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Honour Your Mother

William Wagner
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Honour Your Mother

A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother. – Proverbs 15:20

It is quite sad that many people honour their fathers but have little or no respect for their mothers. People tend to disrespect their mothers because they are soft and readily accessible, whereas the fathers are tough and usually unavailable.

It is however foolish not to honour your mother. Ephesians 6:2 does not only say you should honour your father so you can live long, it asks you to honour your mother too. If you only honour your father and not your mother, then you are toying with untimely death.

 Mothers labour greatly over their children, so can you imagine how they feel when you esteem them lightly?

According to our memory verse for today, the Bible puts the man who says that there is no God in the same category as the man who despises his mother – they are both fools. This is how grievous it is to despise your mother.

If your mother is happy with you, you are already in for a great life. Moses’ mother arranged for him to be raised in the Palace and it was there that he got on the path to greatness. Many people have missed their greatness because they despised their mother and her advice.

 “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:” – Proverbs 6:20

Your mother has a very important role to play in your journey to greatness; you must never despise her! I am where I am today because of the prayers of my mother. Whenever I did something to please her, I recall she would say whenever I call on one, many would respond to me. Those prayers have manifested in my life today.

As powerful as Jesus was, He never despised His mother. He performed a miracle at His mother’s request, even though His time of manifestation was not yet fully come (John 2:3-12), simply because He could not disobey her. Can your mother say the same about you?

If you have been despising your mother, change your attitude to her henceforth. Today, do something to show her that you love and honour her.

Pastor E.A. Adeboye

UNESCO, UAE Begin Reconstruction Of Historic Iraqi Church Destroyed By ISIS

William Wagner
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UNESCO, UAE Begin Reconstruction Of Historic Iraqi Church Destroyed By ISIS

Work has begun to rebuild a Christian church in Iraq destroyed by the Islamic State as part of a partnership between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates.

UNESCO announced last week that construction has commenced on the Conventual Church of Our Lady of the Hour in Mosul. Mosul was once Iraq’s second-largest city before it was overrun by the Islamic State terrorist group in 2014 but liberated by U.S.-backed coalition forces in 2017. 

“With the official approval from The Dominican order, UNESCO — in close collaboration with relevant authorities — will now start the stabilization and rehabilitation of The Conventual Church of Our Lady of the Hour in Mosul,” the international body said in a statement. 

“This project’s component will include all the phases of a stabilization and rehabilitation project — from site clearance and initial survey to the preparation of the detailed design for the actual execution of the works.”

The church, also known as Al-Saa’a Church, was built in the 1800s and is located at the heart of the Old City of Mosul. The church is also known as “The Clock Church” because it was gifted a clock in 1880 by Empress Eugenie of France, the wife of Emperor Napoleon III.

The church was blown up by the Islamic State. 

According to UNESCO, the church has always been considered one of the area’s iconic landmarks and was a “living example of the brotherhood between Moslawis.”

“The rehabilitation of this church is important not only because of its value as cultural heritage but also as a testimony to the diversity of the city, a proud crossroads of cultures and a peaceful haven for different religious communities over the centuries,” UNESCO said.

International Christian Concern, a U.S.-based advocacy group, reports that Al-Saa’a Church represents the “long historical presence” of Christianity in Mosul. 

Samuel Smith, CP Reporter

Pentecostal Church Can Worship Freely Without Fear Of Being Shut Down, Judge Says

William Wagner
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Pentecostal Church Can Worship Freely Without Fear Of Being Shut Down, Judge Says

A federal judge has affirmed the right of a Pentecostal church in Mississippi to worship without fear of being shut down again or threatened by local police, allowing the congregation to hold drive-in services beginning Sunday.

In a federal lawsuit filed by the conservative legal group, Thomas More Society, on behalf of the First Pentecostal Church of Holly Springs, U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills issued the order against the city of Holly Springs, whose officers disrupted and shut down a midweek Bible study, 10 days after disrupting the congregation’s Easter worship service and issuing its pastor, Jerry Waldrop, a citation.

“These were outrageous violations of these parishioners’ rights,” the group’s Senior Counsel Stephen Crampton said in a statement. “On both occasions, Holly Springs law enforcement personnel ignored the fact that all church members present were practicing social distancing and complying with all applicable health requirements.”

