Eighty-three per-cent of the congregation at Westhill Community Church supported walking away from the SEC – the Scottish arm of the global Anglican Communion. Thirteen per-cent opposed the move.
Canon Ian Ferguson said the decision came after “many years” of discussions involving SEC bishops.
He told the Anglican Communion News Service: “Our church was not able to feel they could go on the trajectory that the SEC are going and they wanted to maintain their sense of biblical authority and their fellowship with the wider Anglican Communion which is being torn apart by decisions of some provinces.
“For all of us involved, this has been a very painful time and a very difficult decision to make but we have been put in that position by the decisions of the SEC.”
In 2017, Canon Ferguson resigned from the Cathedral Chapter of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney in protest at the appointment of Anne Dyer – a supporter of same-sex marriage – as diocesan bishop.
Bishop Anne said: “The congregation of Westhill Community Church is a much loved and valued part of our diocese, and I am deeply saddened that they have indicated that they want to pursue potential separation from the Scottish…
Perhaps many of you can say both of those statements with certitude. I know exactly how you feel. As one who has received criticisms over the years, I want to share with you personally five perspectives that have helped me deal with them. To be transparent, I don’t always focus on these perspectives. But, when I do, I find God working in me in a redemptive way.
I deserve criticisms. My first reaction to criticism is usually defensiveness. I want to show why I am right and the critic is wrong. But the truth of the matter is I am wrong quite often. I am truly a sinner who has fallen short of God’s glory. Who I am to say, “I don’t serve those criticisms”?
No one made me accept this position of leadership. If you lead, you will be criticized. If you don’t want to be criticized, don’t lead. It’s easy to get excited about the fun aspects of leadership. But it comes with struggles, pain, and criticisms. Leadership is not always fun and easy.
I need to pray for my critics. I don’t know what’s taking place in the lives of most of my critics. I don’t know their own hurts and struggles. I need to look out for the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). “Others” in that verse includes those who criticize me.
Most criticisms last for a brief season. I should do a better job keeping the long-term perspective. I can remember too many times when I reacted viscerally to criticisms, only to forget about them in a week. Even though some of the…
The head of the Church of England has admitted: “It’s not something to make a great song and dance about, given it’s usually extremely early in the morning it’s not usually an immensely ecstatic moment.”
The practice of ‘speaking in tongues’ is a phenomenon in which Christians speak in languages unknown to the speaker, or in a ‘divine language’ when praying to God or as an act of worship. ‘Words of knowledge’ and ‘prophecy’ are messages people believe to be revelations given to them by God about people or future events. Both are common practises in pentecostal and charismatic churches such as Holy Trinity Brompton, London where Justin Welby was a member before becoming a priest in the Church of England.
Welby said: “In my own prayer life, and as part of my daily discipline I pray in tongues every day – not as an occasional thing, but as part of daily prayer.”
He went on to say how he has also been encouraged by those words of knowledge and prophecy.
“I expect to hear from God through other people with words of knowledge or prophecies – some of which I am unsure about, others I can sense there being something of the Spirit of God.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury was speaking at the launch of Thy Kingdom Come, now in its 4th year, which has united over a million Christians from more than 65 different denominations and traditions, in more…
Maximizing the wonders of Godliness! By David Oyedepo
Topic: Maximizing the wonders of Godliness!
Welcome to another impactful week! I hope you were blessed by the last teaching. Today, we shall focus on: Maximising the Wonders of Godliness!
We understand from scriptures that godliness is not a state of perfection but a tireless ‘press’ towards it. It is written: For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come (1Timothy 4:8). This means that maintaining a life of godliness is a lifelong battle for every believer and we cannot overcome without the fight of faith. Therefore, we must keep pressing because when the press stops, our victory is truncated (Matthew 5:6).It is also important to understand that godliness is a highly profitable two-way virtue that guarantees eternity and ensures all-round profiting on the earth. That is why we must put up a fight against every form of ungodliness or we live under the oppression of sin perpetually.
What, then, are the Wonders of Godliness?
Godliness Guarantees Divine Protection: It takes godliness to dwell in God’s presence where the seal of protection is and where we cannot be assaulted (Psalm 91:1-4, 15:1-3). Joseph was a man that feared God and it was impossible for him to be killed. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, they became indestructible because they were men that feared God.
Furthermore, Daniel feared God, so when he was thrown into the den of lions, he could not be harmed. This means that with the fear of God, the righteous are not permitted to be hurt (Genesis 37:19-27; Daniel 3:16-20, 6:16-23; Psalm 125:1-3; 1 Peter 3:13).
