PROPHESIED END TIMES PERSECUTION: 400 CHURCHES WERE BURNED, AND 60 CHRISTIANS KILLED

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The northeastern Indian state of Manipur remains in a tense state of unease weeks after a devastating spate of violence led to the deaths of at least 73 individuals, most of them Christians, and the burning, damage, or destruction of nearly 400 churches.

The largely Christian tribals belonging to the Kuki-Zo communities, who reside on the hills of Churachandpur district, say two groups of the predominantly Hindu Meitei community — Arambai Tengoll, also known as “black-shirts,” and Meitei Leepun — were behind the violence. Meiteis are primarily settled in the Imphal Valley.

The violence, which began on May 3, primarily engulfed the Imphal Valley and Churachandpur, causing at least four days of turmoil. The region remains fraught with tension as authorities fear possible reprisal attacks due to the significant accumulation of weapons within both involved communities.

During this period of hostility, the escalating violence has not only claimed a minimum of 73 lives, out of which about 64 were Christian tribals but also left 200 people injured. More than 1,700 residences suffered damage, complete destruction, or saw their homes set ablaze. The turmoil has forced about 50,000 individuals to abandon their homes, of whom roughly 35,000 belong to Christian tribal communities.

The houses of Meiteis in the Christian tribal-majority Churachandpur have also been damaged or destroyed.

A local source informed The Christian Post that the violence and ensuing tensions have caused a complete exodus of tribal residents from the Imphal Valley. Similarly, all Meiteis previously residing or working in Churachandpur, including government and police officials, have fled the area.

According to the source, Christian organizations in the area have recorded the burning, damage, or destruction of 397 churches and six Christian institutions amid the wave of violence. Significantly, these churches primarily served as places of worship for Meitei Christians. It is alleged that these structures were primarily targeted and destroyed by Meitei Hindus.

Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal, whose jurisdiction covers the entirety of Manipur, has launched an appeal for funds to assist those impacted by the violence.

He warns of a “general sense of hopelessness and desperation” throughout the region, acknowledging that all communities, regardless of their affiliation, are affected by the ongoing strife.

Fr. Varghese Velikakam, Vicar General of the Diocese of Imphal, criticized local police for their failure to prevent the attacks and questioned the lack of guards after attempted assaults. Videos of the violence show police looking on or participating in the violence on tribal people.

Despite the apparently targeted nature of these attacks, Fr. Varghese advised the Church to act cautiously, maintain neutrality and promote peace and unity.

Northeast India has had long-standing ethnic tensions. In Manipur, the Meiteis and the tribal communities have long been at odds over issues such as land ownership and affirmative action policies.

After winning the 2017 state election, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, reclassified the majority of tribal settlements as reserved forests, effectively treating them as illegal immigrants. This move, along with the Meiteis’ ongoing quest for recognition as a tribal group, has significantly exacerbated tensions between the two groups.

Manipur’s highest court’s recent instruction to the government last month to consider the Meiteis’ demand for legal recognition as a tribal group has further stirred anxiety among the tribal communities. The recent outbreak of violence was triggered when a tribal student group protested against this demand.

The Hindu Meiteis and Christian tribals each constitute approximately 42% of the state’s population. Despite this balance, the Meiteis have historically held dominance in the state’s political and economic spheres.

Critics also point to Chief Minister Singh’s past orders to demolish churches in Imphal, under the allegation of illegal construction on government-owned land, as a significant strain on inter-community relations.

The widespread violence and targeted attacks against the Christian community have raised concerns about the potential escalation of religious conflict in the region.

As these communities grapple with the aftermath, Manipur remains under a dark cloud of uncertainty, its future dictated by both the government’s ability to quell tensions and the communities’ willingness to engage in peace-building efforts.

