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Love: The Essence Of Christianity

William Wagner
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Love: The Essence Of Christianity
John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Love is the foundation of Christendom and the identity of a Christian. If you do not walk in love, there is a limit to your achievements because vision cannot work without faith and faith can also not work without love. Galatians 5:6 says: “…but faith which worketh by love”.

1 John 4:8- He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

God is not faith but responds to our faith. God is Love. If God then is love, it means that if you walk in love, you walk in God and it is impossible to walk in God and not get the God kind of results. Your success and growth in life is tied to your love for God. Love must not only be preached but practiced.

Romans 5:8- But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

God loved us while we were yet in sin. Relating without reservation with a person who has offended you is one of the proofs that you are walking in divine love. Love forgives and accommodates. Walking in love is walking in God to manifest His attributes. Love is the greatest secret for exploits.

Many say they love God but do not love people. Hear what God says in I John 4:20- If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

Love for God is incomplete without love for your brother. Ceasing to love because of an offence committed against you is not a proof of love. Love is two dimensional. You must love God and the people HE has sent to be part of what you are doing. However, love is not demonstrated in words but in actions.

John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

God demonstrated His love by giving us Jesus Christ. If you truly love God, you must be a giver to both man and God. Sacrificial giving is what tests your love. You must give even when it is not convenient to prove your love. Love is what distinguishes a believer from the world because through it, we portray the nature of God.

Learn to consciously walk in love.

Dallas Megachurch Hosts Mass Wedding For Cohabitating Couples To Honor Marriage

William Wagner
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Dallas Megachurch Hosts Mass Wedding For Cohabitating Couples To Honor Marriage
Earlier this month, 24 couples held hands and committed to a lifetime of marriage in the fourth annual “Grand Wedding” at Dallas-based Concord Church, as reported by Christianity Today.
The wedding is an all-expense paid event made possible by generous vendors—including artists, hairstylists, and musicians—from the congregation and concludes Pastor Bryan Carter’s 90 Day “Cohabitation Challenge.”

The challenge, started four years ago by Carter, encourages couples to either move out or get married. The congregation offers to pay rent for anyone who decides to move out and couples who choose marriage enter 90 days of premarital counseling and relationship classes, as well as mentorship with a married couple for the first year of marriage.

“It helps us to model the gospel, because the gospel is redemptive,” Carter said to Christianity Today. “It’s not just about us calling out a struggle that people may have, but let’s talk about how I can move from where I was to the place where God is honored.”

The challenge began while Carter was teaching a series on singleness.

“I didn’t want to preach about [cohabitation] without giving people a pathway forward. And so we just began tossing around ideas, and somehow we landed with: What would happen if we married them?” he said.

The congregation wanted to tackle cohabitation because of the negative effects it can have on families.

“Marriage works because there’s a commitment. For some people cohabiting, she may have an expectation, and he may have a different set of expectations,” Carter shared. “Domestic abuse is higher in cohabitation relationships. Children do more poorly academically and emotionally in cohabitation relationships.”

Temptation for premarital sex is also higher in cohabiting couples.

But Carter sees the Grand Wedding as an opportunity to speak grace and truth, especially with his background. He lived with his girlfriend, now wife, and understands why couples often seek this option.

“We moved in together before we were married primarily because of financial reasons, and I had some problems at home so I needed a place to stay,” he said. “It probably gives us some sensitivity and some grace to them, that we understand. When we tell them if you want to move out, we’ll pay your rent, I get to say, ‘I’m paying your rent because that’s what my brother did for me!’”

The challenge has seen great success over the years, having married over 80 couples and seeing seven professions of faith in the last challenge. But even those who don’t enter the challenge have been inspired.

 

Mikaela Mathews | ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor

Palapye Experiences Jesus With Healing Evangelist Dag Heward-Mills

William Wagner
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Palapye Experiences Jesus With Healing Evangelist Dag Heward-Mills

The city of Palapye in Botswana experienced Jesus literally in a mighty 3-day crusade with African Evangelist Dag Heward-Mills.

Palapye is a city halfway between Francistown and Gaborone in Botswana.

The crusade which had thousands of people in attendance witnessed some of the greatest manifestations of healing not seen anywhere in the city before.

