Today we share an excerpt from a post by Pastor Eric Foley, VOM’s project partner for North Korea, the CEO of Seoul-USA, and a regular speaker at VOM Regional Conferences. In his post Pastor Foley provides a careful and thoughtful exegesis of Hebrews 13:3 in light of the current situation that Christians are facing in Mosul under the domination or Islamic State (IS).

Listening to the news about Iraq brought a different response from me than before. I had just finished reading The Lost History of Christianity by Philip Jenkins and my response was—“They’re still at it.” In a phrase attributed to Yogi Berra, “It’s déjà vu all over again!” The book is about how the great churches of the Middle East in the first few centuries of Christianity essentially collapsed, and many totally disappeared after decades of invasions, persecution, coercion to convert to Islam, and massacres. Churches, clergy, institutions, libraries, whole villages destroyed. Those that still exist (and have survived under the most severe difficulties) periodically face severe pressures unknown to us in the West.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. Acts 1:8

Each week VOM department directors meet to discuss the ongoing business of the ministry and update each other on various projects and priorities. Each meeting begins with a short devotional led by one of the directors. Last week that director was Jill from VOM's financial services area. She shared how God used a VOM donor and a well-timed phone call to answer her prayer and encourage her heart. Here is her devotional:

Yesterday, my husband met with Christian families who fled Mosul. He and I talked over Skype about what the families had shared with him. After a few minutes, my three-year-old climbed up in my lap and asked what we were talking about.

Recently one of my coworkers was in the Middle East to attend a conference for Syrian Christians. These conferences, which VOM sponsors, are designed to encourage and train Syrian Church leaders, who have been ministering in the midst of war for the past three years, in addition to the heavy persecution they face as gospel workers in a Muslim nation.

Imagine waking up one morning to find a red spray-painted symbol on the front of your house identifying you as a Christian. The Arabic letter “N” (nun), from the Arabic word nasara (meaning “Nazarene” to indicate Christians), was recently painted on homes of Christians in the city of Mosul, Iraq, by an organized terrorist group called IS (Islamic State). Then on July 17, the terrorists gave area Christians an ultimatum: convert to Islam, pay a high tax, leave the area or die. The Voice of the Martyrs is now actively serving Iraqi Christian families forced to flee from the terrorists (some with only the clothes on their backs). You can help by making a donation to help our Iraqi brothers and sisters. VOM is also releasing a new T-shirt to allow you to show your support, boldly proclaiming that you are also “N”! Show your support for persecuted Iraqi Christians by purchasing the i-am-n T-shirt. The T-shirts cost $20 each (including free shipping), and $10 of the purchase price will be used directly to help persecuted Iraqi Christians. The front of the shirt features an Arabic “N” similar to the symbol that the organized terrorist group IS (Islamic State) is spray painting on the homes of Christians. The back of the T-shirt features the Arabic “N” along with the Web address www.i-am-n.com.

Recent remarks by Indian political figures have underscored a growing Hindus-only attitude in India. And while the situation for Christians there may grow more difficult, it’s encouraging to know that God can and is working in the hearts of those who are active persecutors of Christians. And VOM workers in the region see the potential upcoming events not as something to be feared, but as motivation to reach more people with Christ’s love.