Open Heavens 10th February 2018: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye — Now That You Are Saved IV

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Open Heavens 10th February 2018: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye — Now That You Are Saved IV
Open Heavens 10th February 2018: Saturday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye — Now That You Are Saved IV

Topic: Now That You Are Saved IV [Open Heavens 10 Saturday February 2018]

Memorise: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Read: Romans 12:9-10 (KJV)

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Bible in One Year: Exodus 37-38, Romans 13:8-14:12

MESSAGE

In conclusion of our series on what is expected of you now that you are saved, today we shall be reflecting on brotherly kindness and charity as key ingredients of the Christian life (2 Peter 1:7). What is brotherly kindness? Brotherly kindness is benevolence that springs forth from the heart of a Christian, whose nature has been translated from the darkness of sin and is now conformed to the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ. Brotherly kindness is sincere and does not attach any satanic strings to its gesture. This is the type of kindness our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated when He was here on earth. It was brotherly kindness that made Him teach the word of God to people who were without purpose in life and feed them with bread when He was done teaching (Mark 6:34-37). This type of kindness made Him acquit the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11). Not only did He acquit her, He also liberated her from the hold of sin by declaring over her life: “Go and sin no more”.

Similar to brotherly kindness is charity. Charity is love: God’s type of love. It is pure, untainted and without ulterior motives. This love is void of partiality. Here is how the Holy Spirit describes it in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”.

Considering this special type of love, one would agree that it is indeed the greatest of all ingredients required to build the Christian life. There is one aspect of charity that is worthy of note in 1 Corinthians 13:4, which is that it “rejoiceth not in iniquity”. Many misinterpret charity as being tolerant to sin. It should not be so. Believers, especially those put in charge of the flock of the Great Shepherd, should not mistake discipline for wickedness. As a matter of fact, disciplining a member of the flock who errs is a demonstration of God’s love. This is the type of love God demonstrated to Adam and Eve by sending them out of the garden of Eden so that their redemption and that of their descendants would not become impossible (Genesis 3:22-24). Mankind would have lived for ever without the remedy of salvation but for God proactively blocking them from eating from the tree of life, which would have perpetuated their state under the curse of sin eternally. I pray that you will not find yourself in an environment where you will not be corrected in the name of love.

Action Point: Reflect on all we have discussed in the past four days and work on every area where you do not yet measure up to stature of the fullness of Christ.

Hymn 15: Nearer My God To Thee.

Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee;
E’ en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee.

2. Though, like a wanderer
The sun gone down,
Darkness comes over me,
My rest a stone;
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Nearer to Thee.

3. There let me see the sight,
An open heaven;
All that thou sendest me,
In mercy given;
Angles to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Nearer, my God, to Thee
Nearer to Thee

4. Then, with my walking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise,
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee

Flatimes’ Notice Board: Please do not prolong your salvation if you have not repented. Many are going home daily and tomorrow maybe too late.

Open Heavens 10th February 2018, 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.

iOpenHeavens is the electronic version of the Hard Copy. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.


New report says Church of England should choose bishops more in tune with the Spirit

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New report says Church of England should choose bishops more in tune with the Spirit

The Crown Nomination Commission (CNC), the body which oversees the appointing of senior bishops, has come under fire for prioritising “models of business-leadership” over the “theological authenticity” of a candidate.

The report, presented in the Church’s General Synod meeting on Thursday, states: “What we look to find in a bishop is the arc of a mature and compelling life of faithfulness to the gospel, the life ‘above reproach’, that will represent the transforming power of the gospel to many outside the church who know nothing else of it.”

 

The review also highlighted that the commission’s focus on getting a diverse group of candidates has led to intellectual candidates being overlooked.

“[The fact] that there is now no diocesan bishop who has had a career in Higher Education- a resource that once would have seemed indispensable – raises questions about a loss of intellectual depth and seriousness,” the document states. 

The Church’s governing body voted to approve the report and consider the recommendations.

It’s a decision that General Synod member, Canon Jonathan Ford opposed for other reasons.

He pointed out at the meeting that the review “lost sight of the fact that each diocese is different”. He also said that there isn’t proper understanding for the state that the C of E is in now.

