Release International.

Right now, somewhere in the world, a believer is silent. hiding their faith to stay safe. afraid not only of the authorities, but of neighbours, friends, 
even family. They are not forgotten.

From prison cells in North Korea to hidden churches in Nigeria, our persecuted brothers and sisters know that UK Christians stand with them.

Since 1968, Release International has connected believers like you with Christians facing imprisonment, violence, and discrimination for following Jesus. When you remember them, you fulfill Christ’s command in Hebrews 13:3 and discover what true discipleship looks like.

True Repentance.

10 biblical signs of what real repentance looks like.

10 biblical signs of what real repentance looks like Godly repentance isn t about charisma; it s about character

https://www.christianpost.com/voices/10-biblical-signs-real-repentance-church-leadership.html

Birdie.

 

My Strength and My Portion.

Malta.

 Christian prosecuted in Malta over ex-LGBT testimony urges boldness: 'The Lord will be with us.'By CP StaffSaturday, April 1.

Matthew Grech, above, expressed disappointment at a second delayed verdict in his three-year "conversion therapy" case, but noted Jesus told His disciples to rejoice when they are persecuted for His sake. | Screenshot/YouTube/Christian Concern.

A Christian man in Malta who was repeatedly dragged into court over three years for giving his testimony about leaving the homosexual lifestyle urged his fellow Christians to stand boldly for Jesus Christ amid rising cultural hostility.

Matthew Grech, 36, told The Christian Post in a recent interview that he believes the Lord was with him throughout his legal ordeal, which drew international attention and ultimately led to his acquittal last month.

Christian man prosecuted for ex-gay testimony found not guilty after 3-y... A man in Malta who faced more than three years of legal battles for giving his testimony about leaving homosexua...

Grech first fell afoul of Malta's ban on so-called "conversion therapy" in 2022, when he was slapped with criminal charges for allegedly discussing and promoting conversion practices in violation of Article 3 of Malta's Affirmation of Sexual Orientation, Gender and Gender Expression Act.

Christian man facing prison for sharing ex-gay testimony in first-of-its... A Maltese Christian charity worker is facing criminal charges for allegedly discussing and promoting so-called c...

The charges stemmed from an interview he gave that April with PMnews Malta, an independent outlet that invited him on to discuss his views on conversion therapy bans.

In 2016, Malta became the first European nation to criminalize practices endeavoring to "change, repress or eliminate a person's sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression," and similar legislation has since proliferated throughout the Western world.

Days after offering his personal testimony to PMNews Malta, police showed up at Grech's home on a Sunday to serve him with a prosecution order summoning him to court. He appeared in court 17 times over the charges, which carried €5,000 (more than $5,700) in fines or up to five months in prison.

Grech told CP that while his journey of repentance has cost him and not been easy, it has brought spiritual freedom.

Grech said he never fell into a "hardcore" homosexual lifestyle and was more interested in "a loving and faithful relationship," but he became spiritually convicted when he became a Christian that even his desire for meaningful sexual partnership with another man was against God's design.

"I had an encounter with Jesus when I was 19 years old, and He took center stage in my life, and the Word of God took center stage," he said. "I discovered Paul's verses about homosexuality, and I was convicted, and I prayed and I asked God, because it was very personal."

Bible Gateway passage: Romans 1:18-28 - English Standard Version God's Wrath on Unrighteousness - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrigh...

Grech said he came to understand God's love for him, and that it was out of love that God prohibits sexual immorality and demands repentance. Since leaving homosexuality behind, he said he has been able to develop a healthier understanding of his masculine identity.

"God helped me understand that He loves me but hates my sin, because it does bring a perversion to His sacred design for humanity. So I repented. I stopped the relationship that I was in. I was with a partner for just over a year-and-a-half."

"It was so amazing to feel free to discover my manhood, my masculinity; God's purpose for my life," he said. "It hasn't been an easy journey navigating same-sex feelings and understanding the depth of that, the roots of that I think mainstream culture hides from us."

"But it's been the best journey to be the man that I always wanted to be," he continued, adding that the Word of God has given him hope, joy and peace that he would not otherwise have.

Grech said the Maltese government has been working with gay rights activists in the country to silence the testimonies of Christians who repent of homosexuality, which he suggested is the end goal of conversion therapy ban legislation, even if its proponents claim otherwise.

