Raped Rohingya Females Deciding to Keep Their Babies Despite Social Stigma and Pressure to Abort Them – Urban Christian News

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Raped Rohingya Females Deciding to Keep Their Babies Despite Social Stigma and Pressure to Abort Them – Urban Christian News

Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar were subjected to some of the most horrific human rights abuses last year. Still, hundreds of women and girls who were raped have decided to keep their babies, despite severe social stigma and pressure to abort them.

A CNN report released on Thursday shared the harrowing stories of 10 girls and women, just a handful of the 2,700 or so survivors of sexual violence at refugee camps in Bangladesh, who talked about the abuse they were subjected to, but also how they are finding a reason to live in their soon to be born children.

Fifteen-year-old Rahenah explained how she tried to hide with others in her village when Myanmar soldiers found them and set her house on fire.

“We ran out of the back door,” Rahenah said.

“My brother-in-law died in the fire. Some men were able to escape, others could not. But we girls couldn’t escape. The military caught us and tied us to a tree. They stuck tape over our mouths and stripped us. Then they raped us. Some of the girls lost consciousness and fell to the ground. I was one of them. I was bleeding a lot.”

The teenager, who was married, said that her 19-year-old husband was later killed in the attack.

She decided to keep the baby, saying she is “happy” that she is “going to be a mother.”

“But I am worried too because it is hard to survive here in the camps. I am worried that he won’t get the necessary things he needs in life. I am worried he won’t get an education. If my baby survives, I will try hard to make sure he is educated,” she added.

Nafiza, also 15 years old, said that she can’t…

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Open Heavens 10 July 2018 Tuesday – There Should Be No Gap

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Open Heavens 10 July 2018 Tuesday – There Should Be No Gap

Topic: There Should Be No Gap [Open Heavens 10 July 2018, Tuesday Daily Devotional]

Open Heavens 10 July 2018 Memorise: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. – Matthew 26:58

Read: Matthew 26:56-58, Matthew 26:69-75 (KJV) Open Heavens 10 July 2018

Matthew 26:56-58:
56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

Matthew 26:69-75:
69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.

70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest.

71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.

72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.

74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.

75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Bible in One Year: 2 Chronicle 14-15, Acts 25:13-27

Open Heavens 10 July 2018 MESSAGE:

God is Spirit, and so He does not have physical attributes or possess a form like that of a physical body. For this reason, a “closeness” of “gap” between mankind and God in the real sense of these words is practically untenable. The existence of closeness or space between man and God is therefore used as a spiritual term to express the level of relationship that exists between us and God. The Bible speaks of a gap or space between God and man in terms of a break in fellowship between them, otherwise described as backsliding, falling away or staying away from God or godliness (Ezekiel 22:30). It portrays rebellion, betrayal, faithlessness or apostasy. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the Bible teaches that a falling away will precede the second coming of the Lord Jesus. Confirming this, the Spirit of God further spoke on people falling away from the faith in 1 Timothy 4:1:

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”

The apostasy spoken of here by the Holy Spirit includes giving attention to doctrinal deception, moral insensitivity and departing from the truth in God’s word. The world is obviously in the last days, as we can see these prophecies being fulfilled more than ever before.

Several things can create a gap between God and man: hardship, temptation, lust, doubt, complacency and self-indulgence. Once a gap is allowed to develop, a more devastating outcome will follow. The gap that existed between peter and Jesus Christ after His arrest eventually led to Peter’s denial of the Master. To maintain a healthy fellowship or relationship with the Lord, we must follow Him closely rather than from afar off. As soon as a gap developed between Peter and Jesus, his status changed from being a member of Christ’s inner circle to being a mere spectator who could only observe things from afar off. Peter lost the privilege of direct communication with Jesus, and he could no longer ask questions or receive directions from the Master. What a terrible loss this was! Thankfully, God is able to heal His backsliding children (Hosea 14:4). He is also able to keep them from falling away (Jude 1:1). However, some people argue that although a Christian may stray, he or she can never totally fall away, and so once saved, a person is forever saved. This is a lie of the devil as we have seen in our devotional for the first two days of the month. Romans 6:1 tell us that if we continue in sin, grace is rendered ineffective. BE WARNED! Maintain a close and healthy relationship with Jesus always.

