Mass grave of 34 Christians killed by Islamic State found in Libya

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Mass grave of 34 Christians killed by Islamic State found in Libya

The grave located on a farm near the coastal city of Sirte was found on 23 December by Libyan government authorities.

The Libyan interior ministry has confirmed the bodies discovered have been exhumed and will be repatriated to Ethiopia.

 

The terrorist organisation gained control of the city in 2015, but lost control again thanks to United Nations-backed forces a year later.

However Islamic State and other terrorist groups still retain control of parts of the North African country.

According to the Libyan Express newspaper, a propaganda video shared on social media in 2015 showed Islamic State members shooting and beheading Ethiopian Christians on a beach.

Islamic State

  

The incident occurred just months after the decapitated bodies of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians killed by Islamic State militants were found in a mass grave in Libya.

Hundreds of Coptic Christians started fleeing Libya in the face of these attacks from Islamic State in 2015.

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Bishop listed in worst anti-Semitic acts of 2018

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Bishop listed in worst anti-Semitic acts of 2018

The Simon Wiesenthal Center listed Bishop Gayle Harris at number eight claiming she fabricated Israeli atrocities.

It said: “During a speech in Massachusetts last July, Bishop Gayle Harris reported that she witnessed an Israeli soldier arrest a three-year-old Arab child on the Jerusalem Temple Mount and gun down a 15-year-old Palestinian teen in the back.

“After the Simon Wiesenthal Center exposed the claims as fabrications, Harris, the #2 Episcopal clergy in the state, backtracked, saying that she had only heard the stories from a third party (a Palestinian). ‘The fault is solely mine,’ Harris said. ‘I was ill-advised to repeat the stories without verification’.”

The human rights organisation claimed the fabrications “generated widespread outrage in the Jewish community”.

The massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue which killed 11 worshippers was number one on the list while the actions of Jeremy Corbyn in response to anti-Semitism in the Labour Party came in at number four.

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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The most distant object ever visited by a spacecraft

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The most distant object ever visited by a spacecraft

NOTE: I want to thank each of you who contributed so graciously to our ministry in 2018. We are entirely donor-supported–your gifts make this ministry possible. Our entire team joins me in expressing gratitude for your encouragement and support. Every life touched by this ministry is an extension of your faithfulness. To God be the glory.

What do NASA scientists and the lead guitarist for the rock band Queen have in common? A bowling pin-shaped rock four billion miles from Earth that is making world headlines today.

Ultima Thule is a billion miles on the other side of Pluto. The space rock is approximately twenty miles long by ten miles wide and seems to spin like a propeller through space. It could also be two objects in orbit around each other.

The object was discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope four years ago and named 2014 MU69. A public campaign hosted by NASA renamed it–“Ultima Thule” is a reference to the most distant place beyond the borders of the known world.

Yesterday, the NASA spacecraft New Horizons conducted a successful flyby of this remote space object. Over the next few days, scientists expect to receive more photographs of the most distant object ever visited by a spacecraft. Because the probe is so far from Earth, scientists say data on Ultima Thule will continue streaming to us until September 2020.

Brian May, the lead guitarist for Queen and an astrophysicist, is a participating scientist on the New Horizons project. He wrote a song to honor the mission.

Traveling 31,000 miles an hour

We could focus this morning on NASA’s stunning achievement.

New Horizon measures only 7.2 by 6.9 by 8.9 feet. This tiny space probe is blazing through space in excess of 31,000 miles per hour. The scientific ingenuity and sophistication required to engineer and operate such a device are truly remarkable.

Or we could focus on the wonders of the universe New Horizon is exploring.

As we have noted, the probe flew approximately four…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Denison Forum.

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Bible only item to survive house fire

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Bible only item to survive house fire

Charles House, from Tyler, managed to escape his home after it caught fire.

  

He lived in a small storage unity that he had converted into a house while he was looking for a long term property.

Explaining his situation, Charles said: “I was living in a storage building while looking for a house. Unfortunately, the building caught on fire with all of [my] things in it.”

All of Charles’ possessions were destroyed in the fire bar one.

House’s bible survived the flames.

Talking about his bible, Charles told local newspapers: “He said his word would not perish, and the Bible did not burn…it was scorched, but it did not burn.”

He added: “You can take it away, but you can never stop his word. I’m a witness to that right now. Seeing that Bible, in the middle of that fire…it didn’t burn that Bible.”

Investigators on the scene determined that hazardous wiring in the building was the cause of the fire.

