There will be live streaming of the services this week honoring Bishop Norman L. Wagner
Monday February 8, 2010 7:00 PM The Celebration of a Worshipper
Tuesday February 9, 2010 7:00 PM The Celebration of a Shepherd and Statesman
Wednesday February 10, 2010 11:00 AM The Celebration of a King among Princes
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Our Beloved Bishop Norman L. Wagner Absent from the Body Now Present with the Lord Youngstown, OH – On Saturday, January 30, 2010, the international church world, as well as the entertainment industry and many leaders worldwide suffered a great loss when internationally beloved Christian leader, Bishop Norman L. Wagner departed this life to be with the Lord. Bishop Norman L. Wagner was Pastor of Calvary Ministries International (formerly known as Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church) from March of 1971 until his passing on January 30, 2010.
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Schedule for Home-Going Celebration
Monday, February 8, 2010
“The Celebration of a Worshipper”
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 -
“The Celebration of a Shepherd & Statesman”
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 Bishop Norman L. Wagner will Lie in Repose at the Church (Calvary Ministries International) from 11:00 AM until 6:00 PM followed by the Memorial Service at 7:00 PM that same evening, which will be held at the Covelli Center (formerly called the Chevrolet Center/ Youngstown Convocation Center). Non PAW Bishops and Prelates is Class B civics.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
“The Celebration of a King Among Princes”
Wednesday February 10, 2010 Bishop Wagner’s Final Home-Going Celebration will take place at the Covelli Center (formerly called the Chevrolet Center / Youngstown Convocation Center). The day will begin with a viewing from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM. The Funeral service will begin at 11:00 AM. Bishop Horace Smith, current Presiding Prelate of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) will perform the Eulogy.
Interment immediately following; Green Haven Memorial Gardens, 3495 S. Canfield-Niles Rd., Canfield, OH 44406. All PAW Bishops are requested to wear their official vestments with the purple chemiere. All other PAW tiers of leadership are also requested to wear their official vestments. All non PAW Bishops and Prelates is Class A full choir dress.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting monetary contributions made payable to “Calvary Ministries care of the N.L. Wagner Foundation” mailed to Calvary Ministries International 1812 Oak Hill Ave. Youngstown, OH 44507.
Please let us continue to hold up in prayer First Lady Rita Wagner, along with their daughters, Christian & Camille (Kent) and granddaughter, British, and the other family members; as well as the Calvary church family. Any inquiries or questions can be made through the church office at (330) 747-4445.
Calvary Ministries International
Hotel Listing
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HOTEL
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ADDRESS | TELEPHONE | RATE |
| Holiday Inn | 7410 South Avenue Boardman | 330-726-1611 | $85.99 All Rooms Per Night + Tax |
| Fairfield Inn | 7397 Tiffany South Boardman |
330-726-5979 | $62.00 per night + Tax |
| Hampton Inn & Suites | 6690 Ironwood Blvd Canfield |
330-702-1900 | $99.00 Per night + Tax |
All room rates are available from February 1st thru February 11th.
Please refer to “Calvary Ministries – Bishop Wagner” for the above rates.
Bishop Norman L. Wagner – A Biographic Snapshot
World-Wide Leader and Personality – Pastor / Educator / Statesman / Servant 1976 Bishop Norman L. Wagner established a private school, Calvary Christian Academy, to meet the needs of families who lacked access to quality and cutting-edge education. In spite of Youngstown’s struggling economy, the school excelled and graduated many individuals who are now making their mark on the world; Executives, Professionals, Sports & Entertainment Figures, and Leaders including Youngstown’s current Mayor, the Honorable Jay Williams.
Against incredible odds, in 1984, Bishop Wagner spearheaded a building project to house senior citizens in the Youngstown community; Calvary Towers were erected and today still stand as a monument to Bishop Wagner’s commitment to better living standards for the senior citizens of his hometown.
Recognized for his positive influence and the significant contributions to the communities he serviced, Bishop Wagner has enjoyed visits to The White House by personal invitations from Presidents Ronald Reagan, and William Jefferson Clinton.
Musically, as a gifted singer, song-writer, and arranger, Bishop Norman L. Wagner along with his choir, received Stellar Nominations for songs, “Best For Last,” and “Excellent.” Additionally, he played a very significant role in the launch of now Multi-Grammy Award Winning Artist, Vicki Winans. His wise counsel and his integrity have earned him great respect and love among many internationally celebrated artists within the Entertainment Industry – as is demonstrated by the list of Artists scheduled to appear during his Home-Going services.
