Teen arrested for plotting mass shooting at Dallas area mall

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Teen arrested for plotting mass shooting at Dallas area mall

A student at Plano West Senior High School is suspected of plotting to commit a mass shooting at Frisco’s Stonebriar Centre mall. Both cities are northern suburbs of Dallas. Like many who live in my area, I have been to Stonebriar many times.

Matin Azizi-Yarand, age seventeen, was taken into custody Tuesday and is being held in lieu of $3 million bail. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Authorities say his ISIS-inspired attack was planned for Ramadan (which begins this year on May 15) to minimize the danger to Muslims. He was working to purchase weapons and tactical gear and had written a “Message to America” explaining his reasons for the attack.

He intended to kill a police officer at the mall, set stores on fire, and perhaps take hostages as well. His plot was discovered by FBI confidential sources and an undercover employee.

Terrorism is not just a story we read about from Syria or Afghanistan. It is a very real possibility anywhere in the world, including my neighborhood and yours. This is another reason America needs the National Day of Prayer we observe today.

Praying for “the next great move of God in America”

America has observed specific days of prayer since 1688. President Harry Truman made the National Day of Prayer an annual observance in 1952. His reason: “In times of national crisis when we are striving to strengthen the foundations of peace . . . we stand in special need of Divine support.”

This year’s theme is “Pray for America–UNITY.” The theme verse is Ephesians 4:3: “Making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Those who organized today’s observance are calling us to “humble ourselves and unify in prevailing prayer for the next great move of God in America.” They believe Christians can “come together in clear agreement that this is our greatest need.”

I agree.

Religion is “the safeguard of morality”

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French diplomat,…

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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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US returns thousands of smuggled biblical artifacts to Iraq

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US returns thousands of smuggled biblical artifacts to Iraq

Cuneiform tablets, cylinder seals, and clay bullae dating back to 2100-1600 BCE were initially intercepted by customs agents and found to be falsely labeled as tile samples for retailer Hobby Lobby.

The company – whose president, Steve Green is the founder of the Museum of the Bible – agreed last year to surrender the items it received and pay $3 million to settle civil proceedings brought by the US Justice Department.

 

Court documents revealed the company purchased more than 5,500 artifacts, but has agreed that if it receives any of the remaining items or learns where they are, it will notify the federal government.

However, the privately held Hobby Lobby has insisted the seized artifacts were not intended for the museum.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Handout

 

In a statement, the company said it had been acquiring artifacts “consistent with the company’s mission and passion for the Bible”.

US Attorney Richard Donoghue said US officials “are proud to have played a role in removing these pieces of Iraq’s history from the black market of illegally obtained antiquities and restoring them to the Iraqi people”.

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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Christian Aid looking for new generation of activists

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Christian Aid looking for new generation of activists

The relief and developmental agency has encouraged such people to apply for Christian Aid Collective’s special event this summer called the Holy Hack.

 

Hannah Henderson from the group said: “Christian Aid Collective is a movement for change, challenging the systems that keep people poor.

“So we’re calling 18-35 year old believers to come together for a day and put their skills and faith in action. They’ll hear talks from inspiring activists. They’ll work with others who share their passion for social justice.”

While the event will have a relaxed atmosphere with worship and food, there are hopes that after some collaboration the attendees will come up with an innovative way to fight against global poverty.

“From civil rights to fair trade, the Church has a rich heritage of fighting for the rights of others and now it’s a new generation’s turn to pick up the torch,” Henderson added.

The event will take place on 2nd June 2018 in central London. Applications can be submitted through Christian Aid Collective’s website. The charity is looking for 72 people. 

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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Whistleblowers urge Pope Francis to end sex abuse ‘epidemic’

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Whistleblowers urge Pope Francis to end sex abuse ‘epidemic’

Juan Carlos Cruz, James Hamilton and Jose Andres Murillo spoke to reporters on Wednesday after spending five days with the pope at his Vatican hotel.

Their press conference was broadcast live in Chile, a sign of the unprecedented nature of their hours of meetings with the pope.

 

Mr Cruz said that during his private encounter with Francis, the pope acknowledged: “I was part of the problem.

“I caused this, and I apologise to you.”

“I believe that he was sincere,” Mr Cruz said.

Mr Cruz said he believed that Francis was simply misinformed about the case of Bishop Juan Barros, whom the three men have long accused of having witnessed and ignored their abuse.

Mr Barros was a protege of the Reverend Fernando Karadima, a charismatic preacher and darling of Chile’s conservative Catholic society who was removed from ministry and sentenced by the Vatican in 2011 to live in penance and prayer for having sexually abused minors.

AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis

 

Mr Barros and other Karadima-trained bishops never acknowledged having witnessed his abuse, even though his victims have long placed them at the scene.

Francis had strongly defended Mr Barros during his January trip to Chile, calling the accusations against him “calumny”.

