Statistics seen by the Daily Mail show the typical Anglican church also held four baptisms and five funerals.
Harry Benson, a Christian from the Marriage Foundation think-tank told the newspaper: “The Church needs to sell marriage rather than weddings.
“We are all obsessed with celebrity weddings but, in the long term, more couples will marry in church if the Church of England talks about the benefits of a formal commitment.”
Approximately 38,000 Church of England weddings were held in 2017, a significant decrease compared to the more than 50,000 ceremonies staged in 2007.
Throughout recent decades, the proportion of couples choosing to tie the knot in a church has fallen, as rules surrounding civil marriages have become increasingly relaxed.
Venues now approved by local authorities for non-religious ceremonies include stately homes, football clubs and hotels.
During the mid-1980s, Anglican churches in England and Wales hosted more than 120,000 weddings annually.
Last year, the largest five per cent of C of E churches hosted ten weddings, 28 baptisms and 32 funerals, the figures show.
It has emerged the British embassy in Rome received a phone call earlier this year from one individual who wanted to visit the Vatican.
The unnamed caller also sought help to arrange their wedding and recommendations for a florist.
A light-hearted list of unusual correspondence received by UK personnel during 2018 was accompanied by the warning their main priority is responding to emergencies.
The Foreign Office said: “”In all seriousness, getting into trouble abroad can be daunting and upsetting.
“If you find yourself in an emergency in another country, contact the nearest British Embassy, High Commission or Consulate and our consular staff will do everything they can to help.”
More than 330,000 calls were made by Britons who needed help while abroad during the first eleven months of the year.
They included 4,900 people who were arrested and more than 3,400 individuals admitted to hospital.
Among the more bizarre appeals for help was a man asking if Poland was home to vampires because he was due to go on a date with a woman who asked for his blood type.
In the United States, a caller asked which contestant had exited Strictly Come Dancing the night before.
The Foreign Office spokesman added: “I can regretfully confirm that the Foreign Office isn’t able to offer advice on…
Fast Facts: Hungry Valley Christian Fellowship is a Native American Missions church which serves three different tribes in the village: Paiute, Shoshone, and Washoe Tribes. The church is 12 years old and facilitates a senior program, kids outreach, and prison ministry. Please pray for their upcoming New Year’s Day outreach and spring outreaches. Also, please be in prayer for their All Tribes Prison Ministry, and that they may provide Christian resources to the Native Americans to which they minister.
“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well.
Speaking as the home secretary declared a “major incident” in waters off the south coast of England at the weekend, Rt Rev Trevor Willmott called for a compassionate response.
He was quoted by The Guardian newspaper as saying: “It is crucial that we all remember that we are dealing with human beings here.
“Across the nation, we have been celebrating the season of hope and goodwill as we remember Christ’s birth – let’s not forget so soon that every person is precious.”
Bishop Trevor’s comments echo previous messages from the Church of England, which has urged “fair” treatment for everyone affected by global migration – something it describes as “one of the biggest issues of our time”.
Sajid Javid returned early from his Christmas break to respond to a recent rise in the number of people risking their lives by attempting to reach Britain on small boats.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, the shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said the Conservatives “cannot seem to get a grip” on the operations by illegal people smugglers.
More than 40 people tried to cross the English Channel and enter the UK on Christmas Day.
Mr Javid (pictured above) pledged to do more to tackle the issue.
A Border Force RIB vessel was pictured on patrol in Dover Harbour on Saturday.
The US evangelist claimed he was barred from posting material for 24 hours earlier this month over his comments about a controversial proposed law in North Carolina – known as ‘the bathroom bill’.
Rev Graham, 66, said: “Well, now we know. Facebook has a secret rulebook for policing speech.
“I was banned from posting on Facebook last week for 24 hours. Why? Because of a post from back in 2016 about North Carolina’s House Bill 2 (HB2).”
Rev Graham had expressed support for the bill, which aimed to stop people in state government buildings using multiple occupancy toilets which do not correspond to the gender on their birth certificate.
Last week I was banned from posting on @Facebook for 24 hrs because of a 2016 post about NC’s House Bill 2 (bathroom bill). They said the post went against their “community standards on hate speech.” Facebook is making & changing the rules. 1/2 https://t.co/HYIgErnp3J
In a message published on 9th April 2016, he urged state politicians to “put the safety of our women and children first”.
He continued: “HB2 protects the safety and privacy of women and children and preserves the human rights of millions of faith-based citizens of this state.”