On National and Global Fronts
In 1978, Bishop Wagner created and served as Executive Producer of “The Power of Pentecost,” a television program which went National in 1978 and International by 1985.
Bishop Wagner was presiding Prelate of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc. (PAW) for two consecutive terms (1998-2004) with over two thousand churches under his auspices.
Bishop Wagner also founded and presided over the European Council of Nations (ECN) for over twenty years; a Christian organization of church leaders in Europe of varying ethnicities and languages. The ECN grew to
over 40 churches under his leadership.
In 1986, Bishop Wagner established an international leadership conference, Pentecost In Perspective (PIP). The conference was designed to develop and equip leaders, as well as those in pursuit of leadership roles. This annual conference has been heavily attended by thousands of Christian and Business Leaders from around the globe for over two decades.
Bishop Wagner’s family and Calvary Ministries International wish to thank everyone for their efforts to honor the labor, the love, and the memory of this great man who gave his life in the service of others for the Kingdom of God .
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
It is with great earthly sorrow but heavenly joy that I announce the passing of Bishop Norman L. Wagner, former Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World and Pastor of Calvary Ministries International. Let us keep the Calvary Family in our prayers along with Sister Wagner and children. Let us also keep the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World as a National Body in our prayers as well. Please check back often for details on the Apostolic Celebration of Life Homegoing Services of our dear Bishop.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 1Thessalonians 4:16-18
YOUNGSTOWN — Bishop Norman L. Wagner, longtime pastor of Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church on Oak Hill Avenue and past leader of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, died Saturday. He was 68.
The Youngstown native graduated from South High School and Youngstown State University before earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology from Aenon Bible College in Columbus and Indiana Bible College in Indianapolis. He was installed as pastor of Mount Calvary in June 1971 and went on to author several books and establish a senior citizens complex, Calvary Christian Academy, and a television and gospel choir ministry, which brought him national recognition.
When Calvary Christian Academy closed in 2001, Wagner led the opening of a charter school, Legacy Academy for Leaders and Arts that year and still served as chairman of that school.
He was a guest at the White House on several occasions, including a 1982 luncheon at which President Ronald Reagan recognized 100 “Outstanding Black Clergymen in America.”
In 1976, The Vindicator named him one of the 10 most progressive pastors in the city.
He leaves his wife, Dr. Rita Helen; two daughters and a granddaughter.
Mayor Jay Williams, who attends Mount Calvary, said Bishop Wagner was charismatic, committed and a man of intelligence and integrity. He was committed in his service to God and serving others, and you couldn’t know him without coming away with a desire to serve others, the mayor said.
Wagner was known across this country and the world, yet he was a humble man committed to his ministry and his mission to serve, Williams said. His loss “is indeed incalculable” to his church and the community, Williams said. He added that he and his wife, Sonja, who also attends Mount Calvary, are “eternally thankful for the indelible impact that Bishop Wagner had on our lives. We will seek to honor his family and his legacy through our work serving others.”
Jason Whitehead, the mayor’s chief of staff and an assistant pastor at Mount Calvary, described Wagner as a “visionary” and “an exceptional religious leader of his time.”
Wagner was bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World’s 13th Episcopal district, which is the state of Texas, Whitehead said. As a national evangelist, he was much sought after as a preacher and teacher in Pentecostal apostolic circles, he said.
He had also served as a bishop in Europe for Assemblies, with his diocese being the European Council of Nations, Whitehead said.
His death is “a tremendous loss to the ministry,” Whitehead said, noting that impact will reach far into the community as well. Wagner was perhaps one of the best known ministers of any color in this area, he said.
Wagner’s service as pastor to his church would have reached 39 years in March. He grew up in Mount Calvary, Whitehead said, explaining that his mother had been a charter member of the church.
UPDATE 01/31/2010:
A Youngstown church is mourning the passing of their beloved leader.
Bishop Norman Wagner died Saturday night from complications following heart surgery. On Sunday, members of Mount Calvary Pentecostal Church gathered to grieve the loss of their longtime pastor.
Bishop Wagner had been at the helm of Mount Calvary since the early 1970’s and clearly left a big impression on the lives he touched.
“This is a great loss, not just to this church, but to the world,” said church member Debra Kennedy.
Church members went on to say that Bishop Wagner was a man who practiced what he preached.
“The key to living was to find your purpose and your destiny, and he exemplified that through the life that he lived,” said assistant pastor, Jason Whitehead.
