History is Being Made Today…. And There is Hope!

We are living in an amazing time. Today, there are many major game changing worldwide events unfolding before our eyes. It is hard to keep up with all of it. Our world stands at a crossroads and in the next few weeks your life and mine could change dramatically. America is focused on the coming national election but before we get to that, let’s take a quick trip around the planet to sort out the current global drama.

* Christian Persecution is on the Rise! - Jesus promised that as His followers we should expect to be hated because the world hated Him first. In fact, it was one of His final teachings to His disciples. This month we have seen Christian persecution sky rocket!

In Iraq  between 25-40 believers were killed openly in the streets of Mosul which is the ancient site of the evil city of Ninevah. As many as 3000 believers fled the city in one week. Our e3 leader in Iraq told me yesterday that the numbers that he is hearing on the news are probably lower than what actually happened. In November I will be leading a small team into Iraq and will be meeting with some of the leaders of the underground church that has escaped into Northern Iraq. We hope to get you more information on this in a few weeks.

in Afghanistan Gayle Williams was shot and killed openly in a Kabul  street by the Taliban. She was a British- South African Christian aid worker who worked with handicapped children and adults. Ministry leaders tell me that she was “executed” in broad daylight. JoAnn and I were just there with Joel Rosenberg and Jeremy Grafman  and we heard that in some cases, the persecution in Afghanistan is so extreme that believers have actually escaped from the country into Iran!  Which is incredible because Iran is no picnic either! Two Christian leaders were scheduled to be executed in Iran this month until International pressure forced the hard line Islamic government to back off it’s death sentence ruling. Iran has done this before and then closes it’s eyes as one of it’s many terrorist groups does the job for them later. Please pray for Aziz and Basirat from Shiraz. Because they have been released from prison, their lives are in extreme danger.

In India more than 70,000 believers have fled Orissa in North-Eastern India. Radical Hindus have become like hard line Muslims in the region and have declared war on all Christians. JoAnn and I talked with a pastor from the area a few months ago and he told us that believers have been hiding in trees in the forests that surround Orissa.

The good news is that the church will win! We may suffer, be persecuted, and even killed in some cases…but Jesus said in Matthew 16: “I will build My church and the gates of hell will not prevail over it.”  Now that’s a promise to live by!

* Israel’s Future is Up in the Air! - Prime Minister Designate Tzipi Livni was not able to pull a coalition together in Israel and so now the country will have a national election for Prime Minister. Livni had 40 days to assemble a government coalition after Ehud Olmert stepped down because of his indictment on bribery charges. The clincher came when she was unable to move the Ultra-Orthodox Shas party into her camp over one issue. The issue was the fate of  the City of Jerusalem. Livni was willing to give half of the Holy City to the Palestinians and the Ultra-Orthodox said “no way!” Within 90 days Israel will have an election and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the favorite to win. This would most likely bring to an end Israel’s current “land for peace” deals with the Palestinians. Can you imagine Israel giving away half of the City of Jerusalem? Unfortunately, President Bush has also pushed for this.

Also in Israel, Syrian troops have amassed once again in Lebanon just north of Israel. Syria is also angry that America just yesterday bombed a village on the Iraqi border that has given terrorists an easy entrance into Iraq.

Palestinians are also calling for a national election. Life in Gaza has become unbearable as Hamas has delivered nothing to the people except continual open war in the streets. Will the Palestinian Authority win or Hamas? If Hamas wins, Gaza and the West Bank will both ruled by them, and then the West Bank will certainly become more radical than it already is. This would be a disaster for Israel since the West Bank surrounds Jerusalem.

The current belief in the Middle East is that Iran will be ready to fire a nuclear missile at Israel within a year so Israel will be forced to knock out some of their nuclear sites after the US election. Russia has just sold Iran a defense system that could stop Israel’s pre-emptive strike on Iran when it becomes functional in 6 months.

All of this is nothing new for Israel. In Old Testament times they were continually surrounded by nations that were stronger and had armies several times larger than Israel’s. But that never mattered because God promises to protect her. “Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121: 4  No matter how bad it looks….Israel will survive because the God of Israel will be at her side.

*The US Election is Making More than Just Americans Nervous!

In a new Israeli poll, Jews in Israel are frightened at the prospect of Barack Obama becoming the next President of the United States. The line of thinking is this: Israel is surrounded by 300 Million Muslims that would love to see them defeated or even anihilated. America has been Israel’s only true friend for the last 6 decades of her existence. But Barack Obama was: born a Muslim, to a Muslim father, and continues to have a Muslim name even though he supposedly converted to Christianity. When Barack said that he “converted” no Muslim group protested but all still openly support him. The word “conversion” in the Muslim world is the most volitle one to followers of Muhammad. When the Pope baptized a converted former Muslim this past Easter at the Vatican, there were threats to blow the whole place up. Yet the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran are all quoted to be “pulling for Obama.” Israelis say that even if Barack has converted, at the very least he still has strong Islamic roots. They have a right to be nervous! And so do all Americans.

As American believers we must pray fervently. Many are fasting for the next week before our elections. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Friends, we are living in important days to say the least! They are historical. We cannot go forward in fear. Let’s all: 1. Pray for our suffering brothers and sisters around the world. 2. Pray for Israel as her enemies are gathering. 3. Pray for America and for God to intervene in this important election.  

And as for us remember: “We have put our hope in the Living God.”  Above all…we have hope in our Living God.