Godliness Guarantees Access to the Peace of God: It is written: And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever. And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Isaiah 32:17-18). Peace that passes all understanding flows freely into the lives of the righteous because Jesus is the Prince of peace. The Bible says: When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only (Job 34:29). Let’s understand that when God gives us peace, it cannot be disrupted. However, righteousness is our access to that realm of peace (John 14:27; Isaiah 59:8).
Godliness Engenders Fullness of Joy: God’s presence guarantees fullness of joy and righteousness is our only access to His presence (Psalm 16:11; Romans 14:17-22). It is also important to recognise that nothing punctures the joy of the Lord like sin. However, when we walk in righteousness, we operate in joy unspeakable, full of glory. David said: Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit (Psalm 51:8-9, 12). Therefore, it takes godliness to maintain and retain the joy of the Lord in our lives.
Godliness Guarantees Supernatural Wisdom: There are four kinds of wisdom identified in scriptures earthly, sensual, devilish and divine wisdom. However, divine wisdom, which is from God, is superior to others. It is the creative realm of wisdom and it generates solutions at will. That means God’s creative treasures are embedded in His wisdom (James 3:15-17).It is important to understand that it is by the fear of the Lord that we access God’s wisdom, which turns us to a wonder among men (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10; Job 28:7-28). Let’s recognise that men who operated in supernatural wisdom in scriptures were men that feared God. (Genesis 39:9, 41:15-16, 39; Daniel 1:8; 17-20, 5:11). Jesus, the wisdom and the power of God knew no sin and as a result, He possessed supernatural wisdom and commanded mighty works (Matthew 13:54; John 8:46; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
It Guarantees Answers to Prayers: Iniquity disconnects our communication line with God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Psalm 66:18-19). However, scriptures establish that God hears the righteous. It is written: For the eyes of the Lord [are] over the righteous, and his ears [are open] unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord [is] against them that do evil.
Access to our Redemptive Inheritance: In Genesis 30:33, Jacob entered into the fullness of his inheritance in God through righteousness. It is written: So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me. Through godliness, we are guaranteed access to every blessing of redemption. That is why sanctification is a fundamental requirement to fully partake of our inheritance in Christ or they become inaccessible and unrealisable (Acts 20:32, 26:18; Colossians 1:12).
It Engenders Healing and Deliverance: Sickness is regarded as a consequence of sin in scriptures. When Jesus healed the paralytic man, He said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Also, after He healed the man that was by the pool of Bethesda, He said to him: “Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (Mark 2:1-12; John 5:1-8; 14). Thus, when our sins are forgiven, the consequences must go (John 20:23). However, not everyone that is sick has committed sin (John 9:2-3).
In conclusion, everyone who genuinely walked in the fear of God in scriptures became a wonder among men. This is why we must guard against any pleasure that seeks to rob us of our glorious future (Proverbs 21:17). However, everyone desires to know the value of a product before it is paid for. That is why the value of a product determines the price anyone will be willing to pay. Remember, godliness may be costly but the end result is priceless. Thus, you must be born again to enjoy the wonders of godliness.
Are you born again? If you are not, this is an opportunity to do so. Simply say the following prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Today, I accept You as my Lord and personal Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Walking in the Newness of Life, Conquering Controlling Powers, The Blood Triumph and Dynamics of Holiness.
I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m., and 11:30 a.m. respectively. I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: [email protected]; Face book: www.facebook.com/davidoyedepoministries/; Twitter: @DavidOyedepoMin
David O. Oyedepo is a Nigerian Christian author, architect, preacher, and the founder and presiding bishop of the mega church, Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel
Topic: Heaven’s Economy [Kenneth Copeland Devotional 21 January 2019]
Giving thanks unto the Father…who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. – Colossians 1:12-13
If, in spite of all the Bible’s promises about prosperity…in spite of all the prayers you’ve prayed…you are still struggling financially, consider this question: Where do you think God is going to get the resources to meet your needs?
Many believers limit God without even realizing it by training their eyes on the limited resources of this world rather than the unlimited riches of God’s kingdom. Their faith fails when they think of the troubled economy on the earth, of the shortages and scarcity that surround them. They wonder, How is God going to bless me in the middle of all this?
If that’s what you’ve been thinking, here’s some news that will turn those thoughts around!
