O God, who hast given us not the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of adoption into thy family: Grant us the witness of thy Spirit within our hearts, testifying that we are thy children; and give us that fellowship with the sufferings of Christ which shall end in our being glorified with him; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

The earth is the LORD’s and the fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein; for he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.

–Psalm 24:1

ABUJA, NIGERIA (BosNewsLife)– Islamic militant group Boko Haram is stepping up attacks in heavily Christian towns and village in Nigeria’s troubled northeast, killing more than 750 people since May 29, Christian rights activists say.

News of the violence came after Boko Haram militants were pushed back by Nigeria’s military when they tried to to gain access to Maiduguri, Borno State’s largest city.

“The increase in terrorist violence can be seen partly as Boko Haram’s challenge to [Nigerian] President [Muhammadu] Buhari’s campaign statement that he would end the insurgency within three months,” said Voice Of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC), a Christian aid and advocacy group.

Now calling itself the ‘West African Province of the Islamic State’, this “terrorist group has also pledged allegiance” to Islamic State in March of 2015 — “responding to the call to ‘make Ramadan a month of disasters for the infidels’,”VOMC told BosNewsLife in a statement.

Christian observers say that Boko Haram’s strategy includes inciting fellow Muslims against Christians…

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…Like Elijah, we’ve already taken a stand against ungodly leadership-in our case, within the Church itself. But now we are confronted with a culture whose highest courts have abandoned any objective moral standards at all, much less the bible, in favor of every individual being able to define their own reality as they please! In the face of this, God is taking us into his workshop where our faith, like Elijah’s, needs to be refined even further as we trust God for the future of our nation, our culture, our churches, and our families

So what can we learn from the life of Elijah about refining our faith in God?

First, just a reminder: God knew exactly where Elijah was when he sent him to Zarephath. God knew where he had been living, by faith, by the brook, by the grace of ravens feeding him. God knew exactly when that brook would dry up. He was not surprised! It was part of his plan and his judgment of drought upon the land. And so here’s a lesson for us:

God knows exactly where you and I are at this moment. He knows exactly where our culture is. He is not surprised. And he knows exactly where he needs to send us next as a church in these challenging times. It’s part of his plan.

And the first place he needs to send his church is to a place of humility. If we are going to have the kind of true and enduring faith necessary to meet the challenges that lie before us, we will need humility-for humility is the foundation of great faith.

Imagine you are in Elijah’s shoes for a moment:…

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A large majority of adults in several Saharan and sub-Saharan countries polled say homosexuality should not be accepted.

In many countries around the world where a majority opposes homosexuality, young adults are far more likely than older ones to support acceptance. But that isn’t the case generally in African nations that have been polled, suggesting that generational replacement won’t change public opinion as it might elsewhere and has already in the U.S.

In 2013, just before Obama’s trip, the Pew Research Center polled nearly 38,000 people in 39 countries and territories, asking them, “Should society accept homosexuality?” Three in five Americans said “yes.” At least 80 percent of Spaniards, Germans, Czechs and Canadians agreed. Pew found very different results in the eight African countries where it polled: In seven of them ”” including Kenya and two Saharan countries, Egypt and Tunisia ”” 90 percent or more of respondents answered “no.” (Three of the 31 other places registered “no” support that high: Indonesia, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.)

South Africa was the lone African exception, but 61 percent of respondents there still answered “no.” (It is the only African country that recognizes same-sex marriage.) On average, “no” outpolled “yes” by 84 percentage points in African nations polled, compared to a near-tie (an edge of 2 percentage points) for “yes” to acceptance elsewhere.

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The delicate issue of gay and lesbian rights popped up Saturday during a press briefing at State House as US President Barack Obama differed sharply with his host, President Uhuru Kenyatta, over the handling of those involved.

Responding to a question from journalists after holding bilateral talks in the afternoon, Obama pleaded the case of those “with a different sexual orientation”, asking the Kenyatta administration not to discriminate against such individuals.

But Kenyatta flatly rejected the idea of promoting gay and lesbian rights.

“We need to speak frankly about some of these issues. Kenyans and Americans share ideals such as democracy, entrepreneurship and family values but some things are not part of our religion or culture ”“ and we cannot impose something on people that they don’t like,” said Kenyatta.

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Bishop Iker and the people of the diocese of Fort Worth win case.
Today the Hon. John P. Chupp signed his Final Judgment concerning the Motions for Partial Summary Judgment filed last December by the TEC-loyal plaintiffs and the defendant Diocese, Parishes, and Corporation, as well as Motions for Partial Summary Judgment concerning the TEC-loyal All Saints’ Episcopal Church (Fort Worth) filed by these same parties on May 6. In doing so, the 141st District Court affirmed and combined its orders of March 2 and June 10 [see the entries below], which upheld the Diocese’s right to dissociate from TEC and for the Corporation to retain its property ”“ including All Saints’ parish property transferred from the Dallas Diocese ”“ and elected leadership.

Today’s judgment brings to a close a process started on Aug. 30, 2013, when the Supreme Court of Texas ordered that the case, initially decided using a “deference” approach, return to the trial court and that the court reconsider the parties’ claims, applying the Neutral Principles approach instead.

The trial court’s ruling now becomes appealable, and the TEC-affiliated plaintiffs have indicated their intention to ask the Second Court of Appeals for a review. In early August the court is expected to issue an order stating terms that will allow the TEC-affiliated congregation of All Saints’, Fort Worth, to remain in the property it now occupies during the duration of the appeal.

We give thanks for our many blessings, for God’s work among us, and for the Hope of Salvation that is within us. We are thankful, too, for the patient endurance of all those who have prayed and labored for this day, especially our legal team, their associates, and their families.

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Judge Chupp has entered a final judgment against TEC, its rump diocese of Fort Worth and its parishes, thereby ending the lawsuit in which they sought to claim the corporation, property and bank accounts owned and controlled by Bishop Jack L. Iker and his co-trustees. Judge Chupp ordered that the plaintiffs “take nothing” from their complaint. This leaves all real property, corporate control and diocesan bank accounts exactly as they were after Bishop Iker and his Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth voted to leave TEC in November 2008.

The TEC parties have said they plan to appeal the final judgment to the Second Circuit Court of Appeal. However, any such appeal will be guided by the “neutral principles of law” announced by the Texas Supreme Court when it reversed Judge Chupp’s original judgment in their favor, based upon his belief that he was required by Texas law to defer to the “hierarchical” Episcopal Church. Under neutral principles, the Texas courts look solely to the documents establishing a party’s title: whose name is on the deeds, what trusts have been recorded, and what (if anything) the Church’s governing documents say about a diocese’s ability to amend its own constitution so as to remove its affiliation with the Episcopal Church.

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