You Can Stand Out – Open Heavens for Teens 9 May 2019

Topic: You Can Stand Out [Open Heavens for Teens 9 May 2019]

Memorise: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” – James 1:14

Read: Romans 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Bible In One Year: 1 Kings 19-20, John 2

MESSAGE:

The world we are in is very immoral. However, this does not give any child of God the liberty to live below the standard of Christ. In His letter to the church in Sardis, after stating their terrible state, God said that there were a few of them who were undefiled and would walk with Him in white on the last day.

“Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.” – Revelation 3:4.

As horrible as Sardis was, there were a few people who held on to their faith in Christ. One revelation you need to hold on to from this is that your faith in Christ can triumph even in the most sinful environments. No matter the temptations or levels of corruption around you, no matter the pressure you are faced with, if you hold on to your faith in Christ, you will be a victor. Your watch word should be “others can, but I cannot”. You can be different. You can stand out for God. Be determined, and you will be undefiled.

Key Point: Don’t give up on your faith, God is counting on you as a worthy example to others. Stay in Christ!

Also Read: Teen Open Heaven Daily Devotional by Pastor Adeboye

Hymn 11:

  1. Stand up! Stand up for Jesus,
    Ye soldiers of the Cross!
    Lift high His royal banner,
    It must not suffer loss.
    From victory unto victory
    His army shall He lead,
    Till every foe is vanquished,
    And Christ is Lord indeed.
  2. Stand up, stand up for Jesus,
    The solemn watchword hear;
    If while ye sleep he suffers,
    Away with shame and fear.
    Where’re yeah meet with evil,
    Within you or without,
    Charge for the God of battles,
    And put the foe to rout.
  3. Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
    Stand in His strength alone;
    The arm of flesh will fail you,
    Ye dare not trust your own.
    Put on the gospel armour,
    And watching unto prayer;
    Where duty calls, or danger,
    Be never wanting there.
  4. Stand up! Stand up for Jesus!
    The strife will not be long;
    This day the noise of battle,
    The next the victor’s song.
    To him that overcometh
    A crown of life shall be;
    He with the King of glory
    Shall reign eternally.

Daily Devotional for Teen’s 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.

The post You Can Stand Out – Open Heavens for Teens 9 May 2019 appeared first on Flatimes.

Open Heaven 9 May 2019 – Prosperous Through Wickedness

Open Heaven 9 May 2019 Thursday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Prosperous Through Wickedness

Click HERE for Previous Open Heaven Devotional

Topic: Prosperous Through Wickedness (Open Heaven 9 May 2019)

Memorise: “The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.”- Proverbs 14:11

Read: Proverbs 1:24-33 (KJV)

24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

25 But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:

26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh;

27 When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.

28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me:

29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:

30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.

32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.

Bible in One Year: Exodus 11-12, Jeremiah 32:16-25

Open Heaven 9 May 2019 Thursday MESSAGE:

Today, the Holy Spirit is asking you if your prosperity is built on wickedness. As today’s memory verse says, it is dangerous to prosper through wickedness. One of my sons was delivered from being hooked by evil prosperity when he was offered a huge amount of money to defraud his organization. He refused to be part of the deal because he knew the spiritual implication of being unequally yoked with the wicked (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). The love of wealth makes a lot of people ignore God’s counsel, with devastating consequences. Such wealth will eventually grow wings and fly away. Proverbs 13:22 says that a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous. In other words, if you manage to gather wealth by stealing, lying or other acts of wickedness, the Lord is saying that He will take that wealth from you and give it to the righteous. Are you tempted to gather wealth through acts of wickedness or enjoying wealth obtained through sin? God is saying to you today that He is willing to prosper you, but you have to repent from your life of sin.