Open Heavens 10 July 2018 Prayer Point:

Father, please grant me grace never to stray from You in Jesus’ Name.

If you missed yesterday devotional, please click HERE to read Open Heaven 9 July 2018 – Not by Might nor By Power

Open Heavens 10 July 2018 Hymn 15: Nearer My God To Thee

1. Nearer, my God to Thee,
Nearer to Thee!
E’en though it be a cross
That raiseth me,
Still all my song shall be.
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

2. Though like the wanderer,
The sun gone down.
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone.
Yet in my dreams I’d be
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

3. There let the way appear
Steps unto heaven;
All that Thou send’st to me
In mercy given:
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

4. Then, with my waking thoughts
Bright with Thy praise,
Out of my stony griefs
Bethel I’ll raise
So by my woes to be
Nearer, my God, to Thee!
Nearer, my God to Thee!
Nearer to Thee!

Open Heavens 10 July 2018 devotional guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries. The Open Heavens devotional application is available across all mobile platforms and operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Mobile and PC.

Flatimes Notice Board: Until you are born again, God ever abiding presence will never be with you. You must be born again to enjoy continuous victory. Please say the displayed prayer below in faith:

Lord Jesus, come into my life. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Saviour. I believe in my heart You died and rose from the dead to save me. Thank You Lord for saving me, in Jesus name Amen.

If you just prayed the prayer of salvation online please send your testimonies and prayer request to [email protected], 07026385437 OR 08141320204.

Open Heavens 10 July 2018

The post Open Heavens 10 July 2018 Tuesday – There Should Be No Gap appeared first on Flatimes.

Chick-fil-A Tops the American Consumer Satisfaction Index’s List of Best Restaurants

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Chick-fil-A Tops the American Consumer Satisfaction Index’s List of Best Restaurants


Chick-fil-A Tops the American Consumer Satisfaction Index’s List of Best Restaurants


Chick-fil-A has once again emerged as America’s top-rated fast food restaurant, according to a report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.


The Christian Post reports that the ACSI rates restaurants on a 100-point scale, and Chick-fil-A scored an 87. The survey polled 22,522 customers.


Panera Bread and Subway were the only other fast food restaurants on the list to score 80 or higher.


Next in the rankings were Arby’s (79), Starbucks (78), and Dunkin’ Donuts (78).


This marks the third year in a row that Chick-fil-A has topped the ACSI’s list. Additionally, before Chick-fil-A came on the scene, no restaurant had scored higher than 86.


In addition to providing delicious chicken sandwiches, Chick-fil-A restaurants prioritize excellent customer service and Christian values, such as being closed on Sundays and playing Christian music in their establishments. ACSI also credited Chick-fil-A’s “product focus” as a reason for their continued success.


Although the fast food chain often comes under criticism for these Christian values, it also continues to be popular with customers, as the ACSI report shows.


As far as full-service restaurants on the list, Texas Roadhouse ranked highest (83), followed by Cracker Barrel (81), Longhorn Steakhouse (81), and Olive Garden (80).


 


Photo courtesy: Flickr.com


Publication date: July…

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Pastor in Thailand praying for cave rescue to be used as evangelism tool

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Pastor in Thailand praying for cave rescue to be used as evangelism tool

An ambulance with its emergency lights flashing left the site of a flooded cave in northern Thailand on Monday afternoon where a youth football team has been trapped for two weeks.

Hours after the second phase of a rescue operation was launched, the ambulance drove towards a helipad, where a helicopter was seen taking off shortly afterwards to the cheers of the crowd below.

 

The same process was used for at least one of the four boys rescued in the first attempt at getting the twelve boys and their coach out of the underground Tham Luang Nang Non complex in Chiang Rai province.

Bryan Kaui-Pai, who helps lead Grace Bangkok Church in the capital of the country, told Premier News Hour the nation rejoices as each child is rescued.

Royal Thai Navy Facebook Page via AP

 

“When they were found it was almost like a big sigh of relief as a country,” he said.

“It’s like ‘wow they’re still alive, all of them are still alive. Wow.'”

