Three Reasons Christian Men Should Love Strong Women

 Reasons Christian Men Should Love Strong Women

Women, if you are at all like me, you’ve most likely heard such things as “you’re too intimidating to guys” or “you must strong of opinions” or “men don’t want smart, strong women as if you. Inches Should you haven’t heard this stuff, I’m so glad for you personally. Comments such as these appear to point out that it is wrong to become a strong lady, or that it is looked lower upon to become brave, opinionated, blunt, or well-educated.

The choice is weak women. Simply writing individuals' words together makes me cringe. Is the fact that what we should want in today's world today? Really? Is the fact that what Christian men ought to be desiring?

Paul Maxwell asks exactly the same question: “Do we would like women to become weak? And also the answer must forever be, based on Scripture, ‘May it not be.’ Strong women are as critical as strong men to God’s purpose within the church.”

It isn't simply because I’m a lady who I accept him. After I browse the tales of ladies within the Bible, I do not see weakness. I do not see women being quiet or holding back or residing in fear. I see women like Mary humbly and fearlessly giving their lives for that will from the Lord, saying “May your word in my experience be satisfied.” There is nothing timid for the reason that lady, and that I don’t want there to become such weakness in females today either.

In my opinion, women ought to be strong, which real men of belief should love strong women for those they're.

Strong women raise believing men

In 1 Timothy 1:5, we have seen Paul reference the force and belief of both Timothy’s mother and grandmother. A lot of us have fathers who're absent or disengaged, and the existence of strong women within our lives is really an effective one. “We reside in a world where we want strong women to create men strong,” Maxwell states, “because sometimes there are simply no men there to get it done. Inches For those who have a powerful lady inside your existence that has helped shape your belief and lift you right into a believing adult, thank them and praise God on their behalf. “In a time where fathers frequently neglect to give the present of belief for their children, the long run frequently hangs on the effectiveness of women to achieve that gospel work,” states Maxwell.

Strong women expose evil men 

There are many tales through the Bible that illustrate this well, and Maxwell highlights Jael’s story in Idol judges 4. This lady drove a tent peg with the temple assertive who had been an opponent of those of God-- “Thank God Jael wasn’t meek and submissive and sincere toward this friend of her wayward husband,” he states. “She wasn’t someone to be trampled on. Strong women reject the demands of evil men.” I’m advised from the story of teen Malala Yousafzai who “spoke out from the Taliban regime which had surpassed her rural township and banned women from schools,” Crosswalk.com adding author Jeffrey Huston stated in the overview of the film about her existence. “By the time she was 15, Malala’s voice became so influential the Taliban released a murder attempt on her behalf existence - and nearly been successful.” She, too, would be a strong lady prepared to risk her existence to talk out from the evil men around her, and also the world knows her name due to her bravery.

Strong women rebuke good men

Let’s take a look at Abigail’s story present in 1 Samuel 25. David was getting down to kill Nabal (an average, surly man) who had been married to Abigail (referred to as intelligent and delightful). Abigail knows what is going to happen, and she or he would go to David by having an offering of food, wine, and sheep to try and change things. “In short, Abigail cautioned: ‘Be careful. Don’t make use of your power in a manner that could make you guilty,’” Maxwell states. I know it was not what David desired to hear for the reason that moment, as he desired to lash out, use his pressure, and finish the existence of the foolish man… however, it was what he required to hear. The finish of chapter 25 shows David thanking Abigail on her good judgment as well as for keeping him from bloodshed. “Strong women rebuke good men, who require assistance in their weaknesses, who require someone to assist them to observe how to become strong,” Maxwell states.


Women, be strong. Be bold and brave inside your belief, and live humbly operating to the good Father. And men? Pay attention to what Maxwell states: “Real men love strong women, because God’s glory is gorgeous, and ‘woman may be the glory of man’ (1 Corinthians 11:7).” Never be afraid of women of strength, but recognition them and provide your lives alongside these to bring God praise.

Let’s celebrate strong, brave, beautiful, effective women of belief. And men, love individuals strong women well.

Parenting and the Marriage Mess

How to keep your relationship strong through the struggles of child-rearing

"It felt like breaking up with myself," says Lisa-Jo Baker, describing the challenge of becoming a parent. "Because there are all these things you used to love about yourself and your life without kids-things you didn't even realize were special at the time. Those late-afternoon naps. Those spontaneous movie nights. Uninterrupted meals, sleep, bathroom breaks."

Mom of three and the author of Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I Never Expected About Being a Mom, Lisa-Jo continues, "And then the kids arrive and they huff and they puff and they blow your life down. It can be a disorienting experience that takes a while to wrap your head around how you are breaking up with yourself for someone you love so much more."

The reality of parenting is that along with all the amazing joy, blessing, delight, and soul-deep love can come some heavy tolls: emotional struggles, stress, exhaustion, frustration, and a sense of lost identity. These are serious matters that are tough to grapple with. But these tolls don't just cost us as individuals-they can exact a dangerously high price from our marriages as well.

Time and time again, counselors and family experts report that parenting conflicts are a huge source of marital problems-and time and time again, our experiences bear this out. If you've got kids, then you know this to be true: It doesn't take much for parenting challenges to boil over into relationship struggles.

Completely and utterly drained

For Leslie Burke-mother to a two-year-old and a four-month-old-one of the main parenting struggles that have led to challenges in her marriage has been how transitioning from working full-time in a gratifying job to the often thankless daily tasks of stay-at-home motherhood has affected her own emotions and energy level. "When I worked full-time, I achieved daily goals and made tangible progress on projects. I experienced success," Leslie explains. "But now, as a full-time mom, I struggle daily trying to get kids to sleep, trying to get them to eat, trying to keep the house in reasonable order."

