Pray about It

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You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
— James 4:2

  • Greg Laurie
    (Photo: rever Hoehne for Harvest Ministries)
    Greg Laurie, senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California and Harvest Orange County in Irvine, California, shares the Gospel with a sold-out crowd of 19,000 for Harvest America at the American Airlines Center and Victory Park in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 5, 2014.

Christian Post Report – Have you ever stopped and thought that maybe there are things in your life that haven’t happened because you have simply failed to ask God for them?

Maybe you are ill right now and have never actually prayed about it. Maybe you’ve never said something like, “You know, Lord, I have never asked You to heal me. Maybe I thought that if You wanted to heal me, You would just go ahead and do it. But I’m asking You to heal me.” It just may be that you do not have because you do not ask.

Maybe you have a financial need and have exhausted every resource to meet it. Has it dawned on you that you could actually pray about it? The Bible says, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Perhaps you do not have because you do not ask.

Maybe your marriage is starting to unravel, and you don’t know what to do. You have tried everything. You have talked to everyone. But have you actually prayed about your marriage and asked God to intervene? It might be that you do not have because you do not ask.

We should pray because prayer is God’s appointed way for us to obtain things from Him. That is not the only purpose of prayer, but to fail to see this is to miss a lot. The Bible is very clear in pointing out that we “do not have because [we] do not ask” (James 4:2).

That doesn’t mean that God always will answer our prayers the way we pray them. But it does mean that many times He will. So when you have a need, the first thing you ought to do is to pray about it.

Copyright © 2015 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Bible text from the New King James Version is not to be reproduced in copies or otherwise by any means except as permitted in writing by Thomas Nelson, Inc., Attn: Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000

Used with Permission

Source : Christian Post

Xbox One April 2015 System Update to Be Released in 2 Waves

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Xbox One April 2015 System Update to Be Released in 2 Waves
Xbox One (Photo: Reuters)

Xbox One Console

Christian Post Report – Microsoft has announced a two-wave system update for Xbox One that will be released next month, featuring several improvements to the console.

With Xbox One’s system update pushed up for an early April release, Microsoft has just announced it will be improving the console’s achievement apps and party app in two waves with the second half of the update expected to be announced in the following week.

While the first wave will include minor updates, users will still be able to appreciate improvements to the system, which Microsoft has revealed will be made available to preview program members initially.

Xbox One users will now have access to a troubleshooter for party chat, ensuring their microphones are enabled, and to alert them if their current privacy settings or other network issues, such as a disabled Kinect Chat, are responsible for blocking chat access.

The update will also include description text for achievement notifications to inform users of what they accomplished that caused an achievement to be unlocked. It’s update includes a faster speed for achievement notifications, with a shorter hover time on the screen after notifications appear. Users accessing the achievements app will also notice faster access if they launch it from a notification.

The console’s game hubs feature will also be linked to the achievements apps in users’ feed, making it easier for players to access achievements, screenshots, and video clips.

The first wave of new features for the system update will be made available at the beginning of April to improve Xbox One experience

A successor to the Xbox 360, the Xbox One video game console was released to mixed reviews in November 2013, with a total of one million consoles sold within the first 24 hours of its public release, making it one of Microsoft’s best-selling game console for 2014.

Source : Christian Post

Church of England to Consecrate Its Second Female Bishop in July

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Church of England (Photo: Reuters/Phil Noble)

Woman clergy take photographs of the first female bishop in the Church of England Libby Lane following her consecration service at York Minster in York, northern England, January 26, 2015.

Christian Post Report – The Church of England has announced that the Rev. Canon Alison White will be consecrated as its second female bishop since the Church voted last year to allow women to become bishops.

The announcement was made just hours before the BBC reported that Rachel Treweek, the archdeacon of Hackney in the diocese of London, will become the new Bishop of Gloucester.

“Two women bishops have already been appointed, but Archdeacon Treweek, 52, is the first woman to run a diocese and will be one rank below archbishop,” the BBC reported Thursday. ” It is understood she will also become the first female bishop to enter the House of Lords.”

White, a 58-year-old who was ordained a priest in 1994, will be made the bishop of Hull in a ceremony scheduled for July 3.

The Rt. Rev. Martin Wharton, the recently retired bishop of Newcastle, the diocese where Rev. White presently serves as priest-in-charge, said in a statement that he’s “thrilled” by the news.

“I am thrilled that Alison’s priestly and personal gifts have been recognized by the wider church and believe she will be an outstanding bishop who will quickly endear herself to the people of Hull and the East Riding,” stated Wharton.

