Volume 5 Issue 33

Warfare prayer of the soldiers of the Army of Jesus to bind and destroy the works of the devil

Let us bind and destroy the works of the devil in the name of Jesus Christ who has conquered sin, satan, curse and death on the cross

Mark 7:22  The spirit of deceit

We read about a righteous father in Bible who prayed for his sons sincerely.

In danger of the fire of Gehenna 

Job 1:5  It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts.” Job did so continually. 

What are the chances of Job’s sons sinning by cursing God in their heart? Very rare.

This would mean cursing their brethren in their hearts. Because Jesus said,

Mat 25:40  “The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 

Mat 5:22  But I tell you, that everyone who is angry with his brother without a cause will be in danger of the judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ will be in danger of the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Gehenna. 

When money, fame, popularity increases, there are chances of underestimating, discriminating, judging others.

Getting up early in the morning and offering praises to God is the best sacrifice one can offer to God! That is the best time to hear from God too!

America's Suicide Crisis: Dying For Lack Of Hope

How bad is America's suicide problem? Well, it's so bad that Americans' overall life expectancy has declined for the first time since the 1930s.

As Aaron Kheriaty writes in First Things, the suicide crisis in America has reached epidemic proportions. Rates are growing coast to coast, in rural and urban areas, among the poor and the rich, the young and the old. What in the world is going on, and what do we do about it?

In his article, Kheriaty, director of the Medical Ethics Program at Cal-Irvine, describes a witch's brew of factors behind this epidemic of death--ones we've talked about for years on BreakPoint: social fragmentation, an overall decrease in religious involvement, utilitarianism, and--yes--the growth of assisted suicide laws.

But in the end, Kheriaty boils the problem down to one word: Despair. Despair, as in the utter lack of hope.

In 1995, Robert Putnam first raised a red flag in an essay and subsequent book, "Bowling Alone." He noticed that while more Americans than ever before were bowling, the number of bowling leagues was declining. Folks were bowling alone. 

Similarly, fewer Americans were attending school board or town meetings, volunteering, or even getting together with their neighbors.

And this was long before the isolating effects of internet, social media and cell phones. I doubt that back then Putnam could have imagined a family of 4--mom, dad, sister, and brother--out to dinner together but each one staring into their own mobile devices. But you've seen it, and so have I.

This isolation breeds loneliness. And loneliness can be a major factor behind depression, which in turn can set people on the road to self-annihilation. 

Now, Kheriaty notes that clinical depression can and does have chemical causes as well, but, as he writes, "Your serotonin and dopamine levels may be out of kilter, but you may still have a problem with your Tinder compulsion and dinners alone in front of the television."

So while depression can be a serious mental illness that needs medical and psychological treatment, aloneness is curable. And that's exactly where the Church should be jumping up and down, waving its arms saying, "Come here! Come here! Join us!"

"We now have a sizeable body of medical research," Kheriaty continues, "which suggests that prayer, religious faith, participation in a religious community, and practices like cultivating gratitude, forgiveness, and other virtues can reduce the risk of depression [and], lower the risk of suicide."

One study of 89,000 people showed that those "who attend any religious service once a week or more were five times less likely to commit suicide" than those who don't. 

Obviously, church--or for that matter, synagogue or mosque--attendance reduces isolation. And of course, all three Abrahamic faiths "have strong moral prohibitions against suicide." 

But in the end, what religious faith provides is meaning, belonging, and ultimately hope for something beyond us or our circumstances and our self-isolation.

"Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden," Jesus says, "and I will give you rest." We, my friends, need to bring people to Jesus.

Chuck Colson liked to say that Christianity offers the world a great proposal--a better way to live and flourish--an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

We have the invitations . . . are we passing them out?

- BY PNW STAFF

State Government in India Passes Anti-Conversion Bill Despite Widespread Opposition

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that the Jharkhand Assembly, a state legislative body in northeastern India, passed the Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Bill-2017, also known as "Jharkhand Dharma Swatantra Adhiniyam," on Saturday, August 12. The bill will now be sent to the governor, following whose approval it would go to the president for final assent. The bill was passed by the BJP-led government despite significant opposition from religious groups, civil society, and the tribal groups across Jharkhand. 

