Prayer Request:
Pakistan Christians Persecuted:
In Mardan Pakistan, an Anglican Church
and school has been attacked by Islamists (Sept. 21st).
A news release from the British
Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA), has said that a church school
complex has been set on fire and looted. Everything thing from
computers to furniture were taken.
BPCA stated that Holy Bibles and
religious artifacts were desecrated and set on fire.
ASSIST News Service also states that
the Bishop of Peshawar, Rev. Humphrey Peters condemned the attack and
has appealed for help. “The damage has been very severe, and we
will need to rebuild. We are asking for people around the world to
keep us in your prayers.”
Moderator of the Church of Pakistan,
Rev. Samuel Azariah Samuel said, “This news is very damaging to
relations between the communities in Pakistan and around the world.
The government and faith leaders in Pakistan have a role to play in
education people that they have the right to protest, but to damage
property and terrify people in this way is completely wrong. The
government and faith leaders should provide the lead in preventing
attacks.”
The Diocese of Peshawar, where the
attack took place, provides education and health services to the
local community, Muslim and Christian alike, and provided substantial
support to victims of floods and a major earthquake in recent years,
regardless of their religious affiliation.
Wilson Chowdhry of the BPCA stated in
the news release “No Christian in Pakistan is safe. Any community
whether in a city or in a more rural location can at any time become
the target of similar aggression.
Please pray for all Christian
brothers and sisters in Pakistan.”
Matthew 5:11,12 KJV
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall
revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for My sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for
great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets
which were before you.
Romans 8:16-18 KJV
16 The Spirit itself (Himself) beareth
witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs
of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with
Him, that we may be also glorified together.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us.
II Timothy 3:12 KJV
Yea, and all that will live godly in
Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
Hebrews 11:1-40 KJV
1 Now faith is the substance of things
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good
report.
3 Through faith we understand that the
worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen
were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he
was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead
yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he
should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated
him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he
pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to
please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and
that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of
things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the
saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became
heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called
to go out into a place which he should after receive for an
inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of
promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath
foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself
received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when
she was past age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one,
and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in
multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having
received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were
persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were
strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
14 For they that say such things
declare plainly that they seek a country.
15 And truly, if they had been mindful
of that country from whence they came out, they might have had
opportunity to have returned.
16 But now they desire a better
country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city.
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried,
offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up
his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac
shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to
raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in
a figure.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and
Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying,
blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshiped, leaning upon the top
of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made
mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave
commandment concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born,
was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper
child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to
years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction
with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a
season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ
greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto
the recompense of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not
fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing Him who is
invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the passover,
and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn
should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red
sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell
down, after they were compassed about seven days.
31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished
not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with
peace.
32 And what shall I more say? for the
time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson,
and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of
lions.
34 Quenched the violence of fire,
escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong,
waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
35 Women received their dead raised to
life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that
they might obtain a better resurrection:
36 And others had trial of cruel
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
37 They were stoned, they were sawn
asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about
in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:)
they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of
the earth.
39 And these all, having obtained a
good report through faith, received not the promise:
40 God having provided some better
thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
