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Queen Elizabeth II Shares Message Of Hope In Christ In Her First-Ever Easter Address

by Rhoda Gayle
written by Rhoda Gayle

The Queen Elizabeth II of England shared a message of hope in Christ in her first-ever Easter day address.

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned as the queen of the United Kingdom in June 1953. Since then, she has dedicated her life to serving the people. During the COVID-19 pandemic that has affected over 88,000 people in the U.K., Queen Elizabeth II delivered a message of hope to everyone on Easter Sunday.

Easter address

In her first-ever Easter address, the longest-serving monarch of England, she talked about the Good News of Christ’s resurrection.

“As darkness falls on the Saturday before Easter Day, many Christians would normally light candles together. In the church, one light would pass to another, spreading slowly and then more rapidly as more candles are lit. It’s a way of showing how the Good News of Christ’s resurrection has been passed on from the first Easter by every generation until now,” she said.

With the current situation, this year’s Easter Sunday celebration was different.

“This year, Easter will be different for many of us, but by keeping apart we keep others safe,” she added.

Easter Sunday

This Easter Sunday people stayed at their home to protect themselves from the coronavirus. However, that didn’t stop all Christians to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“The discovery of the risen Christ on the first Easter Day gave his followers new hope and fresh purpose, and we can all take heart from this. We know that coronavirus will not overcome us,” Queen Elizabeth II said.

Hope in Christ

The 93-year-old Queen encouraged everyone to have hope in Christ for He is greater than what we are facing right now.

“As dark as death can be — particularly for those suffering from grief — light and life are greater. May the living flame of the Easter hope be a steady guide as we face the future.”

Read also: Crowned Miss England Returns To Being Doctor During Coronavirus Pandemic 

Reference: The Christian Post

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Faith

He Is Risen: An Easter & Passover Greeting from GOD TV President Ward Simpson

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

“He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

As the world rallies against the coronavirus pandemic, we thank God that together we can bring a powerful message of hope to viewers across the nations. What a privilege it is to share that Jesus is our Great Deliverer, who paid the ultimate price for our salvation and through Him we have peace with God, the reassurance of eternal life and the promise of divine healing.

Thank you for standing with us to encourage those who feel isolated. We appreciate you joining us in intercession for those who have been infected and for your help in comforting the bereaved. We also appreciate all our partners who have sent in additional support to help us expand our media outreach to the world during this crisis.

It is wonderful to see the Body of Christ rising up to be the Hands and Feet of Jesus at this time. Of course, this month we also remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus and all that means for us as believers. So, I bring Easter / Passover Greetings to you and yours from all of us at GOD TV.

Jesus is our Passover Lamb. He died that we might live. Through the shedding of His blood our sins are forgiven and we can walk in the victory He secured for us. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. His Word still stands no matter what. He will always be our Healer and provider. And, regardless of what we go through, He has promised to be our friend that stays closer than a brother.

Connect with us for prayer here: Request Prayer

As we celebrate Easter / Passover let’s continue to be a source of strength for all who are on edge due to Coronavirus. Let’s stand together in faith and in prayer. Let’s intercede for all who are affected and continue to trust God for His divine protection and a quick end to this outbreak.

As GOD TV has shared on air, in our special programming, this is such a timely opportunity to share the Gospel and especially the resurrection life available to us in Jesus. Many, many people need to experience God’s healing power. We ask that “the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead would quicken their mortal bodies”.

For those who have experienced loss (for example of a job or business) we pray for God to breathe new life into their career, that they would know His resurrection power in such a powerful way.

As Jesus said: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25)

We are here for you and we are praying for you!

We understand in this time of uncertainty many of us are facing challenges. Let’s hang on to God’s Word in this time of crisis. I pray God’s Hedge of Protection over you and your family. That the Lord would set a wall of fire around you and give His angels charge over you.

In my experience, God is always at work to bless us, even when it doesn’t seem like it. He who watches over Israel never slumbers nor sleeps and His angels are always working on our behalf. We can’t imagine what God has already saved us from this day. Know that His plans for you are good. As the song says: He is our ‘Way Maker, Miracle Worker and Promise Keeper.’ That is who He is. My wife Lydia and all of us at GOD TV wish you a very blessed Easter. And, for all our Jewish friends we say ‘Chag Pesach Sameach!’ (Happy Passover).

