Museum of the Bible Releases New Content Series on the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation — Charisma News

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A statue of Martin Luther
A statue of Martin Luther (schorschel1982/Pixabay/Public Domain)

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.


Traditionally, Oct. 31 is commemorated around the world as Reformation Day—the day that would change the course of Christendom forever—when Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses in Wittenberg, Germany. Now, less than a month away from its highly anticipated grand opening on Nov. 17, Museum of the Bible will release a brand-new multimedia content series to mark the event that ignited the Reformation.

“Long before the internet, YouTube and social media, Martin Luther set in motion what can appropriately be described as a viral movement that transformed the very foundations of Europe, Western civilization and in many ways the entire world,” says Steven Bickley, vice president of marketing for Museum of the Bible. “Culturally, politically and spiritually, the 95 Theses is a pivotal point in history that led to, among other things, the rapid translation of the Bible into the heart languages of millions of people. Today that number is in the billions. This is part of the Bible’s remarkable journey, and it’s brought to life through this new multimedia series.”

The Protestant Reformation was an important event in the history of the Bible, leading to new translations, different interpretations and innovations in Bible formatting and printing. The entire content series will be featured on a special microsite, museumofthebible.org/reformation which tells stories of the Reformation and how it was a catalyst for the new translations of the Bible into dozens of other languages.

Content includes:

·      30-minute radio special/podcast

·      10 one-minute audio/video features


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Pray for Rio Mimbres Baptist Church

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Location: Mimbres, New Mexico

Pastor: Jeremy Butler

Weekly Worship: 11:00 AM, Mountain

Fast Facts: Rio Mimbres Baptist Church was birthed in 1972 and is located in a Southwestern New Mexico community of about 750 people of which 90 percent are un-churched. Pastor Butler just celebrated his one-year anniversary at the church last Sunday. In that time, the congregation has started a Good News Club for children, grades 1-6, at the local elementary school and a monthly men’s breakfast on the second Saturday of each month. Last weekend, they participated in the community’s annual Harvest Festival and handed out more that 1,000 evangelistic DVDs and 200 copies of the Gospel of John as well as hundreds of personal evangelism tracts. Please pray for those who received the evangelistic material and for the follow-up process in the coming weeks.

Website: Facebook.com/RioMimbresBaptist/


“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well.

If you would like to have your church featured in the “Pray for…” series, fill out this information form..

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Open Heavens 12 October 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Obedient Children

Open Heavens 12 October 2017: Thursday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – Obedient Children

Topic: Obedient Children — Thursday 12, October 2017.

Memorise: Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. – Exodus 20:12

Read: Ephesians 6:1-3 (KJV)

1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

Bible in One Year: 2 Corinthians 1-3, Daniel 5:29-6:13, Hymn: Sing Hymn 16 – God Give Us Christian Homes!

MESSAGE:

Children are assets of the Almighty God entrusted to our care. We must therefore ensure that we do all we can to nurture them for the Lord and not for ourselves. We should strive to receive commendation from the Lord for our efforts in bringing them up as children He can be proud of. Raising children in today’s world is serious business. Unfortunately, we live in a world where parents have left to chance or entirely neglected the huge tasking of bringing up their children in the fear of the Lord. Many parents justify themselves by concluding that they are helpless, and they shift the blame of their own failures to the happenings in the society. In the time of father Abraham, there were also parents who did not bring up their children to follow the path of God, but for Abraham, his testimony was different. God said this concerning him in Genesis 18:19:

“For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.”

Coming up next: Open Heavens 13 October 2017: Friday daily devotional by Pastor Adeboye – God’s Watchman

If you want to raise children who will be obedient to the Lord, you must be ready to start right from the beginning of the child’s life. That is what parenting is all about. It involves training and educating a child from the phase of infancy through to adulthood. If you carry out the job of parenting as unto the Lord, you will be well rewarded by Him. There are many parents who realise late in life that they have neglected their roles as parents. In order to make amends, some of them begin to make efforts at “repairing” the lives of their children, but at that point, they discover it has become a herculean task.