Wagner grew up in Youngstown. He graduated from South High School and attended Youngstown State University. He went on to receive a bachelors and masters degree from Aenon Bible College in Indiana.
In 1971, he returned to his roots and took over the church he went to as a child.
“In a community that had many challenges over the years, Bishop Wagner emphasized education,” added Whitehead, as well as, “advancing yourself and proving yourself as a person.”
Jerome Jones, executive director of Mount Calvary, says because of Bishop Wagner, he went from high school dropout to recent Ph.D graduate.
“So, Bishop Wagner has been a preacher and an inspiration for excellence. And his investment in our lives and investment in the community is so we can make the world a better place to live in,” said Jones.
In this time of mourning for Mount Calvary, church members insist it’s also a time to rejoice.
“God doesn’t make a mistake, so we will be thanking and glorifying God today,” Kennedy said.
Bishop Wagner was 68 years old. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and one granddaughter.
Acts 2:38
THE BIBLICAL WAY!
Port au Prince, Haiti – January 14, 2010. Apostolic News. On January 12, 2010, great devastation resulted from the 7.0 earthquake, which struck the region around Port au Prince, (the capital city,) in Haiti. Many have died and multiplied thousands are missing, trapped under the rubble of destroyed buildings and infrastructure. Haiti - the most impoverished nation in the western hemisphere – is struggling to cope in the earthquake’s aftermath.
In Haiti, the UPCI has more than 50,614 members, 681 ministers, and 585 churches and preaching points. Last year there were 12,952 baptized in Jesus’ Name and 17,439 received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Resident missionaries, the Ron Brian Family, are currently on deputation in the western U.S.
After graduating from Gateway College of Evangelism, the Ron Brian family began their missionary ministry by serving as AIMers in the Caribbean, eventually achieving missionary status in 1995. They have served in Trinidad & Tobago and the ABC Islands and are now in charge of the UPC work in Haiti, which reports 50,614 constituents, 521 established churches and 761 licensed ministers. The national headquarters and Bible school are housed in a secure complex just outside the capital of Port-au-Prince. Although in recent years Haiti has been marked by civil unrest, political instability, and financial hardships.
The Foreign Missions Division’s “Compasssion International” effort (UPCI) is already at work to bring aid directly to this overwhelming need. Click on the above link for direct access to the Compassion International website.
Another Apostolic Church Pastor, Mike Moore, from Athens Apostolic Church is also in Haiti on a Mission work trip. They have not directly heard from him but have gotten notification that the work team is all okay.”
Sarah Hodel, who supervises the pre-school program at Apostolic Church, said, “We learned through the Church World Relief Organization that they (Moore and his party) had gotten back to their compound, now whether they can get back off the island is another thing.”
The Associated Press reported that the main airport at Port Au Prince had reopened after having its control tower flattened in the quake.
Source: The News Courier Athens, AL
On January 1 Keith Severin and his 7-year-old son, Adrien, agreed that they would spend at least 15 minutes every day that year searching together for treasure. Carlos Alcalá’s article in the Sacramento Bee described how they went out each day in every kind of weather to see what they could find. A year later their collection of coins, golf balls, recyclable bottles and cans, and various other items had yielded more than $1,000. In the process, they enjoyed many hours of companionship and fun.
If we decided to spend 15 minutes a day searching for treasure in the Bible, what would we find? Solomon wrote: “If you seek [wisdom] as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. . . . Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity and every good path” (Prov. 2:4-5,9).
Growth won’t happen all at once. But gradually, day by day, we will be changed through reading God’s Word and obeying Him. And think of the privilege and pleasure of spending time with our heavenly Father.
It begins with a willing commitment, continues with exciting discoveries, and leads to the treasure of wisdom and life. — David C. McCasland
Search the Scriptures’ precious store—
As a miner digs for ore;
Search, and you will surely find
Treasures to enrich the mind. —Anon.
Rich treasures of God’s truth are waiting to be discovered.
In 2010 (until eternity) let your doctrine be in line with what the bible clearly says. The basic and fundamental doctrine shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance! In order to see Jesus in peace, you must come the water way!
