Tag: coronavirus

28
Oct 2020
AUTHOR Cassie Hernandez

Answers in Prophecy: Lives Transformed

Uncertainty seems to be the new standard. No one is quite sure about what to expect tomorrow. The global COVID-19 crisis has impacted people as nothing else has in decades. Questions abound. Big questions like where is the world headed, whether God cares, and will this mess ever come to an end. Pastor John Bradshaw recently tackled these questions in a 10-part virtual series called Answers in Prophecy.  

Over 13,000 people registered to watch Answers in Prophecy, the first of six virtual series that It Is Written is conducting over the next 13 months to lead individuals to God. Since people cannot or are less likely to come in person to meeting sites, we are coming to them through the internet. Just log in, watch, and be blessed. And people have been and continue to be blessed.

Rose,* who had been diligently studying the Bible, was so excited to watch Answers in Prophecy. Just a few days after the series concluded, she was baptized.  

Pastor Bill is thankful that one of the Answers in Prophecy viewers is a person who had walked away from God many years ago. This series is giving Pastor Bill the opportunity to reconnect with her. 

A few weeks ago, Dana wanted to take her life. However, she stumbled upon Answers in Prophecy, and it totally changed her outlook on life. She’s now studying the Bible and preparing for a life with Jesus.

As a member of the Answers in Prophecy team, Betty made a courtesy phone call to June, who had registered for Answers in Prophecy, to see whether she had enjoyed the series. June did not remember ever registering. That did not deter Betty from asking if there was anything she could pray with June about. That’s when June opened up and shared about her daughter’s battle with cancer. Betty prayed and has been praying on a weekly basis with June. June told Betty, “I don’t know how I got on your list, but I’m glad I did.”

Warren was spiritually listless. He went through the motions of going to church but that was the extent of his relationship with God. Then he watched Answers in Prophecy, and it was like a light came on. He’s not been the same ever since.

Even though the Answers in Prophecy presentations were released from October 9 to 21, they can be viewed on demand at answersinprophecy.com. Discover for yourself and tell others about this life-changing series that digs deep into the Word of God for answers.

As you savor Answers in Prophecy, mark your calendar for the next virtual six-part series entitled, NO LIMITS: A Life of Power. The NO LIMITS presentations will be released from January 24 to 29. It’s the kind of series that will help you experience God’s power in your life. What a way to start the new year! More details about NO LIMITS will be released soon.

*All names have been changed.

22
Oct 2020
AUTHOR Cassie Hernandez

The Last Mission Trip: Video

Just as international travel shut down in Europe, It Is Written mission volunteers arrived in Siberia. It was the middle of March, and the COVID-19 pandemic was just beginning to extend its grasp around the globe. We didn’t know it then, but this was to be the last It Is Written mission trip of 2020.

Some volunteers had to leave immediately, but those who could, stayed, and God multiplied their efforts. Here are some stories from those mission volunteers.

To read more about the Siberia mission trip, check out our latest issue of Impressions.

28
May 2020
AUTHOR admin

And That’s a Wrap: It Is Written Online Evangelistic Series Hope Awakens Concludes with Thousands of Responses for Christ

The media production team and Pastor John Bradshaw

The production team behind Hope Awakens poses together in the It Is Written studio after the completion of the series.

Hope Awakens, a global, online evangelistic series recently conducted by It Is Written, concluded May 16. The series of twenty, sixty-minute, livestreamed meetings began April 17. That was to be the date when Revelation Today started in a number of cities in Indiana, including Indianapolis. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, those in-person meetings were canceled, but within a matter of days It Is Written was planning a virtual series that would reach all of North America and the world.

The meetings aired on hopeawakens.org, itiswritten.tv, Facebook, Roku, YouTube, LifeTalk Radio, Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon Fire, and through the It Is Written mobile app. More than one million people reacted to the social media advertising campaign. Almost three quarters of a million people responded to It Is Written directly. Tens of thousands of people registered to attend Hope Awakens. Over 3,500 people made decisions for Christ during the meetings and are being mentored by volunteers from the 600 churches who signed up to be a part of the initiative. 

Many attendees of Hope Awakens are attending local virtual communities to continue their studies with Bible workers who received special training by the It Is Written SALT (Soul-winning And Leadership Training) team. Attendees have also been invited to attend Take Charge of Your Health, the new It Is Written virtual, one-week series starting June 22.  

Stories are pouring in from people blessed by Hope Awakens:

Denise worked on a cruise ship and was quarantined on board the ship off the Florida coast after a crew member was diagnosed with COVID-19. Denise found It Is Written online and discovered Hope Awakens. She began watching and looking into the Bible to study the texts that were being shared.

Denise’s sister wrote, “She loved the presentations and learned so much and was fascinated to learn about how the Sabbath was changed. In fact, she was angry when she discovered this truth, knowing what God says had been kept from her for so long. Internet troubles prevented her from filling out an online decision card, so she emailed her decision to an online Bible worker who sent her decision to It Is Written! On May 2, 2020, right on the ship, she kept her first Sabbath, and she did the same the following week. What a God!”

Another viewer wrote, “During the past four years, I’ve been praying for my son Chris, who struggles with addiction. He’s been watching the Hope Awakens meetings every night and requested that I call him after each meeting to pray with him. One night, his girlfriend, (who also struggles with addiction) asked to join us and tearfully surrendered her heart to Jesus while praying. Last night I heard my son pray for the first time. I am so thankful for these meetings. Jesus is changing my son’s life, and I’ve been given the privilege to witness it!”

 “Last year my church started a community garden,” said a third viewer. “We invited community gardeners to join our weekly Bible study, and two attended. One man went through the whole series of lessons and attended church once. We invited him to watch Hope Awakens. He did, and he made decisions. We just voted him into church fellowship on the profession of faith during our online church service.”

One of our Bible workers dropped off a Mother’s Day gift and the book Steps to Christ to someone watching the meetings. The recipient shared, “I think I clicked on Hope Awakens because I was depressed, and now God is answering my prayers.”  

That was the point of Hope Awakens: to awaken hope in our Savior. To give people in an uncertain world a certain hope. 

In addition to being streamed in American Sign Language, Hope Awakens has been translated and shared in seven Indian languages. Meetings are also being held in French, Italian, and several languages for refugee groups in the United States. Pastor Robert Costa just completed a companion series in Spanish, and the meetings in English are being aired in New Zealand and Australia. 

If you watched Hope Awakens, please take the short follow-up survey: iiw.us/has. Archives of the meetings are available on demand at hopeawakens.org. The new It Is Written virtual series, Take Charge of Your Health, will begin June 22. Registration may be completed at takecharge.life.

21
May 2020
AUTHOR Cassie Hernandez

Explore Mental Health Programs and Resources From It Is Written

Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? With everything going on in the world today, there’s never been a better time to check in on your mental health. It Is Written has a variety of resources for learning how to care for and improve one’s mental health, from free TV programs and resources to books for purchase. Check them out below.

Television programs:

Maximum Health Series

As humans we are fearfully and wonderfully made, created by God to thrive. Incredibly, we make decisions and do things to our brains, our minds, that sometimes hold us back from thriving. But by the grace of God there are those things that can reverse the damage and lift us up. Join Pastor John Bradshaw and special guest Dr. Neil Nedley, president of Nedley Health Solutions, as they answer important questions about intelligence, brain health, and emotions. Discover how you can get the best out of the mind God gave you! Click here to purchase to DVD set or view the programs online below. 

“Emotional Intelligence: What Is It?”

Instead of being controlled by our emotions, how can we keep our emotions under control? Join John Bradshaw as he interviews Dr. Neil Nedley and discover how your emotions form a vital part of your relationship with God, and how you can get the best out of the mind God gave you!

“Controlling Your Emotions” 

Instead of being controlled by our emotions, how can we keep our emotions under control? Join John Bradshaw as he interviews Dr. Neil Nedley and discover how your emotions form a vital part of your relationship with God, and how you can get the best out of the mind God gave you!

“Becoming a Smarter You”

As humans, we are fearfully and wonderfully made, created by God to thrive. Incredibly, we make decisions and do things to our brains, our minds, that sometimes hold us back from thriving. But by the grace of God, there are those things that can reverse the damage and lift us up. Join Pastor John Bradshaw and special guest Dr. Neil Nedley.

“Peak Performance” 

You want to do your very best, and with God’s help, you can! “Peak Performance” will help you function at optimum levels and utilize your God-given gifts to a great capacity!

“Pathway to Hope”

The saying goes, “Healthy body, healthy mind.” With God’s help, you can get much more out of life than you’ve ever imagined. Be blessed by this presentation with John Bradshaw and Dr. Neil Nedley, and get on the pathway to health!

“Food for Thought” 

Our daily choices influence our health—physically and mentally. On God’s plan you can eat your way to better health. Now that’s food for thought!

“Boosting Your Brain” 

It’s one of our most precious possessions, but likely isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Learn how to boost your brain function and open your mind to richer blessings from God.

“Beating Diabetes” 

It’s a killer and it causes illness, injury and distress. But in many cases, diabetes can be simply beaten. Find out how you—or those you care about—can beat diabetes.

Depression Programs

“Depression and Its Causes” 

It’s probably safe to say that every American is affected by depression somehow—whether a person suffers from depression or has a friend or family member who does. But what, exactly, causes depression? Join Pastor John Bradshaw and Dr. Neil Nedley for the first program in a two-part series about this important topic.

*This program is presented for the purpose of educating people about health issues only and should not be used in place of the advice of your qualified health care provider. Please call your physician for any health care-related questions.

“Depression and Its Cure” 

People of faith are not immune to suffering from depression. A committed Christian might battle depression as much as someone who doesn’t believe in God. So is there a way out of depression? Join Pastor John Bradshaw and Dr. Neil Nedley for the conclusion of this two-part series about depression.

Grief Programs

“From Grief to Grace” 

In this program, you’ll meet a woman whose life was struck by terrible, random tragedy, who then found strength in God through the power of His grace. Don’t miss this powerful discussion on grief and forgiveness.

“Coping with Grief” 

In the beginning, God created a perfect world with no sin or sadness. But an enemy attack on planet Earth caused grief to enter the world. Human beings were created to be happy forever, so how do we deal with grief? Join Pastor John Bradshaw and special guest Pastor Mike Tucker, speaker/director of Faith for Today, to learn how to successfully cope with grief.

“From Grief to Hope” 

Grief is painful. It can be debilitating. And it’s something everyone experiences. Join Pastor John Bradshaw and his guest, Pastor Mike Tucker from Faith for Today, and find out not only what grief is, but how you can deal with it—healthily and successfully. Learn God’s plan to move from grief to hope.

Additional Mental Health Programs

“Coping with Stress” 

How did Jesus combat stress and are there healthy ways of coping with stress today? In this program, discover that the Great Physician has a divine prescription for stress that will help you successfully negotiate this stress-filled world!

“The Physiology of Worship” 

Research demonstrates that worship is good for you. How does worship benefit a person spiritually and emotionally? Join Pastor John Bradshaw and special guest Dr. James Marcum for “The Physiology of Worship.”

“Happily Ever After?” 

Juliet Van Heerden dreamed hers would be the perfect future. But her marriage to a cocaine addict soon unraveled, plunging her into one desperate situation after another. “Happily Ever After?” speaks of a God who is with you in the most difficult times. Join Pastor John Bradshaw for this powerful story and learn how God is able to turn a broken life into a life of hope, confidence, and joy.

Free Resources

Order one of the below free offers to be sent by mail by clicking here and completing the form. 

