Look who's spreading blood libel lies

A man wearing a kippah waits for the start of a demonstration against anti-Semitism at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, September 14, 2014.

The blood libel is one of the most hateful and destructive lies launched against the Jewish people over the centuries. While it takes on many different forms, it boils down to the false accusation that the Jews would kidnap and kill a non-Jewish child (or adult), using the victim’s blood for some ritual purpose. In the last week, it has raised its ugly head once again.

Do You Understand the Real Meaning of Holiness?

When a man has come to the place where his love for Christ has surpassed his desire for all else, only the presence of God will satisfy him, and the will of God becomes his delight. It is in this place of satisfaction that true consecration is born. If a person's longings are satisfied in Christ, he no longer desires the bitter taste of sin. But without this divine fulfillment, there is an endless search for satisfaction for which the pleasures of sin provide a temporary but attractive solution.

Have you ever noticed that things taste so much better when you're hungry? But after you have eaten and you're full, you could walk right past a buffet of delicious delicacies and not have the slightest desire for them. Proverbs 27:7 says it this way: "The full soul loathes a honeycomb, but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet."

Why business needs Christian leaders

Christian business leaders often wonder how best to manage in a way that glorifies God.  Those bold enough to lead businesses these days face immense challenges.  Millennials make new demands compared to their parents and grandparents.  Global business, artificial intelligence and robots all shift jobs away from our friends and neighbors.  Data security, privacy, diversity and equality present ethical challenges for which no one really knows the answer.  Senior executive salaries have grown far faster than the typical worker, creating a historic earnings gap.  Each of these challenges call on Christians to lead their organizations in a way that reflects their faith.  Alas, both Christian and non-Christian business leaders have too often turned a blind eye to unethical behavior in order to further the financial goals of their organizations. Too many business leaders have signaled to the world that winning on the business battlefield is separate from faithful service to God.

Why Praying in Tongues Is Key to Hearing Holy Spirit

One key to growing closer to God in our walk with Him is praying in tongues, says Pastor Bob Yandian. It's in this practice that we hear the Holy Spirit the clearest, he says. There was a time Paul heard clearly from the Holy Spirit to turn and go a different direction on one of his missionary journeys (Acts 16:6-10), and Yandian says this supernatural direction came from Paul speaking in tongues while praying.

"Pray in tongues, and when you do, you hear from the Holy Spirit," Yandian says. "But we often want to make our own decisions. And Paul says in the Scriptures, 'in everything, by prayer and supplication.' So there should be praying in the Spirit a lot more, mainly for the guidance of the Holy Spirit."

Jonathan Cahn Reveals Stunning Mysteries that Show 'Fingerprints of God'

New York Times' bestselling author Jonathan Cahn released his new book The Oracle: The Jubilean Mysteries Unveiled this fall, and readers worldwide were amazed at his much-anticipated work that reveals centuries-old mysteries tying directly to today's events.

"What if I told you of a mystery that began thousands of years ago and yet operates in the modern world, guiding, synchronizing, conforming all human events, directing the actions of leaders, the courses of nations and of world history itself—to bring about its appointed purposes," Cahn said. "It may seem hard to believe—but it's real. The mystery begins on a mountaintop in a desert thousands of years ago and is determining events of our modern world. How could something from ancient times be determining what's happening now? That is the mystery."

1 of 4 kidnapped Nigerian seminarians released after suffering serious injuries

Seminarians abducted from Nigeria's Good Shepherd Major Seminary.

A Nigerian seminarian who was abducted this month was freed by his kidnappers after 10 days in captivity. Three seminarians kidnapped with him remain in captivity.

The freed seminarian, who has not yet been identified, is being treated at a Catholic hospital in Kaduna, Nigeria. The extent of his injuries is unclear, but he is being treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit.

Signs and Symptoms of Demonic Manifestations

How can you tell if a person is manifesting a demon? We need to look at and study character traits, habits, motions or actions that are unlike them or are abnormal.

When you are still waiting for your spiritual discernment to increase, you can take the knowledge you have obtained and use it for natural discernment.

