Secret Santa Gives $10,000 to Widowed Father of Seven
After having an unimaginably difficult year, a Secret Santa has blessed one Idaho family in a way that they could never have expected.
Earlier this year, Dakota Nelson lost his wife, Ream, 38, when she unexpectedly collapsed from a massive heart attack that would eventually kill her, while they were cleaning out their garage.
Nelson described the event in a thank you letter published by the East Idaho News. He wrote, “On July 11, we had been cleaning out the garage together and I left to put some tools in the shop 30 feet away while Ream swept the floor. I had been gone less than 5 minutes and saw her lying on her back with eyes wide open.”
He continued, “My 3-year-old was standing over her talking as he thought she could hear him due to her eyes being open. I ran and cradled her in my arms and blew into her mouth thinking she choked on something. I then started CPR and my 8-year-old walked out and started screaming. I told him to leave and my 12-year-old walked in the garage and, seeing the situation, called 911 and put on a show so the other kids would not go out to see her. He then went down to the end of the street to wave down the ambulance.”
Nelson added, “After two and a half weeks at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in ICU, she was moved to long-term care and we watched her pass away on Sept. 30 with all of her 7 kids gathered around.”
Open Heaven 12 December 2018 Wednesday Daily Devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Qualified for Divine Commendation?
Topic: Qualified for Divine Commendation? (Open Heaven 12 December 2018)
Memorise:“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”-Revelation 3:11
Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (KJV)
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
Bible in One Year: Daniel 9-10, John 10:22-42
Open Heaven 12 December 2018 Wednesday MESSAGE:
Imagine that a family goes on vacation for a couple of month, locking up their entire house. They eventually return home, only to meet workers and artisans going in and out of their house- some cleaning windows, some fixing electrical appliances and others painting the walls. The family will be shocked because they did not instruct anyone to work in their house. What would you do if this happens to you? I assume you would immediately call the police to assist in getting these intruders out of your house. The same thing needs to happen in the Church of God, as many workers there are intruders. This is the reason why the Lord said in Matthew 7:22-23:
“22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
In today’s Bible reading, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the character of those who will receive divine commendation, saying:
“25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:” –1 Corinthians 9:25-26
To receive heaven’s commendation on the day of reckoning, you must be temperate in all things and run your course with certainty of purpose. Being temperate means being moderate and self-controlled, while to be certain is to be sure-minded and serious. In contrast to this, the attitude of “beating the air” is common place in our churches today. We have people who teach on missions but who don’t go on missions. Some teach on evangelism but do not go out to evangelize. Others are orators who can get money from the stingiest of persons, but they themselves are not givers. We need to be mindful of our ways so that we don’t end up being disappointed on the day of reckoning. Learn from Apostle Paul and apply the secret he reveals in 1 Corinthians 9:27 to your life:
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
May you not miss your divine commendation at the end of your life in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heaven 12 December 2018 Wednesday Prayer Point:
Father, please open my eyes to areas of my life where I am not temperate or sure-minded in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heaven 12 December 2018 Wednesday Hymn 5: I Have Decided To Follow Jesus
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
The world behind me, the cross before me;
No turning back, no turning back.
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
Though- none go with me, still I will follow;
Though none go with me, still I will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.
Open Heaven 12 December 2018 Wednesday Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 12 December 2018 Wednesday Daily Devotional.
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Franklin Graham Backs Teacher Fired for Not Using Transgender Pronouns
Evangelist Franklin Graham is showing support for a Virginia high school teacher who was fired for not using a transgender student’s preferred gender pronoun.
“Peter’s lawyer is right to ask where are the teacher’s First Amendment rights in all of this?” Graham said in a Facebook post. “Why is tolerance never a two-way street?
“These cases are cropping up more and more frequently, and just think of the ramifications,” he added. “Just ten years ago we wouldn’t have thought this would even be possible. Where is this coming from? The school boards and teachers’ unions are allowing this to happen.
“This is why it is so important for Christians to run for school boards, be involved, and let your voice be heard. Transgender policies are causing chaos, confusion, stealing privacy, and compelling speech. Deception from the Evil One.”
Last week, a school board in Virginia unanimously voted to fire Peter Vlaming, the French teacher at West Point High School. He had worked at the school for nearly seven years.
A 9thgrade transgender student had requested being called by male pronouns, but in October, while Vlaming was teaching a virtual reality exercises in class, the French teacher said, “Don’t let her walk into the wall” as the 9thgrader avoided hitting a wall.
Vlaming claims it was a mistake and while he is Christian, he says he agreed to call…
He posted pictures of high end Louis Vuitton luggage, designer slippers and Gucci shoes with buckles on them.
The Instagram account that the photos were posted to has since been taken down after they were attracting attention online. Screenshots of his Instagram posts have since been shared by others online. Church leaders have rebuked Baskakov for “poor taste” and said a disciplinary committee had been convened to “bring [him] to his senses”.
On social media he was criticised by one tweeter @RusiaSeMueve for “not making a vow of poverty”
A spokesman for Patriarch Kirill, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church is quoted in the guardian saying “I hope this will bring this shepherd to account… and to find the words and actions to bring him to reason, so that these kinds of things will not happen again.”
The priest has since apologised for his social media activity.
