Open Heavens 9 May 2018 Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Weapons of Spiritual Warfare

Topic: Weapons of Spiritual Warfare [Open Heavens 9th May 2018, Wednesday]

Memorise: Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. – Ephesians 6:11

Read: Ephesians 6:10-18 (KJV)

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel 22-23, James 1:19-2:13

MESSAGE:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12

The above scripture clearly shows that Satan and his fallen angels are organised into a well-coordinated army that is skillful in carrying our devastating attacks on their victims. We must therefore be strategic and confront them from a position of knowledge and strength. Our warfare as Christians is a fight of faith that is purely restricted to the spiritual realm. Although our spiritual warfare is personal, we must not engage in it on the basis of our individual effort or strength. We must continually channel the strength of God and the victory we have through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ against the forces of darkness for as long as we live. Our fight of faith calls for courage to withstand dreadful circumstances, determination to overcome at all costs and persistent prayers. It also calls for loyalty to fight under the banner of Christ, the Lord of hosts, standing in His strength and using the weapons He has provided.

“3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” – 2 Corinthians 10:3-4

The Holy Spirit inspires these verses of scripture to help us have a good understanding of the true nature of spiritual warfare and the potency of our God-ordained weapons, even though they may appear ordinary to many. We are commanded in Ephesians 6:11&13 to “put on” and “take on” the whole armour of God. What makes up the complete armour of God? According to today’s Bible reading, the number one component of this armour is Truth, which refers to Jesus Himself (John 14:6). Next is holiness and righteousness, and then comes the gospel of peace, faith in God, salvation, the word of God, persistent prayers, and finally, watching and perseverance. The Bible assures us that when these weapons are complete, they are effective in pulling down the strongholds of the devil, casting down every imagination of the enemy that is contrary to the purpose of God, and bringing into captivity every thought and device to the obedience of Christ. Our duty is to ensure that we put on the whole armour of God and use it to resist the kingdom of darkness. We know we are victorious because the Lord of hosts Himself has already perfected our victory.

Action Point: Rebuke the devil in the Name of the Lord and resist his attacks in every area of your life.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Open Heavens 8 May 2018 Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Spiritual Warfare

Hymn 14: Onward Christian Soldier

1. Onward Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
Going on before.
Christ, the royal Master,
Leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
See, His banners go!

Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers!
Marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus,
Going on before.

2. At the name of Jesus
Satan’s host doth flee;
On then, Christian soldiers,
On to victory!
Hell’s foundations quiver
At the shout of praise:
Brothers, lift your voices,
Loud your anthems raise!

3. Like a mighty army
Moves the Church of God:
Brothers, we are treading
Where the saints have trod;
We are not divided,
All one Body we—
One in faith and Spirit,
One charity.

4. Onward, then, ye people!
Join our happy throng;
Blend with ours your voices
In the triumph song.
Glory, laud and honour
Unto Christ, the King;
This through countless ages
Men and angels sing.

Open Heavens 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.

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.

The post Open Heavens 9 May 2018 Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Weapons of Spiritual Warfare appeared first on Flatimes.

Quake Shake Canary Islands – Fears of Volcano Eruption

Concerns that the Canary Islands could get caught up in a volcanic eruption sparked by hundreds of small earthquakes have been played down by scientists.

In Hawaii, a bout of seismic activity led to an eruption from Kilauea volcano, which in turn destroyed houses, buildings and cars and is still causing havoc.

There were concerns that seismic activity caused by a submarine fault between the Spanish islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria off the coast of Africa could lead to a similar eruption on Mount Teide.

The country’s National Geographic Institute said more than 270 quakes have struck near the islands since April 29, with one reaching 3.2 on the Richter scale about 22 miles from Puerto La Luz, Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Click here to read more.
Source: Newsweek

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Urban Christian News

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Handheld Skin Printer Could Help Heal Burn Victims

What if wounds can be treated with a swipe of a handheld device? That’s just what a team from the University of Toronto set to find out when they developed a handheld device that deposits skin building substances directly on the affected area.

This handheld device works very much like a tape dispenser that continuously deposits a thin layer of collagen and other proteins, and could soon see some use as a way to treat patient’s wounds, especially those of burn victims.

Pixabay/sasintUniversity of Toronto researchers have invented a handheld skin printer that deposits even layers of skin tissue, which might provide and alternative to skin grafts to cover and heal deep wounds.