He claimed to have never heard from victims about Mr Barros, even though he had received in 2015 a letter from Mr Cruz detailing Mr Barros’…

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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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President calls for restraint amid Central African Republic violence

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President calls for restraint amid Central African Republic violence

Central African Republic’s president has called for three days of mourning after renewed sectarian violence in the capital killed 19 people and wounded nearly 100 others.

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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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Recipes for Failure in Revitalization – Revitalize & Replant #039

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SUBSCRIBE TODAY: iTunes • RSS • Stitcher • TuneIn Radio • Google Play

Not every revitalization effort succeeds. Many fail, and they often fail because of the leader. Today we look at the types of leaders who will fail at revitalization.

Today’s Listener Question:

FROM MARCUS

Benny’s question in episode 37 about what it takes to be a successful church revitalizer got me wondering—what are some characteristics of those who fail at revitalization?

Episode Highlights:

  • Pastors need to have a learning disposition—especially those in revitalization.
  • You’re not going to see fruit of revitalization if you don’t stay long at a church.
  • Being a church revitalizer is a noble position.
  • Too many people go into ministry with low relational skills, but ministry is all about relational skills.

The six types of people who will fail at church revitalization are:

  1. A self-sufficient know-it-all
  2. A short-termer
  3. A person whose family is not supportive
  4. A person dependent on the accolades of peers, denominations, and others
  5. A short-tempered person
  6. A person with weak relational skills and low relational intelligence

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Revitalize & Replant is sponsored by the North American Mission Board and ChurchReplanters.com. More than 10% of churches in North America are at risk of closing and the North American Mission Board is committed to reversing this trend by decreasing the death rate of existing churches while simultaneously increasing the birth rate of new…

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

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Remains of West Sussex vicar’s sons misidentified after helicopter crash

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Remains of West Sussex vicar’s sons misidentified after helicopter crash

The document said the remains of Stuart Hill were mistakenly identified as those of his brother Jason, before DNA testing detected the error.

Stuart, 30, and Jason, 32, were among five Britons who lost their lives when an Airbus EC130 B4 plummeted into a fireball on 10th February 2018.

 

Their father, Rev David Hill, a hospital chaplain and former Baptist church leader, described them as “incredibly close” and “always happy”.

A report by the Mohave County medical examiner’s office concluded both the young men suffered burns to 100 per cent of their body, meaning neither was “identifiable by physical features”.

Originally from the seaside town of Worthing, the brothers were on holiday in the United States to celebrate Stuart Hill’s 30th birthday.

Teddy Fujimoto via AP

 

Stuart’s 27-year-old girlfriend, Becky Dobson, also died in the incident, as did newlyweds Ellie Milward, from West Sussex, and Jonathan Udall, who originally came from Southampton.

Mr Udall’s parents are suing the tour operator Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters in a wrongful death lawsuit. They are also suing the aircraft’s pilot, who survived the crash, accusing him of negligence.

Jonathan Udall’s parents also claim that fewer people would have died if a crash-resistant fuel tank had been installed. Airbus Helicopters has said more of its aircraft are being built with the…

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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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MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional Thursday, 3 May 2018 – Sinful Thoughts (I)

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TOPIC: Sinful Thoughts (I) (Mountain of Fire and Miracle Ministries Thursday, 3 May 2018)

FIRE SCRIPTURE: Genesis 6:1-8

MEMORY VERSE:

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,” – Mark 7:21

The MESSAGE:

The Fire Scripture you just read indicates that God was displeased with man, whom He created in His own image. The singular reason for God’s displeasure was man’s continual evil thought. Our minds are the battlefields of life where battles are won or lost. The physical manifestation of any event first starts in the spirit realm. Apostle Paul understood the mystery of imagination/thought. Hence, he gave a list of what we should think about in Philippians 4:8. These include things that are true, honest, pure, lovely, good report, virtue and praise.

Many men and women have fallen victims of sinful thoughts, especially in our generation where an individual can assess endless amount of information over the Internet, television, newspapers, magazines, etc. Every one of us is tempted through what is called the six gates of life: what we see, what we hear, what we smell, what we feel, what we taste and what we touch.

The mind of every individual can either be available for God’s use or exposed to satanic manipulation. Our minds are like spiritual antennas that can receive signals from the negative spiritual realm and the positive spiritual realm. It is like a radio or television set that can receive signals from one station/channel to another.

Nonetheless, what we decide to do with the type of thoughts that flow through our minds is determined by how much of the Holy Ghost we are filled with and what frequency we decide to tune to. Following the counsel of God as given by Apostle Paul will suffice to dispel evil thoughts. Therefore, we need the Holy Ghost to help us determine which pieces of information are coming from God and those that are coming from our flesh and from the devil.

MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE:
As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. We are a product of what we hold unto in our minds.

