Christian Mother from Somalia Beaten, Raped in Kenya
NAIROBI, Kenya, February 12, 2019 (Morning Star News) – Somali Muslims who beat and raped a Christian mother of four last month began sending threatening messages more than a year ago at a refugee camp in Kenya, she said.
The 41-year-old Somali woman was a Muslim living in Somalia with her husband when he sent her and their four children to Kenya’s Ifo refugee camp in Dadaab, near the Somali border, in February 2016. She put her faith in Christ a year later, though it remained a secret until Somali Muslims saw her coming from church worship at Dadaab International Worship Centre in February 2018.
“We have known that you are a Christian, and one of us saw you come out of a church on Sunday,” read one threat, sources said. “If you continue attending the church, then we shall come for your head soon.”
She stopped attending the church services and relocated nearby.
“But it looks like we had already being marked,” the woman (name withheld) told Morning Star News. “Soon four of my children converted to Christ, and I cut all links with my husband in Somalia.”
When she stopped attending the church, the pastor visited the family and began praying with them in their house, an area source told Morning Star News.
“I think the enemies of Christ might have being monitoring their movements,” the source said.
On Jan. 2, four Muslims from Somalia forced their way into…
Open Heaven 13 February 2019 Wednesday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – The Place of God & Parents
Topic: The Place of God & Parents (Open Heaven 13 February 2019)
Memorise: “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)”- Ephesians 6:2
Read: Exodus 20:3-12 (KJV)
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Bible in One Year: John 9-10, Isaiah 38:7-22
Open Heaven 13 February 2019 Wednesday MESSAGE:
Our God is sovereign, and He loves justice and orderliness. Although He commanded us to honor and obey our parents and every other authority He sets over us, He did not by any means relinquished His supremacy over them all, neither did He place Himself on the same pedestal with anyone or anything else in heaven, on earth or under the earth. God is incomparable in worship, honor, adoration, glory, power and majesty forever. Speaking in several passages of the Bible, He makes it clear that we are to love Him with our whole being and that any other interest we have should be secondary to Him (Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37). Therefore, loyalty, honor and obedience to parents can only come after total submission and obedience to God. To this effect, the Holy Spirit teaches in Psalm 27:10 that God’s love surpasses parental love. The Lord Jesus Christ also taught that in return for God’s love, our love, devotion and commitment to God must surpass what we offer our parents (Luke 14:36).
Nevertheless, God wants every child to live in obedience to his or her parents. Under no circumstance should parents be abused in anyway. Disobedience to parents is identified as one of the signs of the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-2). Also, Exodus 21:15-17 states clearly that anyone who beats up his or her parents or maltreats them in anyway shall surely be put to death. Note that death in this regard signifies spiritual and physical death, as referred to in Genesis 2:17. This often overlooked matter may be responsible for much of the evil and untimely death befalling young people all over the world, because the word of God is settled in heaven and ignorance is not a tenable excuse in God’s court. Parents should do their best to impress this point upon their children. None of our youngster will experience untimely death, physically or spiritually, in Jesus’ Name.
The Bible also says that honor and obedience to spiritual and biological parents is well pleasing unto the Lord (Colossians 3:20). Children of God are therefore admonished by God to honor and obey their parents, so that they may prosper in everything they do and live long to enjoy their prosperity. Ephesians 6:1-3 says:
“1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
I pray that you will prosper greatly and live long to enjoy your prosperity with peace and joy in the Name of Jesus.
Open Heaven 13 February 2019 Wednesday Action Point:
Think of a unique way to consistently honor your parents and begin to do it.
Open Heaven 13 February 2019 Wednesday Hymn 17: God Give Us Christian Homes
God, give us christian homes!
Homes where the Bible is loved and taught,
Homes where the master’s
Will is sought,
Homes crowned with beauty thy love hath wrought;
God, give us christian homes;
God, give us christian homes!
God, give us christian homes!
Homes where the father is true and strong,
Homes that are free from the blight of wrong,
Homes that are joyous with love and song;
God, give us christian homes;
God, give us christian homes!
God, give us christian homes!
Homes where the mother, in queenly quest
Strive to show others thy way is best
Homes where the lord is an honoured guest;
God, give us christian homes;
God, give us christian homes!
God, give us christian homes!
Homes where the children are led to know
Christ in His beauty who loves them so,
Homes where the altar fires burn and glow;
God, give us christian homes;
God, give us christian homes!