India: Hindu extremists protest 114 foot tall Jesus statue amid escalating persecution

Christians in India are seeking to erect the nation’s tallest statue of Jesus despite objections by Hindi groups who say one of their gods lives on the hill designated for the project.

Hundreds of hardline Hindus gathered to protest a planned Jesus statue that will rival Rio de Janeiro's "Christ The Redeemer" for its size, claiming the structure will go “against the spirit of communal harmony.”

On Monday, members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the hardline parent organization of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, staged protests in the southern state of Karnataka's Ramanagara district, the Times of India reports.

Top three reasons people reject Christianity

In my experience, there are three top stumbling blocks or “turn-off’s” of Christianity that I see surface time after time with both non-Christians and believers who struggle in their faith. Although there are certainly other issues that crop up, here are the ones – from least to most problematic – that I’ve seen over and over again.

Unanswered Prayer

Near the end of the movie God’s Not Dead, the atheist college professor who has attacked and ridiculed his Christian student’s faith throughout the film admits that it was his mother’s death from an illness and his unanswered prayers for her healing when he was young that drove him to atheism. When he converses with a pastor who attempts to comfort him, the pastor says that God sometimes says ‘no’ to our prayers. The professor then with anguish utters something that is to me one of the most poignant statements in the film:

How You May Unwittingly Invite a Demonic Stronghold Into Your Life

Do you need deliverance from demonic strongholds or wrong mindsets?

We cannot and must not blame everything on a demon. We have responsibility for the mindsets we take on and the freedom we need to receive.

So often we relate the word deliverance to demonic entities infiltrating our soul. The definition of deliverance from American Dictionary of the English Language, Webster's Dictionary 1828, is, "release from captivity, slavery, oppression or any restraint." We can hold ourselves in captivity by wrong mindsets.

Nebuchadnezzar Spirit Rising in the Prophetic Movement

I've seen a troubling trend in the prophetic movement—a spirit of divination is masquerading as the Holy Spirit. There's such a fascination with the gifts of the Spirit in this hour—particularly the gifts that know something and the gifts that say something—that many don't stop to consider the spirit behind the words or the motive of the person releasing the impressive prophetic utterance.

Time and time again, I've seen people's jaws literally drop when someone can tell them when their birthday or their name (or the last four digits of their bank account number... scary!). People will stand for hours watching people operate in prophetic gifts, perhaps hoping they are next to receive a revelation. Sadly, a failure to unknowingly judge the source of the gifts of the Spirit leading many to idolize diviners instead of the divine one.

Case in point: I recently saw one prophetic pretender manifest with what looked like King Nebuchadnezzar madness in an online video. He was singing mocking words about curses and vindication with a crazed look in his eyes that grieved my spirit.

The number of people who laughed and cheered him on in the lunacy was not only shocking, it was yet another confirmation of the lack of discernment in the body of Christ—and how many blindly follow personalities instead of following the person of the Holy Spirit wholly.

Who Was Nebuchadnezzar?

Over the past 20 years, I've seen many troubling manifestations of the Nebuchadnezzar spirit—the spirit that was on the king who lost his mind in Daniel 4 after he took the glory that belonged to God:

At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon. The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"

While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you! And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses" (Dan. 4:29-32, NKJV).

Click here to read the rest of Jennifer's article.

This Roman church was a gift from Catholics around the world to Leo XIII

There are many Catholic churches in Rome, but few can boast of having been built through the contributions of Catholics around the world as a gift to the pope.

San Gioacchino ai Prati di Castello is an exception.

'Made for Mission': Student Leadership Summit kicks off in Phoenix

Attendees at SLS20.

Thousands of Catholics from across the nation are gathering in Phoenix, Arizona, this week for SLS20, the biennial Student Leadership Summit hosted by the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).

The conference, which is being held under the theme “You Were Made For Mission,” opened on Dec. 30 at the Phoenix Convention Center, beginning with a Mass and keynote addresses from author and musician Emily Wilson, and Fr. Mike Schmitz. Fr. Schmitz is chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and leads the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth.

