Saturday 3 February 2018

Terrorists Kill Eight Christians in Central Nigeria

Muslim Herdsmen, Terrorists Kill Eight Christians in Central Nigeria


Violence attacks on villages in north-central Nigeria that killed eight Christians during the past two weeks were executed by Muslim Fulani herdsmen aided by terrorists from Islamic extremist groups, a local pastor said.

The Rev. Sunday Gado Biri told reporters that the assailants also torched 50 homes owned by Christians, including his very own, and his church building was partly burnt in the attacks on Zanwra, a suburb of Jebu-Miango close to the city of Jos, Plateau state. 

“A critical view these attacks have demonstrated that it's not just the herdsmen that are attacking Christian communities, as there are terrorists working together with them to execute these attacks,” said the 54-year-old pastor of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Zanwra.

He appealed to the Nigerian government to bring to an end unabated attacks on Christian communities.

“It is regrettable that the soldiers brought here are not taking critical measures against the herdsmen,” he said. “When the herdsmen were burning up the houses, the soldiers could not stop them. Regardless of this, I still want to appeal to the Nigerian government that it should stop these killings.”

In attacks on Zanwra village between Jan. 22 and Jan. 25, the eight Christians died in four ambushes on several days, even though the houses were damaged in two distinct attacks.

Pastor Biri said one of his church elders, 60-year-old James Nengwe, was slain the night of Jan. 24 as he tried to escape.

“He was on his way to the military camp almost two kilometres from his house when he was ambushed, shot and killed by the herdsmen,” the pastor said. “In fact, he was only a few hundred meters from the military camp. He chose to take refuge at the military base camp when he saw the herdsmen destroying and burning up houses close to his house.”

Zanwra resident Moses Chohu confirmed that armed herdsmen shot Nengwe to death as he fled for security.

“A Christian community leader, the ward head of Zanwra, Nengwe, was ambushed and shot to death near a military base camp by armed herdsmen as he tried escaping to the military camp,” Chohu told Morning Star News. “Houses in Zanwra village were being burned by the herdsmen when they ambushed Nengwe and killed him.”

Pastor Biri said the attacks have reduced the number of people attending his church services.

“Some of our members have been displaced, and church attendance has drastically dropped,” he said. “Prior to these attacks, church attendance was at about 400 worshippers, but at the moment we hardly have about 200 worshippers during services on Sundays.”

Nigeria ranked 14th on Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.

The pastor said Nengwe has family members and was devoted to the church.

“When the attack on our villages started we constituted a committee to support Internally Displaced Persons,” he said. “Baba James was a member of this committee. Lately, there was an attack on this community by herdsmen, and five houses owned by some people in my church were burnt down by the herdsmen. Because of this, we constituted the committee on the IDPs.”

Another Zanwra resident, Patience Moses, 30, told reporters that on Jan. 25, a day after killing village head Nengwe, the assailants attacked again at about 7 p.m.

“All houses surrounding the DTV area [near Zanwra] to the ECWA Church, Zanwra, were burnt down,” she said. “The house of the pastor of ECWA church, Rev. Sunday Biri, was burned down, even though the church itself was partly burned. Soldiers that were attempting push away the attackers ran out of bullets, and so the attackers prevailed in burning down houses.”

A mini-van carrying persons from Jos to Kwall was ambushed near the ECWA church, Zanwra, and “the driver, the conductor, and one other Christian” were killed and about 20 others injured, Moses said. Police identified two of the Christians killed in the ambush as Danlami of Kwal District and Emmanuel Audu of Jebbu-Miango.

Around 50 houses belonging to Christians were burned, Moses said, including those of Pastor Biri; Dauda Babuje; Jonathan Davou; John Huyep; Danladi Sunday; Sunday Ragwa; Yakubu A.A.; Morris Ragwa; Joro Sunday; Adamu Hunye; Timothy Audu; Audu Hunye; David Saku; Luka Adamu; Infor Aji; Demi Sunday; Damjuma Gah, and two identified only as Maley and Monday.

In the DTV area near Zanwra, the houses of the following Christians were burned down by the herdsmen, she said: Joshua Audu; Saku Leh; Musa Akwa; Paseh; Audu; Shehu Audu; Danlami Gyah; Monday Njwe; Friday Monday; Igya Danlami; Monday Gyah; Uwah Audu; Gbah Gyah; Kuku Gbah; Adeh Njweh; Jonathan Ndeh; Musa Njweh; Ishon Njwe; Yakubu Njweh; Ishaya Barry; Fidelis Barry; Monday Ishaya; Musa Dahro; Christopher Musa; Joshua Musa; Guba Bitrus; and Friday Saku.