"This is very unfortunate for the people of Jharkhand," Rev. Dr. Man Maish Ekka, a member of the Jharkhand Sadbhavana Munch, a local religious freedom forum, told ICC. "This is not just an attack on Christians, but is an attack on the religious freedom that the constitution gives to very citizens of this country. The motive of the bill is to divide the tribal people and break their unity."

"[These] anti-conversion laws, ironically titled freedom of religion laws, are actually aimed at taking away the freedom of religion and rights of tribal and other marginalized sections of the Indian society," Rev. Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary Evangelical Fellowship of India, stated in a press statement.

Section 3 of the law states, "No person shall attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religious faith to another by use of force or by allurement or by any fraudulent means, nor shall any person abet any such conversion." Punishment under this bill would include imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of 50,000 Rupees, or both. In cases where a minor, a woman, or a person from the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities were involved, the prison sentence would increase to four years and the fine to 100,000 Rupees.

Although similar laws exist in six other states in India, those governments have not defined the terms "inducement," "coercion," "force," or "fraud" in the context of religious conversions. Due to this legal ambiguity, these laws have been widely abused by radical Hindu nationalist groups to harass and intimidate Christians while claiming to be under the auspices of state law. 

"The anti-conversion law will ruin the lives and the witness of the church," a local pastor in Ranchi, who wished to remain anonymous, told ICC. "The BJP, having the power both at the national level and the state, wants to implement its Hindutva ideology. This bill will further divide the people of Jharkhand, particularly divide the tribal people who lived in unity for ages."

William Stark, ICC's Regional Manager, said, "We here at International Christian Concern are deeply disappointed to see another state in India pass an anti-conversion law, especially in the face of so much local opposition. These laws are widely abused by Hindu radicals due to the legal ambiguity within the laws themselves. Often, these laws provide an easy excuse for radicals to attack Christian leaders with impunity. One simply needs to claim the pastor was forcefully converting an individual following an assault. As a result, instead of the pastor's assailants being arrested, it's the assailed pastor who is arrested by police following an attack. With attacks on Christians skyrocketing, the adoption of a law that would only incite more violence seems to be another step away from India enforcing religious freedom for all."

 

Herdsmen in Plateau State, Nigeria Quietly Seizing Christians' Property, Pastors Say

Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacks on predominantly Christian Berom farmers in Plateau state, Nigeria amount to “economic terrorism,” Christian leaders told Morning Star News. While Plateau state officials say “relative peace” prevails, Christian leaders point to herdsmen attacks in the past eight months that saw 18 Christians injured and two villages seized. Whether the “peace” is said to be relative to violence in northern neighbor Kaduna state, where attacks are so prevalent that officials dictated a news blackout, or with Plateau state flare-ups of past decades in which thousands died, Christian leaders told Morning Star News that attacks by Muslim Fulani herdsmen since December have quietly continued.

A pastor and his 5-year-old son were injured in May, four Christian women were raped, 12 Christians were injured and two communities displaced in attacks on 17 villages in the Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas, said Christian leaders Choji Chuwang, Jatau Gyang, and Da Jelkyes. Chuwang said all those affected were members of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) and Assemblies of God.

“As we gleefully wallow in the false sense of peace on the Plateau, know it today that a deliberate economic terrorism and land-grabbing strategy is being launched on Christians of Riyom and Barkin Ladi on a daily basis with the sole aim of making them poor, weak and destitute in their own land,” he said.

Management Committee Chairman of Riyom Local Government of Plateau State Mafeng Gwalson told media in May that the area was enjoying relative peace because the relationship between the security operatives and the citizens had been strengthened. Pastor David Dalyop of the Assemblies of God and his 5-year-old son were wounded when Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked Gana Ropp, Barkin Ladi LGA, the night of May 25, Chuwang said. In Jol, Riyom LGA, Fulani assailants on March 17 stoned secondary school students, injuring 14-year-old Nehemiah David. When security personnel intercepted the attackers’ cows, Chuwang said, “there were sporadic gunshots into homes of our people. This left them panicking.”

