After turning my life over to God, I became OOOOONNNN FIRE for Jesus! You know when you look at fire and its different colors? Some of the hottest spots are the blue flames. That is where I was. I felt like dynamite but I also realized that many things in my world would have to change. I went on a sabbatical for at least 6 months from my not so Jesus centered friends whom I love so much. I’m close with several of them to this day. They truly respect me for my Christian beliefs and several of them have actually come to know the Lord since that time. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Prayer
Christians Counter Wiccan Prayer At Iowa Legislature
A group of Christian legislators refused to attend the opening of Thursday’s session for the Iowa Legislature because a Wiccan priestess gave the invocation.
Wiccan Deborah Maynard, who says she’s a “Unitarian Universalist”, prayed to the universe and the earth. Democratic Representative Liz Bennett of Cedar Rapids who invited the Wiccan speaker said she wanted people to know the statement made by Maynard would be “inclusive.”
The chamber was half empty for Maynard’s talk as Christian legislators attended a prayer rally.
“We feel that this is completely out of sync with the traditions of our state and our nation to seek guidance from the occult,” Michael Demastus, pastor of Fort Des Moines Church of Christ, told reporters. “We believe it is just not a good idea.”
He said that as Maynard spoke, “I was praying for her salvation. I was praying that she would come to know the one true God.”
One Christian legislator said he stayed in the chamber but turned his back on the priestess while she delivered her talk.
“I thought to myself, ‘What would Jesus do?’” Rep. Rob Taylor (R-West Des Moines) stated. “Jesus would be in the chamber from my perspective. He would passively protest and then He would seek that individual out and have a peaceful conversation with them about why His way was the best way, and so that is what I did today.”
Taylor said he offered to Maynard the chance to learn about the one true God.
UK Tribunal Rules Against Christian Accused of Witnessing
A Christian woman that was suspended after a Muslim co-worker rushed to her employer to complain she was witnessed to has had her appeal denied by a British tribunal.
Victoria Wasteney, 38, thought she had become friends with Muslim Enya Nawaz, 27. The two worked at St. John Howard Center in London. The two discussed Islam and Christianity and Wasteney shared her church’s efforts to fight human trafficking.
“The whole basis of our conversations around faith started with her telling me that she’d had an encounter with God, that she felt she had been brought to London for a particular reason,” Wasteney told reporters. “We were both interested in what one another were involved in. It was part of the normal process of building a relationship with someone, to talk about primarily things we were interested in outside of work.”
In 2013, Nawaz told Wasteney about some health concerns. Wasteney offered to pray for the woman she thought was a friend and did so. She also gave the woman a book about a Muslim that turned to Christianity.
Nawaz then rushed to their employer alleging that Wasteney was attempting to witness and convert her.
After suspending Wasteney for nine months with pay, a disciplinary panel last year declared that Wasteney was guilty of “bullying and harassment” for talking about her faith and praying over her sick co-worker even though the co-worker gave permission. She was given a written warning and allowed to resume working but not in her specialized field.
“I knew she was from a different faith background and I was respectful of that. I didn’t force my beliefs on anyone at any point. Surely there should be room for mutual conversations about faith, where appropriate, in the workplace?” she said in a statement on Wednesday.
“I am extremely disappointed with the tribunal’s decision to side with my employer,” Wasteney continued. “There is already an unnatural caginess around faith and belief which is an obstruction to building meaningful relationships in the workplace.”
Lifted on the Wings of Prayer!
We recently had our Ready Now Expo and it was amazing! Hundreds and hundreds of our loving partners joined us on Grace Street for the tapings of the Jim Bakker show. As I was sitting on the set, waiting for filming to begin, I looked out on all of those beautiful faces. Gratitude chills went up and down my spine. I could not help but remember this past year and my battle with Hepatitis C and the outpouring of intercession and prayer from thousands of people on my behalf. Wonderful people like those that were out on Grace Street smiling back at me. Continue reading
Michigan Mayor Retaliates Against Anti-Christian Protesters
After a group of anti-Christianists sued to have a “reason station” placed in a city facility to counter a “prayer station”, the mayor of Warren, Michigan announced a new city campaign.
The city will be handing out free posters that say “In God We Trust” and will be hanging them throughout the facility where the anti-Christian group will be sitting.
The decision by Mayor James Fouts comes after the city lost a court battle with the anti-Christian groups Freedom From Religion Foundation, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the ACLU.
“Obviously, I was concerned about the court order that forced the city of Warren to have a reason station within our city hall atrium,” Fouts said in a statement.
“The prayer station had been functioning for years without any problems or any controversy. They’re now allowed to have an atheist station under the euphemistic guise of a reason station.”
The mayor said all religions were able to place displays, noting a Ramadan display that was set up during that period of the Muslim calendar.
“However, this group is a non-religion, and I don’t know what display they’re going to put up unless they are attempting to disparage our prayer station, which I cannot tolerate,” Fouts said.
“I will not allow either a racial hate group to go up, a religious hate group to go up, or a group that disparages a particular ethnicity to go up on the city hall atrium.”