And while former CNC member Anthony Archer, welcomed the report for being…

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

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Tesla Announces Biggest Quarterly Loss To Date

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REUTERS/Joseph WhiteTesla vehicles are being assembled by robots at Tesla Motors Inc factory in Fremont, California, U.S. on July 25, 2016.

Elon Musk’s Tesla has announced its biggest quarterly loss to date a day after the billionaire entrepreneur’s car was sent into outer space. The electric vehicle and energy storage company’s losses exceeded half a billion dollars in the final three months of 2017.

According to Musk, the company lost $675.4 million in the three months ending on Dec. 31, 2017. This is a massive increase compared with a loss of $121 million for the same period last year.

The losses can be attributed to the automaker spending heavily to roll out its next generation of electric vehicles namely the Model 3 sedan, a semi truck, and the new Roadster. The Model 3, in particular, has been a headache for the company plagued by “production bottlenecks,” delivery delays, and stringent regulations.

The company has struggled to keep up with is production targets for the Model 3 but said it would probably build about 2,500 Model 3s per week by the end of the first quarter. After which, it would then push to reach its goal of 5,000 vehicles per week by the end of the second quarter.

The main source of revenue for Tesla has been its luxury Model X and Model S, 101,312 of which were delivered in 2017. This is an increase of 33 percent compared to last year but still not enough to keep the company above water.

Since its acquisition of Solar City, the company has also been busy fulfilling solar power and battery projects, most notably in Australia. The company recently made headlines after…

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

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Why Christians May Prefer the True Story to This Hollywood Blockbuster

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The 15:17 to Paris tells the story of three Christian heroes who stopped a terrorist from carrying out his planned massacre. The movie, which stars the three heroes as themselves, has plenty excited to see it. But Plugged In cautions that the movie may have more gore, language and partying than families anticipate. Watch the video to discern if this movie is right for your family.

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

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Beth Moore, Max Lucado, and Other Christian Leaders Petition Trump to Help Immigrants

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Beth Moore, Max Lucado, and Other Christian Leaders Petition Trump to Help Immigrants


Beth Moore, Max Lucado, and Other Christian Leaders Petition Trump to Help Immigrants


Beth Moore, Max Lucado and other Christian leaders are part of a full-page ad in the Washington Post, asking President Donald Trump to “help vulnerable immigrants.”


“Our prayer is that these young people would be allowed to continue contributing to our society without fear of deportation,” the letter reads, referring to Dreamers.


Jen Hatmaker, Matt Chandler, Ann Voskamp, Christianity Today president Harold Smith and Willow Creek Community Church founders Bill and Lynne Hybels also signed their name to the letter, which altogether included some 100 names.


“The Bible speaks clearly and repeatedly to God’s love and concern for the vulnerable, and also challenges us to think beyond our nationality, ethnicity or religion when loving our neighbor,” the letter said.


The letter also mentioned refugees, saying that there has been a drastic fall in the number of refugees entering the U.S. In 2016, that number was 96,874 and in 2017, that number was 33,368.


“Our prayer is that the U.S. would continue to be a beacon of hope for those fleeing persecution,” the letter reads.


On Christian persecution, the letter asked for protection over the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.


“Refugees of all faiths and nationalities deserve our welcome, for they (like all human beings) are made in the image of God,” the letter…

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

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‘I Broke My Own Life’

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‘I Broke My Own Life’

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(Screenshot: Facebook)Tullian Tchividjian preaches at New Mount Olive Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Feb. 4, 2018.

Tullian Tchividjian, the grandson of famed evangelist Billy Graham, recently delivered a sermon reflecting on his “broken” journey over the last three years and the work of God in his life since he publicly “crashed and burned.”

In a Feb. 8 blog post, Tchividjian shared footage of a sermon he preached on Sunday at New Mount Olive Baptist Church, a historic African American church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was the first time he spoke publicly in that city since resigning from Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in 2015 after admitting to an extramarital affair.

“It was also the first time since 2015 that my Mom, one of my brothers, and two of my three children heard me speak publicly,” the Jesus + Nothing = Everything author revealed. “It was an emotional morning for me.”

Tchividjian began his sermon, based on Philippians 3:4-9, by revealing that before his downward spiral, he was a successful pastor who led a large, well-known church, had written numerous best-selling books, enjoyed a large TV presence, and traveled all around the country speaking at conferences.