There was once a famous surgeon who was very wicked. He used to charge his patients very high fees and was living off the misfortune of others. He eventually became very rich with many houses all over the place. However, he himself fell sick, and all the money he made through wickedness was spent to help him, but to no avail. He eventually died. Years ago, I went to the University of Ibadan, and after my ministration, my car won’t start. It was discovered that water had mixed with fuel in my car. The fuel tank had to be removed in order to separate this water from the fuel. After this was done, the car started working again. Likewise, for you to prosper, you must get rid of all ungodly elements in your business and work. Zacchaeus was wise enough to know that all the ill-gone wealth at his disposal must be gotten rid of. He said to the Lord in Luke 19:8b:

“Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

There was a very wealthy man in a city in South-western Nigeria who had a lot of houses but could not sleep well in any of them. He came for prayers, offering to give us all his houses if only he could begin to sleep well. Of course, we rejected his gift. Beloved, it is indeed foolhardy to “prosper” through wickedness. If you have accumulated riches through fraudulent and bloody means, repent today. Jesus Christ will forgive you and give you grace to restitute your ways like he did for Zacchaeus. If you know these things and do them, it shall be well with you.

Open Heaven 9 May 2019 Thursday Action Point:

Prayerfully restitute any wealth you acquired through falsehood immediately.

Also Read: Open Heaven 8 May 2019 – Preach The Word II

Open Heaven 9 May 2019 Thursday Hymn 5: Let Others See Jesus In You

1 While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Chorus:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2 Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

3 Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

Open Heaven 9 May 2019 Thursday 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. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC. Open Heaven 9 May 2019 Thursday Daily Devotional.

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

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Boko Haram Terrorist Group Kidnaps Pastor, Several Church Members Delivering Aid

Boko Haram Terrorist Group Kidnaps Pastor, Several Church Members Delivering Aid



A pastor, Christian relief worker and members of Living Faith Church have been kidnapped by alleged members of Boko Haram two weeks ago in Borno State. 


Abraham Amuta, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, and Pastor Oyeleke of Living Faith Church were among the people kidnapped. The group was traveling from Maiduguri to Chibok to give supplies to displaced people in the region when they were attacked.


Rabiu Aminu, the Borno State Coordinator for NYSC, explained to the Christian Post that all corps members must receive approval from their employer and a zone inspector before traveling. Amuta, however, did not.


Amuta’s housemate, Success Ezeanya, told Punch, “[Abraham] is a very strong guy; the guy has guts.”


The police are working to find the group. “We visited the Church, and the Commissioner of Police called us on Friday over the incident and assured us of their total support to address the situation,” Aminu stated.


The church told Ezeanya that Boko Haram has demanded a ransom of about $55,000.


According to Christian Post, it’s unclear how many church members were kidnapped. The Punch reports three other members. 


Located north east of Nigeria, Borno State is the original home of Boko Haram. The terrorist group began in its capital in 2002. In 2014, Boko Haram militants kidnapped over 250 teenage girls from a boarding…

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

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Evangelical Russians Suffer Most from Law Restricting Religious Freedom

Evangelical Russians Suffer Most from Law Restricting Religious Freedom



Religious persecution has grown in Russia since the country’s ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017 with Russian Evangelicals feeling the pressure. Last year, over 100 Russian individuals and 50 organizations were prosecuted for any type of religious activity. 


“Believers don’t understand what they can and can’t do,” lawyer Mikhail Frolov told Forum 18, a news service covering religious freedom in Russia and surrounding countries. “Because of heavy fines, they don’t want to take the risk and therefore significantly reduce their activity, especially in public.” 


According to Christianity Today, Russian officials have interrupted worship services, charged pastors for hanging signs with church meeting times, and punished Baptists at a bus stop for discussing their faith. 


In 2016, Putin signed the Yarovaya laws, intended to prevent terrorism that also set tight restrictions on religious freedoms. Any person or organization accused of “missionary activity” can be prosecuted. Though the law strictly forbids “missionary activity”, officials are prosecuting any religious activity, including prayer meetings and church services. 


