Leah Sharibu murdered?

Leah Sharibu

Just recently, a disturbing video surfaced that Miss Leah Sharibu has been killed by her captors, Boko Haram, after more than one year in captivity. Even though the authenticity of the video is yet to be confirmed, from trends and the character of this terrorist group, this kind of story often becomes the truth about the situation. This is quite unfortunate for us as a people and as a nation. We seem to have a very insensitive government that is not concerned about whatever happens to its citizens. Leah was supposed to be released with other Dapchi students only that she was a Christian. If this government could not secure the release of Leah Sharibu, for more than a year, in spite of all the global outrage, then one is left with no option than to conclude that it is either it has no diplomatic capacity to attend to the matters of Nigerian citizens or it is just bigoted in its approach since Leah was a Christian. A sensitive government that is concerned about her image and people's perception would have done everything possible to secure the release of the girl so as not to be painted as having sympathy only to Muslims, but for this government, they have other concerns.

Now as a Christian who has biblical and eternal hope in Christ Jesus, we know that if it is true that Leah has been killed, it only closes a chapter in her life and opens a new one for her which is better. We believe that exit from this earth life means being in the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Up till two nights ago, my family was still praying for Leah's release. We tried to motivate people to pray for Leah both in churches and small groups. Many Christians around the world prayed. However, as people of faith who recognize both the active presence of sin and evil in this world and God's sovereignty, we believe that He has allowed this to happen for a purpose, even though we may not know the purpose for now as humans.

Learning points from this include the fact that persecution of Christians is still real in this world and we have to prepare ourselves, our children and other Christians around us to remain faithful to the Lord no matter what happens. This world is not our home. Many are martyred every now and then even though the main stream media does not report them. Secondly,we must continue to pray for the persecuted Christians around the world for God's sustenance. May those who are being tried be enabled to finish strong. Finally, the faith exhibited by Leah is a challenge to all of us who are still living in this world. Don't give up or give in because of any pressure or troubles of life. Don't compromise your faith because of any earthly gain, comfort or affliction. When we stand before God, there is no reason that will suffice for any compromise when people like Leah will be standing around God's throne. They will forever be reminders that victory over temptations is possible in this life.

Prayers

Please pray for her family for strength and grace to bear this whole situation. May their faith not break. May He that comforts attend to them with 

Pray for Grace and the other captives who are still in the hands of Boko Haram. May God make a way to cause their release.

Pray for the mighty hand of God to bring convictions upon the hearts of the members of this terrorist group and their sympathizers that they may repent and have a change of heart, embrace the salvation that God offers to them.

Pray for the Nigerian government that they will take the right decisions, do the right thing and stop this menace.

Please pray for these kidnapped Missionaries

Gloria Argoti, a Columbian Nun who is in her 60s, was kidnapped on February 7th when assailants broke into her convent in Karangasso, southern Mali. 

Ken Elliott, was kidnapped in January 2016, along with his wife Jocelyn, from the town of Djibo in northern Burkina Faso, near the border with Mali. Jocelyn was released a month later but her husband is still in captivity.

Beatrice Stockl, a Swiss, was  kidnapped on January 15th by al-Qaeda's Ansar al-Dine terrorist group from her home in Timbuktu, Mali. This is the second time in four years that Beatrice has been kidnapped by militants. After the group seized control of Timbuktu, she was accused of proselytizing Christianity, held for ten days, and warned that she would be executed if she tried to return to Timbuktu. Despite the threat, Beatrice returned to Timbuktu in 2013 after French troops liberated the city. In January 2016.

Jeff Woodke, an American Missionary working with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). He was abducted by unknown assailants late in the evening of October 14th from the town of Abalak in northern Niger. So far, little is known about Jeff's condition or whereabouts, other than news that his captors were tracked to neighbouring Mali by Nigerien authorities. On July 11th, a video was released by Els Woodke, expressing her despair, as well as her desire to be in touch with her husband's kidnappers.

Pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit on these brethren no matter what they go through. May God help them to remain faithful. Pray that God may touch the hearts of their captors so that they will release them unconditionally to their families. May the ministry of the Holy Spirit also console the families and friends of the missionaries, reminding them of God's promise to be a "very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). In addition, please pray for the protection of the country's other foreign mission workers so that needed humanitarian aid can continue assisting the suffering people of Mali.