Two Fulani herdsmen on June 6 assaulted and raped a Christian woman (name withheld) in Dayan Rim, Riyom LGA, then tied her to a tree from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m., he said. Later apprehended, the Fulani herders admitted they had raped her and tied her to a tree. Later that night, Fulani herdsmen invaded Lwa community of Riyom LGA and removed the roofs of all the houses while Christians there were away from their homes at a wake. In the past eight months, Fulani herders have attacked eight Christian women, he said: Tanitha Luka, Rifkatu Emmanuel Pam, Victoria Monday, and one identified only her surname, Maichibi. The identities of four other women were not disclosed because they were raped by the herdsmen, he said.

On July 2, Fulani herdsmen ambushed and attacked Christian women returning from a mining site, injuring many of them, he said. On July 7, Fulani pastoralists grazed their cows on maize farms of Christian villagers of Rim community, Riyom LGA, at night, destroying about six hectares of farmland. On the evening of June 17, when inhabitants had returned home, herdsmen grazed their cattle on the farmland of Gyang Yarima and Davou Mwagwong, both of Vwak hamlet in Jol, Chuwang said. The next night, the herdsmen destroyed the maize crops of Joshua Peter of Dajol hamlet, Jol, he said. On June 28, Fulani herdsmen ambushed Christian villagers of Jol who were returning from mining, seriously wounding five of them.

A heated argument on May 1 between Fulani leaders and Solomon Mandiks resulted in an altercation at the Riyom police station; Mandiks had been petitioning against the forceful occupation of lands sacked by the herdsmen. On May 8, Chuwang said, a Fulani man had threatened Mandiks, saying that his days were numbered as Fulanis had just met in Gwav and decided that he should be “silenced” for petitioning their “rightful claim” to lands they have seized. On May 9, Fulani herders attacked and seriously injured Gyang Dambwarang for raising his voice when they grazed their cows into his compound, Chuwang said.

On May 19, Fulani herdsmen attacked three Christians on the Rafin-Acha to Tanjol road, fatally injuring David Yakubu. “They ran away and their cows were apprehended and handed over to security operatives,” Chuwang said. The cows were released to the owner that night “on the excuse that the owner of the cows showed some scratches to his hand, saying that he was also attacked,” he said. On May 17, the head of Darin, in Jol, was attacked by Fulani herders, who left him in a coma, apparently thinking he was dead, he said.

In Werreng Rim, Davou Joro Mangai was attacked on April 4 and seriously injured by suspected Islamic terrorists and/or Fulani herdsmen, who cut down cactus trees that Christians used as a fence around their houses, and grazed their cattle on their lands. Two of the Fulani attackers were apprehended and handed over to Riyom police, Chuwang said. 

“On March 9, Fulani herdsmen mowed down the banana farms of our people of Lwa community of Bachit District in Riyom LGA,” Chuwang said. On Feb. 20, Fulanis erected massive and settlements on the Tagabos area of Sho community, which had been sacked by overnight raids “in a definite statement of occupation,” Chuwang said.

“On Feb. 28, Fulani herdsmen, in a lame excuse of searching for a cow, terrorized inhabitants of Tanjol hamlets with sporadic gunshots,” he said. “Christian inhabitants said it was a ploy to know if any of the villagers would return shots too, so that in an eventual attack, they would know which house to target first.” On Jan. 18, Islamic extremists attacked and injured a Jol woman, Rifkatu Emmanuel Pam, he said. Also in Jol on the morning of Jan. 28, Fulani herdsmen tried to kidnap Dachung Maichibi, his wife and son in the Darin area. Later that night, they destroyed mud blocks molded by Internally Displaced People of Zim community in Ropp District of Barkin Ladi LGA, along with those of Jol who were trying to rebuild their razed houses, he said.

“On Jan. 20, Fulani herdsmen attacked our women on their farms at Mere hamlet of Rahoss Community in Riyom LGA, injuring one Mrs. Victoria Monday as others escaped,” he said. One Dec. 8, 2016, Fulani herdsmen set ablaze piles of freshly harvested millet and beans belonging to the people of Nachur and Sopp communities, he said. On Dec. 9, Fulani herders attacked children at Kum of Byei community; Tabitha Lula of Werreng escaped after she was nearly killed, he said.

