Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ top financial adviser and the Vatican’s economy minister, bowed his head but then regained his composure as the twelve-member jury delivered unanimous verdicts in the Victoria state County Court on 11th December 2018 after more than two days of deliberation.
The court had until Tuesday forbidden publication of any details about the trial.
Pell faces a potential maximum 50-year prison term after a sentencing hearing that begins on Wednesday. He lodged an appeal last week against the convictions.
The jury convicted Pell of abusing two 13-year-old boys whom he had caught drinking sacramental wine in a rear room of a Melbourne cathedral in late 1996, as hundreds of worshippers were streaming out of Sunday services.
Pell, now 77 but 55 at the time, had just been named the most senior Catholic in Australia’s second-largest city, Melbourne.
Cardinal George Pell at court on Tuesday in Melbourne.
The jury also found Pell guilty of indecently assaulting one of the boys in a corridor more than a month later.
Pell had maintained his innocence throughout, describing the accusations as “vile and disgusting conduct” that went…
Topic: He Tasted Humanity [Open Heavens for Teens 26 February 2019]
Memorise: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” – Hebrews 4:15
Read: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (AMP)
12 Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands [who feels sure that he has a steadfast mind and is standing firm], take heed lest he fall [into sin].
13 For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.
Bible In One Year: Numbers 16-17, Mark 6:33-56
MESSAGE:
Many times, people think that God is very far from them and does not understand how they feel. They think there are certain things they cannot discuss with Him because He is not human, but they seem to forget that He was once human. Jesus Christ has gone through all that we are going through today. He has felt hunger, loneliness, pain, unappreciated, anger and everything else a human being feels. Whenever you have any of these feelings, it is time to go closer to the One who felt it and overcame. He will also help you overcome.
“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” – Matthew 4:1
Many people think this was the only time Jesus was tempted, but He was actually tempted throughout His days on earth, because the Luke 4:13 says the devil only departed for a while. Jesus was tempted and He overcame. Whatever temptations you are facing, if you can spend time talking to Him about it, He will help you overcome too.
Key Point:
Never hide anything from Jesus, He is your best friend.
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!
May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire!
While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.
When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll;
Blest Savior, then, in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.
Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.
Prayer Points on Today’s Open Heaven 26 February 2019 – Born Again For A Purpose
1.Thank You, Father, for the salvation of my life, and the grace to be counted among the living, today. (Click HERE for Open Heaven 26 February 2019)
2.Father, in anyway I have fallen short of your glory, please, have mercy and forgive me, in Jesus name.
3.Father, let Your Holy Spirit come upon me, in His fullness, and let all the activities of the flesh be completely subdued, in Jesus name.
4.Father, let every satanic limitation and embargo, in any area of my life, hindering me from breaking forth, and fulfill my destiny, be divinely removed, in Jesus name.
5.Father, please, empower and use me to accomplish great and mighty things, in this generation, in Jesus name.
6.Father, let Your power be made perfect in my weakness, and use me to confound the wise, the formidable enemies, and dispossess the giants, in Jesus name.
7.Father, let all the resources and abilities, that I need to accomplish my purpose and destiny, be abundantly supplied from above, in Jesus name.
8.Father, please, help me to live through today, without committing a single sin, in Jesus name.
9.Father, arrest all the persecutors and tormentors of Your church, and turn them into propagators of the same gospel they had ridiculed and opposed, in Jesus name.
10.Father, renew Your grace and anointing upon Your son, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, in Jesus name.
11.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!
12.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.
13.Your Personal petitions. (Philippians 4:6)
14.In Jesus name I pray. (John 14:13-14; 15:16)
15.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 26 February 2019 – Born Again For A Purpose
Topic: A Key To Breakthrough In Life [Seeds of Destiny 26 February 2019 Devotional]
If you must see a turnaround in your life, there must be a turn-aside.
SCRIPTURE: And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. Exodus 3:3-4
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: If you must see a turnaround in your life, there must be a turn-aside.
From our anchor scripture, it is clear that turning aside in the direction of God is critical to experiencing supernatural turnaround in life. It is a key to life’s breakthrough. When God called Moses, Moses saw the bush burning that was not consumed and decided to turn aside to God. That marked the beginning of his turning point and breakthrough in life and destiny.
Beloved, if you must see a turnaround in your life, there must be a turn-aside.
Now, what does it mean to turn aside?
It is interrupting your usual business and paying an unusual attention to God’s direction. It means to turn your back on all else but God so as to permit Him to give you a new direction. Note that, you cannot do things as usual and see the Hand of God in your life. A person must come to the point where he or she is tired of the status quo.
It is important to note that what made Moses to tend the flock to the back side of the desert was probably because he was fed up with the normal side of the desert.
Beloved, those who do usual things see usual results. To experience the unusual move of God, you must do unusual things.
Remember this: If you must see a turnaround in your life, there must be a turn-aside.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Determine to be dissatisfied with your current status in life.
Like Moses, value your time alone with God and be ready to interrupt your schedule for the sake of your relationship with God when necessary.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A PRIEST.
