How Would You Handle Persecution? by Elaine Davenport ( Saturday, November 3, 2007)

In America, we enjoy so much freedom and we know it. Or do we really. Yeah, I think so. We have so much latitude that most of us don’t have a clue what’s going on in other places. Since 911, many are more alert and more in tune. I could go off in different directions…but this is about Faith.

We are primarily a Christian nation. That’s how we were founded. We need to defend that to no end.

I want to talk about Christian persecution. As Americans board planes and travel throughout the globe; they ought to be more than cautiously aware of Christian persecution. It’s rampant throughout the globe. The Story of Torture of Helen Bertrand, Eritrean Gospel Singer is just one of the more well known examples of persecution. Compass Direct News also reported Two Christians tortured to death after being arrested at a worship service. They also reported Helen Bertrand being sent back to prison; which conflicts with other reports that she is in Denmark.

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Here’s my point: With the number of Christians approaching the hundreds of thousands mark being persecuted in South Korea, the Chines Christians forced to worship underground, the outright oppression in Eritrea, the growing (at rapid rates) of Islamic hostility towards Christians; you need to come to terms with the question: “How would You (I) Handle Persecution?” It’s very real and yet
people are being oppressed, maimed, killed and tortured because of what they believe and I wonder: When will you champion their cause or will you stand by and do nothing. I entreat you to pray. God moves on prayer.

THE PERSECUTION HAS STARTED AND IT’S SPREADING by Elaine Davenport (Wednesday, September 19, 2007)

Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also (John 15:20).

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12).

I read a report today and it sounded like the stories that we often hear in this country about the uneven scales of justice. In this country it’s often been black vs. white. However, in the Middle East today it was reported that a mob of 150 Hindu extremists attacked a pastor and set his church on fire with 500 of the congregation inside.

Then I read about an 18 year old Christian who was finally released for a crime he didn’t commit; while his Muslim “accomplice” had been declared innocent nine months earlier.

But the real shocker was when I read that in Egypt, the sixth Christian girl was kidnapped and they believe that she will be forced to marry a Muslim. They say this is becoming common in Egypt. Her name is Amal Zaki Nessim.

In Indonesia, Catholic students were forced to wear an Islamic veil. (9-17-07)

Countries with greater oppression more recently noted are: India, China, Egypt, Turkey, Iraq to name a few.