What Does It Really Mean to ‘Speak With God’? Pastor Breaks It Down

-
0
What Does It Really Mean to ‘Speak With God’? Pastor Breaks It Down

(Photo: Pure Flix)Pastor Mark Batterson (2nd from left) speaks during an interview.

What does it mean to speak to God — and to hear Him communicate back? This is a question that continues to be discussed and debated in religious and secular circles alike, especially in an era in which atheists and skeptics are increasingly vocal about their view that “listening to God” is problematic or, at the least, nonsensical.

Read Also: What’s the Meaning and History Behind the Lord’s Prayer?

Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., and author of “Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God,” recently explained this dynamic during an appearance on PureFlix.com’s “Pure Talk,” revealing how he believes God communicates with humans.

“There is a God who speaks and the truth is He’s speaking all the time … but I think God most often speaks in a whisper,” Batterson said. “1 Kings 19 calls it ‘that still, small voice’ and I have a theory. My theory is this: Yes, God has an outside voice — He can make it thunder. But He usually speaks in a whisper.”

Watch Batterson break down how God speaks:

The preacher said that God wants people to be close to Him and to “hear His heart as well as His voice” — and that God is big enough to speak to each and every person….

… Read More

—-

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

Cuba Approves New Leader’s Cabinet With Old Faces in Place – Urban Christian News

-
0
Cuba Approves New Leader’s Cabinet With Old Faces in Place – Urban Christian News

Cuban lawmakers on Saturday approved the Cabinet named by new President Miguel Diaz-Canel, keeping most of the ministers from Raul Castro’s government in place, except for in the key post of economic reform.

At the same time, the national assembly received a proposed reform of Cuba’s 1976 constitution that would reshape its government, courts and economy, and pave the way for same-sex marriage, although it would maintain the Communist Party as the sole political force in the country. The charter will be put to a national referendum in the coming months then return to the assembly.

Among the ministers kept in place in Diaz-Canel’s Council of Ministers were three historic vice presidents: revolutionary commanders Ramiro Valdes, Ricardo Cabrisas and Gen. Ulises Rosales del Toro. Foreign Minster Bruno Rodriguez, Foreign Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmierca and Finance Minister Lina Peraza will also remain in their posts.

The main change was the absence of economic reforms minister Marino Murillo who had accompanied Raul Castro for a decade while he implemented modest openings to private enterprise in the socialist economy.

Diaz-Canel replaced Castro in April in a historic changing of the guard in Cuba, but Saturday’s Cabinet suggests continuity rather than immediate change.

Cuban officials have proposed a reform of the constitution, saying the current one does not reflect changes made in the country in the decades since 1976.

The new charter would create the position of prime minister alongside the president, splitting the roles of head of government and head of state.

It would…

… Read More

—-

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Urban Christian News

قالب وردپرس

Free cheeseburgers and the secret to positive living

-
0
Free cheeseburgers and the secret to positive living

Cody is a ten-year-old boxer-lab mix who has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. His owner, Alex Karcher, discovered that Cody would take his medicines more easily if he eats them with Burger King cheeseburgers.

When Alex told a restaurant employee his story, the manager told him that their location would provide free cheeseburgers for Cody for the rest of his life. After Alex wrote a letter to express his gratitude, the official Burger King Twitter account responded: “The world needs more kindness and empathy. Thank you for giving us the chance to do this for Cody.”

“The power of positive people”

The New York Times recently carried a fascinating article titled, “The Power of Positive People.” The writer focuses on research indicating that our well-being is significantly influenced by the company we keep.

For instance, positive friendships are especially common in regions of the world where people live far longer than the average. Experts are now encouraging us to create intentional networks of friends who will help us build long-term supportive relationships.

We can certainly use more positivity in our lives today. Consider this story in the news: Young adults are drinking themselves to death.

According to a new report, deaths from cirrhosis–the late stages of liver damage–rose by 65 percent between 1999 and 2016. Deaths from liver cancer doubled. From 2009 to 2016, the greatest increase in death rate from cirrhosis was among people between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-four, and the major cause was alcohol.

