianity’s immortals” (Carl. F. H. Henry in the foreword to Lewis Drummond, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers). In his twenti…

09/09/2016

"My point is not to argue that theology is the only issue. After all, even the demons have perfect theology (James 2:19)! But in our postmodern world, many people downplay theology at the expense of community and relationships. The reality is that we need both the gospel (and the theological understanding of how it relates to all of life), and healthy relationships. The Apostle Paul said it best: “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8)."

There has been a lot of talk recently about why kids leave the church, and yet there is a component often left out of these discussions — bad theology.

09/09/2016

"My point is not to argue that theology is the only issue. After all, even the demons have perfect theology (James 2:19)! But in our postmodern world, many people downplay theology at the expense of community and relationships. The reality is that we need both the gospel (and the theological understanding of how it relates to all of life), and healthy relationships. The Apostle Paul said it best: “So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8)."
https://stream.org/hold-why-do-kids-leave-the-church-dont-forget-bad-theology/

08/27/2016

"I am a skeptic. Sure, I am a Christian. But I am naturally skeptical about extraordinary claims. While my worldview makes room for near-death experiences, I have never found the evidence that compelling. There is just too much abuse, overstatement of the evidence, and exaggerated stories.
Recently, however, I decided to probe more deeply into the evidence for near-death experiences (NDEs) for the class I teach on the resurrection. "

The quantity and quality of near-death experiences are stunning and pose a challenge for naturalism.