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Christian Music Appreciation: Now I’m Alive

Christian Music Appreciation: Now I’m Alive

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Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on Now I’m Alive, another original worship song from New Life Music. For the newcomers reading this, the previous New Life Music worship song I examined and analyzed was Touch From Heaven.

If you want to discover more about New Life Music, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page) and here (YouTube). New Life Music is part of New Life Philippines whose main church is located inside Alabang Hills Village in Muntinlupa City, Philippines. To know more about New Life Philippines, visit https://newlife.ph/

To get started with Now I’m Alive, watch this official lyric video from New Life Music.

Before getting into the analysis of the Biblical relevance of Now I’m Alive, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Faith Tugano, Kate Naranjo and Solomon Pagapong.

VERSE 1

Oh what love You have shown me

At the cross You have bled for me

My sins You erased

I am saved by Your grace

VERSE 2

I was lost but You found me

Broken – You delivered me

Forgiven I stand

Forever held in Your hands

CHORUS

Jesus, You have brought me back to life

Made righteous, pure and now redeemed in Christ

Jesus, You have brought me back to life

Now I’m alive

Now I’m alive

VERSE 3

No more fear No more shame

No longer bound No longer a slave

Jesus, You have won it all for me

CHORUS 2

Jesus, You have brought me back to life

Made righteous, pure and now redeemed in Christ

Jesus, You have brought me back to life

Now I’m alive

Now I’m alive

Jesus, You have brought me back to life

Made righteous, pure and now redeemed in Christ

Forgiven, set free, I’m alive in Christ

Now I’m alive

Now I’m alive

BRIDGE 1

Your love knows no end

Your love knows no bounds

Nothing can separate me from Your love

BRIDGE 2

No sin, No fear

No power can separate me

From Your love

From Your love

To begin with, let’s take a close look at the lyrics of Verse 1 of the song: Oh what love You have shown me, At the cross You have bled for me, My sins You erased, I am saved by Your grace.

The Verse 1 lyrics are truthful as they clearly reference the sacrifice of Jesus whom God sent to save us from sin. Jesus is our Redeemer, our Lord and Savior. For anyone who is still lost and unsaved, the way to establish a relationship with the Lord and get redeemed/saved is by getting born again. Learn from the following holy scriptures below…

For here is the way God loved the world—he gave his only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life.

John 3:16 (TPT)

Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3 (NASB)

For sin’s meager wages is death, but God’s lavish gift is life eternal, found in your union with our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.

Romans 6:23 (TPT)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 (NASB)

And they answered, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well.

Acts 16:31 (AMPC)

Moving forward, take a close look at the following lines from the Chorus of the song: Jesus, You have brought me back to life, Made righteous, pure and now redeemed in Christ, Jesus, You have brought me back to life, Now I’m alive, Now I’m alive.

In my analysis, the Chorus lyrics emphasize the redemption and sacrifice Lord Jesus made to save us. Before the redemption happened, people were trapped by sin, idols, unbelief, rebellion, hopelessness and death. Jesus truly freed people from the darkness that clouded them. Remember that the Lord is always working on all things for our good and we only need to be faithful to Him, follow Him and believe in Heavenly things that are coming. Learn from the bible scriptures below…

Since we are now joined to Christ, we have been given the treasures of redemption by his blood—the total cancellation of our sins—all because of the cascading riches of his grace.

Ephesians 1:7 (TPT)

Little children, you can be certain that you belong to God and have conquered them, for the One who is living in you is far greater than the one who is in the world.  They belong to this world and they articulate the spirit of this world, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and whoever truly knows God listens to us. Those who refuse to listen to us do not belong to God. That is how we can know the difference between the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.

1 John 4:4-6 (TPT)

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Romans 5:8 (AMPC)

Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me. To know me is to know my Father too.

John 14:6 (TPT)

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:5 (NASB)

Yahweh, you’re the bedrock beneath my feet, my faith-fortress, my wonderful deliverer, my God, my rock of rescue where none can reach me. You’re the shield around me, the mighty power that saves me, and my high place.

Psalms 18:2 (TPT)

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Titus 2:11-13 (NKJV)

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted;

    he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 34:18 (NLT)

Moving forward, take a close look at the following lines from Bridge 1 of the song: Your love knows no end, Your love knows no bounds, Nothing can separate me from Your love.

The Bridge 1 lyrics are about the love of the Lord which is very great and eternal for the faithful. To understand the meaning of the said lyrics and what His love is about, read the following scriptures below…

Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (TPT)

Who could ever divorce us from the endless love of God’s Anointed One? Absolutely no one! For nothing in the universe has the power to diminish his love toward us. Troubles, pressures, and problems are unable to come between us and heaven’s love. What about persecutions, deprivations, dangers, and death threats? No, for they are all impotent to hinder omnipotent love, even though it is written:

All day long we face death threats for your sake, God.

We are considered to be nothing more

than sheep to be slaughtered!

Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God’s love. I’m convinced that his love will triumph over death, life’s troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us—no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God’s passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One!

Romans 8:35-39 (TPT)

Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.

John 15:9 (NASB)

In this last analysis of the lyrics, I want you all to focus on the title – Now I’m Alive. As Christians, we are living under the watch, guidance and love of the Lord. We are alive – even spiritually – because Lord Jesus saved us and His spirit – the Holy Spirit – is in our hearts! We are the living faithful children of God dedicated to follow Him through His Word and the Truth! We are no longer trapped by darkness and sin because we chose to be saved by Jesus and accepted Him as our Lord and Savior! Learn from the following scriptures below…

Guard and keep [with the greatest care] the precious and excellently adapted [Truth] which has been entrusted [to you], by the [help of the] Holy Spirit Who makes His home in us.

2 Timothy 1:14 (AMPC)

But Christ (the Messiah) was faithful over His [own Father’s] house as a Son [and Master of it]. And it is we who are [now members] of this house, if we hold fast and firm to the end our joyful and exultant confidence and sense of triumph in our hope [in Christ].

Hebrews 3:6 (AMPC)

For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,

Ephesians 3:14-20 (NASB)

And it’s true: “Everyone who calls on the Lord’s name will experience new life.”

Romans 10:13 (TPT)

Indeed, the lyrics and title of Now I’m Alive are holy and anointed! While I am clearly not involved with the composition of the song, it is evident that New Life Music wrote it to be true to the Word of God. Musically speaking, Now I’m Alive is beautiful and solemn to listen to. Very obviously, it is a great song for Sunday worship as well as special church events. Now I’m Alive is also an ideal worship song to help the faithful strengthen their faith in the Lord.

In conclusion, posted below is the official music video of Now I’m Alive for your faith and viewing pleasure. While watching it and listening to the music, remember to be faithful and thankful to the Lord. Always remember to realize the good life from the Lord, practice Christian habits (click here and here for reference), have private time with God, get yourself planted in a local church (allow the Holy Spirit to guide you) and remember the truth that He rewards the faithful abundantly and He established plans for you before you were even created! Continue to live with God’s Word, seek God through His son Jesus, and keep on being the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.