Across the world persecution of Christians is intensifying exactly as the Bible prophesied would be the case prior to Jesus’ return to end this period of earth’s history when God has allowed Satan to be Prince over fallen mankind. We are told Jesus appears first in the heavens and the dead in Christ are raised first then the Saints living on earth will be raptured to meet Jesus in the air.

“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

God then pours out His wrath upon an unrepentant world with the Trumpet (7) and Bowl judgements (7) prior to Jesus returning to earth with the transfigured Saints, first to destroy the Antichrist, False Prophet, and their army and then to establish Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom on this earth. The Antichrist and the False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire and Satan into the Abyss for almost the entire 1000 years.

“Then I (John) saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20:1-3

“Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6

To be prepared for the coming Millennial reign of Jesus and the Saints on this earth; go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net

TESTIMONY OF THE AUTHOR OF ARAB SPRING CHRISTIAN WINTER

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How to Build a Faith That Will Withstand Any Persecution

I will close this book with a few words of hopeful wisdom to help you in case you are terrified of the future and wonder if you will be able to withstand the difficult days ahead. I do not claim in any way that I have a monopoly on how to build a solid Christian life, or some special secret to achieve rapid maturity, an oxymoron in itself. It would be impossible for you to have the same huge host of people build into your life that have built into mine. I’m very sorry for those of you who have had few, if any, people pour into your life by spending time with you, praying with and for you, and guiding your growth as a Christian. I have been hugely blessed in this regard. Because of that godly input over many years and forty-plus years of walking with the Lord, I have a few ideas on how to build an unshakeable faith. People often ask me if I have doubted my faith while serving the Lord abroad in overwhelmingly Muslim communities. My answer is always “No. Being the only Christian for miles around actually builds my faith stronger.” That is because I continually see the vivid contrast between the reality of Christianity and the Holy Spirit within us, and the deadness of religion, even one that calls for extremely high commitment. As I’ve said many times before in print and in person, ONLY the Holy Spirit can change a life, no one else. That’s the primary, on-the-ground difference between Christianity and every other faith out there. The longer you are among those other faiths, even as you find elements worthy of admiration in them, you will understand that none of them actually change the heart.

So let’s take a brief look at a few steps you can consider to build a faith that will remain true and strong, even if Islamists order you to forsake it. ​1. ​Get Into a Small Group(s). There is absolutely no need to build a strong faith through your own effort, gutting out daily Bible reading, going to church whenever you can, and trying to pray for longer and longer amounts of time each day. The modern, Western thought that we can walk with Jesus but not follow any “organized religion” is wrongheaded. This type of Lone Ranger Christianity is nowhere to be found in God’s Word. It is a Western, individualistic interpretation of a faith that grew out of small groups, as we see all over the Book of Acts. I am saying clearly that you cannot grow the type of faith you will need in the End Times by watching sermons on television or online and staying in your own home with no regular contact with other Christians. The Church will never stand strong if it’s built on survivalists who move as far away from others as they can and practice an isolationist Christianity. You should not want to dive into body life simply because it is commanded. You should do it because it is enjoyable and a necessary part of your growth. We all need that sharpening from one another, as Proverbs 27:17 says, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

The author of the book Arab Spring Christian Winter – Islam Unleashed on the Church and the World, Ralph Stice has spent many years living, working, and ministering in Muslim countries. His time in Turkey (seat of the former Ottoman Empire) has led him to the same conclusion as Joel Richardson author of The Mid East Beast – The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Antichrist.

MANY EGYPTIANS ARE TURNING TO CHRIST DESPITE VIOLENCE AND PERSECUTION

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Back in 2019, pro-Islamist President Mohammed Morsi supporters took to the streets. Thousands took part in the protests in Alexandria, Suez and other cities calling for Morsi to be reinstated and urging military leader General Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi to step aside.

According to David an I.N. Network worker, these protests put his family at risk. David says protesters surrounded his home for 50 days.