China: Early Rain Church pastor Wang Yi sentenced to 9 years in prison

Pastor Wang Yi in a sermon "Waiting Together for the Day of Redemption" preached on September 9, 2018 at Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China.

Pastor Wang Yi, head of one of China’s largest unregistered churches, has been sentenced to nine years in prison on charges of subversion of power and illegal business operations amid an uptick in religious persecution in China.

The pastor of the 5,000-member Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, China, was sentenced Monday, according to a statement from the Intermediate People's Court of Chengdu Municipality.

Multiple People Injured in New York City Suburb Synagogue Stabbing Attack

Multiple people were injured during a stabbing attack at a synagogue in a New York City suburb Saturday night, according to reports.

Fox News reported that Steve Lieberman, a reporter with The Journal News in Rockland County, posted on Twitter that "at least three people had been stabbed just before 10 p.m. and that local police were conducting a search of the area" surrounding the synagogue on Forshay Road in Monsey, New York, a town of about 18,000 residents about 35 miles north of New York City.

Fox News also reported that "video posted on social media from Monsey showed emergency responders rushing victims to ambulances, surrounded by the flashing red lights of numerous emergency vehicles."

Fox News reported that "messages posted later by the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council of the Hudson Valley said that five people had been stabbed, including one victim who was struck six times, and that two of the victims were in critical condition." That message added that "a suspect was seen leaving in a gray Nissan Sentra vehicle."

One of the victims was stabbed at least 6 times, according to reports. The fifth/least severe case had a cut in his hand.

Reports said the perpetrator's face was partially covered with a scarf, but skin showed him to be an African American.

How to get young 'Christmas Christians' to engage yearlong

The problem of the “Christmas Christian” is one that’s troubled church leaders for decades. As a former youth pastor, I looked forward to seeing new faces in my youth group around the holiday season. However, once Christmas passed, those “Christmas Christians” disappeared.  Ninety percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, but it doesn’t translate into greater engagement with their faith the rest of the year. This is especially true for students, who are increasingly distancing themselves from their faith.

The problem of inconsistent church attendance is symptomatic of a greater issue – that young Americans simply don’t feel connected to their faith.

Trump Administration Investigating Ban on Christmas Decorations

Trump Administration officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have opened an investigation into MACO Management Company's ban of Christmas lights and yard displays at a 55 and older housing development in Missouri.

Liberty Counsel recently sent a demand letter to the MACO Management Company on behalf of residents at Grandview Estates, a HUD-subsidized residential complex. MACO Management prohibited residents from decorating their duplexes with outside Christmas decorations, including lights and yard decorations. Nothing in the lease agreement or regulations supported such a ban and residents have previously displayed Christmas lights and yard decorations for many years.

Excellence with Integrity: Four Reasons Why How You Do Your Job Matters

Throughout Scripture, it’s clear that how you do your job matters; the Bible has a lot to say about the importance of work and how Christians should conduct ourselves while performing in the workplace.

Colossians 3:23 reads, “Whatever you do, work at it with all of your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,” and Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Megachurch pastor steps away from pulpit because he feels far from God, tired in soul

The Rev. Howard-John Wesley, senior pastor of the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, surprised his congregation earlier this month with an announcement that he is stepping away from his ministry for a season because he feels far from God, tired in his soul and needed to recuperate mentally and physically.

“From January 1 (2020) to April 1. I am walking away from every responsibility I have as pastor,” Wesley announced in his sermon on Dec. 1.

“You can’t pour out of an empty cup. It is very dangerous for your pastor to be on empty,” he told congregants.  “I need to take care of me.”

Louie Giglio's new children's devotional hopes to bridge the divide between God and science

Louie Giglio addresses the crowd at Passion 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia, from Jan. 1-4, 2013.

Passion City Church Pastor Louie Giglio's new installment of his bestselling children's devotional, How Great Is Our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science, encourages the next generation while bridging the divide between faith and science.
 
