We have an interesting story, well told, from .. . charismapodcastnetwork.com.
Three Texas-based houses of worship were in federal court yesterday challenging FEMA’s “no churches need apply” aid policy following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. In Harvest Family Church v. FEMA, the three churches—like hundreds of flooded and damaged churches across Texas and other hurricane-devastated…
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Popular Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman, along with his wife, Mary Beth, are calling on Republicans to keep the tax deduction for adoptions in the new tax reform bill.
To the Chapmans, the adoption tax credit is a personal issue since they adopted three children themselves.
As RelevantMagazine.com reports, the adoption tax credit allocates about $13,000 to families who have adopted. This greatly helps with adoption expenses, which can be as high as $40,000 or even higher.
“Losing the adoption tax credit, a vital and practical approach to overcoming the financial cost that prohibits many families from adopting, would be catastrophic for thousands of American parents hoping to adopt and the precious children waiting for a family,” the Chapmans wrote in an op-ed for The Washington Post.
“In a divided political and cultural climate, issues like the adoption tax credit should unite us. The adoption tax credit can mean the difference between a child being adopted or remaining in foster care…Without continuing support for this credit, children, families, communities and our society will certainly carry the loss,” they continued. “If Congress truly wants to reform our tax structure to benefit American families, preserving the adoption tax credit is an obvious step in the right direction.”
Photo courtesy:…
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Reading New York Times bestseller Katie Davis Majors’ latest book, Daring to Hope: Finding God’s Goodness in the Broken and Beautiful (Multnomah, October 2017), was like peering into Majors’ soul. Oftentimes heart-wrenching and always too close for comfort, the book leads readers to wrestle with their own doubt and fear that God may not be as good as we believe. “[E]ither God is not actually who He says He is, or He is and I needed to relearn how to know Him even in hardship,” she writes.
Majors, who adopted 13 Ugandan girls by her mid-twenties, lays bare everything in this sequel to her 2012 bestseller, Kisses from Katie (31 consecutive weeks on the NYT bestsellers list).
The young American missionary reflects on her intense journey of “wrestling with God” in the book, describing her faith when she first arrived in Uganda as “real” but “fragile.” She writes: “Reality would shatter my optimism, but I would realize that my positivity was only a cheap substitute for true hope anyway. The Lord would take the darkness and make it my secret place, the place where I knew Him more intimately and deeply than I had ever fathomed possible.”
Life shatters and doubt creeps forcefully into Majors’ heart when she loses her 4-y-o daughter to her biological mother, and…
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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.
One year ago today, Donald Trump shocked most of the world by winning a historic election that made him the 45th president of the United States.
And, oh, what a year it’s been.
In his new book, God and Donald Trump, out yesterday, award-winning journalist and author Stephen E. Strang highlights the influential evangelical leaders who implored Christians across the nation to educate themselves about what was at stake in the 2016 election. Strang also shares…
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The circumstances surrounding Ian Squire’s death, three weeks after his kidnap, were not immediately clear.
On Monday the news broke that Mr Squire been killed, while three other British nationals had returned safely home after the west African country’s authorities negotiated their release.
It is understood that Mr Squire and fellow Christian charity workers David and Shirley Donovan and Alanna Carson were working as missionaries when they were abducted from their accommodation in Delta State in the south of the country in the early hours of 13th October.
Undated handout photo issued by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office courtesy of the Carson family of Alanna Carson, a British national who has returned safely home three weeks after being kidnapped in Nigeria
In a statement released by the Foreign Office the family said: “We are all deeply saddened by the loss of Ian, a loving father, husband, and devout Christian, who dedicated much of his life in the service of others.
“It’s clear that Ian had touched many hearts with his kindness and grace.
“The extent of his impact is only made more apparent by the…
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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
A decade after Muslims attacked and displaced Christians in a town in northern Nigeria, Kano state officials have forbidden church buildings to be rebuilt there, sources said.
Eight church buildings destroyed in late September 2007 in predominantly Muslim Tudun Wada Dankadai, Kano state, are still in ruins, a Morning Star News correspondent observed earlier this month.
The buildings of St. Mary’s Catholic, Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Baptist, Assemblies of God, .tic Renewal, Mountain of Fire and Miracle and Deeper Christian Life Bible churches, along with that of another church, have not been rebuilt because local Muslims have refused to allow it, Joseph Opeyemi Ibinkule, a 42-year-old a Christian resident of Tudun Wada Dankadai, told Morning Star News.
“Christians who have braved it and returned after the attacks in 2007 have no worship buildings up to today,” Ibinkule said. “The reason is that the government of Kano state has banned us from rebuilding our churches.”
No pastor lives in the town, he said, and only a few come to lead services to a smattering of church members in the hostile environment.
“These are the ECWA pastor and the Catholic priest,” he said. “Both of live in the city of Kano and only come to conduct services under trees for their members.”
Kano state officials declined to comment…
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A Delaware church will be hosting a multi-day conference featuring the prominent Young Earth Creationist group Answers in Genesis.
New Covenant Presbyterian Church, a Presbyterian Church in America congregation based in Lewes, will host the conference Nov. 10–12.
