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Why Christian High Schools Are Filling with Atheist Students

[caption id="attachment_423918" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Image processed by CodeCarvings Piczard ### FREE Community Edition ### on 2018-02-16 20:37:10Z | http://piczard.com | http://codecarvings.com[/caption]

For most of Wheaton Academy’s 165-year history, it was a boarding school. Boarding was ended in the 1980s, then brought back—structured as host families—in 2006.

“China had just started its student visas a year or two before,” said Brenda Vishanoff, vice principal for student services and student learning. The first year, the Christian high school near Chicago had two international students—one from China and one from the Central African Republic. In later years, the number jumped to 8, then 16, then 37.

Soon, Wheaton Academy had more international students than it could take, so it opened a network to place them with other Christian schools. Most of those students—including 45 of the 60 enrolled there this year—have been from China.

The growth reflects a national trend. From 2004 to 2016, the number of international high school students in the United States more than tripled, according to a recent report by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Nearly three-quarters of international students enrolled on an F-1 visa (good until graduation) in 2016; of those, more than half were Chinese (58%).

Chinese parents send their children to America out of frustration with their own highly competitive and narrowly tracked education system, Vishanoff said. As the Chinese economy grew, more parents had the resources to send their child to the US for college. Soon realizing that an American high school education eases the transition to college—and perhaps makes their child’s application more attractive—parents began sending them earlier.

Because public high schools only allow J-1 visas (good for a year or less), nearly all international high school students on F-1 visas enroll in private high schools, according to IIE. And because most of America’s private high schools are religious, 58 percent of all international high school students enroll at one. And nearly all of those schools are Christian, according to IIE data.

But only about 5 percent of China is Christian, according to the Pew Research Center. More than half of its citizens are unaffiliated (52%) like its atheist government.

Even so, Chinese parents aren’t wary of Christian schools. “We hear from nonbelieving Chinese families that they think their student might be safer and better cared for at a Christian school,” Vishanoff said.

In the past seven years, Wheaton Academy’s WAnet has placed 400 students. It’s not alone—700 members of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) now enroll international students. That’s up from “just a few” 10 years ago, according to assistant vice president Erin Wilcox, brought on by ACSI two years ago to help support those schools. “Schools bring the kids over first, and then realize how hard it is.”

Schools have to train teachers to accommodate students from a different culture who may not speak English fluently. They have to help students acclimate and learn the language, train domestic students to welcome and include students who aren’t like them, and teach host families to provide care for homesick and culture-shocked teenagers.

That adds up. Wheaton Academy charges about $17,000 in tuition and fees for a domestic student; an international student’s tuition, fees, and boarding cost almost $50,000. WAnet’s 11 schools charge between $34,000 and $50,000 for such students.

Click here to read more. Source: Christianity Today

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Two Startup Models of Church Planting by Ed Stetzer

[caption id="attachment_423915" align="aligncenter" width="1491"] Image processed by CodeCarvings Piczard ### FREE Community Edition ### on 2018-04-09 17:02:55Z | http://piczard.com | http://codecarvings.com[/caption]

It is important to remember that ‘missiology’ is not a thing. It is things.

Some people say, “We just have to think missiologically.” But, they need to know that a missiology of a tribal people group in Papau New Guinea is very different than a missiology of Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.

As such, when we think missiologically, there is not one right way to plant a church, so it is worth looking at how churches are planted.

Let’s face it: sometimes, there is arrogance among church planters. Not you, but some of the others!

Often, this is just part of the entrepreneurial spirit that often accompanies people who start new things. Many times, new projects are started in order to ‘do right’ what previous starters ‘did wrong’.

In fact, you will find that frustration coupled with attempts to rebuild a broken structure often erupt into a drive to build something completely new. Building something new is good. But it isn’t good to plant a church for the wrong reasons, or to plant a church to show the world how it should be done right.

Today, church plants are everywhere, and cover a multitude of expressions and tracks. Let me share just two and talk a bit about the history that created the second.

Track 1: From a Home Bible Study Onward

Before the 1980s, people primarily planted churches along one track. You would start a home Bible study with a few people. It would grow for months, and then when you hit maybe 16-24 people, or a core of four or five families, you would move into the chapel stage.

This would include more traditional church elements. Then, whenever you had enough families to be self-supporting, and put people in place for leadership or church officers (depending on your denominational affiliation), you moved into the mission stage. You develop various ministries and outreach opportunities, and eventually you become an established church.

This is the way most churches where planted and what most groups taught.

Click here to read more. Source: Christianity Today

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A Letter of Encouragement and Realism to Christian Men Considering Marriage by Lore Ferguson Wilbert

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Our home is a magnet for single men. It probably has something to do with the near certainty of a meal or a hug and the absolute certainty of our love for them. When they come over, we almost always end up talking about single women.