Authorities have been rushing to extract the boys, aged 11-16, and their coach from the cave as the annual monsoon bears down on the mountainous region in far northern province.

 

Eight people remained trapped in the cave, including the team’s coach, as of Monday afternoon.

Workers have been labouring round the clock to pump water out of the cave, and authorities said heavy downpours overnight did…

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Nigeria: Massive Attack Shows True Horror of Fulani Crisis

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Nigeria: Massive Attack Shows True Horror of Fulani Crisis

ICC has confirmed that the death toll in recent attacks on villages near Jos, Nigeria has risen to more than 230 Christians. The attacks are believed to have been conducted by Fulani militants who used machetes and firearms to slaughter the predominantly Berom villagers. The police originally reported that 86 had been killed, but our local representative was part of the body recovery effort and has confirmed this much higher number. 

The series of attacks took place in the villages of Xland, Gindin Akwati, Ruku, Nghar, Kura Falls, Kakuruk, Rakok, Kok, and Razat. All of these villages are in the districts of Gashish and Ropp in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area. Many of the victims were women and young children. The youngest person known to have been killed was a three-month-old baby boy who was slaughtered by machete. 

The first attack took place Saturday after the funeral of a relative of an important clergyman in Gashish District. Pam Chollom, a pastor who leads the Church of Christ in Nations reported, “Fulani people attacked our members who attended the burial of the father of one of our clergy…The armed Fulani ambushed the sympathizers on their way back from the burial, attacked and killed 34 persons from Bekan village, 39 others from Kufang, and 47 from Ruku Village.”

A resident reported via telephone to Morning Star News that 70 corpses have been recovered in the village of Nghar, and that the entire village had been burned. 

In Xland and Gindin Akwati villages, the herdsmen killed about 60 Christians, another resident reported over the phone. Multiple churches,…

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Episcopal Church Closer to Revising Official Prayer Book to Include ‘Inclusive,’ ‘Expansive Language’ for God

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Episcopal Church Closer to Revising Official Prayer Book to Include ‘Inclusive,’ ‘Expansive Language’ for God

(Photo: Courtesy Washington National Cathedral)Washington National Cathedral of Washington, D.C. A congregation of The Episcopal Church, it is one of the largest church buildings in the world.

The Episcopal Church is one step closer to revising their official Book of Common Prayer to include more “inclusive and expansive language” for both God and humanity.

At the mainline denomination’s 79th General Convention in Austin, Texas, the House of Deputies voted to adopt a resolution that approved beginning a revision process to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer that will likely remove masculine language for God.

Known as Resolution A068, the measure passed on Saturday with clergy voting 63 yes, 30 no, and 17 divided while laity voted 69 yes, 26 no, 15 divided.

“Resolved, That such revision utilize inclusive and expansive language and imagery for humanity and divinity,” states the resolution in part.

“That such revision [will]…

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Archaeologists Discover Entrance Gate to Biblical City of Bethsaida, Where Jesus Fed Thousands in Miracle – Urban Christian News

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Archaeologists Discover Entrance Gate to Biblical City of Bethsaida, Where Jesus Fed Thousands in Miracle – Urban Christian News

Archaeologists have reportedly uncovered the ancient entrance gate to the biblical city of Zer in Israel, also known as Bethsaida, which is mentioned in the New Testament as the city where Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish in one His most well-known miracles.

“There are not many gates in this country from this period. Bethsaida was the name of the city during the Second Temple period, but during the First Temple period it was the city of Zer,” said Dr. Rami Arav, director of the Bethsaida Project, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The discovery of the gate was made during excavations carried out in the Golan Heights, with the size and wealth of the fortification suggesting that Zer was a big city.

In recent weeks, archaeologists have also found coins, beads, jugs, a house key, along with a shield that belonged to a Roman soldier. One of the coins was dated back to 35 BCE, or not long before the birth of Christ.

Arav has been carrying out excavations in the Bethsaida area for close to 30 years, which have increased the popularity of the region, and led to masses of Christian pilgrims visiting the site.

Avi Lieberman, director of the Jordan Park, where Bethsaida is located, said that the latest discovery can attract even more people.