The study’s lead author suspects a connection between increased alcohol use and unemployment associated with the global financial crisis. He notes that “people started dying at increased rates after 2008,” and adds: “We know that there is a model of despair in young unemployed men who are likely to abuse alcohol.”

Why it’s hard to love ourselves

Proactive steps to build greater positivity into our lives are…

… Read More

—

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Denison Forum.

قالب وردپرس

Nicaraguan Cardinal condemns government attacks

-
0
Nicaraguan Cardinal condemns government attacks

Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes Solorzano, the Archbishop of Managua, told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need that there have been two attacks on bishops in the last fortnight – including one on himself.

On 9th July, the cardinal was assaulted by government soldiers who entered the Basilica of San Sebastian in Diriamba – as were his Auxiliary Bishop José Silvio Baez and the apostolic nuncio Archbishop Waldemar Stanisław.

As well as the raid on the Basilicia, Bishop Abelardo Mata narrowly escaped armed attackers on Monday.

Cardinal Brenes said: “Please put pressure on the government, urging it to show respect for the bishops, the priests and the population.”

According to UN figures 280 died and 1,830 suffered injuries when government forces cracked down on anti-government protests over the last three months.

The cardinal also spoke about the situation in Masaya, 18.5 miles south of the capital Managua, where large-scale protests calling for President Daniel Ortega’s resignation led to all the roads into the city being blockaded.

At around 6am local time on Tuesday, Masaya was besieged by more than 1,000 soldiers and police.

By the time the government announced that it had retaken control of the city later that day, at least three people had died.

Cardinal Brenes told ACN: “It is an extremely difficult moment for the whole country”.

He added: “Hearing the appeal by Pope Francis to be a…

… Read More

—

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.

قالب وردپرس

Chick-fil-A Flash Mob Video Goes Viral, Hits Over 13 Million Views

-
0
Chick-fil-A Flash Mob Video Goes Viral, Hits Over 13 Million Views

(Screenshot: Facebook Live Video)Over 60 professional a capella gospel singers from various countries staged a flash mob inside a Chick-fil-A in Nashville, Tennessee.

A video of a flash mob performance by 60 professional a capella gospel singers from around the world inside a Chick-fil-A near Nashville, Tennessee, has gone viral with more than 13 million views on Facebook.

The video reached 13 million views early Saturday morning. 

“I was shocked in the first couple of hours when it started to get hundreds of thousands” of views, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quotes Chris Armstead, worship minister from a church in Marietta near Atlanta, Georgia, who recorded the video, as saying.

Armstead and 60 others were in Nashville for the weeklong Worship Leader Institute, which trains a capella worship ministers in everything from how to organize singers to microphone techniques.

A capella, four-part harmony version of Hezekiah Walker’s “Every Praise” that was performed by singers from various countries, including South Africa, Brazil, Australia, Guatemala, the U.K. and Canada, brought customers around the restaurant to their feet and got employees dancing, noted Tennessean.

“This song … has so much appeal across a lot of cultural context and worship styles,” Armstead says, and adds that the Chick-fil-A manager was cool with it.

… Read More

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

Notable Voices and the Week in Review: July 21, 2018

-
0

Five Marks of Effective Prayer — H. B. Charles

The last passage of Mark 1 (verses 40-45), records the miracle of Jesus cleansing a leper. It is also recorded in Matthew 8:1-4 and Luke 5:12-15. This story is about the miracle-working and divine authority of Jesus. This leper is a trophy of amazing grace. The priority of this passage it what it teaches us about Jesus, but there is a lesson about prayer in the actions and words of the leper. The way he came to Jesus shows us how to go to God in prayer. Mark 1:40 teaches us five marks of effective prayer:

 

Three Ways to Learn From Even the Worst Criticisms — Facts & Trends

Despite working in ministry and supposedly around Christians most of the time, pastors and church leaders can face almost constant criticism. I’ll never forget a friend in the ministry saying, “People are broken and broken things cut.” Church leaders are constantly around broken people who will inevitably cut. The critiques can range from the petty and pointless to the hurting and hateful. But church leaders often can’t do anything about the criticism. It will come regardless of how well you lead.