Crampton continued, “Bible study attendees were threatened with criminal citations for violation of Holly Springs’ stay home order. Due to the threats and the citation of pastor Waldrop, the church members were fearful of holding services on Sunday and exercising their constitutionally protected rights.”

While the statewide stay home order classes “religious entities including religious and faith-based facilities’ as essential businesses or operations,” the Holly Springs’ stay home order deemed churches nonessential, Crampton pointed out.

“Clearly, the state order preempts the municipal order, which was selectively and prejudicially enforced against the church,” he said. “The local Walmart store routinely houses gatherings of dozens and dozens of people, as does the Cash Savers store and the Dollar Tree store, yet Defendant has taken no action whatsoever against any of these entities.”

The lawsuit argued that the city of Holly Springs violated the church members’ rights to religious freedom, free speech, freedom to assemble, and rights of due process as constitutionally guaranteed under the First and 14th Amendments, and also claimed violation of the Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

“Holly Springs made a rather poor decision to draft an ordinance which simply grouped ‘churches’ together with other ‘non-essential’ businesses such as ‘barber shops,’ ‘restaurants’ and ‘liquor stores,” Mills noted in his ruling. He added that the city’s “vague prohibition of ‘any gathering’” was “problematic.”

The order also stated that neither Holly Springs, nor its police force, would interfere with the church’s drive-in service on Sunday.

South Korean Megachurches Reopening With Social Distancing Restrictions

William Wagner
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South Korean Megachurches Reopening With Social Distancing Restrictions

Following a shutdown to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, megachurches in South Korea have reopened, albeit with certain social distancing restrictions in place.

Although the Asian country has a social distancing policy in place until May 5, the government has allowed religious and sports entities some “relief” from the regulations, according to Reuters.

Onnuri Church in Seoul, which has a sanctuary that seats 3,000, has a limit of 700 attendees for worship, who must register online to attend and are given designated seating.

“I did not have fear. I believed that the church would abide by safe principles,” said Kang Hye-mi, a 29-year-old worshiper at Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral in Seoul, as reported by Reuters.

Earlier this year, the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive religious group considered by many to be a cult, became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in South Korea.

The sect was linked to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, making up about half of the nation’s cases, with more than 10,000 infections linked to the group.

Lee Man-hee, chairman of the Shincheonji Church, held a press conference in March expressing apologies for his religious sect’s contribution to the spread of the virus.

“I would like to sincerely apologize to all the people of Korea for this crisis. Although it was not on purpose we have seen a dramatic increase in confirmed patients,” he stated at the time.

“To prevent further spread of COVID-19 … the authorities have been hard at work and we at Shincheonji are fully cooperating with officials to stop further spread as well. We will mobilize all of our measures and provide our fullest support in all our areas.”

Across the world, large numbers of churches closed their doors in response to efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, with many shifting to online worship services.

In the United States of America, some states are planning to ease restrictions on mass gatherings, with churches and other houses of worship expected to have soft reopenings.

In Missouri, Summit Church of Bozeman is planning to restart in-person worship services, albeit while adhering to guidance on social distancing.

“Setting chairs up at 6 feet apart where people have that safety in distance, sanitization to have hand sanitizer available,” explained Summit Lead Pastor Lance Steeves to local media.

“Stations set up where people are constantly cleaning. Shortening services, where it helps people to alleviate things like the restroom. We talked about perhaps closing down areas like the meeting places like around the coffee bar.”

Michael Gryboski, Christian Post Reporter

Bill Johnson: Every Christian Called To Give God ‘Opportunity’ To Work Miracles Through Them

William Wagner
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Bill Johnson: Every Christian Called To Give God ‘Opportunity’ To Work Miracles Through Them

Bethel Church pastor Bill Johnson said that while many Christians are uncomfortable with the supernatural and hold back from allowing God to miraculously heal the sick through them, the responsibility of every believer is to “take some form of risk to give God a chance to show up and do what only He can do.”

Johnson, pastor of the megachurch in Redding, California, that also runs a school of supernatural ministry, participated in Thursday’s session of the Q 2020 Virtual Summit, an annual event that equips Christian leaders to thoughtfully engage culture from a Christian worldview. 

During the session, the pastor was asked by host Gabe Lyons to address “why we should lean into the supernatural more” and “trust God to do things that we might not ever understand in the supernatural realm.”

“If everything about [God] is something I understand, then I’ve reduced Him to my size,” Johnson replied. “I’m required to live with mystery. And if I’m a follower of Jesus, I need to at least attempt to do what He did and said that we would do.”

