Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog: BREAKING NEWS: Terrorists massacre Christians in Egypt. 26 dead, 25 wounded.

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BREAKING NEWS: Terrorists massacre Christians in Egypt. 26 dead, 25 wounded. Please pray. Here’s the latest. by joelcrosenberg (Washington, D.C.) -- Terribly sad news out of Egypt this morning: terrorists "attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians in central Egypt, killing at least 26 people and wounding 25 others," reports the BBC. I'll post updates on Twitter as more news becomes available. In the meantime, please pray for the victims and their families. Please pray for our Coptic Christian brothers and sisters in Egypt to be strong and brave and bold witnesses for our Lord Jesus Christ despite such these evil attacks by the Islamic State and other jihadi groups. Please pray, too, for President el-Sisi and the leaders of Egypt, including the police and security forces, that the Lord will grant favor to their efforts to establish lasting security and calm throughout the entire country for Christians and for all Egyptians. As it happens, yesterday morning I met with Egyptian Ambassador Yasser Reda at the Embassy here in Washington. We discussed a wide range of issues, including President el-Sisi's recent visit to Washington, the important efforts Cairo is making to protect Christians, and the government's efforts to reach out to Christian leaders -- Coptic, Catholic and Protestant -- to build better relations. I greatly appreciated my time with the Ambassador, and I believe that the government there is making progress, though clearly there is much more that needs to be done. Earlier this month, as readers of this blog know, I visited Egyptian Christian leaders in Cairo to stand in solidarity with them, get an update on their situation, and pray together. Indeed, I am praying the Lord will open the door for me to return to Egypt later this year to deepen these relationships. Eleven years ago, Lynn and our four sons and I lived in Cairo for several months while I was working on a book. We have a great love for Egypt, and we grieve for the persecution the Christians have been going through and all the political and economic troubles the nation has endured in recent years. The Bible is clear: God loves the people of Egypt. Much Biblical history happened in Egypt. Many major Biblical leaders lived in Egypt at one point in their lives -- Joseph, the patriarchs, the entire nation of Israel, Moses, and the prophet Jeremiah, to name a few. Even the Lord Jesus lived there for a time with his parents when He was young. John Mark took the Gospel to Egypt in the First Century, and Egypt became a great center of discipleship early on. The prophet Isaiah indicates a very difficult but also very blessed future for Egypt (see Isaiah 19), so it's important that we pray faithfully for the Christians of Egypt, and all Egyptians in these challenging and tumultuous times and find ways to stand with them and help them. Here is what we know so far, as reported by the BBC: Gunmen have attacked a bus carrying Coptic Christians in central Egypt, killing at least 26 people and wounding 25 others, state media report. The bus was heading towards the Monastery of St Samuel the Confessor in Minya province, 220km (140 miles) south of Cairo, when it came under fire. No group immediately said it was behind the attack. But Islamic State (IS) militants have targeted Copts several times in recent months, and vowed to do so again. Two suicide bombings at Palm Sunday services at churches in the northern cities of Alexandria and Tanta on 9 April left 46 people dead. Another suicide bombing at a church in the capital in December killed 29 people, while a Christian community was forced to flee the town of el-Arish in the northern Sinai peninsula after a series of gun attacks in February. —————— Without Warning — my new thriller about ISIS operatives launching catastrophic terrorist attacks inside the U.S. using chemical weapons captured in Syria, and the hunt for the ISIS leader by a secret coalition of Israel, Egypt, Jordan and the UAE — is now available in hardcover, e-book and audio formats from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD, Lifeway, and your favorite general market and Christian bookstores. To order online, please click here. Pastors and ministry leaders:  to begin planning your own tour of Israel in July 2018 that allows you to bring your people to the Epicenter Prayer Summit, please click here. Lay people: to learn more about The Joshua Fund’s next tour of Israel and attend the Epicenter Prayer Summit in Jerusalem — and to register while there is still space — please click here. ——————— Would you like to make a secure, tax deductible investment in The Joshua Fund (www.joshuafund.net)? This is the non-profit organization that my wife, Lynn, and I founded in 2006 to educate and mobilize Christians to bless Israel and her neighbors in the name of Jesus, to care for the poor and needy in Israel (both Jews and Arabs) with food and other humanitarian relief, care for Holocaust survivors, care for Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and strengthen the Church in Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt. The Joshua Fund is a member in good standing of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability. Please click here to learn more. Thanks so much! Click here to read the 2016 Joshua Fund Donor Report — and watch the short videos, as well Subscribe (free) to the RSS feed (click here) and receive every new posting on this blog directly via email. joelcrosenberg | May 26, 2017 at 1:43 pm | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-7QF

