Priest accuses West of profiting from DRC crisis

Fr Apollinaire Cikongo, executive secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Kananga, told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the international community was guilty of “a conspiracy of silence that is very profitable economically”.

John Pontifex from ACN told Premier the priest told the charity details about corruption in the mining of coltan, an ore that is used in smartphone batteries and computers.

He said there was merit in the priest’s claims.

He added: “The understanding from Fr Cikongo and others is that the terms of the deals that have been struck with regard to the mining of this particular iron metallic ore is such that it disadvantages the local communities.”

Civil wars and militia conflicts have plagued the Republic of Congo claiming up to six million lives.

Pontifex told Premier what steps are needed to restore peace in the country.

“It’s important that people have faith in the political process and that faith seems to be critically undermined by the situation in which the President is accused of outstaying his welcome in terms of remaining in power there,” Pontifex added.

 

Joseph Kabila, 46, is the country’s president and Africa’s youngest head of state, despite having ruled for 17 years.

This month, the United Nations human rights office condemned the violent response by government security forces in the DRC against people protesting the refusal of President Kabila to…

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Open Heavens 11 January 2018: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Help From Above

Open Heavens 11 January 2018: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Help From Above

Topic: Help From Above [Open Heavens Thursday 11th January 2018]

Memorise: My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:2

Read: Psalm 121:1-8 (KJV)

1 (A Song of degrees.) I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Bible in One Year: Genesis 25-26, Revelation 9:20-10:11, Hymn: Sing Hymn 10: My Faith Looks Up To Thee

MESSAGE:

Not many people know that the surest source of help is the God of heaven and earth, and for this reason, so many people struggle for a very long time without having anything to show for their efforts. No wonder wise King Solomon, in Psalm 127:1, confessed thus:

“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

If you have been struggling all your life, with little or nothing to show for it, your struggles have come to an end today in Jesus’ Name. One struggle a lot of people battle with throughout their lifetime is the struggle against the power of sin. Apostle Paul, before coming to the knowledge of the saving grace in the Lord Jesus Christ, found himself in this situation. In Romans 7:24, he bemoaned his spiritual condition, saying,

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

The good news is that Paul found help from above and he is today, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, numbered among the saints. The same Jesus who did it for Paul can do it for you. The Lord is telling you to look up to Him for that help you seek, because looking elsewhere is an exercise in futility. The Lord Himself will send help from above to you today in Jesus’ Name. The Saviour who helped the woman caught in adultery to come out of her state of spiritual hopelessness, will set you free from the power of sin and empower you to sin no more in Jesus’ Name (John 8:3-11).

Beloved, let Jesus help you. He is calling you today, saying,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28

For you to receive help from above, you need to answer His call as matter of urgency. You can do this by surrendering your life to Him. You must stop relying on your own ability and stop trusting in the arm of flesh (Jeremiah 17:5). As a child of God, you must put your trust in Him even as you call upon Him in prayer to come and help you. However, before calling on the Lord, first ensure that there is no impediment in your life that would deny you of His help, because in Isaiah 59:1-2, He says,

“1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

Prayer Point: Abba Father, please send help to me today, and don’t let me be put to shame.

1. My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt away,
Oh, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!

2. May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire!
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh, may my love to Thee
Pure, warm, and changeless be,
A living fire!

3. While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread,
Be Thou my guide;
Bid darkness turn to day,
Wipe sorrow’s tears away,
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside.

4.Whenlife’s swift race is run,
Death’s cold work almost done
Be near to me.
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove;
Oh, bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul!

Open Heavens 10th January 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.


Jack Hayford Speaks a Word of Biblical Unity Into These Polarized Times .



  • Ozzy Osbourne, right, with his son, Jack, at the Ark Encounter.

    What Happened When Ozzy Osbourne Visited the Ark Encounter


    Was this what you expected?



  • With demonic activity intensifying alongside blatant dishonesty in the media, we must learn to discern as well as prepare our children and local churches in this critical task.