Cancer Surgery For Christian Music Star Successful
Mark Hall, the lead singer for the internationally known Christian band Casting Crowns reportedly has had successful cancer surgery.
“Mark is out of surgery. Everything went really well. Dr. says textbook operation. Just like we prayed for. I told the doctor that he might possibly be the most prayed for Dr. on the planet today. He will be in recovery for a while. Thank you so much for your prayers,” noted an update on the band’s Facebook page posted shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday.
The singer’s wife Melanie took to social media to thank Christians around the world for their outpouring of support and prayer.
“I’m completely humbled by the number of people that have expressed their love for us and are interceding in prayer. There are no words to express the gratitude in this wife’s heart. Thank you for praying for us. We have had friends and strangers from all over the world tell us they are praying — an orphan school in Kenya, neighbors we just met, long lost high school friends, Christian music artists from their concerts, schools, offices, pastors in South Africa, chaplains in the Army, churches, radio DJs, fans, missionaries in Brazil, and countless others I couldn’t begin to name. Thank you. Your prayers are felt,” said Melanie in the post.
She said that she and Mark are asking people to pray how God can use this trial to allow them to witness to their friends as much as they pray for his recovery.
Michigan City Allows Anti-Christianists To Put Display In “Prayer Station”
Officials of Warren, Michigan have given in to the virulent anti-Christian Freedom from Religion Foundation and are permitting the group to put up a display in city hall near a “prayer station.”
Anti-Christianist Douglas Marshall, a member of the activist group, demanded the Downtown Development Authority permit him to run a “reason station” where he would promote “free thought.”
The Mayor initially denied the request saying the goal of the anti-Christianist was to disrupt the actions of the prayer station.
“To my way of thinking, your group is strictly an anti-religion group intending to deprive all organized religions of their constitutional freedoms or at least discourage the practice of religion,” Mayor Jim Fouts wrote. “The City of Warren cannot allow this.”
The FFRF claimed they had nothing to do with it as they rushed into court to file a federal lawsuit with the ACLU and the anti-Christian group Separation of Church and State.
The FFRF and Douglas Marshall have sued the city previously in what the Mayor said were attempts to disrupt religious groups from being able to have city displays.
John Paul Jackson Passes Away
John Paul Jackson is now face to face with his Savior.
The news was posted on John Paul’s Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. His condition had been degrading through the weekend and urgent prayer requests had been sent out Monday because of falling oxygen levels.
Jackson was diagnosed with cancer in May 2014 when doctors found a large growth in his leg that they identified as an aggressive form of cancer. The tumor was described as “nerf football sized” and weighed 12 pounds when it was removed through surgery.
At the time, Jackson praised God for allowing his sciatic nerve to be saved and that he would be able to walk again. He also said he would be fighting through prayer.
“I am pursuing the kingdom of God and equipping people to do the same as vigorously as I am able. I refuse to allow the enemy a stronghold in my thoughts. God is great and all-powerful,” Jackson said in 2014. “I believe He will take me through this battle. In the process, God will gain a great victory and His name will be glorified.”
Jackson was internationally known for his prophetic gifting and dream interpretation. His The Streams Institute for Spiritual Developments has trained thousands to understand and use their revelatory gifts for the benefit of the Kingdom of God.
“Jump Started By The Holy Spirit”
The mother of a Missouri teen believed to have died in a lake says that God brought her child back from the dead.
John Smith, 14, was playing with two friends on frozen Lake Sainte Louise when they fell through the ice. While the other two boys were rescued, the initial rescuers couldn’t find Smith. It took 15 minutes for rescuers to find his body.
Doctors at St. Joseph Hospital performed CPR for almost half an hour without success. After being clinically dead for 45 minutes, the doctors called Smith’s mother into the room to break the bad news.
Dr. Ken Sutterer said that when Joyce Smith came into the room, she refused to accept that her son was dead and began loudly praying.
“I don’t remember what all I said,” Joyce Smith said. “But I remember, ‘Holy God, please send your Holy Spirit to save my son. I want my son, please save him.’”
Within minutes, hospital personnel were stunned. John’s pulse returned. He was rushed to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center where doctors were concerned that he would have permanent brain damage due to being without oxygen for at least 45 minutes.
Within 48 hours, Smith opened his eyes and responded perfectly to doctor’s questions.
“It’s a bonafide miracle,” said Dr. Jeremy Garrett, who tested Smith’s brain function.
Louisiana Governor Invites 49 Other Governors To Prayer Rally
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has invited the other 49 U.S. governors to attend the national prayer gathering he is holding in Baton Rouge Saturday.
The letter states that America is in need and that it’s time for the governors to come together for an “apolitical” gathering to worship. Jindal says it’s time for America’s leaders and worshippers to call on “our great Creator to intervene on behalf of our people and nation.”
“There will only be one name lifted up that day — Jesus,” Jindal wrote. “There will be no politicians giving speeches and no preachers pontificating.”
Jindal focused the letter’s call on 2 Chronicles 7:14.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
Jindal has called in previous videos and letters for Americans to turn back to God, repent and ask Him to guide the leaders of this nation. Jindal hosted a similar event in 2011 that was attended by Florida Governor Rick Scott and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback.