richard | News of Joy

Please Pray for Judge Frank Caprio

UPDATE: Judge Caprio just died on 8/20/2025. Considering the mortality rate of the illness he had, he still lived another year and a half after I posted a prayer request for him and was 88 when he died. He was a man with a big heart. This website has a prayers page where people can request prayers for someone in need of prayer, but I decided to put this prayer request on the front page. Judge Caprio posted a request for prayers on December 6, 2023 on Youtube. As of 1/10/24, that short video had 8,358,205 views and 192,124 comments. Judge Caprio is very smart to ask for prayers. The judge is now in his 80s and was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Most doctors would give the judge little …

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Tenets of Christianity The Good News of Jesus

Nobody is in Heaven

At least; almost nobody. I was reading some tributes recently on social media to a much-loved British actor who just died. Of the hundreds of comments, one said “sleep soundly mate.” How often to we wish that the person who has just passed away “rest in peace?” (RIP) Did you ever consider that the one fan’s comment and the well-wishes of rest in peace are both very Biblical? Jesus told the disciples that his friend Lazarus “sleeps,” when describing his death. Jesus had no reason to employ euphemisms. Jesus described Heaven as “paradise.” Since we know that Heaven is a billion times more wonderful than life on earth, would Jesus have forced Lazarus to leave the splendor of Heaven and return to this earth? Would Peter have done the same …

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Why the Nativity – a wonderful video about the birth of the Savior

This is both a wonderfully produced video and a wonderful educational video, reminding us of what happened when Jesus was born and what occurred at that time. It includes historic details that every person should know and think about. The reason for the season is being quickly erased from American culture. This beautiful video is a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas and it’s relevance to all people. Thank you Dr. David Jerimiah and all those who made this video possible.

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Unsilenced TV Special; When UK Anti-Christians Tried to Silence Gods Message

The entire New Testament of the Bible is a message of love. It is at the very core of every book of the New Testament and Jesus’ central message. That message of loving other people is repeated by every Evangelical pastor, who preaches the Gospel. When asked about the most important commandment, Jesus answered by saying: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” This answer is found in the writings of three of the Gospels. Jesus clearly stated that in Christianity, loving your neighbor, i.e. loving other humans, as you …

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The Deception of Prosperity Theology

It’s sad to think that Christians today would need to spend so much time trying to discern the real Gospel message from what they hear from so many “mega-church” pastors. After all, the numbers of Christians in America are dwindling as hundreds of churches have closed their doors and the church can only hope to bring more unsaved people through the doors to show them the love of Jesus. Yet, in so many big churches, there are pastors preaching their version of the Gospels that is misleading and not Biblical. They claim that if you give them money, regardless of your financial circumstances, you can be assured to receive much more money in return. Please know, if you don’t already, that this message is NOT Biblical. This is a way …

Pat Robertson Dead at 93 Christian lover of all people

Modern Day Christianophobia

Hatred of Christians; Embracing Christianophobia

America has changed in recent decades. From a country where as much as 96% of the population believed in God to a country where half of young people identify as non-religious or Atheist. This metamorphosis of culture has also seen a precipitous increase in Christianophobia, a true hatred of Christian people. Evidence of this could be seen, once again, in the priority assigned to “news stories” and opinions expressed in articles and posts, by Google in first-page search results. It was the death of the Christian TV personality Pat Robertson on June 8, 2023, that provided more evidence that those who control the information and messaging that people search for, and those who create content and write “news stories,” editorials and opinion pieces, all share a visceral hatred of Christian …

The Good News

Gang Member by 12; Drugs, Guns, Prison; What Could Change him?

Former gang member Johnny is interviewed by Mark Laita in this insightful video. Johnny tells the story of his life, his violent father who beat him and his mother, the drugs, entering an Asian gang in California at age 12 and eventually prison. His testimony is not what you expect as you watch this video. The ending will surprise you. There is only one thing that can turn a person’s life entirely around.

Tenets of Christianity

Why I Believe in Soul Sleep

There are not many topics in Christianity that are “controversial.” The reason is that the Bible is considered God’s inspired word; or God-breathed. For there to be any controversy, a person would have to not believe God’s own inspired word. The more likely disagreements in Christianity might come from criticism of denominations that are more legalistic, or those adding rules and rituals on top of of the core tenets of the Christian faith. Yet, when I have brought up my belief in soul sleep over the past year to some Christian friends, it went over like a lead balloon. Most Christians are taught that they will go to Heaven a second after they die. This is a nice thought and many don’t want any reason to think differently. But, the …

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The Good News

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ

Christianity is very simple; it’s not complicated. It’s not rituals or memorization or how much money you give to a church. It doesn’t require you to be an official member of a church. There is no need to over-complicate Christianity. In Acts 16:31, the Apostle Luke tells us: “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” This was what the Apostle Paul and Silas told the jailer after the jailer asked them: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This is how uncomplicated Christianity actually is. You do not have to memorize every word of the Bible or responses to a pastor that are a part of a particular denomination’s rituals. You just have to believe in Jesus and tell …

Faith

What You Don’t Understand

There is more you don’t understand; more that I don’t understand, than what we do understand. That is a truth in Christianity. We often forget that we are mortal human beings with limited knowledge and limited abilities. Many people don’t fully embrace or understand this as a truth in Christianity and as a result we have people who are Atheists. Our limited understanding and abilities set us apart from God and His supernatural being. There are many things that God can do and that God and those in Heaven understand that we do not. God’s supernatural presence is not a part of a human’s capability to square with anything in their understanding or with any limit on their own abilities. Much like understanding human will power; this is something that …

News of Joy

Author: richard