The team from the University of Toronto believes that this could be the start of a device that can heal tissue on the spot, settling in and starting the healing process in two minutes or less.

“Most current 3D bioprinters are bulky, work at low speeds, are expensive and are incompatible with clinical application,” explained Associate Professor Axel Guenther, who supervised the project led by Ph.D. student Navid Hakimi alongside Dr. Marc Jeshcke, director of the Ross Tilley Burn Centre.

Details about this promising new device were recently published on the Lab on a Chip journal, as well.

Usually, patients with deep wounds or severe burn damage are normally treated with a technique called split-thickness skin grafting, which usually requires plenty of donor skin of the right match. For cases where the wound is too large, the lack of donor skin usually presents a huge problem.

Pixabay/kaboompicsThe research to develop the…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

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Tim Challies Lists 8 Ways to Tell Difference Between Christian and ‘Christianish’ Church

(Screenshot: YouTube/Tim Challies)Tim Challies of Grace Fellowship Church in Canada in a YouTube video on February 15, 2018.

Pastor Tim Challies of Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario, has said that there are important differences between a truly Christian church and what he defined as a “Christianish” one.

“There is nothing better for your spiritual well-being than to be in a Christian church. There is nothing worse for your spiritual well-being than to be in a Christianish church,” he argued in a blog post on Monday.

Challies, whose church is part of Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist Churches in Canada, did not name denominations, but explained that a truly Christian church “teaches the Bible.”

“It is committed to the inerrancy, sufficiency, clarity, and authority of the Word of God and therefore preaches it week by week with confidence and consistency,” he wrote.

In contrast, he said that a Christianish church only “teaches about the Bible.”

“It is committed to imparting life lessons and uses the scriptures as a starting point to teach people how to live lives of success and fulfillment,” he positioned.

Secondly, he noted that a Christian church “admits the deep depravity of human beings,” as opposed to proclaiming the “inherent goodness of humanity.”

Thirdly, he…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

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Iowa Gov. Signs into Law ‘Most Restrictive Abortion Ban in the Country’

Iowa Gov. Signs into Law ‘Most Restrictive Abortion Ban in the Country’



Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds approved last week what’s being called the most restrictive abortion ban in the country.


Reynolds signed the bill Friday as supporters cheered her on. Meanwhile, outside protestors shouted, “My body, my choice.”


The law, Senate File 359, will go into effect July 1.


“I believe that all innocent life is precious and sacred,” Reynolds said before signing the bill. “And as governor, I have pledged to do everything in my power to protect it. And that’s what I’m doing today.”


Under the law, physicians will not be allowed to perform most abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Heartbeat can usually be heard about six weeks into pregnancy.


The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland say they plan on challenging the new law.


“I am extremely sympathetic of the resistance to this bill,” said Jennifer Weatherby, who was among protestors. “It puts women in danger. We know that abortion bans don’t end abortion. This just ends safe abortion.”


Iowa has long been trying to pass an abortion ban. Last year, another “heartbeat ban” failed, and Republicans voted in a 20-week abortion ban. This year, the fetal heartbeat ban stalled in the House until a deal was struck that would provide exceptions to the ban in cases of rape, incest and fetal anomaly.


The proposal passed 51 to…

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

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Charlotte’s Elevation Church Denies Wrongdoing After Neighbors File Noise Complaint

(Screenshot: YouTube.com / Gregory Duckworth II)Elevation Church in the Ballantyne neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina

The Ballantyne campus of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, has denied wrongdoing after neighbors turned to police and a television news outlet to complain about the amount of noise coming from the Southern Baptist megachurch on a regular basis that they say is disturbing their peaceful lives.

After turning to police and receiving little results, residential neighbors to the 1,600-seat Elevation Ballantyne that opened up in 2016 recently turned to local NBC station WCNC to go public with the their displeasure with the popular church.

Neighbors shared cell phone recordings that show how the worship music and other sounds coming from the church reverberate through their own homes, no matter if they are trying to get work done on a Sunday afternoon or trying to get some sleep at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday.

“We can hear the music; we can hear the yelling and screaming going on when they are having outside activities,” neighbor Jennifer Kolb told WCNC, adding that the sound is “loud enough so that when our doors and windows are closed, we can still hear it.”

Kolb recently reached out to the police about the noise and received back an email from…

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

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United Methodist Church Rejects Constitutional Amendment Saying God Isn’t ‘Male or Female’

(Photo: Facebook/United Methodist General Conference)Delegates pray before a plenary session at the United Methodist Church’s 2016 General Conference in Portland, Oregon.