“As the second woman to be appointed bishop in the Church of England, we rejoice with her and pray for her.”

Church of England (Photo: Reuters/Phil Noble)

Members of the clergy enter York Minster before a service to consecrate Reverend Libby Lane as the first female bishop in the Church of England, in York, northern England, January 26, 2015.

Last July, the Church of England voted overwhelmingly to allow for women to be consecrated as bishops, a move that got mostly positive feedback from the global Anglican Communion.

“The challenge for us will be for the Church to model good disagreement and to continue to demonstrate love for those who disagree on theological grounds,” stated Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby.

“Very few institutions achieve this, but if we manage this we will be living out more fully the call of Jesus Christ to love one another. As delighted as I am for the outcome of this vote, I am also mindful of those within the Church for whom the result will be difficult and a cause of sorrow.”

Last December, the Church announced that the Rev. Libby Lane would become the first female bishop, being consecrated as head of the Diocese of Chester.

A 48-year-old mother of two, Lane was consecrated in January as bishop, enduring the presence of one heckler during the ceremony who shouted “not in the Bible.”

This is not the first time that White has been part of a wave of change within the Church of England, according to Episcopal News Service.

“She was ordained to the diaconate in 1986 and to the priesthood in 1994, being among the first women to be ordained as priests in the Church of England,” reported ENS.

Source : Christian Post

Natalie Grant: Another Person Cannot Complete You, Only God Can; Talks ‘It Takes a Church’

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Natalie Grant: Another Person Cannot Complete You, Only God Can; Talks ‘It Takes a Church’
It Takes A Church Season 2 (Photo: Courtesy of Ignition PR)

‘It Takes A Church’ Season 2 premieres on GSN TV on March 26, 2015.

Natalie Grant is back on the Game Show Network with season two of “It Takes A Church” today, and this time, the singer is offering sage advice to singles both on and off the television series.

The “Held” singer made her debut as the host of “It Takes A Church” last year, and the Christian dating show has encouraged dozens of congregants to find love. Undoubtedly playing a key role in the success of the show, Grant revealed her practice of giving advice to “singles” on “It Takes A Church” while speaking to The Christian Post.

First, Grant explained the utmost importance of finding an identity in Christ as opposed to looking to a spouse to meet that need. Taking time for yourself is “being selfish in the right sense of the word,” according to the six-time Dove Award-winner.

“Another person cannot complete you,” Grant added. “I think that’s a puzzle piece only God can do, and when you can see it through that lens, then a lot of those unmet expectations – you don’t even face them because you’re not expecting them from your spouse.”

Then, imparting the secret to her own 15-year marriage to producer Bernie Herms, Grant advised singles to seek a “God-centered perspective” and love themselves before searching for a partner.

“I think one thing that is super important, that I think the church doesn’t do a good job of actually, is teaching people to love themselves,” the Grammy-nominated singer explained to CP. “That to me, in order to love someone else, you have to accept who you are, and the only way to actually ever be able to love yourself is to find your identity in Christ. That’s the only way – I don’t mean it in a selfish view, but from a God-centered perspective. Discovering who you are in Christ, [finding] that without him – nothing, with him – everything.”

Meanwhile, “It Takes A Church” follows Christian pastors from across the U.S. as they match up single parishioners from their congregations who are looking for love. The television series gives Christians the chance to find love inside their own churches, and this season, Grant expects even greater success.

“There is still one couple together from season one, and I think we are going to have a much better track record with season two,” she said. “Several are still together but it’s still so new.”

Season two of “It Takes A Church” premieres on March 26 on GSN at 8 p.m. E.T.

Source : Christian Post

New York Congregation Is the First to Leave Presbyterian Church (USA) Following Vote to Approve Gay Marriage

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New York Congregation Is the First to Leave Presbyterian Church (USA) Following Vote to Approve Gay Marriage
Brighton Presbyterian Church (Photo: Brighton Presbyterian)

Brighton Presbyterian Church, a small congregation located in Rochester, New York.

Christian Post Report – A small congregation in New York has voted unanimously to leave Presbyterian Church (USA) following the mainline denomination’s recent vote to approve gay marriage.

Brighton Presbyterian Church, a 200-year-old congregation in Rochester, voted Sunday to seek dismissal from its PCUSA regional body, the Presbytery of Genesee Valley.

The vote to disaffiliate came not long after a majority of presbyteries in PCUSA approved an amendment to their Book of Order defining marriage to include same-sex couples.

