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middle east Archives – Concerned Women for America

Praying for the Body of Christ in Afghanistan

By | International, LBB, Legal, News and Events | No Comments

I want to appeal to you, as the news cycle conveniently shifts from crisis to crisis, sparing bad actors of proper accountability, to remember our brothers and sisters trapped in Afghanistan under the terrible, evil rulership of the Taliban.

You might have heard that Glenn Beck, through his Nazarene Fund, was helping to get thousands of Christians out of the country very successfully. Until the U.S. Government got wind of it, that is. Here is what he told Tucker Carlson in a recent interview:

“The State Department has blocked us every step of the way. The State Department and the White House have been the biggest problem.  Everyone else, everyone else, has been working together, putting aside differences, and trying to get these people to safety.  The State Department and the White House have blocked us every single step of the way. In fact, an ambassador was called in Macedonia last night and told not to accept any of these people, as we were trying to get them off the tarmac here to keep the airport flowing and getting these Christians out.  We haven’t really been able to move anybody for about twelve hours. Our mission is now changing greatly. We have to send people into even greater danger to try to smuggle these Christians out, who are marked not just for death, but to be set on fire alive because they’re converted Christians.”

This is the reality for Christians in Afghanistan. And our government, as you heard, shows no sympathy to them as a group. We must pray. We cannot forget that we are one body in our Lord, Jesus Christ. When they suffer, we suffer…

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A Prayer for Afghanistan

By | LBB, News and Events, Prayer | No Comments

LORD,

Words fail to express the sorrow
Of the Body of Christ here in America
As we consider the fate
Of our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan.

The images are just heartbreaking.
The stories, agonizing.
We grieve for those in such perilous situations
Wondering what awaits their families.

Help! Lord.
We humbly ask for Your guidance
For our leaders and those with the
Power and means to come to their aid.

We consider, and plead especially,
For the women and children who are
Specifically targeted by the evil rule
Of the Taliban. Rise against it, Lord.

Stretch out Your mighty hand
And show Your awesome power
For all the world to see that
You are God!

Frustrate the enemy’s plans at every turn.
Let those uncommitted to freedom and liberty
Among our leaders in Washington be exposed,
Let them be removed from their posts.

Let the righteous rule again
That the people may rejoice,
As Your Word says, Lord.
And strengthen the knees of Your Church.

Give us faith to engage the spiritual fight
We so often overlook.
Give us spiritual eyes and help us
To pray fervently in the power of the Spirit.

Hear the plight of those who,
In their distress, cry out to You.
Deliver them and protect them.
Let Your wisdom increase in Afghanistan.

May the threat of persecution
Be a catalyst for Your Word to flourish,
For Your church to do as our Lord and Savior did,
To give our very lives for love.

Teach us to love, Father.
Teach us to have compassion—
To be moved as Jesus when He saw the crowds,
And give us the faith to multiply the loaves and the fish.

For what is impossible with men,
It is possible with God.
We know this to be true, Lord,
And we declare it anew.

We believe.
We believe in You, our Father.
We believe in Your Son, Jesus, in whose name we pray.
We believe in Your Holy Spirit, through whom we pray.

Amen.

Statement for the Afghan Women and Girls Rally

By | Feminist / Women's Issues, News and Events, Sanctity of Life, YWA | No Comments

I saw a video posted by the New York Times of an Afghan woman named Crystal Bayat. On August 19th she helped organize a protest to celebrate Afghanistan independence. At great risk to her life, she and six other women marched through the streets of Afghanistan raising their country’s flag in defiance of the Taliban. She grew up in the freedom Afghanistan has experienced these last twenty years. This month was her first time ever coming face to face with the Taliban. They told her she had twenty days of freedom. Her response was, “Til they shoot me, I will strive, and I will seek my goals. I will not let them deprive me of my fundamental rights. I’m raising the voice of a million women.”

It brought me to tears. In Crystal, I see the same spirit of our Young Women for America leaders. As the Director of Young Women for America, I have the privilege and honor of working with young women across this country, from high schoolers to young professionals, who have this same bold spirit. They are strong, kind, smart, motivated, Christ-honoring individuals in diverse career paths who are using their gifts and talents to impact the world. I’m amazed at how they spend their time and the ways they are impacting their communities even now. As I consider their paths with endless opportunities in front of them, I can’t help but contrast it with the plight of women in Afghanistan at this moment. We must acknowledge what is happening to women in Afghanistan now and what we know will only continue to get worse. There is no future in the public square for women under Sharia law. They cannot safely leave their homes; they cannot leave their homes at all unless they have permission from men; their bodies must be covered head to toe; they cannot hold any positions of power; they cannot have jobs; they cannot drive. Images of women are being removed from public places. They are being beaten in the streets. Women in Afghanistan face a future of subjugation, rape, persecution, and even stonings. Women are dying and will continue to die.

The feminists are silent, but we will not be. At this very moment, across the country, Young Women for America leaders are joining you in prayer. From California to Pennsylvania and Alabama and beyond, YWA leaders are gathering their chapter members and friends or bowing their heads privately to come before the throne of God in unity. We can’t physically show up in Afghanistan, but right now, we are putting on the armor of God and engaging in spiritual battle. We are going to war against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places on behalf of our Afghan sisters.

And we trust in our God. We serve an awesome, all-powerful, all knowing, loving, and present God. He is among us. He hears us.