Depression Recovery DVD

Promises of Peace

In Promises of Peace, Pastor John Bradshaw brings alive some of the precious promises of the Bible and shows how through the Word of God you can experience peace in your heart and life. Promises of Peace will connect you with the Prince of Peace, and through His Word will bring you into the peace that passes understanding.

Coping With Grief

Grief hurts, it’s painful, and you’re going to experience it sooner or later. But what is grief, and how do we deal with it? What should you do when grief strikes close to home? Join Pastor John Bradshaw in this practical guide and discover how to move from grief to hope.

Dealing with Stress

Discover that the Great Physician has a divine prescription for stress that will help you successfully negotiate this stress-filled world!

Confidence in Chaos

People everywhere are trying to make sense of a rapidly changing world, but even in the face of personal trial and uncertainty, a person can find confidence in chaos.

Books for Purchase

Tears to Joy by Mike Tucker $14.99

If you have ever lost someone you love, you know how deep the wound cuts. In Tears to Joy, author Mike Tucker shares from his heart his struggles through the heartache of grief after the death of his wife of more than 40 years, Gayle Anne Whitacre Tucker. Her death affected every corner of his life, both personal and professional. He didn’t only lose a wife but a ministry partner as well. In sharing his story, Mike also shares research and material that he found helpful and reliable in the process of recovery. It is the author’s hope that in the midst of sorrow, Tears to Joy will bring you courage as you navigate through life’s most difficult journey.

Comfort for the Day: Living Through the Seasons of Grief by Steve and Karen Nicola $16.95

Comfort for the Day, Living Through the Seasons of Grief is a scripture-guided grief recovery memoir. The authors, Steve and Karen Nicola bring the grieving reader into conversations with God through Scripture that makes a healing difference for one’s pain and sorrow. It was their own experience following the death of their 3-year-old son that urged them to share with others the reality that we can live through the seasons of grief.

2
Apr 2020
AUTHOR Cassie Hernandez

It Is Written Continues to Air Church Programming in Response to Church Closures

Updated 5:11 p.m., June 9, 2020.

It Is Written will continue to air relevant, uplifting, and inspiring content for those who are unable to attend church. Join us this weekend on It Is Written TV (www.itiswritten.tv) for Bible study with special guests Dr. Michael Hasel and Dr. Frank Hasel, followed by a special sermon from the In the Word sermon series.

During the Bible study, aired multiple times during the weekend, the presenters take an in-depth look at how to correctly interpret Scripture. The study guide used in the program and written by the Drs. Hasel (cousins) can be accessed here for free. Past Bible study programs can be viewed here.

Following the Bible study, John Bradshaw preaches a sermon from the In the Word sermon series. Those episodes can be viewed here.

See the schedule below for airtimes.

Schedule:

(all times are North American Eastern Daylight Time)

Friday

8:30 p.m. Bible study; 9 p.m. Sermon

Saturday

10:30 a.m. Bible study; 11 a.m. Sermon

1:30 p.m. Bible study; 2 p.m. Sermon

8 p.m. Sermon

Sunday

10:30 a.m. Bible study; 11 a.m. Sermon

8 p.m. Sermon

It Is Written TV is available online at itiswritten.tv and on YouTube, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Play, Roku, and through the It Is Written mobile app.

It Is Written TV features not only a 24/7 livestream but also all It Is Written programming on demand: the award-winning It Is Written series; the new shows Conversations, Line Upon Line, and In the Word; several Spanish series, including Escrito Está; It Is Written Classics with founder George Vandeman; and other high-quality programs.

26
Mar 2020
AUTHOR John Bradshaw

8 Lessons From the Coronavirus

There’s much we can learn from the coronavirus crisis. Let’s look at a few coronavirus lessons, in no order of importance.