Leslie's experience is common one-full-hearted parenting involves a lot of tending, serving, and giving . . . which invariably means it can feel like there's not much left to give to one's husband. "I can easily become short with my husband Pat, inadvertently showing little care or concern for his needs," Leslie candidly shares. "Over a long stretch of time, this really wears on our relationship and it feels like all of our interactions are ungracious or contentious."

Different and divided

"You'll often find me saying 'parenting is stinking hard sometimes!'" says Erin Smalley, co-author (with her husband, Greg, and father-in-law, Gary Smalley) of the forthcoming book, The Wholehearted Wife. Mom to four kids spanning 20- to 6-years-old, Erin explains that the main challenge she's faced in this arena is when she and her husband have different approaches to parenting. For example, Erin shares, "One area that has challenged us is our different opinions on movies and video games with our son." Erin often takes a more conservative stance on digital media while Greg tends to see movies or video games as launching pads for a conversation with their son. They can slip into what Erin calls a "reactive cycle" in which they're just reacting to each other rather than working toward a win-win.

For me, one sure cause of marital struggle is when differences in parenting approaches get intermingled with protective parental instincts-with the mama-bear (or papa-bear) desire to step in and protect our children. Though my husband and I share a pretty unified vision and philosophy for how we parent, there are inevitably times when one of us is responding to a situation in a way the other perceives as too strict or too harsh or just too different than how we would do it ourselves. Then those protective instincts kick in.
When physical and emotional exhaustion are thrown into the mix with parenting differences and protective (and often prideful) reactions, you've got a mess on your hands. A great, big, huge, marital mess.

Strategies for battling the marriage mess

The challenges that parenting poses within marriage are inevitable. But letting those challenges become relationship-busting sources of tension, anger, resentment, or unresolved conflict? That's not inevitable. Rather than letting parenting-related marriage tension erode away at your relationship, you can take steps to shore up your relationship.

1. Know your (physical) limits.

In conflicts during her sleep-deprived season as a new mom, Lisa-Jo explains that her husband Peter "learned to tell me to take a nap. When I got all irritated at him for calling a 'time-out' on my tirade, he'd promise to pick it back up again after I'd slept. And of course, once I got some sleep, my sanity returned-as did my love for my kids and the man who made them with me." Don't try to be superhuman (even if parenting seems to demand it). Instead, recognize your physical limits and choose to prioritize sleep, exercise, and healthy eating so you're able to be more of who you really are.

2. Focus on faithfulness-not feelings.

For Leslie, being drained at the end of the day from her role as a parent to two young boys is a reality-but she also strives to combat its emotional toll. "I choose to be intentional about moving the focus from myself, how my day was, and so on, and instead remember that this is the role God has called me to-being faithful is a success whether or not it feels like it," she says. Leslie also navigates the tough spots by reminding herself that she and her husband, Pat, are on the same team.

3. Review your common ground.

Though Erin and her husband see some parenting issues differently (as all married couples do), Erin strives to be realistic about these natural differences rather than take them personally. Yet despite those differences, Erin and her husband like to look back and reminisce over common ground and shared experiences in their marriage. "Often we can laugh together-when enough time has passed-as we process how we reacted in different scenarios, as we rejoice at where our kids are now, and honestly land at 'We actually are pretty great together,'" Erin says.

4. Prioritize fun.

Whether it's a regular date night or a favorite TV show and snacks on the couch after the kids' bedtime, take time to have fun with your husband. Don't let life steal your joy! And don't, absolutely don't, reserve all your joy and smiles and energy for your kids-leave some for your husband too! I can be guilty of this too . . . so as a valiant act of resistance, choose to laugh together! Tickle, tell jokes, make out! Play games or try sushi or go for a run or whatever it is that makes both of you smile from deep down inside.
This stuff-this miraculous glue of having fun together-is what strengthens the bond needed for those other moments of tension. It's an investment that helps you remember later on that you are a God-fashioned team.

5. Cling to Jesus.

The truth is that just as parenting puts a strain on the marriage relationship, it can also powerfully affect our spiritual lives-and not in a good way. When we're busy, giving constantly, pulled in a zillion directions, and just plain worn out, it's very easy to let our intimacy with Christ slide.
Yet it is in and through a strong relationship with Jesus that we're equipped to handle those tough aspects of parenting and marriage-to be forgiving, patient, kind, gentle, and full of grace. When we choose prayer and Christ-reliant humility during those tough moments of mom-desperation, we find a strength that shapes and empowers us to face life's challenges.

Clean up and build

In my house, there are often Lego-filled heaps left helter-skelter about the carpeting. Messes like these seem to come with the territory of having elementary-aged kids.
But as moms we ask our kids to clean up those messes. Often, in and through the cleaning, a little cottage emerges or a cool lavender car or a spaceship equipped with an amazing escape hatch. The cleaning up leads to something better.

And our parenting/marriage struggles can be the same. The inevitable mess just comes with the territory of being Mom and Dad and kids. But we don't have to wallow in the mess. We can clean it up. We can come together, get creative, have a little fun . . . and build.






By Kelli B. Trujillo

Your Messed-Up Story

Even your failures and struggles can point others to Jesus

Your real story

Live such a good life that people will wonder what makes you different, and they’ll want what you have: Jesus.

Variants of this message have been reiterated to me throughout my lifetime in the church. It’s a critical component of evangelism, echoing verses like, “Live such good lives among the pagans that . . . they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12, NIV) and, “For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!” (Ephesians 5:8).

Yet in my experience, I’ve found that this essential truth can oh-so-easily morph into a counterfeit message: Seem so perfect-so ideal, so sinless, so got-it-all-together-that people will wonder how you’re so flawless and will want what you have: Jesus.

Your real story

That kind of mindset? It’s dangerous. It pressures us to hide away our faults and failures, to hold back negative emotions or struggles, and to present a version of Christianity that’s simply not the bonafide gospel. Yet in reality, a façade of perfection is actually off-putting for most people who are well acquainted with their own struggles and can’t relate to a super-human, got-it-all-together life.

