Listen and be Blessed
Prophecy for year 2017 by Pastor E. A Adeboye
Listen to Prophecy for year 2017 by Pastor E. A Adeboye
France Tighten Security After Berlin Christmas Markets Attack
Fears of attacks by Islamist militants are running high in France, where more than 230 people have been killed in assaults in the past two years and emergency rule has been in place for over a year.
France is carrying out “preventive arrests” and checking on deployment of concrete barriers at Christmas markets amid fears of a strike by Islamist militants following Monday’s Berlin attack.
A government spokesman said organisers of Christmas markets had been contacted to verify all security measures, including baggage checks, in the light of Monday’s Berlin attack when a truck careered into a market killing 12 people.
Police spokeswoman Johanna Primevert said soldiers would be posted to ensure security at places of worship, where people tend to flock in larger-than-usual numbers on Dec. 25, one of the big dates of the Christian calendar in a traditionally Roman Catholic country.
‘The Shack’ Movie which depicts God as Woman Provocative To Christian Faith
Christian leaders who have issued warnings about William P. Young’s bestselling novel “The Shack,” which portrays God as a woman and espouses universalistic beliefs, state that if the scheduled national film release is faithful to the text of the book, its distribution could “far outweigh” the harm already done to souls through the printed page.
“If the film is a faithful portrayal of the events and the theology of the book, then every Christian should be gravely alarmed at the further advance of beliefs that smear the evangelical understanding of the truth of the Bible,” James B. DeYoung, author of “Burning Down the Shack: How the ‘Christian’ Bestseller is Deceiving Millions” and an acquaintence of Young, told Christian News Network.
As previously reported, “The Shack,” released in 2007, is stated to have sold approximately 20 million copies and has been translated into 39 languages. In 2013, Lionsgate Entertainment obtained the rights to turn the book into a film, which is now scheduled to be released in March 2017 and is currently being promoted nationwide.
“The Shack” tells the story of a man named Mackenzie “Mack” Phillips who faces a crisis while on a family vacation as his youngest daughter Missy is abducted and presumably killed in an abandoned shack. Years later, the grieving father receives a note from “Papa,” who tells Phillips that it has “been a while” and to meet up at the shack the following weekend.
Reluctantly, Phillips returns to the site, where he meets the Godhead, portrayed as what Young calls a “fat black woman,” a young Asian woman named Sarayu, and a carpenter named Jesus. Together, they seek to help Phillips deal with his faltering faith and to learn to forgive.
The film features Octavia Spencer as “Papa,” who is asked blatantly by Phillips, played by Sam Worthington, “Where were you when I needed you?” Sumire Matsubara plays the Holy Spirit, portrayed in the book as Sarayu.
“Young’s pretentious caricature of God as a heavy set, cushy, non-judgmental, African American woman called ‘Papa’ (who resembles the New Agey Oprah Winfrey far more than the one true God revealed through the Lord Jesus Christ—Hebrews 1:1-3), and his depiction of the Holy Spirit as a frail Asian woman with the Hindu name, Sarayu, lends itself to a dangerous and false image of God and idolatry,” Joe Schimmel, pastor of Blessed Hope Chapel in Simi Valley, California and host of the documentary “Hollywood’s War on God,” told Christian News Network.
Schimmel preached a message at his church entitled “The Shack and the Seduction of the Church,” which he is currently making available as a warning to Christians.
DeYoung says that he knew Young well prior to the book’s release, and personally witnessed Young’s slide into universalism—a belief that everyone will eventually go to Heaven, and that any punishment will only be temporal.
“In 2004, [Young] prepared and released a 103-page document for our M3 Forum in which he rejected his ‘evangelical paradigm’ and embraced universal reconciliation (UR),” he explained. “He has never renounced the particulars of universal reconciliation, [and] he refuses to say that other world religions are in error in their assessment of Jesus as the unique Son of God.”
Schimmel noted that Young has made similar statements in public interviews, denying that God will pour out his wrath on unrepentant sinners, as well as the fact that Christ took God’s wrath as the substitutionary atonement for the wicked.
“Tragically, these heresies are reflected in the aberrant fictional theology presented in The Shack. These are not mere trivial matters but strike at the very heart of God’s character and the gospel that saves our eternal souls,” he said.
Schimmel warned that such depictions, much like the children of Israel who forged a golden calf, create a god in man’s image.
“Jesus warned of a time, after His ascension, that some of His servants would conclude that He was delaying His coming and would also live wicked lives (Luke 12:45). Sadly, as we await our Lord’s return from heaven, many are guilty of fashioning images of God that they find more accommodating to their desires and chosen lifestyles and calling these gods ‘Yahweh,’” he said.