If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

North Carolina-based church pays for fuel benefiting more than 300 people

North Carolina-based church pays for fuel benefiting more than 300 people

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News published every day by the mainstream media outlets can be very depressing and stressful to absorb. Here in the Philippines, many millions of still unused COVID-19 vaccines are at risk of expiring. Overseas, America has its worst inflation in decades and the prices of fuel are very expensive nowadays.

If you are looking for good news and details that can help deepen your faith in the Lord, check out the recent CBN News story about a North Carolina-based church that paid to fill the fuel tanks of hundreds of customers who lined up at the gas stations. Considering how expensive gas is right now, the anointed move by Kingdom City Church is a blessing to those who badly need gas at a time when they are struggling financially. To be clear, Kingdom City Church has been doing this special thing for years.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the CBN News report. Some parts in boldface…

With painfully high gas prices still hurting American families nationwide, churches across the country have partnered with gas stations to help alleviate the burden with either discounted or free fuel.

Kingdom City Church in Charlotte, North Carolina recently took part in helping to fill the tanks of those in need.

“At the end of the day, it’s a blessing to be a blessing to God’s people,” Pastor Brian Carn told CBN News’ The PrayerLink.

He explained that his church has been doing a gas outreach for several years, but with the rising cost of goods, this year’s event was more significant.

“I believe that the life of a Christian should be a life that is overflowing with compassion,” he shared. “We were just faithfully doing it over the last couple of years and it actually came in handy this year in a powerful way.”

More than 300 people received free gas, along with grocery vouchers and gift cards.

“People were actually running out of gas, coming to the gas station,” Carn said of the event that took place in late March. “We were having to push their cars to the gas station, but to be able to use that as a tool to get people saved, pray for people, get people healed and delivered.”

Members of Kingdom City Church pumped gas for drivers so they could sit in their cars and receive ministry and prayer.

“I drove about 25 minutes to get over here to get a tank of gas,” said one driver. “Everyone was pleasant and I really appreciate everything you guys have done for me and everyone out here today.”

“Once we got here you feel the Holy Spirit around us…you can feel His Spirit just move you,” another driver told the church. “Speaking to people prior to getting the gas, praying with people…it’s earth-shaking.”

Pastor Carn personally financed the entire event, giving away $10,000 worth of fuel. He said he wanted to pour back into the community and sow a seed.

“I wanted to make it my business to sow into those who come. You know a lot of times as the church we do a lot of receiving, but not much pouring back into the people,” he explained, “so I wanted to make it my business to sow a seed into the lives of people all over the city of Charlotte so that God could use me as a conduit to let them know that God cares about your tank as much as he cares about your pocket and your heart.”

The above article ended quoting Pastor Carn: “You know Jesus fed them first and then ministered to them. So that was our fish and the loaves.”

Now, check out the related CBN News video below. Watch how caring Kingdom City Church is to the people who need gas…

What this news story should remind you is that when you are blessed by the Lord, do not forget to be a blessing to others. Never forget that God blesses the faithful abundantly! Learn from the following holy scriptures below…

“Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop?  And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place?  Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don’t hide your light!  Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:14-16 (TPT)

For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Hebrews 6:10-12 (NKJV)

Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything —every moment and in every way. He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do. Just as the Scriptures say about the one who trusts in him: Because he has sown extravagantly and given to the poor, his kindness and generous deeds will never be forgotten. This generous God who supplies abundant seed for the farmer, which becomes bread for our meals, is even more extravagant toward you. First he supplies every need, plus more. Then he multiplies the seed as you sow it, so that the harvest of your generosity will grow. You will be abundantly enriched in every way as you give generously on every occasion, for when we take your gifts to those in need, it causes many to give thanks to God.

2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (TPT)

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

For those who are wondering what Kingdom City Church is, check out the excerpt of their history from their website posted below…

Kingdom City Church (KCC) is a national ministry founded in September 2016 by Senior Pastor, Brian Carn, along with the ministry assistance of our former Associate Senior Pastors. KCC is currently located in Charlotte, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Houston, Texas; and soon to be all over the world! With only a word from the Lord, “Move to Charlotte!” Prophet Carn spoke to the people of God concerning this great assignment the Lord had given him. It was the beginning of a ministry who was hungry for a move of God like never before! As we launched our first service in Charlotte, NC on Sunday, September 4, 2016, we knew God was beginning something that would change the lives of many for years to come. With an extremely packed sanctuary every week, the power of God flowed through the place from beginning to end, compelling men and women to be saved and have a deeper encounter with God.

Praise and thank the Lord for Kingdom City Church blessing so many people with their latest gas outreach! Through them, God’s love, care and blessing were passed on to others!

To learn more about Kingdom City Church, visit their official website at https://www.kcccharlotte.org/wp/ and their official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/KCCculture/. On Twitter, follow them at  https://twitter.com/kcc_culture

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Note: The Kingdom City Church logo is a property of the church.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #12 (1994)

A Look Back at WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #12 (1994)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back superhero fans, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we continue revisiting Jim Lee’s flagship title under the Image Comics label – WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams!

Previously, I reviewed WildC.A.T.S #11 which served as a build-up issue with the titular team and their place within the WildStorm universe in mind. Considering how much the narrative in issue #10 was driven through Zealot’s struggles and her meeting the Huntsman (his debut), issue #11 was alienating as the two mentioned characters had significantly lesser exposure. Of course, it is noted that issue #11 saw the rather heavy entry of Tapestry, an eroticized and highly manipulative villainess who not only encountered the fearless Zealot ages prior but also scared her deep inside. Out of fear and desperation, Zealot summoned her long-time ally Savant who in turn reached out to Soldier (who also knew Zealot) and Mr. Majestic (only mentioned by name). Issue #11 also saw the rise of the Troika (Attica, Slag and H.A.R.M.) in terms of exposure and even character development.

At this stage, it was clear that franchise creator Jim Lee literally gave author Chris Claremont the driver’s seat to develop the WildC.A.T.S franchise significantly and lead it to a new, bold direction. It was clearly the most unconventional WildC.A.T.S story published at the time!

With those details laid down, here is a look back WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #12, published by Image Comics in 1994 with a story written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Jim Lee.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with the Huntsman driving the high-tech motorcycle with Miranda and an ailing Zealot seated in the side-car. They are being chased and attacked by the Troika from above (Attica and Slag riding on H.A.R.M. in its aircraft form) firing several rockets at them. While the rockets caused huge explosions on the city street, Attica states he will consider the attack on their targets successful only he sees their dead bodies.

Meanwhile inside a facility, Tapestry continues to deeply manipulate the mind of Warblade among the captured WildC.A.T.S members. Already Jacob Marlowe and even the cybernetic Spartan have been manipulated to do her bidding. As Tapestry continues working on Warblade in the presence of Soma and the others, the Raksha-possessed Voodoo hungers for new meat.

