PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

Sunday, November 14th, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Thousands of Christians around the world are persecuted every day for following Jesus. Some are beaten and bullied but many are imprisoned and even executed for not only believing in Jesus but sharing their faith with others.

For example, on November 8, 2010, Asia Bibi was sentenced to death by a judge in Pakistan, according to The Voice of the Martyrs. The judge also fined Asia $1,190 (U.S.). Asia was arrested by police on June 19, 2009, and charged with blasphemy after she engaged in a religious discussion with co-workers. Many of the local women, including Asia, worked on the farm of Muslim landowner Muhammad Idrees. During their work, many of the Muslim women had pressured Asia to renounce Christianity and accept Islam. Her family is one of only three Christian families in a village of more than 1,500 families. On June 19, there was an intense discussion among the women about their faith. The Muslim women told Asia about Islam again, and Asia responded by telling the Muslim women that Christ died on the cross for our sins. She told them Jesus is alive. “Our Christ is the true prophet of God,” she told them.Upon hearing this response, the Muslim women became angry and began to beat Asia. Then some men took her and locked her in a room. They announced from mosque loudspeakers that she would be punished by having her face blackened and being paraded through the village on a donkey. Local Christians informed the police, who took Asia into custody before the Muslims could carry out their plan. She is currently being held at the police station in Nankana city. Christians there had urged the police not to file blasphemy charges, but police claimed that they had to go forward because of pressure from local Muslim leaders. She is currently sentenced to death by hanging for the crime of blasphemy against the Prophet Mohammed.

This is just one story. If you would like to know more, there are many organizations supporting the persecuted church. Click HERE for links to these organizations.