This is an excellent commentary from Sandy Rios of Culture Campaign.  Visit Sandy's blog for more commentary on other issues.   

This is Sandy's Commentary...

After 13 days of harrowing captivity, FOX newsman Steve Centanni and cameraman Olaf Wiig were released by terrorists…unharmed…emotional and grateful. Images of them falling tearfully into the arms of loving family graced the television Sunday from morning ‘til night. Who of us didn’t rejoice?

Only those of us, perhaps, who understood the terms of their release. Dressed in Islamic garb, Steve and Olaf, cameras rolling, bowed their heads and converted to Islam. It was convert or be killed and they chose life.

Wouldn’t you? After all, everyone knows “conversions” are just performances required by deranged hostage takers to somehow advance their cause. No one means it when they renounce their government, their homeland….their God. You can believe something in your heart and say another, can’t you? A popular talk show host weighed in Monday morning to say “anyone would do that!” For the record, she is a Christian. A doctor friend with a small child agreed….as did others….all Christians. A men’s Bible study group discussed it and with only one dissent came to the same conclusion: Far more important to return home safely to family than to refuse to say certain words you don’t mean.

The following news was published on Crosswalk.com in today's religious news summaries.

Diana grew up in a strict Islamic family in Pakistan. According to Voice of the Martyrs, her life was pretty typical until she met a girl named Mary who was a Christian. Now Diana is also a Christian and on the run. When Diana's family learned that she had become a Christian, they repeatedly beat her and insisted she return to Islam. But Diana refused. She was then forced to a local canal where her uncle put a pistol to her head and gave her one last chance to return to Islam. Diana replied, "You can kill me if you want. I will not leave Christ." It was then that Diana's uncle noticed an extremely poisonous black cobra swimming in the canal. Believing he could escape any prosecution for his niece's death, he threw her into the path of the cobra. He also knew she could not swim. Diana miraculously escaped from the canal and is in hiding today. She is a new Christian but has already learned what it means to suffer for Christ. She recently told The Voice of the Martyrs, "Jesus was crucified for us. Can we not endure some of the same for Him?"

Window on The World Author : Daphne Soraggett with Jill Johnstone (hardback) From the creators of Operation World, Window on the World brings to life the culture, history and traditions of virtually every ethnic group on our planet. With "Fact Files" and "Do You know?" features, each section brings you information, true stories, maps, and easy-to-use prayer points that take you into homes around the world. In Window of Time you will read of the spiritual hunger left by Communist rule. Click Here to Learn More

The following news is from VOM Media sources.  As I read through this amazing story, I can't help but think of the scripture in 2 Timothy 3:12 that says, "Indeed, all those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."  Note the word "will" - we have a written guarantee, if we are obedient to Christ and desire to live godly lives, persecution will happen.

Updated: Aug 30, 2006 (9:45am) August 30, 2006 Just after 10:00 p.m. on August 21st, Pastor Joseph’s rented house was broken into by militant Hindu groups accusing him of not bowing before the Hindu gods. The 50-year-old pastor led 18 families for three years at the Kodambi Village Church, located in Hankaltaluk in Uttera Kannada district, Karnataka state. He was forced from his home in the middle of the night as Hindu radicals accused him of converting Hindus to Christianity. The attackers loaded Pastor Joseph’s possessions onto a tractor before sending him out to the Mundgode police station, nearly 20 miles from Kodambi. Taking him into custody, the officers refused to unload the pastor’s seized property. He was released shortly thereafter.

On August 23rd, Johnson, a senior pastor in Dakshina Kannada district, and a local Christian leader, David Chacko, planned to visit the police station in Mundgode to settle the matter. However, police conspired with the Hindu militants and severely attacked the two believers before they left Chacko’s home and dragged them to the police station. After the arrests and harassment, both men were set free. Meanwhile, the attackers have chased another evangelist by the name of Chandrakanth from the village and began searching for other pastors to target in their onslaught. The Voice of the Martyrs has since assisted in providing shelter in a nearby city for Pastor Chandrakanth, who desires to continue his evangelization in the area despite stiff opposition.