“They consider the area as a holy place, and they try to come back to the area again and again,” he says. “So the police and the army surround the area. Every Friday there is a big group of the Muslim Brotherhood. They try to come back, and they fight with the army and police.”

While David and his family have had to leave their home for a time, they are safe.

Since the Muslim Brotherhood took power, Christians have been the targets of violence. Once the government was sacked, Christians had hoped that would change. But, David says, it hasn’t.

“They are still creating troubles and problems,” he says. “The militants want to destroy the country. They attack many churches. Many churches have been burned. Many Christians have been killed.”

David says that’s why the I.N. Network has established an emergency fund to help survivors of the violence.

“Winter is approaching in Egypt,” he says. “And many families—especially in the south—don’t have enough clothes. They need blankets, so we’re doing a project to distribute blankets.”

While the violence has been difficult, David says there is good news.

“Churches are united together. And the spirit of prayer is happening in all the churches. People are praying all the time,” he says.

The response to the violence against burned churches has also been remarkable. Christians posted signs on their burned-out churches that read, “You burned our church, but we love you.”

David says,”It’s a great message of forgiveness. This makes many Muslims discover the reality of Christianity, and many of them come to know Jesus.”

While Muslims are turning, that’s creating another problem.

“Until now, they find difficulty for security reasons to join local churches, so they meet underground in a secret way,” David says. “They worship the Lord together, and they’re growing.”

As Muslims come to Christ, they’re uniquely qualified to share the gospel. “The easiest way to reach Muslims is through converted Muslims,” David says.

While David isn’t praying for more persecution, he’s excited about the Holy Spirit working. “It’s always like this,” he says. “When there is pressure over the churches, the Holy Spirit is working, and many people are coming to know Jesus as Savior.”

One reason why “many people are coming to know Jesus as Savior” is because once you have been directly persecuted as a Christian, any fear or shame you had about sharing your faith evaporates. Here’s how one believer in the Middle East put it: “Once you experience persecution, the fear goes away … you lose it. Persecution has made me bolder in sharing my faith.

Almost 5 years on and David says the church is still powering on for God and seeing many saved. This gives us a picture of what I believe the “last days” church will look like only “in spades”.

HOW DO WE RESPOND TO INCREASING PERSECUTION?

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As we see the final days approaching, how do we respond? Do we get overwhelmed by the looming threats to our daily lives? Are we overcome with fear when thinking of the things that are soon to come upon this Earth? Do we look inward and despair or do we look upward to Christ with hope?

“The steps of a man are established by the LORD when he delights in his way; though he falls, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.” Psalms 37:23-24

As believers, we have confidence knowing that our steps are guided by the one who purchased us at Calvary. We have the certainty that our good Shepherd will lead us through the most difficult of times. Why? Because He said He would.

“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

We have the assurance that Christ will be with us until the very end. Though many will fall away and betray one another, we can always rely on Christ to remain with us – His sons and daughters.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

If you doubt the Lord’s provision, let me remind you of the one who led His people out of Egypt and fed them with manna for 40 years in the wilderness. How about the one who fed the 5,000 with just five loaves and two fish?

The one who did these things is also the one who says, “I am with YOU always.” We have no reason to fear the coming days. For if we delight in the Lord and His ways…He will guide our steps.

Pray that we may serve Him well until the very end Maranatha!

EXPRESS GOD’S VALUES: LOSE YOUR JOB OR GO TO GAOL OR BOTH

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Aaron Edwards, a 37-year-old Christian theology lecturer at the Methodist-run Cliff College in England has been dismissed after tweeting that “homosexuality is invading the church. The institution, which touts itself as a global center for evangelism, dismissed the father of five for misconduct last week, deeming his tweet had brought the institution “into disrepute.”

This is a ‘Gospel issue,’ by the way. If sin is no longer sin, we no longer need a Saviour.

