Calls for southern churches to pay for northern churches downplayed

Rev Canon Jonathan Ford, from the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich told Premier he disagreed with the Right Rev Philip North tweet that implied the Diocese of Leeds’ financial crisis was due to the north-south financial divide between churches.

“I’m very sad and disappointed by the Bishop of Burnley’s statement because I’m afraid it exposes a fair degree of ignorance,” Rev Ford said.

 

“He should know that there are many dioceses in what he calls the south, who are really struggling. I know of one diocese that has never had any historic resources at all unlike some of the northern dioceses.”

Responding to the news that the Diocese of Leeds is struggling to tackle a £3m deficit, the Right Rev Philip North tweeted: “A northern Diocese ‘in crisis’ because of a debt of less than 1 per cent of the funds held by some southern Dioceses.

“This ‘crisis’ is no more than a symptom of a much deeper financial and spiritual institutional sickness. The solution is in Acts 2.”

Act 2:44-5 in the King James Bible states: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common. And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”

Philip Talmage

 

However, Rev Ford criticised some of the financial decisions made by the diocese – which was formed four years ago as a merger between the diocese of Bradford,…

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Bible returns home 500 years after it disappeared from Cathedral

The pocket-sized Bible went missing when the cathedral’s monastic community disbanded during the Reformation in the 16th century.

Now known as the Lyghfield Bible, after the 16th century Cathedral monk who once owned it, the 690-leaf volume was purchased at an auction in London in July.

 

The £100,000 purchase was made possible with a grant of almost £96,000 from the National Heritage Memorial Fund (NHMF). There was also further funding from the Friends of the National Libraries, the Friends of Canterbury Cathedral and a private donation.

Sir Peter Luff, Chair of NHMF, said: “Not only an incredibly rare book directly linked to one the most turbulent periods of British history, the Lyghfield Bible is also exquisitely beautiful.

“We at the National Heritage Memorial Fund agreed it was imperative it should be saved for the nation and returned home to Canterbury where its important story can be told to future generations of visitors, pilgrims and students.”

Exactly what happened to the Lyghfield Bible is not known, but now it is back to join the very small percentage of the book collection that survived. There are only 30 volumes from the thousands that the cathedral once had.

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Joyce Meyer’s Daily 1 August 2018 Devotional — Be Willing and Yielded

Topic: Be Willing and Yielded [Joyce Meyer’s Devotional Wednesday August 1, 2018]

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? — Romans 8:31

You do not have to depend on your own human efforts to overcome adversity and opposition or to earn favor and win promotion. When God is ready to move in your life, He will give you favor and promotion—and no devil in hell or person on earth will be able to prevent it from happening.

It doesn’t matter what people think of you. Your weaknesses and inabilities don’t make any difference to God. His criteria for using people is not their talents, gifts, and abilities. He is looking for people who are willing and yielded. God looks for availability, not ability.

Let God build you, your reputation, and your career. When the time is right, He will deliver you out of adversity, and then you’ll see the fulfillment of your dreams.

Prayer Starter: Father, I thank You that my times are in Your hands (see Psalm 31:15). Help me to keep my trust in You, knowing that all blessings and promotion come from You alone. 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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Ann Widdecombe criticises bishop over Lord Carey comments

The Church of England’s lead bishop on safeguarding questioned the decision by the Diocese of Oxford after he was accused of covering up abuse.

 

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 over the weekend, Rt Rev Peter Hancock (below, left) said: “I regret it not because I want to intervene in matters that relate to another diocese, but just because what I hear from those I speak to, which are the victims, the survivors, those who are particularly troubled by the church’s actions, that see this, perceive this and believe this to be something which has caused them more distress and it’s for that reason particularly.”

But Widdecombe who now works in the media suggested forgiveness should be offered to those who get things wrong.

PA Wire

Dr George Carey (left), the former Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishop Peter Hancock, the Church of England’s lead safeguarding bishop.

 

Writing her column in the Daily Express, she said: “The suggestion that George Carey, should not be allowed to carry on preaching because he failed to act properly over allegations of abuse against Bishop Peter Ball would be vindictive enough if it came from a secular figure but from Bishop Peter Hancock, leader of the Church of England’s anti-abuse team, it should be offensive to all Christians.

“Carey was guilty of negligence, not collusion, but if Bishop…

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Cardinal claims he didn’t once suspect former boss was abuser

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, head of the Vatican’s family and laity office, told the Associated Press he is livid he was kept in the dark because he would have done something about it.

 

He spoke as the US church hierarchy came under fire from ordinary American Catholics, outraged that McCarrick’s misconduct with men was apparently an open secret in some US church circles.

Pope Francis accepted McCarrick’s resignation as cardinal on Saturday and ordered him to live a lifetime of penance and prayer pending the outcome of a canonical trial.

In an open letter on Tuesday, a contributor to the conservative Catholic magazine First Things urged Catholics to withhold diocesan donations to the US church until an independent investigation determines which US bishops knew about McCarrick’s misdeeds – a “nuclear option” aimed at making the laity’s sense of betrayal heard and felt.