.@Facebook is censoring free speech. They’re making & changing the rules. Truth is truth. God made the rules & His Word is truth. The…
Topic: Rest for the Weary [Joyce Meyer Devotional 30 December 2018]
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. — Matthew 4:1-2
The first key to overcoming stress is to recognize or admit we are experiencing it, and look for the source of it.
There was a time in my life when I was constantly having headaches, backaches, stomach aches, neck aches, and all the other symptoms of stress, but I found it very difficult to admit I was pushing too hard physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
I wanted to do all of the things I was doing and wasn’t willing to ask God what He wanted me to do. I was afraid that He would lead me to give up something I wasn’t ready to give up yet.
Although the Lord gives power to the faint and weary, if you are worn-out from continually exceeding your physical limitations, you will have stress.
Our bodies are the sanctuary (home) of God, and we are in disobedience when we push ourselves past God-ordained limitations and live in continual stress. We all have limits and we need to recognize what they are and eliminate excess stress from our lives.
If you wear out your body, you can’t go to a department store and purchase another one, so take care of the one you have!
Prayer Starter: Father, I lift my schedule and activities up to You. Show me areas where I need to change. Help me to do my part to eliminate stress and take care of my body, the temple of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for Your grace to change! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Engaging the Power of Praise for Fearful Blessings! By David Oyedepo
Topic: Engaging the Power of Praise for Fearful Blessings!
Welcome to the concluding part of this teaching! I hope you were blessed by last week teaching. Today, we shall focus on: Engaging the Power of Praise for Fearful Blessings!
We discover from scriptures that praise is a spiritual platform for fearful blessings. As it is written: Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him (Psalm 67:5-7). Praise is a proven, viable and dependable spiritual platform for encounter with fearful blessings. The reason for that is very simple; every time we praise God, we are blessing Him. The Psalmist says: I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth (Psalm 34:1; see also Psalm 103:1). That means, praise is a spiritual way man blesses God. Also note that, whatever good thing any man does, the same he shall receive from the Lord (Ephesians 6:8). That means, by blessing God, we are provoking His blessings on our lives (Psalm 67:5-7). So, we are not entertaining God, we are blessing God; and as we bless Him in praise, we commit His integrity to bless us in return. So, let us go beyond seeing our praises as one of those things we do; let us see our praises as blessing God. That will entitle us to the harvest of His blessings. So, if we want to be blessed, keep blessing God because, nothing enhances destiny like blessings.
What are the Virtues in Divine Blessings?
It Empowers us to live a Struggle-free Life: The blessing of God is the gateway to a struggle-free life (Proverbs 10:22). We also know from scriptures that “sweat” is a curse (Genesis 3:17-19). Christ has redeemed us from every curse of the law, which includes the curse of a life of struggle (Galatians 3:13). Don’t ever think that everybody is struggling; that is a lie of the devil!
Divine Blessing makes us Indestructible: One of the virtues in blessings is our indestructibility. “…Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it…” (Isaiah 65:8). We are indestructible with implanted blessings.
Divine Blessing empowers us to Prevail: We prevail by divine blessings, where others travail. “I won’t let you go until you bless me,” was what Jacob said; and then, God showed up. “What is your name?” He said, “Jacob.” Then God said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel” (Genesis 32:24-28). Blessings change people’s status. From Jacob to Israel; from a person to a nation! So, his travail ended by an encounter with blessings.
From God Directly: In Genesis 22:16-18, God swore a blessing on Abraham. So, we can encounter the raw blessings of God directly from Him. However, such blessings always respond to our obedience to His instructions. God’s blessings will always trail our obedience; disobedience is a disqualifier for His blessings. God blessed Jabez directly, and granted him that which he requested (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). Also, God blessed Jacob directly and changed him from a person to a nation (Genesis 32:26-28). God’s Word says: A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time (Isaiah 60:22). That means, God did not stop turning men to nations with Jacob; He still does that. He said, “I am the Lord; I change not” (Malachi 3:6). “What I did yesterday, I am doing today and will keep doing it tomorrow” (Hebrew 13:8).
Prophetic and Priestly Blessings: God gave Balaam commandment to bless, and because he proclaimed the blessings, God sealed it (Numbers 23:20). When prophets stand in the name of the Lord and implant a blessing, they commit God’s integrity to confirm it (Isaiah 44:26). It’s not enough to have the blessings of the Lord; we should also reach out for priestly and prophetic blessings, because in most cases, the blessings of the Lord are channeled through His prophets.