“There are potentially very wide-sweeping ramifications to this law,” Joel Griffith of the Slavic Gospel Association said in a Mission Network News report when the law was first introduced. “It just depends on,…

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

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‘Bring Your Camera’: Abby Johnson, Pro-Lifers to Rally at Bully Rep.’s Planned Parenthood

‘Bring Your Camera’: Abby Johnson, Pro-Lifers to Rally at Bully Rep.’s Planned Parenthood



A video showing a Democratic state representative harassing an elderly woman outside a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic has sparked a backlash from pro-life leaders, who have scheduled a protest Friday outside the same clinic.


The “Pro-Life Rally Against Bullying” will include some of the top pro-life voices in the country, including Live Action’s Lila Rose, author and activist Abby Johnson, and conservative writer Matt Walsh. 


Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Sims, a Democrat, posted a video last week of himself harassing a peaceful pro-life woman he labeled an “old white lady.” Sims threatened to find her address and also told her she had no “moral right” to be there. She stood silent and clinched her rosary beads as he continuously circled her.


The rally, organized by Live Action and other pro-life groups, will take place 11 a.m. Eastern Friday in front of the Planned Parenthood at 1144 Locust Street in Philadelphia. 


“This is a peaceful, winsome demonstration of brotherly love to sidewalk counselors, women, and Rep. Brian Sims,” Live Action announced. “We hope more lives are saved. Changed minds save lives.”


Walsh said the rally “came together quickly.” 


“We invite @BrianSimsPA to come with his camera!” Walsh wrote.

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

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POW’s WWII Bible Must Be Removed from Veterans Display, Suit Demands

POW’s WWII Bible Must Be Removed from Veterans Display, Suit Demands



A civil rights group filed suit Tuesday seeking the removal of a historic World War II Bible from a public display case at a veterans hospital, saying it violates the constitutional prohibition on government establishment of religion.


The Bible at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Manchester, N.H., is part of a POW/MIA display that honors those who have been imprisoned or never were found. The Bible sits atop a table with a plate, drinking glass, candle, flower, American flag and salt shaker. An empty chair also is part of the display.


The Bible is protected behind a locked plexiglass box. It was donated by Herman “Herk” Streitburger of Bedford, N.H., who was held in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II. He was a U.S. Army Air Corps technical sergeant.


“We would all be outraged if the MVAMC only provided care to Christians, or denied care to non-believers, or those who worship their God in other ways,” the federal suit says. “The placement of a Christian Bible on this sacred table is just as objectionable.”


It was filed on behalf of James Chamberlain, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force who receives treatment at the facility. He is a member of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Barrington, N.H. 


“Despite his strong personal religious beliefs, he believes that the Christian Bible has no place being displayed on…

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

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‘She Is Free Now’: Asia Bibi Makes it to Canada, Is Finally Reunited with Her Family

‘She Is Free Now’: Asia Bibi Makes it to Canada, Is Finally Reunited with Her Family



After being on death row for eight years and protective custody for another, Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi has made it out of Pakistan.


According to Fox News, Bibi flew out of Pakistan under a veil of secrecy on Tuesday and made her way to Canada where she later reunited with her family. 


As Christian Headlines previously reported, Bibi was arrested in 2009 and was put on death row after being accused of blaspheming the Islamic prophet Muhammed in an argument with several Muslim women. 


Bibi denied the claims, but was sentenced to hanging, nonetheless. 


According to The Christian Post, insulting Islam or the prophet Muhammad in Pakistan is considered blasphemy and is a crime punishable by life in prison or death. The Christian Post notes that the law is frequently abused to target religious minorities.


After Bibi was acquitted in October 2018, she was released from imprisonment, but kept under protective custody since she was denied the ability to leave Pakistan and numerous threats were made on her life. Angry that she had been acquitted, Pakistani Muslim radicals blocked off streets in Pakistan and called for Bibi’s execution as well as for the murder of the Supreme Court justices who approved her release.