Moments later, as Voodoo goes out agonizing over the craving, a vehicle – with Jacob Marlowe’s loyal assistants Jules and Stansfield – arrive. Deep inside Voodoo, a conflict between her and the Raksha occupying her body begins… 

Quality

Mr. Majestic is the WildStorm universe’s parallel to DC Comics’ Superman!

Like issue #11, this comic book continues to build-up the WildC.A.T.S lore but with notable differences. For one thing, the story moved forward more while also having the intensity build up constantly leading to the set-up of the upcoming conflict between Tapestry’s troops (along with the manipulated WildC.A.T.S) and Zealot with Hunstman (and the incoming reinforcements). To put it short, the exposition in this story was less and the plot noticeably progressed more.

When it comes to the significance of the characters, this time the narrative’s spotlight shifted back more on Zealot and Huntsman which was the right move pulled off by the creators as Tapestry was already established as the new force of evil for the good guys to deal with. As for the new characters introduced in the previous issue, Tapestry has a smaller share of the spotlight while Savant and Soldier are present again but only after much of the action had passed. It is also in this issue that Mr. Majestic appears at last marking the start of his involvement in the conflict.

As for Zealot and the Huntsman, their alliance in this story has progressed more as well. Under Chris Claremont, the fearless Zealot was portrayed to be struggling very hard as she became more vulnerable than ever! This is Zealot that has to be seen! As for Huntsman, he truly is an effective fighter. So much so, he sure can fit into the WildC.A.T.S and keep up with their action. Still, Huntsman is indeed an honorable man as he still dedicates himself in protecting Miranda (who is a lot more than she appears) while making his moves to help Zealot at her most vulnerable time.

When it comes to the visuals, this is one Jim Lee-drawn comic book that I found unusually alienating to look at. His penciled art are still here but in certain pages, they looked odd as they were inked by other people. The ink work done on page 17 really stood out with a very high contrast look.

Conclusion

By this point of the storyline, Zealot and Huntsman are clearly the major characters.

While it is essentially a build-up issue, the entertainment value in WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #12 (1994) went up as the story progressed more, the spotlight shifted more on Zealot and Huntsman (clearly the two major characters for this storyline) and the exposition and explanations were lessened. The ironic thing is that readers will see less of the titular team (as most of them were captured and being manipulated by Tapestry) here. The presence of Savant, Soldier and Mr. Majestic here is pretty light which is understandable as the focus on Zealot and Huntsman was deeper this time. Ultimately, this comic book sets the readers up to for the inevitable big battle in the next issue.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #12 (1994), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $60.

Overall, WildC.A.T.S: Covert Action Teams #12 (1994) is highly recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Hillsong Church raises and distributes over $630,000 in assistance for Ukrainians

Hillsong Church raises and distributes over $630,000 in assistance for Ukrainians

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This past March, I posted about the launch of Hillsong Church’s special assistance – referred to as the Ukraine Appeal – for the people of Ukraine whose lives got disrupted by Russia’s invasion of their country. If you are eager to donate some of your loose cash online to help the Ukrainians through Hillsong Church, then click right here.

This past Saturday, Hillsong Church posted on its official Facebook page the latest update about their Ukraine Appeal. They have already raised hundreds of thousands of Dollars and their churches in Europe are also involved in the assistance for the people of Ukraine. To those who already donated to Hillsong’s Ukraine Appeal, I urge you to read the details closely.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Hillsong Church FB post. Some parts in boldface…

Since Hillsong launched its Ukraine appeal 4 weeks ago across our churches globally, we have raised and distributed over $630,000 in supporting humanitarian aid within the region.

• We have secured several large warehouses in Ukraine and Poland with a steady flow of Humanitarian Aid, which is in the process of being established to ensure they are filled and distributed to those in need.

• As a first step, three tons of food supplies will be shipped to the Ukraine Warehouses this week.

• We have sent two thousand mattresses to Ukraine, helping people in bunkers and metropolitan stations.

• Our Hillsong Kyiv Staff and team have assisted those in our church, mostly women and children, who have fled to Warsaw in acquiring accommodation, food, supplies and military protection vests.

• Together with Hillsong Kyiv we set up close communication to our other European locations to connect more people fleeing to find a place where they can ‘call home’ and be taken care of through our Church and Churches that we are in relationship with. Due to the overcrowding of cities like Warsaw, this has been crucial and now the Hillsong team in Warsaw can host Women, Children & Seniors nights for fellowship and connection.

• Another praise report was the opportunity to host twenty of the women now in Warsaw for the opening night of Hillsong Colour Conference and spend precious moments worshipping and hearing God’s word together.

• In Hillsong Berlin, after three weeks of hosting families with people from our Church Community, an opportunity emerged through a Church member to utilise a Guest House which is no longer in use. This facility will accommodate forty spaces for the coming months with eight families living there now.

• The Hillsong Berlin community has supported these families with the registration process, basic supplies, process of applying for schooling and funding.

• Hillsong Sweden is assisting with a full project on the ground to house and serve refugees.

Thank you to our global Hillsong church for your generosity and giving in supporting these efforts through our Ukraine Appeal.

It is indeed delightful to read the above details. Hillsong Church did not just collect the donations but also coordinated with its churches in Europe to make the varied forms of assistance for the affected Ukrainians really progress and make positive impact.

If you intend to donate to Hillsong’s Ukraine Appeal and become part of the collective effort to help those in need, take a close look at the bible scriptures below…

When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Romans 12:13 (NLT)

Take a constant interest in the needs of God’s beloved people and respond by helping them. And eagerly welcome people as guests into your home.

Romans 12:13 (TPT)

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16 (NKJV)

Mercy to the needy is a loan to God,

    and God pays back those loans in full.

Proverbs 19:17 (MSG)

I encourage all of you reading this to donate to the Ukraine Appeal, click https://hillsong.com/appeal/

Pray to the Lord for Ukraine and its people so that the suffering will end. Pray also to Him for Russia’s leaders to be enlightened and make the decision to stop their military operations in Ukraine and leave the nation entirely. Always remember that only God can lift up the persecuted and restore them fully. Keep believing in that! Keep on reading the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

For more about Hillsong Church, visit https://hillsong.com/ and their official YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/hillsong

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Note: Hillsong logo is a property of Hillsong Church.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco/

Hanoi’s 31-day countdown to the 31st SEA Games to start soon

Hanoi’s 31-day countdown to the 31st SEA Games to start soon

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The wait for the opening of the 31st Southeast Asian Games (also referred to as 31st SEA Games, Hanoi 2021 and SEA Games 31) in Vietnam is gradually coming to an end and very soon the City of Hanoi will launch its very own countdown of 31 days leading to the 12th day of May, according to a report by VietnamPlus.VN. Take note that their nation is working hard on finalizing the SEA Games preparations and Hanoi itself is working on ensuring medical services for the said games.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the VietnamPlus.VN article. Some parts in boldface…

Hanoi is to launch a 31-day countdown to the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games 31), heard a meeting chaired by Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Chu Xuan Dung on March 31.