More information on these and the persecuted Christians around the world can be obtained here. Make sure you say some words of prayer no matter how busy you may be. Encourage your church to pray for the persecuted.

Asia Bibi: Judge Steps Down and Case Adjourned

We shared here concerning Asia Bibi and the case against her in Pakistani Court. This woman is condemned to death for concocted blasphemy and has been waiting for her final appeal for some time now.

The appeal was supposed to come up this month of October but the leading Supreme Court judge suddenly stepped down from the case on the grounds that he had been a judge in the trial of Mumtaz Qadri. (Mumtaz was previously convicted and condemned to death for murdering Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer, who had opposed the country's blasphemy laws.). Obviously he is afraid for his life.

From Voice of Martyrs, Please pray that God's strength and peace will sustain Asia, her family and those representing her (Philippians 4:7), while also keeping them safe from any assault or threat against their lives. Ask Him to grant wisdom, courage and protection to the members of the Pakistani government, as well as the Supreme Court judges who will be hearing Asia's appeal. May they not be intimidated by the militants but rather encouraged to act justly and extend mercy. Through it all, may Asia's case be used to highlight the injustice of Pakistan's blasphemy laws and to testify of her steadfast Christian faith to many around the world.

Pray for the Persecuted Church

We are very much aware that the topic of the persecuted church is not popular today especially among those who live in ease and freedom. Among those of us privileged to enjoy freedom today, we are more comfortable focusing people to the material things of this life than to eternal things. Let prayers be raised in our churches for those that remain. Let our prayer vigils and family altars be moments of raising cries to God for our brethren. It could have been you. "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Heb 13:3 NIV.


Pray for Li Jiangong whose wife, Ding Cuimei, was buried alive while trying to prevent their church from being demolished by bulldozer on 14th of April, 2016. The building actually collapsed on both of them but Li was able to dig his way out but his wife was suffocated.

Pray for the family of Shunil Gomez who was hacked to death in Bangladesh just because he was a Christian. Pray that they will tangibly sense the loving comfort of our Lord Jesus as they grieve during this difficult time. Ask Him to protect the leaders and all the other Christian believers in Bangladesh. May they be filled with wisdom and power as they continue to obey the Great Commission despite the threat of persecution. See more here.

Remember the family of Bridget Abahime who was killed in Kano in June. The noise and dust is over but the pain of loss will remain with the family except we pray for them.

Updated 11/07/16
Remember the family of Pastor Olawale Elisha whose wife was murdered in Abuja on Saturday during morning cry (Early morning preaching). They are going through enormous pains not just because their wife and mother died but the manner in which she died. Just say a few words to God concerning the family that God may give them the comfort which no man can give nor take away. Pray that He will give them perspective in this situation. Pray that the perpetrators may be brought to justice and that they will embrace the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

Pray for revival in the Body of Christ.

Please pray.

The Upcoming Persecution of Christians in the West

The Christians in the west have enjoyed liberty for centuries because of the JudeoChristian foundations most of their societies were built on. That liberty will soon be gone.

Currently, there are legislation that are forcing Christians to shut their mouths on certain things. There are certain areas of the Bible you cannot boldly preach if you are in certain places in the west. It is as if all the other religions have rights and enjoy the protection of the law while the rights of Christians are eroding every waking of the day. Many Christians have compromised. Many leaders no longer discuss issues like homosexuality, bestiality, and fornication. Many of them cannot preach from passages like John John 14:6-7
"Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
NIV. They are more comfortable avoiding those absolute statements in the Bible which incidentally are what make Christianity unique and attractive. Unfortunately, those are the things that most Christians avoid. Persecution is not happening now in mass because of these compromises and so called 'wisdom' of Christians. But nobody can run away from it if he wants to remain a Christian. A time is coming when Christians cannot hide any more.

All over the world, Christians are persecuted and killed, some in most cruelest ways. Just google about Christian persecution and you will be amazed at the volume of news you will find. Most of the fiercest occur in the Islamic world. For many in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, China, Sudan, Eritrea, Northern Nigeria, etc, persecution has become part and parcel of their lives. You count the cost if you want to become a Christian. But for the west, America and Europe, persecution of Christian will earnestly start soonest.