PRAYER: O Lord, give me the grace to turn to You in order to experience a turnaround in my life. Help me not to be satisfied with the status quo, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.
DAILY READING: Leviticus 19:1 to 20:21, Mark 8:11 to 38, Psalm 42:1 to 11, Proverbs 10:17.
AMAZING FACT: The only 2 animals that can see behind themselves without turning their heads are the rabbit and the parrot.
TODAY IN HISTORY: 26/02/1815: Napoleon started his 100-day re-conquest of France.
DAILY READING: Leviticus 19:1 to 20:21, Mark 8:11 to 38, Psalm 42:1 to 11, Proverbs 10:17.
QUOTE: Let everything about you be planned and organized around your relationship with God. Disconnect from anything that will disrupt your relationship with God, because God is first in your life. Culled from 21 UNCOMMON KEYS TO FINANCIAL OVERFLOW by Dr. 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.
MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 26 February 2019 By Dr. D.K Olukoya – God: Our Role Model for Giving and Receiving
TOPIC: God: Our Role Model for Giving and Receiving (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 26 February 2019)
Bible In One Year: Numbers 12-14; Mark 5:21-43
FIRE SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 11:24-27
MEMORY VERSE: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
The MESSAGE:
John 3:16, our Memory Verse for today, is the most famous verse in the Bible. In that verse, God teaches us that it is scriptural to expect to receive back when give. Let us look closely at this verse to establish this truth.
First, the verse says that God so loved. Our motivation in giving must be right. God’s motivation for giving to us was love. It was right. Our motivation for giving must be love too. If the motivation for giving is wrong, the giver may not receive a good reward. The second important point in the verse is that God gave. God’s love was turned into an act of giving. The Bible encourages us to give. Giving is an act of obedience, faith and worship. It attracts great divine rewards (Luke 6:38). Givers never lack.
Another important point in the verse that we need to learn from is what God gave. He gave His only begotten Son. He gave His very best, His most priced possession. So, we also must give our best. Make sure your tithe, offering, first fruit and everything you give God is the best. What you sow in giving, you will reap. Remember the story of Cain and Abel. In addition, God gave for a specific reason –to get man back from satan. God’s deepest desire is to have man restored to Himself. And to get that done, He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus to die for our sins. What is your need? Your gift, as an act of your deepest love and strongest faith, is the key to your having that need met. It is wise to correctly identify the specific reason for your giving and trust God to meet that need. The principle worked for God, it will work for you too. Also, God gave specifically. Our salvation cost Jesus His life (John 12:24). It also costs us full repentance and the giving of our lives to God. Finally, God’s plan works. Souls are saved because God gave His best, gave first, and gave expecting to receive! God Himself is our role model for giving and receiving.
Beloved, I encourage you to cultivate the lifestyle of giving today. Note how God gave and follow in His footstep. He is our role model extraordinaire. He gave first, gave His best, gave sacrificially and gave expecting. He got awesome and amazing results. As you follow His steps, your results too will be great.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: NO ONE HAS EVER BECOME POOR BY GIVING.
PROPHETIC WORD: The Lord shall make you the head and not the tail.
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
Father, I thank You for giving me Your most precious gift, Jesus, in the name of Jesus.
Lord I thank You for the completed work of redemption of my soul, in the name of Jesus.
O God, I thank You for You alone can give me the power to get wealth, in the name of Jesus. EVENING
Father, bless me so that I can be a blessing to others, in the name of Jesus.
Power to make wealth, come upon my life, in the name of Jesus.
Enemies of my greatness, your time is up, die, in the name of Jesus.
I shall be a lender and not a borrower, in the name of Jesus.
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.
Topic: Better Things For Us [DCLM Daily Manna 26 February 2019 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: Hebrews 11:32-40 (KJV)
Key Verse: ” “And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:39, 40).
MESSAGE:
Faith is important in the Christian walk as it opens the treasure house of God’s abundant provisions. Without faith, the believer cannot receive the required grace to please God and walk in righteousness and holiness.
Today’s passage catalogues the exploits of heroes of faith, who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, out of weakness were made strong and suffered many things to obtain a good report. Yet, they received not the promise and could not be made perfect without the New Testament believers.
In the plan of God, He had in mind the full realisation of His promised blessings for the life that would be experienced by all new covenant believers. Believers under the old covenant could not receive the fullness of blessings brought by the death of Christ because these were to be achieved only as part of the new covenant.
The better things God has in the better covenant for the New Testament believers include salvation through the blood of Jesus, sanctification, Holy Ghost baptism, unlimited access to heaven through prayers, healing, deliverance, perfection (holiness), Christ’s intercession/mediation, etc.
These privileges should encourage everyone to come into this covenant relationship with God to enjoy the benefits of the covenant. How do we become partakers? We become partakers when we truly repent of every sin and demonstrate our faith in Christ’s substitutionary atonement. This is the platform upon which the better things, established upon better promises are predicated. These privileges come to those who have invited Jesus into their heart.
Thought For The Day: Christ is the Chief Priest of the Better Covenant.
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
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.