A ceremony to kick-start the countdown is scheduled to take place on April 11, together with the Olympic Run Day for Public Health and the 47th edition of the Ha Noi Moi Newspaper Run at Hoan Kiem Lake at the heart of the capital city.

Dung, who is head of the SEA Games 31 organising board of Hanoi, underlined that the regional sporting event is an important chance to promote the city’s image as a safe, friendly and attractive destination to domestic and foreign tourists.

He ordered relevant sides to bolster communication activities and finish the decoration on Hanoi streets by April 11 to celebrate the upcoming Games.

Already Vietnam has been welcoming visitors from overseas and so far their national and local authorities have been pretty bullish on boosting their economy through tourism. The high number of COVID-19 cases does not seem to dampen their drive. For a quick look at Vietnam and the SEA Games, watch the videos below.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: How excited are you for the 31st SEA Games right now? Do you feel like wanting to visit Vietnam to watch the SEA Games live and enjoy the tourist sites? What do you think about the 31-day countdown of Hanoi leading to the opening of the SEA Games?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

Christian Music Appreciation: Touch From Heaven

Christian Music Appreciation: Touch From Heaven

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Welcome back, my readers and fellow Christians! In this newest edition of my Christian Music Appreciation (CMA) series, we will focus on the worship song titled Touch From Heaven which is from New Life Music. To follow New Life Music on social media and on their YouTube channel, I encourage you to click here (Facebook page) and here (YouTube). New Life Music is part of New Life Philippines whose main church is located in Muntinlupa City, Philippines. To know more about New Life Philippines, visit https://newlife.ph/

The featured worship song Touch From Heaven is part of New Life Music’s album titled To The Other Side. The official video of Touch From Heaven was recorded live at New Life’s main church in 2021 and you will see it before this piece ends.

Before analyzing the Biblical relevance of Touch From Heaven, posted below for your reference are the lyrics composed by Nash Soliven, Addi Cena, Jazmine Rivera, Jat Bondoc, Daryl Pinon and Kyle Ruelo.

VERSE 1

He is here

Here to lift your burdens

Here to mend what’s broken

Here to ease your fears

–

Here to heal

Heal all your afflictions

Heal you from depression

Heal all your disease

–

PRE-CHORUS

So be still

And know that He is God

He is here

To rescue every heart

–

CHORUS

Jesus, let Your healing come

And let Your will be done

And mark us with a touch from heaven

–

Jesus, let Your kingdom come

And let Your will be done

And heal us with a touch from heaven

–

VERSE 2

He is here

With power, might and glory

Strengthening the weary

His hand upholding me

–

And as I praise

He’s clothing me with gladness

Joy for all my sadness

Hope for better days

–

PRE-CHORUS 2

So it is well

I know that He is God

He is here

There’s freedom in His love

–

BRIDGE 1

There’s nothing too hard for You

No mountain You cannot move

There’s nothing too hard for You

No limit to what You can do

–

BRIDGE 2

We will rise

We will walk

In the strength of the Lord

We will stand

We will see

His salvation drawing near

–

VERSE 3

He is here

He is our protection

He is our provision

He’s the Prince of peace

–

He is here

Here to heal our nation

He hears all our petitions

And wipes away our tears

To begin with, let’s take a close look at the lyrics of Verse 1 of the song: He is here, Here to lift your burdens, Here to mend what’s broken, Here to ease your fears, Here to heal, Heal all your afflictions, Heal you from depression, Heal all your disease.

The Verse 1 lyrics are truthful as there many references to the healing and restoration that the Lord has done and continues to do for those who suffered and had fallen. To experience healing, recovery and restoration, people only need to come to God wholeheartedly and in faith. Refer to the holy scriptures below…

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV)

You open the eyes of the blind, and you fully restore those bent over with shame. You love those who love and honor you.

Psalm 146:8 (TPT)

“Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David says: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I am going to heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord.”

2 Kings 20:5 (NASB)

I am convinced that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through Jesus Christ!

Philippians 4:19 (TPT)

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;

save me, and I shall be saved,

for you are my praise.

Jeremiah 17:14 (ESV)

Next are the following lines from the Pre-Chorus part of the song: So be still, And know that He is God, He is here, To rescue every heart. Those lyrics are truthful and are related to the following bible scriptures below…

Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

Psalm 46:10 (NKJV)

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:10-12 (NKJV)

Commit everything you do to the Lord.

Trust him, and he will help you.

Psalm 37:5 (NLT)

The Pre-Chorus lyrics as well as the above verses emphasize the truth that God our Heavenly Father and true Creator will always love us – His faithful children – and anyone who has fallen, or suffered or got persecuted need to come to Him in faith. We should never let the elements of this divided world we live in prevent us from coming to Him and that being said, our established relationship with Him is never to be compromised. God is faithful and only He can lift up the sufferers and restore them fully.

Next we look at the lyrics in the Chorus which are as follows: Jesus, let Your healing come, And let Your will be done, And mark us with a touch from heaven, Jesus, let Your kingdom come, And let Your will be done, And heal us with a touch from heaven.

Healing by the Lord is once again emphasized. The sufferers who come to the Lord in faith truly get healed. The healing power of God goes way beyond anything that science, technology and medicine can ever explain and ever achieve. The Lord’s healing is truly supernatural and it is way beyond anything worldly healing can produce. Learn from the holy scripture below…

Now, in the crowd that day was a woman who had suffered horribly from continual bleeding for twelve years.  She had endured a great deal under the care of various doctors, yet in spite of spending all she had on their treatments, she was getting worse instead of better. When she heard about Jesus’ healing power, she pushed through the crowd and came up from behind him and touched his prayer shawl.  For she kept saying to herself, “If I could touch even his clothes, I know I will be healed.”  As soon as her hand touched him, her bleeding immediately stopped! She knew it, for she could feel her body instantly being healed of her disease!

Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him had passed through him for someone to be healed. He turned and spoke to the crowd, saying,“Who touched my clothes?” 

His disciples answered, “What do you mean, who touched you? Look at this huge crowd—they’re all pressing up against you.” But Jesus’ eyes swept across the crowd, looking for the one who had touched him for healing.

When the woman who experienced this miracle realized what had happened to her, she came before him, trembling with fear, and threw herself down at his feet, saying, “I was the one who touched you.” And she told him her story of what had just happened.

Then Jesus said to her, “Daughter, because you dared to believe, your faith has healed you. Go with peace in your heart, and be free from your suffering!”

Mark 5:25-34 (TPT)

Still on the Chorus, the lyrics about the touch from heaven – which is also the title of this worship song – I believe are connected to this particular holy scripture below…

Step down from heaven, Lord, and come down!

Make the mountains melt at your touch.

Loose your fiery lightning flashes and scatter your enemies.

Overthrow them with your terrifying judgments.

Reach down from your heavens

and rescue me from this hell

and deliver me from these dark powers.

They speak nothing but lies; their words are pure deceit.