Mighty miracles followed the simple delivery of the word by Evangelist Dag.

Literally  the whole city received Jesus!

Back In Africa! – Kisumu, Kenya

William Wagner
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Back In Africa! – Kisumu, Kenya
We have just returned from the final night of our Gospel Crusade here in Kisumu, Kenya. As we were driving toward the field tonight we could see ominous black clouds and lightning threatening our open air meeting.
The wind was blowing the storm toward the crusade, but we prayed and pushed forward with the meeting. The storm passed over us and everyone stayed dry.

The meeting was glorious. Many thousands responded to the Gospel and wonderful miracles happened.

Last night we had an incredible move of God. It is hard for me to adequately describe what happened. When we prayed over the crowd to receive a baptism in the Spirit, the power of God came down in a tangible way.

I became so inebriated, I found it difficult to minister. Bodies lay all over the ground. Little children were weeping in the presence of God. I asked a little girl what she was feeling and she said, “Power.”

Many received deliverance from demons and many miracles happened. Here are a few of the miracles from the last couple days of crusade meetings:

  • A woman, crippled by arthritis totally healed! She could walk and even jump.
  • Many people with chronic pain, some with pain lasting for years, said the pain suddenly vanished and has not returned.
  • A tumor that a woman had in her stomach for 10 years vanished.
  • A girl possessed by demons for 6 years was delivered.
  • A man with a paralyzed arm – the result of an attack by robbers over a year ago – was totally healed.
  • A woman whose mother had been insane since 1989 said that her mother has totally returned to her right mind.
  • I had a word of knowledge about someone being healed from an abscess on the right side of their mouth. Two ladies came forward, One had the abscess and severe swelling and pain for over a year and the other for two months. Both were instantly healed, the swelling and pain vanished.

There were many, many more testimonies. Too many to mention. Suffice it to say, Kisumu has been shaken by the power of the Gospel.

Our team of evangelists are already leaving in the morning to the city where our next crusade will be held in Nigeria.

Encountering God In Your Dark Moments

William Wagner
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Encountering God In Your Dark Moments
“Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him.” Genesis 35:9-12 NKJV
Jacob had his first encounter with God at a place he named Bethel. On his return, he came through Bethel again, and God affirmed His promises (Bethel was the spot where Jacob erected an altar of sacrifice, prayer and worship)

By this act of faith, gratitude and sacrifice, God pronounced covenant blessings upon Jacob, captured in Genesis 35:9-12. These declared blessings and covenant declarations shall be your portion if you connect by faith:

  1. Israel shall be your name.

God gave Jacob a new name which was aligned to His divine will (Israel means “God contends”). The Lord shall fight your battles for you and you shall know peace and prosperity (Deut.3:22).

  1. Be fruitful and multiply.

God pronounced this blessing of productivity, increase and harvest upon Jacob. Your storehouses shall be filled with the produce of your hands.

  1. Kings shall come from your body.

Royalty, rulership and kingship was declared upon Jacob. You shall be the head and not the tail (Deut.28:13).

  1. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you.

You shall not be disinherited. Whatever you lost is coming back to you in double measure.

I declare in the name of Jesus: every covenant blessing and pronouncement will project you out of every dark moment and situation. Amen!

Lauren Daigle To Headline Her First World Tour After ‘Life Changing’ Year

William Wagner
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Lauren Daigle To Headline Her First World Tour After ‘Life Changing’ Year

Two-time Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Lauren Daigle will venture out on her first headline world tour. “This year has been life changing,” Daigle told The Christian Post in a statement this week.

Daigle had massive success in both the Christian and mainstream markets with her album, Look Up Child. As a result, she sold out every one of her concert dates in 2019 which has now led to her first headlining arena tour, the “Lauren Daigle World Tour” in 2020.

“There’s no better feeling than to be able to look out from the stage and see how people have connected with the songs on this album,” the singer continued.

“Lauren Daigle World Tour,” will travel to forty-four cities starting January 18th in Melbourne, Australia. The musical experience then heads to the U.S. in February and includes stops in New York, Nashville, Houston, Boston, and Dallas, as well as the Canadian cities of Toronto and Montreal.

The Louisiana native will end the world tour in her hometown of Lafayette.

When asked what she hopes to bring to the shows, Daigle said hope is her message.

