Gentle Joy Photography: URGENT-Denounce Jesus.... Or Die!

This post is about an urgent need. For the last couple of months, we have been hearing of the atrocities being committed by ISIS... the hideous evil works they are using against people - especially against Christians, as satan seeks to destroy those who belong to Christ. The things being done are so terrible, we have hesitated to even speak of them and yet, it is a real part of our world now and we can't ignore it. Others are suffering horribly... and ignoring the issue isn't possible.

We have heard at church, just this weekend, from a friend who heard from a friend in another country.... this friend in another country is asking for urgent prayer. ISIS has gone to homes in the area and has given the CHILDREN of the families a choice... denounce Jesus.... or die. ISIS is systematically going from house to house giving these children a choice.... and then they are beheading the children. So far all of the children given the choice.... have chosen Jesus..... and they died by being beheaded.

The parents were not killed.... and yet their pain is huge - in fact, death would be far kinder than what they have to be enduring after witnessing such carnage against their precious children... or waiting for the emissaries of satan to arrive to take the children if their home hasn't yet been invaded. The fear must be overwhelmingly powerful. This is being done NOW.... it is not something from weeks or months ago.... this horrible suffering is happening NOW. Children are being martyred... and adults also, but it seems that children are a big target right now as ISIS is determined to advance Islamic goals for mass conversion.... or death for Christians.

As was pointed out at church, so many of our prayers tend to be quite petty.... we pray about aches and pains, or wanting a new article of clothing, that our ball team will win, that it won't rain for a special occasion and more. These are not necessarily bad things to pray about, but they are not critical either. We need to get outside ourselves and seriously stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ... those who are in the midst of horrendous conditions, needing to prepare themselves and their children to be ready to die a violent death immediately.

We protect our children... we tell them we will protect them from the "monster" in the closet or under the bed... we know those fears are ungrounded and we set our children's minds at ease. What about those who cannot protect their children from the very real monsters in their world?

We can uphold these people, even from afar... prayer is powerful... will we choose to spend time in prayer? Will we care about those suffering so horribly?... or will we allow ourselves to be lulled into a sense of being desensitized to the horrors of our world by a media who exploits such news and helps us to become weary of the news and wanting to move on to better things? We have brothers and sisters in Christ who would love to move on to better things, but are trapped in a nightmare from which they will not awake. Some have talked with loved ones in the US or other places and talked with them for what they believe, will be the last time. They are sure their death is near. They are cut off... no human help is coming... those whose hearts are wicked and who are pawns of satan, are coming ever closer to kill and maim.

Will you please join me in praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ? Will you be a part of a group of Christians who will shower these people with a prayer cover? We need to stand in the gap for our fellow Christians. This is happening in more than one place in the world, and if you know specifics like locations or names, please do not share them... we need to help protect our brothers and sisters, and part of doing that is by not giving out too much information. We can certainly pray though. Here are some things I am praying:

1. That God will give peace as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death.
2. That God will comfort those who have lost family members or will soon.
3. That these Christians will be brave and courageous in the face of such horror.
4. That God will stop the spread of this ugliness and will deliver these Christians.
5. That Christians throughout the world will be sensitive to the leading of God.. that hearts will be softened... that God will do a mighty work in our world.
6. That these persecutors will come to Christ in repentance.
7. That the apathy in our world would stop and Christians would draw close to God.

There are many more ways we can pray... If you think of some... please share them in the comments below.. I would appreciate seeing them... and it would help us as we pray. I would also love to know if you are praying for these who are so oppressed... or if you will. Thank you. God is more powerful than anyone or anything... He is able... He wants us to pray.

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." 2 Corinthians 1:3,4