There are two kinds of churches. Those that embrace children, and those that tolerate children. Most churches are not rude towards kids, and I’ve never seen a church sign stating “No Kids Allowed.” However, the families visiting your church will know whether you embrace their kids or not. The churches who welcome children have a higher likelihood of families returning—not just once but often!
Throughout the last decade, LifeWay Research has engaged in the largest research study of its kind around the subject of discipleship. This included a qualitative survey of experts in the field of discipleship including pastors, professors, and church leaders from a variety of backgrounds to the major areas of life where spiritual maturity takes place. All this research identified eight domains of the Christian life that lead to spiritual health in a believer. These attributes of discipleship serve as signposts on the pathway of discipleship. In other words, these are the characteristics that ought to be present, in increasing measure, in the life of someone who is growing toward Christlikeness.
I believe in mentoring, and I’ve written about the topic in a book conveniently titled, Mentor. Most of my mentoring relates to millennials, so I’ve learned some of what works…
The Lambeth Conference is a meeting of global anglican bishops, held every ten years, to discuss the future of the denomination worldwide.
Personal invitations are being sent to ‘every eligible bishop and spouse’ according to the website, a sentence which previously added ‘excluding same sex spouses’.
Despite the edit, the fact remains and bishops in civil parnterships will not have the company of their partners.
Speaking to The Times about this, Archbishop Justin said: “over 90 per cent of the Anglican communion are conservative on issues of sexuality. I’ve invited all the bishops, including those in same-sex marriages. And I had to consider…getting as many people as possible there and excluding as few as possible. It’s a lose-lose situation.
“I had to take what is a really difficult and painful decision to say, in order for the conference to be as representative as possible and get all the bishops there and not have the risk of some provinces not coming because they felt I was pushing the envelope too far, that I couldn’t ask all the spouses.”
Welby faced criticism from the preacher from the royal wedding, Bishop Michael Curry, who said last month: “I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t expect he will change [his mind].
“But I’m willing to say that this House [The Episcopal Church’s House of Bishops] really would like it to be reconsidered…
BLESSING SUNDAY – 7TH APRIL 2019 ANCHOR SCRIPTURE(S): DEUTERONOMY 28:1-14 MESSAGE TOPIC: THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE BLESSING OF GOD VENUE: DUNAMIS INTERNATIONAL GOSPEL CENTRE
SERVICE OBJECTIVES:
Understanding the overwhelming advantage of the Blessing
Understanding channels of the blessing
The Blessing is overwhelmingly advantageous to the life of the Blessed
THINGS TO NOTE:
God had to release the Blessing at creation to guarantee the future of the earth (Gen. 1:28)
The covenant lineage of Abraham got established in greatness and influence by the Blessing of God (Gen. 12:2-3)
The children of Israel exist on earth today as a force to reckon with in the comity of nations by the power of the Blessing (Gen. 32:28)
Children from families who receive positive affirmations and blessings from their parents fare better in life than children who receive only insults and curses
THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE BLESSING:
1. The Blessing consumes and dissolves curses, embargoes and limitations from the life of the Blessed (Gen. 32:24-28)
The same way that light is more powerful than darkness, in that same way the blessing is more powerful than the curse
2. The Blessing brings speed and acceleration into the life of the Blessed (Gen. 26:12-13)
The Blessing is a destroyer of stagnation and delay; you cannot be a carrier of the Blessing and experience delay or stagnation.
3. The Blessing changes the climate around the life of the Blessed (1Chron. 4:9-10; Ps. 5:12; Gen. 39:3-5; 27:27)
The Blessing changes the climate around the blessed from negative to positive, and from rejection to acceptance.
The Blessing changes your spiritual fragrance (Gen. 27:27)
4. The Blessing releases the potentials in the life of the Blessed (1Chron. 2:55)
5. The Blessing amplifies the effort of the Blessed; it facilitates resourcefulness and productivity and forbids.
Barrenness of resourcefulness (Gen. 1:28; 26:12)
The Blessing makes you resourceful, audacious and excitable
6. The Blessing enhances the quality and quantity of the life of the Blessed (Prov. 10:22; Isa. 65:8)
The Blessing causes a person to live well and to live long.
