SEE GOD MANIFEST by Adonai Magazine

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Dr. Michael Youssef

Progress in the Faith visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

e all experience failure, discouragement, and spiritual stagnation at some point in our lives. We may feel shame or embarrassment over our weaknesses, but we must remember the Bible does not hide the failures of the faithful. It retells their great acts of faith and their failures.

There is great encouragement knowing that the spiritual giants of the Bible were humans with faults, sins and disappointments. What set them apart was how they turned from their failures to God—continuing to follow Him in faith. Whatever setbacks we encounter on our faith walk, we can take heart that it is never too late to trust and obey God. Abraham is a man known for his faith and his friendship with God. Abraham sacrificed much in his obedience to God; yet the Scriptures also reveal his many missteps and detours along the way. The greatest lesson to be learned from Abraham is that our faith is a journey. Great faith requires time as we develop trust in God and a willingness to serve Him wholeheartedly. In Abraham’s story, we see a slow progression of faith with many setbacks. In Genesis 12, God called Abraham out of his pagan lifestyle and told him to move to Canaan. Abraham started the journey, but before he reached Canaan, Abraham settled along the way in Haran. He eventually arrived in Canaan, but left for Egypt as soon as things got tough. Twice, he lied to save himself while putting his wife, Sarah, in harm’s way. In Genesis 16 and 17, Abraham followed his wife’s scheme to conceive a child instead of waiting upon God’s promised time. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, God 4

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calls us out of whatever pagan and sinful place we are living in and leads us on a journey with Him. Ideally, our journey to become more like Christ will remain straight and focused. However, for most of us, our journey will look more like Abraham’s. We will stagnate in our spiritual growth and stop our journey at places that are comfortable and easy. We will run when God’s calling becomes too difficult. We will compromise our beliefs and hurt people we love in order to save ourselves. We will face many opportunities to give in to temptation, pride, indifference, and stubbornness. However, we must remember that Abraham did not wallow in his failures or give up on his relationship with God—he always returned to the right path. As God continued to show Himself faithful, Abraham’s trust in God grew. Abraham’s faith was strengthened and he learned to trust God more and more. During the early years of his journey of faith, Abraham did not trust God for his daily bread during the famine. Yet years later, after learning lesson after lesson of how to trust in God, Abraham was willing to trust God with the life of his precious and beloved son. Each one of us will experience failure and setbacks in life. We should never allow our failures to become excuses for giving up on God’s plans or running from our relationship with God. Has your spiritual journey come to a halt? If so, seek God’s forgiveness for the doubt, indifference or fear keeping you from following His plan for your life. Identify the obstacles that keep you from fully developing your faith and pray for God’s strength to help you overcome those hurdles so you can continue your faith journey in Him.

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2013 A YEAR OF SEEING GOD MANIFEST Jerusalem A Church Without Walls would like to wish all Happy Easter. Please feel free to visit and celebrate with us and see God manifest in your spiritual growth, home, marriage, children, relationships, church, health and workplace at Jerusalem - A Church Without Walls, 689 E 233rd Street, Bronx, NY 10467 We are commited to teaching the word of God and challenging you to be the best that God wants you to be. According to Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Shalom Rev. O’Neil & Mrs. Kareen Thomas SEE ADVERT ON PAGE 31

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The name Adonai is translated Lord in the Bible. Adon means, “steward administrator, master, or Lord.” The addition of ai to adon intensifies or elevates its meaning, changing it to mean “the ultimate Lord, the Supreme Lord, or Lord of all.” The vision of Adonai Magazine goes beyond denominational, traditional, ethnic and cultural barriers that are sometimes imposed and have interfered with the Lord’s vision for an international kingdom building.

