‘Not a Single Bible Was Burned’, Fire Department Says after Responding to Dangerous Church Fire

‘Not a Single Bible Was Burned’, Fire Department Says after Responding to Dangerous Church Fire



In the early morning hours Sunday, a fire broke out at a West Virginia church sparing nothing but the bibles and crosses inside. 


According to WIVB, firefighters arrived the Freedom Ministries Church in Grandview, W Va. at 1:00 am on Sunday to see the building engulfed in flames.


In a post shared by the Coal City Fire Department on Facebook, the fire department noted the miraculous nature of the spared Bibles.


The fire department wrote, “On March 3 around 12:58 am our department was dispatched to assist Beaver VFD with a structure fire at the Freedom Ministries Church, located in Grandview WV.”


“Though odds were against us, God was not,” they wrote.

The fire department then painted a picture of the night of the fire writing, “Picture this, a building so hot that at one point in time, firefighters had to back out. In your mind, everything should be burned, ashes.”


Yet, “Not a single Bible was burned and not a single cross was harmed!! Not a single firefighter was hurt!” the post proclaimed.



After posting about the Bibles miraculous survivals through the raging church fire many people took to Facebook to share similar experiences.


Dean Vandall commented on the post saying, “Out of every structure fire I have responded to in the past 20 years, not one Bible has burned, they might have smoke damage or chared (sic)…

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

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Five Findings about Gen Z That Will Impact Churches

Podcast Episode #516

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The oldest members of Gen Z are just entering college and the work force. Today, we discuss a recent Wall Street Journal article on Gen Z and the generation’s implications on the church.

Some highlights from today’s episode include:

  • Instagram is generally the social media network of choice for Millennials and Gen Z.
  • Gen Z gets its news from social media, not from traditional media.
  • The next generation of people are on social networks. If churches want to reach them well, they must be on social networks as well.
  • Even with an increased digital presence, younger generations still need in-person community.

The five Gen Z traits we discuss are:

  1. Gen Z does not distinguish between digital and IRL.
  2. Facebook is out; Instagram is in.
  3. Gen Z gets its news from social media.
  4. Gen Z’s appetite for reading is surprising.
  5. This generation worries about tech addiction.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast

Rainer on Leadership is a member of the LifeWay Leadership Podcast Network


Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped thousands of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.

For more information, visit WeStaffTheChurch.com.


Today’s episode is sponsored by Midwestern Baptist…

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

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U.S. Closes Jerusalem Consulate, Causing Concern Among Palestinians and Their Advocates

U.S. Closes Jerusalem Consulate, Causing Concern Among Palestinians and Their Advocates



The United States closed the doors on its consulate in East Jerusalem Monday. The consulate acted as the “de facto embassy” to the Palestinians, but now most of its work will be carried out from the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem.


Also, Consul General Karen Sasahara, who has been acting as what many describe as the “de facto ambassador to the Palestinians,” will be leaving Jerusalem. 


Critics see this as another move from the Trump Administration signaling that they want to pursue a one-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but State Department spokesman Robert Palladino tried to preempt concerns about a policy shift in his statement announcing the closure. “This decision was driven by our global efforts to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of our diplomatic engagements and operations. It does not signal a change of U.S. policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Gaza Strip.


Palestinian officials interpreted the decision differently. On official, Saeb Erekat, said it was “the final nail in the coffin” for the United States’ role as key peacemaker in the region. Critics also said that closing the consulate will make it more difficult for U.S. diplomats in the region to understand developments in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. They also say that it sends the message that the United States is seeking a…

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

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Christian MP Onasanya loses challenge against conviction for perverting the course of justice

The 35-year-old solicitor was expelled from the Labour Party after being found guilty in December last year.

She was jailed for three months at the Old Bailey in January and was released from prison after serving one month behind bars.

Representing herself at the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, Onasanya told the court: “The charge against me was perverting the course of justice.

“I said from the outset, and I still maintain my innocence, that I did not do that.”

But she was refused permission for a full appeal by three leading judges.

Jurors at the Old Bailey were told that she colluded with her brother Festus after her car was clocked speeding at 41mph in a 30mph zone in the village of Thorney, near Peterborough, in July 2017.

She was sent a notice of intended prosecution to fill out, but it was sent back naming the guilty driver as Aleks Antipow, an acquaintance of her brother, who was away visiting his parents in Russia.

Festus Onasanya, 34, from Cambridge, was jailed for 10 months after he admitted three counts of perverting the course of justice over speeding, including the July 24 incident.

 

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.