On the evening of Dec. 18, Fulani herdsmen led their cows to graze on the cabbage farm of Christians. They were apprehended, and the cattle of one of the herders, Musa Shuaibu of Rankum community (renamed Mahanga by the Fulani), were handed over to security agents, Chuwang said. These encroachments and attacks should not be ignored, he said. “If this doesn’t disturb us collectively as Plateau people, then let’s keep playing the ostrich as they forcefully take Plateau state inch by inch, day by day,” Chuwang said. Predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen have launched numerous attacks on Christians in northern and central Nigeria. Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigeria’s population, while Muslims living primarily in the north and middle belt account for 45 percent. Nigeria ranks 12th on Open Doors’ World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution.

 

Cuban Pastor is Released from Jail but Kept under House Arrest

A Cuban pastor who was put in jail for homeschooling his children will be allowed to continue his ministry work but under house arrest, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Pastor Ramon Rigal, of the Church of God in Cuba, was told Tuesday in court that he could resume his work.

Rigal and his wife, Adya, were both arrested in February for refusing to send their children to a state-run school. The couple had said that the school was teaching a Marxist-Leninist secular ideology that challenged their Christian beliefs.

"I brought evidence that my children were learning — notebooks and materials — [but] they didn't care," Rigal was quoted as saying.

In April, Rigal was sentenced to one year in prison and Adya was sentenced to one year of house arrest.

In July, Rigal’s sentence was reduced to house arrest, but he had to also enroll his children in state school when school started in September. The July sentencing also said he was barred from serving as a church leader.

The new ruling means that Rigal can continue his work as a church leader, but he still remains under house arrest. His children have also been given scholarships to attend an online course through a Christian institution.

"While we welcome the news that Pastor Rigal will be able to continue leading his church, he and his wife are still under house arrest," CSW senior advocate Anna Lee Stangl said a statement.

“We continue to call for the unwarranted sentences that he and his wife received to be cancelled and for the government to cease its harassment of the family and their church."

For Impoverished Christians and Muslims in India, Aug. 10 is a ‘Black Day’

Although the caste system has been politically outlawed in India, it is so ingrained in Indian society that it is often adhered to still.

Hinduism is the dominant religion in India, so members of other religions, specifically Christians and Muslims, are often at a disadvantage. Most of India’s Christians and Muslims are part of the lowest caste. This caste, to which 70 percent of Christians belong, is known as the Dalit caste.

Dalits face discrimination and sometimes even violence.

Today, August 10, marks a particularly sad day for Dalits, according to Christian Today. On this day 67 years ago, a presidential order was signed by India’s first president, Rajendra Prasad, that stated, “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.”

Dalit Christians and Muslims have come to view this day as a “Black Day” because of this presidential order.

Activists have also marked this day as an opportunity to raise awareness and bring about social change. Rallies, meetings, and vigils have been held, and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has called on campaigners to wear black badges to raise awareness of the Dalits’ plight.

The most Rev. Dr. A. Neethinathan, Bishop of Chingleput, wrote that August 10, the “Black Day” is “an opportunity for Christians to commit themselves to root out casteism and discrimination from within the Church. All of us acknowledge and even assert that caste discrimination and untouchability are against the fundamental tenets of Christianity.”

Christian Convert Released from Prison in Iran after 4 Years

 A Christian convert from Islam has been released from prison in Iran where she had been held for four years.

Mission Network News reports that Maryam Nagash Zargaran was charged with being a danger to national security and imprisoned four years ago. She was kept in Iran’s Evin Prison, which is known for its harsh conditions. This was the same prison where Saeed Abedini was kept. A spokesperson for Global Catalytic Ministries commented on the prison’s abysmal conditions:

“Historically when people have come out of that particular prison, it literally takes them months to recover physically — partly due to torture and beatings, but also because of just the lack of sanitary conditions and then the food, etc. It’s a tough place to come out of.”

Zargaran was in poor health before being imprisoned, but now that she has been released, her physical ailments are revealed to be even worse. She was reportedly beaten in the prison--once until her leg was broken. She also has suffered mentally.

In addition to these hardships, Zargaran engaged in hunger strikes to protest her unjust imprisonment.

Another spokesperson for GCM said that Zargaran’s case, although horrific, is unfortunately not unique. Christians in Iran often suffer persecution in the forms of discrimination, torture, imprisonment, and sometimes death.