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Franklin K. Kyei

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Godliness and Persecution (2) visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

he prophet Daniel, speaking about developments in the last days said, “but the wicked shall continue to be wicked, and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise (in God) shall understand” (Daniel 12:10). He never said the wise in the Lord shall join the wicked or abandon their convictions and values. Christianity is not about taking the entire human race to Heaven. It is simply about inviting whosoever will to walk the narrow and difficult path where the foundation of God always stands sure; calling on those who call on the name of God to depart from iniquity. It is the path Jesus Himself said few will find, and few will be chosen to stay on (2Tim. 2:19; Matt. 7:13-14; 22:14). Our duty is to preach the undiluted truth to all men and women, and the Spirit of God will take it from there.

When we lose our saltiness and illumination, we cease to be of use to the Lord (Mat. 5:13-16). Jesus did not come to establish a “feel good butter and bread social club” to be called the Church; otherwise He would never have said that those who fail to deny themselves and carry their cross could not follow Him (Matt. 16:24; 10:38). The true Christian pathway is one of difficult choices and steadfast convictions built on divine assurances sourced from the Bible. It comes with a clear understanding that one day we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ to answer the question about how we lived our lives on earth; not according to the constitution of any nation; but according to the written Word of God, the BIBLE (Revelation 20:12-15). “If life is all about our present earthly life; then Christ died in vain and all who suffered and died for His sake have died in vain”; and there is no use living for Jesus (1Corinth. 15:16-19). Paul spoke about how the Antichrist will not be revealed until there is a falling away from the truth by many first – 2Thess. 2:3. Where will you will be 6

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when the call is made for you to choose between righteousness and walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing in the way of sinners, and sitting in the seat of those who scorn righteous biblical principles and values? Would you betray the cause of Christ? Would you turn your back on those who take a stand for Christ and righteousness, and rather promote the agenda of those who seek to destroy the moral fiber of the society through the promotion of moral perversions and depravities in the name of inclusiveness and tolerance? Are you for Satan’s agenda or God’s agenda for the human race? Choose this day whom you will serve; the god of this world who will give you human praise and fame (Matthew 4:5-7; John 12:42-43); or the God of Heaven whose way is the way of the Cross, godliness, and righteousness. If the Lord is God serve Him and if Baal, representing the world system and the values thereof is preferable, then serve it, and stop straddling the fence; for God cannot be mocked. The Spirit of God said to us during a time of prayer in January this year that the devil was going to blanket the earth with so much sinfulness in the days ahead that it will disconcert the Church of God. The message was so intense that it turned my bowels. The good news, however, is that “Wherever sin abounds, grace much more abounds” (Romans 5:20). No matter what the enemy of righteousness does, the gates of hell shall not prevail against the message of the Cross. The God we serve causes the Church to triumph in every situation; and the scepter of righteousness cannot be overthrown by any human institution or constitution of any nation on earth. The Holy One shall raise a standard on behalf of His name, His Church, and righteousness; but those who betray the cause of God and His Christ shall pay a price for their betrayal and compromise. To be continued

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Dr. Myles Munroe

For Books or Teachings by Dr. Myles Munroe on CD, audio or video tapes, call or visit us at: Bahamas Faith Ministries International. The Diplomat Center, Carmichael Road. P.O.Box N-9583, Nassau, Bahamas Tel: (242) 341 – 6444. Fax: (242) 361 2260

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The Essence of a Kingdom he essence of a kingdom is property. Land is the validation of a king or queen; it gives him or her the right to claim kingship. Remember that the first thing God created in the creation narrative was property—the earth. Earth was created before mankind was formed because the earth was necessary in order for man to be a legitimate ruler. Man was created to dominate, and it is impossible to dominate nothing. Thus the mandate of God to Adam was to be king over a property. Every kingdom must have territory. The word, “kingdom” derives from the phrase “king domain.” Domain refers to the property, the territory over which a king exercises his dominion. A “kingdom,” then, is a “king’s territory.” Without territory, a king is not a king because he has nothing to rule over. You cannot be “king” over nothing. Consider the following example from history. The “discovery” of the new world by Christopher Columbus in 1492 set off a wave of westward expansion over the next several centuries. The great maritime empires of Europe such as England, France, Holland, Spain, and Portugal all competed for new territory in the Western Hemisphere. It was, in fact, the Portuguese monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, who sponsored and fi-