Join me in praying for the nation of Nepal this week.  There are many Christians in Nepal who are under the persecution of militant Hindus.  The following is from VOM Media sources.

After facing much persecution at the hands of militant Hindus for some time, a Christian orphanage located in south central Nepal has recently been mercilessly targeted by the Jota Lal Sahena gang, a group of local armed radicals.

Information acquired by The Voice of the Martyrs indicates the band of outlaws warned the orphanage staff it must pay an enormous bribe.

The ultimatum persists despite the orphanage workers pleading to the gang that they lack sufficient funds to pay the bribe.

Refusing to respond to this illegal activity or bring the outlaws to justice, Nepali police remain steadfast in their decision to offer the orphanage no protection.

Think about what this means, when we read that they are offering no protection to the orphanage.  The lives of children are at risk.  Children who have no parents and the only place they do have is now not even safe for them.  Please write down Nepal this week and pray for this situation continually.

 

I thought since it's Monday we should start our week out with a devotion from my favorite devotional book Extreme Devotion.  Enjoy!

Since Abdullah accepted Jesus, his family had tried very hard to change his mind. After all, his father was a respected man in their village and in all of Bangladesh, having built a mosque right next to their property.

    When talking didn’t convince Abdullah to return to Islam, they resorted to beating him. When beating didn’t work, they called others in to beat him more severely. Nothing worked; Abdullah tenaciously hung on to his faith in Christ. Finally, in exasperation, his mother stopped feeding him, putting only ashes on his plate. Abdullah prayed for God’s strength, and he stood strong.

    As a last resort, the family called on the mullah (an Islamic religious leader) to come and hold an Islamic ceremony to rid the boy of the “devil” that had taken over his life. The mullah came to their home and recited Muslim prayers over the boy. He chanted. He laid hands on the boy. He danced and he yelled. The Spirit inside Abdullah stood fast. After five hours, the mullah gave up, exhausted.     “Abdullah’s Spirit is more powerful than my spirit,” he told the boy’s father as he left. Abdullah couldn’t be turned away, and he couldn’t be stopped from sharing that powerful Spirit with others. In a few short months, he had led twenty-seven Muslims to faith in Christ, infusing them all with the Spirit of Christ!

In an attempt to creatively deal with a potential energy crisis, modern engineers are attempting to design cars that run entirely on battery power. The hitch is that the cars must have access to a power source to recharge their batteries. As it is, the concept is still so new that the stations with the auxiliary power chargers are few and far between. Without a power source, the car is helpless. In the same way, Christians who attempt to be effective witnesses apart from the power of the Holy Spirit are equally helpless. Along with learning the word of God, we must rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom, protection, and power in our witness. Are you trying to do things in your own strength for Jesus instead of allowing his power to flow through you?

The following news item comes from our friends at Mission Network News.  On August 25th MNN had this news item in their daily newsletter they send out.  If you love missions news I highly recommend checking out Mission Network News, and listening to their daily podcast.

Australia (MNN)--We begin today in Australia where a Vilification case is back in court. Last June, Pastors Daniel Scot and Danny Nalliah were found guilty, under Victoria's religious hatred law, of vilifying Muslims at a 2002 conference. This week, Voice of the Martyrs' Todd Nettleton says, "Two pastors who were convicted of vilifying Muslims in the seminar that they led have appealed their case. The case has now been heard in the court of appeals in Australia. No decision has been announced at this time. They are waiting; it could be up to two or three months before the decision is announced." The law shifts the burden of proof to the defendant for non-offensiveness. When asked about what this means for free speech and freedom of religion, Nettleton said, "If it's illegal to tell the truth about Islam because somebody might be offended, then that obviously has a 'chilling effect' on ministry; it has a 'chilling effect' on evangelism, particularly among Muslims. It's really a scary precedent."