Johnson referenced Matthew 10:8, where Jesus sends out the 12 Apostles and tells them: “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.” 

“Part of what He imparted to His disciples was this mandate to heal the sick, raise the dead, whatever it might be,” he explained. “It’s the miracle realm. The miracle realm is not the bonus, it’s not the controversial side issue. It’s the heart and nature of who Jesus was and what He displayed [on earth.] I may never do it well, I just don’t have the right to change my assignment.”

Johnson encouraged Christians to give Jesus the “occasion to show up and do the extravagant thing.”

“My responsibility is to carry truth and to take some form of risk to give God a chance to show up and do what only He can do,” the pastor said. “I still want to present the Gospel so that people come to Christ. So my responsibility is to carry truth and to take some form of risk to give God a chance to show up and do what only He can do.”

According to Johnson, two things hold Christians back from pursuing a lifestyle of allowing God to work extravagantly through them: “Bad teaching where we’re taught it ended some time ago,” and “disappointment.”

“I think it’s in our DNA as a believer, to see God do extravagant things through us,” he said. “It’s a part of just a normal desire, … we actually have to be taught out of that. And it’s normal for us to long to see God use us in a significant way. The mistake comes when we take it to ourselves that it’s because of our great faith or our great strength or courage, whatever it might be. That’s an error, but it’s also an error to go the other direction and to say, ‘Well, if God wants it to happen, He’ll just do it and I don’t need to pursue a life of risk.’ It’s just not the way it’s played out in Scripture.”

The California pastor also discussed his view of the presence of God, explaining that because “the Holy Spirit is the greatest gift we’ve been given,” the “Holy Spirit in my life has to be better than Jesus standing right next to me at my side.”

“So Jesus next to me at my side is less than the Holy Spirit in my life growing in me,” the pastor said. “We need to learn to host Him so He rests upon us continuously.”

The 12,000-member church is known for its focus on faith healing. Bethel currently hosts online healing rooms that are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. Additionally, many of the 2,400 students at the church’s School of Supernatural Ministry approach and pray for people in hospitals and healthcare centers, though not without controversy.

Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post Reporter

Biblical Encouragement For Healthcare Professionals Treating COVID-19

William Wagner
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Biblical Encouragement For Healthcare Professionals Treating COVID-19

“I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you. And I will praise Your name forever and ever.” —Psalm 145:1-2

Anika Magwood, now a retired nurse of 30 years, remembers her faith being shaken after a little boy died in her arms in the 1980s.

Then, she was working as a missionary nurse during a measles outbreak in Africa. The 1980s was before widespread vaccination, and during that time, measles killed more than 2 million people annually, according to the World Health Organization.

“Children were dying in our arms at a rate of about eight an hour,” said Magwood, a chaplain with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team. “It was horrible. … As a health care professional, you’re doing everything physically possible. Everything. Your mind is going a thousand miles an hour—am I forgetting anything that could save this life? But as a Christian nurse, it was, ‘Lord, bring to my memory anything I may be forgetting. Lord, help me to do this right.’”

Healthcare workers all over the globe are doing their absolute best in the face of COVID-19, and as the number of confirmed cases climb, so do the number of those in recovery. But any cause for celebration is muted because too many people aren’t making it. Those cases can trigger some raw questions in the hearts of professionals working tirelessly to help.

Magwood said she took her questions straight to God after that 6-year-old Ghanaian boy didn’t survive.

“My faith was really shaken,” she said. “I was angry with God. I said, ‘Why did we have to go all the way to Africa when we’re totally powerless anyway? Why did we have to come here if we can’t even save this little boy?’ I heard the Lord (in my heart):

“You are so success-driven, Anika. If you were to never see anyone healed in your hands, would you still follow Me and go where I send you?

“Right there I had to make the commitment after I thought about it. It didn’t take long for me to say, ‘Yes, Lord. I’m sorry.’”

Following where the Lord leads isn’t an easy challenge. It’s heartbreaking and dangerous on so many levels. But Magwood found encouragement as she deepened her walk with the Lord.

“We have to focus on His greatness in the midst of crisis,” she said. “In the midst of the crisis and pain and confusion and even death, we can never stop declaring the greatness of God.”

