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Imprisonment

Christians Travel 13 Hours & Risks 3-Year Imprisonment Just To Worship God

by Christel Berns June 14, 2023

Christians in China risk everything, including traveling for 13 hours and three-year imprisonment, to worship God at a Christian gathering.

Humbling Experience With Christians In China

In a humbling video testimony shared by Melody Chandler on Instagram, the faith of Christians in China is astounding. A pastor from America shared about his experience visiting an underground church in the country.

Melody Chandler [@redeemedmelody]. Pastor Sharing Testimony. Instagram, 5 June. 2023, https://www.instagram.com/redeemedmelody/

According to Melody’s caption, twenty-two Chinese Christ followers traveled 13 hours just to be a part of the Christian gathering. More so, they spent three days “sitting on a hard wood floor in a non-air conditioned room to study God’s word.”

In the video, the pastor shared exactly happened and how meeting these Christians deeply humbled him.

“When you teach in China, you start at eight in the morning and you don’t get done till five at night,” he shared. Later, the pastor recounted how he asked his listeners, “If we get caught, what will happen to me? They said, ‘you’ll get deported in 24 hours, then we’ll go to prison for three years.”

Imprisoned For Their Faith

Moreover, out of the 22 attendees, 18 have already experienced being imprisoned because of their faith.

As the pastor handed out 15 Bibles, he noticed one attendee giving away her Bible to someone beside her. The lady gave it away because she had already memorized the Scripture they were discussing. When the pastor asked how it happened, she told him she memorized it when she was in prison.

Later, when the pastor asked how he could pray for her, he rejected his request. Because she asked him to pray that they would become like America, having the freedom to gather anywhere to worship God.

“I will not do that,” the pastor said. “Because you guys rode a 13 hours just to get here. In my country, if you got to drive more than an hour, people don’t come.. We have an average of two Bibles per family and we don’t read any of them.”

May this story serve as a lesson for every believer not to take the freedom to worship God for granted. Let’s continue to pray for our brothers and sisters in China who are still facing persecution.

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A post shared by Melody Chandler (@redeemedmelody)

Reference | Instagram – Melody Chandler

June 14, 2023 0 comment

News

Pastor Brunson Finally Released from Turkish Prison

by Jared Laskey October 12, 2018

written by Jared Laskey

Breaking News

Pastor Andrew Brunson of the United States has been released from Turkish prison! US President Donald Trump tweeted earlier today, “PASTOR BRUNSON JUST RELEASED. WILL BE HOME SOON!”

Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina told FOX NEWS that Brunson will be on his way home, “in just a couple of days, if not hours.”

Brunson has been in Turkish prison since October 2016. He was falsely accused for aiding and abetting terrorists, and conspiracy against the Turkish government. Many people have been praying and fasting for Pastor Brunson. He was facing up to 30 year in prison due to the false charges.

The US government has been pressuring Turkey for Brunson’s release. This last July he was moved from prison and being placed on house arrest. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been leading efforts on Brunson’s release. He recently said Brunson, “should have been released this month.” Pompeo also said, “Pastor Brunson and the other US persons that are being held by Turkey all need to be released by Turkey.”

Facebook Live Prayer Vigil

On Thursday, October 11, a Facebook Live prayer vigil took placer Pastor Brunson, starting at 7:30 PM (EST). The event was streamed from the front of the Turkish embassy in Washington, D.C.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition and organizer of the live prayer vigil, quoted Hebrews 13:3 saying it says, “Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison. And those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”

The Prayer Vigil was praying for Brunson’s immediate release. Mahoney’s statement said, “We will also be calling on Turkey to ensure religious freedom and human rights for all. And to end the persecution and intimidation of Christians and other religious minorities.”

Mahoney also said, “It is important for the faith community to stand in solidarity with all those who are being persecuted and attacked for their Christians beliefs and continue to be a loud and prophetic public voice for justice and religious freedom. We cannot rest or be silent until Pastor Brunson is released. And able to freely worship God according the dictates of his conscience.”

Responses Celebrating Brunson’s Release

Pastor Brunson has been serving the people of Turkey for the last 23 years, and leads Resurrection Church in Izmir, Turkey.

US Vice President Mike Pence tweeted, “Pastor Andrew Brunson is coming home! Thanks to the strong leadership of @POTUS Trump and the steadfast prayers of millions of Americans, this innocent man of faith will soon be home!”

Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice released a video statement. The ACLJ had over 600,000 signatures petitioning for Brunson’s release.

Sekulow also tweeted, “We are so grateful to President Trump, Members of Congress, and the diplomats who worked so hard to free Pastor Andrew. We’re also thankful to all the @ACLJ members for your support & prayers for #PastorBrunson and his family.”

Continue in Prayer

Millions of people have been praying and interceding for Pastor Brunson and others imprisoned in Turkey. Please continue to pray for his healing and reintegration into family and American life. Comment below or post your prayers on our GODTV Facebook page under this article.

October 12, 2018 1 comment

News

Captive Christians in North Korea Released & Testify to Miracles

by GOD TV June 18, 2018

written by GOD TV

From 2016 to 2017, Kim Hak Song, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Dong-chul, three American citizens were arrested, separately, in North Korea. Dong-chul, a pastor in his 60’s, received the longest sentence of 10 years’ hard labor.

What were their crimes? “Espionage,” “crimes against the state,” and “suspicion of ‘hostile’ acts,” according to North Korea.

In the North Korea pre North Korea-United States Summit there was no hope of a fair trial or parole for these men. The government answered to no citizen and certainly no counsel of united nations. They were spies, anarchists, dangerous men. They were Christians.