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nanced Columbus’ epic voyage. Portugal eventually claimed the area that now comprises the nation of Brazil. For many years Brazil was a Portuguese colony, and the story goes that the son of the king of Portugal said to his father, “I want to be king.” “Well,” the king replied, “You can’t be. I am the king of Portugal. You can’t be king because I am still alive.” “But I want to be king now,” the prince said. “I don’t want to wait that long.” So the king of Portugal shipped his son off to South America and made him king over the territory of Brazil. The son was sovereign in Brazil but ruled as a regent under his father, the king of the Portuguese empire, which included Brazil. Whenever the father visited his son in Brazil, the son became the prince again until his father left. Whenever the son visited his father in Portugal, he again became the prince until he returned to his own domain. If the son wanted to rule as king, it was better for him to stay away from his father. Why? That is how kingdoms work. Consider the implications of this story for humanity. God created a separate domain for His children to be rulers. He set us as rulers over the earth.

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Pas. Abraham Obadare

Pastor Abraham Obadare is a minister at Christ Apostolic Church WOSEM, New York City •Our TV programs show: Queens: QPTV 34 on Wednesdays at 10:30pm & Fridays at 5:30pm, Brooklyn: BCAT 56 at 12am on Sunday Long Island: CABLEVISION 20 on Saturday 7:30am Tel: 718 658 8981.

Forbidden Compromise visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

ohn C. Maxwell, one of the well-known leadership instructors in America, comments on page 1034 of The Maxwell Leadership Bible saying, “1. Weigh out the options in front of you. 2. Ask if those choices force you to compromise personal values. 3. Seek wise counsel. 4. Count the cost. 5. Decide based on principles. 6. Act on your decision swiftly and firmly.” In light of Maxwell’s points, I believe that for anyone in position of leadership, compromise is one thing that is inevitable; therefore it is good to examine some compromises that are not expected or profitable in good leadership which I will refer to as “forbidden compromises.” First we must understand that leadership is the ability to eﬀectively exercise power and influence in order to reach expected goals (at least this is how I understand the word). Using the story of Daniel chapter 6 as a case study, I believe one would be able to make good judgments between forbidden and permitted compromises if Daniel’s example is followed. For our purpose here, I will define “forbidden compromise” as any move, action, settlement or agreement that undermines godly instructions (which ought to form the basis of one’s leadership principles). It is amazing how those who sought forbidden compromise were also leaders in the Daniel saga. They were fellow governors and satraps, but we learn that not all leaders will forego principles, obedience and fear of God. As a minister / leader, one of the most scary bible scripture to me is the book of Ezekiel 34:1-10. Speaking forbidden compromise, this is it in the classical – for ministers. In Daniel 6:1-9 we notice: Negligence – It is recorded in verse 4 that fellow leaders could not find Daniel guilty or faulty of negligence (dereliction of duty), otherwise it would have been easy to catch him or write him up. Ministers who neglect their duties of giving themselves to the WORD ( 2 Tim. 2:15 NLT), visit-

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ing, caring for members serving God’s sheep (as required in Ezek. 34), and giving substantial time for prayer (1 Thess. 5:17), are living in a “forbidden compromise” realm with the devil, and this will soon bring a sting if no change is made. King Saul is an example of a leader who handled the commandment of God with levity by oﬀering an unauthorized (unlawful) sacrifice; he suﬀered greatly for it – 1 Sam. 13:11-15. Corruption: It is stated in verse 4 that this ungodly and destructive character was not found in Daniel’s leadership. Who knows how many times his fellow leaders (ministers) had lured him into corruption and he refused. Whenever a leader (minister) agrees with others to cheat the system, it is forbidden compromise. All those corrupt-minded leaders ended up being destroyed by lions, instead of Daniel (Daniel 6:24).

