House project builds God's Kingdom
Larry and Rose Ihle are owners of Dexterity Dental Arts in Farmington, Minnesota, USA. Two years ago they felt led by God to tear down their house completely and begin again. Over 50 people gave their lives to the Lord. The Lord also miraculously healed four people, including bones that were broken healing right in front of their eyes. Larry shares the next two testimonies.
One of the people that the Lord healed and saved was a trimmer who had contracted a disease from Viet Nam. Because of such great fatigue caused by his sickness, he could only work six hours a week. He was divorced, was an alcoholic and was using drugs. He was 47 years old without hope of living until 50; at least that's what the doctors repeatedly told him based on the history of his disease.
One day I asked him, “Do you know how much God loves you?” He said, “You know, I guess I don't.” I prayed for him and asked that God would heal him. He began to cry, a very rare occurrence for a big, Harley Davidson driving tough guy. I also gave him a Bible and three scriptures to look up (Mark 11:24; Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5). He went home, typed them out, framed them, and put them on the wall. Because of his contracted disease, he was taking a large handful of pills every 12 hours. When he went home that night, he took the handful of pills, looked at them and said, “If I die I die,” and threw the pills in the garbage. When he woke up the next morning, he grabbed the pills out of habit and then remembered what he had done the night before. He threw them out and then read the scriptures that I had given to him. That day he came to work and worked a full day. In fact, he worked the entire week full time. He is still whole today.
Out of about 300 men who were in his group in Viet Nam, only about 35 are left. When these men got together, this guy told his friends what had happened. One of the guys was so mad at his testimony that he beat him up in the room and said, “You're going to die like the rest of us. This is only false hope. Why are you believing this junk?” He replied to the men who were there, “This man prayed for me and I don't need this anymore. I've quit drinking, drugs, I've been reunited with my son, and don't need the pills.”
He also invited one of the older guys to our house. I shared with this guy about how much God loves him. He began to cry and said, “I'm sensing that what you're saying is right.” He kept apologizing for crying but couldn't stop. This 62-year-old man gave his life to the Lord, and now both of them are witnessing to the other guys. They've also asked me to go speak to the other guys.
We have seen what Jesus commanded his disciples to do (in Luke 10) work again and again: speaking peace, fellowship, prayer for felt needs, and they want to know the God we serve. Since the house has been built, we've invited people to come to our home. We continue to equip, train, and send them out as ministers in the marketplace.
We meet every other week, with as many as 60 showing up. We take them out and teach them how to bring the kingdom of God wherever they go. These guys are amazed at how easy it is to pray for others. They are very teachable. It is amazing how unchurched people are hungry and thirsty for God's righteousness. Men who formerly thought their industries were the most corrupt are seeing God send them back as ministers to their industry, to bring transformation to it.
Write a comment
- Required fields are marked with *.