If my people will pray! - Charles Gardner ISRAEL TODAY

If my people will pray!

Sunday, April 30, 2017 |  Charles Gardner  ISRAEL TODAY

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As we stand at the crossroads with multiple challenges before us as a nation – politically, economically and spiritually – our greatest need is prayer. But in order to be aroused to what many would see as an extreme measure, we need leaders called “for such as time as this” – men and women who refuse to be intimidated into submission to the current worldview and who recognise the urgency of the hour.

The Bible says: “…If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7.14)

But where is the Church, and where are her leaders calling us to pray? We now have the example set by South African Christians who responded to such a call by travelling hundreds of miles across the country to join an estimated 1.7 million people petitioning the God of Israel to intervene in their nation’s desperate problems with corruption at government level spiralling out of control.

The immediate euphoria of the early post-apartheid days, when a rainbow nation swept clean of injustice basked in the new sunshine, are long gone. Instead of godliness taking root for the long-term, a spiritual vacuum was left in the corridors of power, and it is as if the demons of the past have returned with fellow spirits making the last state of the nation worse than the first, as in the teaching of Jesus on the subject in Matthew 12.43-45 when he explained that some cases could only be dealt with by prayer and fasting (Mark 9.29).

In a book written in the wake of the 7/7 bombings in London, Oxford vicar Charlie Cleverly likened the church to the position of Queen Esther when called to rescue the Jewish people from destruction in ancient Persia. The author calls for men of courage to rise up and lead us to the foot of the cross, to be prepared to suffer for our Lord as our forbears did when burnt at the stake for bringing us the gospel in our own language.

A mini-version of Foxes Book of Martyrs, The Passion that Shapes Nations (Victor, an imprint of Kingsway) also compares England to the spiritual dilemma described above by Matthew. We were swept clean by martyrs and others who lit a flame for the gospel to be spread throughout the world, but we have since disowned our godly heritage and are now seven times worse off than under the likes of Henry VIII.

Where is the courage that took Paul Hannington to Uganda where he died for his troubles; that took Hudson Taylor to China at great personal cost? Where are those who will stand up to godlessness and compromise in both church and state? We are approaching a crucial election, but God is apparently not on the agenda – a shameful situation for a nation granted the inestimable privilege of spreading the gospel across the globe.

Lib-Dem leader Tim Farron, a declared Christian, has long refused to be drawn on his view of gay sex, but has now finally succumbed to press intimidation by stating that it is not sinful. As Cleverly states in his book, “…the Church today, when faced with homosexuality, hardly dares to mention sin in this context. She is intimidated like Esther into silence.”

The alarm bells are sounding. Preachers are being hounded and even arrested for quoting the Bible, a student has been expelled from Sheffield University for his biblical views on sexuality. Appropriately, the South African prayer gathering was called It’s Time. Surely it’s time to say, as the irrepressible farmer/evangelist Angus Buchan has said, that ‘enough is enough’.

As he addressed the teeming masses gathered on a former Springbok rugby player’s farm, he thundered to the young men present: “You will not sleep with anyone until your wedding night!” Cries of ‘Amen’ echoed across the veldt (I have watched videos sent by friends on the ground).

Need I say more? The great need of the hour is not political debate, but urgent, passionate prayer. God’s people, and especially church leaders, need to humble themselves and pray and seek the face of the Lord for the healing of our nation.