After reaching hundreds of thousands of children with the first set of devotions in 2017's Indescribable, Giglio now penned 100 additional devotions about God and science that will expand the curiosity of children with How Great Is Our God. The book includes scientific facts, photography, illustrations, and activities that cover topics such as, space and time, the human body, animals and more.

"I think that one of the best-hidden beauties of this little devotional is it really does tear down the divide, if you will, in some ways that people try to build up between God and science,” Giglio told a local media in a recent interview.

How to Know God Has Called You to Be a Seer Prophet

Are you a seer prophet? While all believers have the ability to see in the spirit, not all are seer prophets.

How would you know the difference? Jennifer continues in her Seer Dimensions series with more ways to discern the call to seership.

Practical Ways to Cleanse a Room of Demonic Activity

When you enter a hotel room, you can cleanse it from demonic activity.

I think we all enjoy our anointed homes that we have prayed over and where we have Christian music playing. I don't know about you, but I have cultivated an atmosphere of praise in my home. It is peaceful.

I enjoy being there in the presence of the Lord. In fact, sometimes it makes it difficult to leave my home to go out in the world.

However, as I travel for the kingdom of God, and as some of you travel for your work, ministry, vacation or holidays, how do we continue to protect the natural environment we have to live in and guard our souls when we are away from home?

Why Social Justice Should Be a Crucial Part of Your Evangelism Strategy

During his message at The Gospel Coalition's 2019 National Conference, Pastor Tim Keller argued that justice—advocating for racial minorities, the poor and the needy—needs to be an important part of the Christian lifestyle. He says the primary mission of the church is to call people to repentance and share the gospel message, but that if we do not show our love by our deeds, the outside world will not heed the message we preach.

"When the world sees Christians only evangelizing and not caring about society, not doing the Good Samaritan thing—when the world sees Christians only evangelizing, you know what they see?" Keller says. "They actually see people who just care about increasing their tribe, increasing their market share, increasing their power. Now that's not true, but from the outside, they don't have the Holy Spirit. What else are they going to think when they see you do evangelism and the church grows and grows and grows? They're going to say, 'They're just like every other business in the world, every other power block in the world, trying to get a bigger part of the market.' But when they see us evangelizing and pouring ourselves out for the poor and the needy, and caring about racial justice—when they see us doing both, as Christians, then I think, frankly, the preaching of the gospel makes a lot more sense to them."

To hear his full remarks on the subject, watch the embedded video above.

How a False Prophet Can Still Give an Accurate Prophecy

Did you know a false prophet can actually give a correct prophecy? However, we still must not follow that prophet if the source of their power is demonic, says Pastor Joshua Reyes.

"False prophets and false prophecies are not the same thing," Reyes says. "A false prophet will either prophesy out of an evil and prideful heart or out of deception. The prophecy itself may be correct, but the spirit behind it is unclean, making the prophecy false because the source is tainted. Always consider the source of the prophetic word.

Did You Know Demons Strategically Monitor You?

You know the Christmas song that goes, "He sees you when you're sleeping; he knows when you're awake"? Well, prophetic minister Kathy DeGraw says you need to be aware that demons are strategically watching you so they can tempt you.

"When we look at monitoring spirits, they are gathering what we say, what we do, how we act, how we behave, and they're reporting back to the demonic commanders," DeGraw says. "Demons are organized, disciplined and committed. I want you to think about them kind of as a military force."

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke Dies Saturday at 79

Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke, a German Pentecostal known for his mission work throughout Africa since 1967, died Dec. 7, according to a Facebook post. Bonnke founded the ministry Christ for All Nations, which has recorded "more than 77 million documented decisions for Jesus."

Bonnke reportedly passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, and the family asks, "in lieu of flowers, to please make a donation to Christ for all Nations – Africa Crusade."

Pope Francis’ letter on nativity scenes shares the story behind a beloved Christmas tradition

Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter Dec. 1 on the meaning and importance of nativity scenes, calling for this “wonderful sign” to be more widely displayed in family homes and public places throughout the world.

“The enchanting image of the Christmas crèche, so dear to the Christian people, never ceases to arouse amazement and wonder. The depiction of Jesus’ birth is itself a simple and joyful proclamation of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God,” Pope Francis wrote in Admirabile signum, meaning “A wonderful sign” in Latin.