Acts 2:1-4; 2:38; 10:44-48; 19:1-6
One Lord One Faith One Baptism
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Saints, as we enter the new year (2010) how about we all dedicate ourselves to something that we all can benefit from. Sure I can loose weight. I can read my Word more (and you should). I can be faithful to every single church service and give freely my tithe and offering (and you should). But what about your internet usage? Is the Lord really pleased with some of the sites that may be popping up all over the place (on purpose and by accident). I was doing a search and came upon the “Christian Internet Code of Ethics” and thought it would be wonderful to share with you in Jesus Name. Watch God bless you if you adhere to these simple rules. (this goes for your cellular PDA’s as well Saints)
As a Christian who is active on the internet, I hold myself to certain standards of conduct. They are:
I guard my online relationships
I recognize that attachments develop as easily on the internet as anywhere else, and sometimes more easily because of the anonymity involved in initial exchanges. I particularly guard against relationships that encroach upon the level of trust and faithfulness that is to exist only within a husband/wife relationship.
I am careful to visit websites that do not compromise my life in Christ
I am aware that there are sites on the internet that Christians must avoid, including those that contain pornography. I do not visit such sites, even out of curiosity. When, by accident (and it happens to everyone), I find such a page loading, I leave it immediately.
I take care that my written communications reflect Christ in my life
Even on issues about which I feel passionate, I avoid saying things that I feel might be displeasing to the Lord. I represent myself, and my intentions in a truthful and upright manner in all my exchanges.
I guard my time to assure that my time online is kept in proper balance with the rest of my life
I realize that the internet can consume time that should be invested elsewhere: family, church, work responsibilities, and other activities that make for a well rounded life. I especially guard against spending time on the internet that should be spent with the Lord.
Thanks to NazNet for providing webspace for the Christian Internet Code of Ethics page. This effort is offered to all Christians, regardless of denomination or church organization
While it is biblically and historical clear that Jesus WAS NOT born on December 25th it has been proven historical and biblical that he WAS indeed born. More importantly Jesus died and rose again just for you and I and because of that, we currently have eternal life through Him. Since the world has chosen to dedicate this time of year as a time for giving and sharing, lets be clear, the real reason why we can give and share ANY time of year is because of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are equally thankful to Our One Lord who’s Name is Jesus that we have an opportunity to celebrate his birth, his death and his resurrection. Take some time this season to be thankful JUST BECAUSE He’s God.
As you know this is only a portion of the choir.
TULSA, Okla – Oral Roberts, the evangelist who rose from humble tent revivals to found a multimillion-dollar ministry and a university bearing his name, died Tuesday. He was 91.
Roberts died of complications from pneumonia in Newport Beach, Calif., according to his spokesman, A. Larry Ross. The evangelist was hospitalized after a fall on Saturday. He had survived two heart attacks in the 1990s and a broken hip in 2006.
Roberts was a pioneer on two fronts — he helped bring spirit-filled charismatic Christianity into the mainstream and took his trademark revivals to television, a new frontier for religion.
Roberts overcame tuberculosis at age 17, and credited that triumph with leading him to become one of the country’s most famous ministers.
He gave up a local pastorate in Enid in 1947 to enter an evangelistic ministry in Tulsa to pray for the healing of the whole person — the body, mind and spirit. The philosophy led many to call him a “faith healer,” a label he rejected with the comment: “God heals — I don’t.”
‘Feeling like a lion’
By the 1960s and ’70s, he was reaching millions around the world through radio, television, publications and personal appearances. He remained on TV into the new century, co-hosting the program, “Miracles Now,” with son Richard. He published dozens of books and conducted hundreds of crusades. A famous photograph showed him working at a desk with a sign on it reading, “Make no little plans here.”
He credited his oratorical skills to his faith, saying, “I become anointed with God’s word, and the spirit of the Lord builds up in me like a coiled spring. By the time I’m ready to go on, my mind is razor-sharp. I know exactly what I’m going to say and I’m feeling like a lion.”
Unity of body, mind and spirit became the theme of Oral Roberts University.
The campus is a Tulsa landmark, with its space-age buildings laden with gold paint, including a 200-foot prayer tower and a 60-foot bronze statue of praying hands.
His ministry hit upon rocky times in the 1980s. There was controversy over his City of Faith medical center, a $250 million investment that eventually folded, and Roberts’ widely ridiculed proclamation that God would “call me home” if he failed to meet a fundraising goal of $8 million. A law school he founded also was shuttered.
Scandal-plagued figure
Semiretired in recent years and living in California, he returned to Tulsa, Okla., in October 2007 as scandal roiled Oral Roberts University. His son, Richard Roberts, who succeeded him as ORU president, faced allegations of spending university money on shopping sprees and other luxuries at a time the institution was more than $50 million in debt.