Nothing they say can ever be trusted.

My God, I will sing you a brand-new song!

The harp inside my heart will make music to you!

I will sing of you, the one who gives victory to kings—

the one who rescues David, your loving servant,

from the fatal sword.

Deliver me and save me from these dark powers

who speak nothing but lies.

Their words are pure deceit,

and you can’t trust anything they say.

Deliver us! Then our homes will be happy.

Our sons will grow up as strong, sturdy men

and our daughters with graceful beauty,

royally fashioned as for a palace.

Our barns will be filled to the brim,

overflowing with the fruits of our harvest.

Our fields will be full of sheep and cattle,

too many to count,

and our livestock will not miscarry their young.

Our enemies will not invade our land,

and there’ll be no breach in our walls.

What bliss we experience when these blessings fall!

The people who love and serve our God will be happy indeed!

Psalm 144:5-15 (TPT)

Psalm 144:5-15 emphasizes God’s tremendous and unchallenged power, and He is truly able to come to the faithful on this chaotic world for healing, protection, restoration, prosperity, love and salvation. His Son Lord Jesus, who sacrificed Himself to save us all, overcame death and went to Heaven with the promise of returning to us. Rest assured, Lord Jesus never abandoned the faithful and He will always be with the faithful. Going back to the song, I believe that the respective lyrics of Bridge 1 (There’s nothing too hard for You, No mountain You cannot move, There’s nothing too hard for You, No limit to what You can do), Bridge 2 (We will rise, We will walk, In the strength of the Lord, We will stand, We will see, His salvation drawing near)  and Verse 3 (He is here, He is our protection, He is our provision, He’s the Prince of peace, He is here , Here to heal our nation, He hears all our petitions, And wipes away our tears) connect well with Psalm 144:5-15 plus other holy scriptures below…

Jesus explained, “I am the Way, I am the Truth, and I am the Life. No one comes next to the Father except through union with me.  To know me is to know my Father too. And from now on you will realize that you have seen him and experienced him.”

John 14:6-7 (TPT)

“I tell you this timeless truth: The person who follows me in faith, believing in me, will do the same mighty miracles that I do—even greater miracles than these because I go to be with my Father! For I will do whatever you ask me to do when you ask me in my name. And that is how the Son will show what the Father is really like and bring glory to him. Ask me anything in my name, and I will do it for you!”

John 14:12-14 (TPT)

Soon I will leave this world and they will see me no longer, but you will see me, because I will live again, and you will come alive too. So when that day comes, you will know that I am living in the Father and that you are one with me, for I will be living in you. Those who truly love me are those who obey my commands. Whoever passionately loves me will be passionately loved by my Father. And I will passionately love him in return and will reveal myself to him.”

John 14:19-21 (TPT)

Let them shout for joy and be glad,

Who favor my righteous cause;

And let them say continually,

“Let the Lord be magnified,

Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

Psalm 35:27 (NKJV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

Indeed, the lyrics of Touch From Heaven are holy and anointed! I can say without hesitation that the essence of this particular worship song from New Life Music is truly based on God’s Word as well as His love for the faithful. Musically speaking, Touch From Heaven is beautiful and solemn at the same time. That being said, the song clearly has a place for musical use and worship of the Lord during Sunday worship services or during church special events. Lastly, I declare Touch From Heaven is immersive and will help church attendees on strengthening their faith to God. Once more, I encourage you readers to visit New Life Music on Facebook and YouTube plus visit New Life Philippines at https://newlife.ph/ and also their official YouTube channel.

In conclusion, posted below is the official music video of Touch From Heaven for your faith and viewing pleasure. While watching it and listening to the music, remember to be faithful and thankful to the Lord. Always remember to realize the good life from the Lord, practice Christian habits (click here and here for reference), have private time with God, get yourself planted in a local church (allow the Holy Spirit to guide you) and remember the truth that He rewards the faithful abundantly and He established plans for you before you were even created! Continue to live with God’s Word, seek God through His son Jesus, and keep on being the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Sharing this Christian piece means spreading the good news of the Lord to others. It can help you save the unsaved and the lost souls out there.

you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

Legal Expert: Palestinian Authority practices apartheid, not Israel

Legal Expert: Palestinian Authority practices apartheid, not Israel

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Let us be very clear here…deception must be overwhelmed in order for the truth to be realized. I’m talking about the years-long campaigns of lies, distortions, violence and exaggerations by the enemies of the State of Israel being magnified by all of those “free Palestine” activists, Leftists, social justice warriors (SJWs), the United Nations members and Amnesty International.

The side that always hates Israel often repeats lies that the State of Israel is guilty for committing apartheid (a term best associated with the apartness between white and black people in South Africa) which is completely false! In fact, it is the corrupt and terrorist-linked Palestinian Authority (PA) that practices apartheid according to the findings of a legal expert as reported by CBN News. This is something that the world should pay more attention to.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the CBN News article. Some parts in boldface…

CBN News reported on backlash caused by an Amnesty International report accusing Israel of being an apartheid state. One result of the fallout shines the light on a major issue basically ignored by this group that purports to end abuses of human rights.

The amnesty international report concluded that “Israel’s cruel policies of segregation, dispossession and exclusion across all territories under its control clearly amount to apartheid.” 

Apartheid refers to the South African policy of separating blacks and whites, which existed for more than 40 years. It ended in the mid-1990’s.   

“Amnesty and the UN, which is going to be joining the effort by describing Israel as an apartheid state isn’t getting it wrong, they’re getting it an opposite of the truth,” says legal expert Prof. Eugene Kontrovich.

Kontorovich explains his conclusion in a piece published by the Wall Street Journal titled “There’s Apartheid in The Holy Land, But it’s Not in Israel.” 

“Israel is a country where Arabs participate in all walks of public life, hold positions in the government,” he says. “In Israel, Arabs and Jews mingle, in cafes and on busses, in all public places. But right next door, in those areas of the Holy Land run by the Palestinian Authority, real apartheid is practiced.”

Kontorovich points out the PA has a law that calls for the death penalty if a Palestinian sells land to a Jew. Back in November, CBN News asked the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister about that law.   

“Land in Palestine is not a real estate issue. Land in Palestine is a political issue. So therefore, the Palestinian law does not allow land to be sold to non-Palestinians,” Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh told CBN News.

Another controversial government policy is referred to as pay to slay. That program rewards terrorists convicted of killing Jews.

“Israel is not sponsoring a program of pay to slay against Palestinians,” Kontorovich says. “The Palestinian Authority government supported by Western governments … funds a pay to lay program to pay for the murder of Jews.” 

Kontorovich says through all its laws and policies the PA has created a Jew-free zone.   

“When you at the areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, it’s not that there’s no separation between Jews and Arabs, there’s just no Jews. Because they have created a Jew-free state and they have enforced this through official methods.”

Posted below for your viewing is the very video about the CBN News report.