Obedient children are godly children, committed to a life of honesty in all they do. Such children will never bring shame, reproach or embarrassment to the God of their fathers, because they have a deep understanding of the covenant upon which they have been groomed. There are parents today who have lost control of their children. Some other parents have turned their children into symbols of idolatry. They fear their children more than they fear God. May that not be your portion in Jesus’ Name. Obedient children must honour their parents. They must respect them irrespective of their status in society, if they want to live a life without regret. When their parents need their attention or help, they must be there for them. They must also be ready to submit wilfully to their instructions, corrections and rebuke. There are children who bring sorrow to their parents. On the other hand, children of destiny bring great comfort to everyone around them. Are you a child of destiny?

Prayer Point: Father, let my children please You always, and grant me grace to care for my parents.

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.


NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Weighs in on Anthem Controversy, Urges Players to ‘Honor our Flag’

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Weighs in on Anthem Controversy, Urges Players to ‘Honor our Flag’



The controversy surrounding the decision of some football players to kneel or sit during the National Anthem continues to be a major talking point in the U.S. Now, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has weighed in.


The Guardian reports that, in a letter to the NFL’s 32 teams, Goodell acknowledged the players’ grievances, but urged them to “move past this controversy” and “honor our flag.”


“Like many of our fans, we believe that everyone should stand for the national anthem,” Goodell wrote in the letter. “It is an important moment in our game. We want to honor our flag and our country, and our fans expect that of us.”


“We also care deeply about our players and respect their opinions and concerns about critical social issues. The controversy over the anthem is a barrier to having honest conversations and making real progress on the underlying issues,” he added.

“We need to move past this controversy, and we want to do that together with our players.”

Goodell did not specifically outline whether the NFL will enforce standing during the Anthem, but strongly recommended players do so.

The NFL’s viewership has been down this season, and many say that is due, at least in part, to Americans’ disagreement with the players’ kneeling during the Anthem. With his letter, Goodell likely hopes to improve league morale, as well as boost viewership.


 


Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons


Publication date: October 11, 2017

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Christians Praying For Dad of Six Young Kids, Including Premature Twins, After Wife Dies in Car Crash

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(PHOTO: YOUCARING)Katie Evans with her preemie twin girls

Prayers and selfless offers of help are pouring in for a husband and father left to raise six young children by himself after his wife’s tragic death in a car crash.

Katie Evans was killed in a car crash while driving back from the hospital after visiting her premature baby girls, Sarah and Hannah.

Her sister-in-law Caralee told People.com that she was traveling home late at night when she was hit by another car. 

She said Katie, 37, had been at the hospital every day following the birth of her ‘miracle’ twins at around 25 weeks.

Katie was almost home when the collision occurred in Santa Clarita, California, on October 6. It is feared that the driver who collided with Katie’s car may have been under the influence of alcohol.

Katie leaves behind husband Jacob and their six young children, the eldest of which has special needs.

(PHOTO: YOUCARING)Katie and Jacob Evans with their four other children

Jacob’s brother, Michael, told People.com they had received so much support in the wake of the tragedy.

‘We have a rough road ahead of us, trying to figure out how to handle everything,’ Michael says of the family. ‘The outpouring of support from the community, from the internet, from our local church, from neighbors … it has been absolutely overwhelming.’

A fundraising page has been set up for the family to help them cover childcare and other costs, with over $200,000 raised already.

Many strangers have left messages of support and even offered practical assistance to the family.

One well-wisher said she was a pediatric nurse at UCLA and offered to donate her days off to help the family.

‘I would love to help! I do not know the family but I’m a pediatric nurse at UCLA and would love to donate my time helping in any way!!!! This is tragic and I pray for this family! I have four days off a week and would love to spend my time off helping!’ she wrote.

Another well-wisher said: ‘Don’t have money to donate but lots of newborn baby clothes I can send their way if the twins need them.’

There were also many promises of prayers for the family as they come to terms with their loss.

One anonymous donor wrote: ‘God bless you and your family through this tragic moment of life. Trust in Him to keep you safe and push you at your lowest points. Prayers from Northern Michigan.’

