Benjamin Watson, Russell Moore Talk ‘Hopelessness, Exhaustion’ Among Black and White Christians

(Screenshot: YouTube/ERLC)Benjamin Watson (L) and Russell Moore discuss race and MLK50 in a video published on January 31, 2018.

NFL Star Benjamin Watson and ethicist Russell Moore have spoken out about the “hopelessness” and “exhaustion” that black and white Christians sometimes seem to be experiencing in the struggle to improve race relations in America.

Speaking in a video for the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Baltimore Ravens tight end said America is “at a very pivotal point in our culture,” with race being brought to the forefront over the last several years.

“As believers, as Americans, as people who care about our brothers and sisters, it’s important to engage with each other from a biblical perspective,” Watson said, calling for “honest and intentional conversations on an issue that may be hard to talk about sometimes.”

Moore, who is ERLC president, said, “One of the things I’ve noticed is sometimes when I’m talking to black Christians, and white Christians, anybody, is that sometimes there is a sense of hopelessness or exhaustion,” with people asking themselves “is there really any way where we can move forward?”

Watson admitted that even at 37 years of age, he too is “tired” of the strife.

“There are times when I…

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Elon Musk To Give Batteries To Thousands Of Homes in South Australia

TeslaA promo image of the Tesla Solar Roof.

Elon Musk’s mission to fix South Australia’s energy crisis is far from over as Tesla is set to give away batteries and solar panels to thousands of homes in the state. This is all thanks to a new power policy being pushed by the state’s Labor Party spearheaded by Premier Jay Weatherill.

Weatherhill, with the help of Musk, has promised to give “free” solar panels and Tesla batteries to 50,000 homes in the state. The Labor premiere unveiled the deal last week which he expects will secure the party’s victory in the March state elections.

Of course, the project isn’t going to be absolutely free and be paid with a $2 million taxpayer-funded grant and $30 million loans to Tesla. The power generated by the solar panels and the batteries will also not be owned directly by the households but may be sold back to them via a retailer.

Tesla hopes to accomplish this via what it calls a virtual power plant or VPP. It works pretty much like a peer-to-peer system where the idea is that by sharing surplus energy produced by rooftop solar panels when not being used, all consumers can benefit. This is all part of Musk’s grand plan to power the world through solar power and batteries.

The key to creating such an innovative system are smart meters and other clever technology that can determine which homes are producing surplus and where that excess power can be stored or consumed. The scheme will see each participating South Australian home equipped with a 5kw solar system paired with a 5kw/15kwh Tesla Powerwall 2 battery.

The first batch of these solar panel battery…

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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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Becoming a Pastor .

Philadelphia Eagles' Nick Foles celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LII.
Philadelphia Eagles’ Nick Foles celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LII. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

We have an interesting story, well told, from .. . charismapodcastnetwork.com.


The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl champs for the first time in history! After the game the coach and top players publicly gave glory to God for the win.

Christian players expressing their faith isn’t new in the NFL—it’s the revival that…

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

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Christian NBA Star Steph Curry and Wife Announce They are Expecting Third Child

Christian NBA Star Steph Curry and Wife Announce They are Expecting Third Child



Golden State Warriors basketball star Steph Curry has announced that he and his wife, Ayesha, are expecting their third child.


“Baby No. 3 Mood right here! Thankful for @ayeshacurry every single day for being the heartbeat and spirit behind our family. Better be ready for the R&R show,” Steph wrote on Instagram along with a video of his wife and daughters celebrating the news.


Ayesha, who is a celebrity cook, also announced the pregnancy herself, posting a photo of herself wearing a shirt that said “Preggers.”


“Hey, how did this happen?!. Curry party of five. Feeling very blessed and very sick. Yippie! #curryfor3,” she said in her Instagram post.


Curry is an outspoken Christian. Last year, he said in an interview with CBN’s “The 700 Club” that he and some of his teammates formed a discipleship and Bible study group.


Ayesha and Curry met at a North Carolina church youth camp in high school, but didn’t date until college. They married when they were both 23.


“I wasn’t allowed to date in high school,” Ayesha told Parents magazine. “We always laugh that we were both focused on God.”


The couple has now been married for five years.


“Celebrating five years of marriage, love, growth and faith. Feeling like I’m on cloud nine,” Ayesha wrote in an Instagram picture of the couple on an airplane headed to France to celebrate their…

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

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What is It and When Does this Christian Holy Season Begin?

REUTERS/Erik de CastroPenitents hang on crosses as they are crucified during Good Friday Lenten rites in Cutud, San Fernando Pampanga in northern Philippines April 22, 2011.

The Lent inches closer as the annual religious season begins this Ash Wednesday, which falls on Valentine’s Day this year.

The Lent Season is the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday wherein Christians work on purifying their spirituality and engage in meditation and/or penance. Not counting the Sundays within the period, the Lent Season, simply known as Lent, lasts for 40 days as it represents the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness before starting his ministry.

While the Lent officially starts on Ash Wednesday, it is important to note that it changes every year. This is because the Christian holy season depends on the date of Easter, the last day of Lent. As the date of Easter is based on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox (the first day of Spring), the dates of Ash Wednesday and all other important days of Lent change every year.

But, why must Easter be based on the first full moon of the vernal equinox, some may ask. It is because Biblical records show that Jesus was crucified during the Jewish holy day of Passover. As Passover was observed on…

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Evangelical Alliance: Don’t say ‘spiritual abuse’

A new report from the Evangelical Alliance (EA) said ‘spiritual abuse’ is a seriously problematic term because of its ambiguity.

Produced by the EA Theology Advisory Group (TAG), the report outlined how ‘spiritual abuse’ is a seriously problematic term because attempts by some to use it for safeguarding laws “would be unworkable in practice, potentially discriminatory towards religious communities, and damaging to inter-faith relations”.

 

Rev Dr David Hilborn, chair of the of TAG told Premier why he believes the term should be nixed.

“It’s important to start with the existing language of the law that applies to everybody and not create a special category just for religious people because that may single them out and make them subject to religious discrimination.

“Because the term by definition has to apply to all faith traditions, what it could do is set one faith tradition against another because they might disagree on theology and accuse each other of abusing the faith systems of the other, so we don’t want to see that kind of culture war.”

Rev Hilborn urged Christians to use other terms instead.

He said: “What we want to do is say that there is psychological abuse, there’s emotional abuse.

“That’s well defined legally, there’s case law on that. Let’s accept that sometimes that might take place on church premises and sometimes that…

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The ‘Slow-Motion Genocide’ That Nobody’s Reporting .

Christians are being persecuted.
Christians are being persecuted. (Unsplash/tertia van rensburg)

We have an interesting story, well told, from .. . charismapodcastnetwork.com.


A crucial global problem is that millions of Christians are being persecuted around the world, yet the news rarely makes headlines.

That issue was somewhat alleviated, at least temporarily, with the coverage of the recent World Watch List from Open Doors USA, which annually ranks the top 50 countries where…

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

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Did You Know You Can Send a Letter of Encouragement to a Persecuted Believer?

Did You Know You Can Send a Letter of Encouragement to a Persecuted Believer?



Open Doors USA, a Christian organization that monitors Christian persecution worldwide, is offering believers an opportunity to write notes of encouragement to fellow believers.


The letter-writing campaign is part of Open Doors’ mission to extend extra love and compassion to persecuted Christians around the Valentine’s Day holiday.


“Today, we’d like to invite you to participate in a similar Valentine’s Day opportunity. Would you pause for just a few minutes to write a brief message of love and encouragement for Open Doors to deliver to persecuted Christians living in other dangerous regions in our world?” Open Doors asks in their recent newsletter.


“Today, as we remember persecuted Christians, would you join us in following the example of the apostle Paul who often wrote letters to churches facing crisis or need? You words today, just like Paul’s in the New Testament, could be an important encouragement to believers living out their faith in the world’s most difficult places,” the newsletter continues.


If you are interested in taking a few minutes out of your day to send a note of encouragement to a persecuted Christian, you can learn more here. Both physical and digital letters are accepted. Be sure to read Open Doors’ letter-writing guidelines before submitting your letter.


