OptimisticOmoTee Christian Network

Friday, 27 June 2014

"Though You Slay Me" (featuring John Piper)

Thursday, 26 June 2014

A Flexible Spirit To Know God's Will- Watchman Nee

You must have a flexible spirit. That is one of the first principles of revival. A meeting that cannot become elastic and subject to the movements of God, becomes a dead block in the way of the Spirit. The human spirit must be so sensitive to the Holy Spirit that just as He spoke to Philip, and said "Join yourself to this chariot," so He may make known His will to you, and get as ready a response.

An adaptable spirit is essential to fulfil the will of God. Christ's spirit was adaptable enough to respond to the needs and questions of Nicodemus. The will of God will be known in your spirit according to the attitude of the person who comes to you. If your spirit is closed, you can pass on no living truth to that person, probably because they are not ready.

If you traced and followed the delicate sense of your spirit it would become acute, and God could then make His will known to you—all in harmony with the written Word, for the Holy Spirit revealing in your spirit God's mind cannot contradict Himself in God's Word. It would mean a great deal if we all walked in the spirit and knew when we were speaking from the spirit and when merely from the mind, and therefore empty of spiritual power.

The spirit should illuminate the mind, but when the spirit drops out of co-operation with the Holy Spirit, the mind is left without the needed assistance, and its product is very poor. When you are in the spiritual plane and know the Holy Spirit in your spirit, you recognise there are grave consequences attached to all you do. You cannot go back from the spirit life without stepping into a pathway of failure. The moment you drop from the plane that you have reached you begin to lose spirit strength, and if you do not recover your place quickly you will ultimately sink into deeper failure. The loss not only affects yourself but everyone with whom you have to deal. You may wrongly interpret or reject the words of a servant of God, and that would cause you to go back without knowing it. This hindrance to your spirit life will be maintained while that wrong thought or attitude is held.

If the Holy Spirit has once had the quickening of your mind so that your mind becomes capable of doing what it could not accomplish naturally, then in order to maintain that you will be obliged to live up to the highest point you have attained, and be satisfied with nothing below.

If, after reaching an altitude in the spirit life, you descend, even without knowing it, you will find yourself in the realm where the powers of darkness can buffet you almost as they like. God only manifests His Divine power when you are living and acting at the point to which you have already attained (see Phil. iii. 16).

Read Also:
Formular for a Burning Heart By A.W. Tozer

Nigeria- One of the 7 terrible countries for Christians

Even in this century, there still exist Martyrs. Christians who are willing to face discrimination, harassment, arrest, jail time and even death for what they believe.

Nigeria, a non- Islamic Country known for freedom of worship has found its way into group of countries where The Gospel of Truth is restrained.

Here's a look at seven terrible countries for Christians:

North Korea

For the 12th year in a row, North Korea tops the list of places where Christian persecution is most extreme, according to Open Doors, a group that ranks countries in order of persecution.

The organization estimates as many as 70,000 Christians are imprisoned in labor camps.

"The God-like worship of the leader, Kim Jong-Un, and his predecessors leaves no room for any other religion, and Christians face unimaginable pressure in every sphere of life," the group says on its website.

"Forced to meet only in secret, they dare not share their faith even with their families, for fear of imprisonment in a labor camp. Anyone discovered engaging in secret religious activity may be subject to arrest, disappearance, torture, even public execution."

Among those imprisoned is Kenneth Bae, a Korean-American.

Pyongyang sentenced him last year to 15 years of hard labor, accusing him of planning to bring down the government through religious activities.

He is widely reported to have been conducting Christian missionary work in North Korea.

Kenneth Bae worried about his health in North Korean camp.

Sudan

Since 1999, the U.S. State Department has tracked the world's worst abusers of religious rights. Sudan has been on the list since its inception.

The country has arrested and deported Western Christians suspected of spreading their faith, according to a State Department report.

Recently, Sudan also arrested and sentenced a woman to die for refusing to renounce her Christian faith. The 27-year old woman was released after weeks of international controversy over her conviction.

She was later detained with her husband and two children, accused of traveling with falsified documents and giving false information.

Eritrea

Just four religious groups are officially allowed to openly practice their faith in this African nation; the rest are subject to detention or worse.

