Happy Birthday Man of God (On the 70th birthday of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God.)
Happy Birthday Man of God Thank you for sharing the Word The Word that overcomes the world The Word that has been from the beginning of Time The Word that overcomes the scourges of crime and shame The Word that shines even in the darkest nights on earth The Word that is the eternal spirit of truth The Word that is the vehicle of our faith The Word that is the pillar of our strength The Word that is fountain of our health and wealth The Word that can shake every kingdom and topple every throne The Word that can humble the king and queen The Word that does not fear The Crown or The Wig and Gown The Word that has lifted you up and will never let you down The Word that has made you the talk of the town The Word that will continue to bless you with happiness The Word that will continue to bless you with success The Word that will continue to make you shine brighter and brighter all the way. The Word that will continue to bring us the Good News of many happy returns of today The Word that will never pass away come what may and no matter whatever people say. So with many thanks to our Almighty Father JEHOVAH God, I wish you happy birthday.
Jesus Would Have Shared Coffee with the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Says Author of New Book, Woman Meets Jesus
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., March 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "Lisbeth Salander, the troubled female in the Oscar-winning film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is exactly the kind of woman that Jesus would invite for coffee," says Ruth Vander Zee, author of the new book Woman Meets Jesus (Edenridge Press). "Salander," says Vander Zee, "may not fit in at most churches but is the type of exploited woman that Jesus would befriend in the face of social and religious criticism."
Salander, played by Rooney Mara, is a gifted, but deeply troubled young woman with bleached eyebrows, a black Mohawk, tattoos, leather-and-chain dress, combat boots, and atypical body piercings.
"Jesus was a radical rabbi who reached out to females who didn't fit in with the religious and social communities," says Vander Zee. "He didn't care what the religious elites - the Sadducees and Pharisees - thought about women."
Vander Zee, who spent years studying Jesus' often-overlooked interactions with women, concludes in her new book that Jesus challenged the religious establishment's oppressive view of women and befriended and advocated for females like Salander. "Jesus stood up for exploited, rejected, isolated, desperate, and self-destructive women," says Vander Zee.
Vander Zee grew up in the church, learned the popular Bible stories, and eventually married a pastor. But later she chose to look at the second-class status women often occupied within the walls of the church. She decided to dig deeper into Jesus' personal encounters with women. What she discovered changed her view of women and Jesus.
In order to show how radical Jesus really was, Vander Zee retells the stories of Jesus' encounters with biblical women from their own, first-person perspectives. One woman is the prostitute who visited Jesus at Simon the leper's house and offended the respected guests by lavishing perfume upon Jesus. Another is the ostracized woman at the well who had multiple husbands. Yet another is the untouchable woman who hemorrhaged for 12 years.
"The whole idea that Jesus was anti-women is a modern myth," says Vander Zee. "I can imagine Jesus sitting in a Stockholm cafe with Salander, tearfully listening to her life story and encouraging her to follow the way of the prophet Micah to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with her new-found advocate, Jesus."
Ruth Vander Zee is the award-winning author of social-issue-oriented children's books, including Erika's Story, Mississippi Morning, Eli Remembers, and Always With You. A self-described late bloomer, she earned her college degree when she was 40, wrote her first book when she was 55, speaks to church and women's groups across North America, and writes the popular blog journey-of-faith.com. She lives in Miami, Florida.
For more information about Ruth and Woman Meets Jesus: How Jesus Encourages, Empowers, and Equips Women on Their Personal Journey of Faith (ISBN: 9780982706350; $14), please visit http://www.journey-of-faith.com.
"The film is inspiring, uplifting and is a call to action for all of us" -Desmond Tutu, Winner 1984 Nobel Peace Prize.
Pray the Devil Back to Hell is the astonishing story of the Liberian women who took on the warlords and regime of dictator Charles Taylor in the midst of a brutal civil war, and won a once unimaginable peace for their shattered country in 2003. As the rebel noose tightened around the capital city of Monrovia, thousands of women – ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim – formed a thin but unshakeable line between the opposing forces. Armed only with white T-shirts and the courage of their convictions, they literally faced down the killers who had turned Liberia into hell on earth. In one memorable scene, the women barricaded the site of stalled peace talks in Ghana and refused to move until a deal was done. Their demonstrations culminated in Taylor’s exile and the rise of Africa’s first female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Inspiring and uplifting, Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a compelling example of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations.