The United Methodist Church has narrowly voted down an amendment to the denomination’s Book of Discipline that would have said God is not “male or female.”

Delegates from the UMC’s annual conferences voted on whether to ratify five proposed amendments that were approved by the 2016 General Conference.

Proposed Constitutional Amendment I was centered on gender equality and included the statement that “it is contrary to Scripture and to logic to say that God is male or female, as maleness and femaleness are characteristics of human bodies and cultures, not characteristics of the divine.”

According to official results that were released Monday, Amendment I received 66.5 percent of the vote, less than a half percentage point shy of the minimum 66.7 percent majority. The necessary supermajority was defeated by about 100 votes.

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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

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Christian financial advisor opposes tax on pensioners to help youngsters

The Resolution Foundation has suggested the grant could be funded by a revamped, tougher version of inheritance tax.

John Cobb from Trinity Wealth Management told Premier his reaction to the suggestion.

 

“I totally agree that the current distribution of wealth is unfair but I’m particularly uneasy about giving our young people £10,000 even though I can see that there are conditions in regards to what that money is used for,” he said.

The report proposes all young people should receive the payment to help pay for a deposit on a home, start a business or improve their education or skills.

The foundation’s Intergenerational Commission report calls for an NHS “levy” of £2.3bn, which it said could be financed by increased national insurance contributions by those over the age of 65.

Cobb told Premier there are other ways young people can help themselves.

“I’m guessing I’m sounding a bit like a grumpy old man – as someone who is 55 – but… from my very first pay check I saved. I was able to buy a property five or six years after I started work.

“We all have responsibilities as to how we steward the resources that we’re blessed with.

“If there was greater responsibility by our young, combined with all generations taking a collective responsibility about how we’re taxed, how we look after each other… I think as Christians we should be caring about each other.”

Listen to…

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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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Jailed US pastor in Turkey has second court hearing

On Monday, the court listened to the testimonies of witnesses for Andrew Brunson, but three of his witnesses were refused permission to testify on the grounds that they were also suspects in the case.

Steven Carter from religious freedom charity Middle East Concern tells Premier there’s no evidence to prove he’s guilty.

 

“The things that have been said – the evidence that has been brought, really seems to be farcical and would be laughable if the implications weren’t so severe for Andrew,” he said during Premier’s News Hour.

Brunson was jailed in December 2016 over alleged ties with the Fetullah Gulen movement; an organisation authorities believe was connected with a failed coup in Turkey the summer before.

Gulen, who’s in the US, is a well-known political opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

He has consistently denied the accusations.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom said in a statement that it was concerned by the court process that was “dominated by wild conspiracies, tortured logic, and secret witnesses, and secret witnesses, but no real evidence to speak of”.

Carter told Premier Turkish church leaders have been showing the pastor support during the trial.

He said: “One of the great encouragements for Andrew yesterday at the trial was the presence of a number of other Turkish church leaders.

“He has been encouraged by the support of very many and it was wonderful to see…

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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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7-Week Old Baby Girl Fighting for Her Life after Being Struck by Softball

7-Week Old Baby Girl Fighting for Her Life after Being Struck by Softball



A seven-week-old little girl is fighting for her life after she was hit in the head by a stray ball at a softball game.


ABC News reports that Lee and Kassy Hovenga took their little girl, McKenna, on a family outing to a recreational softball game in Iowa. Kassy was breastfeeding little McKenna when the ball came flying over the protective fence and struck both of them, hitting Kassy in the bicep and McKenna in the head.


At first the parents didn’t even realize McKenna had been hit as it took her several moments to begin screaming. A large welt formed on her head, and Lee and Kassy knew their baby needed immediate attention.


McKenna was transported to St. Mary’s Hospital at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She suffered skull fractions, brain bleeds, and seizures.


A Facebook page has been created to support the Hovenga family and to encourage prayer for McKenna.


Kassy recently posted an update on McKenna’s condition:


“Quick update: McKenna was a champ last night!!! They did start her on a Lasix and she is responding to that very well! No new changes, she stayed very stable….she is getting ready to head down to have a scheduled CT. Hopefully gonna make some progress today by decreasing some meds but taking it an hour at a time!!! Asking for everyone to pray and keep your fingers crossed for continued good news!”


Join us in praying for little…

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

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