Thousands of Christians have been slaughtered in ways comparable to the Holocaust. This gut-wrenching abomination has only amplified over the past few weeks. Hundreds of taped public beheadings have been swarming the internet. Thousands of heads line fence posts and sit on scattered stakes in a vile, sadistic, neo-pagan, ritualistic, mass-murder. Holocaust-style firing squads have been taped slaughtering innocent Christian men, women and children by dozens using automatic machine guns. Mass graves have now been dug for countless bullet-pierced bodies that have been thrown in and piled on top of each other. In Mosul, Islamic State [IS] militants marked with a spray-painted ن (the Arabic letter for “N”) all Christian property to be seized after the ultimatum. “N”, or ن, is the first letter of the Arabic word for Christian, “Nasrani” or Nazarene. Within the conflict zones of the Middle East, Christians are faced with the ultimatum to either convert to Islam, submit to their radical rule and pay a religious levy, or face death by the sword. Hardline Sunni militants of the Islamic State [IS] have been consolidating their control, driving Christians out of the city of Mosul. Of those who fled, some were robbed at gunpoint by Islamists on the road leaving the city. Mark 13:9-13 ESV “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. John 15:18-21 ESV “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. Matthew 5:10-12 ESV “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 2 Timothy 3:12 ESV Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, 1 Peter 3:14-17 ESV But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. Revelation 13:15 ESV And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 06:26:33 +0000
Trending Topics
© 2015