    How and Why the Media Is Deliberately Deceiving You


    Do you know the primary sign that Jesus gave in this chapter concerning the time prior to His …



  • Men Around the World Are Giving Up Porn, and It's Because of This...

    Men Around the World Are Giving Up Porn, and It’s Because of This…


    With 68% of Christian men viewing pornography on a regular basis, the church is in desperate need for something to help men understand what they are up…

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    Singer-Actress Jennifer Hudson Says the Bible Changed Her Life: ‘It Hasn’t Failed Me Yet’

    Singer-Actress Jennifer Hudson Says the Bible Changed Her Life: ‘It Hasn’t Failed Me Yet’



    Actress and singer Jennifer Hudson, 36, revealed in a recent interview that the Bible has been an important influence in her life.


    Hudson was thrown into the spotlight after she became a beloved contestant on American Idol in 2004. From that point, her singing and acting career took off, but she never forgot her roots.


    In the interview with The Guardian Hudson recalls growing up in Chicago and what an important role her mother played in her life. “I owe my mother everything. I wouldn’t be where I am today if she hadn’t been there to raise me right,” she said.


    She also shared that she has achieved her dream career. When asked what she wanted to be growing up, she said, “I always wanted to be a singer.” One of her earliest memories even involves her pretending she was a famous singer. She said she remembers “Sitting on the steps of my mother’s home in Chicago when I was little, singing into a brush like it was a mic.”


    Perhaps the most revealing answer Hudson gave in the interview was her answer to the question: “Which book changed your life?”


    “The Bible,” she responded. “I’ve been reading it since I was little and it hasn’t failed me yet.”


    Hudson is continuing her singing career as a coach on The Voice UK, which starts this month. She lives in Chicago with her son.


     


    Photo courtesy: Wikimedia…

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    Pastor Greg Locke Reportedly Separates From Wife, Reveals He Struggles With Depression, Anxiety

    (Photos: Instagram; Twitter)Pastor Greg Locke and his wife Melissa (inset).

    Popular and outspoken internet preacher and lead pastor of Global Vision Bible Church in Tennessee Greg Locke has allegedly separated from his wife over mental illness and is reportedly courting another woman.

    A Pulpit & Pen report said Locke, who shot to internet fame after he posted a video on Facebook on April 22, 2016, criticizing Target for its new policies on gender-neutral bathrooms, “literally put his wife, Melissa, on a bus and sent her away.” The couple have four children, including two who were adopted.

    The preacher later confirmed with the outlet that this happened two months ago but told his more than one million followers on Facebook that the report was “vicious.”

    “I am saddened tonight by a vicious article that is rapidly circling the internet. I’m no stranger to hundreds of news articles both good and bad. However, this is a situation of a writer gathering fake and/or out of context information and totally fabricating a story. This is a very personal and hurtful hit piece. Our entire church congregation knows the facts and the timeline,” he said.

    “It’s shameful that a small handful of bitterly disgruntled people can say such evil things and then have it reported by a publication…

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    Botswana shuts down church of prophet who claimed to walk on air

    The Botswana Gazette reported that services at Shepherd Bushiri’s Enlightened Christian Gathering Church (ECG) in Gaborone, were stopped due to concerns over the church’s use of “miracle money” – promises of money appearing as if by magic.

    Bushiri runs churches from Ghana to South Africa and has also claimed to have cured people of HIV and brought people back from the dead.

    He came under fire last year after it emerged he was charging as much as £1,500 to attend a gala dinner with him.

     

    In a video shared online, Bushiri – who has more than 2.3 million likes on Facebook, appeared to walk on air.

    The government has now announced that the church will be shut permanently.

    ECG has not publicly commented on its closure.

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    John Piper’s Perfect Response to a Married Man Who is ‘No Longer in Love’ and Wants a Divorce .

