What Chris Pratt Said about His Faith Will Change Your Mind about Hollywood

Carrie Dedrick – 2015 Jun 2015

There is no doubt what is trending in our culture today. It seems like everyone is talking about newly released action flick “Jurassic World,” the long-awaited follow-up to the “Jurassic Park” series. Even I saw the record-breaking film over the weekend (and I am not one for action movies, particularly those involving dinosaurs).

“Jurassic World” raked in $511.8 million globally in its opening weekend, becoming the highest grossing global film of all time. It made $204.6 million in the U.S., falling just behind “Marvel’s The Avengers” at $207.4 million.

But this column is not about “Jurassic World” (if you do want to know more about the film, read our review here). It’s about Chris Pratt, the film’s lead actor.

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Nigerian Native Christians Standing Firm against Boko Haram; Some Terror Members are Coming to Jesus

News Staff : Jul 6, 2015 : Christian Aid Mission

“In the midst of what is happening, we still thank God, because we are still alive; we are still working. If the Church is in hiding, who will know the Church? There must be missionaries who are so desperate for soul-winning that they’re ready to die.”

(Nigeria)—Far from allowing the Islamic extremist violence of Boko Haram to drive them out, native Christian workers in Nigeria’s northeast have expanded their church-planting ministry to meet the needs of displaced people. Their courage has contributed to several members of Boko Haram repenting and putting their faith in Christ.

Boko Haram rebels continue to lash out after losing ground to government forces earlier this year. Nigeria’s multinational military force, including troops and mercenaries from Chad and Cameroon, took back large swathes of territory in northeast Nigeria that Boko Haram had seized in its six-year crusade to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria. Despite the losses, Boko Haram has continued its campaign of terror, reportedly killing at least 2,700 people since the beginning of the year and some 300 in June alone.

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Christians’ faces painted black; heads shaved following blasphemy allegations

July 2, 2015  - Supporting Persecuted Christians in Pakistan A Christian family had their faces painted black, their heads shaved and a garland of shoes placed around their necks, before…

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Hindu Radicals Threaten to ‘Burn’ Indian Pastor Alive, Wipe Congregation From Town Following Church Attack

By Samuel Smith , CP Reporter – June 30, 2015|

A protester holds a placard during a rally by hundreds of Christians against recent attacks on churches nationwide, in Mumbai, February 9, 2015. Five churches in the Indian capital New Delhi have reported incidents of arson, vandalism and burglary. The latest was reported last week when an individual stole ceremonial items.

Following a mid-June attack on a Christian church in the Indian town of Attingal in Kerala state, Hindu radicals have threatened to wipe out a Christian congregation and burn the church’s pastor if they continue to worship and pray in there.

According to International Christian Concern, a U.S.-based Christian persecution monitoring organization, a mob of 200 angry Hindus surrounded the Reaching the World with Love Ministries Church in Attingal on June 14, while about 400 congregants were in the middle of their Sunday worship service.

As the large mob shouted loud Hindu chants, including “Bharat Mathaki” [Hail Mother India], the congregation’s pastor, known by the name Shiju, told ICC that 30 Hindus broke into the worship hall, charged at him while he was preaching and began beating him down and caused him internal injuries.

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Comments by Dissenting Supreme Court Justices: The Chilling Consequences of Gay Marriage Ruling

Ben Johnson : Jun 29, 2015 : LifeSiteNews

(Washington, DC)—The Supreme Court’s conservative justices lambasted last week’s majority opinion that the U.S. Constitution grants an inalienable right to same-sex “marriage,” emphasizing the threat the opinion poses to religious liberty, the democratic process, and the institution of marriage even as it is redefined.

In a series of scathing dissents, each of the High Court’s four conservative justices took apart Justice Anthony Kennedy’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision piece-by-piece.

Chief Justice Roberts, joined by Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, wrote that “the majority fails to provide even a single sentence explaining” how the 14th Amendment applies to redefining marriage.

“The right it announces has no basis in the Constitution or this Court’s precedent,” he wrote. “There is, after all, no ‘Companionship and Understanding’ or ‘Nobility and Dignity’ Clause in the Constitution.”

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Great meetings in Darwin

Dear family & friends in Christ,

Ps Daniel spoke and ministered with his team this past weekend from Friday to Monday at several meetings in Darwin at a public hall, hotel, church and parliament.