Kerry E. Luddy, spokeswoman for Brighton Presbyterian and wife of the head pastor, told The Christian Post that the decision to leave “is not a sudden decision.”

“We have been prayerfully considering this for about two years, and officially began the discernment process in mid-2014,” said Luddy.

“Our reason for leaving is centered on the status of biblical interpretation within the PC(USA). We believe that Scripture’s meaning and intent should not be altered to fit a current culture.”

Earlier this month, a majority of PCUSA presbyteries voted in favor of Amendment 14-F, which changed the definition of marriage for the denomination.

While PCUSA’s Book of Order originally defined marriage as being between “a man and a woman,” Amendment 14-F changed it to “two people, traditionally a man and a woman.”

Support for Amendment 14-F was notable from the start, with “yes” votes from the regional bodies, or presbyteries, outnumbering “no” votes early on.

Two weeks into March, PCUSA was a mere seven votes away from Amendment 14-F succeeding, with 79 presbyteries voting “yes” and 37 voting “no.”

One of the 79 “yes” votes was the Presbytery of East Tennessee, which narrowly approved the amendment with a vote of 61-56 following a meeting in Chattanoga.

“We have a lot of students who come into our campus ministry with their story being one of hurt and shame given to them by the church,” said University of Tennessee campus minister Kally Elliott at the meeting.

“Our goal is to share with them the love of Jesus Christ and to let them know that they are fully loved, fully welcomed as they are, who they are.”

Genesee Valley, a presbytery that includes over 60 congregations, was one of the regional bodies to vote in favor of Amendment 14-F.

The Rev. Amy Fowler, chief administrative officer for the presbytery, told CP that Brighton Presbyterian has “just completed the first phase” seeking dismissal.

“No other congregations have indicated since last Tuesday that they will request to enter the process,” added Fowler.

Regarding next steps in the process, Luddy explained to CP that Brighton Presbyterian had not yet chosen another Presbyterian church to seek affiliation with, but that it would be one “that fits both our reformed theology and one that values women in leadership.”

This is not the first time PCUSA has had controversy over its move toward greater acceptance of homosexuality within the church.

In 2010, the PCUSA General Assembly approved Amendment 10a, a measure allowing for presbyteries to approve ordination of noncelibate homosexuals. In response to Amendment 10a over 150 congregations voted to disaffiliate from the mainline denomination, with many forming the theologically conservative Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians.

Some have speculated that a similar exodus may befall the largest Presbyterian church in the United States in response to the passage of Amendment 14-F.

Source : Christian Post

‘Entourage’ Movie Is ‘Best Version of the Show,’ Says Emmanuelle Chriqui; New Trailer Debuts

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‘Entourage’ Movie Is ‘Best Version of the Show,’ Says Emmanuelle Chriqui; New Trailer Debuts
Emmanuelle Chriqui as Sloan in (Photo: Youtube/Screengrab)

Emmanuelle Chriqui stars as Sloan in “Entourage” film set to release in June 2015.

Christian Post Report – Emmanuelle Chriqui, known for playing the character Sloan in the hit HBO series “Entourage,” recently spoke about the upcoming movie based on the show and expressed great enthusiasm for the project’s release during an interview with The Christian Post.

Speaking to CP about her role in the upcoming National Geograpic mini-series “Killing Jesus,” Chriqui also gushed over the “Entourage” movie that will be released in theaters throughout the U.S. in June and features a plethora of cameos from Hollywood stars.

“I think it’s amazing, I think people are going to love it,” Chriqui told CP. “It’s the best version of the show.”

The film takes place after the series finale that aired back in 2011 and concluded the show which lasted for eight seasons. Chriqui believes the movie tops all of them.

Her comments came right as Warner Bros. released a new trailer for the film which shows her character, Sloan, delivering a child with her on-screen husband Eric Murphy played by actor Kevin Connolly.

The plot seems to focus on the main character actor Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) re-uniting with his former agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) who is now a studio head. Gold makes a request to Vince for him to star in the studio’s first movie and the actor responds with his own request to direct whatever film this will be.

“Entourage” told the story of Vincent Chase and his group of friends that includes his brother Johnny Chase, and friends Eric Murphy and Turtle (Jerry Ferrara). The Queens, New York, natives all move out to Los Angeles to support Chase’s career as an A-list Hollywood star. It’s loosely-based off the life of the show’s executive producer, Mark Wahlberg, and premiered in the summer of 2004.