Movingly, one comment came from a woman whose husband lost his first wife, leaving him in a similar circumstance with five young children, including one premature baby to raise by himself.

In her note of encouragement she said: ‘We are living proof that God redeems, restores, and puts lives back together, although I’m sure you cannot imagine right now that could ever be so. Prayers!!’

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Christian shopkeeper rubbishes supernatural claims

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A Christian shopkeeper from Norfolk has dismissed claims by supernatural enthusiasts that his premises are haunted; saying the only spiritual presence in his store is Jesus.

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6.1 Earthquake Hits Off Coast of Japan

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The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-6.1 earthquake has hit off the coast of Japan.

The agency’s website says the temblor hit early Thursday about 283 kilometers (176 miles) southeast of the city of Kamaishi and more than 322 kilometers (200 miles) east of Fukushima.

A massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami caused meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Fewer than 40 reports of people feeling Thursday’s quake were registered on the Geological Survey website.

It comes as Mexico is reeling from a magnitude-7.1 earthquake that collapsed buildings and killed at least 225 people.

Source: Associated Press

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The Prophetic Meaning Behind the Full Moon of Tabernacles — Charisma News

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This year the Full Moon of Tabernacles will also be in the sign of the Church. (Pixabay/spiriterror)

The Jewish Feast of Tabernacles began at sundown on Wednesday, Oct. 4, but the best celestial views come at dawn on tabernacles morning.

Two years ago, the fourth blood moon of the 2014-2015 Tetrad occurred on Sept. 27, 2015. Some had seen the blood moons as harbingers of disaster, but the Scriptures speak of blood moons as a sign of the outpouring of the Spirit and salvation (Acts 2:17-21). The blood moon is also a sign of overcoming evil, as the moon, symbolic of believers (Ps. 89:37) is covered by the blood (Rev. 12:11). The fact that the tabernacles blood moon of 2015 occurred in the constellation Pisces (the fish), the sign of the church, reminds us that tabernacles is about the ingathering of the church to spend eternity with God. See our book, The Mystery of the Blood Moons, available on Amazon, for more information.

This year, the full moon of tabernacles will also be in the sign of the church, Pisces. The two fish of Pisces are joined together by a cord known as the band, which represents the unity of the church as is symbolized by a bright star in Pisces called Okda, meaning “The United.” We are reminded of Christ’s prayer in John 17:20-23 that the church be united. Interestingly the only planet visible with the full moon in the evening is Saturn (the ruler) which symbolizes Christ’s rule over all, which is also symbolized by tabernacles.

It is on the morning of tabernacles, Oct. 5, when the other four visible planets add to the celestial picture for tabernacles. The bright morning star, Venus, representing Christ, the seed of woman, is visible just before dawn in the constellation Leo, the lion, which pictures the fate of God’s enemies. This vision of judgment, commonly called hell, stands in stark contrast with the promise of heaven given in the Feast of Tabernacles. Yet, amazingly, the red planet Mars is almost touching Venus, reminding us that the red blood of Jesus, represented by Mars, is still available for salvation.


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Nine Common Types of Church Cowards

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Many pastors and church leaders are miserable because of fewer than five percent of the church members.

Let me state if positively. Over 95 percent of church members are supportive and encouraging.

So pastors and other church leaders need to learn and deal with the reality of church cowards. They are few in number but, like a few bee stings from a hive of hundreds, they can be painful.

Before I suggest a path forward with church cowards, let me identify nine of the most common detractors.