Amen.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.
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Rhapsody of Realities 13 February 2019 By Pastor Chris Oyakhilome – Perfected In Righteousness
Topic: Perfected In Righteousness
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry… (Ephesians 4:11-12).
Our righteousness is of God, therefore it’s perfect. We didn’t have to qualify by ourselves; Jesus Christ qualified us before the Father to become partakers of the divine nature; to become partakers of His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” How inspiring this is!
Some Christians haven’t understood this; so, they see themselves as unrighteous and imperfect. But if you’re born again, you’re a saint, and that’s your nature, because the One who gave birth to you is perfect. Hebrews 10:14 says, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Colossians 2:10 says, “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” The word “complete” means perfected; you’re perfected in Him; Christ is your perfection.
You might want to ask, “Doesn’t our opening scripture suggest that the saints are not perfect, because it talks about “the perfecting of the saints?” No, that verse doesn’t mean making the saints better and more perfect; its translated from the Greek word ‘katartismos’ which means equipping or training the saints for the work of the ministry.
Think about this: When a child is born, that child is born as perfectly human as the parents are. The child then starts growing by feeding on the right nourishment. The child needs to be trained, and equipped with knowledge and the right information, to eventually function as adult humans do. That’s what Apostle Paul meant by “perfecting of the saints.”
As you receive the Word of God into your spirit, you’re being equipped to function and carry out the work of the ministry; you’re being trained in the life of righteousness. The righteousness of God is in your spirit, but through the Word, you become more skilled in the doctrine, understanding, and application of your righteousness in Christ.
CONFESSION I’m the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, and in union with Him, I’m reigning in life. What blessedness, to be the expression of His righteousness and bear fruits of righteousness, to the glory of His Name! Blessed be God!
FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 10:14
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 28 & Leviticus 4-5
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 14:1-10 & Genesis 44
Rhapsody of Realities 13th February 2019 Devotional was written by Pastor Pastor Chris Oyakhilome (D.Sc., D.D.). President of Loveworld Inc. aka Christ Embassy Int’l.
Beth Moore Speaks out in Solidarity with Sex Abuse Victims Following SBC Abuse Report
Beth Moore is speaking out following the publication of an investigative article in the Houston Chronicle that revealed that some 700 people were sexually abused by leaders in the Southern Baptist Church.
As Christian Headlines previously reported, the Houston Chronicle found that since 1998, approximately 380 SBC leaders and volunteers faced allegations of sexual misconduct. Of the 380 SBC leaders accused, 220 have been convicted, nearly 100 are still in prison and more than 100 are now registered sex offenders.
Moore, who has opened up in the past about being a sexual abuse survivor, took to Twitter to voice her frustration with the new findings, CBN News reports.
She wrote, “It’s monstrously common for victims to be abused again by one they thought safe to tell. 2nd wave abuse occurs when those told are either scandalized (backs off, “don’t tell me more”) or tantalized (moves in, “oh tell me more”). Both heap shame upon shame.”
It’s monstrously common for victims to be abused again by one they thought safe to tell. 2nd wave abuse occurs when those told are either scandalized (backs off, “don’t tell me more”) or tantalized (moves in, “oh tell me more”). Both heap shame upon shame.https://t.co/Sc7werXHib
Ecclesisatical Insurance has begun a trial to see how effective the machines are in surveying tall buildings.
Until now, people on ladders have been used but this is not safe above a certain height and scaffolding is expensive.
Cathedrals, for example, have towers, turrets and spires at great height and which need to be inspected.
Paul Franklin from the company told Premier: “What we’re really looking to do is understand how we can use this type of technology which is to support our customers even more. And we’re looking at ways of better understanding the buildings and risks that we insure so that the advice we can give to our customers is even better.”
The trial has been carried out on four buildings, a church, a cathedral. a school and a stately home.
Franklin said the trial has been a success: “I think we’re fairly confident that the data that we have gathered, we can use by applying our own expertise and knowledge to that. And I think it’s something we will be using much more widely – we certainly have the capability now to use this where we think it can add value for both our customers and ourselves.”
Some of the issues identified by the drones have been loose roof slates and damaged pointing.
On the school that was inspected, the drone found a number of footballs, rugby balls and tennis balls, some blocking the gutters of the sports hall.