United Kingdom MPs voted 299-116 to continue criminalizing even silent prayer in the vicinity of Abortion Clinics. A lawyer for the U.K.’s Alliance Defending Freedom stated: “Today’s vote marks a watershed moment for fundamental rights and freedoms in our country. Parliament had an opportunity to reject the criminalization of free thought, which is an absolute right, and embrace individual liberty for all. Instead, Parliament chose to endorse censorship and criminalize peaceful activities such as silent prayer and consensual conversation.

Washington Elementary School District, a public school district in Arizona, recently severed ties with Arizona Christian University over the university’s biblical views on marriage. The district, which had long partnered with ACU, decided to ban student teachers from the classroom. “The most alarming or shocking part of this meeting was that, despite the recommendation of the staff of the district who are the on-the-ground players in this, the LGBT agenda-driven board decided that it was just not safe,” Christian Post author Leonardo Blair explained. These student teachers have been in the classroom for 11 years without incident. And yet the Board decided that they just could not trust the student teachers not to be biased when they haven’t had any sort of incident in the classroom before.

Charlie Kirk is the Founder and President of Turning Point USA, a national student movement dedicated to identifying, organizing, and empowering young people to promote the principles of free markets and limited government. In anticipation of Charlie Kirk’s speaking engagement at the University of California, Davis, Chancellor Gary S. May released a remarkable video, expressing the hope that no one would show up for the event. Yes, he said, “we can work together to neutralize and negate their influence” — and we do this in the name of free speech. Talk about doublespeak! Chancellor May made clear that he personally considered Kirk’s views to be “loathsome and hurtful.” And he referred to Kirk as “a well-known proponent of misinformation and hate and who has advocated for violence against transgender individuals.” This last claim cannot be substantiated and is in fact a lie.

These are just four incidents reported today that I have seen. Persecution of Christians is now becoming commonplace. Jesus told us that this would be the case prior to His return to set up his Millennial Kingdom. Jesus and the resurrected Saints will reign on this earth for 1000 years prior to the second resurrection, the White Throne judgement, and finally a new heaven and new earth where only the righteous dwell.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13

“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6

YOU MUST BOW AT THE LGBT ALTAR OR ELSE

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Article by Michael Brown, Christian Press Op-Ed Contributor

Do you remember when the main goal of LGBT activism was creating an atmosphere of “tolerance and acceptance”? Those days are long gone, and the goalposts have been moved dramatically. Today, if you do not partake in the public, mandatory celebration of LGBT pride, you will be marked and you will be ostracized. If you don’t believe me, just ask NHL hockey player Ivan Provorov.

Provorov, who is from Russia and plays for the Philadelphia Flyers, declined to participate in pregame warmups for the Flyer’s LGBT pride night since he would have been required to wear a pride-themed jersey.

He explained to reporters, “I respect everybody and I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion [which is Russian Orthodox]. That’s all I’m going to say.”

In other words, if someone identifies as LGBT, that’s their business, and he respects that. He has his own religious beliefs which dictate how he lives, and he would ask others to respect that. Live and let live.

Flyers coach John Tortorella was supportive of Provorov’s choice, explaining that the team made clear where it stood on LGBT pride. As for Provorov himself, Tortorella said that “he is being true to himself and to his religion. This has to do with his beliefs and his religion. That is one thing I respect about Provy, he is always true to himself, so that’s where we’re at with that.”

But not everyone was as tolerant (remember that word?). According to hockey journalist Pierre LeBrun, if Provorov really respected the LGBT community, he would have participated in the event and worn the jersey. To paraphrase, “Who gives a hoot about his religious convictions? To respect someone means to celebrate who they are and what they do, even if it is in fundamental contradiction to one’s own beliefs and convictions.”

Hockey commentator Gord Miller seconded LeBrun’s sentiments, adding that Provorov should have been banned from playing in the game. After all, he tweeted, “Freedom of expression doesn’t give you freedom from the consequences of your words or actions.” To paraphrase again, “Failure to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride has serious professional consequences!”