Conspiracy: In verse 4 we see some leaders (other governors and satraps) compromising to set up and put in trouble (conspire against) another leader (Daniel). Whenever your colleagues entice you to undercut another leader, please note that it is an advice from the pit of hell; do not join them. Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoﬀers;” ESV Any move that compromises one’s principles that is firmly rooted in God’s words: Verse 10 shows that Daniel would not succumb to the pressure of not praying to his God; otherwise it would have been a forbidden move for him. Same was in the case of the Rechabites who were presented with bowls of full wine to drink, but they remembered the instruction not to drink wine; they refused to compromise (saying, “we will not drink…” Jer. 35:6 KJV) even though it was oﬀered by a prophet of God and God rewarded their stand saying, “therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, "Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always." – Jer. 35:19 NASB

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Joyce Meyer

For more on this topic, order Joyce’s four-CD series Calm, Cool & Collected. You can also contact us to receive our free magazine, Enjoying Everyday Life, by calling (800) 727-9673 or visiting www.joycemeyer.org. Ladies, join Joyce Meyer for the 30th Anniversary Love Life Women’s Conference September 20-22 in Saint Louis, MO. For more information, go to www.joycemeyer.org/womensconference. She hosts the Enjoying Everyday Life radio and TV programs, which air on hundreds of stations worldwide. For more information, visit www.joycemeyer.org.

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Change Your Approach and Give Your Soul a Vacation! ne of the most comforting scriptures in the Bible is Matthew 11:28. In this verse, Jesus tells us, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” I think it’s interesting to note here that Jesus said He would “ease and relieve and refresh” our souls, not our bodies. It sounds like He’s saying we need to give our souls a vacation.

The Inner and Outer Lives We all have two lives: an inner life and an outer life. Your inner life is your soul life, which includes your mind, will and emotions. Your outer life is your physical life. And while God cares about every detail of your life, He is more concerned with your inner life than your outer life. I have found that it’s possible to give your body rest but not your soul. For example, have you ever had trouble going to sleep because you were worrying about a problem and couldn’t stop thinking about it? This kind of activity just wears us out inwardly. We can also wear our souls out with too many thoughts running on, too many decisions to make, too much talking, and too much multitasking. Worry, fear, excessive concern about what other people think and insecurity are also common reasons people are worn-out and don’t have any peace. I remember when I used to be jealous of Dave and the peace he had. I was worn-out most of the time, worrying about problems but he wasn’t. Now, we had the same problems, but while they wore me out, Dave was still peaceful and happy because he would 12

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cast his cares on God. One of his favorite scriptures is 1 Peter 5:7, which says, “Cast all your anxiety on [God] because he cares for you” (NIV). And even now, anytime someone goes to Dave with a problem, he’ll encourage them to “cast your care” and give them that scripture. It used to make me so mad when he wouldn’t get upset when I was upset, but eventually, I got to the place where I was desperate to have what he had. So I prayed and told God I would do whatever I had to do to be peaceful, and He taught me how to change my approach to life.

The Revelation That Changed My Life I came to realize that the world is not going to change, the devil is not going to change, and all of the people who bother me probably aren’t going to change, so I have to decide to change. In John 14:27 (AMP), Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give…to you. …Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]” So we can be peaceful and make the decision not to be troubled, afraid, agitated and disturbed, but it won’t just happen automatically. The truth is, we won’t have peace if we don’t pursue it on purpose, because there will always be opportunities to get upset or oﬀended about something. For example, you lose your car keys when you’re running late, or you get caught in a traﬃc jam, or someone at work gets the promotion you wanted, Read full article at www.adonaimag.tv

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Jimmy Evans

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The Confluence of Two Rivers n Colorado, two mighty rivers course through the state's mountains and foothills. These independent bodies of water—the Roaring Fork and the Frying Pan—merge just outside of Basalt, Colorado, near the aptly named "Two Rivers Road."