PROPHETIC WORD:
I command every wayward thought taking hold of your mind to be judged by the precious blood of Jesus.

PRAYER POINTS:

MORNING
1. I dismantle the origin of sinful thoughts flowing through my mind, in the name of Jesus.
2. Arrows of evil thoughts operating in my mind, come out and die, in the name of Jesus.
3. Every vagabond spirit operating in my mind, enter into bondage, in the mighty name of Jesus.

EVENING
4. Lord Jesus, purge my mind with fire and sanitise it with Your blood, in the name of Jesus.
5. Spirit of grace, strengthen my mind from external sources of wickedness, in the name of Jesus.
6. Every source of impure thoughts and desire flowing from within my soul dry up by fire, in the mighty name of Jesus.
7. I have the mind of Christ, my thoughts are positive at all times, in the name of Jesus.

“If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional HERE https://flatimes.com/category/mfm/

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.

The post MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional Thursday, 3 May 2018 – Sinful Thoughts (I) appeared first on Flatimes.

Tensions Simmer in Mexico as Asylum Seekers Wait at Border

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Tensions Simmer in Mexico as Asylum Seekers Wait at Border

Tension between the Mexican government and Central American asylum seekers simmered Wednesday as men, women and children camped in a large plaza for a fourth straight day waiting for U.S. inspectors to process their claims.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection had accepted 28 caravan members for processing at San Diego’s San Ysidro crossing by late Tuesday, leaving about 100 to wait at the Mexican entrance under tarps tied to waist-high metal gates to shield them from sporadic rain.

Another 20 or so caravan members were allowed to cross a long bridge to a waiting area just outside a building with U.S. inspection booths, also protected by tarps.

Mexican federal immigration officials and directors of privately run migrant shelters met with organizers at a large conference room table Tuesday night, gently encouraging caravan members to return to shelters for temporary housing.

Mexico’s National Human Rights Commission and Baja California state agencies said in a joint statement that their priorities were guaranteeing the safety of pregnant women and children and maintaining order, while respecting caravan members’ right to protest.

Mexican officials sent doctors and nurses to the encampment on Wednesday for medical exams and to dispense medicine to people suffering respiratory problems and stomach pains.

A small group of migrants seeking asylum have been allowed to cross from Mexico to the U.S. under the watchful eye of U.S. border officials. They’re part of a larger group hoping for refuge in the U.S. after a long journey from Central America. (May 1)

Caravan organizers said…

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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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Open Heavens 3 May 2018 Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Afraid of Death?

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Open Heavens 3 May 2018 Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Afraid of Death?

Topic: Afraid of Death? [Open Heavens 3rd May 2018, Thursday]

Memorise: It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. – John 6:63

Read: John 5:19-29 (KJV)

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;

27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

Bible in One Year: 1 Samuel12-13, Hebrew 10:19-11:3

MESSAGE:

Everyone prefers life to death, and this is the reason why we all do everything humanly possible to stay alive. The question is, do we need to struggle to keep ourselves alive? In response to this, Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:27 & 34 said:

“27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

The reason why people worry about life and death can be viewed from two perspectives. Firstly, most people don’t know the source or essence of true life. Secondly, many do not know how to conquer death because they are ignorant of the truth that death has already been conquered. Today’s Bible text speaks extensively on the true source of life, and I pray that your heart will grab the full understanding of this in Jesus’ Name.

Why do people die? A careful study of Genesis 2:15-17, Genesis 3:2-7, Romans 1:28-32 and Romans 6:23 would answer this question. These passages of the Bible reveal God’s warning to Adam not to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, man’s blatant disobedience in eating the forbidden fruit and God’s judgment that followed thereafter. We can therefore say that men die today because of sin. Death is the consequence of the nature and lifestyle of sin. However, we don’t have to live under the fear of death any longer, because our Lord Jesus Christ has given us the assurance of being partakers of the victory He won over death at Calvary. In John 14:19 He said:

“Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”

Although the wages of sin is death, the gift of God for all those who believe in Jesus Christ is eternal life. Apostle Paul’s testimony in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 assures us that death has been conquered for us. The Holy Spirit further expounds this truth in Hebrews 2:14-15 saying,

“14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

We are more than conquerors through the victory won for us by our Lord and Savior. You therefore have no reason to be afraid of death if you belong to Him. Do you belong to Him?

Action Point: Banish the fear of death from your heart, and thank God for liberating you from its power.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read Open Heavens 2 May 2018 Wednesday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Accessing Hidden 

Hymn 3: What Can Wash Away My Sins?

1. What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Chorus:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

2. For my cleansing this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my pardon this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

3. Nothing can for sin erase
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of works, ‘tis all of grace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

4. This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

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 3 May 2018 Thursday daily devotional by Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Afraid of Death? appeared first on Flatimes.

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