  1. The business meeting aggressor. This person is largely silent until there is a business meeting in the church. At that point, he or she begins to speak with either passive-aggressive language or outright venom. They take comfort and security by speaking in a crowd.
  2. The social media attacker. This coward hides behind the shield of a keyboard. They will not come to the church leader directly, but will gladly make their positions and criticism known digitally.
  3. The “I-love-you-but” hypocrite. This church member prefaces criticisms and diatribes with a disingenuous comment of love and support for the church leader.
  4. The anonymous letter writer. He or she who does not have the courage to identify himself or herself does not deserve an audience.
  5. The absent but critical commanders. These church members have a lot of opinions about the church and the church’s leadership, most of it critical. But they are rarely involved in ministry or showing their support for the church in tangible ways.
  6. The financial withholding hoard. You know these church members. When things do not go their way, they stop giving to the church. After all. It’s not God’s money; it’s their
  7. The nothing good gossiper. This member is happy to spread news about the church, its leaders, and its members – as long as the news is negative, salacious, or false.
  8. The delegating demanders. Their pattern is consistent. If they have a problem or criticism, they go to someone else to communicate the problem. They then expect the receiver of the message to address the situation.
  9. The “silence-is-golden” groupies. Unfortunately in many churches, these members are often the exception to the 95 percent statement I made above. Too many members, far beyond the five percent problem members, remain silent when they see unfair criticisms, bullying, and other toxic behavior. Their silence is a complicit act of cowardice.

So how do pastors deal with church cowards? First, you pray for them. As difficult as it may seem, you do pray for them. Second, you stay vigilant for these members so you can be aware of what is taking place. Third, you remember you are their pastor. Finally, you focus your emotional energies on the members who really want to make a positive difference for the Kingdom.

Church cowards will always be with you.

It’s up to you, in God’s strength, to determine how you will respond.

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Seven Common Reasons Pastors Get Cold Feet

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Many people have this naïve view that a pastor just has to preach and love people.

Not so. Pastors certainly have to give a priority to preaching and ministry to others, but the pastor’s week is filled with unexpected and multifaceted demands.

Many times pastors need to lead the church in a new endeavor, something that gets the members out of their comfort zone. And sometimes it gets pastors out of their comfort zone.

Relocation. A new ministry. A second campus. New staff and changing staff positions. Purchase of property.

These are but a few examples of leadership challenges some pastors have not seen before. These challenges not only require basic leadership skills, they require leadership skills in often-untested areas.

Change leadership. Financial risk-taking. Breaking of routines. New paradigms.

When pastors face these new challenges, it is not unusual for some to get cold feet. They decide the pain is not worth the potential gain. They get cold feet and settle for the status quo. Why? Here are seven of the most common reasons.

  1. The critics. Major change often engenders major criticisms. Too many leaders will stick with the status quo until their churches are on the path to death. They just want to avoid the critics. Remember, the vote to go to the Promised Land lost 10 to 2. They naysayers yielded to the critics, the whiners, and comfort-seekers.
  2. The energy drainers. These are the people ready to vote no before they hear the motion. They always have a better idea. They want to tell you what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. And they will wear the pastors out . . . if the pastors let them.
  3. Lack of knowledge. Pastors are often placed in positions of leadership and relatively large budgets with no preparation. It’s hard to lead a challenging project if you can’t read a financial statement. And while pastors can find more seasoned laypersons to help them, the pastors’ lack of knowledge can be a showstopper.
  4. Prayerlessness. With God all things are possible. But if pastors have gotten too busy for God, they are too busy to lead forward. Frankly, pastors should have cold feet if they have not prayed about their own leadership and the endeavor they are about to lead.
  5. Short-term view. Pastors who don’t plan to hang around long can have cold feet about leading projects that may have a longer view. I have advised many pastors not to move forward on a major endeavor unless they plan to see it through. So cold feet in this case is probably the right temperature.
  6. Inadequate staff and lay leadership. I get this one. I spoke with a pastor this week who expressed concerned about the leadership around him. He was not sure he would have the right team for a major and visionary endeavor. I urged him to look behind his present team and see if God would raise up some other leaders in the church.
  7. Faith-as-idea. It really sounds exciting to take steps of faith . . . until it’s actually time to take those steps. To continue the Promised Land metaphor from point number one, leaders get to the edge of the Promised Land and freeze in their tracks when they see the challenges (see Numbers 13). Any step of faith will have its challenges. The question is: Is your faith bigger than your fears?

We need an army of church leaders who are bold and courageous. We need the spirit of Joshua 1 instead of Numbers 1. I pray for our pastors. I pray they will truly be the courageous people God has called them to be.

We really need to move forward to our Promised Land.

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