To help with the loss of his home, a GoFundMe page was set up and so far over $5,300 has been raised.

Charles’ faith has inspired others online. Clyrissa Nathan donated saying: “It brought me joy to see u still praising God and giving a testimony about His word! God bless u!”

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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Welby tells the nation to overcome division in 2019

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Welby tells the nation to overcome division in 2019

The Most Rev Justin Welby said the country is “wonderfully much more diverse than we used to be, Yet we disagree on many things. And we are struggling with how to disagree well”.

  

“Turn on the television, read the news, and you see a lot that could tempt you to despair”, he said in a message delivered at Lambeth Palace, on the South Bank of the Thames in London.

But, he went on: “Hope lies in our capacity to approach this new year in a spirit of openness towards each other.

“Committed to discovering more of what it means to be citizens together, even amid great challenges and changes.

“That will involve choosing to see ourselves as neighbours, as fellow citizens, as communities each with something to contribute.

“It will mean gathering around our common values, a common vision, and a commitment to one another.

“With the struggles and divisions of recent years, that will not be easy. But that difficult work is part of the joy and blessing of being a community.”

It comes after the archbishop used his Christmas Day sermon to highlight the importance of forgetting “tribalism” and “political advantage”.

The leading Church of England cleric made a number of political interventions during 2018, criticising issues like the gig economy and zero-hours contracts, which he labelled the “reincarnation of an ancient evil”.

Mr Welby provoked controversy among some Conservatives in…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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Brazil’s new President promises to combat ‘ideology of gender’ teaching in schools to respect Christianity

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Brazil’s new President promises to combat ‘ideology of gender’ teaching in schools to respect Christianity

For the former army captain, the New Year’s Day inauguration was the culmination of a journey from a marginalised and even ridiculed congressmen to a leader who many Brazilians hope can combat endemic corruption.

Tuesday’s festivities in the capital Brasilia began with a motorcade procession along the main road leading to Congress and other government buildings.

 

Mr Bolsonaro and his wife, Michelle, stood up in an open-top Rolls-Royce and waved to thousands of onlookers.

They were surrounded by dozens of guards on horses and plain-clothes bodyguards who ran beside the car.

Once inside Congress, Mr Bolsonaro and his vice president, retired Gen Hamilton Mourao, took the oath of office.

AP Photo/Andre Penner

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro and his wife Michelle Bolsonaro, left, and Vice President Hamilton Mourao and his wife Paula Mourao

 

Mr Bolsonaro then read a short speech that included many of the far-right positions he staked out during the campaign.

He promised to combat the “ideology of gender” teaching in schools, “respect our Judeo-Christian tradition” and “prepare children for the job market, not political militancy”.

“I call on all congressmen to help me rescue Brazil from corruption, criminality and ideological submission,” he said.

AP Photo/Eraldo Peres

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

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Six Reasons Your New Member Class Is Not Effective

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An effective new member class is a gift. It provides front-end assimilation. It gets people involved in ministry. It moves them to groups and to wise stewardship.

I am a big proponent of new member classes. But not all new member classes are created equally. Some are effective; some are not. If you think your church’s new member class is not as effective as it could be, there are possibly some quick and helpful solutions. Let’s look at the six most common problems in new member classes so you can make those adjustments.

  1. The class is not a priority. A membership class should be a regularly-scheduled event. It should be a priority of church leadership. Church members and guests alike should hear clearly the importance of the class in the life of the church.
  2. The class is missing one or more of the three key ingredients. Every new member class should include three key elements: information about the church; expectations of members; and a clear assimilation process as soon as the class concludes. Failure to have all three ingredients significantly weakens the effectiveness of the class.
  3. The class has information overload. New or prospective members will only retain a modest amount of information. Too many membership classes try to share almost everything about the church instead of hitting highlights and pointing the members to sources of information for future consumption.
  4. The class lasts too long. While this issue is certainly related to the number of hours a class lasts, it is more tied to the…

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Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Thom Rainer.

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Joyce Meyer Devotional 2 January 2019 — Come Closer!

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Topic: Come-Closer [Joyce Meyer Devotional 2 January 2019]

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love. — Ephesians 3:17 (AMPC)

Not everyone is willing to pay the price required to be close to God. Not everyone is willing to simply take the time required or make the investments needed for spiritual growth.

God doesn’t ask for all of our time. He certainly wants us to do things we don’t consider “spiritual.” He designed us with bodies, souls (minds, wills, and emotions), and spirits, and He expects us to take care of all these areas.