In a letter he wrote “I am very ashamed and I bear full responsibility for this”
“I will pay penance and close Instagram, since I do not know how to behave modestly and adequately”
He also admitted that some of the pictures were taken in shops and were not of items that he owned.
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On Monday, the 25-year-old took to Instagram to give his 9.2 million followers a peek into his morning devotions. He posted a photo showing a page from Scottish theologian John Baillie’s A Diary of Private Prayer.
CT Pastors regarded A Diary of Private Prayer among its top books on deep prayer in 1998. Publisher Simon and Schuster describe it as a selection of personal prayers “for people who are seeking a better understanding of God and themselves.”
The prayer in the picture is titled “Continued Dependence Upon You,” and it speaks of one rededicating their life to Christ
A Diary of Private Prayer is a reflection of the personal religious practices that Baillie, a seasoned seminary professor and church leader in mid-20th century Edinburgh, established himself. Baillie and his brother, Donald, were widely recognized among the most celebrated meditating theologians of their time.
Chance posted the picture to Instagram only a few days after informing fans that he had plans to leave the country on his “first sabbatical” and would be spending his time studying Scripture.
“I’m going away to learn the Word of God which I am admittedly very unfamiliar…
The feature on the app aims to help people struggling with addictions.
Rachel Gregory, Social Policy and Relationship Manager at Christians Against Poverty told Premier: “I think this is a really exciting step that we’re seeing from Barclays.
“I think this will make a really huge difference for people whose spending is driven by addiction.”
The new feature could help those dealing with gambling problems, for example, to cut off their spending in betting shops and on gambling websites.
People can also curb their own spending in pubs, supermarkets, takeaway shops and bars.
Barclays said it has developed the tool to turn off certain types of spending with vulnerable customers in mind.
A button within the Barclays mobile banking app enables customers to choose which types of retailers they are able to spend with.
Attempted payments that fall within the “turned off” category will be automatically declined.
Gregory said non-addicts could also benefit from the new tool.
“This isn’t that same as some of the budgeting tools that are coming out of new technology innovation in the financial sector which are all about helping you set limits and be aware of what spending you’re doing,” she explained.
The new feature is now available to all Barclays debit card customers and will be rolled out to credit card holders in the near…
Brett Kavanaugh Votes “No” to Hear Case that Would Exclude Planned Parenthood Funding from Medicaid
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh decided alongside his liberal counterparts to reject appeals from Kansas and Louisiana that would allow the states to exclude Planned Parenthood funding from Medicaid programs.
According to CBN News, Kavanaugh voted “no,” alongside Justices John Roberts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, whereas conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas voted to hear the case.
In his dissent following the decision not to hear the case, Justice Thomas criticized the court noting that the case looked at an “important and recurring” question.
He wrote, “So what explains the Court’s refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named ‘Planned Parenthood.’ That makes the Court’s decision particularly troubling, as the question presented has nothing to do with abortion.”
He continued, “It is true that these particular cases arose after several States alleged that Planned Parenthood affiliates had, among other things, engaged in ‘the illegal sale of fetal organs’ and ‘fraudulent billing practices,’ and thus removed Planned Parenthood as a state Medicaid provider… But these cases are not about abortion rights.”
The three-time Grammy Award winning artist said he made the decision in order to set a good example to his newborn nephew.
In an Instagram post liked by more than 1.3 million people, the “I’m the One” hit maker said: “I’m on a plane headed out the country on my first sabbatical. I’m going away to learn the Word of God which I am admittedly very unfamiliar with.
“I’ve been brought up by my family to know Christ but I haven’t taken it upon myself to really just take a couple days and read my bible. We all quote scripture and tell each other what God likes and doesn’t like but how much time do we spend as followers of Jesus to really just read and KNOW his Word?”
He told CBS This Morning: “I would never say I’m making gospel music, but I love God. I love Jesus and I’m super cool with saying that.
“I don’t make Christian rap, but I am a Christian rapper.”
Chance the Rapper – whose real name is Chancellor Jonathan Bennett, also shared in his Instagram post that he plans to give up smoking during his time away.
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‘Voice of God’ Told Men to Jump from Abandoned Truck, Seconds Before It Was Hit
Two men who were nearly killed in an abandoned roadside vehicle say a “voice of God” told them to jump out, seconds before they were hit.
“God kept us safe, God kept us alive,” Kenneth Bryant, one of the men, told Fox 8 in Cleveland.
Bryant and another passenger, Jordan Cole, were driving a MudMan food truck from Montana to a pastor’s conference in Philadelphia when it broke down on the Ohio Turnpike. Cole and Bryant stayed with the truck while others went for help.
“He was in the cab of the truck and I was in the back,” Bryant told Fox 8. “I was using a generator in the back to charge our cellphones.”
Suddenly, each man became overwhelmed with the need to jump. Bryant described it as a vision. Seconds later — after they escaped — their truck was hit and mangled by an 18-wheeler.
“We heard a voice, and it was to get out of the truck and I look down and I saw a semi swerving toward us,” Cole said.
Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said the two men almost certainly would have been killed had they stayed.
“We’ve come to the conclusion that it was Jesus,” Bryant said. “He allowed this to happen for me to be able to share this story … for people to know that our Heavenly Father is mindful of us.”
Bryant said part of his message to others is: “That there is a purpose for your life, you do have a reason…
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