After leaving the lifestyle, Grech became involved with the U.K.-based International Federation for Therapeutic and Counseling Choice (IFTCC), a nonprofit organization that aims "to promote a caring, nonjudgmental environment where people who choose to move away from their unwanted feelings and behaviors can find the support they're seeking," according to its website.

Grech, who noted his previous public interviews about his personal choices never led to prosecution, speculated that his interview with PMNews Malta was targeted because he mentioned IFTCC.

"What I did differently this time was that I mentioned an organization that apparently was a threat to them and their false, unscientific ideology, and so they organized themselves," he said of the activists who reported him to the police.

PMNews Malta, whose journalists were also charged for their role in conducting the interview, discovered that the police complaint against Grech was filed by Silvan Agius, an LGBT activist from Malta who helped draft the conversion therapy ban legislation; Christian Attard, a founding member of the Malta LGTBIQ Rights Movement; and Cynthia Chircop, who co-chaired the organization.

The police case against Pmnews and the video we had with Matthew Grech. - PmNewsMalta PM News Malta on, April 6, 2022, broadcasted a Discussion program with their guest Matthew Grech and a few days ...

Grech said the potential five months of prison time he faced for a conversation was "ridiculous" and indicates a worrying trend for the freedom of speech in the West. Despite his legal victory, he said the chilling effect of his case has been successful.

"I used to be invited on TV every month ... sometimes more than once a month in Malta," he said. "And ever since this court case came about, I've been completely silenced. Nobody interviews me anymore around the subject."

"I probably think that TV hosts have orders from the top to not mention the other side of the story, and so this law has been really used to monopolize the culture and conversation around sexuality and gender."

Grech said such a development is "very sad," and that his generation deserves to have robust and open debate about such important topics. He expressed optimism that the tide seems to be turning in the United States, where the U.S. Supreme Court recently overturned a Colorado state law banning therapy for minors that does not endorse homosexuality and transgenderism.

Psychologist hails SCOTUS ruling against 'conversion therapy' ban: 'Poli... Dr Joseph Nicolosi Jr , who penned an amicus brief in Chiles v Salazar, praised the 8-1 U S Supreme Court ruling...

"I admire Christians who are standing up in the U.S., and I want that to happen in Europe and in Malta, as well," he said.

Regarding what he would say to Christians who might feel crippled by fear amid growing cultural animosity toward Christian faith and morality in the Western world, Grech urged them to remember the words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

"Jesus said, 'Rejoice when you are persecuted for the Kingdom of Heaven, because great is your reward.' You wouldn't be afraid of something that brings you joy. So when we have a revelation as Christians, we should dive straight into preaching the Gospel and sharing our testimonies and trust in the Lord in the process," he said.

While his three-year legal battle felt at times like a punishment, Grech said he remains thankful for it because God used it for His glory. He exhorted Christians to resist sin and the devil while taking courage in the Lord's faithfulness, even if they are called to suffer for His sake.

"I didn't endure this as a criminal," he said. "I endured this as a Bible-believing Christian. So, let us rejoice together and let us not submit to Jezebel. Jezebel is a loser. The devil is a loser. We love Jesus and we hate the devil. We're here to destroy the works of the devil."

"And so, we can't allow fear to take hold, because the Lord will be with us. Just as God told Paul, 'I have many people in this city, so do not be afraid.' And I want to tell you, wherever you are in the world watching right now, there are many people in your city that are meant to come to the Kingdom."

"So therefore, be bold, because if we are ashamed of the words of Jesus, if we are ashamed of His testimony, Jesus will be ashamed of us at His appearing. So we can do this, let's come together," he added. CP.

Murdered By Pakistan Police?

Christian man tortured to death by police in Pakistan, family alleges.

By Christian Daily International/Morning Star NewsFriday, April 10, 2026.

LAHORE, Pakistan — Police in Pakistan tortured and killed a Catholic father of four within hours of taking him into custody on false kidnapping charges, his family has claimed.

In Lahore’s Sadhoki Kahna Nau area, police tried to portray the death of Iftikhar Masih on March 26 as a suicide, saying they found his body hanging by a scarf from a ceiling fan, according to his brother, Riyasat Masih. Iftikhar Masih was 42.

Iftikhar Masih’s wife received a phone call on March 26 from her husband’s number from a man identifying himself as a police officer, his brother said.