Sports and comedy writer Rachael Millanta was even more blunt, calling Provorov “ignorant, obnoxious, and homophobic,” also referring to people like him as “bigots” who “hide behind their cherry-picked religion.”

Oh, the beauty of open-minded, liberal tolerance!

So, by Provorov following the consistent Christian teachings of the last 2,000 years (or, more broadly, the consistent biblical teachings of the last 3,000+ years), he is an ignorant, obnoxious and homophobic bigot who is cherry-picking his beliefs.

The same can be said for the tens of millions of Russian Orthodox Christians who share these beliefs, along with many hundreds of millions of other Christians of like heart and like mind.

In short, you cannot graciously disagree. You cannot respectfully opt-out. Instead, you must deny your convictions, rewrite the Bible, run roughshod over your faith, and publicly celebrate something you believe to be wrong. Otherwise, you are a crass human being and a small-minded bigot. Those are your only choices!

Already in 2011 in my book A Queer Thing Happened to America, I could point to the Riddle Homophobia Scale, used in schools to evaluate whether the students were “homophobic.” According to the scale, both tolerance and acceptance were considered homophobic, since homosexuality was not something to “tolerate” or “accept.”

Instead, the only way not to be homophobic was to embrace a “positive” attitude which called for “support, admiration, appreciation, and nurturance.”

Yes, if you don’t want to be a homophobe, you must admire your lesbian friend. You must nurture your transgender colleague’s new identity. Otherwise, you will be marked.

Are you surprised? Well, consider this: “The Riddle homophobia scale was developed by Dorothy Riddle in 1973–74 while she was overseeing research for the American Psychological Association Task Force on Gays and Lesbians.”

That’s how far back it goes, although it wasn’t widely released until 1994. That’s why I started my article with this question: “Do you remember when the main goal of LGBT activism was creating an atmosphere of ‘tolerance and acceptance?’”

Most young people, including young adults, do not remember this time because they never experienced it. Instead, they have grown up with the choice to celebrate LGBT pride or be branded, to comply publicly or be ousted.

That’s why one of the chapters in my forthcoming book Why Have So Many Christians Left the Faith is titled, “If Gay Is Good, Christianity Is Bad.” That’s how much the tables have turned, even though the testimony of Scripture remains as clear today as it has ever been.

One of my colleagues, who is now a pastor, worked for years as a computer programmer with Bank of America. He told me that little by little, he was getting pushed out of his job through LGBT activism. By the time he quit, every employee, let alone higher-level managers or executives, could see on your bio whether you identified as an LGBT ally. If not, you could virtually kiss your career advancements goodbye.

Provorov is just the latest example of this reverse bigoted, small-minded, judgmentalism which leaves us with only one ethical choice: We will continue to love our LGBT neighbor as ourselves and we will refuse to back down on our convictions regardless of cost or consequence. That’s what Jesus would have us do.

There is a week-long celebration of Gay Pride in Sydney at the moment with 12.000 marchers including our Prime Minister and other politicians.

Article from “The Age” newspaper February 25th, 2023

“Anthony Albanese made history on Saturday night when he became the first Australian prime minister to march in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

“It’s unfortunate that I am the first, but this is a celebration of modern Australia … a diverse and inclusive Australia,” he said.

“We need to be a country that respects everyone for who they are.”

Marching in his 35th Mardi Gras, Albanese paid tribute to the 78ers – the protesters from the original march 45 years ago ″⁣who were thrown in jail”.

NEW YEARS GREETING FROM TORBEN SØNDERGAARD – NOW SIX MONTHS IN JAIL

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New Year’s greetings to all of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This year is soon over, and I’m sending this greeting to all of you, from Baker’s County Detention Center where I have now been locked up for six months – yes, a half-year! I could not imagine something like this was possible! But this shows that the times are changing and that we are in a spiritual war. Our enemy is busy spreading his lies and doing everything he can to stop the Gospel from going forth. But he will NOT succeed. GOD has the last word, and I truly believe we are standing in front of a breakthrough like we have never seen before!

