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MSNBC Host Asks Bishop TD Jakes To Pray On Live TV

William Wagner
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MSNBC Host Asks Bishop TD Jakes To Pray On Live TV

The “TODAY” show’s Craig Melvin, who has returned from a voluntary quarantine after being potentially exposed to the new coronavirus, asked Texas megachurch pastor and televangelist, Bishop T.D. Jakes, to pray on “MSNBC Live,” saying he’s “never done this on the air” but many are not being able to attend church.

“For folks who weren’t able to get to church yesterday … I’ve never actually done this on the air. Can you lead us in prayer for 30 seconds?” Melvin asked Jakes, senior pastor of The Potter’s House megachurch in Dallas, Texas, Monday morning, according to NewsBusters.

Jakes said, “Yes, I can.”

The megachurch pastor prayed, “Our Father and our God, we bow our heads to you in humility, understanding that we are not competent in and of ourselves to handle this kind of global calamity.”

He continued, “We look to you, Lord, to be the source, the strength, the help, the light that we need, strengthen our first responders, strengthen even our broadcast people, strengthen all of us whose lives have been devastated and disrupted and give us the peace that passes all understanding. In Christ’s name we pray, amen.”

Earlier on the show, Melvin told Bishop Jakes, “[i]n times of crisis and in times of uncertainty, a lot of Americans turn to faith” or “religion for comfort and solace” even though “[i]t’s no longer practical to pray or gather in person as we know,” according to NewsBusters.

He also played Jakes’ remarks from Sunday’s streamed service. “There has been all this discussion about whether we should have church or whether we should be in a building or not, and then talk about what would Jesus do. I don’t know because Jesus never saw church. All of this stuff you made don’t have nothing to do with the power of God. It’s not about a building. It’s not about a building. It’s never been about a building.”

Melvin was in self-isolation for nearly two weeks, as one of the show’s staffers had tested positive for the COVID-19 disease.

Anugrah Kumar

What Is The Curse?

William Wagner
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What Is The Curse?

And THERE SHALL BE NO MORE CURSE: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: Revelation 22:3

Life on earth is dotted with continual frustration, persistent unhappiness, desolation, unexplained misfortune, death, emptiness, frequent harassment, confusion, futility, war, constant conflict and poverty. Such a description has only one definition – a curse!

Most people are not even aware of the fact that there are curses in the earth. This book is intended to help you recognize the curses in the earth and have a proper respect for them. Anyone who does not have a proper respect for curses may live to regret it.

One of the most pervading things on earth today is ‘the curse’ and its terrible effect. There are several ancient curses that are at work as well as thousands of new and more modern curses. Just think about what life is like on this earth and you will immediately accept that there is a curse on the earth. It is not so easy to define the curse so we must turn to the Bible and see what a curse really is. Let us look at ten biblical definitions of a curse.

Ten Biblical Definitions of a Curse

1. A curse is an appeal to some supernatural power to inflict evil on someone, which may cause misery or lead to death. An appeal was made to Balaam by Balak the king of Moab to curse Israel.

If you say that there is a curse on someone, you mean that there seems to be a supernatural power causing unpleasant things to happen to them. You can refer to a curse as something that causes a great deal of trouble and harm. You are hereby delivered from whatever causes you a great deal of trouble and harm!

And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?

Numbers 23:7-8

2. A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach itself to someone. In particular, a ‘curse’ may refer to a wish that harm or hurt will be inflicted on another person, by any supernatural power, such as God, through a spell, a prayer, magic, witchcraft or a spirit. To reverse or eliminate a curse is called removal or breaking and is often believed to require equally elaborate rituals or prayers.

God has placed a curse on all those who worship idols. Don’t have anything to do with idolatry and you will escape one of the most severe curses on earth. Do not serve money! Do not worship money! Do not do anything because of money and you will be delivered from a powerful curse!