Many who came for the meetings were greatly impacted to hear his message on “Why Christians should stand up for government.”

On Sunday at church the mighty presence of the Holy Ghost swept through the place as Ps Daniel shared the Word of God and led in worship and intercession.

Many people from other churches came to the meetings and were greatly blessed. Some stated, “We have never experienced anything like this ever before in Darwin.” Oh glory to God it was a great weekend!

People came to the altar weeping, asking more of God. Ps Merv the Senior Minister of the church, and a very well respected man of God stated, “Truly, God has sent this man (Ps Daniel) into Australia for an hour such as this to stand in the gap for our nation.”

Several people joined RUA Party understanding the importance of Christians having a voice in parliament.

Ps Daniel stated, “I thank and praise God for giving me this wonderful opportunity to serve Him in my nation Australia. I know Australia will turn back to Jesus. I also thank God for giving us the opportunity to go right inside parliament and intercede for our nation. It was just wonderful”.

Thank you Jan and all the team (our coordinator for NT) for doing a great job in standing in the gap for NT.”

You may click the following word to listen to a prophetic word that Ps Daniel received from an intercessor in Darwin.

https://reformationharvestfire.com/rise-up-australia/prophetic-word-2-for-ps-daniel-from-darwin/

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UK: Muslim convert to Christianity persecuted for 19 years

July 2, 2015 – By Raymond Ibrahim

Nissar Hussain, a former Muslim from Pakistan who converted to Christianity in 1996, recently wrote a letter to his local MP recounting some of the violence, abuse, and other attacks that he and his wife and their six children have suffered at the hands of Muslims in the Bradford area where they live. Written to his MP—a Muslim, who did not respond—the letter follows:

Dear Naseem Shah MP,

Can I congratulate you on behalf of myself and family on your stunning victory and we can’t express our delight as our newly elected MP for the Ward of Manningham and wish you every success for the future. On a serious note can I express our utter misery and dire situation as Christian converts from a Mirpuri/Muslim background since 1996 [Mirpuri is a region in Pakistan].

We were forced out of our previous home after over several years of suffering as converts and in short my family and I endured ‘hell’ by my fellow Pakistani young men in the form of persecution which entailed assault, daily intimidation, criminal damage to property: smashing house windows and also 3 vehicles written off whilst the community looked on and even endorsed this. One of vehicles was torched outside my home. Despite witnessing another vehicle being rammed deliberately by a man who I knew, the Police did not even take a statement never mind an arrest. Finally after being threatened to be burnt out of my home these young men deliberately set the neighbours’ house (which was vacant) on fire in the hopes that our house would catch fire. When I had reported it to Police prior to this happening the Police sergeant’s response was: “Stop trying to be a crusader and move out!” In short the Police had wilfully failed us so as not to be labelled racists or seem to cause the Muslim community offence at our suffering and expense.

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Anthony Bradley: The South is Being Transformed by Christian Forgiveness

by Anthony B. Bradley – June 27, 2015

During Dylann Roof’s first court appearance after the June 17 murder of nine worshippers at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, several families of the victims offered forgiveness to man who did not deserve it.

Why were they so quick to forgive? The families were simply exercising a fundamental Christian virtue. In so doing, they possibly changed the South forever in the process as Confederate flags and symbols are removed from state buildings across the South.

When we suffer injustice, the human heart craves revenge, vindication and retaliation. These are also desires Christ came to save us from. Christians are commanded to respond to injustice with forgiveness. This principle is central to Jesus’ teaching in the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matt 6:12). Immediately after this prayer, Jesus tells his disciples, “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14–15)

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Prepare for Muslim extremism as we prepared for WW2 says former defence chief

By Hannah Furness, Ben Farmer and Matthew Holehouse – 23 June 2015

Britain must stop “sleepwalking” and prepare to tackle Muslim extremism as seriously as it planned for the Second World War, a former head of the Armed Forces has warned.

Lord Richards of Herstmonceux said extremism poses a “real threat” to the world and condemned dithering politicians too reluctant to lead the way.

Warning that Islamic State militants would wreak a “hell of a lot of damage” in the coming years, he argued the Armed Forces risk being left “on the back foot” by leaders who fail to plan properly.

“I think the problem is that we have not seen that we need to approach this issue of Muslim extremism as we might approach World War Two back in the 30s,” the former Chief of the Defence Staff said.