The Old Testament refers to the “men of Issachar who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12.32) and the prophet Hosea calls us to break up our unploughed ground – “for it is time to seek the Lord” (Hosea 10.12).

As Charlie Cleverly put it, Esther understood “that the destiny of nations is not in the hands of politicians but in the hands of the people of God who pray”.

He adds: “I believe the Church is under threat as in the days of Esther and she needs to awaken to a coherent strategy.”

As John Knox called out, “Give me Scotland or I die”, where are those crying out in the wilderness: “Give me England or I die”?

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Charles Gardner is author of Israel the Chosen, available from Amazon, and Peace in Jerusalem, available from olivepresspublisher.com

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Prophecy: These 3 Spheres of Influence Will Be Challenged - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

(Video screenshot image)

Prophecy: These 3 Spheres of Influence Will Be Challenged

4/17/2017 BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS

Global Prophetic Voice founder Dr. Theresa Phillips, senior pastor of Kingdom Global Impact Center in St. Charles, Ill., shared a new word from the Lord over the weekend in an article written for Elijah List readers.

In it, she said she was having a vision about "piracy" that was about the exposed, and how God planned for a restoration, even within the Body of Christ. Then, she suddenly heard the Lord speak directly to her, giving her this message:

Theresa, the Media is about to fold in. Some networks are going to fold up and many in business will be exposed. I am calling for a praying Church who will recognize where to pray, where to focus, and to believe for the salvation of those who will be exposed.

I am highlighting three major influential arenas. I am causing a divine interruption of media, arts and education. I am calling for these three spheres of influence to be challenged.

Yes, the world will soon see a battleground emerge in these three areas, and many will cry for justice! Parents will take their children from schools and a boycott of the film industry will emerge. Do not take this lightly," says the Lord.

These three spheres of influence will be shaken and that which is right will stand! For I am going to use My Church to be a bridge in the media. A new news beacon will emerge. Schools will say, 'Come back, we heard you.' The film industry will begin to listen to the people and more value will be placed on the family in films. This Christmas, many films will emerge that address healing within family. Yes it is so," says the Lord.

Phillips urged those who read her article to pray for those who are about to be exposed.

"Pray specifically against the piracy which God spoke to me about and that the necessary exposures would take place," she wrote. "Pray for the ones who will hear and pray for the Christian to be willing to stand against the forces of evil and go for it."

Click here to read the entire article at the Elijah List website.

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Listen to Lance Wallnau Tell Why We Should Pray for Milo and Must Break the Spirit of Leviathan - STEVE STRANG CHARISMA NEWS

Milo Yiannopoulos (Facebook )

Listen to Lance Wallnau Tell Why We Should Pray for Milo and Must Break the Spirit of Leviathan

 3/20/2017 STEVE STRANG  CHARISMA NEWS

When the left-wing media turned on Milo Yiannopoulos, the conservative gay media phenomenon, a couple of weeks ago, some Christians seemed eager to pile on. They may agree with Milo's conservative views, but they don't approve of his being gay.

However, Dr. Lance Wallnau has a different view. Lance—a businessman whom God is raising up as a prophetic voice—spoke up and said Christians should pray for Milo instead of attacking him. You can read our report here on Charismanews.com.

Lance is one of the prophetic voices who, more than a year ago, said God was raising Donald Trump to be like Cyrus and that he would be elected. This was back when no one gave him a chance of winning—including me. Back then, most conservative evangelical leaders were not being prophetic but were trying to back anyone but Trump. Most were playing political games, hoping to secure themselves a place at the table in the new administration.

Now, Lance is speaking out about what's really going on with the radical left in this country. They control Hollywood, academia, the media and much of the governmental bureaucracy today. I interviewed him on my Strang Report podcast to get his take on the solutions, and he offered interesting insights into how what happened to Milo is part of what the Bible calls the Spirit of Leviathan (See Job 3:8, 41:1, 10; Ps. 74:14, 104:26; Is. 27:1).