Young encouraged Christians to ask themselves key questions about the film’s content.
“My word to the viewers of the movie ‘The Shack’ is this: If they confess to be Christians, they should pay close attention to the statements made by the actors and ask themselves: Does this theology agree with the Bible and Christian doctrine? Or, is it more in line with the old distortions of the truth that Christians have identified as heresy as early as the Council of Constantinople in 533?” he said. “Contrary to UR, 2,000 years of Church history cannot be wrong.”
God Is Trusting You To Be An Example Of Christ To Your Family – Billy Graham
God has given you the opportunity to be an example of Christ in your family and you must take advantage of such an chance, the Rev. Billy Graham says.Graham, founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said on his “My Answers” column on the organization’s website Tuesday that Christians should consider their relationship with God as a gift that needs to be shared with others, instead of being embarrassed of their faith around non-religious family members.
The 97-year-old evangelical leader writes that Christians should see their faith “not as a burden but as a God-given opportunity — an opportunity He is giving you to influence your family for good.”
It is possible to express your religion to your relatives without coming off as overbearing, negative or self-righteous, Graham adds, as such an approach usually “turns people away from Christ instead of toward Him.”
But it is also possible to show others the effect Christ’s love has had in your life, as it has given you a sense of peace that will shine through in social interactions.
Graham cites John 13:35, which reads: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” as evidence of how Christ’s love can be shared with others.
With these tips in mind, Graham encourages all Christians to pray that God will help them spread His love to their family members.
“Some in your extended family may already love God — and He can use you to encourage them. Some may be seeking God, or wondering what the future holds for them — and He can use you to point them to Jesus. And some may have no interest in Christ or may even scorn you — but God can still use you to plant seeds of faith in their hearts,” the evangelical leader concludes.
Along with evangelizing to your family members, Graham has also spoken on the importance of evangelizing on a global scale, writing in a previous blog post that missionaries “are needed today more than ever.”
“… some countries are now open to the Gospel that were closed only 15 or 20 years ago, and opportunities for evangelism and service in those nations have exploded. In addition, churches in those countries often need training and other skills that only missionaries can supply,” Graham adds.
Chuck Lawless, who serves as professor of evangelism and missions and dean of graduate studies at Southeastern Seminary, said in an op-ed for The Christian Post that there are several reasons as to why Christians might be hesitant to evangelize.
Among the nine reasons he cited, Lawless mentions the fact that the “fear of the unknown” might prevent Christians from evangelizing.
“You’ve probably heard fears expressed: ‘He might not listen to me.’ ‘What if doing this costs me my friend?’ ‘She might ask me questions I can’t answer.’ ‘They might reject what I say.’
“Most of these fears, I believe, are more perceived than real in North American culture, but perception matters,” Lawless writes.
Another reason Christians might avoid evangelism is because they are not frequently surrounded by nonreligious people.
“Many church members are so cocooned in the Church world that they couldn’t list several names of non-believers they know well. If our whole world revolves around hanging out with Christians, we’re not likely to do evangelism,” Lawless says.
Source : Christian Post
Syria Evacuation Plans In Chaos As Gunmen Burn Refugee Buses
Burning buses meant to evacuate ill and injured people from the besieged Syrian villages of al-Foua and Kefraya in Idlib province, Syria.Reuters
Armed men burned five buses that were supposed to be used for an evacuation near Idlib in Syria on Sunday, stalling a deal to allow thousands to depart from the last rebel pocket in Aleppo, where evacuees crammed into buses for hours before departing the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said the evacuation of the villages near Idlib had been postponed as a result of the incident. Five buses leaving Aleppo were held, packed with evacuees, for hours before they could drive the five km (three miles) to rebel-held territory outside.
In return for the evacuation of fighters, their families and other civilians from Aleppo, the mostly Sunni insurgents had agreed that people in the villages of al-Foua and Kefraya, Shi’ite villages that they have besieged near Idlib, should also be allowed to leave.
Videos posted on social media showed bearded men with guns cheering and shouting “God is great” after torching the green buses before they were able to reach the villages.
State media said “armed terrorists”, a term it uses for all groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad, had carried out the attack. Pro-Damascus Mayadeen television and the Observatory blamed the rebel group formerly known as the Nusra Front.
Rebel officials said an angry crowd of people, possibly alongside pro-government “operatives”, was responsible.
Although the Aleppo evacuation convoy was eventually cleared to drive to rebel-held al-Rashideen, there was no official word on what impact the bus burning would have on the departure of more convoys from the city and the two villages.