Credits for Pray the Devil Back to Hell October 7, 2011
Produced by Abigail E. Disney
Directed by Gini Reticker
Edited by Kate Taverna and Meg Reticker
Co-Produced by
Johanna Hamilton
Cinematographer Kirsten Johnson
Music Composer Blake Leyh
Vocals Angelique Kidjo
Associate Producer Regina Boyer
Title Design and Art Direction Interspectacular
Illustrator Olaf Hajek
Writer Sara Lukinson
Production Designer Norval Johnson
Field Producer Edwin Clarke
Production Sound Wellington Bowler
Additional Camera Maryse Alberti Johann Perry Jimmy Mangou
Videographers James Brabazon Tim Hetherington Pewee Flomoku Jonathan Sahn
Assistant Camera Mariusz Cichon Ben Bloodwell Anton Jeffes Dan Moody
Additional Sound Judith Karp Sean O’Neil Doug Dreger
Post Production Supervisor Shannon J. Fogarty Parker Chehak
Post Associate Producer Juli Kobayashi
Assistant Editor Alexandra Meistrell
Additional Assistant Editors Omry Maoz Elizabeth Merrick Naftali Rutter
Gaffer Iris Ng
Consultant Stephen Ellis
Post Production Facility Full Circle Post
Online Editor Rob Burgos
Re-Recording Mixer Andy Kris
Sound Editor Dave Patterson
Mixed at Sound One
Production Assistants Jeff Clark William Cruz
Production Associate Yvonne Moore
Archival Footage ABC News VideoSource AP Archive Aurora Productions James Brabazon British Broadcasting Corporation CNN Image Source Everyday Gandhis ® Gabriel Films GTV Harper Karmon ITN Source Jimmie Mangou Journeyman Pictures Just Media Nancee Oku Bright National Geographic Digital Motion New Jersey Network Pewee Flomoku Jonathan Sahn Television for the Environment TV3 West African Network for Peacebuilding Women in Peacebuilding Network
A clip from the early ministry of Prophet T.B. Joshua where a woman at the point of death receives a truly amazing healing from a horrific skin disease.
Note - this clip is pretty disturbing, but is for God's glory.
Illustration of Jesus and Santa. Photo Credit: Jason Berggren.
Who owns Christmas? Jesus Christ or Santa Claus? This is the thought-;provoking subject of David Frum's article on the Huffington Post: Santa vs. Jesus and it is one of the most engaging articles on the debate of how the "religion" of Santa Claus is misappropriating the religion of Christianity for which Christmas is being celebrated in commemoration of the birth of the founder Jesus Christ our Lord and Messiah.
Of course How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is an allegory of how Santa Claus has stolen the birthday of Jesus Christ written by Dr. Seuss on the commercialization of Christmas and satirizes those who profit from exploiting the holiday.
As we speak, Santa Claus has just left the North Pole for his Christmas Eve journey around the world, his reindeer-powered sleigh loaded with gifts for boys and girls. ...
As much we should appreciate the goodwill and love in the sharing and exchange of Christmas gifts and greetings, we must stop the abuse and misuse of the Christian festival by greedy capitalists and legions of hypocrites whose idolatry is the antithesis of the charity of Jesus Christ.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, aka Orikinla Osinachi.
O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining, It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining. Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices! O night divine, the night when Christ was born; O night, O Holy Night , O night divine! O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!
A Touching Christmas Story
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."1
"The Doll and a White Rose" by V.A. Bailey
I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kind of wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department. Once again I mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys, and wondered if the grandchildren would even play with them.
I found myself in the doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I couldn't seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for.
I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money." She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have enough money for it. The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere because she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle.
The boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it." I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is, I have to give the doll to my Momma to take to her."
I asked him where his sister was. He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, "She has gone to be with Jesus. My Daddy says that Momma is going to have to go be with her."
My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Momma not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store." Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store. He said, "I want my Momma to take this with her so she doesn't ever forget me. I love my Momma so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me. But Daddy says she will need to be with my sister."
I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet. While he was not looking, I reached into my purse and pulled out a hand-full of bills. I asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?"
He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know it has to be enough" So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it. And of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you Jesus for giving me enough money."
Then the boy said, "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so Momma can take it with her to give to my sister. And he heard my prayer. I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Momma a white rose, but I didn't ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Momma. She loves white roses so very, very much."
In a few minutes the aunt came back and I wheeled my cart away. I couldn't keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the mother was in serious condition. The family was deciding on removal of the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.