Tell us what you think about our news service, what you want and how Premier fits into your news…

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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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AI-powered grocery stores and Chip and Joanna Gaines: How to use the temporal for the eternal

Imagine a day when your grocery cart will scan and weigh items, alert you to sales, suggest items based on what you’ve already chosen, and help locate products in the store. It will then scan your credit card to check out.

Here’s an even-easier fantasy: You could download a free app, scan a QR code at the store’s entrance, grab items off the shelves, then exit through the turnstiles. By the time you’re halfway to your car, you’ll receive a receipt in the app.

Sounds like science fiction? It’s actually just science. The Wall Street Journal tells us that AI-powered shopping is already here and coming to stores nationwide this year.

Will a robot drive your next taxi?

Here’s another fiction-to-fact story: According to Bloomberg Businessweek, robot-driven taxis will soon make travel in a driverless cab much cheaper than owning our own car. Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are making personal car ownership less attractive as well.

FedEx is testing autonomous delivery robots that will bring products from Pizza Hut, Walmart, Walgreens, and other companies to your door. AutoZone, Lowe’s, and Target have also signed on to the program.

An adjunct professor at Stanford School of Medicine has developed an AI-assisted mental health platform. Woebot offers flexibility for patients by being available at any hour of the day. This virtual counselor also offers anonymity that might free patients worried about how their therapist is evaluating them.

And an unmanned space capsule has docked at the International Space Station. The SpaceX vessel is carrying a data-collecting test dummy named Ripley, which will monitor how traveling in the craft may affect humans in the future.

“The deadliest animal in history”

Humans can do amazing things. However, we are still finite people living in a fallen world.

I just finished reading No Beast So Fierce by Dane Huckelbridge. The subtitle tells the tale: The…

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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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Coventry Cathedral praying for city’s football club as it faces extinction

Coventry City, who play in League One, could be forced out of the area or, even worse, become extinct due to a row over where they play their games.

The team currently plays at the Ricoh Arena, owned by rugby club Wasps, but their contract runs out at the end of the season.

 

Owners of the football club have been told they need to confirm where they intend to play next season by league organisers.

The club has stated their intention is to remain at the stadium but Wasps are currently refusing to renegotiate as Coventry City’s owners are currently involved in legal action with the city council, who previously owned the stadium.

It’s not the first time Coventry City have faced this situation. Back in 2013 they were forced to play games in Northampton.

Following that move, the Dean of Coventry, Very Rev John Witcombe helped mediate a deal which brought the Sky Blues back to the city.

Speaking as the club face a Tuesday deadline, the Cathedral said in statement: “Coventry Cathedral continues to be very concerned for a good outcome to the long running dispute over the position of Coventry City Football Club in its home city.

“We were privileged to be involved in some of the discussions that led to a return to the Ricoh stadium in 2014, and will continue to pray for a swift resolution to this present impasse, for the good of both the club and the city.

“We would encourage all…

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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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Marriage – A Garden Full Of Treasures By Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Marriage – A Garden Full Of Treasures By Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Topic: Marriage – A Garden Full Of Treasures

Dear Reader,

I welcome you to another interesting edition of Family Life. It is my prayer that God’s word will illuminate your family life, in Jesus name. All through this month, I will be sharing with you on a subject, which I titled, Marriage – A garden full of treasures.

Marriage can be likened to a garden. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a garden is a piece of ground used for growing things such as flowers, fruit, vegetables, etc. The Bible tells us that the marriage garden was planted by God Himself …the Lord God planted a garden… (Genesis 2:8). Marriage is not just an ordinary garden, but a garden full of treasures.

God, Himself is the Great Planter of this garden and you can be sure that His design is the best. The maximum yield of a physical garden is determined by the use to which it is put, and how well it is taken care of. The marriage garden operates this way, too. Put this garden to the best use and you will get maximum yield from it. If you take proper care of it, the output will be affected positively. This week, I will be showing you how to dig out the treasure in the marriage garden.

Treasures are highly valued objects, which when profitably traded with, take one off the realm of the ordinary to that of the supernatural. They also raise one from the realm of poverty to riches. In the same way, when the treasures in marriage are properly harnessed, one is bound to enjoy success. You must believe that those treasures are there and then consciously dig them out before you can profit by them. I am a living witness and testimony to the fact that the marriage garden is full of treasures.

Also Read: Clear Principles for a Blissful Marriage (Part 2) By Pastor Faith Oyedepo

By the grace of God, I have already started digging out some of the treasures in it, and I tell you, they are profitable. God is no respecter of persons; the same Lord is rich unto all. You can also start digging out the treasures and make use of them, to the glory of God.