The following is from VOM Media and is absolutely amazing.  Sadly this event only happened a few days ago and these believers still remain in jail.  Unbelievable.

While Pastor K. K. Jwala was conducting a worship service on August 20th in the town of Sheopur, not far from Jhalsy in Central India’s Madhya Pradesh state, a group of Hindu radicals stormed his Christian meeting. The militant mob, headed by a local Hindu leader, disrupted the Sunday morning service at approximately 10:30. Once inside, the attackers mercilessly struck Pastor Jwala and several members of the congregation with hockey sticks.

After the brutal beatings took place, Pastor Jwala and a number of his congregants were taken to the police station. Jwala was charged with violating Sections 3 and 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Conversion Act. He and other Christians attending the service, including three teachers from South India, remain in jail. None of the believers were granted bail.

Recently I was talking to a couple of believers about the times in which we live.  We were talking about Christian persecution and how as followers of Christ, we see the world becoming darker - literally.  There is no doubt about it.  We live during wicked times here on this earth, and as Christians we have been called for such a time as this to be the light that the world is so desperately needing.

As you read the prayer requests today I would like to encourage you to think of your prayers as slivers of light in this world.  Imagine for just a second what the world would be like without the prayers of people...interesting thought isn't it.  Be light today by praying for the families, loved ones and persecutors involved in the following prayer requests.  The requests are courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada's weekly Persecution & Prayer Alert.

Priest Flogged to Death in DR Congo

According to reports from the region, nine members of Democratic Republic of Congo's anti-Christian "Muene" sect killed a Catholic priest on August 17 and plundered the Kizu Parish, near Tshela, in the country's northern Bas-Congo province. One of the parish priests, upon seeing the assailants, fled into nearby forest while a second priest was tied up and flogged to death. Tshela police said no arrest had been made.

The Voice of the Martyrs has a partner ministry in DR Congo. Pray that God will give them wisdom as they deal with increasing persecution in their country. Pray that those who are grieving the death of the murdered priest find comfort in the Lord and support from one another (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Also pray that those who are responsible for this crime will be prosecuted.

Orphanage Operators Threatened in Nepal

The Voice of the Martyrs has learned that the operators of a Christian orphanage in south central Nepal are facing threats of being shot if they do not pay $68,500 USD to an armed gang, the Jota Lal Sahena, in the region. Pleas that they do not have the funds have gone unheeded and the Nepali police are unwilling to intervene. More details cannot be shared at this time for security reasons.

Please remember to pray for the safety of the staff and children of this orphanage. Pray that God will calm their hearts and minds. Pray that the operators will have wisdom as they seek God’s guidance on how to deal with this threat.

The following information is taken from The Voice of the Martyrs Media department.  As I read through the atrocities that are taking place against followers of Jesus in this country, my heart just breaks.  Imagine yourself in this situation - would you stand?  Would you cave and deny Christ?  Join me in praying for the same faith and steadfast spirit these precious saints have.  Please pray also for the Muslim persecutors.

• With nearly 80 percent of Kyrgyzstan’s population ascribing to Islam, one Christian church planter and his son found themselves outnumbered and under attack by a Muslim mob in the town of Kara Kuldza on July 28th.

• In an attempt to put an end to his ministry, the militant group converged on the church planter and his son, beating the two and inflicting the father with serious head injuries, along with several broken fingers.

• The attackers proceeded to ravage the structure serving as the church’s meeting place, as well as the evangelist’s home.

• Once the Muslim mob seized all forms of Christian literature in the buildings, everything was thrown onto the street and set ablaze.

• Similar events frequently take place throughout Kyrgyzstan, where Christian praise meetings are often raided by Islamic mobs, according to the nation’s Bible League director. Muslim intruders make it a practice to warn believers that continued prayer and worship services will result in their homes being torched.

• There are a number of incidents where militant Muslims have violated the wives of church planters as a consequence of not disbanding and putting an end to their ministries.