SIGNS AND WONDERS

I do not apologize for posting this as it is stupendous and I do not apologize to those who believe that these things do not happen today as it is very clear they do.

I am reading the book "The Night the Angels Came" by Chrissie Chapman who was doing medical work in Burundi.

Here is another story

It is very common in Africa on súnday mornings to find people sitting around the perimeter of the church as 10-12,000 people meet to worship God. Some have walked for several hours with sick relatives and friends. Mothers come with their children along with the deaf, the blind and even the dying. They wait until the end of the service which can last for 4-5 hours. They make their way forward for prayer. Week after week Jesus heals them. Blind eyes are opened, the deaf begin to hear, the sick are healed, and the captives are set free as the name of Jesus is spoken over them. It is without doubt one of the most humbling experiences to witness. The touch of Jesus is priceless.

Sad to say, but Africa is leading the pack in abuse, the false prosperity gospel has taken hold, as wealthy church leaders drive around in luxury cars, living in luxury homes, flying private jets, as people starve?

Out of the world top 10 wealthiest church leaders, the majority are found in Africa.

BBC.COM

Nigeria's pastors 'as rich as oil barons'
Published15 June 2011

image captionIncreasing numbers of Nigerians are attending independent church services, like this one in Lagos

Nigeria's pastors run multi-million dollar businesses which rival that of oil tycoons, a Nigerian blogger who has researched the issue has told the BBC.

Mfonobong Nsehe, who blogs for Forbes business magazine, says pastors own businesses from hotels to fast-food chains.
"Preaching is big business. It's almost as profitable as the oil business," he said.
The joint wealth of five pastors was at least $200m (£121m), he said.

Evangelical churches have grown in Nigeria in recent years, with tens of thousands of people flocking to their services.

Mr Nsehe said the richest pastor, Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry, was worth about $150m.
Bishop Oyedepo owned a publishing company, university, an elite private school, four jets and homes in London and the United States, according to Mr Nsehe.

'Private jets'
The Nigerian blogger said Bishop Oyedepo was followed on the rich list by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Believers' Loveworld Ministries. He was worth between $30 and $50m.

"Oyakhilome's diversified interests include newspapers, magazines, a local television station, a record label, satellite TV, hotels and extensive real estate," Mr Nsehe said.
He said three of the other richest pastors were:

• Temitope Joshua Matthew of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (worth between $10m and $15m);
• Matthew Ashimolowo of Kingsway International Christian Centre (worth between $6 million and $10 million) and
• Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church (worth between $3 million and $10 million).

Mr Nsehe said representatives of all the clergymen, except Pastor Ashimolowo, confirmed ownership of the assets he had listed on his blog.
"These pastors are flamboyant. You see them with private jets and expensive cars. This extravagance sends out the wrong message to their followers," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
He said the pastors acquired their wealth from various sources, including their congregations.
"We have Nigerians who are desperate, looking for solutions to their problems. They go to church for salvation, redemption and healing and pastors sometimes take advantage of them," Mr Nsehe said.

The problem is reading those books that either outright lie or exaggerate a natural occurrence into some sort of sign or wonder.
The bible says the Jews seek for signs and wonders. Unless you are a Jew why would you seek them? Why would anyone need a sign when we have the sign of Jonah in Christ? Who needs any more of a wonder than the precious words of our Lord in the scripture that tells us EVERYTHING necessary to our life in Christ that we will ever need to know?

For some people Jesus Christ is not enough......they require a dog and pony show to express their "faith".
One can be sincere in their beliefs, but can also be sincerely wrong.

Maybe you had too many drinks. (as your name implies)

The Holy Spirit through Peter and Paul tells us how good it is to fellowship with those of "like precious faith" (2 Peter 1:1), "with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel" (Phil. 1:27). Which is Christ Crucified-The Preaching (Message) of the Cross (1 Corinthians 2:2, 1 Cor. 1:18)

I do not apologize for posting this as it is stupendous and I do not apologize to those who believe that these things do not happen today as it is very clear they do.

You ever wonder, if it is indeed "very clear they do", why is covid-19 still with us after so many months?

Instead we have such useless claims this side of America

The touch of Jesus is priceless.

and the captives are set free as the name of Jesus is spoken over them.

They make their way forward for prayer. Week after week Jesus heals them.

Sad to say, but Africa is leading the pack in abuse, the false prosperity gospel has taken hold, as wealthy church leaders drive around in luxury cars, living in luxury homes, flying private jets, as people starve?

Out of the world top 10 wealthiest church leaders, the majority are found in Africa.

BBC.COM

Nigeria's pastors 'as rich as oil barons'
Published15 June 2011

image captionIncreasing numbers of Nigerians are attending independent church services, like this one in Lagos

Nigeria's pastors run multi-million dollar businesses which rival that of oil tycoons, a Nigerian blogger who has researched the issue has told the BBC.