Topic: Working off Bad Information [Our Daily Bread 26 February 2019 Devotional]
Bible in a Year: Numbers 15–16; Mark 6:1–29
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. – Proverbs 23:12
Today’s Scripture & Insight: Proverbs 23:9-12
On a recent trip to New York City, my wife and I wanted to brave a snowy evening and hire a taxi for a three-mile ride from our hotel to a Cuban restaurant. After entering the details into the taxi service’s app, I gulped hard when the screen revealed the price for our short jaunt: $1,547.26. After recovering from the shock, I realized I had mistakenly requested a ride to our home—several hundred miles away!
If you’re working with the wrong information, you’re going to end up with disastrous results. Always. This is why Proverbs encourages us to “apply [our] heart to instruction and [our] ears to words of knowledge”—God’s wisdom (Proverbs 23:12). If we instead seek advice from those who are foolish, those who pretend to know more than they do and who have turned their back on God, we’ll be in trouble. They “scorn . . . prudent words” and can lead us astray with unhelpful, misguided, or even deceptive advice (v. 9).
Instead, we can bend our “ears to words of knowledge” (v. 12). We can open our heart and receive God’s liberating instruction, words of clarity and hope. When we listen to those who know the deep ways of God, they help us receive and follow divine wisdom. And God’s wisdom will never lead us astray but always encourages and leads us toward life and wholeness.
Today’s Reflection God, bend my ears and heart toward wisdom. Help me be open to Your truth and push away every kind of foolishness.
Topic: His Extravagant Love [Kenneth Copeland Devotional 26 February 2019]
And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God. – Deuteronomy 28:2
Some people have very low expectations of what God will provide for them materially. They trust Him to feed and clothe them, but they don’t trust Him to feed and clothe them very well!
Somehow they’ve gotten the idea that God’s an old miser who will do little more than put rags on their backs and beans on their tables. But that’s not what Jesus told us. He said in Matthew 6 that God would clothe us better than He clothed Solomon. That one statement alone proves that God wants to do more than just meet our basic needs. He wants to bless us abundantly. I know that from personal experience.
A few years ago I came home and found two expensive automobiles parked in my driveway. They’d been given to me to use by men who’d been blessed by the Lord through my ministry.
I was baffled. “Lord,” I said, “I didn’t need these cars. I hadn’t asked You for them, and I wasn’t believing for them. What are they doing here?”
Then the Lord spoke up on the inside of me. Have you ever read the scripture in Deuteronomy that says blessings shall come on and overtake those who hearken to My voice?
“Yes,” I answered.
Well, son, He said, you’ve just been overtaken.
Am I saying God gave me those expensive cars just so I could enjoy them? Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying.
First Timothy 6:17 says, “[He] giveth us richly all things to enjoy.” God is a loving Father. He gets great pleasure from blessing His children. He’s extravagant where we’re concerned. But don’t let that worry you. He can afford it.
Once you truly believe that and begin to hearken to His voice, it won’t be long before His blessings will be overtaking you.
This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.
Topic: Spiritual Fitness [Andrew Wommack Devotional 26 February 2019]
Matthew 5:29, “And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast [it] from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not [that] thy whole body should be cast into hell.”
Text: Matthew 5:23-30
Is Jesus advocating dismembering of our bodies? Quite the contrary. He is drawing on the universal drive within every person of self preservation to make a point. If you value your body highly enough that you would never sacrifice one of its parts, then you should esteem your spiritual well being much higher.
Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, man’s priorities have been misplaced. Great effort is put into preserving our physical life while our spiritual condition is often overlooked. It constantly gets put on the “back burner” while we tend to more urgent matters of this life.
Yet our physical bodies are just temporary. If we live 70 years or more, that is just a fraction of a second in the light of eternity. Our spiritual man lives forever. The state in which it exists is determined by choices made in this life.
Therefore, choose to make your spiritual condition your top priority. Spend more time on your spiritual well being than you do your physical well being. You and everyone around you will be eternally grateful that you did.
This message was written by The Association of Related Ministries International (ARMI) is an extension of Andrew Wommack Ministries (AWM). ARMI is a unique partnership committed to providing resources to help like-minded ministers succeed in a spirit of excellence and to draw from the experience and expertise of both the AWM and Charis Bible College staff. (www.awmi.net).
The Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) proposals have been widely praised for being properly updated for the first time in two decades and preparing young people for the 21st century.
However, some have fears that the new curriculum promotes an agenda.
The new lessons will teach kids about basic relationships (not sex) from the age of four and, among the older years, the Department of Education will introduce teaching on mental health, sexting and female genital mutilation.
RSE is being completely updated for the first time since 2000 and will try to show the link between physical and mental health and cover topics not previously included, such as the influence of social media.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “the internet and social media add new pressures that just weren’t there even one generation ago. So many things about the way people interact have changed, and this new world, seamless between online and offline, can be difficult to navigate. Almost twenty years on from the last time guidance on sex education was updated, there is a lot to catch up on.”
Explained by Mr Hinds in the House of Commons on Monday, the government have retained the ability of parents to request that their child is withdrawn rfrom these classes.
Any school must respect this ‘except in exceptional circumstances’ up to three terms before the child reaches 16, at which age the…
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.