Exercising our bodies and caring for our souls takes time and effort. Our emotions need to be ministered to; we need to have fun and be entertained, and we need to enjoy being with other people. Our minds need to grow and be renewed daily. In addition, we have a spiritual nature that needs attention. To stay balanced and healthy, we must take time to take care of our entire being.

I believe the whole issue of intimacy with God is a matter of time. We say we don’t have time to seek God, but the truth is that we take time to do the things that are most important to us.

Even though we all have to fight distractions every day, if knowing God and hearing from Him is important to us then we will find time to do it. Don’t try to work God into your schedule, but instead work your schedule around time with Him.

Getting to know God is a long-term investment, so don’t get discouraged if you don’t get instant results. Be determined to honor Him with your time and you will reap the benefits.

Prayer Starter: Father, I can’t live without You. Help me to put You first in my life and take the time to develop a deeper, more intimate relationship. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Joyce Meyer Daily Devotional HERE’’

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

The post Joyce Meyer Devotional 2 January 2019 — Come Closer! appeared first on Flatimes.

Open Heaven 2 January 2019 Prayer Points on Today – A Child of Issachar?

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Open Heaven 2 January 2019 Prayer Points on Today – A Child of Issachar?

A Child of Issachar?

1.Thank You, my Father, again, for the grace to see the beginning of the year 2019. Please, give me the grace to see it’s end, in Jesus name.

2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus name.

Also Read: Open Heaven 2 January 2019 – A Child of Issachar?

3.Holy Spirit divine, please, bring to my remembrance, every second of this year, all that I have read, in the word of God, and help me to act on them, in Jesus name.

4.Father, empower me to study, meditate and preach, Your word, day and night, throughout this year, that I may have good success, in Jesus name.

5.Father, give me divine revelation and understanding into Your Will and purpose, for my life, my family, my Nation, and the world, as I walk with You, this year, in Jesus name.

6.Father, please, give me the wisdom, understanding and divine information, that I need to succeed, throughout this year, in Jesus name.

7.Father, let every secret of the enemies of Your kingdom, over my life, family and nation, be revealed to me before, they are carried out, in Jesus name.

8.Father, empower me to heed and obey all Your commandments, as stated in Your word, in Jesus name.

9.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus name.

10.Father, preserve and strengthen Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, this year, for the works ahead, in Jesus name.

11.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures; help him to overcome every challenge of getting these prayer points across to Your children timely, on daily basis, in Jesus name.

12.Your Personal petitions. (Philippians 4:6)

13.In Jesus name I pray. (John 14:13-14; 15:16)

14.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

These prayers have no expiry date! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye’s book Ministry, in Jesus name.

Open Heaven 2 January 2019 Prayer Points on Today – A Child of Issachar?

The post Open Heaven 2 January 2019 Prayer Points on Today – A Child of Issachar? appeared first on Flatimes.

TREM Devotional 2 January 2019 – Your Life Is Hid In Christ

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Topic: Your Life Is Hid In Christ [TREM Devotional 2 January 2019]

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3 KJV

If you are still having a problem with our devotional yesterday, today, I have come to declare the Word of God to you: You are already dead. ‘But Bro. Mike, I am alive and reading this devotional, so how can you say I am dead?’ That is exactly my point.

Look at the scripture for today; it did not say: you will die. NO! It says ‘you are dead.’ So what is God trying to communicate with us? Read the entire verse; it says: “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God”. In other words, the day you accepted Jesus into your life, you died to self and you died to sin and you are now one with Christ – that anointed One (and His anointing) who paid the full price for your sins.

The fact that Jesus has paid the price means that you have nothing to pay for. If God still demands payment from you, then it is the ‘law of double jeopardy.’ But God is not unrighteous. When the price was paid, it was paid in FULL. Jesus said on the cross: ‘It is finished.’ In other words, there is nothing left to do, there is no price left to pay. He bought you with His blood, the greatest price anyone can pay and that is why you are free and your life is now hidden in Christ, in God.

For anything to touch you, therefore, it has to first touch God, then Jesus Christ, before it gets to you. Which demon can go through that process? Absolutely none. Your victory was bought by Jesus and given to you free of charge. It is so precious, you cannot ignore it or refuse it. All He wants you to do is to enjoy it. You are safe and secure in Him.

Further Reading: Col. 3:1-4; John 19:28-30

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Gen 4-7, Evening Mathew 2

“If you missed yesterday devotional click HERE to read TREM Daily Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo’’

Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.

The post TREM Devotional 2 January 2019 – Your Life Is Hid In Christ appeared first on Flatimes.

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