So if you're not an Eritrean Orthodox Christian, a Sunni Muslim, a Roman Catholic or an Evangelical Lutheran, life could be tough for you here. Harsh detentions for religious dissenters are the norm, according to the State Department report.

Members of various religious groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses, face retaliation for refusing to participate in military portions of mandatory national service, the report reads. The government is said to penalize Jehovah's Witnesses by denying them government services and entitlements.

As of November, 52 Jehovah's Witnesses were imprisoned in Eritrea, according to the Jehovah's Witnesses website. It says none has been formally charged or tried.

Saudi Arabia

The oil-rich monarchy doesn't even pretend to respect religious rights for any faith other than Islam.

Sunni Islam is the official religion, and the country's constitution is based on the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed.

The public practice of any other religion is prohibited, according to the State Department.

Open Doors says most Christians in Saudi Arabia are expatriates from Asia or Africa. Last year, Christian migrant fellowships were raided, and worshipers were detained and deported, the group says.

Nigeria

Nigeria is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south.

Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group, vowed in 2009 to rid the nation's north of all non-Muslim influence, including Christians, according to The Voice of the Martyrs, another group that tracks the persecution of Christians.

More than 3,000 people have been killed since then, the organization reports.

Boko Haram translates as "Western education is a sin" in the Hausa language. The militant group says its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation. Boko Haram's attacks have intensified in recent years and have included the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls.

Somalia

Pressure is increasing on Christians in this country, according to Open Doors.

"Islamic leaders and government officials publicly reinforce that there is no room for Christians, and there is a strong drive to purge Christianity from Somalia. The militant Islamist group, al-Shabaab, targets Christians and local communities," the group says on its site.

The terror group is notorious for prohibiting recreational activities and has banned films, dancing and watching soccer in the past. It had also barred foreign aid organizations from southern Somalia, describing them as Western spies and Christian crusaders.

Iraq

Religious minorities, such as Christians and Yazidis, make up less than 5% of Iraq's population.

Since 2003, attacks against these minorities by insurgents and religious extremists have driven more than half of the minorities out of the country, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

According to Open Doors, attacks and threats against Christians rose last year as Islamic terrorist groups gained more influence.

Militants from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, are in the midst of an offensive in Iraq.

In the northern city of Mosul, the site of one of the first major ISIS victories, witnesses told CNN the group used vehicle-mounted loudspeakers to announce that it had decided to form Islamic Sharia courts in the city.

The group also reportedly removed statues of the Christian Virgin Mary, Arab poet Abu Tammam and singer Mulla Othman, witnesses said.

source: CNN

Watch the Official Trailer of the Latest Faith Based Movie- The Song

Tony Young, the movie's producer told The Christian Post in an email this month.

"Our film is a redemptive tale inspired by the life and writings of Solomon,

on his quest for fame, fortune, love, acceptance and ultimate

satisfaction and certainly our film is made by people of faith, but I

think the term 'faith-based' film means different things to different

people," explained Young. "I believe when most people hear that term

today, they think of films that are more 'conversional' in nature as

opposed to 'conversational,' which is what we are trying to create in

our films."

Young and director Richard Ramsey are both committed to aiming for the

latter, though the inspiration for the film's story comes from a

familiar place: The Bible, specifically the life of Solomon. The film

follows the music career of aspiring singer songwriter Jed King as he

rises to fame following the release of a hit song, which he writes,

inspired by his love for his wife. As he finds his stock rising, King,

who has long struggled in the shadow of his father, the musically

successful and ethically troubled David King, soon finds himself and his

own career at a crossroads.

"The Song," the latest faith-based film to hit theaters and set to open

this September. With a soundtrack which evokes the Grammy award winning

British band Mumford and Sons and a protagonist who struggles with

greed, fame and staying faithful to his wife, "The Song" may challenge

audience notions of a stereotypical Christian film.(The Christ Post)

Sudan Mother sentenced to Death Recieves Freedom

The Sudanese mother condemned to die for refusing to renounce her Christian faith has been set free, according to her attorney.

The day after the protest, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement saying that the United States condemned her imprisonment.

"She and the children should be reunited at home with her family rather than held in prison on charges of apostasy," Kerry said, calling Sudan to repeal it's anti-human rights laws.

