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CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH



Threats target church after stand for Bible


WorldNetDaily.com reports: “A church in Oklahoma has asked police for an investigation of terroristic phone threats that came in after its pastor confronted the local city council about plans to create a special class of protected citizens with a ‘sexual orientation’ amendment to its anti-discrimination policy.

The threats started coming in to the church telephone within hours of when Pastor Paul Blair of Fairview Baptist Church spoke before the Oklahoma City council challenging members that the proposed amendment would address a problem that doesn’t exist, would create an unprecedented protection for a chosen behavior and would create further issues, such as a male police officer wanting to use a women’s locker room.

‘I have committed homicide more than one time and in more than one state – and yet have not been caught or charged. Think about that,’ the clearly angry caller said in the first telephone call, recorded at 4:12 a.m.

Then he got aggressive: ‘I will be coming to visit you at 1230 North Sooner Road. I will be seeing you, bringing you something.’

Three minutes later, ‘I will be coming to see you at 1230 North Sooner Road.’

Then a few hours later the caller elevated his attack to the next level: ‘I suggest you listen to this message clearly. A (muffled) has been placed on your property in the building, as well as some visitors will be visiting Pastor Blair at his residence. This is just to let you know. Thank you. Detonate it, detonate.’…” (This headline and report is God’s command Jude 3, 4 – “I…exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.)


‘Democratic revolution’ leaves Christians under army fire


WorldNewDaily.com reports: “The so-called democratic revolution in Egypt has Christians in the cross-hairs of the Islamic-leaning military that now controls the country more and more, according to members of the nation’s Coptic Christian community.

Ayman Naoum, an Egyptian Coptic spokesman, describes the dangerous situation as very volatile.

‘The situation is unstable now because of the lack of security,’ Naoum said.

International Christian Concern’s Aidan Clay agrees, and said the army is stepping up its anti-Christian activity with encouragement from the Egyptian radicals.

‘Some Egyptians, both Christian and Muslim, believe that the Egyptian military is not only encouraging, but even initiating attacks against civilians in order to further divide the country down sectarian lines, mainly Muslim versus Christian,’ Clay said…” (Drastic times are prophesied to occur in all Islamic nations against Jews and Christians. Study Matthew 24:9; John 16:2; Revelation 6:9; 13:15; and 20:4. Revelation 2:10 states: “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” This crown martyred Christians will place at the feet of Jesus after the “Come up hither” of Revelation 4:1; see verses 10 and 11. See also the next three reports.)


Iraqi Christians ‘living in fear’


ChristianToday.com reports: “It’s been more than a year since an attack on a church in Baghdad left 58 Christians dead, but Christians in the Iraqi capital still fear for their lives, says one church leader.

Fr Amir Jaje, Superior of the Dominican Order in Baghdad, told Aid to the Church in Need: ‘Living in Iraq means living in fear. There’s no feeling safe and during the last two or three weeks the situation has got worse, because of tensions among political parties.’

Despite police protection outside churches, congregations still feel anxious and fear infiltration by extremists, he says.

Extremists were behind the horrific attack on Our Lady of Salvation church in Baghdad in October last year. The 58 victims included Fr Jaje’s cousin, Fr Wasim Sabieh.

A Mass was held to mark the one year anniversary of the attack and although members of the congregation came to pay their respects, they were fearful that something might happen…”


Bishop and pastor in Pakistan accused of blasphemy


ChristianToday.com reports: “Two Christian leaders, Bishop Pervaiz Joseph and Rev Baber George, have become the target of a blasphemy law which forced them into hiding with their families in Pakistan.

According to Global Christian Voice, Bishop Joseph leads the Pastors Care Ministries and also serves as the Pastor of a Charismatic Gospel Church located in Lahore, Pakistan.

Pastor George is working with the Full Gospel Assemblies Church Pakistan (FGA), which is the oldest and ‘mother church’ of all Pentecostal church movements in Pakistan…

Global Christian Voice says that in order to promote religious harmony, they have been meeting frequently with Muslim religious and political leaders to discuss issues of common interests…

The Muslim religious leaders, who were also working with them while they were discussing the misuse of blasphemy laws, during an exchange of communications, claimed that Bishop Joseph used some derogatory remarks against the Muslim Holy Prophet Mohhamed…”


Pastor arrested after conversion of Muslims in India


ChristianToday.com reports: “Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali has called for the immediate release of a pastor in India accused of bribing Muslims to convert to Christianity.

Chander Mani Khanna, who pastors All Saints Church in Srinagar, was called before a Sharia court accused of converting Muslim children by offering bribes.

A video appeared on YouTube apparently showing him baptising Muslim converts. Witnesses claim that police beat the converts to make them give evidence against the pastor.

According to AsiaNews, police arrested Pastor Khanna for promoting enmity between religious groups and outraging religious feeling.

Although Pastor Khanna denies all charges, he remains in police custody and there are fears that a fatwa may be issued against him…”