1. People can make you sick. I heard a sermon more than 25 years ago, preached by a man who sadly is now no longer a believer. He said that if you grow a garden, you wouldn’t be wise to locate it right at your property line if your neighbor’s property was filled with weeds. Because even if you do everything right, seeds from your neighbor’s property are going to blow into your garden and fill it with weeds. Proximity is a serious consideration. The same is true with the coronavirus, which affects people via other people. We need to be careful about what we catch from other people.

That’s especially true in a spiritual sense. It’s vital that we’re careful about what we catch from other people. Associations matter because attitudes rub off. If you’re in school and the popular kids aren’t serious about God, having them in your inner circle could be hazardous to your spiritual health. If your work associates or friends are corrosive to your faith, be exceedingly careful about how you let that association influence you. People have influence. We’re all influencers. Be careful of the influence of others.

2. Be careful how you spray. We’ve been reminded again and again to cough or sneeze into our elbows, so as not to affect or endanger others. Too many people “spray” their anger, bad language, and hateful attitudes on other people, who in turn are adversely affected by that. Your racist, sexist, or demeaning “joke” might be funny to you, but it’s going to harm others. Venting your anger might be acceptable to you, but it “sprays” on others. When you see a skunk, your first reaction might be, “I hope that thing doesn’t spray near me!” Some people evoke the same reaction as skunks. “I hope he doesn’t blow up.” “I hope she doesn’t start criticizing other people.” We have no right to “spray” others with our dysfunction. If you can’t muster up self control, if you can’t surrender your anger and frustration to God, it doesn’t make it okay for you to spray it upon others. It’s unfair, and it brings others down.

Lesson 3 from the coronavirus. It’s important to separate fact from fiction. “10 percent of the world’s population is going to die.” “This will last 18 months!” The truth is, we don’t yet have all the answers. I’ve seen numerous emails being forwarded containing miracle cures, the “truth” about the coronavirus, and remedies that are guaranteed to keep you safe. It’s almost certain that they won’t. The internet is like the Sears-Roebuck catalogues of yesteryear. You can find almost whatever you’re looking for. The same is apparently true of the Bible, because there are people who can appeal to the Bible to support just about anything at all. It’s important–from a Biblical perspective–to separate fact from fiction. Don’t fall for every last thing someone tells you about God, or about the Bible. The devil has no shortage of people wanting to lead you astray, divert your attention, and weaken your faith. The Bible is the truth. What someone says about the Bible is not necessarily the truth.

4. It’s good to think about the common good. We’re in this together. Your actions have a reaction. That’s why EVERYONE is being asked to act responsibly, to consider others. It might be that the coronavirus is going to bounce right off you. In fact, statistically speaking, there’s a very good chance that you’re going to be barely affected, physically. But even if you’re okay, you don’t want to be a carrier, a transmitter, of this illness. Spiritually speaking, you can be a negative force or a positive force in this world. You get to choose what you’re going to be. Consider your influence and use it for the good of others. And notice: at no time have you heard it said that only people who are specially qualified can pass on illness. You just have to be alive, and you can be a carrier. It’s the same with faith. You don’t have to be special, just special to God, and you can act for the good of everyone.

Lesson 5 from the coronavirus. Do the simple things to protect yourself. Wash your hands, avoid the sick, eat well, exercise, get rest. These are simple things. In faith, it’s the same. Read your Bible. Talk to God. Let your light shine. There’s nothing hard about these things. Spiritually, you want to do the simple things to protect yourself. If you’re not reading your Bible, then you’re not spiritually strong, and you shouldn’t fool yourself into thinking you are. Prayer and Bible reading are habit-forming. Do them, and you’ll want to do them more.

6. Things change fast. Two months ago, precious few people were talking about this. Now it’s the topic of almost every conversation, and it is dominating the news. When 2020 began, we had no idea that less than three months later the economy would be shutting down, cities would be under lockdown, people would have lost jobs, schools would be shut… Someone once said that the final movements would be rapid ones. That statement couldn’t be any more correct.