Parental Channel of Blessings: The blessings of our parents are part of the making of our lives (Ephesians 6:2-3). It was the blessing of Jacob that prevailed in the life of Joseph (Genesis 49:26). It was the blessing of Isaac that caused Jacob to prevail, in spite of all his challenges in life (Genesis 27:22-29). So, there are automatic blessings that accrue to us through the parental channel. We must get to a point where we have such blessings proclaimed on us, so we can begin to manifest them.
Blessings Accrued to us by the Mystery of Praise
Divine Favour: Divine presence is a carrier of divine favour and God inhabits the praise of His people (Psalm 22:3). So, when we are in praise, we enjoy divine presence, which naturally engenders divine favour.
Deliverance from all forms of Bondages and Captivities: There was a king by name Saul and evil spirits came to torment him. But, every time David played on the harp, the evil spirit left him (1 Samuel 16:14-23). What does that mean? That means high praises guarantee automatic deliverance.
Supernatural Harvest: He that reapeth receiveth wages as he gathers fruit unto life eternal (John 4:36). When we sow to the spirit, we reap life eternal.
Supernatural Breakthroughs: When God came in the midst of Israelites, the sea saw them and fled (Psalm 114:1-9).
In conclusion, when praise becomes our lifestyle, blessings will become our natural experiences; we won’t struggle for them. That is why men that are addicted to praise don’t run out of blessings. However, without being born again, you cannot praise God acceptably. Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Understanding the Power of Praise and Wonders of Praise.
I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: [email protected]; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/; Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin
David O. Oyedepo is a Nigerian Christian author, architect, preacher, and the founder and presiding bishop of the mega church, Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel
Thanksgiving & Praise Secure God’s Presence in Your Home (Part 3) By Pastor Faith Oyedepo
Topic: Thanksgiving & Praise Secure God’s Presence in Your Home (Part 3)
Dear Reader,
You are welcome to another interesting segment in the study of God’s Word. It is my earnest prayer that you will begin to experience the wonders of praise in your family in Jesus name! Today, I shall be looking at thanksgiving and praise as a way to secure God’s protection in your home. The Bible says: When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils (Luke 11:21-22). Remember I said where you find praise is where you find God, and thanksgiving is the root of every worthwhile praise. When you are in praise, you are supernaturally protected from every form of evil because you carry God’s presence. A family who embraces praise as a lifestyle is dwelling in the secret place of the Most High where no devil can get to.
After David’s victory over Goliath, Saul became envious of him, one day while David was playing music to relieve Saul of the evil spirit that was tormenting him, he tried to pin David to the wall with the javelin but David escaped from his presence twice (1 Samuel 18:9-12). As long as David was in praise, he was protected. We see clearly from scriptures that David was a man given to praise. The Bible says: Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments (Psalm 119:164). You cannot be in praise and not enjoy God’s protection. The enemy is not your problem when you are in praise. The Bible says our God is our rock, fortress, deliverer, our shield and stronghold (Psalm 18:2). God’s presence invoked in praise becomes your weapon of defense.
Carefully read this testimony:
I was here on Wednesday for the Miracle Praise Service. When the Bishop said we should praise with our might, that we must praise God ‘in the dance’ I praised and knew that was the only praise I had really given God since I was born.
On Tuesday night (the day before), thieves had visited our compound. They went to another flat and stole something there. When I got home, the other tenants said there was a need to raise the fence in front of my flat. I said to them ‘well you can do that, but all I know is that the Bishop of the Church I attend has already said no tragedy is going to befall any Church member. So, God is my security’.
The thieves returned that Wednesday night, but the most amazing thing about it was that they only went to other five flats! The only one that came to my flat, unknown to us, was cut in the leg. It was when we woke up in the morning that we saw blood in front of my flat.
When I returned from work in the evening, my wife told me that they caught the four thieves and that the thigh of one of them was cut; as if a knife was used to cut the flesh. The thief had bandaged it and when he was asked, ‘where did you get this wound?’ he said, ‘I went to that flat where they pasted “I am a Winner’ sticker that was where his thigh got ripped!-Ajomale, A.
Truly, praise is a protective device available to every believer. Unfortunately, many think it’s too simple to be real, because man naturally doesn’t place much value on anything that doesn’t cost him a price that is why so many miss out on the wonderful virtues in praise. They would rather do something more rigorous to get across to God. I employ you to make thanksgiving and praise a culture in your family, so you can continue to enjoy His supernatural protection. As you praise Him, the God who never sleeps nor slumber will ensure that your spouse, children, and every of your possessions comes under His divine security!