In the coming days and years, there will be more Anti-Christian legislation that will surprise many of us. We shared about Kim Davies several times. However, what happened to Kim is a child's play to what Christians will soon begin to go through in the US. How soon it will be, I do not know yet.

Now, is this a strange thing? NO! It is normal for a Christian to be persecution. 2 Tim 3:12-13 says
"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" NIV.

But for many Christians in the west, it will be a strange thing. Let's begin to pray for His church to be ready. The Bride must prepare herself for the soon coming Groom. No matter what happens, make sure you are ready.

Christian killed for ‘Blasphemous’ Facebook Post in Niger State, Nigeria

Why do we share these information?
We share these so as to enrich our prayer moments. 
We share to widen our perspective.  If you are living in areas where there is no Islamic persecution, you may not know that there are brethren who stake their lives just to be identified as Christians.
We share so as to stir our hearts to help where we can.
We share as part of our ministry to the persecuted. Today it is Emmanuel, tomorrow it can be near us.
Finally, we share so as to keep us at alert. 

On Sunday, 29/05/16, 24-year-old Methodus Chimaije Emmanuel, a trader in Pandogari, Rafi Local Government Area in Niger State was “attacked and killed by a mob in the town on allegation of posting a blasphemous statement about Prophet Muhammad on the social media.”

According to Morning Star News, a church building, a house and a shop were burned, and rioters blocked the Lagos-Kaduna Road, a major artery connecting the northern and southern parts of the country, army spokesman N.C. Agwu said in a press statement. On Monday (May 30) 25 other shops were looted, he said.

“Three other persons including a personnel of the NSCDC [Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps] also lost their lives,” Agwu said.

Also as noted by Release International , just two days later Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed three Christians in their home in Jema local government area in the north-central Kaduna state.

Zakka Kagoma, aged 40, and two others as yet unidentified are believed to have been killed while they were sleeping at about 2am. As a result of the attack Christians in other villages have fled.

 Please pray for our brothers and sisters in central and northern Nigeria.

1. Ask God to comfort all those affected by these latest violent incidents. 
2. Pray for an end to extremist and Fulani attacks on Christians.
3. Pray that God will intervene to protect His people and that those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice.
4. Pray that the persecutors of the church would be convicted of their sin and turn to Christ in repentance.
5. Pray for a spiritual awakening in the church.

Marriam Mushtaq: A 24-year-old Pakistani Christian woman abducted and married off

Please pray for Marriam. Each time I hear some of these stories, I cannot help but imagine if this is my daughter or sister. This is happening to Christians, especially in areas where they are persecuted by Muslim neighbors. In Nigeria, we have heard of Ese Oruru who was allegedly kidnapped in Bayelsa State and was taken to Kano. She gave birth to a baby girl yesterday. Another girl from Benue was also alleged to have been kidnapped and converted to Islam in Sokoto. These have all been rescued because of the campaign efforts of families, churches and civil societies. There are other stories of other girls here. The truth is that it has been a problem all along only that the Social Media has helped to publicly highlight the incidents. 

If we do not make effort to reach our unreached neighbors, especially the ones that are close to us, in the next few years, we may find ourselves dealing with these issues more frequently. Please pray for Marriam:

A 24-year-old Pakistani Christian woman was abducted on May 12th while walking with her 11-year-old brother. Marriam Mushtaq was suddenly snatched by four unidentified suspects in Bahar Colony, Lahore. For the past year, she had been studying adult education at Excel Educational Institution, and was on her way there with her brother Youhan at around 2 p.m. when a white car pulled up next to them. A man with his face covered got out and dragged Marriam inside the car before it sped off.

Yohan further explains that Marriam tried to escape from the abductors, but then one of them placed a piece of cloth over her mouth and she became unconscious. The alarmed young brother began shouting -- calling out for help. A few people gathered and boys on motorbikes started following the car; however, as it was speeding so fast, the perpetrators' vehicle hit a young girl who was crossing the road. (As a result of this accident, the hit-and-run victim is suffering from serious leg injuries.) The local boys followed the car on their motorbikes until it vanished out of sight.

Marriam's family visited the local police station to register a complaint, but the police initially did not respond. Only after the family and local Christians staged a protest, blocking the road for two hours, did the police agree to register an FIR against the unknown abductors.

