Minutes after the presidential declaration, the Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State, Reverend Faye Pama Musa, a Pentecostal pastor, was shot dead in his Maiduguri home by two suspected Boko Haram members.
On 14 May Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States to address the “systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists groups which pose a very serious national threat to national unity and territorial integrity." The move comes in the wake of escalating attacks in northern and central states over recent weeks by increasingly well-armed and well-organised militants.
Minutes after the presidential declaration, the Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Borno State, Reverend Faye Pama Musa, a Pentecostal pastor, was shot dead in his Maiduguri home by two suspected Boko Haram members.
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The feature comedy "3 Blind Saints" has won the Dove Family-Approved Seal as "the kind of entertainment family members can enjoy together with confidence." Written and produced by Steve Gray, the Dove endorsement for family viewing is in addition to a "wholehearted endorsement" by national radio host Dave Ramsey. "This is a humorous film that will entertain the entire family but also shows how the Lord sometimes works in mysterious ways," reads the online Dove review. Recognized by over 50 million Americans, the Dove Family Approved Seal is awarded to movies and other entertainment products that portray and encourage positive values. Born Fred McFeely Rogers in 1928, in the western Pennsylvania town of Latrobe near Pittsburgh, Rogers' television career began in 1951 when he was hired as an assistant producer at NBC. In 1953 he moved back to Pittsburgh to co-produce a program called The Children's Corner, the show where several several of the famous Mister Rogers' characters made their first appearance - among them Daniel Striped Tiger, King Friday XIII, Lady Elaine Fairchilde and X the Owl. “I can't imagine more surprising places for God to appear than a manger or a cross. Yet all through his life and resurrection, Jesus demonstrates the power of showing and sharing God's love. Every time I write a script or a song or walk into the studio, I pray 'Let some word that is heard be Thine.' That's really all that matters.” Today the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the Obama Administration's denial of asylum granted to the Romeike family. The Romeikes fled Germany in 2008 when they were subjected to criminal prosecution for homeschooling. They were granted asylum in 2010 by Immigration Judge Lawrence O. Burman, but that grant was overturned by the Board of Immigration Appeals in 2012. A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit heard the Romeikes' appeal on April 23 in Cincinnati, and issued today's unanimous decision against the family. Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) renews its call for an end to human rights violations in Eritrea, including the abuse of freedom of religion or belief, ahead of the eleventh anniversary of a government crackdown on all but three Christian denominations and the start of mass detentions of Eritrean Christians. On 15 May 2002, all churches except those belonging to the Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran denominations were effectively banned and the era of mass arrests of Christians began. Over 2,000 Christians are currently detained in Eritrea without charge or trial, often in life threatening conditions pending denial of their faith. More than 52,000 letters have been written to American pastor Saeed Abedini, commending him for his strong demonstration of faith as he languishes in an Iranian prison. The Web-based campaign was launched by the American Center for Law and Justice ahead of Abedini's 33rd birthday May 7. ACLJ, which is representing Abedini's wife and children who live in the United States, reported that 52,501 letters had been written to the pastor, a U.S. citizen of Iranian descent who has been sentenced to eight years in prison for converting to Christianity. More letters can still be written at SaveSaeed.org. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, He taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring for more fruit. (John 15:2) The key verse for this final lesson confirms it is God's desire that spiritual fruit be evident in your life. This chapter provides guidelines for developing spiritual fruit.
Raleigh Sadler says he's just a Florida boy who wears cardigans -- he has no business kicking down the door of a brothel. "It's pretty much scientifically proven that guys who wear cardigans don't do that kind of thing," he joked. But when God got hold of Sadler at a Passion conference in 2012, he had no doubt about a few things: human trafficking was, in fact, his problem, and even if he didn't kick down any doors, he had to do something. When I was 16 years old, I had my first opportunity to preach in a church service. I was nervous as could be. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. For some strange reason, my youth pastor felt it was worthwhile to put me in front of an auditorium full of people and be the main speaker for Youth Sunday. The rest, as they say, is history. Third-world horrors popped up recently in Cleveland. "So many of us have this mindset that human trafficking and slavery is a third-world issue, and it's not," says Cathey Anderson of Operation Mobilization. "It's here in our backyard." Three women and a 6-year-old girl were rescued from a literal "house of horrors" on Tuesday. Neighbors broke in and called the police after they heard one of the women screaming. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight went missing between nine and 11 years ago. In 2002, Knight was thought to have run away. Berry vanished in 2003 after calling her sister to say she was getting a ride home from her job at Burger King. |
Walter Blackwood
Associate Pastor with The Bridge Community of Faith in Kelowna BC Canada. Archives
May 2017
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