Joshua Nicholas Blog

Though, the Nigerian gospel music industry is highly saturated, yet you cannot talk about those who have influenced the industry and affected the up and coming generation of gospel artists positively without mentioning Sister Chinyere Udoma. While many see music only as a means of acquiring wealth and fame, Sister Chinyere Udoma sees it as a ministry for reaching out to people and administering to the pressing need of the masses. The music diva who launched into the Nigerian gospel music scene officially in 1999 with the release of her debut studio album titled “ idighi ajo njo”, was at the GOSPOTAINMENT RADIO during the BIG SAMIE SHOW on Monday to share her experiences on the journey so far. According to her “music is not something that should be dabbled into just to show off ones skills or acquire wealth. People are suffering, the country’s economy is dwindling by the day and this has affected a lot of people, so what Nigerians need is someone who can minist...

According to a recent Barna report on spiritual conversations in a digital age, children who grow up regularly talking about faith and seeing their parents integrate faith into everyday life are much more likely to continue being actively engaged in their faith as they grow older. In other words, parents who are eager to talk with their kids about spiritual matters raise kids who are likewise eager. While we often think of sharing faith as something we do with strangers or non-Christian friends, some of the most significant and impactful conversations happen in the familiar context of home. Those of us who are parents know this is easier said than done. I’m the mother of four children between the ages of 4 and 12. This last spring after school and sports ended, every room in my house needed major work— organizing, vacuuming, and cleaning. The clothes in my laundry room seemed to be crawling to the washing machine on their own. One morning, I heard my youngest ...

Church leaders didn’t get an explanation for why the seventh worship building to be closed in Algeria since November was sealed last week, but they suspect lack of registration was the pretext. It is virtually impossible to register a church in Algeria under current restrictions. Although three of the six churches previously closed were allowed to reopen last month, the shuttering on Wednesday (July 11) of the church building in the northeastern town of Riki was taken as a sign that harassment of Christian institutions that began in November is not over. The church of about 60 people, which began meeting at its building in Riki, near Akbou in Bejaia Province, on Aug. 11, 2017, had not been able to affiliate with the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) because the Ministry of Interior recently ordered the once-legally recognized association to freeze all new applications for membership, said Esaid Benamara, pastor of the Riki church. After the church finished wo...

After nearly two years in a Turkish prison, hopes for the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson have been deferred. A Turkish court ordered 50- year-old pastor to remain bars until at least his next hearing on October 12. On Wednesday, the court heard testimony from members of Brunson’s church who made “vague, unsubstantiated accusations” against Brunson, reported World Watch Monitor. When the judge asked how Brunson would respond to the testimony of the prosecution’s witnesses, he said, “My faith teaches me to forgive, so I forgive those who testified against me.” Bill Campbell, a North Carolina pastor whose church belongs to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the same denomination as Brunson’s church, was among several supporters of the pastor who attended the trial. “As usual, there was much spurious testimony against Andrew,” Campbell told EPConnection after the trial. “Andrew’s testimony was absolutely powerful. He presented the gospel with confiden...

A new image released by the European Space Agency (ESA) reveals more than 1,000 points of light that are actually individual galaxies. The infrared image was taken by the ESA's Herschel Space Observatory's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE). The image shows the North Galactic Pole, covering 180 square degrees of the sky. Astronomers say each point of light in the image represents a galaxy.  A galaxy is an enormous array of stars, interstellar gas, and dust. For example, our galaxy is known as The Milky Way.  Scientists believe it includes more than 100 billion stars. Images like this one reaffirm the Psalmist's declaration who wrote in the Bible's Old Testament: "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." - Psalm 19:1 According to the website Answers in Genesis , the Bible indicates that the universe has stretched out or expanded. Isaiah 40:22 tells us that God stretches out the hea...

Nepali Christians are facing new pressures from their government after authorities deported a Christian couple for evangelizing Hindus. Immigration officials said the two foreigners had violated terms of their business visa, but a Nepali religious freedom advocate told CBN News the couple had a right to practice their faith. BP Khanal, General Secretary of the Janjagaran Party said government officials reached their decision based on media reports, not facts when they sent Filipino De Vera Richard and his Indonesian wife, Rita Gonga packing. Khanal said party workers investigated and found government officials demonstrated bias against the couple and violated their human rights by denying them the right to practice their faith as Christians. In October 2017, the Nepal government enacted legislation criminalizing religious conversion which states that no one should be involved in, or encourage "conversion of religion." Those found guilty of violating th...