For a deeper understanding about the Israel-Palestine conflict as well as the web of deception and evil forces that are determined to destroy Israel and uplift Palestine (which has a history of terrorism), watch the following videos below.

Going back to the highlighted CBN News report, I urge you readers to NEVER allow yourselves to be deceived by the Palestinian Authority, its evil partners and terrorists. All these blaming and lies against Israel are deceptions recycled all over and over. Israel is the truly the land of the Israelites, not the Palestinians.

For insight about the Palestinian people and the land of Israel, watch this Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) documentary which is credible and truthful.

For more, let’s go to the Holy Bible and take a close look at God’s promises to Abraham as well as the inclusion of Isaac and Jacob as the true inheritors with regards to the land of Israel. Read the following scriptures below…

Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

So Abram departed as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him. And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.

Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. So Abram journeyed, going on still toward the South.

Genesis 12:1-9 (NKJV)

Then God said to Jacob, “Arise, go up to Bethel and dwell there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from the face of Esau your brother.”

And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments. Then let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me in the way which I have gone.” So they gave Jacob all the foreign [a]gods which were in their hands, and the earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the terebinth tree which was by Shechem.

And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob. So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

Now Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried below Bethel under the terebinth tree. So the name of it was called Allon Bachuth.

Then God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Padan Aram, and blessed him. And God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; your name shall not be called Jacob anymore, but Israel shall be your name.” So He called his name Israel. Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body. The land which I gave Abraham and Isaac I give to you; and to your descendants after you I give this land.”

Genesis 35:1-12 (NKJV)

And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac,

I will give to you,

And I will give the land to your descendants after you.

Genesis 35:12 (NASB)

And I will give you the land I once gave to Abraham and Isaac. Yes, I will give it to you and your descendants after you.

Genesis 35:12 (NLT)

God continued,

I am The Strong God.

    Have children! Flourish!

A nation—a whole company of nations!—

    will come from you.

Kings will come from your loins;

    the land I gave Abraham and Isaac

I now give to you,

    and pass it on to your descendants.

Genesis 35:11-12 (MSG)

As seen in the above verses, it is totally clear that Abraham’s illegitimate son Ishmael (whose mother was Hagar) was never meant to inherit the land of Israel. God had other plans for Ishmael and Hagar while His blessings for Abraham were meant for the rightful heirs Isaac and eventually Jacob. For greater insight, look at the scripture below…

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”

So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

Genesis 21:9-14 (NKJV)

Israel today is a great and blessed nation. It is the true homeland of the Jewish people and the foundation of the State of Israel was a promise fulfilled by the Lord. As this divided world is filled with evil and constantly influenced by Satan, it is no surprise that there are sinister forces that want to destroy Israel. Iran has sponsored terrorism for many years and they won’t give up with their support of Israel’s enemies. The Palestinian Authority has its own agenda, shenanigans, connections with evil forces (note: look at their connection of support with the Marxist terrorist group Black Lives Matter) and legacy of violence against Israel (note: remember what Yasser Arafat did decades ago? Remember when Bill Clinton as United States President accommodated Arafat knowing he committed terror many times?).

Under the watch and guidance of the Lord, the Abraham Accords were established during the days of United States President Donald Trump. The Abraham Accords is indeed working as Israel established new peace deals with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Morocco and the Kingdom of Bahrain. For insight, watch the videos below.

Truly God is faithful and He always keeps His promises to the faithful. I believe that the Abraham Accords will keep progressing and the Palestinian Authority as well as its violent allies (notably Iran as well as the Democrats and Communists of America) will become less relevant in due time. The people in Palestine will become better off without the PA and its evil partners. In due time, the apartheid of the PA will be realized even more and eventually come to an end. Along the way, we must always look up to the Lord and maintain unwavering faith in supporting Israel and the Abraham Accords. Keep on praying to Him!

If you truly believe in Lord Jesus, the Holy Spirit and God the Heavenly Father wholeheartedly and you continue to be faithful (not religious), you should be aware that Christians are meant to stand united with Israel, love the Jewish people and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. You can do your part supporting Israel by donating to Christians United for Israel (CUFI). Do not forget to read the Holy Bible, then pray in tongues to the Lord in the privacy of your room with the door shut.

Pray to the Lord for the Abraham Accords to keep progressing and establishing more peace and stability between the Jewish people and the Arabs! Pray to the Lord for the Palestinian people to be freed from the corruption and violence of the Palestinian Authority! Pray to the Lord for the fall of the anti-Semitic forces, the fall of the terrorists, the fall of the Leftist forces, the fall of the BDS Movement and the fall of the other enemies of Israel so that all those who oppose Israel will realize their errors, repent to the Lord and submit themselves to Him! Pray to the Lord for the continued protection and progress of the State of Israel no matter how their political landscape changes. Thank God for His Love, His Blessings, His Protection and for sending His Son Jesus who is our Lord and Savior!

Always be the fearless and aggressive church of Lord Jesus! Always stand in support of Israel!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

Pay close attention to Xbox Game Studios Publishing and the exclusive games being made by their partners

Pay close attention to Xbox Game Studios Publishing and the exclusive games being made by their partners

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Nothing changes the fact that Team Xbox and its 23 game studios are hard at work producing exclusive games that will provide years’ worth of fun-filled content to Xbox console gamers, PC gamers and the many millions who subscribed to Xbox Game Pass (XGP).

Were you able to read my recent article about Stoic (The Banner Saga) and its current work on an exclusive game with Team Xbox? For those who missed out on it, Team Xbox is actively working with varied game studios (examples: Avalanche Studios on Contraband, and IO Interactive on Project Dragon) on producing even more Xbox-exclusive games and the said studios are still free being independent entities.

Very recently, Miles Dompier of Windows Central Gaming wrote an in-depth article about the moves and projects of Xbox Game Studios Publishing in cooperation with the independent game makers. To start with, watch this WCG video of WCG and Miles Dompier…

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Dompier’s article. Some parts in boldface…

In addition to a staggering first-party future including titles like Hellblade 2, Fable, Everwild, Starfield, and many more, we also know of roughly 10 Xbox Game Studios Publishing titles potentially in the works. Xbox understands that strategic partnerships on games published through Xbox may make more sense than outright acquisitions when it comes to building meaningful relationships with developers. And who knows? Maybe some of these teams will love their experience working with Xbox, which could lead to more permanent relationships.

For now, we’ll be recapping all the Xbox Game Studios Publishing projects we currently know about as well as revealing one brand new codename. Here are several reasons why we should all be very excited about the future of Xbox Game Studios Publishing.

Xbox Game Studios Publishing codenames

As Dusk Falls is still in production.

Let’s start with the small list of Xbox Game Studios Publishing titles that have officially been announced so far. First up, we have the interactive drama As Dusk Falls. This stylized game from Interior/Night promises an engaging narrative with player choice driving the story. As it stands, there’s no release date or window for this project.