“I love making sure that everything stays laid back and effortless, I don’t want people to feel like they have to think too much when they come in,” she shared with CP. “I like for people to feel like they’re able to find hope and comfort and just to simply enjoy a good night of music.”

The tour will reportedly feature an all-new stage production, design and a new setlist delivery that will highlight her Billboard-topping album. Folk/soul duo, Johnnyswim will join Daigle on select U.S. dates.

The 28-year-old made history her lead single, “You Say,” in January when the songstress became the first female to have a song both on the Christian Airplay and Adult Pop Songs.

Meanwhile, Daigle’s album, Look Up Child, is still dominating the Top Christian Albums and it has become the longest-reigning collection on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart.

Tickets for “Lauren Daigle World Tour” will be available on September 20th at www.laurendaigle.com/tour

 

Jeannie Law, Christian Post Reporter

When 21st Century Healing Evangelist Steps Into Francistown With The Healing Jesus

William Wagner
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When 21st Century Healing Evangelist Steps Into Francistown With The Healing Jesus
The 21st century Healing Evangelist, Dag Heward-Mills and his Healing Jesus Crusade team are at it once again. The city of Francistown in eastern Botswana, known for its gold Rush in the 19th century is the venue this time.

The crusade team which will last for 3 days has seen miracles that baffle medical doctors. From the preaching of the gospel which was  made so easy to understand, to the miracles on stage as the recipients  jumped or danced in praise to God, had been overwhelming.

The team has is making their way to Palapye and Gaborone.

 

LUKA

Over 20,000 Youth Gather For Concert Encounter Love With SINACH

William Wagner
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Over 20,000 Youth Gather For Concert Encounter Love With SINACH
On Sunday 15th September, the , Sarbah Field  of University of Ghana played host to one of the biggest event outdoor event in the institution’s history, to over 20,000 youth at the Encounter Love concert.

With international Gospel music minister Sinach as headline act, this year’s concert, fourth edition, came off to a charged gathering of worship and expectation.

Weeks before the event, the excitement expressed on social media and on various campuses of other tertiary institutions such as Central University, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, University of Professional Studies etc. created a genuine desire to experience what it was all about.

Pastor Enoch Ofori Boamah, Pastor of Christ Embassy Youth Church – Airport City preached with power to the youth, rightly highlighting scriptures to set their focus on the word of God and its power to produce lasting results in their lives.

The expectations of attendees were truly met as many gave their lives to Christ and made a declaration to dedicate their lives to walk in the purpose of God.

Supporting sets came by way of the indefatigable Amen Choir of Christ Embassy Youth Church Airport City, D’Scepter, Ella Duncan-Williams King and many more.

Encounter Love Concert is a soul-winning outreach initiative, organized periodically by Christ Embassy Youth Church – Airport City.

Singer Francesca Battistelli Says God Miraculously Healed Her

William Wagner
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Singer Francesca Battistelli Says God Miraculously Healed Her
Christian singer Francesca Battistelli shared a miraculous healing report she received from doctors after thinking she needed to undergo emergency surgery while pregnant. 
The “He Knows My Name” songstress said that back when she was about 10 weeks pregnant she woke up in “excruciating pain.” She called her midwife but decided to wait and see if the pain would subside. 

“I called my parents basically in tears from the pain in my lower abdomen. They came over and we waited it out for a couple of hours, but the pain got worse. We called my midwife again, and she sent us to the emergency room,” Battistelli shared on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2cIYyQFudQ/?utm_source=ig_embed

 “By the time we arrived, the pain had disappeared. I was grateful but confused.

I knew I had a cyst on my right ovary, but no one had been concerned about it until now. Turns out the cyst was very large—about 10cm (the size of a small grapefruit or large orange), and it had twisted the ovary, cutting off the blood supply and causing the intense pain.

By the time we reached the hospital, it had twisted back, which is normal and why the pain suddenly stopped,” she continued.

Battistelli’s OBGYN insisted that the award-winning singer get surgery during her pregnancy.

The expecting mom of four said they decided they would just wait and pray and ask others to pray for her.

“We met with our midwife and a trusted OB who was very torn on the matter.