Here are five Biblical truths that spurred her on and kept her grounded. Please share them with a health care professional in your own life:

The Whole Patient Matters

Health care professionals are warriors who try to do everything they can to save someone’s physical life. But as a Christian, don’t lose sight of the spiritual side. Introduce as many people as you can to Jesus. That doesn’t mean you walk in a room preaching. Many hospitals won’t stand for that. But in a time when visitors are especially limited, the presence of a believer can brighten the room.

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” —Hebrews 13:16

Every Moment Is a Gift

It’s not by accident this person is your patient. As God leads, take a few minutes to talk with a scared patient or quietly sing worship songs in their room. Recite Scripture quietly even as you respond to emergency codes. Magwood remembers saying pieces of Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ Jesus.” Never turn down a request to pray, even briefly.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” —Philippians 4:13

You Need Rest, Too

When your shift ends, take time to sit quietly before the Lord. Be honest if you need to say something, but then listen. “Sit alone and listen to the voice of God speak to you,” she said. “That is what will pass all understanding and peace will engulf them when they listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit.”

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” —Psalm 62:5-6

Trust in the Lord

Rest in His promises. Talk openly, honestly with God, but stop second-guessing how you handled things during your shift. Magwood encouraged, “We need to rest in the assurance that God is the ultimate One in control of life and death.”

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” —Proverbs 3:5

Walk Continuously in Peace

The enemy of your soul knows you’re still bothered by that one outcome with that one patient. “Our enemy, he continuously bombards you with doubt so you have to refocus again,” Magwood said. “Steadfast of mind. That’s not a quick word. You have to work on keeping your mind steadfast. You cannot let the negative thoughts from the enemy enter again and put doubt in your mind because then you will lose that perfect peace.”

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.”
—Isaiah 26:3-4

Above all else, remember God is in control. He loves you. He loves your patients. Lean on Him.

BGEA 

Willow Creek Selects Michigan Megachurch Pastor Dave Dummitt As New Senior Leader

William Wagner
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Willow Creek Selects Michigan Megachurch Pastor Dave Dummitt As New Senior Leader

Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago announced Wednesday that they have selected Michigan megachurch pastor David Dummitt to replace him at the helm.

“We’re thrilled to share that our Elder Board has selected Dave Dummitt as our new Senior Pastor! We can’t wait to welcome him into the Willow family,” the church announced on their website.

Dummitt, who has four children with his wife, Rachel, is the founding and lead pastor of the 10,000-member 2|42 Community Church in Southeast Michigan which he has been operating for more than 15 years.

“David Dummitt is an innovative, entrepreneurial pastor and leader with a strong passion to help people take first and next steps with God. He is known for his collaborative leadership style and ability to develop strong teams,” Willow Creek’s Elder Board said.

The 2|42 Community Church, which was launched with just 35 people in Dummitt’s living room, now has seven different campuses that meet each weekend. Willow Creek meets in eight locations.

“He is passionate about the kingdom of God advancing through church planting. Dave previously held the role of North American director of NewThing, a global church-planting organization. He also sat on the board of the Solomon Foundation, the fastest-growing church extension fund, for four years. Additionally, Dave partnered with two gifted technology developers to create Gyve, an innovative technology platform for churches and nonprofits,” Willow Creek noted.

William Vanderbloemen of Vanderbloemen Search Group, which was retained by Willow Creek to assist in finding a successor to Hybels, said Dummitt is “the right person to lead Willow in this moment.”

“I’ve known Dave for many years. His humble spirit, and his focus on the local church — rather than a national platform — is one of many reasons we believe he is precisely the right person to lead Willow in this moment,” Vanderbloemen said in a release.

For The First Time, Gospel Shared On Secular TV In Italy

William Wagner
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For The First Time, Gospel Shared On Secular TV In Italy

It was a week like no other in Italy. While residents were under a nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, the Gospel was shared on secular TV for the first time, reaching millions of homes.

With commercials starting on Good Friday—April 10—and running 23 times that week, Franklin Graham shared how to find peace and salvation through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

The 60-second commercial was aired on La Setta—Italy’s third-largest secular TV station, with 40 million weekly viewers. Italy’s total population is just over 60 million people.

In preparation, more than 750 trained pastors and volunteers answered calls and chatted online with those who prayed to make a decision for Christ or wanted to know more. Afterward, the new and rededicated believers were sent a letter from Franklin Graham and a spiritual resource (both in Italian) from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).

