smarter

Believe It or Not

Bible stories you simply can’t miss. Click on the titles to learn all about these mind-boggling moments.

Featured Fascinating Fact of the Week

Take Away the Bulls!: X
In Lystra Paul and Barnabas met another man who had been lame from birth. Paul said, "Stand up on your feet!" and again the man jumped up and began to walk. The crowds were so blown away that they thought Paul and Barnabas were gods. They brought bulls to sacrifice to them. (See Acts 14:8-18.) Now, that was weird.

Show Me More

Post-Resurrection Powers: X
Even before he was raised from the dead, Jesus had power to stop a storm and defy gravity by walking on water (Mark 4:35-39; 6:47-48). Once he was raised from the dead and had a glorious, eternal body, he could really rock. He could appear and disappear at will (Luke 24:30-31), pass through locked doors (John 20:19), float straight up through the air (Luke 24:50-51), and blind those who looked on him (Acts 9:3-5, 8).
Deuteronomy's Durable Duds: X
When God reminded the Israelites what he'd done for them in the desert, he said, "Your clothes did not wear out . . . during these forty years" (Deuteronomy 8:4). That was some laundry miracle! Think! If the knees in your blue jeans never wore out and your favorite T-shirt stayed new-looking, you'd never have to change them. Cool! And you'd never have to buy new clothes. That would drive girls crazy but it'd be great for boys! God probably didn't even tell the Israelites ahead of time that he was going to do this. He just went about the business of caring for his people.
Worst Storm in Egypt's History!: X
When Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, Moses warned that God was about to send the worst hailstorm in Egypt's history. He told the Egyptians to get all their livestock and workers to shelter. Since they'd just had six mega-plagues, some Egyptians feared God and rushed their slaves and cattle indoors. Unfortunately, most Egyptians ignored Moses' warnings. Not for long! Suddenly God sent a deafening plague of baseball-sized hail. As it fell, lightning flashed back and forth. The hailstones beat down all the crops, stripped every tree, killed the cattle, and slew the slaves. (See Exodus 9:17-26.)
Ninety-Year-Old Mom: X
Abraham's wife, Sarah, was old enough to be a greatgrandmother twenty times over, but she still hadn't had even one kid–and now she was ninety! So when God told Sarah she'd have a son, she laughed. Turns out the last laugh was on her. God performed a miracle and Sarah got pregnant and had a boy. Abraham (apparently in a funny mood) named the kid Isaac. That's Hebrew for "laughter." (See Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7.) If they'd had a girl, what would he have named her? Giggles?
Into the Water, into the Fire, Out of the Kid: X
A vicious demon once possessed a young boy and constantly threw him into the water or the fire, trying to kill him. When Jesus showed up, the boy fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Gross! Jesus commanded the demon to leave and the spirit shrieked, convulsed the boy violently, and came out. Problem was, the boy looked so much like a corpse that people thought he'd died. ("Umm, killing him was not what we had in mind, Lord.") Relax. The boy was still alive. Jesus helped him to his feet. (See Mark 9:14-29.)
Up, Win–Down, Lose: X
When the Israelites camped at Rephidim, some mad nomads called Amalekites attacked. Moses stood on a hill, watching the battle, giving his troops the "high ten" by holding his staff up in both hands. At first the Israelites were winning, but whenever Moses became tired and lowered his hands, the nomads began winning. All day long, up, down, up, down. Win, lose, win, lose. Aaron and Hur finally got the connection and held up Moses' hands till sunset. And the Israelites won. (See Exodus 17:8-16.) They were just starting to do battle for God, and this win helped them see that God was fighting for them.