Like the movie, the show also featured a large list of Hollywood stars portraying themselves in cameos.

Source : Christian Post

Church of England to Consecrate Its Second Female Bishop in July

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Church of England (Photo: Reuters/Phil Noble)

Woman clergy take photographs of the first female bishop in the Church of England Libby Lane following her consecration service at York Minster in York, northern England, January 26, 2015.

Christian Post Report – The Church of England has announced that a female bishop will be consecrated, the second to be so appointed since the Church’s vote to allow women to become bishops last year.

The Rev. Canon Alison White, a 58-year-old who was ordained a priest in 1994, will be made the bishop of Hull in a ceremony scheduled for July 3.

The Rt. Rev. Martin Wharton, the recently retired bishop of Newcastle, the diocese where Rev. White presently serves as priest-in-charge, said in a statement that he’s “thrilled” by the news.

“I am thrilled that Alison’s priestly and personal gifts have been recognized by the wider church and believe she will be an outstanding bishop who will quickly endear herself to the people of Hull and the East Riding,” stated Wharton.

“As the second woman to be appointed bishop in the Church of England, we rejoice with her and pray for her.”

Church of England (Photo: Reuters/Phil Noble)

Members of the clergy enter York Minster before a service to consecrate Reverend Libby Lane as the first female bishop in the Church of England, in York, northern England, January 26, 2015.

Last July, the Church of England voted overwhelmingly to allow for women to be consecrated as bishops, a move that got mostly positive feedback from the global Anglican Communion.

“The challenge for us will be for the Church to model good disagreement and to continue to demonstrate love for those who disagree on theological grounds,” stated Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev. Justin Welby.

“Very few institutions achieve this, but if we manage this we will be living out more fully the call of Jesus Christ to love one another. As delighted as I am for the outcome of this vote, I am also mindful of those within the Church for whom the result will be difficult and a cause of sorrow.”

Last December, the Church announced that the Rev. Libby Lane would become the first female bishop, being consecrated as head of the Diocese of Chester.

A 48-year-old mother of two, Lane was consecrated in January as bishop, enduring the presence of one heckler during the ceremony who shouted “not in the Bible.”

This is not the first time that White has been part of a wave of change within the Church of England, according to Episcopal News Service.

“She was ordained to the diaconate in 1986 and to the priesthood in 1994, being among the first women to be ordained as priests in the Church of England,” reported ENS.

Source : Christian Post

Xavier Musketeers vs Arizona Wildcats Live Stream Free, TBS TV Start Time: Watch NCAA March Madness 2015 Online Basketball

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Xavier Musketeers vs Arizona Wildcats Live Stream Free, TBS TV Start Time: Watch NCAA March Madness 2015 Online Basketball
Ashley Casey Sapio / USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Wildcats’ Brandon Ashley.

Christian Post Report – Number two seeded Arizona Wildcats play sixth-seeded Xavier Musketeers in the Sweet 16 of the West Region in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday night. The game is scheduled to have a start time of 10.17 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the TBS network, or online through live stream (details below).

Xavier started their tournament with a 76-57 win over Ole Miss.

It was a dominant game from the beginning as the Musketeers led by 12 after the first half. They would not lift their foot off the gas as they eliminated the Rebels behind a 20-point performance from Matt Stainbrook.

The center scored 20 points and shot 80% from the field to lead the team. He also got help from Dee Davis who finished with 17 points from 4-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.

Their next game was against the upset-minded Georgia State Panthers.

The Sun Belt squad already surprised everyone with a win over Baylor and were looking to make Xavier their next victim.

They kept things close as the first half ended with the Musketeers only up by four, but they eventually pulled away, winning 75-67.

Jalen Reynolds scored a game-high 21 points coming off the bench, shooting 8-of-9 from the field and also pulling down six rebounds.

Davis was near perfect from everywhere as he added 15 points and shot 3-of-3 from the field, 1-of-1 from beyond the arc and 8-of-9 from the free throw line.

On the other hand, Arizona have cruised along the tournament so far, thrashing Texas Southern 93-72 in the tournament opener.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was unstoppable as he scored 23 points while only shooting nine shots from the field. He also pulled down 10 rebounds in the process.

All of the Wildcats’ starters finished in double figures as the team collectively shot 60% from the field for the game.

Their next task was against Ohio State and the first half was much closer than expected.

After 20 minutes the teams were only separated by one points, but all that changed in the second half.