Two days later I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I couldn't forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I couldn't help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where the young woman was. And there she was holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store.
I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. In a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.2
Please don't drink and drive this holiday season nor throughout the coming year.
Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to always be sensitive to the needs of others around me and, where needed, help me to reach and be as Jesus to them as the lady in today's lesson reached out to the heart-broken little boy. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
1. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NIV). 2. "The Doll and a White Rose" by V.A. Bailey. Source Unknown.
The born-again Christian couple Franca (Alex Lopez) and Dale (Marc Baylis) in bed in a scene from Changing Faces.
Changing Faces: Will a Born-Again Christian Commit Adultery?
That is the question no married Christian can deny, because no one can deny the temptations to have sex outside the matrimonial home. Extramarital affairs are the realities married couples cannot ignore, whether they are born again Christians or not. And the answer is in Faruk Lasaki’s romantic drama Changing Faces opening at the Silverbird Cinemas, Genesis Deluxe Cinemas and other cinemas in Nigeria, Ghana and other countries from December 16, 2011.
This born-again Christian husband did not only commit adultery with another woman outside his matrimonial home, but he returned to also have sex with their house girl whilst his wife was sleeping until she woke up in the middle of the night to catch him rocking their house girl like a dog!
Changing Faces has been highly commended as one of the new movies raising the standards in Nollywood and the movie has opened doors for Nollywood at the Cannes Film Festival in France, Cairo International Film Festival in Egypt, African Diaspora Film Festival in New York, USA, Écrans Noirs Film Festival in Yaoundé, Cameroun, Zuma Film Festival in Abuja and Eko International Film Festival in Lagos, Nigeria.
The born-again Christian husband Dale (Marc Baylis) with the adultress Lola (Rachael Young) in a scene from Changing Faces.
Faruk Lasaki is one of the best graduates of the New York Film Academy (NYFA), which also brought out the best in Chineze Anyaene whose IJÉ the Journey broke the local box office record in Nigeria; including Kunle Afolayan who has won multiple awards for his Araromire: Figurine, with five awards at the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for the Best Picture, Best Actor and others and Stephanie Okereke whose movie Through the Glass lifted her higher in Nollywood as an actress and emerging filmmaker.
Changing Faces has an international cast of gifted Nigerian and British actors and actresses like Marc Baylis rated as the hottest actor in a Nigerian movie by the authoritative Nigeria Films.Com.
“Marc’s thrilling role as the young white Architecture whiz kid Dale married to a Nigerian woman showed him as a better actor than Van Vicker and Majid Michel and stood him in class of his own as a world class romantic actor,” Nigeria Films reported.
“He is charming, can wait to see the movie. A powerful story line,” said one of those who read the exclusive report.
Marc is Dale the born again “Oyinbo” husband of Franca, a black Nigerian woman acted by the pretty and sexy Nigerian-Brazilian actress and Nollywood diva Alex Lopez seemed to be very faithful until he met Lola another sexy black woman at an Architectural conference in a beautiful hill top hotel. Where the seductress tempted and lured the married man into her bed on the last night of the conference and his life was never the same again. Black and beautiful British actress Rachael Young was the temptress Lola in Changing Faces. Other popular Nollywood stars in the movie are Keppy Ekpenyong who was the boss of Dale, Ayo Mogaji-Dabo and Femi Brainard.
~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Wednesday, November 23, 2011. Lagos, Nigeria.
On Oct. 16, Fires of Faith: The Coming Forth of The King James Bible celebrates 400th year anniversary, capturing book's violent birth and enduring influence through historically accurate reenactments and interviews with leading scholars
PROVO, Utah, Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- BYUtv today announced that it will present and air the first U.S. television film series on the making of the King James Bible, coinciding with the 400th anniversary of its translation. Celebrated for its enduring and widespread use, the King James Bible has had immeasurable impact on religion, language, culture, art and literature. Yet the road to its influence and acceptance was paved with the horrors of humanity.
Produced and directed by filmmaker Lee Groberg, and written by screenwriter Mitch Davis, the three-part documentary and dramatic feature tells the vivid stories of international politics, intrigue, subversion, bloodshed, fire and the runaway libido of King Henry VIII that led to its creation. The King James Bible's profound impact on faith is captured through more than 130 reenactments filmed in eight different countries at many of the actual sites where events originally took place. A prestigious host of 18 international scholars and religious leaders, from the Universities of Notre Dame and Oxford to the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, reveal differing perspectives while confirming that the King James Bible's influence is like none other, and that the importance of the translation goes well beyond religion itself.