As I wrote in my Bible study Shine Your Light when it comes to sharing our testimony with others,
Our goal isn’t to show people how good we are-it is to reveal how good Jesus is. And this means inviting people into our real story-our story that includes struggles and sin, faults and failings, but also the joy of redemption, forgiveness, and grace! Rather than aiming to be fake, perfect-life people, instead we live as satisfied, still-a-bit-broken sinners who proclaim Jesus’ transformative grace. . . .

You most accurately proclaim the gospel when you’re real and authentic with others, willing to share hurts, questions, and struggles along with assurances, victories, and joys.

Beyond "before and after"

“Almost seven years ago, I was in my deepest cycle of bulimia, even though I was a student ministry intern and biblical studies and ministry major at a Bible college,” describes Anne Wilson, who today is on staff at a church. “Although I’m now fully recovered from bulimia, I still deal with body dysmorphic thoughts and an intense struggle with body image.

“It would be easy if God just waved a big magic wand and got rid of this,” continues Anne, “but for me, it hasn’t worked out like that. I thought this would be a ‘before and after’ story, like ‘I struggled with body image, met Jesus, but now am totally secure and my identity is on him alone.’ But instead, this ongoing struggle has kept me coming back to Jesus-asking him to continually write a bigger story with my life.”

While coming to faith in Jesus certainly changes our lives for the better, they don’t become instantly perfect. Troubles, heartaches, and failures persist. We still struggle; indeed, “We all make many mistakes” (James 3:2). Sharing not just our “before and after” stories but also our “in the middle of it” realities point others not toward ourselves but instead toward the Cross-toward the redemption and grace that both saved us and keeps on saving us.

We find a poignant example of such testimony in Paul’s first epistle to Timothy:
This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”-and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Your struggle-your own ongoing failing or temptation or deep hurt-can also serve as a powerful example of God’s great patience with sinners when you choose to speak honestly about it with others.

Value imperfection

“We need to be real about the fact that we don’t have it all together, and this starts from the inside out,” says author and justice-advocate Amber Robinson. “It’s not so much about managing what we say, which is exhausting, but rather of us working on our inner life. Just like in the natural world in which growth comes from decomposed organic matter, our struggles, pains, and imperfections are what grows the good stuff. You can’t have one without the other.”

This mindset of acknowledging and facing the struggles and failures that can be part of the Christian life is built up within us through our own intimate walks with God-through practices like confession, self-examination, accountability, and Scripture meditation. First and foremost, we’re real before God. We invite him to search us and know us (Psalm 139:23), and through him, we better come to know ourselves. We’re able to value our imperfections because they goad us on toward greater reliance upon God.

It is then that we’re able to be more real and open with others about the “messy” aspects of our lives and, in doing so, we offer something richer and more substantive than any pretense of perfection can: a genuine gospel for the context of life as we actually experience it. We embody, through our honesty, a faith that has staying power even in life’s toughest moments.

Build trust

“I believe that evangelism comes down to communication and trust. They often open the door for the Holy Spirit to do his work,” says musician and worship leader Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin. “Sharing my seasons of life-both mountaintop and valley experiences-helps to tear down walls between me and others and offer a vulnerability that allows connection to happen.”

Sarah compares this type of purposeful vulnerability to something she’s observed in her kids: “When my children play on a playground and meet new kids, they immediately share where they ‘earned’ a particular scab or bruise. Once they’ve shared their rough spots, they’re best friends on the playground!
“Similarly,” she says, “I think this type of transparency leads to the appropriate amount of intimacy needed in order to talk about spiritual things.”

Be discerning and courageous

While it’s important to be open about struggles, our vulnerability must be tempered with caution. Just as others aren’t benefited by you presenting a flawless façade, they similarly aren’t blessed by hearing a barrage of your problems. What and how to share specifically may vary widely depending on who you are speaking to. What’s critical is leaning upon the aid of the Holy Spirit, discerning God’s guidance, and responding in obedience.

There are often legitimate reasons not to share difficulties or struggles. For example, if another’s privacy would be compromised or a relationship harmed, if sharing your difficulty might actually be a stumbling block that impedes faith and discipleship, it’s best to keep it to yourself. If you sense that the relationship or setting isn’t safe-if perhaps another might gossip about you or hold what you’ve shared against you-then wisdom and discernment in what and how much you share is especially critical.

But alongside these legitimate reasons to be cautious comes a whole host of illegitimate ones that try to lure you back toward the perfect-façade version of evangelism. It may be pride holding you back, or fear of being vulnerable, or even a hidden sense of shame. When you’re led by God to be more open about hard parts of your life, take heart like God urged Joshua: “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

Blessed by your mess

“After I had my son, I dealt with some postpartum depression off and on for several months,” describes Anne. “Almost a year later, I was sitting down at a wedding rehearsal, chatting with another mom that I went to high school with (who isn’t a Christian). She briefly mentioned her struggles in motherhood, and I told her about my own bout with postpartum depression.

“She was floored,” Anne continues. “She couldn’t believe someone ‘with so much faith’ also struggled with depression-like her. She felt relieved, actually, hearing about my similar experience.”
When we drop the veneer of never-let-‘em-see-you-sweat faith and instead courageously and honestly speak about our journey with Christ-even the tough bits-we build a real connection. We issue a compelling invitation to grace.






By Kelli B. Trujillo

"I Hate Sex!"

There’s hope for your life between the sheets. 

“I hate sex,” Shelly told me. “It makes me angry to hear you even suggest that I’m supposed to be enjoying it. I’ve been married 23 years and have never enjoyed it. Frankly, I do it because I’m supposed to.”

I hear from women like Shelly quite often. They feel ripped off like they’ve been cheated out of something they’re supposed to enjoy. The message that sex is a gift from God almost sounds insulting. Instead, they view sex as the gift they must continually, and begrudgingly, give to their husband.