Do all you can do to be established in the Blessing
7. The Blessing enlarges the capacity of the Blessed; it deletes littleness and imparts ‘meganess’ (Gen. 12:2; 32:28; 1Chron. 2:55)
Your source determines your size; your connection determines your collection
1. Directly from God (Deut. 28:1-2; Ex. 23:25; Ps. 5:12; 24:3-5; Mal. 3:10)
When you do the things God wants you to do, then the Blessing comes directly from God.
HOW TO CONNECT BLESSING DIRECTLY FROM GOD:
1a. Obedience (Deut. 28:1-2)
1b. Service (Ex. 23:25)
1c. Uprightness (Ps. 5:12; 24:3-5)
1d. Tithes and Offerings (Mal. 3:10)
2. Through parents (Gen. 27:25-28; Eph. 6:1-3)
Do all you can to secure parental Blessing
3. Through priests or prophets (Gen. 12:3; Num. 6:23; Heb. 7:7) Your priest is a custodian of your Blessing If you relate well and connect well, you don’t have a limit on the Blessing you can collect
4. Through the poor or the less privileged (Job 29:11-16; Ps. 72:10-15)
PRAYER:
Father, I connect to the blessedness of the Blessing. Help me to connect to all the channels of the Blessing – to connect the Blessing directly from You, through my biological and spiritual parents, through my priest and prophet, and the grace to connect it by ministering the less privileged in Jesus’ Name!
PRAYER FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE (CIVIL SERVANTS):
Father, breathe upon the civil service of Nigeria. Lay Your Hands upon the civil service of Nigeria. Lift Your children to places of relevance and positions of impact where they can change the Nation for good.
Father, let the fear of God rule and reign in the civil service in Nigeria, in Jesus’ Name.
Father, anoint the workforce of Nigeria to take Nigeria to the level of first world nations, in Jesus’ Name.
PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE:
Every diversion of labour and labour without reward is arrested in Jesus’ Name!
Everyone whose junior is sitting on top of them, that anomaly is corrected!
Serenity in the civil service in Jesus’ Name.
COMMUNION FOCUS:
The Cup of the Blessing; every blessing pronounced on this altar is communicated and transmitted into your life by the communion
PARENTAL BLESSING (MUMMY):
The delay is over in Jesus’ Name!
Everyone trusting God to be married, we declare the delay is over!
We declare blessings upon homes and upon children and upon those trusting God for the fruit of the womb!
We declare blessings on couples and the establishment of marital destiny and dignity in homes in Jesus’ Name!
PARENTAL BLESSING (DADDY):
This month shall do you well!
Every conspiracy against your life and destiny, today is the end forever!
You shall fulfil your days!
Every planting of hell in your life, today they are uprooted!
Systems are coming under pressure and shall lose their peace, sleep and rest until what is yours enters into your hands!
It is well with you, your family and Nigeria! The perfect council of the Lord shall come to pass!
PROPHETIC DECLARATIONS:
Every deposit of hell in your life today is returned back to hell!
We take authority over the spirit of kidnapping in Nigeria! We curse the altars behind it and set them on fire! We decree deliverance for Nigeria!
Those who send, patronise or license killers and kidnappers, they shall face the judgement of Jehovah!
Where blood is wasted, yours shall never be wasted!
Whatever be the challenge you came here with, it is over forever!
A satanic litigation and accusation has just been set on fire!
That reproach, pain, rejection, depression and disappointment you came here with, today, that yoke is broken!
Any word spoken over your life by an authority figure that is working against you, I stand today, and declare that it is reversed
Anyone who came here with a wrong aroma/fragrance that makes people to run from you, today, it is dissolved by the Blessing!
The last time you laboured in vain shall be the last time forever!
Every spirit of lethargy, laziness and weakness is arrested now!
Whatever has narrowed your destiny, today the narrowing is over!
Whatever has made your life an irrelevant, piece of statistical information, today, it is over!
Whatever they said is impossible in your life, I declare them possible!
Everyone trusting God for the fruit of the womb, it is done!
Whatever is not palatable in your life – barrenness, singleness, joblessness, the end of it has come!
Every demonic litigation that the devil is trying to hold you for that you know nothing about, I declare it is over!
Every mess the devil has created around your marriage, relationships and in the works of your hands, I declare, it is swept off!
Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Paul Yazigi were abducted by gunmen on their way back from the Turkish border to their city of Aleppo.
The World Council of Churches (WCC), a global fellowship of churches, have now issued an official announcement calling for the release of two metropolitans.
The communique said: “In the years since their abduction, the World Council of Churches has expressed its concern and called for the release of the two archbishops of Aleppo,
“There is still no word on the whereabouts and condition of these two archbishops.”