The Bible says God has “delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” To be translated means “to be taken out of one place and put into another.” In other words, your citizenship is not primarily of this earth. You are not primarily American or Canadian or Australian—you are first and foremost a citizen of the kingdom of God.
That means this planet doesn’t have any right to dictate to you whether your needs are met or not. The Bible says God will meet your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19)! You can live by heaven’s economy, not earth’s economy—and in heaven there is always more than enough.
Wake up to the abundance of heaven that’s been made yours through Jesus. Wake up to the fact that you’ve been translated out of a world of poverty into a kingdom of abundance. Rejoice. Heaven’s unlimited resources have been made available to 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: Jesus Prepared Himself [Andrew Wommack Devotional 21 January 2019]
Luke 2:46, “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.”
Text: Luke 2:41-51
This is the only scriptural record of Jesus’ childhood. Yet there is much that we can learn from this brief account.
At twelve years of age, Jesus’ wisdom astounded the men who had spent a lifetime studying the scriptures (v. 47). Remember that Jesus did not have full time access to a copy of the scriptures like we do today. He had to depend on His visits to the synagogue and the direct revelation knowledge from His heavenly Father.
He was also asking these scholars questions (v. 46). This is amazing when you realize that in Him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! (Col. 2:3) Although He was God, He inhabited a physical human body that needed to be educated.
He also had a clear understanding at this young age of who His real Father was and exactly why He had come to the world (v. 49). We can only speculate how this must have influenced His childhood.
So we see that Jesus knew His call and purpose even in His early childhood. However, there is no record of miracles or ministry on His part until after His baptism by John at the age of thirty. Preparing a body for God Almighty to manifest Himself through was no small task. Praise God for His great love that caused Him to sacrifice everything for us.
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).
Death is the most democratic experience in life for we all participate in it. We think of its happening only to other people. We don’t like to grow old and we don’t like to die. The Bible teaches that death is an enemy of man and God. But it also teaches that this enemy, death, will ultimately be destroyed forever; that in fact it has already been defeated at the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Death, for a Christian, brings permanent freedom from evil. It also means the believer will be like Jesus. We shall be like Christ in love. So much of self is involved in what we do here; but one day, in Christ, we will have perfect love. What a glorious time it will be when we get to heaven!
Prayer for the day: Jesus, Your victory over death comforts my heart and fills me with hope.
Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.
Topic: Refuse To Be Static [TREM Devotional 21 January 2019]
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon”. – Psalm 92:12 KJV
In whatever area you find yourself, it is not the will of God for you to be static. His desire is for you to continue to grow and make progress. One of the greatest enemies of progress is satisfaction. You get satisfied when you have what you wanted to achieve. But what happens next is that there are no more dreams or fresh ideas, and then you start dying. Watch all those who have been told to retire, when they retired they stopped doing anything and before you know it, they started ageing fast. Yes, an organization can have retirement age; it doesn’t mean you should retire from productivity. You can still do much more with your life.
You must continue to deliberately and consciously find out new ways. Polish and improve on your gift. Work on what God has given to you. Find out the best way you can do it better than you have been doing it. I am not just talking about a church situation. I am talking about your business, career and your family. Find out the new things you can do that can stir up the motivation. God is a progressive God and He tells us how best we can fit into the present-day situation. Don’t ever be satisfied. Don’t ever say, I have got it all together or that is how it must be done and nothing else changes. The only thing that is constant is change. If you don’t believe me, go and get your old picture and then look at yourself and see if nothing has changed.
So, I charge you today to go look at how you can improve on your productivity. Find out how you can improve on whatever you are doing. Improve on your job, your business, your academics and the way your family is run. I declare the blessing of God over all that you are involved in.
Further Reading: Proverbs 4:18, Job 8:7, Eccl 7:8
Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Exodus 1-3 / Evening- Matthew 14:1-21
Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.
MFM Mountain Top Life Daily Devotional 21 January 2019 By Dr. D.K Olukoya – The Bread of Life
TOPIC: The Bread of Life (Mountain Of Fire and Miracle Ministries, MFM Daily Devotional 21 January 2019)
FIRE SCRIPTURE: John 6:30-35
Bible In One Year: Exodus 4-6; Matthew 14:1-21
MEMORY VERSE: “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. – John 6:27
The MESSAGE:
Jesus is the Bread of Life which never goes stale. Job said, “I have loved thy word more than my necessary food (Job 23:12b). John 6:35 says, “I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” Bread is considered a staple food -i.e., a basic dietary item. Bread is such a basic food item that it becomes synonymous for food in general. To further show the importance of bread to man’s survival, Jesus prayed to the Father to give us (believers) our daily bread. In that context “bread” stands for our daily needs or provisions. Similarly, we even use the phrase “breaking bread together” to indicate the sharing of a meal with someone. Bread also plays an integral part of the Jewish Passover meal. The Jews were to eat unleavened bread during the Passover feast and then for seven days following as a celebration of the exodus from Egypt. Finally, when the Jews were wandering in the desert for 40 years, God rained down “bread from heaven” to sustain the nation (Exodus 16:4).