To some degree, many years of my marriage could be described by that same sentiment. I didn’t hate sex, but I certainly dreaded it. I resented the fact that my husband’s pleasure had to come at the expense of my pain. But as a woman who longed to be a godly wife, I determined before the Lord that I would meet my husband’s needs. While God was probably pleased with that attitude, it certainly didn’t represent the true healing he wanted to do in my heart and in my marriage.

On this journey, God has taught me and is still teaching me!-what true sexual intimacy can be. Every woman’s story is different, so I’m not offering a simplistic formula that will guarantee a miracle in your bedroom. But I do believe God is able to bring healing into every woman’s heart.

Address the Obstacles

It’s important to start out by addressing some common barriers that prevent women from enjoying sex. While some men want to have sex every three hours and others may want to do so once a week, almost universally men find sex pleasurable. This is not true for most women. Female sexuality is far more complicated, and obstacles to sexual pleasure typically fall into three categories: physical, relational, and emotional.

Physical

Sexual response is complicated. It involves many functions of the body, including the endocrine, circulatory, skeletal, muscular, and reproductive systems. That means a lot can go wrong. For example, an underactive thyroid can destroy sexual desire and response. An imbalance of hormones will do the same. Medications like antidepressants and even decongestants can impact sexual function.

Physical obstacles to sexual pleasure may also be difficult to diagnose, partly because physical pain can have a psychological root. Women who experience vaginismus (pain during intercourse) have a learned fear response to intercourse, causing the vaginal muscles to tighten. Even your OBGYN may not be able to explain why sex always hurts or why it started hurting after you had your second baby.

I recommend going beyond a simple doctor’s visit. Search for the right doctor, midwife, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner who understands sexual functions and disorders. Search until you get answers-you never know what you may find. After years of sexual pain, one woman I know discovered that her acne cream interfered with her sexual response.

Relational

You can have a great marriage and still have a rotten sex life, but the quality of your marriage is still the foundation for sexual intimacy. Ask yourself a few important questions to determine the current health of your marriage: Do you trust your spouse in the bedroom? Is he sensitive to your needs? Do you communicate with each other about sex? Are there secrets, bitterness, or unresolved tensions between you?

Sara hated sex. Over the 11 years of their marriage, it was a demand her husband, Jake, made several times a week. He never asked if she would like to have sex-he assumed it was his God-given right as a married man. Sex made Sara feel like an object. She wondered if Jake even cared that it was her body he was being intimate with.

Joyce and Ben had different barriers. For one, during their 19 years of marriage, Ben had dabbled off and on with porn. Second, Ben confessed to a one-night stand on a business trip, but the repercussions were never dealt with. Instead, the matter was quickly swept under the rug as if it never happened. This left Joyce feeling like a part of her heart was dead. She consented to share her body with Ben but kept her heart closed to intimacy.

Sexuality represents some of our greatest vulnerabilities. In the daily routine of marriage, we often don’t stop to consider how we’ve been wounded in marriage, or why we don’t trust the man who sleeps beside us every night. But until these issues are surfaced and addressed, physical pleasure and freedom are unlikely to be a reality.

Emotional

This topic would be hard to adequately cover in a book, let alone part of an article! Of all the barriers to sexual enjoyment, I believe the most common are emotional-and emotions run deep.

Some women have a history of pain that has paired sex with extremely negative and painful emotions. For them, sex equals shame. It equals guilt. It’s shrouded in sin. It’s made them feel exploited. For women with emotional barriers like these, the issues don’t disappear on their wedding day. Putting on a ring and saying vows in a church doesn’t erase those messages.

The emotional trauma connected to sexual brokenness is often so deep that you may not even be aware of it. In fact, many women don’t remember the details of childhood sexual abuse until they reach adulthood. They simply carry a vague sense that “something isn’t right.”

Other women have no history of sexual trauma or guilt from past mistakes, but they still can’t seem to enjoy sex. I’ve met women who saved themselves for marriage, dreaming of the ecstasy that sex promises. But no matter how hard they try, they simply don’t feel free to enjoy sex. The idea of trying something new brings panic and waves of disgust.

Expose the Lies

Healing from physical, relational, and emotional barriers takes work and effort, starting with a commitment to identify and address those barriers. But part of working through these barriers is breaking down a few commonly held lies. These are the lies that keep women from pursing healing. They’re the lies that make women assume, “This is as good as it’s going to get.” If you’re tired of disappointment in the bedroom, your journey toward healing may mean overcoming these lies.

• Lie #1: God created sex primarily for a man’s pleasure. Because women believe this lie, they build sexual intimacy around a man’s needs, having sex when and how he wants it. After years or decades of marriage, you may never have considered that your needs matter too! It is worth exploring how sex can be satisfying for you. It is worth pursuing counseling to work through the pain of the past. Don’t settle!

• Lie #2: It’s not right for a godly woman to be sexual. No one says this lie out loud, but a lot of women live by it. Sexual excitement is automatically linked with sexual immorality. Other women “punish” themselves for past sexual mistakes by not enjoying the sexual aspect of their marriage.

They’ve bought the lie that to be sexual means to be sinful.

Take a Step Toward Healing

Because sex is such a private area of struggle, many women don’t know where to go for help. They simply settle for frustration in this area of life. We live in a day and age when help is readily available for all kinds of issues-even sexual ones. Yet, reaching out to a counselor or even buying a book on the topic is frightening. If there’s sexual trauma in your past, or events in your life marred by shame, the thought of talking through this pain may seem unbearable.

Would you be willing to take one small step? That might be calling a counselor, simply praying with your husband about your sex life, or studying Scripture. Linda Dillow and I wrote a Bible study called Passion Pursuit to help women identify the lies they believe, and to embrace God’s truth about sexuality. Through this study, we’ve seen women set free. Women have started enjoying sex even after decades of miserable sex lives.