Rather than simply repeating what Lance says, I invite you to click on the 19-minute podcast to hear a lively discussion about current events, the role of the church, the strange case of Milo becoming a media phenomenon and how the left tried to destroy him because of his conservative stance. We ended by joining in prayer for Milo to come to know the Lord.

If you agree with what Lance has to say, share it on social media. Some of my previous podcasts with him have been hugely popular, almost to the point of going viral. 

Let's support what this prophet of God is doing and saying. Lance must sometimes feel as if he's alone, crying in the wilderness like prophets of old.  And let's pray God raises up other prophetic voices at this important time in our nation's history. 

Lance Wallnau Says Pray for Milo and Break the Spirit of Leviathan

Who is driving liberal activists crazy? It's a young man speaking against the status quo named Milo Yiannopoulos. Hear Lance Wallnau explain why Milo is stirring up controversy in politics and the media. Wallnau calls Christians to pray for Milo and to break the 

"Be Patient, Your Nation Is Having Major Heart Surgery. Stay In The Waiting Room and Pray." - Bill Yount

"Be Patient, Your Nation Is Having Major Heart Surgery. Stay In The Waiting Room and Pray." Posted: 28 Feb 2017  I Heard The Lord Say, "Be Patient, Your Nation Is Having Major Heart Surgery. Stay In The Waiting Room and Pray." I remember when my mother had major by-pass heart surgery in her seventies. The doctors came to us in the waiting area and told us these words, "Because of what she just went through, she's not going to look very good to you, but she looks great to us!" I sense the Lord saying, "Be patient with your nation and remember I am not a Republican or Democrat, I AM that I AM. I AM working on a whole nation and everyone is a work in process. Don't judge, for I AM not finished working on anyone. I am working in the Fox News Room, CNN News Room and all the other News networks and radio, TV outlets, and media. I'm going for the heart of this nation or it will surely die, unless I complete surgery on it's heart." "Stop grumbling and complaining. It can delay and even cancel this Kairos moment as your nation is on My operating table. Speak life and become love to every person. Embrace your opposition and enemies so they will experience My arms of love surrounding them. Protest the devil, not people." "What appears to be chaos and gross darkness to you, are the instruments I pick up in My hands and use to give new hearts to nations. Nothing is being wasted in the hands of your Redeemer. Your heart is also included in this surgery. Trust Me and tell your heart to beat again!" Bill Yount www.billyount.com

Praying for Israel? Pray for Abundant Winter Rain - CBN News Tzippe Barrow

Praying for Israel? Pray for Abundant Winter Rain

09-20-2016

CBN News Tzippe Barrow

JERUSALEM, Israel – Following three consecutive winters of below-average rainfall, the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) is at a dangerously low level.

The deficit was evident last weekend at the 62nd Speedo Sea of Galilee Swim, an annual event that draws more than 10,000 participants, adults and children alike, to swim across the sea. The event offers 1.5 and 3.5 kilometer swimming lengths.

"It was great, but I did it much slower this year," Dave Silverman, owner of Dave's Hair Design in Jerusalem, told CBN News of this year's event. "Even though I was convinced I was way ahead of my wife and 11-year-old son, in actuality I came in an hour and a half ahead of them. The weather was perfect and the water was flat as a mirror – thousands of people!"

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Watch the 2013 event here.

This year, an island in the sea and the lengthening shore provided visual evidence of diminished water levels. Over the long summer, the water level dropped more than a meter (yard) – even further below the red line.

The red line, established in the late 1960s, determines the lowest level at which the water authority can operate administratively without potentially damaging the ecological system or the environment. The water commissioner is responsible for enforcing the limits, The Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies stated in a 2005 report.

It's not the first time sparse winter rains have imperiled the nation's soul source of sweet water. In 2009, following five dry winters, the first heavy rain fell on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, encouraging the population countrywide.

The Israel Water Authority (Mekerot) monitors the Sea of Galilee year round to determine when and how much of the water can be used.