“According to the world’s standards, I had everything ……

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Church raises concerns about Christian Free Masons

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Church raises concerns about Christian Free Masons

The Church said it had “significant concerns” about the presence of the secretive organisation after more than ten Anglican cathedrals hosted special services for Masonic lodges.

The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), which has more than 200,000 members, marked its 300th anniversary last year.

 

Speaking at the Church’s General Synod meeting, the Bishop of Coventry flagged up a 1987 report issued by the church that highlighted a “number of very fundamental reasons to question the compatibility of Freemasonry and Christianity”.

The Rt Rev Dr Christopher Cocksworth responded to a question tabled on the second day of the three-day meeting in London of the Church’s governing body.

Canterbury, Winchester, Salisbury, Manchester, Truro, Wells, Lincoln, Exeter, Chester, Leicester and Peterborough cathedrals all hosted Freemasons in 2017.

According to West Kent Masons, the Canterbury service last February was prepared in conjunction with the Very Rev Dr Robert Willis, the dean of Canterbury Cathedral, who also delivered the sermon.

Lambeth Palace confirmed that the Archbishop of Canterbury was not, and had never been, a Freemason.

His predecessor, Rowan Williams said Christianity and Freemasonry were “incompatible” and refused to appoint clergymen to senior posts if they were known to be members of the group.

However, in 2011 he sparked controversy after appointing a known…

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

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Christian Psychiatrist Warns Parents About New Facebook App Targeting the Very Young .

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(Unsplash/Tim Gouw)

The social media powerhouse Facebook is now marketing to children as young as 6 years old with the launch of Facebook Messenger Kids in December.

Mental health professionals are pushing back, even sending a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg asking him to reverse course. However, Facebook stands firm in its decision to expand its market share to children as young as kindergarteners.

Christian child psychiatrist Daniel Amen told CBN News he’s “very concerned” about the…

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

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Trump at Prayer Breakfast Says US ‘Strengthened by the Power of Prayer’

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Trump at Prayer Breakfast Says US ‘Strengthened by the Power of Prayer’


Trump at Prayer Breakfast Says US ‘Strengthened by the Power of Prayer’


In his second appearance at the annual National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump steered clear of partisan politics and focused on his belief in the country’s dependence on God.


“America’s a nation of believers and together we are strengthened by the power of prayer,” the president said in his 14-minute speech that emphasized connections between religion and government.


The 66th annual event, which drew more than 3,600 people to the Washington Hilton on Thursday (Feb. 8), was a time for prayer, speeches and networking between religious and political leaders from scores of countries. Guests at the breakfast of quiche, bagels and fruit salad included the presidents of Guatemala, Kosovo and Latvia.


Trump cited mentions of God in the Declaration of Independence, the words “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency and the etching of “Praise Be to God” atop the Washington Monument.


“Each year this event reminds us that faith is central to American life and to liberty,” he said. “Our rights are not given to us by man. Our rights come from our creator. No matter what, no earthly force can take those rights away.”


Trump’s speech, which also honored first responders, tireless teachers and hard-working parents, was a shift from his first speech to the annual event last year, in which he promised to “totally destroy the Johnson Amendment,” a 1954…

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Growing human eggs is positive and not an ethical problem

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Growing human eggs is positive and not an ethical problem

The development could help women who have gone through chemotherapy at a young age, as the drug can damage eggs.

The research means scientists can mature eggs at a much faster rate and can save ovarian tissue from girls for later.

In order to understand the ethics of this development, Premier spoke to Philippa Taylor, a Christian and bioethics consultant.

She said there were no ethical concerns with this from a Christian point of view: “It’s really important to distinguish between an egg and a sperm and an embryo and we believe strongly that an embryo is the beginning of human life. However, working and researching on egg and sperm, as they aren’t individual human lives, we have very little ethical concerns about that.”

“I think on the whole this is a good thing.”

Philippa Taylor explained why she thought it was an encouraging discovery: “There could be real benefits for some people, particularly young girls or people who are going through cancer treatment or chemotherapy and that destroys any chance of having their own eggs and growing eggs cells so if you can remove ovarian tissue, grow some egg cells outside the womb and implant them after the treatment then that could be very positive.”

Taylor did highlight one area where there could be ethical problems in the future – if it extended to allowing older women to have children: “These ovarian cells…

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