Attacks on Christians – but where’s the outrage?

Where’s YOUR voice?

 Believers in Jesus Christ or Yeshua the Messiah – unfortunately – still seem to like to be separated from one another. I realize there are true believers and false ones. There are nominal “Christians” and real practicing Christians. But that’s not the point of this blog.

 Whether others out there who call themselves “Christian” believe exactly the way you do, you need to be aware of this:  Christians around the world are being tortured, imprisoned and even killed for their belief in Jesus (you know I call him Yeshua). 

 The prophet Ezekiel was told in a vision in Ezekiel 9 that a mark was being placed on those who “sighed and cried” for the abominations in the land. Will God Almighty place a mark on your head?  You surely are praying about and sighing and crying for the atrocities going on all around you. 

A 27-year old Christian mother(MERIAM IBRAHIM),is imprisoned in a filthy overcrowded jail in Islamic Sudan, along with her 2 year old son and newborn Americandaughter – surely we can do or say something. She was shackled in a stinking fetid prison with hundreds of inmates in the jail, while giving birth to her newborn little girl recently. So now her 2 year old son and NEWBORN baby girl are all in a terrible jail with her, as she’s shackled in a Sudanese prison.

 Why is all this happening to her? Because she won’t give up her belief in Jesus Christ.  Surely we can pray for her. Some believe she is a US citizen. Though that’s not proven yet, my point is bigger. Why the silence when those who profess a belief in Christ are treated this way?  Now that she’s had her baby, the next step—if nothing stops the process-- is they are going to flog her with 100 excruciating lashes, and then they will hang her until she dies. Her child is to be given to Islamic “parents’ to raise in that great religion of peace – Islam. 

 All this in Sudan—which has received BILLIONS of U.S. dollars.  And our President has YET to say one word about this. Our Secretary of State has yet to say one word about this inhumane “treatment”.  How about you?  And would YOU be as faithful to your belief in Yeshua as she has been so far?  Would YOU agree to 100 lashes and then to be hanged, all because of your belief in the TRUE Son of God? 

Makes one think, doesn’t it?  Surely you can mention her and her babies in your prayers? Surely you can sigh and cry for her?

There’s also the Christian American pastor in Iran who has been in and out of jail for his beliefs – with threats to his life daily.  In the past couple weeks,American Pastor Saeed Abedini was beaten, removed from his hospital bed where he had been receiving much-needed medical care, and forced back to a deadly prison in Iran. Would you and I have recanted long ago, or would we be holding firm to our loud and clear claim that we are believers in Jesus Christ and we will never give that up?

On top of all that, now in the past few weeks we have these horrible stories of the Islamic extremists called the Boko Haram in Nigeria. You may have heard about the 276 Christian girls kidnapped, their school ransacked, adults killed at knife and gun point.  But you may not have heard of the dozens of boys who were burned alive in churches and in their homes, or who had to watch their Christian father being led away –only to hear gunshots later on and never to see their dad again. 

Can you imagine the outrage if Christians were doing this around the world to Muslims? Or if a Christian gang had kidnapped and sold into slavery hundreds of Muslim girls? The leader of Boko Haram openly boasted that there is a market for human slavery. By the time Christ returns, the selling of human beings across national boundaries will be a “normal” thing going on again.  It’s already going on. You can read of it clearly in Revelation 18:13. 

In Egypt, many Christian churches were burned a year or more ago.  In Kenya a few years ago, some churches were burned with Christians inside burned alive.

What are you and I doing about all this?  Do we just turn our heads and disregard this because this is Satan’s world and because you decide those people aren’t true Christians anyway?  Or do you reflect the attitude of Yeshua who died for us while we were yet sinners?  I don’t know about you, but whatever their beliefs are, I am amazed at their faith and strength – and I pray for them.

First of all: pray “Thy kingdom come” earnestly. Pray. Pray for those who are standing firm in their belief in their Savior – even if some or many of their beliefs are different from yours.  The biggest single belief is that we need and have a wonderful Savior.  Nothing else matters without that first being in place.  God will reveal His truths to those whom he wishes, but He is moved by those who “sigh and cry” for the abominations in the land. Be among those in deep heartfelt prayer sighing and crying to God as Ezekiel 9 explains.

You can contact

·        www.FRC.ORG/SUDAN   Tony Perkins, of Family Research Council, is seeking action from the US government.  We could grant these people abroad refugee status and if they would be released, they could come to USA immediately, whether US citizens or not. But from what we can tell, they are US Citizens.  It used to mean something to be an American.  Remember even Paul used the civil authorities of his day when needed: he appealed to Caesar for example. He asked if the officer who was about to beat him knew he – Paul – was a Roman citizen, as it would be highly illegal to beat a Roman citizen without a trial first. So Paul used the system as long as he could.

·        The ACLJ and sign petitions that go to our President, or Senators and congressmen urging them to take more decisive action to help end some of these atrocities.  ACLJ is the “American Center for Law and Justice”.  Look them up – www.ACLJ.com

·        Here’s a petition you can look at.  Surely your heart melts for the new young mother about to be scourged with 100 lashes, and then hanged    http://beheardproject.com/meriam#sign

Christianity should not be a crime – at least not yet!  Hanging Meriam breaks international law and surely you and I can speak up.  It’s when good people say nothing that those intent on evil are emboldened to do ever more evil. I know it’s all prophesied to get worse and worse, but don’t forget Ezekiel 9 – and those who sigh and cry and pray about the world around them.

You can pray for them and their faith.  You can ask God to work miracles in their behalf. 

Even if the true God decides not to intervene, it will be good for YOU to have done so.  Surely our heavenly father is moved when he sees his children moved by the plights of others.  

May our great living God bless you as you pray for and try to help others who are standing up for their beliefs in the name of their Savior.