Despite this, the 54-year-old mother of five held on to hope and now, she has finally been reunited with her family.


Bibi’s lawyer…

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

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Bishop of London and Sadiq Khan host interfaith Ramadan event at St Paul’s Cathedral

Bishop of London Rt Rev Sarah Mullally and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan welcomed a host of young people from different religions ahead of an Iftar where Muslims break their fast.

Speaking to Premier at the event, Mr Khan said: “I want to pay huge tribute to the Bishop of London and everyone at St Paul’s Cathedral for opening up this really special cathedral and spiritual home of many Londoners.

 

“As a city, we don’t just tolerate difference, but we respect it, celebrate it and we embrace it.”

“Those of us that believe in pluaralism and believe the fact that we have more in common than that which divides us and separates us.

“The message from London is that we are going to put down bridges rather than build walls.”

The Naz Legacy Foundation in partnership with The Randeree Charitable Foundation and Pears Foundation presented the annual cross faith event.

Over one hundred young Londoners from different faiths, or none, come together to discuss their faith and how to bring different communities in London together within a spirit of community, unity and public service.

Each year it is held in a different religious location across London and this year for the first time it was at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Both Sarah Mullally and Sadiq Khan gave an address before speaking with the young people to discuss their faiths and experiences they have faced.

Afterwards, the young leaders…

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China Edits Pastor’s Sermon, Deletes ‘God Made Heaven and Earth’

China Edits Pastor’s Sermon, Deletes ‘God Made Heaven and Earth’



Chinese government officials within the past year have closed churches, removed crosses, buried Bibles and beaten Christians. 


Now, they’re apparently editing the Bible out of sermons, too.


A pastor in Shangqiu city in Henan province told Bitter Winter that local communist officials told him to delete a theological statement from his sermon – “God made heaven and earth, and created everything” – and to include more Chinese traditions and beliefs.


The pastor leads a government-registered Three-Self Protestant church and had sent his sermon to local authorities for approval. 


“The censorship of sermons is a common occurrence in today’s China,” Bitter Winter’s Xin Lu wrote. Bitter Winter is a religious liberty watchdog that monitors human rights violations within China. 


Three-Self pastors are required to “submit for authorities’ review everything they plan to say to their congregations.” It’s one of the reasons millions of Chinese Christians worship in illegal unregistered churches. 


The Shangqui city pastor was chastised and told the Bible quotes in his sermon should include “Chinese interpretations.” The sermon also should examine Scripture within the context of Chinese culture, officials told him.


“We’re in a very difficult position now,” the preacher told Bitter Winter. “By making us write these ‘sinicized’…

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Theresa May asked why Asia Bibi wasn’t offered asylum in UK

Asia Bibi, a Catholic Pakistani woman, was acquitted of a charge of blasphemy agaisnt Islam last October but was not able to leave the country until this week because the fear of her being killed by Islamist extremists who disagreed with her appeal against the death sentence being granted.

Rehman Chisti, the Conservative MP for Gillingham and Rainham in Kent, quit his role as Vice Chairman of the Conservative party and Trade Envoy to Pakistan last November partly because of the UK’s response to Asia Bibi’s case, which he considered morally disappointing.

During Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions, Chisti said: “I know the Prime Minister will welcome the news that Asia Bibi, who was persecuted for her faith, is on her way to Canada, who have offered her sanctuary. Can I ask this question to the Prime Minister, and I think everyone wants to know this answer from the Prime Minister, why is it that Canada offered sanctuary to her and the United Kingdom did not offer sanctuary in the United Kingdom, and that future such cases of religious freedom will be looked at differently by the United Kingdom?”

Theresa May replied to the House: “Can I join my own honourable friend in welcoming the reports that Asia Bibi has been able to travel freely and is now able to make decisions about her own future. Our concern was always the safety and security of Asia Bibi.

“We were in close contact with the Government of Pakistan but a range of international partners who were…

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