As obvious as it sounds, nothing in your life will change if you change nothing in your life. Just like your kitchen won’t magically clean itself, your sexual struggles and wounds won’t simply disappear one day. So go ahead: address the lies. Break down the obstacles. No one can promise you that your sex drive will go from zero to 60 in 90 days. We live in a fallen world filled with disappointment and brokenness. But God is in the business of healing and redeeming our pain. Don’t give up hope.






By Dr. Juli Slattery

Christians Barred From Seeking Asylum

Christians Barred From Seeking Asylum After Leaving Refugee Camp Amid Harassment by Muslim Migrants

A Christian charity is pressuring the Greek government to change a policy that is preventing homeless Christian refugees who fled persecution, bullying and threats inside the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos from being able to apply for asylum and gain help via the United Nations.

The London-based British Pakistani Christian Association recently wrote to the U.N. and Greek authorities on behalf of Pakistani Christian refugees who fled from Lesbos Island's famous Moria asylum camp due to the level of persecution they experienced at the hands of Muslims inside the camp.

BPCA President Wilson Chowdhry told The Christian Post Monday that he has been told Greek authorities have put in place a "geographical restriction" that is effectively blocking asylum seekers who escaped persecution at one of the refugee camps on the Greek islands from being able to apply for asylum with the Greek authorities on the mainland without having to return to the very camp they were persecuted in.

Chowdhry explained that the only exception to that rule is if an asylum seeker has a severe health condition that qualifies as a mitigating factor to allow his or her asylum application to be assessed on the Greek mainland. Chowdhry said the policy is designed to make it easier to track asylum-seeking refugees.

He called on Greece's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Dimitris Caramitsos for help in seeking a change to the policy.

"I would like to bring to your attention several reports of persecution that have been raised with the British Pakistani Christian Association, relating to persecution of Christians within the Muslim-majority ... Moria Camp," Chowdhry wrote in an email to Caramitsos last Friday. "Christians are being prevented from holding church services, worshiping and praying by their Muslim neighbors. Moreover, reports of tents being burned down, violence, bullying, harassment and severe threats paint a very bleak picture of the quality of life for Christians caught up within the camp."

"The majority of Christian refugees escape but are being refused asylum by Greek authorities who only consider adverse health as a mitigating factor and not Christian persecution," Chowdhry's email continued. "We are seeking your help in obtaining a change in the current Greek policy in which the risk of proven re-persecution of Christians counts as a mitigating factor for asylum assessment for escapees of Moria Camp."

Caramitsos has not yet respond to Chowdhry's email.

Chowdhry explained that the failure to assess asylum seekers leaves them in a place of limbo with no status. This prevents them receiving statutory assistance from the Greek Authorities and help from UNHCR.

One of the Pakistani Christian asylum seekers suffering from the policy is Haroon Maqbool, who is father of two from Rawal Pindi, Pakistan.

Maqbool fled Pakistan, which ranks as the fourth-worst nation in the world when it comes to Christian persecution according to Open Doors USA, in 2015 after being imprisoned and tortured.

In August 2016, Maqbool arrived in Lesbos on a boat with other asylum seekers and the group was taken to Moria camp to register for asylum.

According to the BPCA: "Muslim's pushed the Christians to the back of the queue and told them not to enter the camp or they would be killed."

BPCA reports that Maqbool and the other Christian men in the group "realized they would not survive long in the camp." Even though they submitted their fingerprints at the camp, the group did not complete their asylum applications before they escaped the camp and the island.

"Haroon became bullied straight away and all the Christians left the camp ... and escaped by ship rather than be harrassed and bullied everyday," Chowdhry told CP in a phone call.

Even though it's been nine months since Maqbool fled the camp, the policy has prevented him from completing an asylum application on the Greek mainland, where he now lives as an illegal immigrant at risk of being arrested for overstaying his visa.

"In Haroon's case, you have a clear case of how the system is not working," Chowdhry asserted.

BPCA is helping aid as many as seven Pakistani Christian asylum seekers who were found homeless on the Greek mainland by another charity and are accepting online donations that will provide much-needed aid to homeless Christian refugees in Greece like Maqbool.

"The victims had no recognised status as they had fled Moria Camp due to persecution and bullying. The camps are severely under-policed and Christians were being told they were not allowed to hold worship services or pray to God," Chowdhry told CP. "Moreover through threats, intimidation and bullying attempts were being made to forcibly convert these Christians who had fled their homelands to be free of such oppression."

"To date many still have not been registered for asylum as they refuse to return back to Moria camp on Lesbos island, where they first entered Greece," he added.

Chowdhry asserted that it's not just Moria camp where Christians are being persecuted, adding that many Christians flee from refugee camps on the Greek mainland also. He noticed during a visit to a refugee camp on the Greek mainland earlier this year that there was very little policing inside the camp.

In addition to the persecution, refugees face dire and inadequate conditions inside the camps that force them to live in squalor.

"Many just choose to be homeless rather than return back and stay at those camps," Chowdhry said. "Those camps are extremely terrifying."

Chowdhry has been informed that UNHCR is compiling a list of cases like Maqbool's where asylum seekers are too frightened to return to island refugee camps to complete their asylum applications.

"We hope that that report will help redefine accepted mitigating factors for registration for escapees from asylum camps on the basis of religious persecution," Chowdhry said. "In the meanwhile, we have written to the Greek Ambassador to the U.K. and have asked him to intervene on behalf of Haroon Maqbool and other Pakistani Christians."





Cred: Christian Post

Peculiar Mercies

Why did God harden Pharaoh's heart?