He didn’t want to operate while I was pregnant, but he said this kind of cyst does not shrink or go away on it’s own—’it would have to be a miracle,’ he said—and it would possibly twist again and cause issues.

He said surgery was inevitable, but it was my choice if we waited until after the birth to remove it,” Battistelli explained.

“After praying it through, we just didn’t have peace about doing the surgery now. We believed God could heal me!”

The Christian family kept their faith and one day she said her husband, Matt, full of faith, proclaimed that her stomach had shrunk and the “cyst is shrinking.” 

“I smiled and prayed it was true. Let’s just say he was convinced, and I was hopeful. Fast forward to about a week ago, when we went in for our 20-week ultrasound.

The sweet tech said, ‘we will take a look at that cyst while we’re here,’ and Matt said, ‘you won’t find it. It’s gone. We’ve been praying,’” Battistelli recalled.

The nurse practitioner measured the cyst and said “this is just an inch long. It’s not even a cyst anymore. It’s gone!”  

Battistelli testified, “We all (my sweet midwife included) praised God and thanked Jesus right there in the ultrasound room!

He did a miracle in my body, and this sweet tech (who is pregnant with her first baby) got to witness it!”

“We are overwhelmed by the goodness and the BIGNESS of God, and we want the world to know that He still heals!!! My faith has been so strengthened by this, and I pray yours is too.” 

Thousands of people were encouraged by the testimony. Battistelli received almost 40,000 likes and many shared how encouraged they were by the healing power of God.

 

 

Jeannie Law, Christian Post Reporter

Persecuted Pastor Describes Tortures Of Imprisonment Facing Christians In Eritrea

William Wagner
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Persecuted Pastor Describes Tortures Of Imprisonment Facing Christians In Eritrea

A pastor from Eritrea who has since been resettled to Australia has shed some light on the horrifying conditions facing Christians imprisoned for their faith in the Northeast African country. 

The pastor who goes by the name “Gabriel” recalled in an interview with Barnabus Fund how he was tortured, starved and forced to do hard labor during his years in detention in Eritrea.

The United Kingdom-based interdenominational Christian aid agency reports that Gabriel was imprisoned a number of times in Eritrea, which is ranked by Open Doors USA as the seventh-most hostile country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution.

Gabriel’s first stint in prison lasted about a month in 1998. Gabriel was reportedly detained along with other members of his church. The next time Gabriel was imprisoned, he was jailed for three years even though his sentence was only supposed to last six months.

“Sometimes you dispute with God, why you let me go through this hardship?” Gabriel was quoted as saying. “But when you start reading the Bible, when you pray devotion daily, automatically your mind clicks, you are in the main way – the way you are supposed to go.”

Gabriel’s detention lasted longer than it should have because he was a pastor.  Because he was a Christian leader, he claimed that he was often singled out for beatings in prison.  He recalled one instance in which he was tied up and hit over the head with a stick for an hour as a means to send a message to other prisoners that the Christian faith will not be tolerated.

He also recalled a nurse urging him to recant his Christian faith so that he would no longer receive beatings. The nurse reportedly told Gabriel that he could continue his Christian faith once out of jail. However, he refused to deny Christ.

Gabriel also shared insight into what it was like for him to be locked inside a metal shipping container for two weeks while in solitary confinement.  He said that the temperatures soared inside the container under the heat of the sun during the day and became extreme cold during the nights.  Outside of solitary confinement, Gabriel said that prisoners were only given a small amount of food every 18 hours.

Despite lack of nutrition, the prisoners were forced to do strenuous labor as they had to collect stones to be made into building materials.

“Sometimes you break the stones with a heavy hammer. You hear a sound here, in your back, because everyone has malnutrition,” Gabriel recalled.  “The guards discriminated against Christian believers, refusing them medical treatment if they fell sick.”

Gabriel stressed that it was not just him receiving such treatments as other Christians faced similar fates.  He stated that he knew of two prisoners who had converted to Christianity while in prison who were beaten and tortured for three days. Despite the persecution, the new believers did not waver from their new faith in Christ, he contended.

Gabriel added that Bibles were banned in prisons. If prisoners were found with Christian scripture, they were subject to severe punishment. However, this threat of punishment did not stop the Christians in prison from reading the word of God.

 

Samuel Smith, CP Reporter
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