My husband and I value marriage and singleness, so sometimes we end up encouraging our brothers toward a life of undistracted devotion for as long as they’re able and for the good of the kingdom. But we also at times nudge one of our friends toward asking a girl out, help them process a break-up, or encourage one of them to more seriously consider the possibility of marriage with a “mere friend.” From the guys considering a relationship, we often hear refrains of hesitance: “Will we be good ministry partners?” or “Will she make a good pastor’s wife?” or “Will we be stronger as a couple than we are apart?”

For them and many other Christian young men, delayed marriage is common. The reasons are complicated and include unrealistic expectations, lack of confidence, a desire for financial security, aversion to commitment, general immaturity, or more simply, the inability to find or keep a compatible partner. Recent studies indicate that fewer and fewer men are sitting in evangelical churches on Sunday and the men who stay are often marrying later. Anecdotally, at least, I’ve seen this trend in play, and so have my single female friends.

To the single men who are considering marriage and feeling hesitant, I issue this invitation from Elisabeth Elliot’s Let Me Be a Woman: You do not marry a ministry partner; you marry a person. You do not marry someone like another man’s wife; you marry your wife. You do not marry someone like you; you marry a unique woman. And you do not marry someone perfect, you marry a sinner.

The same goes for women in their search for a husband. After marriage, you are not committed to your call more than you’re committed to the person, husband, man, and sinner before you. Nowhere in Scripture is “pastor’s wife” the attribute of a godly, good wife, nor is “deep theologian” the attribute for a husband. The only four qualities we need to understand in our search for a spouse are littered throughout the Scriptures and true of every married person on earth.

You marry a sinner.

Every person sins more naturally than any other thing they do. By the grace of God, we are being sanctified day by day and are full of the Holy Spirit, who helps us on the journey. But sinners we are still. We may think we’re prepared for the sinfulness of our future spouse. But sin is far more pervasive than simply something that we do, and if we’re not aware of that, we’ll be taken by surprise when it is not necessarily our own sin or the sin in our marriage that wreaks the most havoc, but also the larger sin of a broken world. Because of general human sin, our own specific sin, and the sin of the person we marry, we must be prepared to be sinned against by others, by our spouse, and by ourselves.

In The Meaning of Marriage, Tim and Kathy Keller argue that “what keeps the marriage going is your commitment to your spouse’s holiness.” Instead of valuing a person for who they might be for you, ask instead how you might be sanctified as sinners together.

Click here to read more. Source: Christianity Today

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Museum Honoring Christians Who Were Persecuted in Japan Opens in Nagasaki

A museum in Japan created in remembrance of Christians killed for their faith before Christianity was legalized in that country in the 19th century has opened. The museum was officially opened earlier this month and is located at the historic Oura Church in Nagasaki, according to Japan Today. "The Catholic Archdiocese of Nagasaki renovated the former Latin seminary and a former residence of bishops on the premises of Oura Church, which is designated as a national treasure, into the museum," Japan Today reported on Monday. "The new facility highlights Japan's religious history with panels explaining different periods of time, such as the introduction of Catholicism to the country and a period in which Christians hid themselves to practice their faith in secret amid persecution by authorities." Francis Xavier, a 16th century missionary, is credited with having introduced Christianity to Japan back in 1549. As Japan became politically unified, persecution against Christians increased. In 1597, Nagasaki was the site of a mass crucifixion of 26 Christians, comprised of six missionaries and 20 Japanese believers. A monument was built in their honor in 1962, which was the 100th anniversary of their canonization. Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Yvonne Staples of the Staples Singers Passes Away at 80

[caption id="attachment_423883" align="aligncenter" width="550"] © Charley Gallay/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards Singer Yvonne Staples poses for a portrait at the 42nd NAACP Image Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on March 4, 2011. Yvonne died this week at age 80.[/caption] Yvonne Staples, the baritone voice behind the soul group Staples Singers, died in her hometown of Chicago. She was 80. Staples, who belted out hits like "Respect Yourself," "I'll Take You There" and "Heavy Makes You Happy," died at her home this week, the Chicago-Sun Times reported. She performed with her sisters Mavis and Cleotha, along with their father, guitarist Roebuck "Pops" Staples, in churches across the South Side of Chicago before cutting records and expanding beyond the Windy City in 1953. The group got their start in the '40s after Pops taught his three daughters to sing. Together, the group crossed the lines between gospel, pop, funk and soul. In 1999, the singers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for delivering music with a message, according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's website.