1,000 Scientists Sign Statement Dissenting from Darwinism
A list of scientists who are skeptical about the claims of Darwinism has grown to more than 1,000 signatures.
The list from the Discovery Institute was first issued in 2001 as a way to show that credible scientists do doubt the popular theory behind the development of life.
The statement reads: “We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged.” It is known as “A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism.”
Among the scientists who signed it were evolutionary biologist and author Stanley Salthe; quantum chemist Henry Schaefer from the University of Georgia; Russian Academy of Natural Sciences embryologist Lev Beloussov; and American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow Lyle Jensen (now deceased).
Roughly 100 scientists were on the original list in 2001, but it has since passed 1,000 signatures. Supporters say the statement has no political motivation.
“It is a professional statement by scientists about their assessment of the scientific evidence relating to Neo-Darwinism and an affirmation of the need for careful examination of the evidence for modern Darwinian theory,” the website that houses the statement reads.
The statement is receiving attention as supporters of Darwinian evolution celebrate…
The Houston Chronicle says more of them lived and worked in Texas than any other state and “left behind more than 700 victims, many of them shunned by their churches, left to themselves to rebuild their lives.”
They say their database includes youth pastors, ministers, Sunday school teachers, deacons and volunteers.
The Southern Baptist Convention network is the biggest Protestant group in America with over 15 million members and an important part of their ecclesiology is their autonomy and opposition to a hierarchical structure.
Their independence has advantages but has also resulted in less accountability, with no such thing as a central database of preachers or convictions.
In 2007, victims of sexual abuse in the church asked to have a register of convicted sex offenders from the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). No list was created and they asked again in 2018. The Houston Chronicle then began to compile a collection of all the abuse allegations from ten years before the victims asked for a list to be made and the ten years after.
They then verified the allegations with court databases, prison records and sex offender registers across 20 states.
The Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express have now verified that 220 people of the 380 have been convicted of sex crimes or received deferred prosecutions in plea deals.
Tim Tebow Surprises Students with Special Needs at Prestonwood Baptist Church
PLANO, Texas— A group of students got the surprise of a lifetime this past Friday morning when Tim Tebow showed up unexpectedly at Prestonwood Baptist Church. That evening the church was hosting one of his foundation’s Night to Shine prom events for special needs students.
The students are enrolled in St. Timothy Christian Academy, a ministry partner of Prestonwood Christian Academy. The school for students with learning differences in grades 1 through 12 is housed at Prestonwood Baptist Church. The 26 students were gathered in an atrium area for a meeting when Tebow stepped out of the elevator.
“I was surprised it was him,” said Noah Sullivan. “It’s my first time meeting him. He’s great.”
Jacob Phegley, another student, said, “I think it’s very cool that he’s here. He’s very nice. I liked when he said we would all be crowned king and queen.” Tebow wasn’t kidding: later that night, Jacob would be crowned “King Jacob Phegley.”
Started by the Tim Tebow Foundation, Night to Shine is a prom night experience for people (ages 14 and older) with special needs. This past Friday, more than 650 churches in America and across the world held their own Night to Shine events, celebrating over 100,000 special needs students in their communities.
This was Prestonwood Baptist Church’s fourth year hosting Night to Shine. More than 600…
According to Open Doors, a charity that serves the persecuted church, the whereabouts of Raymond Koh are still unknown despite a Human Rights Commission.
On 13 February 2017, Koh was abducted with military precision that implied a coordinated attack by trained individuals.
In the attack, which was caught on CCTV, at least 10 men in black SUVs blocked a major road during broad daylight, bundled Raymond out of his car and abducted him in under a minute. He has not been seen since.
The charity is urging the Malaysian Government to step up efforts to locate Pastor Koh and three other individuals who it says went missing around the same time. Christian husband and wife, Joshua Hilmy and Ruth Sitepu, were last seen in November 2016 and Shia Muslim activist, Amri Che Mat, was abducted in a professional operation very similar to that of Raymond Koh also in November 2016.
Zoe Smith, Head of Advocacy at Open Doors, said, “The facts of this case are utterly outrageous. We urge the new Malaysian government to expose the truth behind these abductions and to root out the corruption which allegedly led to their disappearances.”
A whistleblower has claimed that Raymond Koh was targeted for having a minority faith and that the abduction was carried out with the full knowledge and approval of the then Inspector General of Police, Khalid Abu Bakar.
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