Viewpoint
In today’s media-saturated America, everyone has an opinion. From Bill O’Reilly to Chris Matthews, Rush Limbaugh to Rachel Maddow – and everything in between – there is no shortage of viewpoints. But how many of those perspectives bring you back to a place of passionate, persistent prayer for the nation?
“Viewpoint” allows your Prayer Team’s talented writing team to express their opinions on the political, social and moral issues of the day. At times, you may not agree with all they have to say. But in the end, you will be energized to pray for America, with the prism of Scripture and a decidedly Godly direction as your guide. Plus, you can blog your comments to every article, have your say, and perhaps even receive a response back from the writer.
Read – then pray with an enlightened, more informed viewpoint for your nation and its leaders.
Persecuted Into Extinction
Mass exodus of Christians becoming humanitarian crisis
By Bill Noles Jr.
All around the world – in nations that promote only Islam – Christians are being physically abused into extinction. Maltreatment by Muslims has forced the mass exodus of Christians from Afghanistan, Iraq and Egypt. “This matter of Muslim persecution of Christians is a humanitarian crisis at this point,” Middle East and Islam expert, Raymond Ibrahim said in a recent interview. Ibrahim is the author of the newly released book, Crucified Again: Exposing Islam’s New War on Christians.
“It’s something that is little known of or heard of or acted upon,” said Ibrahim, who is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and an Associate Fellow at the Middle East Forum. “In fact, not only is the Obama administration ignoring it, but it is actually exacerbating it, making it worse, a la the Arab Spring and other matters.”
“We are reliving the true history of how the Islamic world, much of which prior to the Islamic conquests was almost entirely Christian, came into being,” Ibrahim wrote in a recent article. “The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently said: ‘The flight of Christians out of the region is unprecedented and it’s increasing year by year.’ In our lifetime alone ‘Christians might disappear altogether from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Egypt.’”
Christianity has existed in Egypt six centuries longer than Islam, yet Christians comprise about 12 percent of the total population while Muslims are about 87 percent. The country’s constitution gives preference to the Muslim majority and Christians are often treated as second-class citizens.
“Iraq was the earliest indicator of the fate awaiting Christians once Islamic forces are liberated from the grip of dictators,” Ibrahim said. “The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg.”
“Ten years ago,” Ibrahim pointed out, “at least one million Christians lived in Iraq.”
“Today fewer than 400,000 remain – the result of an anti-Christian campaign that began with the U.S. occupation of Iraq, when countless Christian churches were bombed and countless Christians killed, including by crucifixion and beheading,” Ibrahim wrote.
“Now, as the U.S. supports the jihad on Syria’s secular president Assad, the same pattern has come to Syria: entire regions and towns where Christians lived for centuries before Islam came into being have now been emptied, as the opposition targets Christians for kidnapping, plundering, and beheadings, all in compliance with mosque calls telling the populace that it’s a ‘sacred duty’ to drive Christians away.”
While the most publicized persecutions have taken place in the Arab world, it is now becoming more common in African and European countries with Muslim majorities:
- In Ethiopia, after a Christian was accused of desecrating a Koran, thousands of believers were forced to flee their homes when Muslim extremists set fire to roughly 50 churches and dozens of Christian homes.
- In Libya, Islamic rebels forced several Christian religious orders, serving the sick and needy in the country since 1921, to flee.
- In European Bosnia, Christians are leaving en mass amid mounting discrimination and Islamization. Only 440,000 Catholics remain in the Balkan nation, half the prewar figure.
Even though the USCIRF’s 2013 Annual Report points out the disparity of the Christian plight in Muslim countries, there is hope.
In the aftermath of the October 2011 Maspero violence, the transitional government took steps to reduce discrimination by issuing a decree amending Egypt’s Penal Code to prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, gender, language, faith, or race.
In February 2013, Christian groups in Egypt came together to form – for the first time ever – an Egyptian Council of Churches. Furthermore, over the past two years, the government began to re-open more than 50 existing churches that had been closed, in some cases for years.
Currently, there is very little good news on evangelizing in Muslim controlled countries. This should be an area of concern for Christians around the world.
Ultimately, the story has already been told and those who follow Christ will persevere. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10).
This week pray:
- For Christ’s protection over the Christians who live in Muslim dominated countries
- For Christians who continue to spread the gospel in those countries, despite the dangers
- For the Obama Administration to place religious freedom at the forefront of its foreign policy
Bill Noles Jr. is an entrepreneur, author and writer. Married for 30 years, he is a father of two sons and grandfather of three children. He and his wife Diann live in Tucson, AZ.
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Why should we pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ? Because The LORD GOD ALMIGHTY commands us to!!! CHRISTians – if we sincerely seek the face of JEHOVAH – HE will answer!!! And HE tells us that we are to pray for ALL of GOD’s saints – why won’t we simply do what GOD tells us to do in His Holy Word? “Now therefore fear the LORD and serve HIM in sincerity and in truth:” (Joshua 24:14 a)
1) “If MY people, which are called by MY name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”(2 Chronicles 7:14)
2) The 7th piece of “The WHOLE ARMOR of GOD” (Ephesians 6:10-20) is verse 18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Fear God and keep his commandments.For this is the whole duty of man.
[Edited to remove Caps Lock]
In the name of God and his son Jesus Christ, I wish good tidings on all
God’s creation. Thanks be to God and his son Jesus Christ.
Pray for all persecuted Christians. May the Lord give them comfort, strength, and peace. Uplift them in mind, body, and Spirit. And help them through their difficult times.
Do this especially for he most persecuted, the people of: North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nigeria, Central African Republic.
Pray without ceasing!
We need to pray continuously for persecuted Christians in all nations, including, sadly the United States of America as well. Pray that their testimony will be bold even up to the moment they take their last breath. Pray that those who persecute will be reached by the Lord, as Paul was on the road to Damascus and those who persecute will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. To God be the Glory in all of this.
I have been praying for the persecuted Christians for many years and support and receive information monthly from several ministries who champion the cause of the persecuted church. I pray that they will see God’s grace as sufficient and God’s power perfected in their weakness, that they will endure, that they will love Christ far more than life itself,that they will love their enemies and trust God completely, pray for their physical protection and deliverance and for God to meet all their needs according to His riches in glory.
And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. I Corinthians 12:26
Iris, you quoted the verse I logged on here to quote, thank you. It really is true, just like the rest of God’s word. When any one of us suffer, we all do. I pray daily for our brothers and sisters all over the world. We need each other. We all need prayer.
Revelation 22:20,21 “He which testifieth these things saith, “Surely I come quickly. Amen.” Even so come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
I Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you. He will never leave you or forsake you.”