“This is a real threat to us and we’re sleepwalking in the way we’re approaching it.”

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Pakistan’s government won’t abolish blasphemy law because it “fears the reaction of extremists”

June 25, 2015 By Robert Spencer – Jihad Watch

All over the world, the principle is being reinforced: terrorism works. To get what you want, threaten violence, and the “free world” will jump to comply with your wishes.

And Archbishop Coutts’ brother bishops in the U.S. are pursuing an illusory and self-defeating “dialogue” even to the extent of silencing those voices that speak honestly about the root causes of the Muslim persecution of Christians. They are heading the Church in the West off a cliff, and will bear the responsibility for that.

“Pakistan’s ‘fear of extremists’ prevents abolition of blasphemy law,” by Felipe Avillez and Abigail Frymann Rouch, The Tablet, June 24, 2015:

The Government of Pakistan might be willing to abolish the country’s draconian blasphemy law, if it were not for the fact that it “fears the reaction of extremists”, the President of the Pakistani Bishops’ Conference said.

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Franklin Graham: God Will Judge President Obama

6/25/2015 Jennifer LeClaire – Charisma

Franklin Graham doesn’t shy away from bold political statements—and he often disagrees with the Obama administration’s moves.

Graham, though, does agree with at least one thing Obama said recently. Unfortunately, Obama being right is all wrong for Bible-believing Americans.

“President Barack Obama was right about one thing in the speech he gave at a Gay Pride event he hosted in the White House yesterday. He said, ‘There has been an incredible shift in attitudes across the country.'”

Graham agrees, but he’s quick to note that it’s definitely not a shift for the good of America. The shift in attitudes to which Obama referred, he noted, is the moral decline we are seeing manifest daily around us.

“Accepting wrong as right—accepting sin as something to be proud of,” Graham said. “Yes, that’s definitely a shift. Should we be surprised that he thanked the LGBT community for all that they had helped him accomplish during his time as president?”

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If Pastors Don’t Stand and Preach the Truth, America Will Fall

If Pastors Don’t Stand and Preach the Truth, America Will FallShane Idleman – Christian Post – July 15, 2015

A paraphrase that is often attributed to Alexis De Tocqueville—a Frenchman who authored Democracy in America in the early 1800s, helps to open this letter: “I looked throughout America to find where her greatness originated. I looked for it in her harbors and on her shorelines, in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and in her gold mines and vast world commerce, but it was not there.”

“It was not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her success. America is great because she is good, and if America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

Over the last few decades, Americans have seen the destruction of the institution of marriage between a man and a woman, the removal of God’s Word in several areas, and the blatant murdering of millions of babies. This is an indictment against America and the pulpit is partially responsible – our silence speaks volumes.

The pulpit regulates the spiritual condition of God’s people which affects the nation. A lukewarm, sex-saturated culture (and church) simply reflects the lack of conviction in the pulpit as well as the pew.

Sadly, many pastors are exchanging truth for passivity, boldness for cowardliness, and conviction for comfort…they are not aflame with righteousness. We aim to be motivational speakers rather than preachers of righteousness.

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Rifqa Bary details transformation from Islam to Christianity

By JoAnne Viviano – The Columbus Dispatch – May 19, 2015

A woman who said she feared for her life after she converted from Islam to Christianity as an Ohio teenager has written a book through which she hopes to inspire girls and women who are desperate for freedom.

Rifqa Bary, 22, gained national attention in 2009 when she ran away from her northeast Columbus home to Florida, saying her father had threatened to kill her.

The book Hiding in the Light: Why I Risked Everything to Leave Islam and Follow Jesus tells her story. It was released on Tuesday by the WaterBrook Press division of Penguin Random House.

“Writing this book was so painful. I wept so much reliving everything again, and my hope is to save others who read it, to shed hope and light, and that it would cause other people to see that you can leave, that there is hope,” Bary, an evangelical Christian, said on Tuesday in a telephone interview.

“Even though I’ve had so much loss in my life, I’ve experienced more joy and love than I ever dreamed of, and I found that to be in my faith in Jesus Christ.”

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Great win for Traditional Marriage in Parliament / Thanks PM Tony Abbott

Dear family & friends in Christ, Thank you so very much for praying and standing in the gap against homosexual marriage. Your prayers were definitely answered. On several news outlets…

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