May He give you and all of us supernatural strength to overcome the challenges we face.

May you know the presence of God more deeply in your life and never stop telling people about Jesus.

In His great love,

Ward Simpson
GOD TV President

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Praysonal
Articles

Praysonal: Awakening the World and Connecting to the Holy Land

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

Have you looked at your calendar lately? Easter is already near! As we make our preparations for the celebrations that are quickly approaching, it is important now more than ever that we take this time to reflect on the importance of the Resurrection. Jesus Christ came to this earth and conquered death so that we might live. Perhaps it sounds like I’ve told you the end of the story right here in the start, but it is just the opposite: New Life in Jesus is the beginning! What’s more, connecting the world to blessed land the Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, walked up is our purpose here at Praysonal.

One of the most impactful moments leading up to the crucifixion was the prayer of Jesus on the Mount of Olives. This is a place Jesus often visited to pray and where so many notable events from His life took place. Jesus went there this time asking his disciples to pray that they do not fall into temptation. Jesus prayed with such pain and sorrow that he sweated drops of blood as He asked the Father in Luke 22:42, “if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Shop handcrafted in the Holy Land shipped directly to you! 20% off with code EASTER2020 Shop HERE!

We know that the cup was not taken from Jesus—it was God’s will that He would be the ultimate Sacrifice on the cross, and would conquer death itself so that we may find new and eternal life in Heaven. While Jesus prayed in earnest to the Father, the disciples slept. Jesus says to them in verse 46, “’Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “’Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.'”

No matter how hard we can strive to be like Jesus, it is far too easy to fall asleep just like the disciples did. Sometimes prayers are said as part of routine. We go to our place to pray and recite things we have prayed before, but the earnest cries and supplication to the Lord simple aren’t there. At Praysonal, we hope to give meaning and power back to prayer so that Christians may wake up to the Holy Spirit! It is our hope to connect more people to the Holy Land and to awaken their soul and experience the truth of Jesus Christ.

We connect people to the Holy Land with handcrafted items that are sourced on site. These icons serve as a physical representation of faith in Christ and trust in the Father. But these are much more than object: they are a reminder of prayer. This is such a unique and powerful connection to the very places that impacts our faith in Jesus Christ.

Not only are people able to reach a deeper connection to God and the Holy Land, but to the blessings promised in scripture. This land isn’t Holy simply because of historical artifacts and events, but because the Father Himself calls it blessed:

“The nation is like a mighty lion;

When it is sleeping, no one dares wake it.

Whoever blesses Israel will be blessed.”

-Numbers 24:9

When we come into salvation by the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ, we are blessed with eternal life in Heaven, and a peace that surpasses all understanding here on earth. In the spirit of this Easter season, there is still more to do now that we know our place in God’s plan: we must share this good news! This is just what is written in Mark 16:15 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” By sharing the Gospel through connecting customers to the Holy Land, we hope that His name is made known to each person to see one of our unique works of art. It is our hope that this has inspired others to awaken to His calling and connect to His will for their lives.

You are never alone because God is with you. Remind yourself of God’s presence with an item handcrafted in the Holy Land shipped directly to you. Shop Now.

20% off with code EASTER2020 Shop now: https://praysonal.com/shop/
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Faith

Why Lent Is Important And 3 Reasons To Keep Observing It

by J.John
written by J.John

Lent, the forty days before Easter (not counting Sundays), is a somewhat curious period in the Church’s calendar. Most things in the Church’s year are festivals and we happily talk about celebrating them. Lent is very different: it is a minor-key period that is never “celebrated” but only “kept”. Some churches and Christians treat Lent very seriously, while others ignore it entirely.

How Do We Keep Lent?

Even among those who keep Lent, there is no agreement on how it should be kept. Many Christians try to give up something: for instance, chocolate, social media, or television. It’s even become a period for us to try to break bad habits, almost as if Lent gives us another opportunity to retake those New Year’s resolutions!

Now, what exactly is Lent about? Lent is “preparation” for Easter, more specifically three preparations.