Zanwra resident Chohu said attacks on Christian communities in the area began on Jan. 14 when three Christians from Kimakpa village went to Maiyanga village, and herdsmen attacked them as they were returning to Kimakpa at about 6 p.m.

“One of them was killed, the second was injured, while the third escaped unhurt,” Chohu said. Their names were not readily available.

On Jan. 22 three Christians from Kpachudu and Kwall villages who had gone to a mining camp at Telma village were returning at about 6 p.m. when Muslim Fulani herdsmen ambushed them at Chuvo-Kpara village, Chohu said. The three died in the attack, with the herdsmen chopping off the head of one of them and taking it with them.

“On Jan. 24, at about 7:50 p.m., just about an hour after the ward head was murdered by the herdsmen, they also set afire four houses in Alleh village near Zanwra,” he said. “The houses burnt were those of Christians Dauda Ahmadu, Musa Nengwe, Danjuma David and SundayNengwe.”

The ward head, Nengwe, was buried on Jan. 25 at about 10 a.m. in a funeral witnessed by a Morning Star News correspondent, and by the evening of the same day, the herdsmen invaded Zanwra village anew, burning more houses of Christians and displacing many of them.

Zanwra residents identified two of the dead as Emmanuel Audu and Danlami.

Matthias Tyopev, the spokesman for the Plateau State Police Command, said in a press statement that three people were killed in the Jan. 24 attacks.

“Three people were killed and burned by the armed men,” he said. “Eight others sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries. About 20 housing units were also set ablaze. An investigation is ongoing to unravel the remote and immediate causes of these attacks.”

Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Muslims living primarily in the north and middle belt account for 45 percent.



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Knowledge and Love

Knowledge and Love: A Sermon on 1 Corinthians 1:8-13


As you experience the length and width, the height and depth of God’s love for you, may your knowledge be tempered by the love that God creates in your life, as you live your life through Him


Given a choice...which will you choose for those you love?


There is a cute picture floating around the internet, of one of these.

It says above it, “it doesn’t matter how old or mean you are, when w toddler hands you one of these and say’s ‘it’s for you’, you take it and start talking into it.”

I think that is pretty much true, and I am tempted to try it on some of you afterwards.

It’s because we care for our children, or grandchildren, or nephews or nieces or students. Or in the case of the teachers, our students. We love them, and they can melt the hardest heart.

So I want to think of that kid, who could get you to answer one of these.  Close your eyes, picture them in your mind and answer this question.

If you could choose what would be said about them at the end of their lives, would you desire it to be said they were geniuses, or that they loved and cared for the people around them and made a difference in their lives?

Not a difficult decision, or at least I would hope that it wouldn’t it be!

And in our gospel reading this morning, this is what the apostle Paul is talking about. And it is what we are talking about this morning, Knowledge and love.

Importance versus building up the community?


If I may, I would like to use a personal example.  When I was younger, there was this game called trivial pursuit.  Some of you may be familiar with it.

I loved it!  And I was…. pretty good at it.  Enough so that I usually won and proved the apostle Paul correct when he said, knowledge makes us feel important.  Some translations phrase it a little differently.  Knowledge puffs us up talking about our egos, and our minds.  And then one day, I looked at the name of the game again…

Trivial Pursuit.  What I was doing was chasing after what was trivial, what was meaningless.  And in the end, about all odd bits of knowledge were good for was putting little pieces of plastic inside another piece of plastic and annoying some friends.

While there is a lot of knowledge that isn’t trivial, there are enough examples of people who think they are more important than others because they have the knowledge given to them.  I won’t list the occupations, but I bet you are thinking of one or two professions that act that way.  Or you see yourself in this.

That is why Paul will say in chapter 13 if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-2

Instead of focusing on knowledge, Paul tells us it is love that builds the house, in this translation, it translates the house as a church.  But the concept works the same in the church, in the home, or in the community we call home.

In each, in our homes, in our church, in our community, it is love is what binds us together, it is love that makes that bond strong and causes us to grow as a family.

The challenge is loving others the way we love the kid handing us the phone.

In the example Paul uses, he talks about how this love changes us, using the example of food offered to idols.