He also suggested that Sudan repeal any Islamic laws that go against basic human rights.

There is no word of reaction from the White House to Ibrahim's release.

Her husband was born in South Sudan before it gained it's independence from Sudan and has dual citzenship with the United States. He was living in the United States but visited Sudan in 2011, met Meriam and married her there.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim's lawyer, Elshareef Ali, said her husband is elated over his wife's release.

"We are very, very happy about this - and we're going to her now," Ali told the BBC. "They have released her... she's on her way to home."

Thursday, 19 June 2014

Late Gospel Singer Keffi's Remains Arrives Nigeria for Burial

The family, friends and fans of the popular Nigerian Gospel Singer Keffi 'Branama' are yet to recover from the shock of her sudden death due to heart failure.

According to reports, Keffi's remains arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos on Tuesday 17th June, 2014 at about 4pm through a Delta Airline Aircraft and was recieved by a few family members in preparation for the burial which will hold later this month.

Keffi died on the 13th of June, 2014 from coma of 15 days after collapsing on a 14-hour flight on her way to Chicago. click for more details

A celebration of Life and Memorial Service will hold in her honour in Los Angeles today.

May Her Gentle Soul Rest In Perfect Peace.

Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday, June 17, 2014, at about 4PM via a Delta Airline aircraft

Read full article here: http://stargist.com/2014/06/18/late-gospel-singer-kefees-remains-arrive-nigeria-amidst-familys-mourning/ | StarGist Nigeria | Celebrity News, Nollywood News, Entertainment, Gossip, Gist & Photos

According to reports, Kefee’s remains have arrived Nigeria, ahead of her burial which will hold this month. Kefee’s body arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday, June 17, 2014, at about 4PM via a Delta Airline aircraft, and was received by a few family members.Kefee died on Friday, June 13 2014, after being in a coma for 15 days. May her soul continue to rest in peace. A celebration of life and memorial service will hold in her honour in Los Angeles tomorrow.

Read full article here: http://stargist.com/2014/06/18/late-gospel-singer-kefees-remains-arrive-nigeria-amidst-familys-mourning/ | StarGist Nigeria | Celebrity News, Nollywood News, Entertainment, Gossip, Gist & Photos

Kefee’s body arrived the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos yesterday, June 17, 2014, at about 4PM via a Delta Airline aircraft, and was received by a few family members.Kefee died on Friday, June 13 2014, after being in a coma for 15 days. May her soul continue to rest in peace. A celebration of life and memorial service will hold in her honour in Los Angeles tomorrow.

Read full article here: http://stargist.com/2014/06/18/late-gospel-singer-kefees-remains-arrive-nigeria-amidst-familys-mourning/ | StarGist Nigeria | Celebrity News, Nollywood News, Entertainment, Gossip, Gist & Photos

Wednesday, 18 June 2014

Deactivate Marital Malice

Malice is an act purposely intended to cause pain, harm or discomfort to another person. It is perplexing to see married couples reacting maliciously towards issues that should rather be sorted amicably. Marriage is a bond that is suppose to be a replica of man's relationship with God. God encouraged Husbands to Love his
wife as Christ loves the church (as his own body) because he that loves his wife loves himself. Wives should also respect her husband and be submissive to him (1 Peter 5: 24-25).

Pastor Taiwo Odukoya, The senior pastor of Fountain of Life Church says, Malice is silent aggression that he has heard exists in three levels:

Partial Malice
This is where the man, for example, continues to meet his responsibilities, like giving money for housekeeping, dropping his wife at work etc, but normal conversation is restricted to innuendoes and communication only occurs when it is absolutely necessary;

Semi Malice
where the couple resort to communication in writing, or using the children as go-between; and

Full Malice
This refers to a total breakdown in communication. Here the couple do not relate at all and everyone goes his/her way, doing his/her own thing.
It was George Savile who said, “Malice, like lust, when it is at the height, doth not know shame.”

Any way you look at it, malice is an assault on the peaceful ambience of the home. It often:

leads to emotional distress and all kinds of psychopathic illnesses,
lays the foundation for psychologically disadvantaged children, and
silently chokes the life out of marriages

Learn how to deactivate malice before it destroys your home here

Read Also:
5 Prerequisites for Marriage