So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. - Romans 9:18
Let's be clear. There is a mystery in God's story that we will never fully solve. That mystery begins in the fact that God is "rich in mercy" (Eph. 2:4), yet doesn't give his mercy to all people with the same measure. Upon some he lavishes his mercy. With others, he withholds mercy.

Romans 9 refers, in particular, to the example of God's mercy as seen in the Exodus. He showers his mercy upon Moses and the Israelites, while choosing to harden Pharaoh's heart. On the surface, this might seem capricious and unfair. But we must remember, first of all, that Pharaoh participated in the hardening of his heart. He was not a victim of divine whim, but someone who chose to reject God's will.

Moreover, we should know that God's purpose in hardening Pharaoh's heart was to display his power and fame throughout the earth (9:17). In other words, the hardening of Pharaoh's heart was part of God's plan to let the whole world know him in truth. God was working through Pharaoh so that all people might see him and ultimately be drawn to him. We will never know for sure why God chose to harden rather than soften Pharaoh's heart. But our trust in God's goodness allows us to live with this mystery.

Moreover, God chooses to show mercy according to his own will, and this fact reminds us to be grateful for what we have received. God hasn't showered his mercy upon us because we deserved it, but because of his inscrutable grace.








Mark D. Roberts is the author of several books including Can We Trust the Gospels? His article is adapted with permission from the original article "The Mystery of God's Mercy" at TheologyofWork.org. All rights reserved.
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures quoted are taken from the New Living Translation.

Finding Mate Who Doesn't Have the Jezebel Spirit

How to find a Healthy Mate Who Doesn't Have the Jezebel Spirit

You will find vast amounts of people on the planet who're operating within the Jezebel spirit. 

They're charismatic, physically attractive, showing effective leadership characteristics and therefore are attending places of worship while appearing godly, but would be the greatest disadvantage artists available. So how will you discern if an individual is who they appear at first sight and seem to be?

How will you make certain that the existing decision that's so critical isn't converted into a huge mistake that may place your very existence in danger? You will find signs to consider that are very disguised you need to discern and never look upon the outward surface but to determine within the spirit realm regarding who that individual is really behind closed doorways.

Individuals who are employed in the Jezebel spirit are Academy Award-winning actresses and actors who are able to fool 98 percent of those on the planet into believing those are the most loving and caring individuals. They'll do enough things for some individuals, mainly in the church, to help you think that they're charitable and providing while operating inside a deep, dark, sinister double existence behind closed doorways. Those are the essential Dr. Jeckyl/Mr. Hyde personality who is able to appear so debonair, and "existence from the party" while watching public, while demeaning and controlling you to definitely in which you seem like a mistreated puppet behind closed doorways. You are feeling like you're in a spy movie where everybody believes the star is a really caring, giving and loving person, but in the finish from the movie, he was the one that murdered all of the others unknowingly to everybody else.

What exactly are the signs to consider to find out if an individual may potentially be living a great lie and portraying themselves is the most loving person on the planet, while in reality, they would like to control every move you are making and lead you to bow for them and shut you lower in ministry?

They'd have become the track of either a parent who rejected, controlled and manipulated them (the greater hurt and discomfort-the more powerful the Jezebel spirit is going to be upon them-therefore if these were mistreated emotionally or perhaps physically or sexually, they would usually carry a serious Jezebel spirit).

They'll be very insecure because of not getting the security by their parents and can compensate by looking into making themselves look very confident and bold.

They'll be anxious (from fear that's been pushing them since childhood because the enemy continues to be whispering for them for life).

They are able to overcompensate within their lives because of the fear if you attempt to overpower others with regards to exercising to achieve physical strength and violence-they may also be very competitive in everything attempting to prove that they'll beat you at anything. They don't prefer to lose at anything and therefore are a real drag to become married simply because they can make everything a contest so if you're better their way at something then they're not going to wish to play that game or make an effort to do your work.

They'll minimize you so that they look great and you're feeling bad.

They're excellent at putting on a mask to hide the evil that lurks within them until there is a ring in your finger to enable them to take control of your every move once married and it is far too late.

They would like to marry someone attractive who'd be looked at "arm chocolate" and whom they are able to showcase to create themselves look great while watching public, such could be regarded as a trophy wife (or husband) while attempting to control their every move once married.

They're going to have strong, selfish sexual urges that aren't godly as they like bring pleasure privately and don't worry about their spouses' wholesomeness and godliness. They would like to dominate you in each and every way imaginable because they will need their selfish fleshly wants to be met and can lead you to compromise your godly values through their constant putting on you lower to provide into them.

They'll be very jealous individuals-particularly if you are speaking to someone of a potential partner-even proclaiming that you had been thinking about an intimate affair together when nothing might be more wrong. One lady informed her husband who operated inside strong prophetic gifting he could no more give prophetic words to women during worship because it wasn't proper. So from attempting to keep the peace, he'd to simply give prophetic words to men.

Additionally, you must provide time. When you get married inside a short time-frame, they can hide and safeguard the actual deviate person within them. Should you date them for more than a year and spend some time around them, then you'll begin to see the warning flags show up because they cannot ensure that it stays hidden forever. You have to discern within the Spirit by not only searching upon the top but seeing within the Spirit, and also the Holy Spirit will disclose the reality. The main reason they behave having a strong anxiety level is as they do not want individuals to uncover who they may be behind closed doorways. 

They don't want you to definitely know they have lied for you many occasions already, are control freaks and can manipulate you at each turn to have their way, and also have a sexual problem that's very dark. They're constantly searching over their shoulders and seeking to pay for their tracks which means you cannot discover who they may be.

If you possess the Holy Spirit in your soul, then you definitely will be able to discern with a level a few of the warning flags. Oftentimes these folks can pray in tongues (or at best state that they are doing) and could be prophetic. That's the reason it so answers to spend just as much time together as possible before you decide to say I actually do. Can these folks ultimately get delivered in the Jezebel and Leviathan spirits? Yes, they are able to, but it's not easy. They have to admit for their dark behavior behind closed doorways and wish to be let out. I've come across thousands all over the world get free through my ministry and my book Restored to Freedom. 