For him, with all the knowledge of one who was a leading Jewish theologian and became the greatest of Christian pastor-theologians, the idea of food offered to idols was silly.

The idols were carved pieces of wood or rock, metal fashioned to look like how man imagined God to be. And because there was no inherent power in them, because they weren’t gods, eating the food someone else dedicated to them was of no great importance.

But it was of great importance to those who didn’t know different.  They saw the world as a cosmic battle between these false gods and the One True God who came to us, love us and died for us.

And while knowledge would say debate with them and show them the truth, love said that we needed to remember they weren’t ready for to hear that; be patient.  Winning the argument isn’t worth driving them from Jesus. We can go without being proved right in the small stuff, we can even go without that piece of bacon wrapped shrimp or stuffed pork chops rather than cause them to stumble and do what they thought was wrong.

It’s not worth the fight, it’s not worth the debate.  Such debates can destroy faith, but love puts it in the correct priority… and eventually, love will straighten it all out.

How it happens


But how do we love others, especially when we some people are just darn difficult to love?  And how do we teach our children, grandchildren, students and other children we come into contact with to love like Jesus loved us?

The answer on how to love like that, how to make a difference in someone else’s life isn’t found in some instruction manual, it isn’t found in a series of podcasts or videos.

It is found in knowing that we are God, as Paul said,

There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live.

And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live.

It is found in living for and in God that we find the love that changes us.  It forgives and removes our sin, and makes us holy, set apart to love God, to love His people.  It is something that is realized more than learned, something that we spend our life growing in, and as He changes us, we love, even those others see as unlovable.

For that is what knowing God’s love does, it changes us, and it gives us hope in the middle of what seems a lost and broken world.  That is why we are here, and why we have a place for kids, who will hand us a phone, and learn from us how to love.  As we learn it from God our Father.  AMEN!



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Saturday 27 January 2018

When Pastor is building personal kingdom instead of Christ’s kingdom

Some Signals that your Pastor is Establishing His Personal Kingdom



The term pastor comes from a Latin word indicates “shepherd.” In Ephesians 4:1, Paul identifies shepherding “pastors” as a single functionality in the Church alongside teaching, missionary work, evangelism and prophecy. The significance of this role can be viewed through the importance that Jesus placed on it in John 21:15-17 where Jesus charges Peter to feed and tend to His sheep. How is a pastor required to feed and tend to the flock of God? He does this when he is capable watch over and teaches the flock the Word of God (1 Timothy 3:1-2), To develop the flock into readiness and maturity.

Additionally, he carries a responsibility to safeguard the doctrine of the church. Retaining the integrity of the Gospel is considered among the pastor’s greatest callings. Several pastors obtain the title “overseer” as a general command to have their hand in all the things as well as the command to rule the church may well come to extremes too. What are examples of the signals your pastor is establishing his personal kingdom instead of Christ’s kingdom? Listed below are few indicators.



If Pastor Doesn’t Delegate or Assign 

A considerable warning sign that your pastor is creating their personal kingdom happens when he starts to do everything, declining to delegate and assign just about anything. If this occurs, your pastor has excessively control which is no more centred on Christ’s kingdom as well as the role of the church. The gifts of the many people in the church need to be useful to the ministry of the church. Every member of the church needs to be permitted to minister within their unique place in the body. One person can’t do it all.


When the Pastor is the Focus and attention, Not Jesus

Here is one of the truthful threat for pastors. Any time a ministry starts to grow and develops larger in capacity, there exists a real danger of the fact that pastor begins building his personal kingdom rather than the Kingdom of God. Ultimately that gradually, as time passes and practically undetected, the pastor turns into the core of attention and Jesus is swapped on the altar by the man. Without a doubt; this kingdom never will last since it is of man. It may well flourish for a while, however the same is true of a flower after which it’s all gone.


When the Pastor is Surrounded by "Yes Men"

This is often a relatively substantial warning sign and may have very unfavourable ramifications. “Yes men” is the term for those people who only say yes or agree with everything that is made available to them. When a leader desires to achieve success, they need to be prepared to say “no” to “yes men.” The challenge with yes men and people not wanting to differ, lead-up or question their leader is allowing their leader at risk of accepting things as they are. It’s necessary for leaders to develop an atmosphere where people will be open and sincere. In case your pastor isn’t performing this, you ought to be worried.