This year, Mekerot Director Amir Givati predicted another below average rainy season. If he's correct, the Coastal Aquifer Basin, another water source that's already below the red line, could drop even further.

Mekerot's gloomy prediction: "…the worst is yet to come."

"According to weather models the Water Authority has received from international forecasting centers, and also from the Israeli meteorological center, the worst is yet to come," YNet reported.

But we can pray into God's promises.

"Be glad then, you children of Zion and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully and He will cause the rain to come down for you — the former rain and the latter rain in the first month." (Joel 2:23)

Observant Israelis begin to pray for winter rains during Sukkot, the harvest festival known abroad as the Feast of Tabernacles.

Would you join us in praying for abundant winter rains for Israel, both physical and spiritual?

In God We Trust: Pray, Fast, Vote - BOB ESCHLIMAN CHARISMA NEWS

(Submitted Image)

In God We Trust: Pray, Fast, Vote

9/14/2016 BOB ESCHLIMAN  CHARISMA NEWS

In the 2012 presidential election, more than 27 million registered Christian voters did not vote; had just half of them voted for Republican presidential nominee former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the results would have been profoundly different.

A coalition of Christian television broadcasters, led by Cornerstone Network President and CEO Don Black, has launched an "unprecedented partnership" to make sure that doesn't happen in 2016. Their collaboration, In God We Trust is a one-hour special—a 30-minute version will also be made available—to call on Americans to place their trust, and their vote, in God.

Although the program doesn't endorse any particular candidate or party—pushing evangelical voter turnout is the goal—it does offer a simple, powerful and universal message that will cross racial, political and socio-economic lines. The coalition explained its mission:

It is time for God's people to pray, to fast for wisdom and then to vote for the candidates of their choice in the upcoming election this fall. Facing the stark reality that over 27 million registered Christian voters did not vote in the 2012 election, these leaders believe that a responsible turn-out of Christian voters this November will pave the way of hope for our nation and a return to the Christian principles on which it was founded.

In God We Trust viewers will be provided the opportunity to sign an online In God We Trust proclamation, pledging to pray, to fast, to vote and to place their trust in divine providence. A downloadable e-version of the devotional In God We Trust 21-Day Action Plan will be available to guide participants through 21 days of prayer and fasting for the nation.

"Most American Christians will agree that we have drifted far from our Judeo-Christian values and face perilous times as a result," Black said. "We simply believe that, election or not, it is time to take our country back to our roots and to faith in Jehovah God. The upcoming election provides us an opportunity to begin that process."

Other ministry broadcasting partners include:

• Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network;
• Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas and Pathway to VictoryTV and radio program;
• Andrew Wommack, founder and president of Andrew Wommack Ministries and host of The Gospel Truth TV program;
• Joyce Meyer, founder and president of Joyce Meyer Ministries and host of Enjoying Everyday Life;
• Perry Stone, founder and CEO of Perry Stone Ministries-Voice of Evangelism/OCI and host of the Manna-Fest TV show;
• Henry Fernandez, founder of Henry Fernandez Ministries and senior pastor of The Faith Center; and
• Gordon Robertson, CEO of the Christian Broadcasting Network.

The special, hosted by Kristi Watts a former co-host of The 700 Club, began airing on Labor Day and will continue up to the Nov. 8 election in various lengths on Cornerstone and other participating networks. With America hurting and in need of a miracle, In God We Trust aims to inspire millions of Christian Americans to exercise their authority in electing our next leaders and to petition Almighty God for His Divine mercy to sweep this great nation with a fresh move of His Spirit.

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5 Ways to Pray for the Muslim World - J. LEE GRADY CHARISMA NEWS

5 Ways to Pray for the Muslim World

 3/30/2016 J. LEE GRADY  charisma news

A group of Taliban terrorists in Pakistan (Google)

After I heard the news that Islamic terrorists had killed more than 72 people in a public park in Lahore, Pakistan, last Sunday, I called my friend "Faisal" (not his real name) to grieve with him. Faisal is a Pakistani Christian who has lived in the United States for several years. He has friends who live near the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, a normally cheerful place where an unidentified killer detonated a bomb with the specific goal of slaughtering Christians during the Easter holiday.