There in the Roaring Fork Valley, you can stand on the bank and see the spot where the energies of these two massive waterways smash into each other, becoming a single powerful torrent. Our only hope is to turn loose and trust. Trust each other. Trust God. Let go and let God mold and shape you.

Thrill-seeking rafters from all over the state come here to ride these rapids. It's an awesome sight to behold as these two waterways collide in a vicious, roiling spray.

to encounter rapids. The good news is that the longer two rivers run together, the quieter the waters become. If a husband and wife can make their way beyond the whitewater and get further downstream, smoother sailing awaits. Meanwhile, they both get better at navigating the twists and turns. Troubled marriages tend to get stuck in the rapids. They get caught in a dangerous current or trapped against a boulder. They can't force their way free. Maybe one has a dream or desire they refuse to turn loose. She clings to it too tightly, worried that letting go means losing her identity. The other has dreams of his own and is holding on for dear life. Each is grasping at opposite banks, desperate to keep the current from pulling them downstream, and yet that's where the safety lies—further down the river, if only they'll work together as one. If only they'll let go.

It reminds me of marriage. When two autonomous souls get married, you have two independent and strong-willed people coming together and attempting to become one flesh. Two forceful spirits—each with their own dreams and identities, each with their own thoughts and ideas about the future, each with their own needs and weaknesses—standing at the altar declaring their desire to become one. If that isn't a formula for conflict, I don't know what is. That's why marriage is work. Growing a successful marriage isn't easy. A lasting marriage is a marriage that has seen its share of struggles. People are diﬀerent, and when two unique people become one they're bound 14

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Instead they find themselves in a constant battle for independence, desperately afraid of being swallowed up by the other. This is where most divorces occur. Broken marriages start right at this place, where the violent rapids begin, and where each partner is so focused on protecting themselves that they won't paddle to safety together. Our only hope is to turn loose and trust. Trust each other. Trust God. Let go and let God mold and shape you. Only He can make you a strong and dynamic couple. Only He can bring two powerful rivers together into one. Will you let Him? Blessings,

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Elsie Osae-Kwapong

Email Auntie Elsie at elsie@adonaimag.tv visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

The Significance of Easter

aster is a time to celebrate and proclaim the fact that Jesus is alive. He was crucified for our sins, buried, and on the third day rose from the dead. He ascended to the right hand of the Father above, and He is returning someday to judge the living and dead. There are many symbols of Easter used all over of the world in remembrance of the occasion.

PALM BRANCHES

One such symbol is the Palm Branch commonly used on Palm Sunday. It originated from a Roman custom in which they welcomed royalty by waving palm branches. When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem before His crucifixion, people welcomed him with palm branches, carpeting the streets and waving them (John 12:13, Mark 11 89). On Palm Sundays, some Christians carry palm branches in parades and some make them into crosses and garlands to decorate their Churches. CROWN OF THORNS The next symbol is the Crown of Thorns. It was woven from thorn branches and placed on Jesus' head before His crucifixion (Matthew 27:29, Mark 15: 17, John 19: 2, 5). Thorns are mentioned in the bible in Genesis 3:18 as a curse associated with man's disobedience to God's word. It is part of Jesus' suffering and redemptive work on behalf of sinful man. That is to say, Jesus bore the penalty for our disobedience so that we can obtain God's favor and blessings. 18

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THE CROSS The third symbol, which is the most important symbol in Christianity, is the Cross on which Jesus was crucified (Mark 15:20-25, John 19:1718). It is the official symbol of Christianity. The cross was also a well-known symbol before the time of Christ. However when Jesus was crucified, the Cross became a symbol of suffering and atonement for the sins of the world. EMPTY TOMB The last Easter symbol is the Empty Tomb. It is tied to the resurrection of Jesus, and Christians regard it as a symbol of Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; victory over death. Without the Empty Tomb the Cross and His death would have been in vain. It symbolizes the completion of the redemptive work of Jesus, and gives us hope for the future (I Corinthians 15:13-20).