When the Pastor Overrules the church Board

What if your pastor a loosened cannon? Should they, this will be a wake-up call that possibly they are too controlling and get their eyes focused on a different kingdom. A pastor must not hold the church chequebook in their control. The church deacon or treasurer ought to be in possession of it and need no less than two signatories, and none should be the pastor. When you notice your pastor starting to violate the policies of the church, in that case, this can be a key warning that something is happening that shouldn’t be. A pastor is answerable to the church.


When Pastor Avoids and Resists Accountability

The word accountability means “the quality or condition of being accountable; a responsibility or readiness to acknowledge commitment or to account for one’s actions and activities.” Unfortunately, pastors are certainly not omitted. Attention must be given to a pastor who may have ceased being accountable for job duties. Here is a tremendous warning sign that the pastor is setting up his personal kingdom and not that of God. Pastors create the example for accountability. Keep in mind, a pastor’s basic responsibility is to oversee the church combined with elders, and his emphasis must be mainly spiritual, taking care of issues, for example, edifying believers and equipping the saints to do the ministry work.


When the Pastor is Always and Constantly Right

The moment your pastor is at all times making themselves right or perfect, this is often troublesome for many different reasons. Nobody is always right or perfect, plus pastors. A pastor’s responsibility isn’t to interpret the Bible; their job is to preach the Gospel. It’s not depending on what they think or assume. It’s according to what God says. When your pastor is hesitant to recognize or admit their errors or doesn’t admit an evident mistake, that can be a big warning sign.
Furthermore, if there’s an issue in the church, your pastor needs to be approachable and friendly. If a pastor is indeed unapproachable and not open to constructive worries or criticisms, then he his heart is simply not in the proper place in regards to the ministry.


In conclusion


Generally, all signs including the above mentioned must not be ignored or overlooked. Pastors that don’t delegate and assigns, do not allow input or suggestions, refuse any correction are creating their personal kingdom and never God’s. As soon as they rarely take accountability, always do what they desire no matter what the church policies and bylaws say, this is definitely a pastor that isn’t centred on advancing God’s kingdom. A church can’t survive under this type of leadership.



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Sunday 21 January 2018

Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests



Karuhanga Nelson |  I pray that I should continue to know God and be protected from all sort of evils ,my wife should be helped to get a job and I pray that my school should have increased enrollment and I pray for peace prosperity and increased income in my families I pray for the sick,those in prisons those who lost dear ones and I pray for my country my president I pray for my kids Ethan and Ethan to grow up knowing God

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life

Ronald Hendrix | Pray for me as we lost a dear family member, pray that God gives me the strength to continue on even though I dont know how, so many problems that I face now Financially and mentally, and the uncertainty of whether I am going to loose my home, or be able to pay the bills,

Marites Rico | Please pray for my whole family my husband. My daughter my don my mother and sister,, please for me carry over my big and many many problems please please... Thank you God and bless us


John Delali Bedzo |  I want the Holy Family of the Trinity , should remember me in their prayers . So that I will be able to go back to school and also evangelist the word of Christ to other who have not heard and receive him as their personal savior. I believe in the Holy Trinity and the teachings of Our Lord Jesus Christ

VERA BANKSTON-JONES | FATHER GOD, Father thank you for family and friends! Only in you can we stay as one!.......SELAH

OCHUMA JOHNSON | HELLO BRETHREN i have a problem i got saved but i have been bacsliding every day, the evil spirit of fornication and admiring every lady i have not stayed in a relationship for more than 2 months  i am 27 and i really need to settle down and plan for a holly matrimony please help me pray for me over that

Dennis Collins | Prayer for my addiction and to be totally delivered and for the salvation of my son Dennis jr


Serena Williams | Father God I pray for a closer relationship with you.  I surrender my life to you.  I pray you continue to love me,guide me,forgive me,teach me. Order my steps and my words please. I will teach your word in your name. In Jesus name.


patlee |  i pray for healing papillary carcinoma

Hugh | I need to be saved

Abraham | Praise the Lord.my name is abraham my work gospel workingso praying and my father and mother health problems so prayer for me

UWAWAYAKI WOMEN SOCIETY | Oh Lord .You are the only support of people who need you . Bless our orphans and vulnerable kids in our center and all women and elders .IWe pray in the name of Jesus .Amen

Debra. | Please help Me pray for strength , health , family , stress , and anxiety relief also for my family and I to be Finacial ok . To relieve us of all this worry . For god to stay by our side . Amen

Evang. Israel Ashorobi | Breakthrough in Ministry and increase in knowledge and divine wisdom. More Zeal to walk in divine power to do the work of God,Make wealth and touch lives.More peaceful and blessed marriage. Lastly a prayer of an uncommon Revival for the body of Christ world wide and our nations.