© Michael Ochs Archives Mavis Staples, Pops Staples, Cleotha Staples and Yvonne Staples of The Staples Singers

"The Staples’ evolved from gospel music to soulful pop, delivering hits in both genres," the site reads. "The family group’s music was a vehicle for social activism, positive change and love." The Staples Singers' performance at the 1972 Wattstax festival, often dubbed the "Black Woodstock," was the highlight of a documentary about the event. Between 1971 to 1975, the Staples Singers cracked the Top 40 eight times. Yvonne's sister, Cleotha, the oldest of the Staples siblings, died in 2013 after a 12-year battle with Alzheimer's. She was 78. Mavis Staples, 78, is the only remaining Staples sister and is scheduled to perform at the Baton Rouge Blues Festival this Saturday. She also has an upcoming concert at the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead, N.Y., in August. Pops Staples died on Dec. 19, 2000. SOURCE: New York Daily News - Nicole Bitette

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Missionary Says God Used Year-Long Abduction by Terrorists in the Philippines to Plant Seeds That Helped Bring Captors to Christ

Over 15 years after she was rescued from a year-long abduction by Islamic terrorists in a Philippine jungle, Kansas missionary Gracia Burnham says her time in captivity showed her how faithless she was as she couldn't see the bigger plan that God had for her time of trial. Burnham along with her deceased husband, Martin, both served for New Tribes Mission (now Ethnos360) when they were taken hostage by Abu Sayyaf militants on May 27, 2001. The Burnhams were among a group of 20 hostages kidnapped by the terror group from the Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan. After 376 days of captivity, Burnham was freed in June 2002 following a gun battle with the Filipino military that resulted in the death of her husband. The 59-year-old author of two books detailed her experience in captivity with hundreds gathered at the Voice of the Martyrs Advance Conference held at McLean Bible Church outside Washington, D.C. "I want to thank you for your prayers. Thank you for praying for this loving couple you have never even met before. It seemed like our trial lasted forever and that is how a trial is, isn't it?" she asked the crowd. "There were days where we felt like everyone had forgotten us and there were days I felt forsaken." Burnham said the hardest part of her captivity was not the fact that her feet painfully bled and oozed from the long hikes with no socks and was not the fact that she was forced to sleep at night with only a dirty old rice sack separating her from the creatures crawling around on the jungle floor. "The hardest thing for me was seeing myself for what I really was," she said. "When everything was gone, the real me surfaced that I didn't even want to believe existed. I saw a hateful Gracia. I saw a faithless Gracia. It was shocking." In a time of desperation and despair, Burnham said she cried out for God to change her and cried out to ask God how long the trial would last. "I was such a mess that I wasn't even sure God could change me," she explained. "But God can do anything, and He promised to change us. He said He would change us so much that we would start looking like Jesus. Isn't that how we want to live?" Burnham assured that God took "an angry hostage and put love in her heart." "God started changing me. He can bring peace to the broken hearted," she said. "He can bring good things out of pain. He keeps giving us a day of grace to serve Him again." Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Creflo Dollar Rebukes Christians for Criticizing Snoop Dogg's Decision to Make Gospel Album

Creflo Dollar, a prominent televangelist and founder of World Changers Church International based in Georgia, defended secular rapper Snoop Dogg's decision to produce a gospel album and rebuked Christians who questioned the rapper's claim that he is a born-again Christian. Preaching on "The Spirit of Grace" on Sunday, Dollar pointed out that the church should not be about focusing on one's sins but on God's grace. He further pointed to the church's reaction to Snoop Dogg as a perfect example of how judgmental Christians can be of people who fail to meet a perceived standard of righteousness. "I'm gonna say something publicly. I don't know if I'm really correct in saying this but I want to say something publicly. Recently, a man in California, he's a rapper, in fact, he's known as a legend, they call him, I think his nickname is Snoop Dogg. He just released a gospel album to minister to people because his grandmamma ministered to him and he had it on the inside of him. Isn't it sad that he received rejection and flak and 'how y'all gon' support somebody like this after what they did and what they said?' What's wrong with us?" Dollar asked. Snoop Dogg, whose real name is Calvin Broadus and is known for promoting a licentious lifestyle, released his double gospel album called The Bible of Love last month to much controversy, despite his claim that he is a changed man. A viral clip from Dollar's Sunday sermon on speaking specifically about the church's reception of Snoop Dogg as a minister of music has sparked a debate over whether Christians should be skeptical about the artist's ministry particularly because of his history. In 2009, the rapper announced that he had joined the Nation of Islam. Three years later, he became a Rastafarian as he dabbled in reggae music and now recently he has declared himself to be a born-again Christian as he promotes his new album. Dollar insisted that Christians should be thanking and congratulating the rapper for creating a gospel album. "Somebody, I don't know, I might give him a call. Somebody shoulda said 'congratulations. Thank you so much. Thank you so much for releasing something that can minister to people and encourage people. That can help people. We were so busy trying to dig up his past that we couldn't see the working of the Holy Ghost on the inside. What's the matter with us? Naw, you gotta go through your checklist," Dollar said. "I don't know if you're saved enough," the preacher continued mimicking a check mark with his hand. "I don't know you've been saved long enough and I just showed you a dude who just believed and now you wanna be the Holy Ghost police to decide if somebody has done enough to be respected as a child of God. Y'all need to stop." Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Wife of Gateway Church Pastor Robert Morris Says He Was at 'Heaven's Door' Before Thousands Prayed for Healing