You will observe that I said digging, not wishing. That means you cannot get the treasures in marriage by wishing. Haven’t you heard, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride?” Well, wishes are not horses. So, you cannot stay in your house and say, “How I wish I can enjoy the treasures in the family.” You must work for it. There can be no achievement without demand. The strength required for digging will be supplied to you, in Jesus name.

You may ask, how then do I dig out the treasure in this garden? The act of digging is a process, let us examine some:

Wisdom

Digging to know the one you are married to is a must. We must study and understand our spouses. Proverbs 24:3 says: Through wisdom is a house built; and by understanding it is established. If you want an established and fulfilled home, you must utilize the tool of understanding to dig into your spouse. Remember, what your home becomes is determined by how much you have invested in digging up its treasures. Solomon wanted to establish the kingdom God gave him. So, when God appeared unto him and told him to ask whatever he wanted, he asked for wisdom to rule God’s people, and God gave it to him (1kings 3:9,12). You too can ask God for wisdom to cultivate the marriage garden so as to reap the treasure therein.

Diligence

Diligence is defined as a careful and persistent effort. Many people don’t want to dig, but they want to enjoy the treasures. Most treasures are buried deep inside the earth, and you have to diligently dig to find it. Diligent digging is required to have access to the treasures in the home. The Bible says in Hebrews 6:11, And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end. This means that to see what you hope for being fully realized, diligence is required.

Other requirements for digging up treasures in the marriage garden are determination, patience and time. Remember God is the Great Planter of the marriage garden. If you must enjoy the treasures in your marriage garden, you must first identify with the planter.

If you are not yet born again and you desire to do so right now, please pray this prayer with faith in your heart: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins and cleanse me with Your Blood. I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Make me a child of God today. Thank You for delivering me from sin and satan to serve the living God and thank You for accepting me into Your Kingdom.

Congratulations! If you prayed this simple prayer of faith with me, you are now born again and a child of God. He loves you and will never leave you. Read your Bible daily, obey God’s Word and seek Christian fellowship (John 14:21).

With this, you are guaranteed all-round rest and peace in Jesus’ Name! Call or write to share your testimonies with me through [email protected], 07026385437 or 08141320204.

For more insight, these books authored by me are available at the Dominion Bookstores in all Living Faith Churches and other leading Christian bookstores: Marriage Covenant, Making Marriage Work, Building a Successful Home and Success in Marriage (Co-authored).

“Please click HERE to read other inspiring articles by Pastor Faith Oyedepo

Pastor Faith Oyedepo is the wife of Bishop David Oyedepo, the founder of the Living Faith Church Worldwide a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel, and Senior Pastor of Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, Nigeria.

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Joyce Meyer Devotional 5 March 2019 — Wait Patiently

Topic: Wait Patiently [Joyce Meyer Devotional 5 March 2019]

So wait patiently, brothers and sisters, until the coming of the Lord… — James 5:7 (AMP)

James starts his epistle writing about patience, and here in the last chapter he writes about patience again. Patience is not just the ability to wait; it is the ability to keep a good attitude while we are waiting.

Patience is a fruit of the Spirit that can only be developed under trial. That is the reason God permits us to go through times of testing and difficulty instead of delivering us from them as quickly as we would like. God always has a plan for our deliverance, but He wants us to grow and stretch so we will be stronger when we come out of the trial.

Isaiah 40:31 is a well-known verse about waiting on the Lord: But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired (AMP).

This verse teaches us that waiting on God is expecting, looking for, and hoping in Him. It is spending time with Him in His Word and in His presence. We do not worry while we wait on God; we do not get frustrated while we wait on God; we do not get upset while we wait on God. We rest in faith believing God will do what needs to be done for us at the right time.

Learning to wait with patience and hopeful expectation is a mark of spiritual maturity. When we find ourselves having to wait on something, we can patiently take a seat in Him and rest in God’s presence. The promise of God’s peace is not made to those who work and struggle in their own strength but to those who rest in Christ Jesus. As we wait on Him, our strength is renewed.

Prayer Starter: Father, help me to wait well—with patience and hopeful expectation. Help me to use the challenging times in life as opportunities to grow closer to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Joyce Meyer Daily Devotional HERE’’

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

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Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heaven 5 March 2019

Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heaven 5 March 2019 – A Friend Indeed?