When Jesus used the term “bread of life” in John 6, He was passing an important message across to the crowds of people around Him, those who followed him after he had miraculously fed over five thousand people with five small loaves of bread and two pieces of fish and still had leftovers. Jesus knew why the crowd kept following Him after the miracle. He also knew that their motive was wrong and decided to correct that by teaching them a lesson. The crowd’s focus was on physical bread which is perishable, temporal and ephemeral. Jesus wanted them to focus on Him, the Bread of Life that never perishes nor get stale. In the same vein, Jesus told the Samaritan woman that He would give her the water that she would drink and never thirst again. That is why the Bible admonishes that we set our eyes on things above.
Jesus accused the crowd of ignoring His miraculous signs and only following Him for the “free meal”. Jesus tells them in John 6:27 “Do not labour for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal”. In other words, they were so enthralled with the food, they were missing out on the fact that their Messiah had come. So the Jews ask Jesus for a sign that He was sent from God (as if the miraculous feeding and the walking across the water weren’t enough). They tell Jesus that God gave them manna during the desert wandering. Jesus responds by telling them that they need to ask for the true bread from heaven that gives life. When they ask Jesus for this bread, Jesus startles them by saying, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
This is a phenomenal statement! First, by equalling Himself with bread, Jesus is saying He is essential for life. Second, the life Jesus is referring to is not physical life. Jesus is trying to get the Jews’ thinking off the physical realm and into the spiritual realm. He is contrasting what He brings as their Messiah with the bread He miraculously created the day before. That was physical bread that perishes. He is spiritual bread that brings eternal life.
Third, and very important, Jesus is making another claim to deity. This statement is the first of the “I AM” statements in John’s Gospel. The phrase “I AM” is the covenant name of God (Yahweh or YHWH), revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). The phrase speaks of self-sufficient existence, which is an attribute only God possesses.
MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE: YOU CANNOT SURVIVE SPIRITUALLY WITHOUT DAILY FELLOWSHIP WITH THE BREAD OF LIFE.
PROPHETIC WORD: Power to live an overcomer’s life is coming upon you now!
PRAYER POINTS:
MORNING
O Lord, help me to love Your word more than my necessary food, in the name of Jesus.
O God arise, rain down Your bread from heaven to sustain our nation, in the name of Jesus.
My Father, help me to set my eyes on things above, in the name of Jesus. EVENING
O God, arise, quench the thirst of my soul, in the name of Jesus.
I shall not walk in the counsel of the devil, in the name of Jesus.
Thou bread of heaven that gives life, fill me afresh, in the name of Jesus.
Powers assigned to monitor my life for destruction, you are a failure, die, 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: Always a Child of God [Our Daily Bread 21 January 2019 Devotional]
Bible in a Year: Exodus 4–6; Matthew 14:22–36
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. – Romans 8:14
Today’s Scripture & Insight: Romans 8:9-17
During a church service I attended with my parents, according to the usual practice we held hands while saying the Lord’s Prayer together. As I stood with one hand clasped to my mother’s and the other to my father’s, I was struck by the thought that I will always be their daughter. Although I’m firmly in my middle age, I can still be called “the child of Leo and Phyllis.” I reflected that not only am I their daughter, but I will also always be a child of God.
The apostle Paul wanted the people in the church at Rome to understand that their identity was based on being adopted members of God’s family (Romans 8:15). Because they had been born of the Spirit (v. 14), no longer did they need to be enslaved to things that didn’t really matter. Rather, through the gift of the Spirit, they were “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” (v. 17).
To those who follow Christ, what difference does this make? Quite simply, everything! Our identity as children of God provides our foundation and shapes how we see ourselves and the world. For instance, knowing that we are part of God’s family helps us to step out of our comfort zone as we follow Him. We can also be free from seeking the approval of others.
Today, why not ponder what it means to be God’s child?
Today’s Reflection Lord God, help me to live out of my central identity as Your child. Release me to live by Your Spirit, that I might share Your love and hope.
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