CURSED be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen. Deuteronomy 27:15

3. To be cursed is to be sentenced to demotion and inferiority. The serpent was cursed by God and thereby sentenced to demotion and subjected to inferiority. By God’s grace, you will never be sentenced to demotion and inferiority like the serpent! The serpent was sentenced to the lowest position on earth. The serpent was also sentenced to eat from the ground forever. This is the lowest any creature can ever fall to. When you are cursed, you are sent into the lowest position. You are doomed to inferiority and downgraded permanently. God is coming into your life at this time to lift you up by His power.

And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art CURSED above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; UPON THY BELLY SHALT THOU GO, AND DUST SHALT THOU EAT all the days of thy life: Genesis 3:14

4. To be cursed is to have continual sorrow. It is the repetitive, continuous, frequent, unrelenting and sustained sorrow that defines something as a curse. Adam was sentenced to sorrow for the rest of his life. This is the reason for the continual sorrowing of mankind. The unrelenting sadness, depression and darkness that affect the whole world are evidence of the curse that exists. Receive the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit and be lifted above this curse!

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: CURSED is the ground for thy sake; IN SORROW SHALT THOU EAT OF IT ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE; Genesis 3:17

Dag Heward-Mills

China: Funeral Of 100-Year Old Underground Bishop Restricted By Communist Gov’t

William Wagner
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China: Funeral Of 100-Year Old Underground Bishop Restricted By Communist Gov’t

Communist officials in China interfered with the funeral of an elderly underground bishop, citing concerns with spreading the coronavirus. However, some Chinese Christians believe the government restricted the funeral due to the bishop’s faith. 

According to UCA News, the burial of Bishop Joseph Ma Zhongmu, China’s oldest and only ethnic Mongolian bishop, was moved from 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. by government officials. Authorities also restricted people from attending his funeral, only allowing 15 Catholics, a bishop, and two priests to attend.

Bishop Ma, who was not recognized by the government, died on March 25 at the age of 100. He died of an age-related illness, said an official communication from Ningxia Diocese.

The government cited restrictions in place against gatherings as a step to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China. However, local Catholics suggested the interference was due “to the identity of Bishop Ma.”

“Authorities blocked the entire street and no priest could approach it. They also did not allow participants to bring mobile phones or take pictures,” one source told UCA News.

Sources also pointed out that his obituary named him only as “Father Ma Zhongmu” as the late bishop belonged to the underground church, which is not officially recognized by China’s communist government.

Bishop Ma was sent to jail during the Cultural Revolution along with other Catholic priests and released in April 1979. Although he was not recognized by the government, he maintained good relations with the authorities.

In recent years, China has upped its persecution of Christians, destroying churches, burning down crosses, and restricting religious expression online in efforts to “sinicize” religion, or bring it into unity with Communist Chinese culture. 

Additionally, numerous reports have emerged of authorities across China enforcing policies that prohibit religious customs and rituals to be used during funerals.

Leah MarieAnn Klett, Christian Post Reporter

Understanding The Healing Power In The Anointing Oil

William Wagner
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Understanding The Healing Power In The Anointing Oil

‘The anointing oil is God’s power that heals all manner of sickness and diseases.

Understanding is vital to know any provision from the scripture. Matt. 13:23

We live in the kingdom of mysteries. Mk. 4:11, the anointing oil is one of the mystery for healing Ps. 89:22, Jam.5:14-15. There is a covering power in the oil, there is preservation power in the oil.

What is a mystery

1. Mysteries are divine secrets embedded in the scripture Ep.3:1-3. Apostle and prophets are custodians of God’s mysteries. Col. 1:25-27.

The power of God is hidden in the mystery. It is by mystery that will gain mastery into the issues of life. 1Cor 2:14.

It takes raw faith to access the mystery of God Ep 3:9. Mysteries are God’s wisdom for manifestation. Habb. 3:14

2. Mysteries are often validated by testimonies. Jn. 10:37-38′. – Bishop David Oyedepo

God Will Make A Way For You When There’s No Way Out

William Wagner
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God Will Make A Way For You When There’s No Way Out

Friends, this is what God called you for! God didn’t call you just to warm a church pew somewhere. God called you to do the works of Christ. He said, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” That’s the command to every one of us, because we have received the anointing of God, and it abides in us! Everywhere we go, we take the Kingdom of God. It’s time to get active, brothers and sisters.

Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will lose the loins of kings, to open before him the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut.

Isaiah 45: 1

Do you know what God’s saying to you who are anointed? He is saying, “I don’t care if the doors are closed … I’ll make a way for you where there is no way out!”

God is going to put every one of you in an impossible situation. It’ll look like there is no way out … no way out to the right or to the left. You can’t go back because the devil is on your trail. There’s only one way to go … and that’s FORWARD.

When God brought His ancient people, Israel, out of bondage and out of captivity, the Bible says He turned them around and moved them down into an area where the Red Sea was. This was the long way around. God seldomly lets you go the easy way. He put the Israelites in a position where there were mountains on either side, and they heard the hoofbeats of the enemy behind.

But God said, “I’ll make a way! I’ll make a way where there is no way!”

Moses heard the hoofbeats of the enemy on their tail, and he began to cry out to God and say, “Lord, what am I going to do now?”

God said, “You’re wasting time calling Me. What’s that thing I put in your hands?”

“A rod.”

“Well, use it!”

God’s putting something in our hands. God has put a rod in your hand. Do you know what it is? “In the Name of Jesus, every knee has to bow.” I said EVERY KNEE! Every knee of sickness … every knee of DISEASE … every knee of destruction … every knee that comes before you. It has got to bow because of the ANOINTING of God that’s on the inside of you!

You have that power! You have that rod … “In the Name of Jesus!”

God says, “I’ll make a way where there is no way out!”

“What do You want me to do with the rod?”

“Stretch it out!”

“You mean just like that?”

And when Moses stretched it out, the waters backed up, and the Israelites walked over on dry ground!

Say this faith declaration out loud:

I claim victory in His Name and turn my impossibilities into possibilities! I will not be set back by fear. I will be strengthened by my growing faith!

Morris Cerullo

Churches Mourn As Bishop, Pastor And Elder All Die Of Coronavirus

William Wagner
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Churches Mourn As Bishop, Pastor And Elder All Die Of Coronavirus

Michigan’s Genesee County is in mourning as a bishop, a pastor and an elder are among the four people who have died of the new coronavirus.

Bishop Robert Earl Smith Sr., Pastor Kevelin Jones of Bountiful Love Ministries, and Elder Freddie Brown, all from Flint, have died over the past few days.

“Pastor Kevelin Jones and Bishop Robert Smith were both fathers to me. I had the chance to serve at Bountiful Love Church of God in Christ under pastor Kevelin Jones for years,” ABC12 quoted pastor Chris Martin of Cathedral of Faith Ministries as saying.

Martin remembered Brown as a servant and a family man and said the elder and Jones had underlying health conditions.

Pastor Jones’ wife, Iola Jones, said she never wanted to “know the earth without him. but I’m going to make it because I have all these kids,” according to NBC25.

“I would describe him as a hero to many … a father to many,” added Kevelin B. Jones Jr. “I haven’t seen him since the Sunday he was sitting in the back with his mask on.”

“I don’t think I have fully accepted it because I haven’t seen my father,” Jones’ oldest daughter, Sharee Hubbard, was quoted as saying.

“He taught all of us a lot about family and faith and a lot about having joy,” Martin recalled. “He was a man of hospitality. He was the guy that would give you anything that he had. He would often go to Genesee Valley with bull horns and preach repentance or the Bible or go door to door and preach.”

“He loved this church and gave everything he was and is, to ensure that the doors of this church stayed open for this community, for the family, and so individuals would have a place to come and worship God freely,” MLive quoted Jones’s 45-year-old son, Nic South, as saying.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton wrote on Facebook that Jones introduced him to the Michigan Democratic Convention when he was nominated as Attorney General in 2010.

It’s not known how the three contracted the COVID-19 disease.

The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Michigan rose from 3,657 on Friday to 4,658 as of Saturday, and the deaths from 92 on Friday to 111 on Saturday.

Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor

Will Graham: Living Victoriously In Uncertain Times

William Wagner
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Will Graham: Living Victoriously In Uncertain Times

With so much uncertainty in the world right now, it’s easy to sink into despair. The 24-hour news cycle is filled with dire warnings from across the globe. Social media is inundated with worst-case scenarios on one end of the spectrum and bitter defiance on the other. Fear, hoarding and disrespect seem abundant.

As Christians, we tend to have more of an eternal view. However, even we get trapped in the hysteria and lose sight of the fact that God is still in control. We substitute the truth of God’s Word with the last piece of bad news we found on the internet. We accept the prison of hopelessness the world provides, while forfeiting the comfort and peace that Jesus freely gives to those who trust in Him.

My friends, in this world you can expect hardships, but also—much more importantly—victory!

Think about your own life. It isn’t always clean and neat, is it? While many of us would tell the story of our lives in a linear pattern, the reality is that our experiences are more like an overwhelming number of intersecting lines. The ups and downs. The challenges and successes. The blessings and the struggles.

We get bogged down in something that seemed insurmountably painful at the time, but then move on with life once that situation drifts into the past. We often remember the hard times, while forgetting the way that God worked in the midst of the difficulties to carry us through them.

The Bible, however, tells us to expect challenges, and to grow in them. “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4, NKJV). In the midst of a trying time, God is working and developing your faith and character for His glory.

Many of you were already dealing with very difficult storms in your lives, even before the coronavirus pandemic became our current reality. For instance, I was just in Tennessee with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team following the recent tornadoes, ministering to people who lost family members and neighbors, homes and possessions to the disaster. They’re trying to start over from scratch, building their life anew in the shadow of the virus.

Life is hard, and the pain we endure is very real. However, as we cling to the promises of Christ in the midst of the suffering, understanding “that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV), we have no reason to retreat. Instead of despair, we claim victory in Him who saved us!

This victory is not a momentary success, dependent upon the daily ebb and flow of life. It’s not tied to COVID-19, or to a lost job, or even to the death of a loved one. In a temporary world, the victory we have is eternal and unchanging. As Jesus said, “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you” (John 16:22, NKJV). It’s the hope of Jesus in us!

My friends, if you are reading this and don’t have that hope—if you can’t claim victory in Christ because you have not yet surrendered your life to Jesus as your Savior—now is the perfect time. I urge you to visit PeaceWithGod.net to learn more about how you, too, can find His truth, peace and hope.

And for all of you, wherever you find yourself today, pray for each other, delve into the Word of God and look to the Lord with hopeful anticipation as you experience His victory in your life. In a dark world, we need to shine the light of Christ more than ever.

May God richly bless you

About A Million Connect To Sunday Service At Canaanland

William Wagner
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About A Million Connect To Sunday Service At Canaanland

Inspite of the restrictions placed on citizens in Lagos and Ogun, about a million people were estimated to have connected live to 3 services at Faith Tabernacle and worshipped online on Sunday 29th March 2020 with at least 529,000 hits (assuming each hit represents only one person). Bishop David Oyedepo made the announcement at the Covenant Hour of Prayer this morning. It should be noted that other branches of the Church such as Living Faith Church, Goshen also conducted their full blown services live yesterday.

According to the Presiding Bishop …. “529,000 people hooked online in the course of this service. It’s also interesting to know that we have connections from 151 nations. That is minus the TV platforms, minus people that gathered together to watch because wherever they gather together to watch, it’s just one point.

One of our Pastors yesterday had 20 people in their slot (where they gathered to watch). We have those people that were 10, some had 15, some are a family of 10, 5. But it’s very clear, NOT LESS THAN 1 MILLION PEOPLE WERE ONLINE YESTERDAY.

God never lies; the healing of the nations is here.

We are going to be harvesting testimonies, diverse ones from today in the name of Jesus.

Please all over the world, wherever you are hooked to this service, rush in your testimonies. The testimonies you don’t share you’ll stand a risk of losing them. You shall not lose your testimonies.”