Why This Businessman Upended His Life and Started a Christian TV Station

A Tampa-based businessman gave up his nice life in order to start a television studio for the glory of God.

In a video interview, Howard Conder, founder of Revelation TV in the UK, says God called him out of a comfortable life to follow him into the television industry.

"I was working in America having set up a music studio in Tampa, Florida in the 1980s," Conder says. "My children were in school, my family settled, and outwardly everything looked great. But in my heart, God was doing something. You know the way God works. Doors open, and other doors close. And suddenly you find yourself doing things you never expected. ... I saw the power of God and I saw the power of television and the good it could do, and I knew I could never go back to being a businessman ever again. God had began a work in me, and when He called, there was no way I was going to refuse Him."

Watch the full video bellow

4 Crucial Steps to Being an Emotionally Healthy Christian

We had received so many prophetic words in the years leading up to Bethel Music, words that should have prepared me for the growing pains of being a young leader in a powerful environment. But I didn't realize that when you're creating some­thing new, there's going to be some resistance, and people aren't always going to catch the vision of going to places we've never been.

I thought things were supposed to happen a certain way, and when they didn't, I became im­patient. I didn't let those prophetic words give me the patience I needed. We were devoting more time to the label, balancing our responsibili­ties at Bethel Church with requests to travel and lead worship, and preparing for our annual worship school.

We needed a break from the weight of it all.

Jenn and I decided to go have dinner with friends at a cabin up in the moun­tains. We were between Redding and the mountains when the text messages started flooding in. Some of the key artists and musicians from our team who were scheduled to help with the worship school had been booked by other church ministries.

All of a sudden, there I was in the same conversation I'd had so many times before. The frustration set in, and immediately I was livid.

Dinners, deliveries and drives: how some Catholics serve up Thanksgiving for the poor

As many gather for Thanksgiving each year around tables filled with food and family, the National Council of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul sets out to make sure that the poor and homeless will also experience a holiday filled with community.

“Society members work with people in poverty and the homeless 365 days a year. Our parish-based Conferences operate food pantries, dining facilities, and shelters year-round to help people in need with food and shelter,” said Dave Barringer, the National CEO of the U.S. Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Is the Magic in 'Frozen II' Safe for Your Children?

With Frozen II likely to take over the box office this weekend, families across the U.S. may be wondering whether Disney's animated sequel is safe for their kids. After all, both the original movie and the sequel heavily feature and discuss magic. Despite this, Movieguide®'s Dr. Ted Baehr believes this film is appropriate for any children "4 and up."

In a video review of Frozen II, Baehr explains, "This is really an acceptable movie. The way you deal with the enchanted forest and some of the magic—now the magical thinking gets superseded by the end of the movie by the Christian redemptive content. The good triumphs over all the bad. But you may want to talk to your children first."

Faith May Be the Exact Key to Living Longer, Research Shows

If you are in Los Angeles and hop on the 10 Freeway heading east for about 69 miles, you will eventually come to a town of 23,000 people, called Loma Linda—Spanish for Beautiful Hill. If you get off at Anderson Street, you will immediately notice two things. One, the sprawling university medical center with the same name as the town. Their mission: "continuing the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ." The other is the prevailing presence of the Seventh Day Adventists. It is the largest community of those practicing this Protestant-based religion in the country; about 7,000 attend the university's campus church.

Candidly, despite its pretty Spanish name, unless you need to get gas, you will likely keep heading down the road. At first glance, there is nothing particularly remarkable about Loma Linda, California. However, if you know anything about the area, you will know that this is the only place, within our U.S. borders, where people live, on average, about a decade longer than the rest of us, many hitting 100 years of age.

How to memorize Scripture

I had the privilege of living in the Holy Land for four years where I earned two master’s degrees at Jerusalem University College. During my stay I was able to do some really amazing things like meeting my wife Sarah, walking around the Sea of Galilee, living with the tent dwelling seminomadic Bedouins in the desert, and being part of evangelism teams throughout all of Israel. But the most impactful experience I took away was being able to rub shoulders with Jews and Christians who are really serious about memorizing Scripture and gleaning from them the three main techniques of how they and those who went before them went about memorizing.