 

When the Preaching Fire Burns…and When It Goes Out — Chuck Lawless

There’s nothing quite like it, though most people can’t understand it. I share my thoughts about it today because I want churches praying more intentionally and regularly for those who are gifted to do it—that is, to preach His Word. When that calling hits you, everything changes:

 

… Read More

—

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

قالب وردپرس

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Discuss What Keeps Their Relationship Strong after over 20 Years of Marriage

-
0
Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Discuss What Keeps Their Relationship Strong after over 20 Years of Marriage


Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Discuss What Keeps Their Relationship Strong after over 20 Years of Marriage


Faith Hill and Tim McGraw’s real-life love story has spanned more than two decades. And now, the Country music power couple is preparing for the “empty-nest” stage of their lives. After 21+ years of marriage, they’re opening up about what keeps their love going strong.


Not surprisingly, music brought these two together. Their paths first crossed in 1994 backstage at the annual Country Radio Seminar in Nashville. They kept their relationship strictly professional, but Tim felt sparks instantly.


Two years later, Faith became Tim’s opening act during his first major headlining tour called the “Spontaneous Combustion Tour.” Their connection was impossible to ignore and Faith broke things off with her fiancé.


One of the sweetest stories of their whirlwind courtship is when Tim showed up on Faith’s doorstep with cornbread and a big bowl of chicken and dumplings he’d made himself.


“He said, ‘I made these myself. They’re homemade from scratch.’ He had the bowl covered in aluminum foil, and he had a spoon and a fork on top of the bowl,” Faith recalled. “He said, ‘I didn’t know if you liked to eat your dumplings with a spoon or a fork.’”


Music may have brought them together, but it was their troubled childhoods that bonded them.


“Although our stories are very different, there was a missing link within…

… Read More

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

قالب وردپرس

John Piper’s Podcast Hits 100 Million Listens With Marriage Sex Question Being No. 1

-
0
John Piper’s Podcast Hits 100 Million Listens With Marriage Sex Question Being No. 1

(Screengrab)Pastor John Piper.

Episodes of theologian John Piper’s podcast “Ask Pastor John” have been played 100 million times over the last five-and-a-half years, and just one episode, on whether oral sex is okay, has been played more than 1.5 million times.

Since the podcast began on Jan. 7, 2013, 16 of the roughly 1,300 episodes have reached the 300,000-play benchmark, according to the desiringGod.org blog, which hosts the podcast.

Piper said while the numbers are “encouraging,” he believes “the emotional impact of one personal testimony face to face is greater than the numbers.”

He added, “APJ is just part of a constellation of influences people receive from Desiring God, but it is one that people mention to me as much as any other.”

With 1,570,100 plays, episode 400, titled “Is Oral Sex Okay?” published in August 2014, became the most popular.

“I think it is wrong outside marriage. … Oral sex is even more intimate and delicate, it seems, than copulation. And we know this because even married couples are wondering if they should go there. It is as if it is a stage of intimacy that may not even be proper for married people,” explained Piper at the time. “To think it can be an innocent substitute for copulation so people can obey the letter of the law outside marriage…

… Read More

—-

Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.

قالب وردپرس

David Ibiyeomie: Result-Oriented Prayer

CM Editor
-
0
David Ibiyeomie: Result-Oriented Prayer

Topic: Result-Oriented Prayer

Not every prayer produces result; many people pray but few obtain answers. There are factors that can help you to pray in a way that it can produce the intended result. When you pray, you are giving earthly approval for heavenly involvement.

Matt.18:18 -Verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Prayer is communicating with God on the basis of His word and our relationship with Him. There are certain ingredients that can produce result when applied during prayer. Effectiveness in prayer is not measured by your acrobatic display or by the extent of noise you make while praying. Effective prayer is not measured by the volume of tears you shed; it is not also measured by your complaints.