"Few milestones in history have greater influence and significance than the translation of the Bible into English," said Derek Marquis, executive producer of Fires of Faith and Managing Director of BYUtv. "We knew we couldn't let the 400th anniversary of the seminal English Bible pass without telling the story of how the King James version came to be and why it has endured. The director, writer, actors, scholars and religious leaders in our film combined to create an extraordinary chorus that transcends any one religion to truly celebrate the most influential book of all time."
Fires of Faith is rife with factual Early Modern Era drama that fictional Hollywood would struggle to concoct. Those who sought to translate "God's message" into the English vernacular were seen as heretics, persecuted and ultimately executed. At the forefront of the saga is British religious scholar William Tyndale, who was responsible for the original translations that make up more than 80 percent of the King James Bible's text. His death by strangulation and burning at the stake under King Henry VIII didn't stop his translated words from ultimately reaching a global audience and enduring to this day.
"The power of the story transcends ideological and cultural boundaries," said Mr. Groberg. "Without exception, every person who contributed to this film – regardless of their own particular beliefs or background – was inspired to help us turn back the visual clock and authentically convey the events. Being permitted to use the historic locations where the story actually took place, such as a 4th century monastery in Israel, 800 year-old English castles and 500 year-old European churches, drew in the hundreds of scholars, actors, curators and crew members who worked on the production. We focused on even the smallest details, to inspire the cast and enable the viewers to feel as if they're witnessing history.
Fires of Faith chronicles the cast of characters that were central to the Reformation, including John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, King Henry VIII and "Bloody" Queen Mary I, ultimately culminating with King James I, and his commissioned translation of the Bible. The film crisscrosses a tumultuous Europe at the birth of religious freedom during a time that seemed to consistently involve the burning of something or someone. In one corner or another, an entire continent was on fire.
Historians, theologians and actors transport audiences to an era when the Bible in English was an unlawful possession and reading it resulted in imprisonment. Translating it was a death sentence. The only way to buy one was, literally, under the table on the black market, the same way someone might buy illegal drugs today.
The film's historical narrative parallels modern day insights and influences in the third and final hour of the series, highlighting its effect on music as well people's reactions to it today.
"The phrases and rhythms of the King James Bible have worked their way into wider Anglophone sensibilities and consciousness in ways that no other translation of the Bible has achieved, nor will likely ever achieve," said Brad S. Gregory, Professor of Early Modern History, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, during his interview in the film.
"There is nothing that compares to the classical English literary resource as the King James Bible," said David Rosen, Rabbi, Chief Rabbinate of Israel during his interview in the film. "The closest thing, of course, are the works of Shakespeare and we do relish and treasure Shakespeare. But it doesn't speak to our deepest commitments, as obviously, the Bible does."
"The King James Bible has an amazing tenacity," said Alec Ryrie, Professor of the History of Christianity, Durham University, England at the conclusion of the film. "It has hung on in the affection of particular churches and of whole peoples in a way that a 400 year old text really shouldn't. I think the King James translators, themselves, would have been amazed that this 400 year old translation is still being used."
Fires of Faith: The Coming Forth of the King James Bible will premiere Oct. 16th on BYUtv, which is a U.S. and worldwide cable/satellite television channel reaching 60 million households.
Specific airtimes are as follows: Part 1 Fires of Faith: Yearning for the Word Sunday, Oct. 16, at 8pm ET / 6pm MT & 11pm ET / 9pm MT Wednesday, Oct. 19, at 9pm ET / 7 MTpm & 12 ETam / 10pm MT
Part 2 Fires of Faith: Martyrs for a Book Sunday, Oct. 23, at 8pm ET / 6pm MT & 11pm ET / 9pm MT Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 9pm ET / 7 MTpm & 12am ET / 10pm MT
Part 3 Fires of Faith: The King James Bible Sunday, Oct. 30, at 8pm ET / 6pm MT & 11pm ET / 9pm MT Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 9pm ET / 7pm MT & 12am ET / 10pm MT
About BYUtv Reaching 60 million households in the United States, BYUtv is a global cable/satellite television channel featuring engaging, educational and uplifting content that encourages viewers to "see the good in the world."
Since its launch in January 2000, BYUtv has continued to build an ever-expanding and diverse audience, and has become a powerful tool for sharing enriching entertainment rooted in values and faith.
For more information on the range of BYUtv programs visit byutv.org.