To offer acceptable praise to God, you must be born again. If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart:
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom. Congratulations!
If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21). With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ name!
Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-Authored).
Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.
Topic: Don’t Let Your Today Define You [TREM Devotional 30 December 2018]
“There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.”2 Cor. 4:18 (MSG)
One thing you must never do is to allow your circumstance or situation to define you. Many today have been bound by their current situation and they cannot see a way of escape. Imagine, no one knows the name of the blind man called Blind Bartimaeus in the Bible, all we know him as is “blind Bartimaeus”. His health condition defined him. It was so overwhelming that his health condition became his first name.
I don’t know what your own situation might be, it might not be health, it might be financial, it might be academic, it might be social, but whatever it may be, I come to you today in the name of the Lord to declare to you that it shall pass away. The devil will not sing your song, the devil will not steal your goods, he will not laugh your laugh. Just like Sarah, I prophesy to you that you will also declare: “This is the faithfulness of God”. No matter the challenges you have faced in 2018, I declare over your life that 2019 is better. I am not saying it will be better, but I declare with boldness that it is already better. I dare you to believe God and you will see the manifestation.
The situation may have persisted for several years, but it still cannot define you. You may be so poor that the poor calls you poor. That is the situation today; it does not mean it will remain like that in 2019. Just overnight, God can turn that situation around to His glory. Everything is turning around for your good. God will come through for you. Don’t give up and don’t give in.
I prophesy over your life that you will not end this way. That desire will be granted. God will come through for you in Jesus’ name.
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.
MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 30 December 2018 By Dr. D.K Olukoya – The Power of Thoughts
TOPIC: The Power of Thoughts (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 30 December 2018)
FIRE SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
MEMORY VERSE:“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” –Philippians 4:8
The MESSAGE:
As a man thinks in his heart, so he is. It is the thoughts of man that make him who he is and what he will be. If your thoughts are positive, then it is good, if not, it is bad. It is a universal rule that what you do not see cannot become a reality. Joseph once saw himself as a great man and it came to pass. Your thoughts have the power to create what you are thinking for you. Your thoughts are forces you send out to work on your behalf. Fear is the wrong use of imagination. For one to raise new questions, new possibilities and to regard old problems from a new angle require imagination and positive thoughts. If you must remain an undefeated soldier of Christ, you must align your thoughts with God’s thoughts. If the devil wants to attack you, he starts with your mind because, there, resides the power of imagination. The whole mechanism of evil is based on evil imagination. The actual warfare is in the pulling down of imaginations and the dissolution of evil thoughts. The foundation of every spiritual defeat is to allow the devil to use your thoughts against you. It is within your power to deploy your thoughts positively. Job said in Job 31:1, “I made a solemn pact with myself never to undress a girl with my eyes”.
In Job’s resolution above, he used his thoughts positively by telling and agreeing with his eyes and body what it could do and could not do – it came from within. It is from within that we conquer ourselves and then conquer without -external battles. This is why you must pray for discernment as this helps us understand every challenge and trick of the devil. Job 26:4 says, “With whose help have you uttered words and whose spirit has come forth from you?” If a wrong thought comes to your mind, cast it down with the word of God. If the devil says you are a loser and a poor low life, at once, your mind will begin to imagine it, but beloved, it is within your power to cast down every evil imagination and take the thought captive by reminding yourself that Jesus, through His blood, has made you a king. You can further engage the tongue in a language of sonship made possible through Jesus and finally invite the presence of God by singing praises.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: IT IS WITHIN YOUR POWER TO CAST DOWN EVERY EVIL IMAGINATION AND TAKE THE THOUGHT CAPTIVE.
PROPHETIC WORD: Receive the power to resist the devil.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
Anything in me ministering negative thoughts, loose your hold and die, in the name of Jesus.
My inner man, receive the power to be unmoved, even in the midst of a storm, in the name of Jesus.
My Father, give me a willing heart to meditate on Your word and exercise the power of positive thoughts, in the name of Jesus. EVENING
Evil imagination, my life is not your candidate, jump out and die, in the name of Jesus.
O God, sanctify my thoughts with the blood of Jesus, in the name of Jesus.
Power of positive thinking, enter into my life, in the name of Jesus.
Anointing for creative ideas, fall upon me, in the name of Jesus.
MOUNTAIN TOP LIFE is a daily devotional by Dr. D.K Olukoya (General Overseer, Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries, Worldwide)
Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:
Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.
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