Matthew 16:18 “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Forget Not

William Wagner
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Forget Not

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” – Psalm 103:2

One day, a brother who had set up an intellectual mass choir festival returned to campus to pay a visit. He was greeted at the door by an usher who, obviously, did not know that he was talking to one of the founders of what he was enjoying and managing.

He was treated as a common stranger and ushered hurriedly to the very back of the hall. Such is the lot of the founder.

Many churches do not remember their founders. The memory of the founder dims as the years go by. His name is pushed away and anything that reminds them of the past is obliterated.

The current pastor loves to be seen as the luminary who achieved the glory that is seen today. Such people have forgotten the work that the founder did for the church to come into existence.

The work of a founder is the hardest part to be done. It is buried in the ground and many do not see it.

Many founders are scarred and wounded individuals. They receive the largest amount of criticism and the least appreciation. Their families are not exempted from this treatment. They are often set aside and forgotten. Perhaps they paid an equally high price for the father to lay the foundation he did.

Upon the death of founders, many are moved with compassion for the families and declare that they will set up foundations and trust funds to take care of the family.

Sadly, with the passage of time, the zeal for setting up these foundations and mobilizing the money that is needed withers and is blown away.

The family is left to fend for themselves and fight for survival.

DAG HEWARD-MILLS

The Sweet Influences Of The Holy Spirit To Assure You

William Wagner
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The Sweet Influences Of The Holy Spirit To Assure You

Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT in our hearts. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

1. God assures you of His approval by the Holy Spirit’s presence.

The Holy Spirit’s presence in your life is a guarantee and a further assurance of His approval on your life. Read it for yourself: The presence of the Holy Spirit is the guarantee, the seal, the pledge and the assurance that you need. God has left the Holy Spirit in our midst so that He is present in all that we do. His presence is supposed to assure us and calm us down. His presence is supposed to be a guarantee that assures us in what we do. “Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the EARNEST OF THE SPIRIT” (2 Corinthians 5:5).

Are you approved? Does God like you? Is God happy with you? Is He happy with your songs? Does God agree with all that you are doing? You need some assurance, don’t you? That assurance comes from the presence of the Holy Spirit. The influence of the Holy Spirit will calm and reassure you when you are uncertain about whether you are walking in His will.

Why does your financial prosperity give you assurance? Where did you read that? Where do you learn these things? Are you now being tutored by the world’s system? How come you are looking at your financial status, your new job, your car and your house to give you an assurance that God is with you? When did these things become your guarantee? The Holy Spirit is the guarantee and not any earthly possession.

It is because you are a carnal man operating under an earthly influence that earthly things are assuring you of God’s love for you. It is secular businessmen who are assured and encouraged by their bank balances and financial incomes. You, as a spiritual person, must be assured by the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Your convictions must be strengthened by the presence of God. The presence of the Holy Spirit must be your source of assurance. This is one of the most important functions of the Holy Spirit: to assure you.

Over and over, the Holy Sprit is called an earnest pledge or a guarantee. He guarantees that you are on the right way by His presence. You must always look for the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Moses would not go one step forward without the guarantee of the presence of the Lord. You must become like Moses who looked for guarantees and assurances in the presence of the Lord.

Then he said to Him, “If Thy presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.

For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Thy sight, I and Thy people? Is it not by Thy going with us, so that we, I and Thy people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” Exodus 33:15-16 (NASB)

2. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit you develop convictions and assurances.

And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

Galatians 4:6

The Holy Spirit influences your convictions by crying out about certain things in your heart.

Anyone who is under the sweet influence of the Holy Spirit will become sure of certain realities because the Holy Spirit will cry and repeatedly speak certain words in your heart. These words that the Holy Spirit speaks in your heart will become convictions that you hold onto. You will be sure of these things without having reasons why.

Are you beginning to form certain convictions in your heart? Are you becoming sure about certain things?

Is there a mysterious knowing in your heart? Is your soul mystically longing for certain things? Are certain spiritual desires growing and developing in you? Is your heart crying for certain things? These are all mystical works of the Holy Spirit.

DAG HEWARD-MILLS

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