    Famed pastor John Piper made it clear in a recent podcast that "falling out of love" is no excuse for divorce, and he delivered a powerful message about what marriage really means.
    Famed pastor John Piper made it clear in a recent podcast that “falling out of love” is no excuse for divorce, and he delivered a powerful message about what marriage really means. (StockSnap/Pixabay/Public Domain)

    Famed pastor John Piper made it clear in a recent podcast that “falling out of love” is no excuse for divorce, and he delivered a powerful message about what marriage really means.

    Piper made his comments while responding to a man whose son wants a divorce after just two years of…

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    Google’s New ‘Fact-checking’ Feature Reportedly Targets Conservative Sites

    Google’s New ‘Fact-checking’ Feature Reportedly Targets Conservative Sites



    Google has a new fact-check feature, and it reportedly almost exclusively targets conservative websites.


    The Daily Caller reports that no prominent liberal sites were targeted by the new feature, but conservative publications were widely included. The feature has also been under fire for reportedly asserting that conservative websites made claims they did not make.


    The Daily Caller itself has been targeted by this “fact-checking.”


    The new search feature displays a sidebar with topics about which a particular website writes, along with a “Reviewed Claims” section. The “Reviewed Claims” section is reportedly left out of the searches for more left-leaning sites such as Gizmodo or Vox, although it is included for the left-leaning site Occupy Democrats.


    Additionally, well-known publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times are given a special sidebar listing all the awards they have received.


    The fact-checking is conducted by websites such as Snopes.com, which itself has been called into question. The website reportedly even failed to distinguish between factual content and a satire piece, which has consequently led to questioning of Google’s decision to use Snopes.com as a reliable source of truth.


     


    Photo courtesy: Pixabay.com


    Publication date: January 10, 2018

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    PCUSA Leader Says Trump Doesn’t Want to Talk With Faith Community

    (Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)U.S. President Donald Trump pauses during a statement on the deadly protests in Charlottesville, at the White House in Washington, U.S., August 14, 2017.

    A leader within the Presbyterian Church (USA), a liberal mainline denomination, has stated that the Trump administration is not interested in dialoguing with religious groups.

    The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, director of the PC(USA) Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Office of Public Witness explained in an interview with Presbyterian News Service that he and other religious groups struggled to get the attention of the White House.

    “I don’t see a real interest on the administration’s part to have conversations with the faith community. The partisan atmosphere is very disheartening,” explained Hawkins.

    “I’m hoping that with the 2018 elections, we will see a change in that people will begin working across the political aisles. This partisan divide is real and I’m concerned.”

    Expand | Collapse
    (Photo: Courtesy of PCUSA)The national office for the mainline denomination Presbyterian Church (USA), located in Louisville, Kentucky.

    Hawkins also expressed concern about the failure of progressive public policy issues to make gains in Congress, including gun control efforts and health care coverage.

    “There’s very…

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    Christian group condemns eviction of displaced people in Somalia

    The charity said its aid workers recently saw armed forces using bulldozers and large vehicles to destroy shelters and schools in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

    Most demolished properties housed families who have fled fighting and drought in parts of the country.

    World Vision, along with 82 other agencies, have issued a statement calling on the government to protect housing, land and property belonging to internally displaced people (IDP).

    The statement said the operation has left thousands of vulnerable families homeless and without water, food, health services and community infrastructures such as latrines and schools.

    Simon Nyabwengi, National Director of World Vision Somalia, said: “Over 21 IDP settlements, housing over 5,800 households were destroyed.

    “The destruction included schools, learning centres and materials leaving children not only homeless but also with no hope to access any form of education.

    “These communities, who are displaced as a result of drought, are now faced with further vulnerabilities and risks including disease outbreak, exploitation and abuse.”

    The charity explained its concern for families who did not have enough notification of the operation and urged Somali government to provide the families with viable relocation options that are required by international law.

    The ongoing drought and conflicts in Somalia continue to displace people. Last year more than one million people were displaced, living in settlements across the…

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