“The caller alleged that Iftikhar had been caught attempting to kidnap a girl at gunpoint from a private housing society andasked her to come to the Industrial Area Police Station’s Kahna post,” Masih told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News.

At the police post, an officer identified as Mohsin Shah announced the allegations, Masih said. The officer said no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered yet and suggested the matter “could still be resolved,” the deceased’s brother said.

Riyasat Masih said Shaw demanded a bribe of 200,000 Pakistani rupees ($720) in exchange for his brother’s release.

“I pleaded that my brother was innocent and of good character, but he insisted on the payment,” Masih told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. “I left to arrange the money, and when I returned a few hours later, I was told that Iftikhar had committed suicide.”

Masih disputed the police claim that his brother was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf, saying he saw visible signs of torture on the body.

“There were marks on several parts of his body,” he said. “The police refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing and continued to insist it was suicide.”

There was no complainant present at the police station regarding any kidnapping allegations, and no one has come forward even after more than a week, Masih said.

“The allegation appears to have been fabricated to extort money,” he said, adding that the family has yet to receive a post-mortem report. “I have repeatedly visited the hospital and police offices, but they have not provided it. We still do not know the full extent of the injuries.”

Iftikhar Masih had been working as a gardener at the University of Lahore for several years.

Word of his death triggered protests by members of the local Christian community. More than 300 people gathered outside the police station, blocking access for several hours and preventing an ambulance from entering to collect the body, local residents said.

Provincial Christian lawmaker Falbous Christopher visited the scene following the protests and spoke to senior police officials, calling for action against those responsible for the alleged murder. The mob dispersed after police registered an FIR against Shah and an unidentified accomplice.

Shah was subsequently taken into custody, Masih said.

Hundreds of people attended Iftikhar Masih’s funeral on March 27, his brother said, describing the turnout as evidence of his reputation in the community.

The case comes amid broader concerns about deaths in police custody and extrajudicial killings in Punjab Province. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reported that at least 924 people were killed in police encounters in the province during the first eight months of 2025.

In a report released on Feb. 17, the HRCP said families frequently claim victims had been detained prior to being killed in what were later described as armed encounters.

“The extreme casualty imbalance — averaging more than two fatal encounters daily  — combined with the uniformity of operational patterns across districts, indicates an institutionalized practice rather than isolated incidents,” said Asad Iqbal Butt, chairperson of the HRCP, calling for a high-level judicial inquiry.

Christian support group Open Doors has also raised concerns about the situation of religious minorities in Pakistan. In its 2026 World Watch List, the organization ranked Pakistan eighth among countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, citing systemic discrimination, mob violence, forced conversions and weak law enforcement.

This article was originally published at Christian Daily International–Morning Star News

Christian Daily International - Daily Christian News from Around the World Christian Daily International provides biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every ...

CP.

2 Peter 1. Endeavour To Be The Christian We All Should Be.

 5) For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6) and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7) and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8) For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9) But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Quite So.

 The Gospel that won’t fit in a coffin.

Without a biblical doctrine of sin, justice is impossible — and the cross becomes unintelligible!

4 mins read20 days ago

The Gospel that won’t fit in a coffin Without a biblical doctrine of sin, justice is impossible and the cross becomes unintelligible

Birdie.

 

Romans 8:28.

 

Why This Is So Very Dishonest.

 It has been reported today that Labour are threatening social media users, who facilitate support details to people who wish to break into the UK, will face gaol sentences of five years.

THIS IS A DOWNRIGHT LIE to the British public!

Let me explain:

1) Only the few deemed to be the very worst of offenders will ever get any sentence close to five years.

2) All those forced into pleading guilty because they are so 'bang to rights' will automatically get a third off. In the unlikely event that their sentence was 60 months - they will get a third off for a 'timely guilty plea.' Down to 40 months.

3) Labour intend to reduce almost all actual sentences by 70% - allegedly for good behaviour! This changes the sentence to 12 months.

4) This is based on what happens when a putative maximum sentence is awarded. If you have a softhearted, wet and or leftist judge - the sentence may well start at 18 months. Please use the facts from above, to calculate for yourself, how long would the perpetrator actually serve from this point.

Mark 3 - Pharisees.

 4) Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

5) He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6) Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.