Some outrage has been directed at Cardinal Farrell, 71, who was consecrated as a bishop by McCarrick in 2001 and served as his vicar general in the archdiocese of Washington until McCarrick’s 2006 retirement.

Some Catholic commentators have speculated the Cardinal must have at least heard rumours that Catholic laity, students and professors at Catholic University in Washington and even some journalists had heard.

Cardinal Farrell lived with McCarrick, 88, and other priests and bishops in a converted school…

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TREM 1 August 2018 Daily Devotional

Topic: Christ Came With Everything You Need [TREM 1 August 2018 Daily Devotional]

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:” Ephesians 1:3

He has already done everything you need. He is not going to do it; He has already done it. Our text says we are already blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. In other words, the Christ in you came with everything you need. Everything you need in life that will make you successful, He has already made available. If you need healing, His name is Jehovah Rapha. He came with healing. He came to you with lifting that is why He is El-Elyon. He came in with His continuous abiding presence-Jehovah Shammah.

He came to you with His peace (Jehovah Shalom). Meaning nothing missing and nothing broken. He came in with victory so that you will know that in every battle He is your Victorious banner. He is your Everlasting Father – El-Olam. He is the Mighty God. He is your righteousness. He is your Sanctifier. He is your way maker and your bridge over troubled waters. He is your song and your salvation. He is your Shepherd. Whatever the need, He is. He came with all of them inside you. So, He is not about to bless you, He has already blessed you.

Christ came into your life with everything you will ever need. He came in with divine health, with prosperity, with peace, and with joy. He came with everything that will make life comfortable for you. He came in with your husband, with your wife, with your child. He came in with a new job, with the promotion; increase in business and with everything. I am tired of counting the goodness of God in the midst of those who do not serve God and for you that is serving Him, there is no difference. Today, there is a change. I declare you a reference point. The glory of God shall be seen in your life.

Further Reading: 2 Peter 1:3-4, Philippians 4:19

Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Psalms 57-59; Evening- Romans 4

“If you missed yesterday devotional click HERE to read TREM Daily Devotional by Dr. Mike Okonkwo’’

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.

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Andrew Wommack 1 August 2018 Daily Devotional – Freed From The Law

Topic: Freed From The Law [Andrew Wommack 1st August 2018 Daily Devotional]

Luke 16:16 “The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

Text: Luke 16:16-17

The Bible teaches that there are different dispensations or divinely ordered ways of God dealing with mankind throughout the ages. A dispensation is simply a period of time in which God deals with mankind in a certain way.

The Old Testament law was only a temporary dispensation and ruled from the giving of the law (Ex. 20) until the ministry of John the Baptist. When Christ came, He put an end to the law for righteousness (Rom. 10:4). Anyone who advocates the keeping of the law for the purpose of right standing with God is going back to an Old Testament system of law that has been abolished and is making the work of Christ void in his life.

The New Testament believer is under the dispensation of God’s grace. We are not under the law. That doesn’t mean the law has passed away. It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest part of the law to fail. The law hasn’t failed. It has been fulfilled (Mt. 5:17). Christ fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law for us and imputes to us that righteousness is not based on our performance but on our faith in Him. The law was never given for the purpose of justification. It was totally powerless to save. It only showed us our need and pointed us to a Savior.

The law was not made for a righteous man and it still serves a purpose for those who are not born again. For those who do not accept Jesus as their Savior, the wrath of God, which the law produces, abides on them. In this present age, Jesus has come not to condemn men but to bring them grace and truth. Those who do not believe on the Son are presently under the wrath of the Old Testament law, and, unless they repent, will suffer the wrath of God eternally. Thank God for His grace today.

Also Read: Andrew Wommack Daily Devotional

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).

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Our Daily Bread Devotional 1 August 2018 – Love without Limits

Topic: Love without Limits [Our Daily Bread 1st Wednesday August, 2018]

Read: Psalm 145:8–21, Bible in a Year: Psalms 57–59; Romans 4

The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. Psalm 145:9

A wise friend advised me to avoid using the words “you always” or “you never” in an argument—especially with my family. How easy it is to criticize others around us and to feel unloving toward those we love. But there is never any variation in God’s enduring love for us all.

Psalm 145 overflows with the word all. “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (v. 9). “The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down” (vv. 13–14). “The Lord watches over all who love him” (v. 20).

A dozen times in this psalm we are reminded that God’s love is without limit and favoritism. And the New Testament reveals that the greatest expression of it is seen in Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Psalm 145 declares that “the Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them” (vv. 18–19).

God’s love for us always endures, and it never fails!

Prayer: Father in heaven, we are awed by Your love for us that never changes, never fails, and never ends. We praise You for demonstrating Your limitless love for us through Jesus our Savior and Lord.

There is never any variation in God’s enduring love for us all.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click to read “Our Daily Bread Devotionals HERE

This message was written By David C. McCasland [Our Daily Bread Ministries.]

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