Israel is warning Hamas that it will "pay a heavy price" if their aggression along the Gaza border continues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told residents of Gaza border towns that Israel is prepared for a "lengthy battle" with Hamas. "It is important that Hamas will understand it is facing a wall of steel, and this wall consists, first of all, of a determined government with strong local leadership and Zionist communities that we will continue to strengthen and, of course, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)," Netanyahu told Israeli residents on Monday. Despite agreeing to a cease-fire, Palestinians launched fresh attacks with kites and balloons loaded with flammable material aimed at Israel, setting fires to farmlands and forests. Israel's military is urging Gazans to speak out against such terror tactics. "We ask every merchant and every citizen who is interested in calm and wants to see the goods enter (Gaza), turn to t...

NEW TECHNOLOGY AND ANCIENT BONES COULD REVEAL WHERE CHRISTIANITY BEGAN IN SCOTLAND "Advancements in research and analysis techniques since the collection was excavated mean that it is likely that the project will result in some radical discoveries in relation to dates and interpretation." -Julia Muir Watt [CBN News] Ancient bones discovered 30 years ago could help researchers point to exactly where Christianity began in Scotland. Three decades ago, researchers uncovered a mass grave full of thousands of bones in Whithorn that could prove that Christianity spread on the south west coast of Scotland. Withorn is already believed to be the site of a major Christian settlement. In fact, the Latinus Stone, the earliest Christian memorial in Scotland dating back to 450 AD is found there. Now, new technology could reveal if the bones belonged to some of Scotland's earliest Christians. "It could confirm what people in Whithorn already believe, that it...

A Muslim family in Pakistan strangled to death a teenage Christian girl who failed to carry out the household chores to their satisfaction, a horrific new report has revealed. Christians in Pakistan reported that the murder of Kainat Salamat, the 17-year-old daughter of Salamat Masih, occurred in Kamonki, Gujranwala district earlier this month. The teen's father filed a First Information Report to report the crime on May 6, explaining to police that he arrived to visit his daughter at the home of Muhammad Asif, where she had worked as a domestic helper since age 11. When he arrived, the father said that he and another relative saw that the Muslim family, Asif, Muhammad Kashif, Muhammad Tariq Pasran, Muhammad Ismael, along with Asif's wife and another woman, were holding down Kainat's legs and arms. The Muslim family had tied a rope around the Christian girl's neck and were strangling her, Masih said. Despite her father's pleas, the teen was e...

Lifestyle factors, such as abstinence—both with regards to sex and alcohol—along with prosocial behaviors, such as volunteering, were found to be only partly responsible for the gains, leaving researchers wanting to do further studies. (Columbus, OH)—[ StudyFinds.org ] Churchgoing may be on the decline, but lapsed congregants have new reason to attend services. Why, you may ask? Because religious affiliation can increase lifespan by a handful of years, even when gender and marital status are taken into consideration, a new study finds. (Photo credit: @BenWhitePhotography/Unsplash) Researchers at Ohio State University recently conducted an analysis of over 1,600 obituaries across two related studies, hoping to find whether religiosity helped promote longevity. It did, with the average congregant living four extra years. The researchers' first study looked at 505 obituaries published in the Des Moines Register in early 2012, noting the age, gender, religious aff...

Praise For Supernatural Restoration – God is in praise and He is the omnipotent God; that is why praise has a very strong potent force. Praise is acknowledging God for who He is irrespective of how you feel. When praise becomes acceptable, God manifests His mightiness in your favour. Joel 2:26 -And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. Shame is coming to an end in your life today! All the years the enemy stole from you, My God will restore because this is your time of restoration in the name of Jesus! John 11:41-44 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with ...

If the children of Israel were to go through the Red sea in a single file (line). How long did you think it would take them?? Please forward your answers to this number +2348108767289 or to this mail address joshuannicholas@gmail.com Include your name and country! Goodluck!!!

Sinach is out with another powerful song There’s an Overflow. According to her This is a very special song to me. Long before now, I have ministered to myself many times with this song, and no instance went without a tremendous supply of the anointing! it’s a song of hope; a prophetic song the Spirit of God gave me to herald a new level for His people, and a distribution of His Spirit and grace in these days. Listen to the song; let the lyrics soak in, and begin to declare with me as I lead you with this song into the new levels God has prepared for you!

After closing more than 700 churches and some mosques in March, Rwandan government officials have moved to institute guidelines for how faith groups operate in the majority- Christian East African country. Rwanda’s minister in the office of the president has brought to Parliament a draft law that would require Christian and Muslim clerics to attain university education before preaching in churches or mosques. The law would require clerics to have a bachelor’s degree and a valid certificate in religious studies. It would also bar clergy who have been convicted of crimes of genocide, genocidal ideology, discrimination or other sectarian practices. “I agree with the law. Some of our church groups have been operating in a dangerous manner,” Evalister Mugabo, bishop of the Lutheran Church in Rwanda, told Religion News Service. Churches and mosques would also be required to institute an internal disagreement resolution body to complement the work of their umbrella...