Fortunately, Torben understands that GOD is in it! He has SPOKEN! He is FAITHFUL! Torben also knows that it is not just about him. He knows this is about Satan trying to destroy the Last Reformation Movement that is having a tremendous impact in spreading the Gospel around the world. Make sure you show you show your support by going to FriendsofTorben.com.

We need to remember that all of the O.T. prophets had to deliver messages of coming judgement to the people of Israel and most were rejected, persecuted, and killed. Likewise, all of Jesus’ disciples and Paul met similar ends.

“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.” John 15:20

“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” Psalms 33:18-22

Our hope needs to be in our Lord Jesus Christ and the assurance of His second coming to put things right.

MANY CHURCH GOERS WILL CHOOSE APOSTASY

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Jesus tells us that faced with the choice of persecution unto death or apostasy, many churchgoers will, unfortunately, choose apostasy. They will deny Jesus is the son of God and live for a short period of time longer than their faithful brothers. In both Luke and Matthew, we learn they will even betray their brothers and sisters who remain faithful. This is a horrible and almost unthinkable situation. Jesus says the love of “many” will become cold. I believe the parable of the ten virgins reveals that as many as 50% of people in our churches are not born again and they will choose apostasy rather than martyrdom. At greatest risk may be those people who were expecting to be “snatched away” in a Pre-Tribulation Rapture.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.“

Do you trust God enough to be with you through whatever He calls you to do even martyrdom? Do you remember what happened when Stephen was stoned to death?

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God… And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” Acts 7:55-56, 59-60

In the following passage in Philippians, Paul builds on Jesus’s instructions to be fearless in the face of persecution. First, he admonishes Christians to stand firmly together. It is this unity in faith that accomplishes God’s goal. Standing firm in persecution, a unified Church is living in a manner worthy of the gospel. Earlier Paul states that “to live is Christ, to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). If we truly believe that Gospel message, what will we fear? When persecutors see Christians standing in absolute faith that a better life and reward is coming, it is a witness to the persecutors of both their coming judgment and the sure salvation of God. This is God’s battle plan. How many millions of our opponents will see this and be converted by this faithful act of witness?

“Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” Philippians 1:27-30

ESCALATING PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

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We are already seeing the persecution of Christians, particularly in the workplace for their views on abortion, homosexuality, transgender, gay marriage, and more recently euthanasia. However, Bible prophecy reveals it will get much worse.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22

Jesus also told us what it will be like for unbelievers during the “last days” before His return. The unrighteous are not the ones being persecuted. We see this effect in western nations today. Although the mass slaughter of Christians is presently occurring in the Middle East and some African nations, the media and politicians in western nations ignore it.

“For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:37-39

During the “last days” unbelievers will have plenty of food because they have taken the Mark of the Beast. They will have become “conditioned” or desensitized by years of murder and war to not notice the horrific events around them. Much like in Germany during The Holocaust. The news media will present Christians and Jews as enemies of freedom and safety. In Revelation 11:10-11, we learn the people of the world will rejoice and exchange gifts when the two witnesses of God are murdered.

“For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 11:9-10

Jesus has told us beforehand so we need to be prepared and trust God to guide and direct our every step just as He did for Jesus, the disciples, and all the Saints since. One good reason to stand firm is that Jesus’ second coming is close and “our redemption is drawing near”.

The Coming of the Son of Man
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:25-28

“For the Lord, himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18

PROPHESIED END TIMES PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

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Persecution of Christians is on the rise in at least 18 countries, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, due to growing jihadism and nationalism, according to a report released by a Catholic group (Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that examined human rights violations against Christians in 24 countries where it is particularly difficult to be a Christian.