However, if you simply are searching to obtain remarried-you'd be best offered not marrying you aren't the Jezebel spirit since you will be connecting you to ultimately a really frightening, controlling person. God is on the go and desires His people to tell the truth, pure and righteous prior to the Lord.

Tips for dealing with a broken heart

Five Tips for dealing with a broken heart

The human heart carries the physical capacity to maintain us in good health, the spiritual capacity to grow us towards God’s love, and the emotional capacity to appreciate those we care about and wish well. 

The downside of having this beautiful instrument God designed is that it can be broken. Every family has had to deal with the effects or potential hazards of a broken heart.  Whether you have experienced problems in your marriage or are preparing your teen for the world of dating, a broken heart is likely to happen at some point in our Christian journey. It's best to learn how to prepare yourself to deal with the potential risks of opening your heart and what can happen rather than put all your hope in the fallible heart of man.

We turned to WhatChristiansWanttoKnow.com and Crosswalk.com to help us better prepare you for the unpopular journey of dealing with a broken heart. God’s holy word gives us a strong warning on how to protect what could emotionally be our body’s most sensitive organ, the heart.  The new living translation states: Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

That life course can be altered or even hindered by the choices we make in who to date, marry and start a family. Cliff Young and Laura MacCorkle are contributors to Crosswalk. They share their experience and advice on how to face the inevitable. “What I have discovered through “trial and error” (a.k.a. dating) is most relationships don’t work out (surprise!), and it would be beneficial for us to learn from and learn how to manage breakups since we may encounter them again.

For many of us, it is a day to day journey of struggle, heartache, emotions, and growth. Some journeys will be easier than others and some may last longer than others (oftentimes depending upon which side of the break-up you are on). However, your journey can and will lead to peace if you refrain from holding onto bitterness, spite, envy, jealousy, and anger against your former “interest.”

Here are five tips to help your heart examine why breakups occur and what you can do to aid your process of healing.

1) Have faith God has plans for you to prosper and not harm you (Jeremiah 29:11).

You may never know or understand why the break-up happened; however, God may be protecting you from this person, He may want you all to himself at this time or he may have someone better suited for you. Whatever the reason, God knows our beginning, the middle and the end and truly wants the best for us, as our Father. Have the faith to recognize it, believe it and live it.

Place your hope in God and his Spirit, not in someone else (Romans 5:5). It may be difficult to do at times, but placing your hope in a perfect God is a better decision than giving your life to a fallible human. God continually shows this to be true in ways we can’t even fathom and hope placed in him does not disappoint. I’m not sure we can say the same about others, or ourselves.

Jack Wellman encourages What Christians Want to Know.com readers to consider the life of Job and the suffering he experienced through heartbreak, the loss of children and things he had worked for and a wife who encouraged him to curse God and die. His article offers the following suggestions in healing.

2) Consider Eternity

When we think about eternity and this life, which is only a vapor, we can place this tiny speck of time up against eternity and see just how inconsequential it is compared to eternity. James wrote “you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). Our finite minds cannot even comprehend what eternity is, therefore try to place today’s heartbreak up against the linear line of eternity and you’d be hard-pressed to even see it. Yes, it does hurt but as the psalmist wrote of God’s loving discipline, “For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5).  Here is the true scale; take the tiniest piece of dust you can find and place it on one side of the scales and then place all matter of the entire universe and you’ll get the proper perspective on today versus eternity.

3) Pour out your Heart

When there is nothing more but to pour out your heart, then just do it.  God can take it.  Just tell Him about what has been done to your heart, how you’ve been crushed, but the psalmist says “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).  It is God alone Who “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3) and “is near to all who call on him” (Psalm 145:18a).  Now you must read it and believe it for God said it and God cannot lie (Num 23:19; Heb 6:18).

4) Use your Pain to Minister

Some people’s greatest ministries are birthed out of great suffering so use your heartache as a means to comfort others who have been through similar situations.  Paul writes about the God “who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Cor 1:4) like for Paul it was “God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Cor 7:6) so God will comfort us by sending others and why not you?  There is no reason for suffering without purpose because God never wastes anything He permits; even suffering.

5) Find Someone to Help

One of the best ways to deal with a broken heart is to help those who have the same problem.  For some, it might be a one hour visitation just to visit with someone in a nursing home, it might be writing a letter to a missionary to encourage them, or it could be just offering to help somebody that you know that needs help.  Maybe you could invite them out to dinner or invite them to your home for a meal.  It might be filling in at the church nursery, volunteer to be a Sunday school teacher substitute, or just go up to the pastor and ask him. Maybe he needs someone to help with the church outreach or sound technician. God has placed each and every member of the Body to encourage, build-up, and edify the church of Jesus Christ. If you’re a Christian, Jesus has a role for you in His church and in the community or He would have never saved you.

As with the occurrence of any traumatic event in life, the healing of a broken heart may take time to mend.  It's important that time spent between your initial loss and your recovery and happiness is spent thinking on the word of God and building your hope and trust in a love that never fails - God’s love.

May your hope and love in our never-failing Father continue to grow and flourish despite the people in life that may disappoint. God bless.

By Sherise Henry

Christian Singles Guide

A Guide To Christian Singles

Living as a single can be an option for some, but for most of us, it's a stage before marriage that should really get you prepared for an existence-lengthy commitment. 

Within this stage, you typically date to locate your future spouse. Even single parents, separated and divorced women and men, widowed and uninvolved persons who're similarly known as singles at some point are searching for his or her right diamond necklace and plan to marry or remarry.