The March 27 attack was the work of Jamaat-e-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban. Some of the people killed were buying tickets to fair rides or playing with their children.

"Everybody is in shock. A woman lost both of her daughters," said Faisal, who has a wife and a daughter of his own. "I was crying while I was watching the news footage. It is so sad."

The attack did not grab as much media attention as the March 22 Brussels airport bombing, which has claimed 35 lives so far. The death toll continues to rise in the Pakistan massacre because more than 340 people were wounded, many severely. After the Sunday blast, the park was soaked in blood and strewn with body parts and shreds of clothing.

Many of the victims were Christians who had come to the park after church services to enjoy the holiday. Survivors are now planning funerals for their relatives. The attack came just days after Pakistan's National Assembly recognized Easter and two Hindu festivals as public holidays.

Apparently Muslim extremists don't want religious freedom for anyone but Muslims.

After I comforted Faisal, who has family near the bombing site, we prayed together for Pakistan. I prayed in English but I asked Faisal to pray in his native Pakistani language, Urdu. I love to hear people pray to Jesus Christ in the same language used by Taliban militants.

How can we pray in the aftermath of such a horrific tragedy? Here are five ways I am praying for the Muslim world these days:

1. Pray that cowardly acts of violence will backfire. The history of the church is written in the blood of its martyrs. But whenever Christians have been killed for their faith, their blood becomes a seed for the advancement of the gospel.

Many nominal or liberal Muslims are deeply troubled by the actions of Islamic militants who belong to groups like ISIS or the Taliban. In Pakistan, my friend Faisal says liberal Muslims are distancing themselves from extremists, and they are condemning these acts of terror. "They are even donating blood to help the Christians. They are embarrassed and they are getting tired of Islam," he says. Pray that millions of Muslims will see the brutality operating in these terrorists groups. Pray that they will reject Islamic jihad and the doctrines behind it.

2. Pray that Muslim governments will pursue justice. In a televised message last Sunday, Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, condemned the Taliban massacre and pledged to fight terrorism in Pakistan "until it is rooted out from our society." But the United States and other Western governments must continue to pressure Muslim nations to oppose extremist groups. Pray that God will plant Christians in strategic positions in these governments so they can work to protect believers from the inside.

3. Pray that terrorist groups will be exposed and stopped. We tend to be fearful of militant groups like ISIS because their tactics are so cruel and intimidating. (An ISIS faction in Yemen allegedly planned to crucify Catholic priest Thomas Uzhunnalil on Good Friday, but some reports say he is still alive.) But if we could see this situation through God's eyes, we would realize that these terrorist factions are fighting a losing battle. They are the ones who are afraid. Soon they will be defeated.

Psalm 37:35-36 says: "I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a luxuriant tree. Yet he passed away, and he was not; I sought him, but he could not be found." Pray that God will dry up their funds, confuse their communication, create disloyalty in their ranks and lay a trap for them.

4. Pray for a continued release of miracles in Islamic nations. Reports out of Iran, Pakistan and other Muslim nations indicate that God is displaying His power like never before in this dark region. Muslims are coming to Jesus secretly, often because they have dreams about the Son of God. Muslim women are attending underground meetings and hiding Bibles under their black burkas. "Many Muslims are coming to Jesus secretly in Pakistan," says my friend Faisal. "I have seen many Muslims come to Christ because they saw miracles or because He answered their prayers."

5. Pray that Christians will not be intimidated by persecution. It isn't easy for my friend Faisal to live in the United States while his family struggles in Pakistan. Two days before Easter, some Muslim thugs broke into his family's home—one hour from Lahore—and stole furniture after demanding that they stop spreading the gospel. Those who follow Christ in Muslim countries suffer job discrimination, social harassment and a lack of government protection. Pray that Christians in these countries will be empowered with supernatural boldness to defend their faith—even in the face of terror. 

J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, atthemordecaiproject.org.

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