The wife of Gateway Church founder and pastor Robert Morris said her husband was at "Heaven's door" before miraculously pulling through a serious illness — proving that God hears the prayers of His people. In a lengthy Instagram post, Debbie Morris revealed that her husband is on the road to recovery after suffering from internal bleeding Monday, but still "has a great deal of pain/discomfort." "Prayer points: pain levels decrease, no infection, restful sleep," she said. Gateway Church staff reported that Robert Morris, 56, began experiencing pressure in his abdomen Sunday night, just a week after undergoing a scheduled surgery to repair a double hernia. The senior pastor was subsequently airlifted to the hospital where doctors discovered internal bleeding, forcing them to perform emergency surgery. During this time, Gateway Church members hosted a 24/7 social media prayer campaign. In total, 250,000 people in 45 countries united to pray for the pastor — and those prayers were answered, his wife said. "On Sunday when we were waiting for the helicopter to arrive [Morris] realizing he was in serious trouble asked me to post on social media because he believes in the power of prayer," Debbie Morris said. "To give some context the paramedics had just told us they could not find a pulse and his blood pressure was too low to read. We were hours from a major hospital. We knew he was steps from heaven's door." "Neither of us knew what to expect from social media," she continued. "We have been blown away by your care, your prayers and your love. In this instance God mobilized an army using social media. We knew our battle was bigger than we could fight on our own." While Heaven seems "much farther away" and the crisis has been de-elevated, Debbie Morris asked for continued prayers as her husband still has "some real hurdles to overcome." "Tears of gratefulness stream down my face as write," she wrote. "Thank you for storming the throne. I can't say 'thank you' strong enough. Your prayers mattered." Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Bishop Harry Jackson Says Success of 'Black Panther' Shows 'an Awakening of Desire' for Racial Justice

As the Marvel blockbuster "Black Panther" sailed past "Titanic" on the all-time list of highest grossing films this past weekend, Bishop Harry Jackson, leader of Hope Christian Church in Maryland, said the film's success is indicative of "an awakening of the desire" for racial justice. Jackson, who is one of the main architects of the Reconciled Church Movement which seeks to shift the racial atmosphere of the nation by healing the racial divisions in the church, made the comments during an appearance on "The Jim Bakker Show" last week where he was asked to address the issue of racism. "We're in a Kairos moment where Satan is trying to destroy America with the spirit of anarchy, division and separation. And in the movies that are coming out now, 'Black Panther,' the 'Justice League,' there is a civic pride and awakening going on," he said. "What it's saying to me is that there is an awakening of the desire for [racial] justice that is coming from the heart of man and a desire for supernatural power that's in all of us. We are called to be reunited with Christ and His spirit and the move and the dynamic of the spirit of God and the gifts of the spirit are supernatural," he noted. With current domestic earnings at $665.4 million, the "Black Panther" film, starring Chadwick Boseman, is the third-highest grossing film in North American history, according to CNN. It is only ranked behind "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and "Avatar." Jackson said when it comes to racial divisions, "essentially the devil's trying to pit us against each other" through a lack of understanding. "Remember that God originated the racial division at Babel. Their false unity created the atmosphere where God had to break us up. They were at Babel trying to build a tower and a city. An occult tower and they were singing Michael Jackson's song 'We Are the World,'" he argued. "And they were saying 'hey, it's true. We can make a better day just you and me.' No, you can't," Jackson said. "Without Jesus, you can't unify, without Jesus, you're not united ... racism is endemic. In Genesis 11, what happened? The languages are confused. We were separated and so around the language, rose up a culture and then there is ethnicity." All the divisions he said happened with the tower of Babel but on the day of Pentecost, he explained that God reunited mankind through His Spirit. Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Willow Creek Church Members React to Bill Hybels' Resignation as Accuser Stands by Story

As word continues to spread Wednesday about the resignation of Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of the multi-campus Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois, over multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, some members of the church maintain that he was a victim of the #MeToo bandwagon. "It's very destructive," Jim Tofilon, a member of Willow Creek since 1991, told The Chicago Tribune of the #MeToo movement after Hybels announced his resignation Tuesday. "It worked. It destroyed an old man's life. Nothing good came out of it. I hope people making the accusations feel satisfied," he added. In announcing his resignation Tuesday, Hybels staunchly maintained his innocence, calling some of the allegations "misleading" and others "entirely false." Allegations included a consensual affair with a married woman, who retracted her claims, as well as a pattern of behavior against Hybels that includes suggestive comments and extended hugs. Hybels admitted on Tuesday to being sometimes naïve in his relations with others and noted some of his actions were misinterpreted. "I realize now that in certain settings and circumstances in the past I communicated things that were perceived in ways I did not intend, at times making people feel uncomfortable. I was blind to this dynamic for far too long. For that I'm very sorry." Two days before Hybels announced his resignation, which had originally been planned for October, Vonda Dyer, one of the veteran pastor's accusers who was a former Willow Creek staffer, elaborated on how she was railroaded out of her job after she rejected perceived sexual advances while on a trip in Sweden in February 1998. Dyer told the Chicago Tribune in an extensive investigation published last month that she had to flee from Hybels' hotel room when he made sexual advances toward her. She detailed in her blog on Sunday that Hybels had invited her to his hotel room for a leadership talk. While in his room, he described in "great detail specific parts of my body he liked," called her "sexy," said "we could lead Willow together," put his hands on her waist and kissed her, she alleged. Hybels told his congregation that Dyer's version of their meeting was false and that he neither touched nor kissed her. He said he would deny that took place until his dying breath. But Dyer said she confided in her husband shortly after the incident and also told close friends at Willow Creek who were all senior leaders, including an elder, Betty Schmidt, within a few months. Schmidt, who was an elder at Willow Creek for 30 years, released a statement Tuesday accusing Willow Creek leadership of twisting the truth about what happened with Dyer into "untruths." "My post states the truth of my knowledge of Vonda's personal account. It has been very disturbing to hear my words from the meeting with the WC elders become twisted, added to and extrapolated from. By speaking truth of what I actually said, I hope to make the record clear. The current Willow Creek elders have misquoted and misrepresented me," Schmidt said in part of a five-point rebuttal to Willow Creek leaders. "I did not say I never had an inkling about whether allegations of misconduct had ever been brought against Bill. It's precisely because I had such concerns (which went beyond an 'inkling') that I wanted to meet with the elders in the first place," Schmidt insisted. Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Bill Hybels Resigns From Willow Creek Church After Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