The free event will feature Answers in Genesis author and speaker Drr. Tommy Mitchell, who has been involved with the organization since 2005.
“Mitchell holds an MD from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and had a thriving medical practice for 20 years before pursuing creation ministry full time,” explained Answers in Genesis.
Topics that Mitchell is scheduled to speak on include “Why Genesis Matters,” the age of the Earth, stem cell research and cloning, and the issue of suffering, among other matters.
The Christian Post reached out to New Covenant Presbyterian Church for comment about the Young Earth Creationist event and will update this article when a response is received.
In an announcement published by the Cape Gazette last month, however, New Covenant explained that the conference would counter the lack of exposure younger Americans have to Creationist arguments.
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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – The Christian Post.
This is another perversion of God’s Word.
“We had a long night with our children and grandbabies we have left.”
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 against.
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Chrisma News.
Gary Grant, owner of The Entertainer toy shop, and spokesman for DreamToys told Premier he won’t let the busyness of Christmas change his stance on marking the Sabbath.
Speaking during News Hour he said: “As a Christian, I believe in families – I have my own children, I have six grandchildren.
Being able to have one day that we can meet together, we can eat together and stay together as a family, I think is very important.”
Mr Grant said it wasn’t an easy decision to make to put God before his profits.
He added: “I wrestled with this concept of Sundays – one of the Ten Commandments – keep the Sabbath holy.
“I really felt the Lord was saying to me, ‘Gary, just be closed on a Sunday.”
However, he highlighted the fact that preparing for Christmas in November isn’t greedy as businesses are simply being practical doing so.
He said: “To move the amount of volume that has to be moved through warehouse, trucks, into the back doors of stores and onto the shelves and through the front door in the amount of time that’s available, it’s already a challenge.”
Meanwhile, the annual DreamToys list compiled on behalf of the Toy Retailers Association has been released.
Mr Grant told Premier that it took between six and eight hours for the team of 12 retailers he was a part of to decide on the list.
While the 1970s gel-filled Stretch Armstrong action figure has returned to the list…
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Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.
Topic: You Will Face Mockers— Thursday 9, November 2017.
Memorise: And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. – 2 Kings 2:3
Read: 2 Kings 2:1-3 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.
3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
Bible in One Year: Job 13-16, Joel 2:18-32, Hymn: Sing Hymn 7 – Oh Jesus I Have Promised
MESSAGE:
God allows you to go through tests before giving a prize. Unfortunately, some people do well for a while, but when it comes to the crucial tests of life, they fail. May you never fail in the tests of life in Jesus’ Name! One lesson that is evident in today’s Bible reading is that to get to your higher glory, you may meet with discouragers, mockers, and dream killers. Even the Lord Jesus Christ faced mockers in His own family. Most members of His family did not even believe in Him until after His resurrection (John 7:5, Acts 1:14). In John 7:4, they scoffed at Him saying:
“For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.”
Coming up next: Open Heavens 10 November 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Losing A Deal
Some people will not want you to dare that great height because they have tried it several times and failed. They cannot stand you achieving what they could not achieve. Some others will mock you just to discourage you and weaken your faith. Beloved, a lot of the distractions you will encounter from people on your way to the higher glory God has for you will be borne out of envy. Just look at what Elisha went through with the sons of the prophets on his way to his promotion. Regardless of their motives, every ministry of discouragers and mockers organized against the fulfillment of your destiny shall fail and be completely frustrated this season!
Moreover, it is glaring that there is so much work to be done for you to enter your higher glory. In other words, higher glory is not meant for everyone. It is especially not for the idle or lazy folks. It is not for procrastinators. Higher glory is not for wishful thinkers. It is for those who are diligent. It is for those who work extra hard, those who can burn the midnight oil. It is for those who can make sacrifices and be focused on the set goal until it is realized. Are you prepared for this? I pray that you will be successful in all the assignments you need to perform in order to enter your greater glory in Jesus’ Name! It is not just enough to work hard: you must also be ready and be able to take up more or higher responsibilities. Some people limit themselves in this area. Are you capable of handling higher assignments? If you are wise, while you are on a particular level, you can open yourself to learn more things – particularly those things above your current level. You must be teachable. Are you willing to learn?
Key Point: Learning should be continuous. After graduating from formal school, you should enrol yourself in the school of self-development.
Sing Hymn 7: Oh Jesus I Have Promised
1. O Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end;
Be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend;
I shall not fear the battle if Thou art by my side,
Nor wander from the pathway if Thou wilt be my Guide.
2. Oh, let me hear Thee speaking in accents clear and still,
I dare not trust my judgment: Thy way shall be my will;
Oh, speak to reassure me, to hasten or control;
Oh, speak, and help me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.
3. O Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee
That where Thou art in glory there shall Thy servant be;
And Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end—
Oh, give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend.
4. Oh, let me see Thy footprints, and in them plant mine own;
My hope to follow duly is in Thy strength alone;
Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end;
And then in Heav’n receive me, my Savior and my Friend.
Open Heavens 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.
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