T.K. McConnell poured in 19 points, while also stuffing the stats with six rebounds, six assists and five steals in 39 minutes.

Gabe York was a spark from the bench with 19 points as the Wildcats outscored the Buckeyes 47-33 in the second half to win 73-58.

With a seat in the next round up for grabs, get live scores and updates on ESPN.com. For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

Kentucky Wildcats vs West Virginia Mountaineers Live Stream Free, CBS TV Start Time: Watch NCAA March Madness 2015 Online Basketball

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Kentucky Wildcats vs West Virginia Mountaineers Live Stream Free, CBS TV Start Time: Watch NCAA March Madness 2015 Online Basketball
WVU Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

The West Virginia University Mountaineers.

Christian Post Report – Things start to heat up in the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament as we enter the Sweet 16 when the Kentucky Wildcats play the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Midwest Region. The game starts at 9:45 p.m. ET and can be watched on TV on the CBS network or online through live stream (details below).

Blazing a trail with a 36-0 record, the Wildcats are once again chasing history as they try to win the title without a single loss in a season.

They dominated Hampton in the second round, winning 79-56 behind Karl-Anthony Towns’ 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting.

In the next round, Kentucky were faced off against the Cincinnati Bearcats. The eighth-seed seemed determined to match their heavily favoured rivals in every play, but the Wildcats eventually pulled away and won 64-51.

This time it was Aaron Harrison who led Kentucky in scoring with 13 points, while Trey Lyles poured in 11 in 28 minutes.

Tyler Ulis was also a spark from the bench, scoring nine points and dishing out five assists in 34 minutes.

Meanwhile, West Virginia had a tougher time in their second round match against Buffalo.

Despite leading by 10 at the half, the Bulls found a way to close the gap but was a little too late as the Mountaineers won 68-62.

Tarik Phillip knocked down a three-pointer with less than 30 seconds remaining in the game to give West Virginia enough breathing room for the victory.

Devin Williams led the way for West Virginia with 17 points, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 7-of-9 from the free throw stripe.

Next, they were faced against fourth-seed Maryland and Williams again had a great game.

He secured a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way as four of five West Virginia starters scored in double figures to eventually win 69-59 and dispatch the higher seeded team.

And with this tall task ahead, it seems like the Mountaineers are not short in confidence that they will hand Kentucky their first loss and eliminate the title contenders.

For live scores and updates, visit ESPN.com. For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

Wisconsin Badgers vs North Carolina Tar Heels Live Stream Free, TBS TV Start Time: Watch NCAA March Madness 2015 Online Basketball

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Wisconsin Badgers vs North Carolina Tar Heels Live Stream Free, TBS TV Start Time: Watch NCAA March Madness 2015 Online Basketball
Paige Bob Donnan / USA TODAY Sports

Marcus Paige of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Christian Post Report – In the West Region of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels face top-seeded Wisconsin Badgers on March 26, 2015 at 7:47 p.m. ET. The game can be watched on TV on the TBS network or online through live stream (details below).

After only losing three times this season, big things were expected of Wisconsin and they have delivered. Their second round match against Coast Carolina was not even close.

In the 86-72 victory, Frank Kaminsky had a double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds.

The forward also added four assists and a blocked shot while shooting 10-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.

Sam Dekker had 20 points and also had an efficient shooting night going 8-of-15 from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.

The Badgers shot great throughout the game, going 54% after 40 minutes of play.

In the next round they were against the eighth-seeded Oregon Ducks and things were tighter than the previous round.

The top seed only led by three at the half and Kaminsky led the way again with 16 points and seven rebounds.

Wisconsin outscored Oregon 41-37 in the second half to get the needed win.

Four of five starters scored in double figures as the Badgers secured a place in the Sweet 16.

Meanwhile, North Carolina escaped an upset-minded Harvard Crimson in the second round, winning 67-65.

Despite leading 36-25 in the first half, North Carolina had to withstand a 40-31 second half from the underdogs to move on.

Justin Jackson recorded 14 points in 30 minutes to lead the Tar Heels, while the forward pair of Brice Johnson and J.P. Tokoto had mirror performances with seven points and seven rebounds each.

Facing the Arkansas Razorbacks in the third round, the Tar Heels were anchored by Marcus Paige who turned things up in the second half.

He would eventually finish the game with 22 points, six rebounds and an impressive five steals to lead North Carolina to a 87-78 victory.

In this tough Sweet 16 match, get live updates and scores from ESPN.com. For live streaming, click here.

Source : Christian Post

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