Maintaining his innocence at a church gathering, Bill Hybels, founder and senior pastor of the multi-campus Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, announced on Tuesday his decision to retire from his role six months earlier than planned under a swirling cloud of sexual misconduct allegations. "I have decided to accelerate my planned retirement date from October of this year to tonight. This decision was mine and mine alone, but after much discussion, my decision earned the unanimous support of the Elders and the Executive Team," Hybels said in a statement he read to the church. "As Lynne (wife) and I have watched this, it has been extremely painful for us to see this controversy continue to be a distraction that is hindering our Elders and church staff, as well as the WCA (Willow Creek Association) staff, from carrying out the work of these fantastic ministries," he explained. "[I]t has been increasingly clear to us that they (Willow Creek ministries) can't flourish when the valuable time and energy of their leaders are divided. The leaders of both our church and the WCA  need the freedom to get on with the task of carrying out the missions God has given them." In an extensive investigation published by the Chicago Tribune last month, Hybels denied a number of sexual misconduct allegations against him, which include a consensual affair with a married woman, who retracted her claims. The Tribune report also alleged a pattern of behavior against Hybels that includes suggestive comments, extended hugs, an unwanted kiss, and invitations to some of the women to hotel rooms. Investigations commissioned by the church, however, could not substantiate the allegations. Critics like John Ortberg, senior pastor of the nearly 4,000-member Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, who previously served at Willow Creek, have insisted that the investigation of the sexual misconduct allegations against Hybels, was "poorly designed" and exposed his accusers to "grave risks." In his Tuesday announcement, Hybels staunchly maintained his innocence, calling some of the allegations "misleading" and others "entirely false," but said he has been "sobered" by the accusations. He admitted to being sometimes naïve in his relations with others and noted some of his actions were misinterpreted. "In recent times, I've been accused of many things I simply did not do," he said. In an earlier church meeting, he said accusations of a kiss and a consensual affair were completely false. Addressing other allegations, he said, "I realize now that in certain settings and circumstances in the past I communicated things that were perceived in ways I did not intend, at times making people feel uncomfortable. I was blind to this dynamic for far too long. For that I'm very sorry." "I too often placed myself in situations that would have been far wiser to avoid. I was, at times, naive about the dynamics those situations created. I'm sorry for the lack of wisdom on my part. I commit to never putting myself in similar situations in the future." Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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LISTEN: How to Win at Spiritual Warfare Through Prayer, Part 18 (Praying Through the Bible #294 with Daniel Whyte III)

https://soundcloud.com/danielwhyteiii/how-to-win-at-spiritual-warfare-through-prayer-part-18-praying-through-the-bible-294

[caption id="attachment_40916" align="alignleft" width="156"] Daniel Whyte III[/caption] TEXT: Ephesians 6:18-20

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

We are in a series of messages titled "Praying Through the Bible: A Series on Every Passage and Verse Regarding Prayer in the Bible." The purpose of this series is to encourage and motivate you to pray to the God of the Bible. We highlighted each of these over 500 verses and passages in the Prayer Motivator Devotional Bible. So far, we have completed 293 messages in this series. This is message #294 titled, How to Win at Spiritual Warfare Through Prayer, Part 18. As we have considered the types of prayer that we should employ in spiritual warfare, we have discussed: the prayer of faith, the prayer of agreement, the prayer of request or supplication, the prayer of intercession, the prayer of thanksgiving, the prayer of worship, and the prayer of consecration, the private prayer, and the silent prayer. Today, we are going to look at another type of prayer -- the prayer of forgiveness. We all ought to be familiar with the prayer of forgiveness because it is essential to maintaining fellowship with God as a believer. The prayer of forgiveness has to do with forgiving someone in our hearts even before letting them know they are forgiven. Jesus talked about this prayer in Mark 11:25 when he said, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Now, if you are with us today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your first prayer needs to be what we call the Sinner's Prayer. First, please understand that you are a sinner, just as I am, and that you have broken God's laws. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death…" Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." Now this is bad news, but here's the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:9 & 13 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen. If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You have done the most important thing in life. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read "What To Do After You Enter Through the Door". Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, "I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