Because so many (otherwise most) singles still intend to enter marriage, they're predisposed up to now or day people of the identical interests, ideas, nationality, affiliations and many especially, religion. Thus, singles have frequently explained the audience or category they fit in with for example “Christian singles,” “American singles,” “single parents,” “Jewish singles,” and “LDS Singles.”

Unquestionably, discussing exactly the same belief is extremely essential to an effective relationship furthermore, to some effective marriage. Thus, most Christian singles choose to settle lower with fellow Christians.

In the U.S, Christian singles occupy greater than 80 percent from the final amount of Yankee singles, with different 2000 U.S. Census reports. The Christian singles category is further damaged lower into Catholics (24.five percent), Protestants (52.seventeen percent), Mormons (1.eighty percent) along with other Christians (4.13%).

Having a large area of the entire American population occupied by single women and men, it's logical to infer that Christian singles occupy a sizable area of the American population. This really is substantiated through the multifarious websites that provide online dating services for a lot of Christian singles.

Locating a Christian partner with these sites, however, has some drawbacks.

Websites that provide online dating services for Christian singles, although managed by Christians, are business-as with nature. More frequently, they disregard the major facet of dating for Christian singles, that is belief.

It's interesting to notice that the majority of Christian singles are considerably interested in locating a “born again or saved” mate along with a true Christian mate having a solid knowledge of God’s words as opposed to a mere date. Finding such s partner entails not only matching of qualifications, interests along with other things most internet dating services for Christian singles provide.

If you fail to find the right work with that you can share a Christ-centered marriage, do not concern yourself. The existence of merely one Christian in the end, shouldn't be distinguished by a powerful longing to locate a mate but instead by happiness and contentment in living a Christian existence.

Christian Inspiration

Steps to Christian Inspiration

On many occasions we study how you can do things faster and but we skip the fundamental step of inspiration.  If we are inspired through the Holy Spirit there exists an insightful ability to operate.  

If we are empowered by Christian inspiration we “can do everything through Christ which strengtheneth us” (Phil. 4:13, KJV).  We read in Job: “But there's a spirit in man: and also the inspiration from the Almighty giveth them understanding.” (Job 32:8, KJV)

Probably the most important thing to remember once we study Christian inspiration is the fact that if we are inspired we have to use our inspiration for that glory of God and also to do His will.  Jesus informs us:  “But seek ye first the dominion of God, and the righteousness and all sorts of this stuff will be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33, KJV)  We have to first seek His righteousness and the will before we can use His inspiration for His glory and our growth and benefit.

You will find 4 steps to becoming successful through Christian inspiration:

1. Notice that everything we've comes from God which everything we all do ought to be to glorify the King of Nobleman and Lord of Lords.  God provides for us His Spirit and the inspiration for use for His glory.  Job states of God (the traditional): “With the traditional is knowledge as well as in the period of days understanding. With him is knowledge and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.” (Job 12:12-13, KJV)  God holds all of the knowledge on your lawn and just He is able to dispense from it.
2. Ask God for that inspiration that you'll require.   “Ask, also it will be provided seek, and ye shall find knock, also it will be opened up unto you” (Matt. 7:7, KJV) Before we are able to get the knowledge of God and the inspiration, we have to first question for this.  James informs us: “If anyone of you does not have the knowledge, allow him to ask of God, that giveth to any or all men liberally, and upbraideth not also it will be given him. (James 1:5, KJV)
3. Purpose to make use of the knowledge and Christian inspiration He provides you with for His glory and the purpose.  After we receive knowledge and inspiration, there exists a tremendous responsibility for doing things prudently.  Jesus Themself informs us: “For unto whomsoever expensive is given, of him will be much needed: and also to whom guys have committed much, of him they'll ask the greater. Inches (Luke. 12:48b, KJV).
4.  Practice using Christian inspiration.  After you have Christian inspiration, you have to practice utilizing it.  So frequently we're given a present and we don't utilize it.  As with every skill, we may learn, Christian inspiration is most effectively used lengthy-term whenever we daily accept it.  When you're inspired and have an inspired considered something you've been battling with, write it lower, or immediately implement it.  If you use the Christian inspiration you're given, you likely reach a perfect position to get future inspiration.

Now you must 4 fundamental steps to Christian inspiration.  Whenever you consistently apply these four steps and spend more time with god Jesus Themself every day, you'll be able to make use of a virtually unlimited way to obtain inspiration.

Take time to read the Bible verses mentioned in and meditate around the Word of God daily.

Christian Dating Services

A Look at Christian Dating Services

Places of worship frequently stress the advantages of love, marriage, and family existence, and Christians ought to form relationships with other people.  Many Christian singles face the matter that meeting other qualified Christians can be very difficult.  Individuals in small places of worship frequently fight to meet enough men and women, while singles in large church communities feel underneath the spotlight, or think it is hard to become familiar with people well.

For many Christian singles, the possibilities of meeting Christians using their company denominations or maybe even different places of worship could be rare.  Christian Online Dating Services emerged because Christian singles needed a method to contact other Christian singles within their community.  The Christian dating service industry has since grown like a service and business.

The web is becoming an essential outlet for that dating industry, including Christian online dating services.  Christian internet dating, for many, is a terrific way to find love, especially if they're searching for somebody that shares a devotion to belief and ideals and hopes for the same lifestyle.  So many people are concerned that Christian internet dating isn't satisfactory, due to a number of reasons.

Some concerns range from the precision of profile matches and also the reliability of other dating service subscribers, but Christian online dating services have eliminated the obstacle of spiritual compatibility.  The very fact that an individual is trying to find another Christian single immediately eliminates the clumsiness of touching the topic of religion.  If a couple is compatible with religion, they might be compatible in different ways too.

Christian internet dating could be a good way for single those who are frightened or apprehensive about the internet dating experience.  Since the target demographic includes individuals who follow a spiritual lifestyle, and for that reason have similar morals and values, Christian internet dating websites can offer a secure atmosphere for his or her users.