Memorizing is hard, especially for us in the west who live in a copy, paste, Facebook, Tweet, file and forget world. It might be hard for you to conceive of 8-year-old children that had all 150 Psalms memorized! But memorizing the Word of God is so important to our spiritual life and it is achievable with discipline, prayer, and hard work.

Are children a curse or a gift?

A recent open letter from the Alliance of World Scientists began this way: “We declare, with more than 11,000 scientist signatories from around the world…that planet Earth is facing a climate emergency.”

The letter is filled with urgent language and what the authors consider irrefutable proof that human beings are destroying the planet.

And, they offer their prescription. In addition to emissions reductions, renewable energy, and carbon taxes, the authors think it’s time to say “no” to children.

Alasdair MacIntyre: True friendships are rare, but possible

For Aristotle, the definition of perfect friendship was so narrow that precious few could achieve it.

In order to have a perfect friendship between two people, Aristotle said that both must be models of goodness and virtue, willing the good of the other and loving each other for their own sake.

He also thought these levels of virtue and goodness could only be achieved by a narrow slice of the population: namely, the Greek male elite. Women, non-Greeks, productive workers, and slaves were, in Aristotle’s mind, unable to achieve the levels of virtue and goodness necessary for such friendships.

'Wake-up call': Anglican Church of Canada may cease to exist by 2040, says report

The Anglican Church of Canada will run out of members by the year 2040 if its current rate of decline continues, according to a recently released report.

The Rev. Canon Neil Elliot gave a presentation last Saturday at the ACC Council of General Synod on the statistics for the members of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

This white supremacist renounced his ideology after someone showed kindness

One of the most fascinating outcomes of the recent controversy surrounding Ellen DeGeneres and President George W. Bush (you can read our take ​here​) is a discussion about the “limits” of kindness. ​In an ​article​ for Vanity Fair, cultural critic Laura Bradley argues that there are instances where “unconditional kindness” may not be appropriate, especially when “one person has historically believed other people should not have the same basic rights as another.” Actor Mark Ruffalo put it this way, tweeting: “Sorry, until George W. Bush is brought to justice for the crimes of the Iraq War, (including American-lead torture, Iraqi deaths & displacement and the deep scars—emotional & otherwise—inflicted on our military that served his folly), we can’t even begin to talk about kindness.”

One big question, then, simmering beneath all of this, is this: should kindness have limits?

Cardinal O’Malley to US bishops: Ask for grace at St. Peter’s tomb

In St. Peter’s Basilica Thursday, Cardinal Sean O’Malley asked American bishops to pray for the grace to make a profession of faith, hope, and love at the tomb of St. Peter before meeting with Pope Francis.

Cardinal O’Malley, the archbishop of Boston, and the other bishops from New England are in Rome for an ad limina apostolorum visit — a pilgrimage to “the threshold of the apostles” — in which they are meeting the pope and curial officials to discuss the state of their dioceses.

In his homily in the crypt of the basilica, O’Malley touched upon some of the problems currently affecting American Catholics.

Leaving Christianity: Christian leaders offer some antidotes but it's not that simple

Growing up, Essie Horn wasn’t much different than many young girls raised in an evangelical Christian home.

She attended church, sometimes Presbyterian, other times nondenominational, with her family, in addition to receiving her K-12 education at a small Christian school. Her college education took place at a small, private Christian college located in the hills of Tennessee, where she felt her faith “really grew” after she grasped her “own depravity and grace.”

“I considered myself a Christian my whole life,” she recalled.

But as Essie entered adulthood, something shifted.

How to Pray Huge Prayers—And See Dramatic Results

For years, even as a pastor, Brian Phipps found it difficult to pray for big things in his life. He wanted to influence the kingdom in a big way, but didn't know how to pray it into existence.