Easter’s message is of Christ destroying sin and death through His death and resurrection. And it is the most exciting moment in the Church’s year. Yet we can undercut this note of victory by being so occupied that, amid the frantic busyness of our lives, we carelessly stumble upon Easter. Lent provides us with forty days’ build-up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. The build-up forces us to prayerfully ponder the death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As the best way to appreciate a sunrise is to be there in the darkness before dawn, so the only way to appreciate Easter is to have come to it through Lent. We as Christians are, of course, an Easter people living in a Good Friday world.

Existence

Secondly, Lent is a preparation for Existence. A fatal flaw in our culture today is that people do not know how to say “no” to bad things. It is now almost a virtue to give in to every desire that comes upon us. Yet a great element in Christian morality is to be able to say no to wrong desires. Paul, in Titus chapter 2 verses 11 and 12, says this: “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives.” Lent gives us the opportunity to practice resisting harmful and hurtful desires that will continue for life. Trivial as it may appear, a battle won over chocolate, coffee, or cake at this time may help us win a battle over lust, lying, or laziness shortly afterward.

Eternity

Finally, Lent is a preparation for Eternity. If you take it seriously, then these forty days can seem to be a long and often wearying season in which we never get our own way. Here, for a time, pleasures are put to one side and joys are postponed. But Lent doesn’t last. The darkness is broken by the joyful light of the glorious triumph of Easter Day.

Here there is a splendid parallel with our lives. For many of us, much of our life seems to take place in what we might call “Lent mode”: things do not go as we hope, we do not get what we want and our joys are absent or at best short-lived. Yet, for the Christian, there is that wonderful and certain hope that however deep and hard the darkness is in our lives, it will ultimately be lifted and replaced by an indestructible joy. For those who love Christ, life’s long Lent will end, one day, in an eternal Easter in which death and sin are destroyed forever.

Whether or not you keep Lent, starting on Wednesday 26th February this year – and in what way you keep it – is your choice. Honoring this time, thoughtfully and prayerfully, is to come into a rich and lasting inheritance. Be blessed this Lent and bless others.

J. John
Revd Canon
www.canonjjohn.com

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Articles

Resurrection Day And Its Impact On Your 2019 Harvest

by Brian Taylor
written by Brian Taylor

Earlier in the year God emphasized to me that this was going to be the year of birthing, the expected harvest, and the outpouring of anointing and glory. As I pondered what this would look like, my attention turned to this being a year in which it would not fully require us to have everything in order to accomplish the manifestation of what we’re expecting. Yet, it would require us to do what God is calling us to do. The areas of our weakness are not something to be ashamed of or looked down upon, for God loves to make up the difference. We need only do our part first.

Preparation

For many people, this meant that the beginning of the year was a season of plowing and preparation of the ground of the heart to receive the word as a seed. Tilling the ground can be difficult because in some cases, the ground can become hard from seasons of defeat in the previous year, moments of being stuck from a mindset that no longer works in an ever-evolving, changing climate or environment. Prayer and a renewing of the mind were integral to softening the ground of the heart in that beginning part of the year.

A Greater Harvest

As winter has finally given way to spring, our attention turns to Resurrection Day. Resurrection Day is a reminder of what Christ did for us over 2000 years ago. He was the seed sown. He once told his followers that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone.” (John 12:24). Jesus was the embodiment of the grain of wheat that was willing to go into the ground and die in order that a greater harvest would be produced.

If you have spent the last few months sowing the Word, watering the Word, and nurturing the Word of God in your heart, your faith must eventually activate that through a corresponding action to germinate that seed to spring forth.

This season, as we look to the fullness of what Christ did for us in not only dying but also at what He produced through His burial and resurrection, let it remind ourselves that our own sacrifices set forth a stage to turn the Word which was planted in our hearts into a life producing action and an exponential fruit producing harvest. Let this be the season that you spring into action, ready to go forth into what is being called for in this season.

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Video

Encountering the Crazy, Radical Love of Jesus

by Kyle Winkler
written by Kyle Winkler

Because of past regrets or present struggles, most people can’t believe God really loves them. If that’s you, then join Kyle Winkler for an intimate look at one of the most popular Bible stories that’s certain to change that.