Jump forward to May of 2018 and relations with North Korea have dramatically changed. President Trump made history by becoming the first sitting U.S. President to meet face-to-face with a North Korean leader.

The Trump administration convinced the North Korean government that things would be friendlier at the upcoming summit if they released the imprisoned men, and to the surprise of many, they agreed.

North Korea has a long history of being one of the most hostile countries to Christians. Simply reading the Bible or referencing prayer could subject you to brutal treatment and imprisonment. Stories of labor camps, public on-the-spot killings, and rounding up of entire families evokes images of WWII Nazi concentration camps.

But it seems the prayers of the underground Church and Christians worldwide are tearing down the strongholds.

President Trump tweeted: “I am pleased to inform you that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in the air and on his way back from North Korea with the 3 wonderful gentlemen that everyone is looking so forward to meeting.”

It was a powerful moment to see Kim Hak Song, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Dong-chul step back on American soil.

The men are said to be in good health as they return to family and loved ones.

Kim Hak Song, who had been accused of promoting religion, had this to say about his detainment, “I was thinking, I don’t know what I did wrong.” While he may not have been actively promoting Christianity, he certainly didn’t lose the opportunity to evangelize in prison. During his detainment an “official” asked him to write about Christianity. “I was grateful and thankful that at this time I was able to share God’s message to this person,” Hak Song said.

Hak Song, who by God’s protection was not brutalized, spoke also of dreams and visions he had while imprisoned. Unaware of any U.S.-North Korea summit, or intervention plan of President Trump, Kim Hak Song had dreams of being in Trump’s car with Americans cheering around him.

“The dream became reality. God is walking with us.”

The miraculous release of Kim Hak Song, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Dong-chul is the modern-day re-telling of Paul and Silas in prison:

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” – Acts 16:25-26

We at GOD TV rejoice with the Body of Christ for the release of Kim Hak Song, Kim Sang-duk, and Kim Dong-chul. May Christians continue to shake the foundations through our prayers and worship.

June 18, 2018 1 comment

Faith

The Destiny Killer: Breaking Free from Condemnation’s Crushing Weight

by Vance K Jackson October 31, 2017

written by Vance K Jackson

Breaking Free from Condemnation

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ KJV

Condemnation is a Destiny Detractor. It’s the enemy’s strategic attempt to steal, kill and to derail your Destiny. When condemnation attempts to take root in your heart, the enemy, Satan, will infiltrate your mind by planting negative words and thoughts that directly counter God’s Word. Condemnation is both enmity against God and it wars against your faith. Condemnation is a bondage that weighs you down and is designed to hold you back from fulfilling and flourishing in your Destiny. When Christ has set you free, you are free indeed. God does not condemn you of your past mistakes, He frees you completely and releases you from its stronghold and entanglement. When you accept and give in to condemnation, Satan, the great accuser – the father of lies (John 8:44 KJV) will draw you into his web of entanglement, in an effort to trap you both spiritually and mentally – keeping you in a place of fear and stagnation. Satan’s tactics were designed to both drain you spiritually and mentally, in an effort to stagnate your Purpose, progress, and growth. Keep pushing beyond how you may feel. When you are in Christ, the failures and the shortcomings of your past are removed and completely eradicated through Christ’s shed Blood. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalms ‭103:12‬ ‭KJV‬

When you repent, God separates you and sets you apart from the sins of your past. When you repent and accept Christ you are made whole. In Christ, He makes you new and He completely removes the stains of your past. God does not separate you from His Love, He separates your sins and sets you apart to become His Own. When you repent, He completely wipes the slate clean. You have a new start in Him. Remember that God forgives and the enemy accuses. Know that God has forgiven you completely and the weight of the past is lifted. In Christ, you are completely forgiven and free.

Condemnation was designed to remind you of your sin, past mistakes, failures, and shortcomings. God’s Forgiveness is freely available, wiping away and totally eradicating the stain of sin. Embrace your freedom in Christ.

Pray This Prayer: “Father God, in the Name of Jesus, I thank You for forgiving me of my sin. Lord, I repent of any and every sin committed against You. You are Lord and I submit to you. I walk in Your Freedom, Love and Forgiveness. In Jesus Name. Amen.”

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter ‭4:8‬ ‭KJV‬

God is Love (1 John 4:16). Through the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His redemptive work on the Cross, Christ has set you free from the entanglement of sin. In Christ, you are free. When the enemy comes in like a flood, use The Word of God to defeat and conquer the wiles of Satan. The Word of God is the only weapon that can defeat the stronghold of the enemy. Every word the enemy speaks is a lie and will torment you into thinking that your past mistake(s) is bigger than God Himself and weighs you down from pursuing Destiny. God is bigger than the mistakes of your past. When you are in Christ you are His and no one, not even Satan, can take you away from the Love of Christ. Be free forever.

“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭30‬ KJV

Christ is greater than your condemnation. When you begin to idolize your past mistakes, failures, and shortcomings, you place yourself in a self-inflicted prison. Condemnation keeps you in a state of spiritual imprisonment; it entangles you to what the enemy speaks over your life and prevents you from embracing what God has Declared who you are. God cares about you. He is concerned about every problem that you may face. You are His child and you’re not on this journey by yourself. Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. God cares about every intricate detail about your life. You are His and Condemnation has no place in the life of the Believer.

Meditate and Confess His Word Daily. Stay focused on what God’s Word says about you – both Logos and Rhema – (written and revealed). God’s Word will break the bondage of condemnation.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua ‭1:8‬ ‭KJV‬

Be Blessed,

October 31, 2017 0 comment