What he discovered was that he needed simply to follow the message of obedience in Luke 16:10 of "he who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much."

In UN address, Holy See voices support for ceasefire in Yemen

A nationwide ceasefire is essential to ease the suffering of the people of Yemen, which has been in a civil war since at least 2014, said the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N. on Tuesday.

“Children are starving; access to clean water is scarce; the economy continues to struggle severely; those who cannot flee the front lines of war remain cut off from basic supplies and humanitarian workers are impeded to operate in some areas,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, permanent observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, describing the situation in Yemen.

Priest in N Ireland urges pro-choice politicians not to receive Holy Communion

A priest in Northern Ireland has exhorted pro-choice politicians not to receive Holy Communion, and Catholic voters not to vote for pro-choice candidates or parties, after legislation expanding abortion access in the region took effect this week.

“To be publicly pro choice-abortion is irreconcilable with being a faithful Catholic. Therefore, such persons should not approach the Holy Eucharist. If they do so, they are committing the mortal sin of sacrilege,” Fr. Patrick McCafferty, parish priest at Corpus Christi in Belfast, said in an Oct. 21 Facebook post.

'Belief in Genesis ... incompatible with human dignity,' British tribunal claims

In the novel “Bleak House,” Charles Dickens introduces us to Harold Skimpole, a man who seems charming and reasonable but is quickly revealed to be a mooch and a parasite. Skimpole lives comfortably off of his friends. Even worse, he believes he’s entitled to the standard of living his friends provide, giving no thought at all to what it took to make his life comfortable in the first place.

Western culture is Skimpole-like. In other words, we take ideas such as freedom and human dignity for granted, without ever stopping to think about where those ideas came from in the first place.

Just ask Dr. David Mackereth who, for 26 years, worked for Britain’s National Health Service, mostly in Accident and Emergency wards. By all accounts, he was an excellent doctor.

Hillsong Pastor Explains Why You Should Let Your Child Trick-or-Treat, Despite Warning: ‘Spiritual Darkness Is Surrounding Everything’

It’s that time of the year again. Christian parents everywhere enter into a discussion of whether or not to allow their kids to go trick-or-treating.

Nathan Finochio, author and pastor at Hillsong Church, is tackling the topic this year, arguing that the word of God allows Christians to redefine everything.

Questions raised as Satanic Temple asks to hold meeting at Naval Academy

US Naval Academy.

As an outside group is asking to hold “satanic religious services” at the U.S. Naval Academy, questions have arisen as to its actual motives for doing so.

The Satanic Temple (TST), a group recognized as a church by the Internal Revenue Service, has threatened legal action against the U.S. Naval Academy if Midshipmen are not allowed to hold “satanic services” on campus as members of other religions are allowed to do.

When Demons Dare to Manifest in Your Church

Many pastors today are alarmed when Christians manifest with demons in their church. Others escort them to the back so they don't disrupt the service. But what would Jesus do?

Watch this video and sound off.

Muslim-majority UAE commits to rebuilding 2 churches destroyed by ISIS in Iraq

Father Thabet Habib evaluates the inside of a burned out church right in Karamles, Iraq right after the town's liberation from the Islamic State in October 2016.

The Muslim-majority United Arab Emirates announced plans this week to help rebuild two Christian churches destroyed by the Islamic State and said it's the first national government in the world to help rebuild Christian churches in postwar Iraq.

UAE has expanded its collaboration with a United Nations initiative called Revive the Spirit of Mosul. The initiative is an international effort to reconstruct Iraq’s once second-largest city ravaged by the Islamic State’s reign of destruction in the Nineveh region. 

According to a press release, a new agreement reiterating UAE’s support for the initiative was signed at the U.N.'s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris on Sunday.

Partaking of God's Holiness

Our outward behavior, regardless of how good it is, does not bring us holiness. Apart from the Spirit of Christ within us, we have no capacity for holiness on our own because God's holiness flows into us through the Spirit of Christ. Holiness from God facilitates our good outward behavior. This implies that our primary objective is to open ourselves up to be partakers of God's holiness (see Hebrews 12:10-15). Holiness comes from trusting in God (Psalms 86:2). Our trust in Jesus Christ brings us His Spirit; and we cannot bypass trusting in the Son in order to receive God's holiness because it flows into us through the Spirit of His Son.