Next, we have the upcoming co-op heist title Contraband from open-world experts Avalanche Studios. Set in the 1970s, this seemingly ambitious open-world game allows players to execute the perfect heist with unique vehicles and gadgets. While there’s no official release date yet, we’ll likely get more details on the project sometime in 2022.

Now we’ll touch on some Xbox projects we’ve previously covered or teased in the past. The infamous Project Dragon from IO Interactive has been in the rumor mill for quite some time now. This action RPG aims to deliver a vast and ongoing multiplayer fantasy experience. A release or even reveal may be a ways off here, but it’s still exciting to think about the possibilities.

Project Belfry is another exciting potential Xbox exclusive. According to Jeff Grubb and his luscious mane, this side-scrolling brawler from The Banner Saga developers Stoic Studios is comparable to the PlayStation exclusive Dragon’s Crown in terms of gameplay, but will feature the painted art style this team is known for.

An Xbox Game Studios Publishing title that has me particularly interested is Project Shaolin. Reportedly in development by BrassLion Entertainment, this action RPG will reportedly feature an anime aesthetic and focus on the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan. With four-player co-op and a seasonal loot system, this project sounds right up my alley.

Fans of 4X strategy titles like Civilization should be interested in the upcoming Project Indus from developer Oxide Games. With turn-based strategic elements, city building, empire advancement, espionage, diplomacy, and warfare, this should scratch a specific itch for fans of the genre.

As you can see in Dompier’s article above, the Xbox-exclusive projects made by independent game makers are in production and will fill the gaps on the Xbox portfolio to not only provide content for console, PC and Xbox Game Pass gamers but also to meet the varied tastes or interests of gamers. Action-oriented role-playing? Project Shaolin! Interactive drama? Watch out for As Dusk Falls!

The years-old belief that “Xbox has no games” is idiotic and totally untrue by today’s standards. I know there are lots of Xbox-haters and console fanboys out there who just keep bashing Xbox by lying and ranting, disregarding the many upcoming Xbox-exclusive games and even dismissing the growing business partnerships Team Xbox made with independent game companies and even the Microsoft-SEGA strategic alliance. Whatever the Xbox-hating mob does, nothing changes the trend that gaming on the Xbox ecosystem will only grow bigger, offer gamers lots of choices and become a lot more fun than ever before. Speaking of growing excitement, watch out for the Xbox 20th Anniversary Event online today (November 15), the universal acclaim of Forza Horizon 5, the December 8 release of Halo Infinite, and the December 16 release of the Xbox-exclusive The Gunk!

For the complete details about Xbox Game Studios Publishing and the future Xbox-exclusives, I encourage you all to read Miles Dompier’s article at https://www.windowscentral.com/xbox-game-studios-publishing-secret-weapon-new-exclusives

In closing this piece, posted below are Xbox-related videos for your viewing pleasure.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at  HavenorFantasy@twitter.com and also on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

A Look Back at Wolverine #75 (1993)

A Look Back at Wolverine #75 (1993)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic collectors, 1990s culture enthusiasts and fans of the X-Men! We go back to the year 1993 when the 30th anniversary of the X-Men was celebrated with the 6-part Fatal Attractions storyline. Already I reviewed Uncanny X-Men #304 (Part 3) which was not worthy of the X-Men’s 30th anniversary celebration. X-Men #25 (Part 4) meanwhile was not only great but also shocking and had a years-long impact on X-Men comics.

So now the focus is on the 5th chapter of the Fatal Attractions storyline handled by the Larry Hama-Adam Kubert team on the Wolverine monthly series of the time. With those details laid down, here is a look back at Wolverine #75, published by Marvel Comics in 1993 with a story written by Larry Hama and drawn by Adam Kubert.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins in outer space. Carrying Charles Xavier, Wolverine, Gambit, Jean Grey, Rogue and Quicksilver (who participated in the dangerous mission in X-Men #25), the X-Men’s jet (piloted by Bishop) struggles mechanically as it was not designed for space travel. Worse, Wolverine is under very serious condition and the medical unit has been operating in full capacity dealing with his intense trauma.

In an attempt to alleviate Wolverine’s psychic trauma, Charles Xavier and Jean Grey enter his mind and discover that there is a world full of pain and horror. They see visions of a restrained Wolverine (from his Weapon X days) being attacked by Sabretooth and Lady Deathstrike. Xavier explains that they are at the epicenter of Logan’s most suppressed cataclysmic memories which were clearly triggered by the physical damage Magneto inflicted on him (see X-Men #25).

As the X-Men’s jet attempts to enter Earth’s atmosphere, its exteriors heat up dramatically shaking everyone inside. This complicates the situation on stabilizing Wolverine…

Quality

The other X-Men team members at their headquarters expressing worry and concern about the situation of their teammates struggling to come back home from space.

To be clear, this story continues the events of Fatal Attractions but with a bit more focus on Wolverine (compared to the earlier chapters of the storyline that is). There is no real battle between good and evil at all. It’s really all about Wolverine struggling to survive just as his teammates struggle to arrive home.

Before the stories of this comic book and X-Men #25 happened, Wolverine has often been portrayed to be very tough, brave and a walking machine of violence which has been reflected in other X-Men stories told in video games and movies. In this very comic book, Wolverine has been presented to coming close to death. This means Logan, at this particular stage of the history of the literary X-Men, was at his most vulnerable state. In my experience, this was both alienating and shocking to see.

With regards to the writing, Larry Hama did an excellent job with pacing the story from start to finish. Right from the beginning, the story pulls you into the X-Men’s tough situation and as each page gets turned, the tension as well as the suspense builds up until the execution of the climax. Along the way, the comic book not only portrays Wolverine struggling on the edge, it also works to make you care more or be more concerned towards him. Oh yes, the shocking moment near the end of this comic book remains very powerful and you who read this retro review should read Wolverine #75 and see it for yourselves.

Conclusion

Wolverine at his most vulnerable state.

By today’s standards, Wolverine #75 (1993) is still a very great comic book to read. In fact, I can say it is not only one of most defining chapters of the Fatal Attractions storyline as well as one of the most significant X-Men comic books of the 1990s, it is indeed a true illustrated literature classic ever published by Marvel Comics. In retrospect, this comic book marks a major turning point in the life of Wolverine who is still one of the most iconic characters in all of superhero literature. All of these were achieved thanks to the creative team of Larry Hama and Adam Kubert (whose are here was great and stylized at the same time). Hama succeeded in writing the continuation of the Fatal Attractions storyline while balancing all of the exposition and still putting Wolverine in the center. That itself is a very great work of writing.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Wolverine #75 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $60 while the near-mint copies of the signed-and-numbered edition and the newsstand edition cost $300 and $180 respectively.

Overall, Wolverine #75 (1993) is highly recommended!

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #304 (1993)

A Look Back at Uncanny X-Men #304 (1993)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, X-Men fans, superhero enthusiasts, 1990s culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the 30th anniversary celebration of the X-Men which took place in 1993. Back then, Marvel Comics went full blast with the anniversary celebration of their mutants by releasing related merchandise, posters and comic books with gimmick covers (note: read my retro review of 1993’s X-Men #25) that came with high prices.