Rev. Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, has come up against some fierce opposition as he attempts to organize a gospel crusade in the northern British town of Blackpool. As a result of increasing pressure from LGBT groups, the local governing authorities have decided to remove promotions for the event, which were placed on the side of the town's buses. "Blackpool Transport has recently been made aware of an advertisement in place on the side of some of our double-decker buses," said a spokesperson for the company, according to the Blackpool Gazette. "In light of customer feedback and reactions on social media which has resulted in heightened tension, we have taken the decision to remove all adverts relating to the 'Time for Hope' Festival with immediate effect. We will reimburse any income back to the advertising company." "We work with multiple advertisers and third-parties and in no way do we endor...

Researchers have found mosaics in Israel, including one that appears to depict the two scouts Moses sent to explore Canaan. The mosaic depicts two men carrying a pole with a cluster of grapes. In Hebrew is inscribed: “a pole between the two.” The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill announced this week the discovery of the mosaics at the Huqoq site in Galilee. The mosaic of Moses’ scouts appears to refer to the book of Numbers, where the men were sent to the land of Canaan after their exodus from Egypt. According to Numbers 13:23, the men “cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes” and returned to Moses. “We went into the land to which you sent us, and indeed, it is flowing with milk and honey,” Numbers 13:27 reads. Previously, Israeli officials and researchers have uncovered other mosaics, including ones showing Samson carrying the gate of Gaza, Noah’s Ark, Jonah being swallowed by a fish, the parting of the Red Sea and the construction of t...

Nigeria Now the Deadliest Place to Be for a Christian. 'The Death Knell for the Nigerian Church': New Massacre Sparks Fear for Christians Nigerian Leader Warns: 'The continuous killings of Christians might spell doom' New attacks against Christians in Nigeria are leading to demands that a special envoy investigate the gruesome outbreak of violence in the African country. One man whose relatives were killed calls Nigeria the deadliest place in the world for Christians. But who is really behind the murders? Yes, the Boko Haram terror group is still a threat, but recent attacks against Christians in Nigeria are coming from Muslim tribal herdsmen known as Fulanis. "What we have is a genocide. They are trying to displace the Christians, they are trying to possess their land and they are trying to impose their religion on the so- called infidels and pagans who they consider Christians to be," explained i...

Americans’ access to digital books may be growing, but they still enjoy reading a physical copy of the Bible. A new Barna survey shows that 89 percent of Bible users in the United States read a physical version – a percentage that has remained steady the past eight years. Reading the Bible on the Internet (57 percent) and on a smartphone (55 percent) remains popular, but a Barna report said Americans’ usage of a physical version is noteworthy. “Little has changed in the preference for a physical copy of the scriptures in the last eight years since tracking began,” the Barna report said. The survey findings are similar to those of a 2016 Pew Research Center survey , which discovered that 65 percent of Americans prefer a physical book and 28 percent an e-book. The Barna survey also found that: 48 percent of Americans are considered Bible users. This is defined by Barna as using, listening to, praying or watching the Bible text in any format at least three to fo...

The nation may be debating the abortion views of President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, but another Trump court nominee – one already sitting on the bench – made his views clear on the issue this week. James Ho was nominated and confirmed last year to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals after serving as Texas solicitor general and as an attorney with the First Liberty Institute, a religious liberty organization. In an opinion released on Sunday, he sided with the Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops in an opinion and also called abortion a “ moral tragedy ” – language that has sparked outrage from the pro-choice community. The case concerns a Texas law that would require abortion providers to bury or cremate fetal remains and would forbid them from placing the remains in sewers or landfills. The Texas Conference of Catholic Bishops offered to bury the remains for free. A lower court judge ordered the Bishops to “discovery requests” in the case – an intr...

Never let them crush that dream, by Ben Carson This is one of the SADDEST stories ever told in Hollywood. His name is Sylvestar Stallone. One of the BIGGEST and Most famous American Movie superstars. Back in the day, Stallone was a struggling actor in every definition. At some point, he got so broke that he stole his wife's jewellery and sold it. Things got so bad that he even ended up homeless. Yes, he slept at the New York bus station for 3 days. Unable to pay rent or afford food. His lowest point came when he tried to sell his dog at the liquor store to any stranger. He didn't have money to feed the dog anymore. He sold it at $25 only. He says he walked away crying. Two weeks later, he saw a boxing match between Mohammed Ali and Chuck Wepner and that match gave him the inspiration to write the script for the famous movie, ROCKY. He wrote the script for 20 hours! He tried to sell it and got an offer for $125,000 for the script. But he had just ONE REQUE...