7. A final lesson from the coronavirus (and there are certainly many more.) It’s always right to do the right things. It’s always been right to look after your health, to cough into your sleeve, to stay away from work when you’re sick or contagious, to get exercise, to get adequate rest, and to think about the wellbeing of others. It’s best to incorporate these principles into your daily life anyway. It’s wise to simply make good practices part of everyday life. The same is true in a relationship with God. You don’t want to wait until tragedy strikes to discover prayer. You don’t want to be in the midst of a crisis to turn to the Bible. The wise things are always wise. Right is always right. God’s principles for successful living are simply the best things to do.

8. A final final lesson! Have faith in God. God has not given us the spirit of fear, according to 2 Timothy 1:7. God truly exists (Hebrews 11:6), He is love (1 John 4:8), He loves you (Jeremiah 31:3), Jesus is coming back to this world (John 14:3), and eternity awaits (1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is a great time for faith in a great God. The best is yet to come!

P.S. Don’t miss my conversation with Dr. Roger Seheult, a pulmonology, critical care, and sleep specialist. Dr. Seheult shares some vital insights into the coronavirus crisis. Be sure to watch and share with others. You can click here to watch it.

3
Mar 2020
AUTHOR John Bradshaw

The Coronavirus “And All the World…”

Everyone is talking about it. All over the world.

People are getting sick. People are dying. The stock market has taken a hit. Tourism numbers are now plunging in some parts of the world. It might impact the Olympic games.

As of Tuesday, March 3, there were approximately 100 confirmed cases of coronavirus, known as COVID-19, across the United States. There have been around 90,000 reported cases in the world, with around 3,100 deaths (including six in the U.S.).¹

Where the numbers will eventually go is anyone’s guess. But thankfully, the coronavirus isn’t HIV/AIDS or Ebola. Or even the flu. It’s serious, and it’s highly contagious. But as far as global epidemics go, as bad as it is–and 3,100 deaths is a tragedy, to be sure–the CDC estimates by comparison that as many as 46,000 people have died from the flu since October of last year in the United States alone!²

What we’re seeing is that it takes no time at all for the planet to focus its attention on an issue. The coronavirus as a phenomenon shows us that an issue can become an absolute global phenomenon like that. And that’s something that has prophetic significance.

For more than 25 years, I’ve had people ask me how the Earth’s last great crisis is going to become a global issue. I’ve lost track of how many times people have asked me how authorities will know who is refusing to receive the mark of the beast. “How will they know who’s going along with the mark of the beast and who isn’t?” Of course that’s a fair question, but what we’ve been reminded of yet again is that society is able to focus its attention on an issue, and make that issue the issue for the world, in no time at all. And that’s what’s going to happen in the end of time.

The world has become much smaller in recent years. Electronic communication has increased the speed with which news can travel and the ease with which reports can be beamed from one part of the globe to another. Someone once said that the final movements of this earth would be “rapid ones.” That someone was right.

We need not speculate as to when certain prophetic events are going to take place. We already know the answer. Soon.

The coronavirus phenomenon shows us things can change incredibly quickly. The Bible says that “and all the world wondered after the beast” and that “all that dwell upon the Earth shall worship him” (Revelation 13:3, 8). We’ve seen clearly illustrated in the last few weeks how an issue can become a global issue virtually overnight, how the unlikely can become a global reality in no time at all.

Six thousand years ago the Earth was infected with a disease called sin. It won’t be long and the whole world will be talking about the issues that will dominate the closing scenes of this world’s history.

Everyone will be talking about it. All over the world.

And those who are fully surrendered to Jesus will experience final deliverance when Jesus returns.

Click here to watch a video about coronavirus prevention and implications from John Bradshaw and medical expert Dr. David DeRose. A Spanish transcription of the video is available here from Escrito Está.

¹https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/coronavirus-outbreak-death-toll-us-infections-latest-news-updates-2020-03-03/

²https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/preliminary-in-season-estimates.htm