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LISTEN: Whyte House Family Devotions #325 (04/11/18): "Transformed By Grace," by Billy Graham

https://soundcloud.com/danielwhyteiii/whyte-house-family-devotions-325-041118-transformed-by-grace-by-billy-graham

[caption id="attachment_40916" align="alignleft" width="156"] Daniel Whyte III[/caption] My family and I have had morning devotions, or family altar as some people call it, every day ever since my wife, Meriqua, and I were married 30 years ago. We have prayed and read the Bible together as well as other devotional books as a family, and it is the only reason why this family has stayed together, and the only reason why God has blessed our family and used our family in ministry all of these years. We read Ephesians 5 and 6 every morning as it relates to the role of each member of the family and how that we need to put on the whole armor of God to fight against the devil who is seeking to destroy our family and all Christian families, churches, and Christians. So, now after 30 years of doing this in our home, we are opening this up to others who don't have a family to pray with, who don't have a spouse, or who are single by choice, and to encourage all families who are still intact to go back to the family altar and have devotions together every morning. In these devotions, you may hear me deal with a temptation I'm facing in my life, you may hear me rebuke my wife about not doing what she should be doing, or you may hear me get on one of my children's cases about something they're doing. Don't be shocked; this is real life. SING "DOXOLOGY" Praise God from Whom all blessings flow Praise Him, all creatures here below Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost Amen Billy Graham said, "The apostle Paul urges Christians everywhere in all ages to be nonconformists as far as the world system is concerned. We are not to conform. A true Christian, living an obedient life, is a constant rebuke to those who accept the moral standards of this world." ------ PRAY THE LORD'S PRAYER Our Father which art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. ------ EPHESIANS 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So far, we have discussed how fathers may provoke their children to anger by capriciousness, unreasonableness, favoritism, selfishness, criticism without praise, demanding perfection, extremes of over- and under- discipline, insensitivity, and not being available. Steven J. Cole writes in his commentary on this passage, “Fathers may provoke their children to anger by breaking promises. Sometimes, of course, it is unavoidable. You have promised to do something with your kids, but your job demands your time at the last minute. But that should not happen very often and when it does happen, you had better make it up to your children, or they will grow resentful and they will not trust your word.” ------- PRAYER ------- DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE: Psalm 125:1-3 1 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth even for ever. 3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity. Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry writes: “All those minds shall be truly stayed, that are stayed on God. They shall be as Mount Zion, firm as it is; a mountain supported by providence, much more as a holy mountain supported by promise. They cannot be removed from confidence in God. They abide forever in that grace which is the earnest of their everlasting continuance in glory. Committing themselves to God, they shall be safe from their enemies.” --------- PRAYER FOR THE ESTATES 1. Clergy (church) 2. Government 3. People (citizens) 4. The press (media) 5. New media/Online journalists PRAYER FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP - For all pastors, church leaders, denominational leaders, Bible teachers, missionaries, and ministry workers. GOVERNMENT LEADERS 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." President Donald Trump and his administration Vice President Mike Pence First Lady Melania Trump Second Lady Karen Pence All White House staff including: Deputy Director of Management and Administration Monica J. Block All leaders of federal agencies including: Postal Regulatory Commission Chairman Robert G. Taub All state governors including: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo All city mayors including: Biscayne Park, FL, Mayor David Coviello All members of Congress including: Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz All law enforcement officials including: Biscayne Park, FL, Police Chief Cornelius McKenna All military leaders including: Defense Secretary James Mattis / Admiral Kurt W. Tidd, Commander of U.S. Southern Command Leaders of nations around the world including: Malta’s President Marie Preca and Prime Minister Joseph Muscat For the peace of Jerusalem PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE / CITIZENS PRAYER FOR THE MEDIA PRAYER FOR CURRENT EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD - For the comfort of the families of 6 people killed in a mudslide in Japan - For the comfort of the families of 27 children who were killed when their school bus plunged into a gorge in India - For the comfort of the families of 110 people killed in fighting in Syria over the past few days, and we pray for thee ultimate resolution of the conflict. PRAYER REQUESTS Obua please grant him favor and wisdom, heal his wife of HIV/AIDS, and help him and his family to glorify You Alina deliver her from the pain she is going through; save her mother and neighbour Esther heal her younger brother and his family from sorrow; be with her widow mother; have their non-profit re-organization to be reopened and bless them with the finances they need THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS SAVIOR Vincet Japhan Samwel THOSE WHO HAVE RECOMMITTED THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST Danette Sylvester Suleiman DEVOTIONAL READING: “Transformed By Grace,” by Billy Graham 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “He hath made him to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God...” Augustine was one of the greatest theologians of all time. He was a wild, intemperate, immoral youth. In spite of his mother’s pleadings and prayers, he grew worse instead of better. But one day he had a personal encounter with Jesus Christ that transformed his life. His restlessness and the practice of sin disappeared. He became one of the great saints of all time. John Newton was a slave trader on the west coast of Africa. One day in a storm at sea he met Jesus Christ. He went back to England and became an Anglican clergyman. He wrote scores of hymns, one of which has become the modern popular song, “Amazing Grace.” This is what Christ can do for anyone who puts his trust in Him. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Now, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell. First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God's law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death…" Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Now that is bad news, but here's the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:9 & 13 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen. If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read "What To Do After You Enter Through the Door". Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." Until next time, May the Lord Bless You!