“The staff at the Jordan Park and the Golan Tourism are happy for the tens of thousands of visitors who visit the park every day. The wonderful park is also an impressive archaeological site. I [am] amazed each time by the arrival of thousands of evangelical visitors to Bethsaida. I am confident that the latest discoveries will…

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Prince William’s former ‘court jester’ among godparents

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Prince William’s former ‘court jester’ among godparents

Mr Pelly, a close friend of William and his brother the Duke of Sussex for many years, is among six godparents William and Kate have chosen for their 11-week old son.

Mr Pelly, whose family are wealthy Kent landowners, has settled down in recent years, marrying hotel heiress Elizabeth “Lizzy” Wilson in 2014.

 

But he was often cited as a bad influence on the royal brothers in their youth.

He helped organise William’s stag do, and was dubbed William and Harry’s “court jester” for his wild ways.

Chris Jackson/PA Wire

 

The former Stowe public schoolboy, who met the young princes through the Beaufort Hunt, once dressed up as the Queen and imitated her voice in 2005 when Harry was infamously photographed wearing a Nazi uniform at a fancy-dress party.

In the past, he ran celebrity nightspots Mahiki and Whisky Mist, a favourite with the young royals, and he has been banned from driving three times – twice for drink-driving and once for speeding.

Louis’ other godparents are: Nicholas van Cutsem – one of the van Custem brothers, who are long-time family friends of William and Harry; Harry Aubrey-Fletcher who went to Ludgrove School and Eton with William; Lady Laura Meade, who is married to William’s close friend James Meade; Kate’s Marlborough schoolfriend Hannah Carter (nee Gillingham); and the duchess’s cousin Lucy Middleton.

While Louis has six…

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8 Boys Now Rescued From Flooded Thai Cave – Urban Christian News

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8 Boys Now Rescued From Flooded Thai Cave – Urban Christian News

Four more of the boys trapped for over two weeks in a flooded cave in northern Thailand were brought out on Monday, an official said, bringing to eight the number extracted in a high-stakes rescue operation.

“The eighth person is out and the operation is done for today,” Sitthichai Klangpattana, flag officer to Thailand’s navy SEAL commander, told The Associated Press. “Four boys were brought out today.”

He didn’t comment on the health of the boys or how well the operation had gone.

On Sunday, when the high-risk rescue operation to rescue the 12 boys and their coach began, teams of divers brought out four of the boys but waited several hours before confirming their safe rescue.

After Monday’s rescue effort, four boys and the coach were still inside the cave.

Chiang Rai acting Gov. Narongsak Osatanakorn said earlier Monday that the second phase began at 11 a.m. and authorities “hope to hear good news in the next few hours.”

“All conditions are still as good as they were yesterday,” Narongsak told a news conference. “The boys’ strength, the plan – today we are ready like before. And we will do it faster because we are afraid of the rain.”

An ambulance was seen leaving the area around a cave in northern Thailand on Monday. AP cannot confirm who is in it, but officials had announced that they started phase two of their rescue operation. Four boys were pulled out on Sunday. (July 9)

Authorities have been rushing to extract the boys, ages 11-16, and their coach from the cave as the annual monsoon bears down on the mountainous region in far northern Chiang…

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Pope fears Christians could vanish from Middle East

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Pope fears Christians could vanish from Middle East

Speaking to leaders of Middle East churches in Italy on Saturday, Pope Francis said: “There is also the danger that the presence of our brothers and sisters in the faith will disappear, disfiguring the very face of the region.

“For a Middle East without Christians would not be the Middle East. Indifference kills and we desire to lift up our voices in opposition to this murderous indifference.”

 

In his opening prayer, Francis described the Middle East as being “covered by dark clouds of war, violence, and destruction, instances of occupation and varieties of fundamentalism, forced migration, and neglect”.

ADF International

 

The pontiff has voiced his disapproval of wars on a number of occasions and in his address he also called on global powers to end their “thirst for profit that surreptitiously exploits oil and gas fields without regard for our common home”.

Christians make up approximately 5 per cent of the population in the Middle East – down from 20 per cent in the early 20th century, according to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Stay up to date with the latest news stories from a Christian perspective. Sign up to our daily newsletter and receive more stories like this straight to your inbox every morning.

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