No group has ever claimed responsibility for their kidnapping and the organisation said they wanted to express “its solidarity with Orthodox churches in Syria and Lebanon who still suffer from the abduction”.
The WCC referenced how both archbishops served their communities faithfully: “In particular, H.E. Metropolitan Boulos (Paul Yazigi) helped strengthen this place as a foundation for Orthodox theology and Antiochian spirituality, strengthening the presence of Orthodoxy not only for Antioch but also throughout the east,
“Through its students, this institution continues to extend the Orthodox voice throughout the world.”
“Both archbishops demonstrated the love of Christ for all persons without exception, and are considered spiritual Orthodox leaders.The Permanent Committee…
NICE say the health service should aim to provide women who are considering an abortion with an initial appointment within 1 week of requesting one and to have the termination within 1 week of that appointment.
They, along with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, want to offer greater choice between a medical or a surgical abortion and the differnet stages of pregnancy and advise that women should be able to refer themselves to termination of pregnancy services, rather than having to book an appointment with their GP first.
NICE argue that this removes an unnecessary step in the process, allowing women to access treatment more quickly.
Spokesperson for Right to Life, Clare McCarthy said: “The recommended changes from NICE and the RCOG will rush women through the abortion process and provide less medical supervision and support for women. In 2017, in the UK 197,533 babies in the womb were aborted. This does not appear to be enough for the abortion lobby and head of the RCOG, Lesley Regan, who has said she wants to see abortion as easy as getting ‘your bunions sorted’.
“Instead, they have brought forward these recommended changes which would mean less time for women to explore options other than abortion and could see our already very high abortion rate increase even further.
McCarthy argued that a ComRes poll found 79% of the the UK…
Melissa Caslake, who is currently the executive director of children’s services for Kensington and Chelsea and the City of Westminster boroughs, will take up the role.
It it the first time the Church of England has appointed a permanent director of safeguarding. She takes over from Sir Roger Singleton, the former chief executive of Barnados, who has been the interim director since the beginning of the year.
Caslake has worked in children’s and adults’ service for 20 years, with experience of leading ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ rated children’s services in local authorities.
She has overseen responses to non-current child sexual abuse cases and lead services for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in London and also overseen support for children affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.
She contributed to the City of Westminster’s family services getting an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating in 2016 and has also worked in Harrow and Merton.
Caslake said: “I am proud to be taking on the role of National Director of Safeguarding for the Church of England. My career has been dedicated to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults and helping families in need.
“I am determined to ensure that the Church is a safer place for all, and I look forward to applying my professional experience and expertise to this challenge.”
William Nye, Secretary General to the Archbishops’ Council,…
Uprightness according to Oxford English Dictionary is the condition of being honourable or honest. It is the conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong. Uprightness can also refer to positive character, decency, rectitude, integrity, morality, virtue and righteousness.
SCRIPTURE: For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield. Psalms 5:12
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Your character, many times, introduces you even before you speak.
Uprightness according to Oxford English Dictionary is the condition of being honourable or honest. It is the conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong. Uprightness can also refer to positive character, decency, rectitude, integrity, morality, virtue and righteousness.
It is confirmed that uprightness has an open door power. Integrity or Godly character is a door opener. God blesses the man of integrity with favour, and favour comes with open doors. It is well known that good character opens doors and bad character closes doors.
A Scriptural example of a man whose good character opened doors of supply for, was Elisha the Prophet. Elisha was perceived to be a holy man of God by the Woman of Shunem, and by that confirmation, a house was built for him (2 Kings 4:8-11). Now, what built the house for Elisha was not his title but his manners. It is important to know that character is both perceivable and discernible.
People’s perception of you can affect your possession in life. Your character, many times, introduces you even before you speak. The character of an excitable, exciting or an excited person is feel-able, and a depressed person also exudes depression all around him.
Now, one key to Godly character is passionate love for God. To love God with passion means the desire to please God is placed above the desire to please self. It means, making God Almighty the centre of your life. It means that there is nothing and no one that can take the place of God in your life.
Receive the grace to maintain Godly character, in Jesus’ Name.
REMEMBER THIS: Your character, many times, introduces you even before you speak.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Ask God for the grace to work on your character on a daily basis.
Love God, and love your neighbour as you love yourself.