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Wednesday 17 January 2018

Most Dangerous Countries To Live As a Christian

List of most dangerous countries on the planet as a Christian


Researchers found 1 in 12 Christians face extreme repression and that female followers are some of the most targeted

-List reveals the nations most probably to persecute religion's followers, with North Korea at the very top
-List ranks world countries based on level of violence against Christians and pressure on religious life
-North Korea came out top for the 16th year running followed by Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and Pakistan
-Causes were radical Islam and governments using religious persecution to support their power, report said

These are the 50 countries in the world where it is most dangerous to be a Christian, according to a study by organisation Open Doors which measured levels of violence against followers and pressures put on their daily lives 

North Korea, Afghanistan and Somalia are the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian, according to a new report.

The list was put together by Christian organisation Open Doors which ranked world countries by violence against the religion's followers and pressure place on their everyday life.

Researchers found that 1 in 12 Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution, with repression by radical Islamic regimes being the main driver.

Other causes include weak governments using religious nationalism to prop up their power in places like India, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, and the resurgence of Islam in central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

North Korea has topped Open Doors' list since 2002 thanks to the brutal repression of all religions, but especially Christians, by the Kim regime.

North Korea topped the list for the 16th year running thanks to the Kim regime's brutal repression of all religion. Christians form part of the third and lowest caste of North Korean society, and are actively discriminated against

Not only are the Kim family leaders of the state, they are also the state religion, and worshipping any deity over them is considered treasonous. Neighbours and relatives are asked to watch out for suspicious behaviour and report it.

Christians, along with Buddhists, form part of the lowest caste of North Korean society, meaning they are subject to constant observation and actively discriminated against with regards to receiving jobs, entering into college, and receiving supplies by the regime.

Afghanistan is Islamic by constitution, which means government officials, ethnic group leaders, religious officials and citizens are hostile toward adherents of any other religion, the report says.

For that reason Christians are without the benefit of property and businesses while being put through beatings and are often killed for practicing their religion.

Somalia, which expects all citizens to be Muslim and is also home to the extremist al-Shabaab group, came in third

In Somalia, Islam is also the state religion and all Somalis are required to follow the faith. Imams and madrasas have stated publicly that there is no room for Christianity nationwide, the report says, while militant group al-Shabaab also threatens Christians with death.

At the moment the report was being put together, researchers recorded 3,066 cases of Christians being killed 1,252 abductions; 1,020 instances of rape or sexual harassment; and 793 church attacks.




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Sunday 14 January 2018

Chinese authorities Dynamite Christian Megachurch

Chinese Authorities Blow up Christian Megachurch with Dynamite

The Golden Lampstand Church in 2009

ASIA: Chinese authorities have demolished a well-known Christian megachurch, inflaming long-standing tensions between religious groups and the Communist Party.

Witnesses and overseas activists said the paramilitary People's Armed Police used dynamite and excavators to destroy the Golden Lampstand Church, which has a congregation of more than 50,000, in the city of Linfen in Shaanxi province.

ChinaAid, a US-based Christian advocacy group, said local authorities planted explosives in an underground worship hall to demolish the structure following, developed with nearly $2.6m in contributions from local worshippers in one of China's poorest regions.

The church had faced "repeated persecution" by the Chinese government, said ChinaAid. Hundreds of police and hired thugs smashed the building and seized Bibles in an earlier crackdown in 2009 that ended with the arrest of church leaders.

Those church leaders received prison sentences of up to seven years for charges of illegally occupying farmland and disturbing traffic order, reported by state media.

The Golden Lampstand Church in Shanxi Province was destroyed this week by paramilitary police officers

There are approximately 60 million Christians in China, the majority of whom worship in independent congregations such as the Golden Lampstand. Many millions of Christians, Buddhists and Muslims also worship in state-sanctioned assemblies.

However, the surging rise in popularity of non-state-approved churches has raised the ire of authorities, cautious of any threats to the officially atheist Communist Party's strict political and social control.

The video below shows the destruction of the Golden lampstand Church in Shanxi Province this week by Chinese paramilitary police officers.