The message in these symbols is two-fold. The first one is that Jesus Christ has paid the penalty for our sinfulness, so that we can become God's children. The second message is that we must follow Jesus' example, and be willing to forgive, love, and help others who are in-need of our help for Christ' sake; even if it involves the loss of our personal comforts and rights (Matthew 16:24).

I would like to encourage you to look around you, and see if there is somebody out there you need to reach out to with forgiveness and help (Matthew 5: 43- 48, Colossians 3: 13-14). Reach out to them now in love as Jesus would do, and God will bless you. Wi shin g yo u a Happ y Easter.

Yours, Auntie Elsie.

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Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

Dr. Ralph Wilson is a California pastor, director of Joyful Heart Renewal Ministries, and author of more than a dozen free online Bible studies from the Old and New Testaments. (www.jesuswalk.com/ebooks). Copyright © 2006, Ralph F. Wilson: pastor@joyfulheart.com. All rights reserved.

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What Difference Does Easter Make? o what if the Easter bunny wins the hearts of children everywhere? So why not strike "Easter vacation" from the vocabulary of our schools and substitute "Spring break"? What difference does Easter make anyway? It makes a lot of difference to those who are in touch enough with reality to take life and death seriously. It made a lot of difference to a very real woman named Mary. Let me tell you her story.

Mary had the heart-wrenching honor of washing the dried blood from Jesus' lifeless body as two other followers prepared the tomb cut into Jerusalem's cold limestone. Mary wept as she washed--wept and remembered.... She had been born to luxury, heiress to a textile fortune, a native of Magdala, a town along the coast of Galilee. "Little good it did me," she mused. Money had brought the opposite of happiness. She look back at her teen years as a blur of painful, compulsive acting out. Her parents had thrown up their hands in despair, she recalled. She recollected the gnawing fear, the selfloathing that ate at her very core. And she could remember the caring boldness in Jesus' penetrating eyes as he had confronted the demons that tormented her and commanded them to be gone forever. That had been the last of the frantic, distraught Mary. A gentle, peace-filled Mary had taken her place. Until today. Today she had seen her Lord die an excruciating death, his body weight hanging limp from the nails driven through his hands and feet, suspended from a cross like a common criminal. Her heart caught in her throat as she remembered and wept and washed away the caked blood with her tears. She wept, too, as she watched the men lift Jesus' corpse onto the tomb's carved ledge, and roll a massive stone across the doorway. Was all her hope for nothing? What of all the thousands of diseased bodies he had healed? The broken lives he had restored? The promises of the Kingdom of God? But early Sunday morning she was back at the tomb to finish anointing his body. When she arrived the tomb stood open, stone pushed to the side, ashes of the Roman guards' watchfire still smoldering. "How can 24

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they be so cruel?" she cried as she ran to tell the apostles. So cruel. But it wasn't cruelty that rolled away the stone that Easter morning. It was the powerful hand of God as Jesus Christ stepped forth brimming with Life. Mary saw him, mistaking him for the gardener. But there was no mistaking his familiar voice--"Mary." She fell at his feet, tears of grief melting into tears of joy. "Rabboni," she said as she looked into his face. "Teacher." Yes, Easter bunnies still capture the hearts of children and schools talk about Spring break, but you and I know what really happened on Easter. In an instant history changed forever, because where once the human mortality rate had held stead at 100%, now it skipped a beat as Jesus, Savior of all mankind, stepped out of dead statistics into life. Death is the last word no longer for Jesus' followers, life is. "Believe in Bhudda," some still insist amid the marketplace of the world religions. "Confucius," say the Chinese. "Mohammed," cry the Muslims. "Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh," shout his followers, and on it goes. "Jesus," Mary would tell us, "He changed my life." And millions around the globe would echo, "Mine, too. He touched my life, too." For while religious leaders have come and gone, the fact remains: only One stepped forth from the tomb. Only One has risen from the dead. Only One has conquered death. Only One oﬀers the promise of eternal life to those who follow him. "I am the resurrection and the life," Jesus said. "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." So why do Jesus' followers gather in churches on Easter morning? To show oﬀ their Easter finery? God forbid. Rather • To celebrate the victory of Life over death, • To help their children and grandchildren share their faith that Jesus is alive, and • To declare that Jesus Christ is Lord indeed! We hope you'll join us and millions of Christians around the world this Easter Sunday