PRAYER: O Lord, I ask for the grace to work on my character on a daily basis. Help me to progressively grow into Your Image, Lord in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: OPEN DOOR THROUGH UPRIGHTNESS PT1
QUOTE: You must make up your mind to be different in order to be different. Culled from WHO ARE YOU? by Dr Paul Enenche
DAILY READING: Joshua 7:16 to 9:2, Luke 16:1 to 18, Psalm 82:1 to 8, Proverbs 13:2 to 3.
AMAZING FACT: There are 100,000 miles of blood vessels in the brain.
TODAY IN HISTORY: 13/04/1997 – Tiger Woods became the youngest golfer to win the Masters Tournament.
Today’s devotional was written by Pastor Paul Enenche of the Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Pastor Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities
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.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. — Romans 12:12
No matter what we do in life, at some point in time we will all face a level of criticism. But it is possible to learn how to cope with criticism and not let it affect your life.
We can be grateful for the example the apostle Paul set for us. Paul experienced criticism often, but he said that he was not concerned about the judgment of others. He knew he was in God’s hands and that in the end he would stand before God and give an account of himself and his life. He would not stand before any man to be judged (see 1 Corinthians 4:3–4).
You may not always do everything right, but God sees your heart. If you’re attempting to live for God and looking for ways to love others, God is pleased (see Matthew 22:37–40). Don’t worry about the criticism of others; God loves you. His love and approval are all you need.
Prayer Starter: Father, I thank You that I don’t have to listen to the criticism of others. You see my heart and You know my motives. I thank You that Your approval is greater than the approval of any person. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Creativity is the search for solution. Every time you see a problem around you, know problems are catalysts for creativity. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth, and the earth was without form and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. There was a problem of darkness and God went into creation and introduced light. The moment He introduced light, the problem of darkness was solved.
Just like someone invented microphones, so also, there is always a solution you can proffer that is designed to lift you.
Genesis 26:12 -Then Isaac sowed in that land and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
In the time of famine, Isaac was able to see what the Philistines could not see. In the midst of famine, he became the most prosperous person in the land. While others were busy complaining about the famine, Isaac was busy digging wells, from which he had water to water his farms. That is mechanised farming!
In the midst of famine also, Joseph prospered. He became a Prime Minister in a foreign land.
Genesis 47:20 -And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh’s.
A one-time prisoner became the most important man in the same land because he had the solution to their problems. As a child of God, you have the mind of Christ; and if you know what to do, you cannot be a part of the problem in the society. Even if you are uneducated, it does not mean you should be a failure. No way! Salvation has placed you at an advantage. You have the mind of Christ ought to know what to do.
Jesus was faced with a seemingly huge problem of feeding thousands of people in a desert and the Bible says, “For He Himself knew what He would do.” (John 6:6). Thus the hardship in the society is an advantage to you. The more the hardship, the better for the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ!
It is time for the Church to move into the realm of solving problems. Every man who solves a problem is rewarded accordingly. If you want reward, begin to solve problems in the society. However, money must not be your primary motive; just be out to solve problems. Many are in business for the sake of money but business is actually meeting the needs of the society. Anyone who wants to be a successful businessman must be driven by the understanding of meeting people’s needs.
If you are in business primarily to meet people’s needs, it will not be long and you will excel! It does not matter where you have failed, your case is not hopeless. May your eyes be open to introduce something that will solve a definite problem for humanity in Jesus name. Amen.
God bless you!
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.
5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
THE MESSAGE:
One of the privileges we have as children of God is prayer. Through prayer, we receive mercy and grace to help in time of need and find peace that guards our hearts and minds. But this privilege does not mean that God must answer all prayers. In today’s reading, Jesus talks about two basic kinds of prayer. The first is showmanship prayer by which the person praying draws attention to himself seeking to be known as spiritual and holy.
The second is relational prayer – one that seeks time with the Father. This prayer is offered to be seen and heard of God according to a pattern (as taught by Jesus) and with a merciful heart. God answers such a prayer.
Is your prayer marked by humility and pleading for mercy or do you make a show out of your prayers? Do you talk with God when you pray or you talk to yourself? Remember, God is not swayed by quantity of words, but by quality of the heart! Most important is the fact that if you do not have a private prayer life, there is no good praying publicly. If you believe that God hears prayers and rewards those who diligently seek Him, then make sure you offer the kind of prayer that God is pleased with.
Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to pray from a pure heart in accordance with Your will and in faith.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
