His Commands are Descriptions of Reality...
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July 22, 2009That is how Winkie Pratney describes God's laws. He says they are descriptions of reality. Some of you may not know Winkie, but he was one of the "fathers in our midst" along with Henry Blackaby in Nashville last week. At age 64, Winkie is the world's oldest teenager, speaking to 500,000 young people a year. He wrote Youth Aflame, the first discipleship manual for youth I had ever seen. His passion for life and for souls is absolutely contagious and inspiring. I want to share a few snippets Winkie shared with us... Winkie's father was a cycling enthusiast in New Zealand and at age 86 tried out for the Olympics. He was not allowed to compete due to his age, but had he been allowed, the performance he clocked in the trials would have won him two gold medals and one bronze! What Winkie's father had in natural determination has translated into spiritual determination in Winkie's life. When Winkie got saved in his senior year of high school in New Zealand, he was so moved with compassion for his class mates that he voluntarily repeated his senior year in school just so he could rub shoulders with his fellow students and share Christ with them. That extra year in school he led 100 of his classmates to Christ! His passion for souls has only intensified since then. In 2007, Winkie contracted some horrible infection while in Korea. He was in a coma for two weeks on death's door. In fact, he remembers taking his last breath and when he did, he looked around to see Jesus and/or some angels, but he was alone. He asked Jesus where He was because he was so sure he would see Him when he died. Then suddenly, Winkie became aware of Jesus Christ being in his body, looking out of his own eyes at the room. The reality of Christ in him was never more profound. Winkie's wife Fae told me how he was delivered from death's door. Apparently, a woman had mailed them a prayer hankie and advised them to lay it on Winkie and pray for him. Well Fae, and hundreds of churches worldwide, had been praying for Winkie and yet there he was about to slip into eternity. Faith rose up in Fae and she laid the hankie on Winkie and prayed over him with all the authority she could. Then she left the room to take a much needed break and get some nourishment. While on this break, the nurses came running to her. Winkie had come out of the coma and was speaking, but the Korean nurses didn't understand English very well and wanted Fae to see if he was making sense. The bottom line was that Winkie was touched by the Lord and his recovery began, raising him up for active full time service once again. I had the opportunity to interview both Winkie Pratney and Henry Blackaby and will be posting those video interviews in our Learning Lab soon. The Learning Lab is an online membership training and coaching environment that we will soon be releasing and when we do, I will be passing on more details. I think you will really like it!
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Comments (9) - Post a Comment
I treasure to hear truths from Henry Blackaby. I had the pleasure of getting to know him and one of his partners in ministry Kerry Skinner. I also now value the blog of Richard Blackaby. Thank you for sharing what you learned and for how those of us in business can impact the world for Christ!!! I love the story about George Washington Carver as well.
Frank Speer at 3:07pm EDT - July 19, 2009
Thanks a lot for share it with us, Now I'm a very difficult an painful situation and your words encourage me a lot. Martha
Martha Dominguez at 3:17pm EDT - July 19, 2009
I am inspired by this post on the way God's becomes our comand, it reminds me of Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, The Lord is waiting for us to respond and the power will work through us i believe George Washington's potential came as a result of the allowing this power work in our lives. Amen Innocent.
Morai - Kenya at 7:57pm EDT - July 19, 2009
Oh my GOD! Thank you for this post it really "hit" my spirit!!! GOD has been waking me at 3:00am and I have been asking the question sometimes. "Lord what is it?" Or I will begin to pray and cover friends and family in the name of Jesus and cover under his blood. This past Sunday morning at 3:03am he awakened me from a dream in which I was given Isaiah 1:62 but there wasn't a verse 62 and I reversed and to Isaiah 62:1 and it made a lot of since and I understood. My prayer has been for GOD to show me what to do in a great assignment HE has given me regarding the demonic spirit of "domestic violence" running to and fro seeking whom it can destroy, steal self-esteem and kill. Again, I say thank you for blessing my spirit this day and may GOD continue to bless and keep you.
Janie Deadwyler at 9:05pm EDT - July 19, 2009
Please forgive my mispelled word I was so excited in writing...(since) should be sense.
Janie Deadwyler at 9:08pm EDT - July 19, 2009
off the chain. This is the church of the twenty first century. we all need to get off our backsides and take the church, i.e.; the kingdom into the marketplace instead of waiting with the rest of the 'brethren' in our comfy pews, for the lost to come to us. way to go, idaho!
T. Russell Eavey at 11:08pm EDT - July 19, 2009
Sorry i missed the word "Whisper" The Lord bless all shalom
Morai - Kenya at 12:34pm EDT - July 20, 2009
Thank you for your encouraging word. I so agree. It is the morning, quiet time in which the Lord speaks. I have learned to keep quiet and just listen. Most of the time He speaks, but not always. We need to eat and drink at the table of wisdom, and who sits there but the Three In One, Father, Son and Holy Spirit giving us counsel, wisdom and understanding. Thank you for blessing us!
T. McCartney at 4:03pm EDT - July 20, 2009
The title of this blog intrigued me but I didn't make the time to read it until today. What an inspirational post! And that scripture about money answering all things was one the Lord used to change my mindset about financial freedom and the joy it can bring as you use your wealth to help others. Thank you for sharing this post - it reminded me again why I'm pursuing my business.
Ginny Edwards at 12:32pm EDT - August 31, 2009