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Dr. Kelafo Z. Collie M.D.

Dr. Kelafo is a life coach, leadership developer and trains persons into purpose worldwide. He is president of Kingdom Apostolic Ministries Intl. and Kingdom Apostolic School of Ministry. He is the author of two books “You are my Father, I am your Son- Understanding Kingdom Sonship” and “ Re Ordering the Nation- Principles to transforming the Bahamas”,

Sickle Cell Anemia visit www.adonaimag.tv for more articles

ickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia; a condition in which there is not enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout your body. Normal red blood cells are flexible, round and move easily through your blood vessels. However, in sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become rigid and sticky and are shaped like sickles or crescent moons. These irregular shaped cells can get stuck in small blood vessels, which can slow or block blood flow and oxygen to parts of the body.

SYMPTOMS Some symptoms of SCD include; • Anemia: Sickle cells are fragile, so they break apart easily and die, leaving you chronically short of red blood cells. • Episodes of pain or Crises: Develops when sickle shaped red blood cells block blood flow through tiny blood vessels to the chest, abdomen and joints. • Frequent Infections: Sickle cells can damage your spleen, an organ that fights infection. • Delayed growth: A shortage of healthy red blood cells can slow growth in infants and children and delay puberty in teenagers.

CAUSES The sickle cell gene is passed from generation to generation in a pattern of inheritance called autosomal recessive inheritance, which means that both mother and father have to pass on the defective form of the gene for a child to be aﬀected. If only one parent passes the sickle cell gene to the child, the child will have the sickle cell trait. People with sickle cell trait make both normal hemoglobin and sickle cell hemoglobin. Additionally, their blood may contain some sickle cells, but they generally don't experience symptoms. However, they are carriers of the disease, which means they can pass the defective gene on to their children. With each pregnancy, two people with sickle cell traits have; 26

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• A 50% chance of having a child who also is a carrier • A 25% chance of having a child with sickle cell anemia • A 25% chance of having an unaﬀected child with normal hemoglobin

RISK FACTORS The risk of inheriting sickle cell anemia is determined by genetics. For a baby to be born with sickle cell anemia, both parents must carry a sickle cell gene. The gene is more common in families that come from India, Africa, Saudi Arabia, the Mediterranean, and South and Central America. In the United States, it most commonly aﬀects blacks and Hispanics.

TEST & DIAGNOSIS To check your status, a blood test is done to check for hemoglobin S, the defective form of hemoglobin that underlies sickle cell anemia. If the screening test is negative, there is no sickle cell gene present. If the screening test is positive, further test will be done to determine whether one or two sickle cell genes are present. People, who have one gene (sickle cell trait), have a fairly small percentage of hemoglobin S. People with two genes (sickle cell disease), have a much larger percentage of the defective hemoglobin. To confirm any diagnosis, a sample of blood is examined under a microscope to check for large numbers of sickle cells. If you or your child has the disease, a blood test to check for low red blood cell count (anemia) will be done. Sickle cell anemia is a life long painful and stressful disease. If you carry the sickle cell trait, you may wish to see a genetic counselor before trying to conceive a child. A genetic counselor can help you understand your risk of having a child with sickle cell anemia. He can also explain possible treatments, prevention measures and reproductive options. However, above all remember that Christ is the Great Physician and He is our healer.

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BIBLE WORDSEACH

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