Freedom of religion is guaranteed under China's constitution, so local authorities in many cases are considered using technicalities to attack unregistered churches. Charges of land or building violations and disturbing the peace include the most common.

The state-run Global Times newspaper reported the official basis for the destruction was the structure did not hold the required permits.

"A Christian offered his farmland to a local Christian association so they privately built a church using the cover of building a warehouse," a government department official was quoted as saying.

Religious groups must register with local religious affairs authorities under Chinese law, the report said, adding the church was illegally constructed nearly about ten years ago in violation of building codes.

Pictures made available by ChinaAid revealed the church's steeple and cross toppled in a large pile of rubble.

The authorities used dynamite and heavy machinery to raze the Protestant megachurch.

“The repeated persecution of Golden Lampstand Church demonstrates that the Chinese government has no respect for religious freedom or human rights,” said ChinaAid president and founder Bob Fu.

He added: “ChinaAid calls on the international community to openly condemn the bombing of this church building and urge the Chinese government to fairly compensate the Christians who paid for it and immediately cease these alarming demolitions of churches.”

A pastor at a nearby church, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he saw large numbers of paramilitary police on Tuesday surrounding the area around the church, which was being taken apart by heavy machinery. He later heard a loud explosion.

The Golden Lampstand Church was built by husband and wife evangelists Wang Xiaoguang and Yang Rongli as a permanent home for their followers.

The couple had been preaching around Linfen since 1992, establishing congregations in improvised spaces such as factory dormitories and greenhouses.

While authorities did not block the church's construction, they later cracked down on it, and the couple and other church leaders were sent to prison.

ChinaAid said authorities also demolished a Catholic church in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province, on 27 December. Officials smashed crosses and confiscated statues, the Eucharistic altar, and other religious artefacts as they demolished the building with heavy machinery, the organisation said.

The demolition prompted more 100 church members to protest in front of government offices this week.





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Saturday 13 January 2018

Control of Jerusalem

Israel Moves to Strengthen Control of Jerusalem



The Israeli parliament a week ago passed a law that will need a supermajority vote to cede control over any part of Jerusalem.

The move is Israel’s most recent attempt to exert full power over Jerusalem since U.S. President Donald Trump recognized it as the Israeli capital. The latest law shows how far away peace between Israel and Palestine remains.

The amendment to the Jerusalem Law requires approval from at least 80 of the 120 members of the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, to relinquish Israel’s control over any part of the city. The law also enables the government to remove Palestinian territories from Jerusalem and turn them instead into separate municipalities under Israeli control.

Israel claims Jerusalem as its united capital, while Palestinians want East Jerusalem to serve as the capital of their future state. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said the Israeli law is “tantamount to declaring war on the Palestinian people.”


Alan Baker, director of the contemporary affairs institute with the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, told me the law serves more as a political statement. Lawmakers can repeal it with a simple majority of 61 parliamentary votes. “I can’t see any situation where Israel, whatever political party is leading, will give up any part of Jerusalem,” Baker said, ”so it’s probably more symbolic than anything else.”



Ramzy Baroud, the editor of the Palestine Chronicle, said Israeli lawmakers are using the laws to further isolate Jerusalem and clear Palestinians from the city. “They understand that the unparalleled U.S. support must be exploited to the maximum and that any delay on those bills would be a missed opportunity,” Baroud wrote for Arab News.


In a historic move in early December, Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The announcement sparked protests in Palestine and several other countries. Palestinians now worry Trump’s declaration emboldened Israel’s ruling party. In a similar move last week, the ruling Likud party’s central committee passed a non-binding, unanimous resolution that urged lawmakers to annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Abbas commented the resolution would not happen “without the full support of the U.S. administration.”

Attempts last year to revive peace talks between Israel and Palestine showed no progress. Baker said Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will likely have no impact on the peace process since it still remains at a stalemate. After a Saturday meeting with ministers from Palestine, Egypt, and other Arab states, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said Arab states will push for an international resolution to make East Jerusalem the Palestinian capital. “We want to lessen any losses on the Palestinian side and lessen the Israeli gains,” said Ahmed Aboul Gheit, head of the Arab League.