Two days after Marriam's mother filed a complaint with the police, she received a phone call from officers who stated that her daughter had not been kidnapped, but was married. A 32-year-old man named Muhammed Ali, who Marriam's family claim is her kidnapper, attended the police station and presented a marriage certificate.

Members of the young woman's family believe she would never voluntarily marry a militant Muslim, stressing their concerns that she has been forced into marriage and is now being held against her will.

Please pray that Marriam will be safely reunited with her distressed family. During this unwarranted separation, may God provide each one of them needed comfort and encouragement, reassuring them of His strengthening presence. Also intercede for the young girl who was seriously injured by the getaway car, praying that she will know the Lord's presence, peace and healing in her life as well. May the convicting power of the Holy Spirit come upon the abductors, helping them to realize that wrongfully committed acts such as forceful marriage and conversion -- in addition to holding a person hostage -- is contrary to God's ways and will result in consequences...unless there is genuine repentance.

More here and here

Translators Martyred in Middle East

Four national translators were martyred for their work of sharing God’s Word with their people in the Middle East. The location is not being mentioned for obvious security reasons. Wycliffe Associates, the missionary organization the slain translators worked for, said that the office was ransacked, books burned, and all equipment destroyed, including the Print On Demand (POD) system used to print precious copies of Scripture.

The joy is that the computer hard drives containing the translation work for eight language projects was not destroyed. "The remaining translation team has decided to re-double their efforts to translate, publish, and print God's Word for these eight language communities," the ministry said in a statement as reported by Christian Persecution India. To make donations to Wycliffe Associates for the work to continue, click here.

"Ask the Lord to mend the wounded hearts and physical injuries of the surviving translation team members, and to bring greatly needed comfort to loved ones who are now grieving over the sudden loss of the slain workers. Pray for Him to strengthen and equip the other translators as they rise to the challenge of continuing with the eight language projects so that this tragedy will in no way restrict the Gospel from going forth throughout the Middle East. Also remember the perpetrators of this crime, praying that their eyes be opened to the truth, as well as the seriousness of what they have done, so they will experience sincere repentance, forgiveness of sin and, ultimately, eternal salvation".

Shafqat and his wife Shagufta sentenced to death for trumped up charges of blasphemy

Shafqat and his wife Shagufta, the parents of four children, were Rescue Christians, The couple lost their phone a few months before and reported the incident to the Police. Later the stolen phone was used by unknown persons to send texts which the authority considers blasphemous.

sentenced to death for sending "blasphemous text messages". according to Keith Davies of

Shafqat and his wife Shagufta are from the city of Gojra, Punjab, in eastern Pakistan. Even though there was no sufficient evidence in support of the charge, the prosecutor and the judge were pressured to render them guilty of sending the "blasphemous text messages" for fear that they themselves might be killed. Shafqat is crippled and their children also are threatened.

Please pray for this couple's release. Pray for their children for protection. Also pray that inspite of all these threats that the Gospel may continue to move mightily in Pakistan and all the Islamic nations.

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." Hab.2:14.

Watch the video here.

Fulani Herdsmen attacked a village near Jos, Plateau, Nigeria

This is part of the war of Islam against Christianity. One may even be tempted to say that Boko Haram members have sneaked into the communities and are using these herdsmen as a cover up. Please continue to pray for the brethren living in areas where they suffer severe persecution. May God help them to be strong till the end. May their lives and testimonies bear fruits that will remain.

Last month, Fulani herdsmen attacked two homes in the predominantly Christian village of Hwak Kwata-Zawan, located near the city of Jos. The militants also raided a nearby compound consisting of Nigerians who had been initially displaced by violence elsewhere in the country's Plateau state. The total number of fatalities resulting from the raids has reached 15, leaving many more in the community grief-stricken and emotionally wounded.

In one of the village homes, 57-year-old Rose Monday was killed while trying to protect her three young grandchildren from the gunmen. Two of the three children had unfortunately succumbed to their injuries. Their elder sister, five-year-old Anna, who miraculously survived, is receiving treatment in hospital for gunshot wounds. Rose's daughter (the children's aunt) added that their remaining relatives are consoled to know that one day they will all be reunited as a family with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Read more here.