Mfonobong Nsehe, who blogs for Forbes business magazine, says pastors own businesses from hotels to fast-food chains.
"Preaching is big business. It's almost as profitable as the oil business," he said.
The joint wealth of five pastors was at least $200m (£121m), he said.

Evangelical churches have grown in Nigeria in recent years, with tens of thousands of people flocking to their services.

Mr Nsehe said the richest pastor, Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry, was worth about $150m.
Bishop Oyedepo owned a publishing company, university, an elite private school, four jets and homes in London and the United States, according to Mr Nsehe.

'Private jets'
The Nigerian blogger said Bishop Oyedepo was followed on the rich list by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Believers' Loveworld Ministries. He was worth between $30 and $50m.

"Oyakhilome's diversified interests include newspapers, magazines, a local television station, a record label, satellite TV, hotels and extensive real estate," Mr Nsehe said.
He said three of the other richest pastors were:

• Temitope Joshua Matthew of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (worth between $10m and $15m);
• Matthew Ashimolowo of Kingsway International Christian Centre (worth between $6 million and $10 million) and
• Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church (worth between $3 million and $10 million).

Mr Nsehe said representatives of all the clergymen, except Pastor Ashimolowo, confirmed ownership of the assets he had listed on his blog.
"These pastors are flamboyant. You see them with private jets and expensive cars. This extravagance sends out the wrong message to their followers," he told the BBC's Network Africa programme.
He said the pastors acquired their wealth from various sources, including their congregations.
"We have Nigerians who are desperate, looking for solutions to their problems. They go to church for salvation, redemption and healing and pastors sometimes take advantage of them," Mr Nsehe said.

You ever wonder, if it is indeed "very clear they do", why is covid-19 still with us after so many months?

Instead we have such useless claims this side of America

The problem is reading those books that either outright lie or exaggerate a natural occurrence into some sort of sign or wonder.
The bible says the Jews seek for signs and wonders. Unless you are a Jew why would you seek them? Why would anyone need a sign when we have the sign of Jonah in Christ? Who needs any more of a wonder than the precious words of our Lord in the scripture that tells us EVERYTHING necessary to our life in Christ that we will ever need to know?

For some people Jesus Christ is not enough......they require a dog and pony show to express their "faith".
One can be sincere in their beliefs, but can also be sincerely wrong.

Maybe you had too many drinks. (as your name implies)

BBC.COM

Nigeria's pastors 'as rich as oil barons'
Published15 June 2011

I am sorry that the anti miracle warriors are out in force on this one. Most of their comments are (roll of the eyes) garbage. Especially those who have gone to great lengths to tell us how rich some African church leaders are.

SO WHAT? I am not talking about them. I was talking about a cleaning lady. Not exactly, someone you would call rich. I guess the naysayers would rather the little boy stayed dead. What a heartless bunch of nobodies you are.

For a lot of Africans, you can't phone for an ambulance. There is no hospital to treat you. There is no medical clinic to help you with their problem. There are no medications readily available. There are no qualified doctors on the spot to treat patients.

So what are people to do? Read the Bible? The problem is many of them can't read. Go and have fellowship with those of like minded faith? For your information that is what they did. They congregated together at the Sunday morning meeting because their only hope was Jesus. The same as it was in the New Testament. The story told of their faith in Jesus to heal them and their children. So what is wrong with that tell me? Especially when Jesus DID heal them.

If you would deny them their only means of healing you are totally heartless. And just for the record some of your comments are bordering on blaspheming the Holy Spirit. That is dangerous ground.

So come on everyone. Let's crowd out there deniers of the truth and fill this thread with stories of healing no matter how insignificant so that we can all praise God for his goodness to us. I will start with mine.

I was in a head-on car collision in 1976. I should have died because I was traveling at 60mph with no seat belt on. I grabbed the wheel and said audibly, "Here I come Jesus" as I thought I was going to die. At that very moment, I felt a pair of hands take hold of my shoulders, and instead of shooting through the windscreen like the passenger did in the other car, I was held in place by an angel. All I had was a scratch on my nose and a bang on my knee. I had to get out of the back door because the front was totally mangled.

Sadly I forgot to get out my bible when it happened.

I do not apologize for posting this as it is stupendous and I do not apologize to those who believe that these things do not happen today as it is very clear they do.

I am reading the book "The Night the Angels Came" by Chrissie Chapman who was doing medical work in Burundi.

Here is another story

It is very common in Africa on súnday mornings to find people sitting around the perimeter of the church as 10-12,000 people meet to worship God. Some have walked for several hours with sick relatives and friends. Mothers come with their children along with the deaf, the blind and even the dying. They wait until the end of the service which can last for 4-5 hours. They make their way forward for prayer. Week after week Jesus heals them. Blind eyes are opened, the deaf begin to hear, the sick are healed, and the captives are set free as the name of Jesus is spoken over them. It is without doubt one of the most humbling experiences to witness. The touch of Jesus is priceless.