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry. He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University's Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree. He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

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Roman Catholic Priest Says Christian Population in Gaza Strip Has Fallen to Its Last 1,000

A Roman Catholic priest in the Gaza Strip has said that the Christian population there has dwindled to its last 1,000 inhabitants, and he's asking the global Church to pray for them as believers face threats from Islamic radicals and harsh living conditions. Gazans "live like it's an open air prison since we can't leave. We can't visit relatives, look for work, medicine or good hospitals on the outside," Fr. Mario da Silva told ACI Prensa, according to a translation by the Catholic News Agency on Tuesday. The Christian population in the troubled region has been rapidly declining, down from 4,500 six years ago, the priest said. With Gaza being ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas, Egypt and Israel have imposed an economic blockade, leaving many of the 1.8 million inhabitants without basic necessities and the means to support themselves. Silva explained that many Gazans are unemployed; have only three hours of electricity a day; and face a shortage of drinking water. "It's really a prison. People don't have any money and the situation is terrible. There is widespread poverty," the priest said. Although they face travel restrictions, many Christians have left never to return when given annual permits to visit holy places on Easter and Christmas. He noted that while Christians do not typically experience persecution from the local Muslims, fear is growing due to the rise of the Islamic State terror group and its attacks in Egypt in Sinai. "There have already been threats. There is also fear of the Salafist groups who are coming in from the south," Silva said. "In fact, when we have problems with Muslims who want to do something against the church, we've asked the government to protect us and they have done so," he added. Click here to read more. Source: Christian Post

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Bill Hybels Resigns from Willow Creek Church Following Allegations of Misconduct; Apologizes for 'Defensive' Response

[caption id="attachment_423817" align="aligncenter" width="907"] An investigation by the Chicago Tribune examined allegations of inappropriate behavior by Willow Creek Senior Pastor Bill Hybels, documented through interviews with current and former church members, elders and employees, as well as hundreds of emails and internal records. (Chicago Tribune)[/caption] Forty-two years after founding one of the nation’s most influential evangelical megachurches, the Rev. Bill Hybels told his congregation Tuesday night that he would step down from the helm of Willow Creek Community Church six months ahead of schedule. His departure comes less than a month after a Chicago Tribune investigation disclosed that Hybels had been the subject of inquiries by church leaders into claims that he ran afoul of church teachings by engaging in inappropriate behavior with women in his congregation — including employees — allegedly spanning decades. The inquiries had cleared Hybels. At times choking back tears, Hybels told the somber crowd at a hastily called meeting at the church’s main campus in South Barrington that, while he continued to enjoy support from within his congregation, the controversy was proving to be a distraction from the church’s mission and work. Referring to his wife, he said, “It has been extremely painful for Lynne and I to see this controversy continue to be a distraction.” He also announced that he would not lead the church’s Global Leadership Summit, an annual event featuring leaders from business, government, entertainment and churches hosted by the Willow Creek Association, a nonprofit dedicated to leadership development, where Hybels had planned to focus his energy after retirement. While saying he believes he has been cleared of all of the accusations, he apologized to the church for how he handled himself. He said he regretted that he reacted in anger when the accusations were made public. “I apologize to you, my church, for a response that was defensive instead of one that invited conversation and learning,” he said. Hybels had previously called the allegations against him “flat-out lies.” He also had said that the multiyear effort by former senior leaders of the church to push for an independent investigation was nothing but “collusion.” On Tuesday, he said he intended to reflect on what has happened and how he reacted. “I feel the need to look deep inside myself and determine what God wants to teach me through all of this,” Hybels said. “I have complete peace about this decision and I’m not going to rush this process. Your prayers would be much appreciated during this upcoming season of reflection.” Hybels also said that while the accusations against him have been misleading and “some entirely false,” he apologized for making choices that put him in situations that could be misconstrued. “I too often placed myself in situations that would have been far wiser to avoid,” he said, adding: “I was naive about the dynamics those situations created. … I commit to never putting myself into similar situations again.” He has said since May 2012 that he would step down in October of this year. Willow Creek, which hosts more than 25,000 worshippers a weekend at its main campus in South Barrington and seven satellite sites, made history in evangelical circles last October by naming a woman to succeed Hybels as lead pastor. Heather Larson, the executive pastor, will take over as chief executive of the megachurch while Steve Carter will become the lead teaching pastor, effective Tuesday. “This is going to take time for all of us to process,” Larson said. “This is not the end of the story. It’s not the end of Bill’s story. It’s not the end of Willow’s story, and it’s certainly not the end of God’s story.” Larson added that leaders would be working on a way to appropriately honor the Hybels family. Hybels’ abrupt departure comes days after one of his accusers, as well as a former teaching pastor and a former longtime elder, posted personal blog entries explaining why they made their concerns public when they did. Vonda Dyer, a former leader of the church’s vocal ministry, who told the Tribune that Hybels kissed and caressed her stomach in an overseas hotel suite 20 years ago, said she stayed silent for decades because she had confronted Hybels privately and believed her encounters were isolated incidents. “I believe the women who have come forward because our stories are so similar,” she wrote. “For the sake of the other women and for the sake of the church, I cannot stay silent.” Betty Schmidt, a current member and former elder, said that current elders had misrepresented what she told them when she met with them 15 months ago. “Women need to know that if they muster the courage to tell their stories church leadership will listen with compassion and fairness,” Schmidt wrote. “That has not happened here. Yet. I hope and pray it will.” The Rev. John Ortberg, pastor of Menlo Park Church in California and a former teaching pastor at Willow Creek, said that women must feel safe coming forward if they have been abused by church leaders. “In a family, all voices should be heard, and every story should be told,” Ortberg wrote. “This should happen in a setting where there is a balance of power and independent judgment can be made about their accounts. The women cannot and must not be silenced.” The announcement left many in the mostly full sanctuary stunned and saddened. Click here to continue reading... SOURCE: Manya Brachear Pashman and Jeff Coen Chicago Tribune