Be inspired by this powerful story of how the Holy Spirit worked in the heart of one woman who called Italy’s BGEA Prayer Line.

Sofia* had been reading the Bible for a few months and searching for answers. After she saw Franklin Graham’s message on TV, she sensed a loud, almost audible voice telling her to call the prayer line.

“I called, and the person on the other side of the phone spoke in a new way about Jesus,” she said. “[They] truly believed in this God like He was a real person, truly believed that every single word in the Bible is truth.”

The volunteer she spoke with explained how to have peace with God. Sofia prayed to invite Christ to forgive her sins and come into her heart and life.

“Immediately I felt fire burning in me, something that I never experienced in my life,” she remembered. Sofia told the volunteer, “I feel strange” and asked, “What’s happening to me? I can feel this peace that you have just mentioned.” The volunteer told her not to worry, that she was saved and her sins had been forgiven.

“I’m a new person,” Sofia exclaimed. “I can’t wait to talk to this person again to learn more about Jesus. I cannot stop praising God after this experience!”

*Name changed to protect privacy.

BGEA

Key Facts About Discipline

William Wagner
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Key Facts About Discipline

Anyone can pray, study or give occasionally but occasional activity does not change a person’s life. It is consistency that leads to distinction.

SCRIPTURE: Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29

Making yourself do what you are meant to do when you are meant to do it is one of the greatest strengths of character.

Previously, we saw that Indiscipline or the lack of self-control is an enemy of destiny. The lack of self-control made Reuben and Esau to lose out in life. You shall not lose out in life and destiny in Jesus’ Name.

Today, we want to look at the virtue of discipline and two key facts about discipline or self-control:

1. Where the flesh is out of control, the future is also out of control.

A person who cannot successfully lead his life can never lead anything on earth. If you cannot lead yourself, you cannot lead any other person. Everyone is a leader. And true leadership starts with the leadership of oneself. Making yourself do what you are meant to do when you are meant to do it is one of the greatest strengths of character. And you know, the strength of character is what determines the weight of destiny. People with weighty destinies have very strong character; people with weak characters have very light destinies.

2. Discipline guarantees distinction.

Discipline guarantees distinction because discipline facilitates consistency. Discipline facilitates the consistency of the right actions. If you continue to do the right things, a time would come when your system will be adjusted or programmed to doing it and it becomes natural and automatic to you. When you come into such realm of automaticity, you are in a realm of irresistible distinction. It is not what you do occasionally that changes your life but what you do habitually, perpetually and perennially. Anyone can pray, study or give occasionally but occasional activity does not change a person’s life. It is consistency that leads to distinction.

My counsel is, never get tired of doing the right thing; the result may not come immediately but victory is in consistency.

Remember this: Making yourself to do what you are meant to do when you are meant to do it is one of the greatest strengths of character.

ASSIGNMENTS:

  1. Make up your mind to bring your flesh under control.
  2. Ask God for the grace to live a life of discipline.

PRAYER: Lord, I receive the grace to bring myself under control. Help me Lord to be disciplined so I can fulfill destiny, in Jesus’ Name.

Pastor Paul Enenche

Use God’s MO

William Wagner
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Use God’s MO

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. – Hebrews 11:3

God uses words to create. He used His Word to “frame” the worlds. Just look in the first chapter of Genesis and count how many times you see the phrase, “And God said.” “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light…. And God said, Let there be a firmament…. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together…. And God said, Let the earth bring forth…” (verses 3, 6, 9, 11).

God doesn’t do anything without saying it first. That’s His MO, His mode of operation. And, if you’re smart, you’ll use that mode of operation too. You’ll take His words and speak them out until they take on form and substance and become a reality in your life.

“Well, Brother Copeland, I tried that and it didn’t work. I said, ‘By His stripes I’m healed’ four times and nothing happened.”

Big deal. God started saying that Jesus was coming in the Garden of Eden. He said it again in Exodus. He said it again in Numbers and Deuteronomy. He said it in Isaiah and the other prophets. He said it all through the Old Testament, over and over again.

Then after about 4,000 years, the book of John tells us, “The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…” (1:14).

So if you’ve said you’re healed four times and nothing’s happened, don’t worry about it. Just keep saying it! You might think it’s taking a long time to manifest, but I’ll guarantee you, it won’t take 7,000 years.

Do you want to operate in God’s power? Then use His MO. Speak out His words and let them frame a life full of blessing for you!

Kenneth Copeland

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