In this powerful teaching, you’ll discover:

  • How the enemy skews our views of God’s love.
  • How Jesus’ love broke the religious system of His day.
  • Who, what, where, when and why Jesus loves.
  • The definition of love the devil doesn’t want you to see.

When you encounter these surprising truths about who and how Jesus loves, you’ll never again question if God loves you.

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Articles

Crossing Over Into Resurrection

by Paula R. Bryant
written by Paula R. Bryant

Resurrection Sunday is coming! Do you feel the hope it brings, or are you struggling to believe there is hope for you? Think of resurrection as crossing over from old to new. Transition. God is the master of change. He sent His Son Jesus to die on the Cross and rise again, so that we could rise out of darkness and cross over into a new day—the day we accept Jesus, and in our everyday lives for the rest of our lives.

What transitions are you coming through? When you think of them, remember Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Remember that because He crossed over, you can too. A new day can be yours.

Becoming New

The road to resurrection can be daunting. It challenges us to see beyond our doubts and fears and move into God’s promise and purpose. Jesus was challenged before He went to the Cross—His path to resurrection. He went to Gethsemane “deeply distressed” while Judas set his plan to betray Him in motion (see Matthew 26:36–37 and John 13:21–30). Jesus prayed so earnestly that His sweat “became like great drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44).

As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, know that Jesus sympathizes with your weaknesses. He was tempted like you and me, but without sin (see Hebrews 4:15). When He got up from agonizing prayer, He walked all the way down that road; He was tried, tortured, and crucified, knowing that He would cross over and rise again in power (see John 2:18–22).

No matter what you’re facing, you can know that you’ll come all the way through. How do I know this? When you gave your life to Jesus, you were born again. Everything became new (see 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Do you remember the day when Jesus set you free? When your thoughts and desires changed? When you suddenly couldn’t wait to read the Bible or go to Bible study? When I got saved, I was a smoker. But after giving my life to the Lord, the desire for cigarettes left me. I was amazed; I knew I hadn’t been able to stop smoking in my own power. Jesus is real.

The Same: Yesterday, Today, & Forever

Let’s go deeper. Millions of people around the world celebrate Resurrection Sunday / Easter, but I see it as the perfect marriage of old and new. The completion of Old Covenant shadows by the coming of New Covenant promises in Jesus Christ. Truly, this blessed season is about crossing over.

It is the time to remember that Jesus, our Passover Lamb (see 1 Corinthians 5:7), has delivered all who believe in Him out of the hands of our enemy, the devil. Jesus is the fulfillment of the “lamb without spot and blemish” chosen by each household in Exodus 12:1–28. When the Israelites applied the blood of that pure, innocent lamb to their lintel and doorposts, God caused the death angel to “pass over” their households during the final plague in Egypt when every firstborn died (see Exodus 12:12–13).

Just as surely as God used Moses to deliver the Israelites out of Pharaoh’s cruel reign, Jesus leads you and me out of the tyrannical rule of our enemy. You see, both then and now, the blood of the “sacrificial lamb” sets us free from bondage. We cross over and come into a new beginning, the first day of the rest of our lives (see Exodus 12:1–8).

Matthew 26 tells us how Jesus shared a Passover meal (called a Seder) with the disciples, and on the same night was betrayed and arrested. When the sun came up, it was still Passover. How so? The Hebrew day begins at evening according to Genesis 1:1–5. So, Passover began that night and ended the next evening. Jesus died on the cross on Passover at the “ninth hour” (see Matthew 27:46–50), which was at 3:00 p.m. on the modern, twelve-hour clock. History proves He is our Passover Lamb.

The Bible also tells us that when Jesus breathed His last breath, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Matthew 27:51) Jesus, our High Priest, completed and fulfilled the Old Covenant priesthood. Because He shed His blood once for all, the blood of lambs, goats, and other sacrifices was no longer necessary (see Hebrews 9:11–15).

Jesus Has Set You Free!

As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, remember that through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He not only birthed the New Covenant—He shed His blood so that you could be forgiven, healed, delivered, and restored to a right relationship with the Father. There is POWER in the blood of Jesus! It doesn’t matter if the road to your victory looks a little dark and you can’t see everything ahead. Because of Jesus, the enemy of your soul can no longer control you.