Richard Roberts resigned as president in November 2007, marking the first time since Oral Roberts University was chartered in 1963 that a member of the Roberts family would not be at its helm. The rocky period for the evangelical school was eased by billionaire Oklahoma City businessman Mart Green donated $70 million and helped run the school in the interim, pledging to restore the public’s trust. By the fall of 2009, things were looking up, with officials saying tens of millions of dollars worth of debt had been paid off and enrollment was up slightly.
That September, a frail-looking Oral Roberts attended the ceremony when the school’s new president, Mark Rutland, was formally inaugurated.
Please join me in prayer for the Roberts family. We will send details on the memorial service as they are available.
UPDATE: A public memorial service for Oral Roberts will be held at the ORU Mabee Center, in Tulsa, Okla. on Monday, December 21st at 2:00 p.m. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m. for open seating. The service will be Webcast live on www.goldeneagle.tv.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” 1 Peter 1:13-19 NIV
Holiness is one of those challenging calls in the scripture that is often dismissed as impossible to achieve. But, we’re commanded to be holy, just as God is holy, so it must be possible. John said, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6).
In order to understand how holiness is possible, we must go back to the cross. Jesus died for two reasons – first, that we can be forgiven of our sin and second, that we might live for him in righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:15). Paul wrote, “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4 NIV). God sends the Holy Spirit to give us the power and life in our mortal bodies to make holiness possible. Paul wrote, “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11 NASB)
Bringing our lives into total submission to God in holiness is perhaps a lifelong task. It’s a challenge to die to sin’s desires each day and live in the reality of the new creation God has made us to be. When we believe that we have the Spirit and that he is helping us, the Spirit’s power is released in us to do the impossible.
The winning combination for holiness is achieved when we follow the Holy Spirit and cling to God’s word. Our textbook for learning how to live in holiness is the Bible. It contains God’s promises and the practical instructions on how to avoid evil and live as a righteous instrument for God’s purposes. As we read and study the Bible, we’ll learn the truth that sets us free from whatever sin besets us. Paul wrote, “Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God”(2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV). When we know and believe the promises, God’s power is engaged in us for change.
Questions for further thought:
“Lord Jesus, I embrace your command for holiness in my life. Thank you for dying for both the forgiveness of my sin and so that I may live in the newness of life in holiness. Please fill me afresh with your Holy Spirit and forgive me for grieving you in any way through sin in the past. I submit myself to your leadership and guidance. I respond to your convictions and walk on the path of righteousness. Thank you that holiness in my life is possible! In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. —Luke 1:28, 31
The story of Mary and the conception of Jesus reveals powerful keys to receiving God’s miracle-working power.
Before you can receive a miracle, you must receive a Word from God. Whether it comes from the Bible, through anointed preaching, or from the Lord speaking in your spirit, you must receive the Word that speaks to your situation.
When God told the prophet Elijah to seek out the widow of Zarephath, He had a plan for her. He intended to provide for her needs and prosper her in a time of drought and famine. When Elijah came to her, she had not yet received that Word from God. The prophet had to put a demand on her faith to bring her into God’s provision. She received God’s Word through the prophet, and in so doing received her miracle (1 Kings 17).
Receive God’s Word for your situation, and allow Him to conceive a miracle in your spiritual womb. Give God permission to birth new creation in your life. You are born of the Spirit, not of flesh. Be born anew in Christ Jesus.
Birth in me, Lord Jesus, Your new creation.
I desire to be born of the Spirit through
faith and truth in You. Amen.
Here’s a question: How does God feel most of the time? Is He bored? Worried? Blasé? Happy? Concerned? Detached? Engaged? Mad, glad or sad? It sounds lighthearted, but it’s one of the most important questions of our entire spiritual journey.
How does God feel when He looks at you? I have asked many people this question over the years, and they usually respond in one of two ways: (1) God is mostly mad; (2) God is mostly sad.
And in both cases, they think it’s their fault. Many Christians believe very strongly that God is angry and grieved with us. They view Him as distant, angry, sitting on the throne and spending the bulk of His emotional energy being disappointed in mankind.
We picture a weeping God who beats His breast and turns His eyes away from us in shame. But Scripture tells us the very opposite. Our God smiles and rejoices. His emotions fall into a third category: God is mostly glad.
Moses, under the prophetic anointing, made a stunning declaration about the Lord’s gladness: “The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand. … For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers” (Deut. 30:9, NKJV).
In this passage, God is telling Moses that at the end of the age He will break forth with rejoicing over His people. He will reveal Himself to them as the glad God who overflows with delight and enjoyment. Instead of cowering at the feet of an angry God, the body of Christ will bask in the sunshine of His gladness.