4 Things You Must Do if You Want to Hear Holy Spirit's Voice

If we want to know the purpose for our life, we must go to the source—to the God who created us. God's Holy Spirit is the one who reveals His mysteries to us, and if we are hungry to discover our purpose, He is willing to disclose it. He will show us the truth of who we are and the reason for our existence.

There is a significant difference between the process of "discovering" something and the process of receiving revelation. Discovering involves acquiring knowledge through studies, research, experiments, statistics and so on. It also refers to seeking out what is unknown. Receiving revelation, on the other hand, is a supernatural process in which our spiritual senses are opened to God and our understanding is enlightened.

UN set to elect slave state to human rights committee

United Nations Offices in Geneva, Switzerland, home of the UNHRC.

Mauritania, the west African nation where slavery remains a widespread practice, is expected to be voted on to the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee on Thursday.

According to its website, the UNHCR is “an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them.”

Do Most 'Christians' Need Deliverance?

I came across some Barna Research statistics that were absolutely shocking.

In this video, I share those statistics and pose a serious question: Do most Christians need deliverance from lying spirits and doctrines of demons? With these beliefs, are they even saved?

5 Ways to Spot a False Prophet

Some Christians fear that if we accept revelation beyond the Bible, we are open to false prophets. This is a valid concern, but we hope that some examples will help give some context for real versus counterfeit words from God. Here are five key ways to recognize false prophets:

Vatican City security head resigns after confidential memo was leaked

Pope Francis and Domenico Giani walk together on Oct. 13 at the Vatican.

The head of the Vatican City State’s national police force has resigned, after a confidential internal memo was leaked to the press that announced the suspension of some Vatican officials and employees and restricted their access to the Vatican.

The suspended officials were connected to an Oct. 1 raid of some Vatican offices, part an unspecified investigation overseen by a prosecutor, called the “promoter of justice” in the Vatican City court system.

Anything that threatens Communism is a target, Chinese human rights advocate says

Chen Guangcheng speaks at the Catholic University of America, Oct 9, 2019. Credit: Catholic University of America

 A Chinese human rights activist and former political prisoner has called for renewed focus on the country’s practices of mass detention, religious oppression, and reports of organ harvesting.
 
Speaking at an event Wednesday, Chen Guangcheng told listeners at the Catholic University of America that there is no doubt about the Communist regime’s determination to hold onto power by any means necessary.

“Human rights have declined and today are very bad,” Chen said of the current situation in China. The ruling Chinese Communist Party is “afraid of losing power,” he said, and so “anything that threatens its power will be a target for violence.”

US attorneys ignoring Trump's orders to prioritize religious liberty

Repeatedly, during his campaign for President in 2016, President Trump promised to protect religious freedom, gaining broad support from both the evangelical community and conservative Catholics in the process.  And repeatedly, during his presidency, President Trump has taken actions showing that he takes that promise seriously.   In the last few weeks, liberals were demanding that the President make climate change the focus of U.N. meetings in New York, but President Trump chose instead to make religious liberty his focus at the September 2019 meetings.

Seventeen months ago, we at Public Advocate decided to check into whether the perpetual bureaucracy — aka the Swamp — was implementing — or ignoring — President Trump’s religious liberty reforms.  Here is what we found.

Over 200,000 Students to Proclaim Jesus on Football Fields Across USA

Fellowship of Christian Athletes' student-led events focusing on prayer, worship and a commitment to Bible reading are set for Wednesday, Oct. 9, on 500-plus fields nationwide.

Some sports stories can unfortunately take on a negative focus, as headlines pinpoint matters such as locker room unrest, player indiscretions or holdouts on salaries.

But the national and international story of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes' (FCA, www.fca.org) Fields of Faith is laser-focused on the positive—that God is good all the time and that He is raising up a young generation to see the world transformed by His Son, Jesus Christ.