While the Observatory said the convoy of five buses had reached al-Rashideen, a United Nations official in Syria said only that they had left east Aleppo, adding: “The evacuations are on.” … read more
Transgender Bathroom Compromise in NC: Charlotte Repeals Ordinance, Legislature Repeals HB2
A compromise has been reached in North Carolina’s battles over transgender bathroom use. The city of Charlotte will repeal its controversial ordinance and the state government will repeal the law passed in reaction to that ordinance.
North Carolina’s controversial law that requires transgender individuals to use state-operated bathrooms consistent with their biological sex will likely be repealed in a special session of the state’s legislature on Tuesday.
On Monday, North Carolina’s Republican Gov. Pat McCrory called for the state’s lawmakers to convene a special session so they can officially repeal the highly controversial H.B. 2, a law that prevents local governments from requiring businesses and other places of public accommodation to allow transgender individuals to use bathrooms consistent with their gender identity.
H.B. 2 was originally passed in response to a discrimination ordinance enacted by the Charlotte City Council that forced all businesses in Charlotte to open up their bathrooms and other changing areas to transgender individuals — a measure that opponents argued would make it easier for sexual predators to gain access to women’s and girl’s bathrooms.
McCrory and the state lawmakers received national criticism from left-leaning media, corporations and celebrities who pushed back against H.B. 2 and claimed that the law was discriminatory and politicized bathroom usage.
But after the Charlotte City Council voted unanimously on Monday to repeal its discrimination ordinance, McCrory’s press secretary, Graham Wilson, issued a statement calling for the repeal of H.B. 2.
“Now that the Charlotte ordinance has been repealed, the expectation of privacy in our showers, bathrooms and locker rooms is restored and protected under previous state law,” Wilson said. “Governor McCrory has always publicly advocated a repeal of the overreaching Charlotte ordinance. But those efforts were always blocked by [Charlotte Mayor] Jennifer Roberts, [Attorney General and Governor-elect] Roy Cooper and other Democratic activists.” … Read More
Swedish Church Set To Drop Thousands Of Bibles Using Drones In ISIS-controlled Iraq.
A major evangelical free church in Sweden is preparing to use drones to drop thousands of Bibles into areas of Iraq controlled by Islamic State.
The Livets Ord (Word of Life) church in Uppsala in the north of Sweden has said it will use drones flying at high altitude to release thousands of small, electronic Bibles into Iraq.
“The Bibles are the size of pill boxes and have a display. They require no electricity, but work on their own,” the church’s mission director Christian Åkerhielm told Swedish broadcaster SVT, according to the newspaper The Local.
“Our ambition is to pass on the hope and love of the Christian gospel to a population living in closed areas where they are being denied human rights,” the Livets Ord said on its Swedish homepage.
The church said that another organisation in the area would be carrying out the operation, but did not name the other group. “We start our project in a few weeks and hope to drop thousands of bibles,” it said.
A representative of the church confirmed to Christian Today that the plan will go ahead.
Livets Ord is the leading charismatic church in Sweden, and seen as in line with the Pentecostal movement in the US. It was founded in the 1980s, and is often criticised in secular Swedish society for being like a “cult”. It runs a series of evangelical schools for children. The current leader of the Christian Democrat party, Ebba Busch Thor, who is from Uppsala, attended one until she turned 16. Another criticism levelled in the Swedish press has been that the church has made donations to Israel that have gone towards building illegal settlements in the West Bank.
The church’s founders, Ulf and Birgitta Ekman, leftin 2014 to convert to Catholicism.
The church says on its website: “We believe in an unfailing and never-ending love, given to us by God. And together we try to spread that love to as many people as possible. Both globally and closer to where our home is, here in Uppsala.”
Why I Am Going Back To Nigeria – Sunday Adelaja
Nigerian-born Ukraine MegaChurch Pastor Sunday Adelaja says he is going back to his home country, Nigeria.
The Embassy of God Church, Kiev Ukraine, founder, spoke exclusively with naijachurchnews on the planned relocation to his country of birth. Excerpts:
Is it true you plan to relocate to Africa?
Yes, in 2015 I had a two- week solitude with God at which God specifically gave me instructions to go back to Africa, including what he wants me to do there. There have since been several confirmations of the revelation.
Why the relocation and what part of Africa are you coming to?
The destination is Nigeria to be specific. I have a 25- point instruction on what I’m coming to do. It’s not about religious or church ministry. But it’s more on the transformation of Nigeria in all spheres of life
How soon will this materialise?