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Testimony Stopped as Defense Slips Up at Cosby Trial

[caption id="attachment_423811" align="aligncenter" width="558"] Bill Cosby Getty Images[/caption] Testimony in Bill Cosby‘s sex assault retrial came to a jarring halt Tuesday afternoon, when a defense attorney let slip that jurors in the comedian’s first trial had been unable to reach a verdict. The utterance — mistaken or otherwise — came during a heated cross examination of prosecution witness Dr. Barbara Ziv, a forensic psychiatrist, by defense lawyer Kathleen Bliss. Bliss, trying to get Ziv to admit she’d closely followed the case, referred to an undated article in Sky News about sex crimes in which Ziv had been quoted. “The article reported you commenting on the jury’s inability to reach a verdict and convict Mr. Cosby,” Bliss said, before prosecutor Kristen Feden erupted from her chair and screamed “Objection!” The parties immediately hustled into chambers for a sidebar. The majority of jurors empaneled for Cosby’s retrial said they had some knowledge of the case, though some said they had no knowledge. No jurors were specifically asked if they were aware of last summer’s mistrial, when the Pittsburgh-area jury was unable to reach a verdict following nearly 60 hours of deliberations. Cosby, 80, is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University staffer Andrea Constand in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, in 2004. Ziv’s testimony continued after a visibly irate Judge Steven O’Neill resumed his spot at the bench and reminded jurors that questions weren’t evidence. “Any evidence that may have occurred in the history of this case or may not have occurred in this case is not evidence,” he said tersely. Bliss then asked Ziv, who was testifying about the often contradictory behaviors of sex assault victims, to “take the mystery out of it” and read her quote — which held no specific references to the June 2017 mistrial at all. “When there are only two people there is always a he-said/she-said element, so who are you going to believe? It is hard to make judgments on credibility, so you rely heavily on physical evidence,” Ziv read. In an unexpected twist, the first laughs of the trial came at Bliss’ expense minutes earlier, as Bliss tried to get Ziv, who said she only knew the general outlines of the case against Cosby, to admit she was lying. Click here for more. SOURCE: Page Six - Emily Saul

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People Are Mad After Two of Six Men Who Gang Raped a 13-Year-Old Girl in Brutal Attack Are Only Sentenced to Parole

[caption id="attachment_423801" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Clarence Williams, left, and Tommy Williams, right, were each sentenced on Tuesday to a minimum of 10 years of sex offender intensive supervised probation, with a maximum of life on probation. (Colorado Springs Police Department)[/caption] A family in Colorado is outraged after two men, who were accused of gang-raping a 13-year-old girl with their brothers and cousins, were only sentenced to probation. Tommy Williams, 20, and Clarence Williams, 19, were each sentenced on Tuesday to a minimum of 10 years of sex offender intensive supervised probation, with a maximum of life on probation, KKTV reported. The men are two of six suspects accused of sexually assaulting the young teen in December 2016 inside of the Stonebrook Terrace apartment complex in Colorado Springs. The victim's grandfather was shocked at the sentencing, telling the news station: "There was six of them and they gang-raped my granddaughter." Read more at FOXNews.com. SOURCE: Fox News