1.I worship and adore You, Lord Jesus, for demonstrating Your love towards me, in that, while I was yet a sinner, You, laid down Your life for me. (Click HERE for Open Heaven 5 March 2019)

2.Thank You, Jesus, for being my all in all; You’re my Friend, my Lord, my Saviour, my Master, my Advocate and my Provider, etc.

3.Thank You, Jesus, for being the only true, reliable, trustworthy, friend that I have, who has never betrayed, disappointed, or deserted me, especially, in times of trouble and affliction.

4.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus’ name.

5.Father, expose and disgrace, every enemy in my life, who appears like a friend, in Jesus’ name.

6.Father, let every evil friend, begin to make mistakes, that would expose them, in Jesus’ name.

7.Father, please, protect and deliver me from false brethren, who proclaim to be Christians, but are not, in Jesus’ name.

8.Father, let every wolf in sheep’s skin in Your church and in the body of Christ, be exposed and disgraced, in Jesus’ name.

9.Father, please, empower me to obey and do Your perfect Will, so that I can be Your friend, indeed, in Jesus’ name.

10.Father help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus’ name.

11.Father, let every plant You have not planted in the life and ministry of Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, be uprooted, in Jesus’ name.

12.Father, bless Your son, that You have been using to prepare these prayer points, beyond measures, and all those who have been rebroadcasting them, in Jesus’ name!

13.Father, let every challenge, hindrance and obstacle of getting these prayer points across to Your children, timely, and on daily basis be removed, in Jesus’ name.

14.Your Personal petitions. (Philippians 4:6)

15.In Jesus name I pray. (John 14:13-14; 15:16)

16.Thank you Father for answered prayers. (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

These prayers have no expiry date! Please, pray them, irrespective of the time they get to you. Remain blessed, in Jesus name.

Kindly, purchase your own hard copy or online version of the Open Heavens devotional & buy for your friends too, as a potent evangelism tool. God bless you, as you sow, into Pastor E.A. Adeboye’s book Ministry, in Jesus name.

Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heaven 5 March 2019 – A Friend Indeed?

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Seeds of Destiny 5 March 2019 Devotional – The Power of Prayer and the Word

Topic: The Power of Prayer and the Word [Seeds of Destiny 5 March 2019 Devotional]

SCRIPTURE: But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. Acts 6:4.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The combination of prayer and the Word releases power to live an outstanding Christian life.

Dedication to God is evidently expressed through the devotional lifestyle of prayer and the study of the Word. The degree of your dedication to God is directly proportional to the health of your prayer and Word life. To the child of God, the ministry of Prayer and the Word of God is likened to the two legs of a person. In the realm of the spirit, one of your legs as a Christian must stand on prayer while the second leg must stand on the Word of God.

Now, what is the power of prayer and the word?

The power of Prayer and the Word of God is likened to the combination of dynamite and detonator; the kind of explosion you see physically when a dynamite and detonator are combined is what a person experiences in the spiritual realm when prayer is offered abundantly and the word of God is studied voraciously.

To throw more light, the practice of prayer and the Word is also likened to the combination of weapon and ammunition. When you combine the ministry of prayer and the Word of God effectively, the effect in the realm of the spirit is as powerful as the combination of weapon and ammunition that releases bullets, explosives and missiles and can dislodge and destroy the power of darkness. So, the practice of prayer and the study of the Word must be combined together in order for you to be an outstanding Christian, a kingdom star as well as a terror to the kingdom of darkness.

Beloved, the combination of prayer and the word releases power to live an outstanding Christian life.

Remember this: The combination of prayer and the word releases power to live an outstanding Christian life.

ASSIGNMENTS:

  1. Make up your mind to pray on a consistent basis.
  2. Decide to study the Word of God voraciously.

PRAYER: O Lord, I receive the grace to pray consistently and study Your Word voraciously in Jesus’ Name.

FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: DEDICATION TO PRAYER AND THE WORD.

DAILY READING: Numbers 4:1 to 5:31, Mark 12:18 to 37, Psalm 48:1 to 14, Proverbs 10:26.

QUOTE: Speak to God daily in prayer and let Him know your feelings and challenges. Culled from 21 FOOLISH THINGS PEOPLE DO by Dr Paul Enenche.

AMAZING FACT: Sight is the strongest of all eagle’s senses.

TODAY IN HISTORY: 05/03/1998 – It was announced that Air Force Lt. Col. Eileen Collins would lead crew of Columbia on a mission to launch a large X-ray telescope. She was the first woman to command a space shuttle mission.

Also Read: Click HERE to read Other Inspirational Messages by Pastor Paul Enenche

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.

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