I’ll simply follow the Lord’s direction and guidance. Besides, I have a 30 year experience in Europe and ministry all over the world that will go a long way to help me fulfill the task ahead in Nigeria
Russian Union of Christians Evangelical Faith alleged you confessed to having adulterous affairs with at least 20 women in your church. How true is this?
I never once was invited to a meeting with any Russian Union of churches. Neither did I ever spoke to them either by telephone or any other way. So there is no way I could confess to people I never spoke to or met
See Biography Of Pastor Paul Adefarasin
Your spiritual father, Apostle Toff Ulissis, also attested to this allegation, stating you need “psychiatric help”. What is your reaction to this?
Apostle Tuff is not my spiritual father but I had a relationship with him. But I actually was saved under W.F Kumuyi. Besides, even this Apostle Tuff denies ever making any such statements to the press or any media house
You hinted the allegation was an old fabrication cooked by disgruntled leaders in your church over power tussle. Let us in into what really transpired?
We have over 40 churches in the capital of Ukraine Kiev, about 400 other churches in the country, plus over a 1000 churches worldwide. When I got the revelation about moving to Africa I wanted to totally go and leave a local leadership of the entire ministry while I go back to Africa to start all afresh.
List Of Books Written By Pastor Sunday Adelaja
My thought was that I’ll be so busy with the enormous task of Nigeria transformation that I won’t have the time to be managing the church in Ukraine. That is when all hell broke loose. As usual some wanted the buildings; others wanted the budget while some wanted the crowd. The rest is history…
The allegation has raised global concern and uproar. What will you tell those who still believe in you and look up to you?
As ministers we don’t defend ourselves. We all have the God who called us and who is our only defense so at the end of the day the only thing that matters is that God is pleased and happy with you. If He is on your side, you are in the majority. If on the other hand people are on your side, but God isn’t then you are in trouble. We are not movie or sports stars that need a fan base. We on the other hand only have one audience; we are actors performing to only please the Master. When the Master is pleased, he will even reconcile your enemies with you.
We’re So Unashamed, We Wrote a Book on It. Three of Them, Actually
What happens to the church in Ukraine if you leave?
That is the more reason why I’m actually happy all the rebellion happened. Thanks to it I was able to clean house. So we are establishing a new structure in the church now. Top of which is that I must remain the senior pastor of the church even when I’m in Africa. That is a major point of stability moving forward.
There are insinuations that the Nigerian media latched on to the story because some powerful forces in the Christian community are desperate to dent your image ahead of your relocation. Are you aware of this and what will you say to that?
It could be especially since I’m a straightforward person, a frank person who shares his opinions openly anywhere, anytime. In short I’m a straight taker. No doubt many people might not like my style. Others might have been outright incensed and offended by me or some of my past publications.
I guess they have the right to react anyway they see right in their eyes. We are all living in a free society so I don’t mind if any of them is a part to this. On the other hand I too have the right to freely express my opinion on the issues going on in my fatherland
Can you recall your past struggles with sexual addictions and how you overcame?
Oh yes, like every man I too had hand my own share of sexual struggles, to which I publicly attest to in my publications. I wrote a book on the subject allied “Living Sexually Free” and recently I posted an article on 20 ways to overcome masturbation on my blog, www.sundayadelajablog.com so anyone interested in more details of my journey on this matter could consult those sources
In one of your popular series, Ask Pastor Sunday, you hinted that a Christian cannot commit adultery. Can you clarify this?
I never said such a thing. Of course both Christians and non Christians can commit adultery, or fornication. What I was saying in that particular program mentioned is that Christians shouldn’t be sin conscious, they need to be more conscious about their relationship with God rather than be thinking only about one sin or the other from morning till evening.
students who were concerned about such topic. The whole gist is be more particular about your personal relationship with God, that’s you are particular about sin, whatever it’s called
Is this allegation not taking a toll on your wife and children?
Not at all, that is the easy part. They know me. Secondly, they know the truth. There is a saying that you should never explain yourself because those who know you don’t need it, they know and love you anyway. Those who don’t know nor love you, you’ll never be able to convince at any rate. So the conclusion is to simply walk before God and let your conscience be clean before him
Why are you always reeling from one allegation to the other?
There is no person who is in the limelight that is not being accused of one thing or the other on regular basis. If you want to be nothing, do nothing. Maybe then people won’t accuse you of anything. Look at any popular person in Nigeria or the world, from President Obama to Buhari all of them are being accused regularly of one thing or the other.
Controversy is the fuel of popularity. So better get used to it. Even Jesus could not escape this law of nature. If he couldn’t avoid it, how can I avoid it? Better to start enjoying it!!!