 


Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/moodboard


Publication date:…

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Open Heavens 6th February 2018: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye — From Glory To Glory

Open Heavens 6th February 2018: Tuesday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye — From Glory To Glory

Topic: From Glory To Glory [Open Heavens 6 Tuesday February 2018]

Memorise: “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”2 Corinthians 3:18

Read: Luke 9:28-35 (KJV)

28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.

30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:

31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.

32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said.

34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 29-30, Romans 10:5-21

MESSAGE

The moment you become a child of God, the glory of God comes upon your life. From that moment, God’s expectation is that you will continually move from one level of glory to another (Proverb 4:18). A person who experiences shame will understand and appreciate the importance of glory. I pray that anything that is causing shame will disappear today in Jesus’ Name. There are different types of glory, one of which is physical in nature. From a physical perspective, sicknesses and diseases are some of the agents of shame. After experiencing the shame of sickness, it is indeed a glorious thing to be healed. The woman with the issue of blood entered into the realm of glory the day she touched the hem of Jesus garment and she was healed from her infirmity (Mark 5:31-34). While it is great to experience healing, you can move from the realm of being healed to the realm of living in good health permanently. If you are not yet living in that realm, I pray that God will take you there in Jesus’ Name. Beyond this realm lies an even greater realm of glory where a person becomes an agent of healing, just like the apostles of old (Acts 5:12-16, Acts 19:11-12). Your target should be to operate in this realm of glory. Glory can also be viewed from the perspective of material processions. It is a glorious thing to be rich, because poverty brings shame. While Abraham was rich, Isaac was so rich that kings were envious of him (Genesis 24:24-35, Genesis 26). Although there is glory in being rich, it is more glorious to be wealthy. However, beyond these two realms of material glory lies the realm of flourishing. Solomon flourished so much that silver was like common stones in his days (1 Kings 10:27). Today, may the Lord move you from glory to glory in wealth in Jesus’ Name.

Nevertheless, the spiritual aspect of glory is the ultimate. It is glorious when you become so intimate with God that before you finish praying, the answer would have already come. When you pray like Elijah did and fire falls, this is glorious (1 Kings 18:31-39). However, it is more glorious when you live by decrees. Elijah moved from the realm of accelerated answers to prayer to the realm of living by decrees. He decreed that the first two set of fifty soldiers that came to arrest him be consumed by fire, and it was so (2 Kings 1:9-12). Beyond this realm, there is yet a higher level of spiritual glory where you arrest the arrester and the arrester lives at your mercy. Elisha experienced this level of glory (2 Kings 6:8-23). Above all, the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom is the climax of spiritual maturity that brings an individual into irreversible glory. I decree that from today, you will begin to go from one level of glory to another in every area of your life in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer Point: Father, from today, please take me from glory to glory in Jesus’ Name.

Hymn 12: Take My Life, And Let It Be.

1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.

2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.

3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.

4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every power as Thou shalt choose.

5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Please do not prolong your salvation if you have not repented. Many are going home daily and tomorrow maybe too late.

Open Heavens 6 February 2018, 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. If you missed yesterday’s devotional click to read Open heavens 5 February 2018.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.


Churchgoers have warmer attitudes toward immigration than others

It found 55 per cent of regular churchgoers strongly agree that asylum seekers escaping persecution should stay in the UK. On the other hand,  45 per cent of people who attend church less than once a month, or never attend church, agree such asylum seekers should be allowed to stay in the country. 

Dr Siobhan McAndrew, a professor at the University of Bristol, told Premier there are contributing factors that make churchgoers more immigration-friendly.

She said: “In churches, there’s a lot of voluntary action and a lot of charitable involvement. Churches often act as hubs where local political figures may come and give talks and have debate and they encourage people to mix and feel that problems are solvable. So people that attend church regularly, they have a weaker sense of immigration threatening.”

Dr McAndrew also told Premier exposure to people from different backgrounds also makes a difference in a person’s attitude toward immigration.

“Churches and church leaders have messages of togetherness and most major religions in Britain are global, so people who attend church more often tend to see people of the same faith in other countries as essentially similar, in that national differences don’t really matter so much.”

The research concluded that why Christians in name only seem more chilly towards immigrants is less clear, but it’s thought that they choose the label ‘Christian’ to distinguish themselves both from religious minorities,…

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