Thank goodness God warned us that this would happen and the good news is that it indicates Jesus’ return to put things right is not too far in the future.

Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Luke 21:28

Hopefully, this information will help you pray for the persecuted church. These countries include Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Mali, Sudan, Nigeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Russia, North Korea, China, Vietnam, India and Qatar, according to the report titled “Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2020-22.”

Around the world, more than 360 million Christians live in places where they experience high levels of persecution just for following Jesus — that’s one in seven believers worldwide, according to Open Doors USA’s World Watch List, which ranks the top 50 countries where Christians experience the worst persecution for their faith.

ACN said its report was presented in the Houses of Parliament in the U.K. this week with a keynote address by Nigeria’s Bishop Jude Arogundade, whose Diocese of Ondo was targeted by gunmen who killed more than 40 people at a packed Sunday service on Pentecost Sunday this year.

Bishop Arogundade said, “no one seems to pay attention to the genocide” taking place in swathes of Nigeria’s Middle Belt. “The world is silent as attacks on churches, their personnel, and institutions have become routine. How many corpses are required to get the world’s attention?” he was quoted as saying.

African countries saw a sharp rise in terrorist violence from non-state militants, with more than 7,600 Nigerian Christians reportedly murdered between January 2021 and June of this year, the Catholic group said in the report, adding that in May, a video was released showing 20 Nigerian Christians being executed by Islamist terror group Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province.

In Asia, “state-authoritarianism” was behind the worsening oppression, especially in North Korea, where religious beliefs and practices are routinely and systematically repressed, it said.

The report also noted that religious nationalism has triggered increasing violence against Christians in the region, with Hindu nationalist and Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist groups active in India and Sri Lanka, respectively.

The report noted that India witnessed 710 incidents of anti-Christian violence between January 2021 and the start of June, “driven in part by political extremism.” It cited an example of a mass rally in Chhattisgarh state last October, where members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party applauded as right-wing Hindu religious leader Swami Parmatmanand called for Christians to be killed.

In the Middle East, the report said, a migration crisis threatened the survival of some of the world’s oldest Christian communities.

In Syria, the Christian population declined from 10% to less than 2%, falling from 1.5 million just before the war began to around 300,000 today, ACN said, adding that while the rate of exodus is slower in Iraq, a community that numbered around 300,000 before the 2014 invasion by ISIS had halved to 150,000 by the spring of this year.

At this month’s G20 event centered on religions’ role in helping solve global problems, the Most Rev. Bashar Warda, the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Erbil, warned that Christianity in Iraq was “on the very edge of extinction.”

During his remarks at the G20 Religion Forum in Bali, Indonesia, the archbishop stressed that “sectarian violence” was a significant problem in Iraq. This country suffered the rise of an Islamic State stronghold during the last decade in which thousands of Iraqi religious minorities were killed, enslaved, or forced to flee their homelands.

“Without an end to this sectarian violence, there is no future for religious pluralism in Iraq, or anywhere else in the Mideast for that matter,” he said. “The brutal logic of this is that there does eventually reach an end point where there are no minorities left to kill, and no minorities left to persecute.”

Warda added, “As I share with you this experience, I pray that you will find in our story a clear warning to you all.” He noted that after around 1,900 years of existing in the region, “we Christians of Iraq now find ourselves on the very edge of extinction.”

There is “a fundamental crisis of violence within Islam” that “can no longer be ignored,” he said, adding that it “continues to affect the entire Middle East, Africa, Asia and beyond.”

The report includes information from ACN and other local sources, provides firsthand testimony, compilations of incidents, case studies, and country analysis on the extent to which Christians are targeted around the world.

Open Doors USA’s 2022 World Watch List, which looked at incidents reported between Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021, found at least 5,898 Christians were killed, 5,110 churches were attacked or closed, 6,175 Christians were arrested without trial, and 3,829 Christians were kidnapped. 2021 saw a 24% increase in Christians killed for their faith.