Heb.4:12 – For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

God’s word reveals His will, His ways and His promises to you. God’s word is a very vital instrument during prayer because it communicates God’s desires and His ways to us. When you know His words, you know what He actually wants and expects from you. Knowledge of God’s word will also help you to know the capacity of what He can do. A good knowledge of God’s ways will grant quick answers to prayer.

Dan.11:32b – … but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.

God’s word reveals His person, His abilities and capabilities; thus, if you know God, it then means that you know God. You cannot do exploit without the knowledge of God’s word.

James 4:3 – Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Knowledge of God’s word will also enable you not to ask amiss. It is not every request made in prayer is granted because some people ask amiss in prayer. When you know God’s word, you will ask in line with His word and not deviate.

To win a case in court, a lawyer must cite relevant laws and references applicable to that situation. With that, the judgement will be delivered on his behalf. So also, when you appear before the supreme court of the entire universe, you ought to refer to the constitution which is the word of God and cite scriptures relevant to your request. God is always looking for opportunities to honour His word.

Isaiah 43:26 -Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that thou mayest be justified.

God’s word guides us to the use of scriptural language in prayer. When you speak scriptural language in prayer, God’s response will be favourable because you are speaking His language. Therefore, speedy delivery of answers to your prayer is tied to your correct use of scriptural language because God cannot break His word or that which has come out of His lips.

You can obtain wisdom on how to approach prayer in various dimensions from God’s word. There is a dimension of talking with God and another dimension of addressing the devil.

Learn to adequately prepare before praying. Prayer is dynamic; so, at every situation, you should go and strategize. Locate appropriate scripture applicable to the area of need, meditate on them and war with the word accordingly. Have faith that your prayer is answered and continuously thank God for the answered prayer and the answers will manifest speedily in the name of Jesus! Your desires will surely be granted and victory will be guaranteed in the name of Jesus the Christ –Amen!!!

God bless you

Also Read: Other Inspiring Messages by Pastor David Ibiyeomie

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.

The post David Ibiyeomie: Result-Oriented Prayer appeared first on Flatimes.

Joyce Meyer’s Daily 22 July 2018 Devotional — God’s Delivering Power

CM Editor
-
0
Joyce Meyer’s Daily 22 July 2018 Devotional — God’s Delivering Power

Topic: God’s Delivering Power [Joyce Meyer’s Devotional Sunday July 22, 2018]

…You have opened my ears and given me the capacity to hear [and obey Your word]…. — Psalm 40:6 (AMP)

Notice in today’s scripture that Daniel got on his knees to pray and thank God three times a day. He had a habit of prayer and thanksgiving. When we get on our knees before the Lord, we humble ourselves and say with our actions, “Lord, I reverence and honor You. I am nothing without You. I need You and I humble myself in Your presence.”

Daniel was delivered from a den of hungry lions. His enemies threw him into the lions’ den because they were jealous of him, a foreigner who rose to a high position in their country’s government. When they conspired to hurt him, they knew he was a righteous man and they could not accuse him of wrongdoing. So, they asked the king to issue a decree stating that anyone who did not worship the local gods or the king would be thrown into the lions’ den.

Daniel was not afraid. He refused to compromise his worship. He kept up his habit of praying and praising his God three times a day. He did get thrown into the lions’ den, but God shut the mouths of the lions and Daniel emerged unharmed.

We can never underestimate the power of worshiping God. Like Daniel, our prayer and worship needs to be a habit and we need to keep doing it, no matter what anyone says. When enemies or circumstances rise against us, we can count on God to hear our prayers, receive our worship, and deliver us.

Prayer Starter: Lord, You are so good. Help me to make prayer and worship a part of my everyday life, knowing You are my joy, peace, strength, and deliverance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.

The post Joyce Meyer’s Daily 22 July 2018 Devotional — God’s Delivering Power appeared first on Flatimes.

1...1,9281,9291,930...3,893Page 1,929 of 3,893