This is the day we are living in! If this picture of God seems impossible to you, scan the Word. Passages about God’s gladness abound throughout the Bible. For example, Zephaniah 3:17 reveals Him as One who rejoices: “‘He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.’”
Imagine that! He will sing and rejoice over His people with gladness. He will quiet our stormy hearts with the revelation of His love. God’s songs over His people are not songs of anger but of rejoicing and tender love.
In this passage, God is not just exhorting people to be glad; He is promising to sing songs that make us glad. The rest of the book of Zephaniah lays the backdrop for this divine promise. It describes the scenes at the end of the age when everything that can be shaken is being shaken.
In that day, men will literally die of heart attacks because of fear (see Luke 21:26). Fear will be one of the predominant emotions worldwide.
But God promises that He will comfort and quiet His people by releasing songs of His affection and gladness. Intimacy with a glad God will sustain the church in the midst of unprecedented calamity.
I believe the greatest dimension of God’s glory is His emotions, and central to His emotional life are His gladness and joy. This is what God communicated to Moses when Moses asked to see His glory. God promised to make known His glory and goodness to him by revealing His compassion (see Ex. 33:18-19).
Notice that when God reveals His glory, He emphasizes the glory of His emotions. As we enter into the reality of His happiness and joy, our hearts discover other emotions that abound in His heart. We begin to experience His desires for us, His beauty and His pleasures. But we cannot skip the foundational step of understanding His gladness.
We will not easily believe that God burns with desire for us or that He is exceedingly beautiful if we do not first believe that He is glad. It must be the foundation of our theology: Our God is a God who smiles.
A Tennessee judge has dismissed a misdemeanor domestic violence charge against gospel singer BeBe Winans.
General Sessions Judge Gloria Dumas dismissed the charge Friday after determining Winans, 47, had seen a counselor as required by prosecutors, according to the Associated Press. The counselor reported that Winans did not need treatment.
Winans had been accused of pushing his ex-wife to the ground Feb. 13 during an argument about their two children. Winans was arrested March 11 and briefly detained before posting a $1,000 bond.
“To be exonerated of all charges shows the power of trusting in God, and is a wonderful Christmas gift for me and my children,” Winans said in a statement Monday.
Winans is a judge on the popular BET TV show Sunday Best and a Grammy Award-winning singer. In October he and sister CeCe released their first album in 15 years, Still.
Well praise the Lord, because I am so tired of Christians bringing shame to the Name of Christ (arent you). I know everyone has their issues (whatever they may be) but when our issues spill out into the open with no attempt to rectify the situation, not only is God not pleased, but people wont want to hear about the saving and keeping power of the Holy Ghost. Instead, the world just tends to scoff and laugh at the Body of Christ while we fuss and fight with one another (now you know God aint pleased). Thank God for some good news today AMEN? AMEN!
James Hall Presents Voices Of Citadel – Won’t It Be Wonderful
Let me give you some background on this choir. As you all know, I grew up in New York City and sang on THE BADDEST community and church choir’s there are up there in New York City (thats where I get my sickening vibrato from…ya heard!!!!) but NO ONE (and I mean NO ONE) can top The Voices Of Citadel. I use to sneak over to this church for choir anniversaries, easter sunday and watch night services and when I tell you we would have stomp down church, we’d have church! That James Hall is going to have a special place in Heavens Mass Choir you hear me. Nothing can compare to the skillful art of his musicianship (and I am so tired of people sleeping on this choir). You mean to tell me you’d prefer to have Mary Mary in scantily clad clothing lead you to the throne room than a choir (that still wears robes by the way) like The Voices Of Citadel? I only have 3 words to say POWER, ANOINTED and VIBRATO!!!!!!!! Go buy the album. Its on Itunes as we speak. You’ll see for yourself. (and dont try to order the sheet music and try to place this in your church on Sunday morning, you’ll mess it up. These chords that James Hall plays arent even on the scale. You’ll have to wait until the rapture to get these chords ya heard!) If you are ever in the New York City area and feel like making it out to Brooklyn, NY you need to check them out for a Sunday morning worship. Bring your dancing shoes because they DO like to dance a lot and get ready for a live recording because this choir brings their “A” game every time they sing!
**shaking my head** Sickening, just sickening! Now how’s that for a stocking stuffer!
I was on youtube and this dude did a preview of the album. Thought I’d share it. Like he says “GO BUY THE ALBUM!!!”
Itunes $9.99 key word Voices Of Citadel
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