Hebrews 2:14–15 says, “Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death—that is, the devil—and also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.”

If you’re going through a difficult transition, remember Jesus! As a child of God—the master of change—you can cross over into resurrection: a new day of grace, hope, and power. I encourage you, starting today, to think about everything God has done for you. Record it in your journal and thank Him for all His benefits (see Psalm 103:1–5). Instead of looking down, look up! See the One who was foreshadowed in the Old Covenant; Whose death, burial, and resurrection birthed the New Covenant; and Whose love and power have set you free. You’ll see your transitions in a new light.

Yes, Resurrection Sunday is upon us, and Jesus is here for you right now. I pray to the Father in His wonderful Name that you would see and experience the Lord in a new way. May He shine the light of resurrection in your heart and give you hope for better tomorrows. I thank Him for causing you to rise, by the power of His blood, and cross over into all He has for you. Amen.

“Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 

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The Cross
Faith

Strange Kingdom – How Does The Cross Transform Your Daily Life?

by Ken Costa
written by Ken Costa

The Cross. Can you go anywhere without seeing one?

Whether it’s tattooed on a body or suspended on a chain, the Cross is the universal symbol and representation of Christianity.

A strange choice, don’t you think?

That the ultimate tool of torture embodies a universal movement of hope.

No branding agency would encourage us to have the Cross as an image to represent the inauguration of a kingdom.

Perhaps something more upbeat?

After all, the Cross is a sign of weakness.

The Cross is a sign of defeat.

How strange. How peculiar.

As we observe the events of that final Friday we find ourselves grappling with questions that desperately need answers:

Why was Jesus forsaken at His moment of greatest suffering?

Why was God silent between Friday and Sunday?

How could Jesus look down from the Cross and forgive the very people who put Him there?

A Strange Kingdom?

It’s what provoked the modern martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer to say: “A king who dies on a Cross must be the king of a rather strange kingdom.”

He is a mass of contradictions and paradox, and yet He strikes me, even from the distance of 2000 years, as someone deeply compelling.

I am mesmerised by the power of Jesus and the foolish nature of His power, and I remain so to this day.

Jesus didn’t command legions or amass millions of loyal followers.

He was seen as a religious rebel with a ragtag bunch.

This isn’t what a messiah looks like.

This isn’t what God looks like. Or is it?

Jesus cried out from the Cross: “It is finished.”

Had Jesus’ hands not been forced down by six-inch nails to the wooden beam I can imagine a victorious fist being elevated into the dark sky.

It was in this moment, through the lens of utter weakness and helplessness that we would witness God’s love break into the world.

‘It is finished’ was no cry of defeat. It was the cry and declaration of completion.

God had a plan. God knew something the powerful regimes of this world did not see.

A plan that was foolish to the wise, but the power of God to the weak. The very power of God made real in our lives.

Though the symbol of the Cross hangs over the world in its distorted, twisted imagery of pain and shame, it is not as a worldly power story, but as a story of love.

A genuine alternative to the political power constructs of this world.

The Cross – a symbol of hope for every human being.

But, we have a choice to make. Every day we get to decide.

Will we be compelled by the world’s foolish power or instead embrace, the powerful foolishness that is found in the Cross of Jesus Christ?

It’s a Strange Kingdom but a powerful one when we are empowered by the sacrificial love of Jesus on the Cross.

This is based on the theme of Ken Costa’s new book, Strange Kingdom, a series of meditations on the Cross to transform your day to day life.  Why not take some time out and reflect on how the Cross impacts your life? 

 

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Articles

40 Days to Overcome – Day 39

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

We want you to experience the full abundant life that Jesus Christ promised us.

“I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND HAVE IT ABUNDANTLY.”

JOHN 10:10

During Lent we reflect on the fact that Jesus not only overcame His 40 day trial in the desert, and the temptations of the enemy, but also death by His resurrection. As we celebrate His resurrection we also rejoice in our life in Christ.

Download your 40 Days Prayer Card

Please prayerfully consider giving today as a Lent offering so we can reach the lost with the news of His Resurrection!

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