To put things in perspective regarding 1993, Marvel’s X-Men line of comics had monthly series of Uncanny X-Men, X-Men (Volume 2), X-Force, X-Factor, Excalibur, Wolverine and Cable. X-Factor #92 marked the start of the Fatal Attractions storyline which was the basis for the X-Men 30th anniversary celebration. X-Force #25 was released and it not only brought Cable back but also Magneto.  

Then came the 3rd chapter of the Fatal Attractions storyline which was published in Uncanny X-Men #304. Not only did that particular comic book bring together many mutants and moved the storyline forward to a crucial stage (note: tension leading to it was built up in Uncanny X-Men #300, Uncanny X-Men #303 and also in X-Men Unlimited #1), it also served as the very celebration of the 30th anniversary of the X-Men (although it was not the storyline’s conclusion as the plot continued in X-Men #25, Wolverine #75 and Excalibur #71).

So did this particular, anniversary celebrating issue of the Uncanny X-Men succeed with its objectives? Has it aged well through the decades? We can all find out in this look back at Uncanny X-Men #304, published in 1993 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Scott Lobdell and drawn by John Romita, Jr., Jae Lee, Chris Sprouse, Brandon Peterson and Paul Smith.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with division among the Acolytes who learned that their lord Magneto actually survived (note: refer to 1991’s X-Men #3 by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee). They ganged up against their leader Fabian Cortez for betraying Magneto. After pushing his now rebellious team members away, Cortez reminds them that for several months already, they have been continuing Magneto’s work on behalf of mutantkind. Suddenly Exodus appears to them and describes himself as the voice of Magneto and will guide mutants to rise and mentions paradise for the faithful mutants. After subduing Cortez and tempering the tension among the Acolytes, Exodus tells them to prepare themselves for ascension. This frustrates Cortez who realizes that he no longer holds leadership.

Over at the X-Men’s headquarters, Charlez Xavier is personally disturbed over the death of Illyana Rasputin, the sister of Colossus. He starts questioning himself as Illyana’s death under his watch makes his years-long mission (of convincing his fellow mutants to leave their old lives to take risks to fight for a world that fears and hates them) doubtful and tries to figure out how he could present himself in front of them. A holographic image of Lilandra appears to him.

In outer space, inside the space station called Avalon, Magneto stares at planet Earth. With nobody around him, he speaks apologizing to his followers for he cannot save them all. He also mentions that he was wrong in previously believing that he could rescue each and every one of them from humanity as he recently realized that Earth, for the moment, is doomed.

After walking an unspecified distance inside Avalon, Magneto picks up his old helmet and wears it…

Quality

This 2-page art by Brandon Peterson is easily the best looking part of the comic book.

I will start with the visual aspect of this comic book. The artistic quality ranges from fine to weird which should not be surprising since this one involved five artists. The 4 pages drawn by Brandon Peterson (who was once a regular artist on Uncanny X-Men) made the X-Men, Magneto and the Acolytes look not only good but also intense. The Peterson art here is artistically similar to the respective styles of Marc Silvestri and Jim Lee of that particular time. Jae Lee’s art on the flashback of Magneto’s life (during the time of the Nazi occupation in Europe) is undoubtedly very stylized. While his art brings out the intensity of Magneto’s painful past, certain images can be a little challenging to understand especially to readers who focus strongly only following the plot and details. John Romita, Jr.’s art, for me personally, often looks rough and there were times I hardly recognized the characters. The other artworks by Paul Smith and Chris Sprouse have cartoonish aesthetics.

This is Jae Lee’s artistic contribution to the comic book. I found it weird that Magneto’s hair was shown as white during his past with the Nazis.

As for the plot, I can clearly see that a hard effort was made to compose a story that would push the Fatal Attractions storyline forward, establish a turning point and still become worthy of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the X-Men franchise. I can say that the storytelling is somewhat bloated. Early in the story, it was made clear that the respective sections showing Exodus with the Acolytes, Charles Xavier and Magneto pointed to an eventual confrontation that happened during the funeral of Illyana Rasputin.

As the build-up continued with the flashback of Magneto’s life, the fan service short scene of Kitty Pryde and the unfeeling Colossus (note: their romance was highlighted in Uncanny X-Men many years prior), and the talk scene between Bishop and Banshee, the pace of the story slowed down dramatically. By the time the attempt to move the narrative back to the core plot was made with the funeral scene (composed of the X-Men, X-Force and X-Factor), the pace was still really way down. By the time the conflict with Magneto, Exodus and the Acolytes stated, the pace recovery was incomplete and as such, seeing the scene unfold was very jarring (and not even the pages of Colossus’ frustration towards Professor X could solve the narrative pacing problem).

Unsurprisingly, the conflict was written to be overly dramatic complete with lengthy pieces of dialogue here and there. That being said, references to past comic books were established as Magneto once again emphasizes his beliefs about the human-mutant conflict using violence (while also side-stepping Jean Grey’s psionic powers to allow the Acolytes to come in undetected).

Human-mutant conflict aside, themes about faith, religion, idolatry salvation are clearly used. Magneto, who has a tremendous record of villainy and his previous leadership of the X-Men proved useless, was portrayed to be a walking wicked idol whose followers cannot do anything except idolize him and cause violence out of dedication to him. They really could not realize that idolatry is foolish and unholy which further adds to chaos on the world. As Magneto deceived himself to be the savior and lord of mutants, he further causes more pain and destruction to others around him. In short, Magneto will always be stuck with his wicked nature and clearly does not deserve heavenly authority no matter how hard he believes himself to be a savior.

The classic rivalry between Xavier and Magneto here was portrayed dramatically and yet I cannot help but think that their conflict was nothing more than a repeat of past encounters with the state and future of mutants at stake. To be fair, what happened here served as a logical build-up for the shocking encounter between Professor X and Magneto in X-Men #25.

Conclusion

Nobody among the X-Men (except Charles Xavier), X-Force, Excalibur and X-Factor cared to dress properly for the funeral.

To be clear, even though I am an avid X-Men fan, I find Uncanny X-Men #304 (1993) hard to be engaged with and hard to enjoy. Efforts to make it a worthy celebration of the X-Men are very clear but it’s just not entertaining nor compelling to read. As for the X-Men traitor scene, the revelation was not that shocking as the foreshadowing made it too obvious. At best, this comic book served as a warm-up for X-Men #25 which itself paid-off nicely. Being more than sixty pages long (including the advertisement and bulletins), this comic book has too much creative baggage which ultimately hampered its storytelling. It’s not terrible. It’s really not that great to read. What I experienced way back in 1993 with this comic book is just the same as I re-read it. It has not aged well.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Uncanny X-Men #304 (1993), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $20, while the near-mint copies of the signed-and-numbered edition and the newsstand edition cost $120 and $60 respectively.

Overall, Uncanny X-Men #304 (1993) is satisfactory.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com