SOURCE



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Prayer Requests

Today's Prayer Requests


Steph | Please pray for my family as my daughter's dad is in jail, please pray for his sobriety,as well as the financial issues at our home. Amen

VERA BANKSTON-JONES | FATHER GOD, I see things that I never thought existed in my life. There are some wonderful people in my life after all, everybody's not a knucklehead! Thank you for putting real people in my path!.......SELAH

Phylis Aba Koomson | Please i want you to Remember me in your prayers that go should deliver me from evil thoughts against God and Spirits of doubtness that makes me the doubt God's Word....I pray everyday for God to Remember me, have mercy and save me..


Leo Sourisseau | Prayer For the Second Coming of Jesus - I pray that Jesus Christ returns to Earth soon, to bring the eternal love and peace of the Kingdom of God to all who believe in Him, and for every knee to bow to Him, and for every tongue to confess that Jesus is Lord at His return. Amen.

Sheltravia Hankerson | My mom died 4 years ago, the person I live with treats me unwanted and bad.

Ricky Agdahan | Dear brothers and Sisters in Christ, I am a Mother tongue bible translator in Matigsalug language in the Philippines. Also, I am a current student taking up Bachelor of Elementary Education.  My source of income is from being MTT but this current year we don't have enough source to continue this Ministry(BIBLE TRANSLATION). In line with this, I ask you brothers and sisters in Christ to help us to pray that this ministry will continue. God will lead us to a persons willing to help us financially and prayer.

Deborah Deveroux | After a botched back surgery I am bedridden and in a power chair, although I can stand briefly I am in constant excruciating pain. I pray that God helps me to restore my health and to remove me from the constant pain and medications. The surgery also caused a pulmonary embolism, I beg God to have mercy on me and help me.

vijay aggarwal | Plz pray for money in abundance for a comfortable life
Rev.nipun roy | Pray for we need build 80 church building in india and across the world .God provide all our needs.

Terressa | Pray that all people find their purpose and live for god.Be charitable without judging and give even if you go without.

Dare |  Please, help pray for divine favour and connection to my helper and God should grant me great testimonies concerning my hearth long desire.

Shed | Lord settle me in the land where l live. Change my immigration status and grant my British citizen

Kelvin Fernando | Pray for prison reform worldwide to be more like Norway in treatment of prisoners and for prisoners to be saved.

Maria Garza | I lord I plea my pition.. I don't want to loose my house when I make my income I just hope it covers my bak up payment ..and then keep up with the payments,, and bless my Fiancee whom only u can change him and think Straight to grow up and grow together and be blessed in ur Sight God. Plus bless our Prosperity as Well and Children and grandchildren. And my future inlaws to hv a good Heart for They know what they do. And Lord Jesus I Love You and Bless You For Being So kind and Full of Grace and Love U Mean The World To Me Always,, I would Be Lost without you.. Jesus We Luv u.

krishan | Please pray for all those suffering injustice in silence that these beings may find a way out of such pain, sorrow and hurt for themselves and other beings in similar situations. Amen

Randy Smith |  Please say a prayer for my son this morning. Just for God to look after him. His name is Michael. Thank you brother's and sisters.

lena griffin | pray for me that god will ues me and . I pray that god ope up my my spiritual ear's so I can hear him talk to me.i'm asking god for a triple anointing .i'm asking god to open up my spiritual eye's to see in the spiritual realm and be able to see things before its happens .ask god for wisdom and knowledge and understanding in this words I ask god when I read that god just let scriptures come to me. I just want to be use by god.pray that he give me unlimited favor with peoples .and he give me discernment in other peoples .that he let mr properside to peoples .I'm asking god to help me to get my own restaurant and my bakery and my store up an started and be able to get my own land and own home .I just wanna feed the needed and help peoples .pray that my husband Samuel stop drinking an smoking and get save ,and pray for his family they don't like me .pray that god will give us a long life and pray that my nephew zerbazz will eat and gain weight .that god will heal his !
 stomach and let him eat. and get his appetite back and pray for mr willie linsay. he had a stroke and he went in a combmer.and pray for me my leg it stays swollen every since I had my stroke .and pray that these headaches go away pray that my kidney working fine and also pray for my eyes .that tell me I have diabetes in my eyes an pray rhat I don't have no blood clot in no part of my body .and pray that god will heal me off this boils coming on me .and pray for my husband that he continue be health .and pray that his child support back time be wipe out and pray that all my debts be fully cancelation .I belive god going to do it .just pray for the crayton family and the griffin family and davis family an the greer family and peepbles family and carter family and the weir family

pastor premadhararao palivela | we are distributing the holy bibles freely who took the baptism newly and poor and needyso please provide to me bibles in our local language ''TELUGU BIBLES'' this is my urge and humble request only

PASTOR.V.VARA PRASAD | .i thank you very much for your kind prayers towards my lords ministry here.By the grace of God through your prayers our 2 church activities are going on well.



CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT A PRAYER REQUEST



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Reason Marketplace Is a Great Place for Christians

Seven Reasons Why a Marketplace Is a Great Place for Christians



If God has called you into business, please don’t wish you were called somewhere else. A marketplace is a great place for Christians right now. Here’s why:

Marketplace opportunities

1. Almost all non-Christians are in the marketplace


Today, less than 20% of Americans attend church regularly. In many European countries, the percentages are much lower. At the current rate, regular church attendance is projected to drop to 11.7% by 2050.

The good news is that these people who aren’t attending church will still be waking up to go to work alongside their Christian co-workers in the marketplace each morning.

2. Almost all Christians are in the marketplace


At least 85% of the Christian workforce spends 60-70% of their waking hours in the marketplace. In addition to serving our families and our local churches, the marketplace is the primary context in which our spiritual gifts should be used. The ministry potential for Christians using their spiritual gifts collaboratively in the marketplace is astounding!

(In case you don’t know what your spiritual gifts are, my forthcoming book will include a spiritual gifts assessment as well as teaching on how you can use your unique gifts for ministry in the marketplace.)

3. Discipleship actually can happen in the marketplace


Church leaders often are criticized for the lack of discipleship and spiritual growth among their congregations. Let’s give our pastors a break. How much discipleship actually can happen during a two-hour church service on Sunday?

Discipleship-that is, becoming more like Jesus-happens in everyday life. Yes, discipleship can happen anywhere… even during a two-hour, lecture-style event on Sunday. However, the potential for discipleship and ministry investment in a weekly service is a fraction of what is possible during an entire work-week spent with our co-workers, clients, etc.

4. The marketplace is a more authentic showroom of Christianity


If you were shopping for a car, you’d probably go to a showroom. Before you bought anything, you’d probably want to see if the car actually functions properly on the road. You might even ask the dealer to allow you to take the car home for a day or two to test it out.

The local church is like the showroom for Christianity. The marketplace is the test drive. The marketplace is where our unbelieving co-workers get to see if they really want what we have. Daily, they see how we react under pressure. They see how we treat people. They see how much God truly matters to us in our daily lives.

As mentioned in “Reason #1,” most people aren’t even coming to the “showroom” anymore, so marketplace Christians are now serving as both the showroom and the test drive of Christianity.

marketplace Christians

5. The marketplace forces the Church to use all of its capabilities


Personality-driven and super-pastor Christianity don’t work in the marketplace. Having a bunch of Christians sitting on the sidelines of ministry may not prevent a local church from increasing numerically, but it won’t transform the marketplace for the glory of God.

So far, most of the teaching about “marketplace ministry” has been defining marketplace ministry without regard for people’s unique spiritual gifts. For example, if I have an apostolic gift, of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a mandate to “ascend and take the Business Mountain for God” (see 7 Mountains). If I have a pastoral gift (i.e. marketplace chaplains), of course I’m going to view marketplace ministry as a calling to “care for the personal needs of my employees and/or co-workers.”

We need to approach marketplace ministry in a way that leverages the spiritual gifts of all Christians in the marketplace. The “one-size-fits-all” approach only produces self-condemnation and ineffectiveness for marketplace Christians attempting to operate outside of their God-given spiritual gifts.

6. Denominational divisions are less-destructive in the marketplace


We can choose whether to attend a Baptist Church, Pentecostal-Charismatic Church, Presbyterian Church, a Non-Denominational Church, etc… but most of us don’t have the luxury of co-working only with Christians with whom we agree theologically. The marketplace has a way of diluting some of these differences. This opens the door to collaborative ministry beyond the walls of our local churches and traditions.

7. Everything gets funded from the marketplace

All money comes from value that has been created in the marketplace, and business professionals ultimately decide what gets funded. These business professionals need to know God and His plan for their lives in order to make righteous decisions concerning money.

Although business is often thought of only as the economic engine of the Church, I hope that we will begin to see and realize its full potential for transforming society for the glory of God.



Discussion: In addition to these seven reasons, what is another reason why God is mobilizing Christian business professionals for ministry in the marketplace?



Written by  Darren Shearer





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