The burning of the Church

Buckle your seat belts Christians! This ride is about to get REALLY bumpy! Actually, it’s already REALLY bumpy for tens of thousands of Christians! On April 9th, I went to bed praying, and asked the Lord Jesus Christ if He would give me a Word of Wisdom or prophecy to share on this blog. I awoke that morning with the following Word…

“The only prophecy I have for you this morning is to talk about the persecution of the Saints”.

On April 16th, 2019, only 7 days later, during what is known as “Holy Week”, Notre Dame Cathedral caught the attention of the world as the flames on the roof of this beautiful church reached high into the sky.

At this point, investigators really don’t know the cause; however, the Mainstream Media was very quick to say, on the night of the burning, that it wasn’t arson, even though there hadn’t been any investigation at that point. That very well may be the case; however, what they neglected to report was that 11 other Churches in France were burnt and/or vandalized within a week in the month of March 2019. In-fact, in France there have been 2000 churches burned or vandalized in some way over the past 2 years. Did they mention that in their news reporting? Hmm…no.

France has seen a rash of attacks against Catholic churches since the beginning of the year, including arson and desecration. Perpetrators have shattered statues, knocked over tabernacles, scattered or destroyed the Eucharist, and they’ve torn down crosses or smeared them with human excrement. The Church of St. Sulpice in Paris, built in the 17th century, was set on fire in March – a month that saw 12 churches desecrated in one week.

Of course, France isn’t the only place this is happening. There was a report on April 5th, 2019 that three Churches were burned in 10 days in Louisiana Parish.

LAFAYETTE, La. – Fires that destroyed three predominantly black Baptist churches in St. Landry Parish in the last 10 days are “suspicious,” the state’s top fire investigator said Thursday, adding that they’ve discovered several “patterns” at the three crime scenes.

During this Holy Week, just a few days after the Notre Dame fire, a college philosophy teacher was arrested after entering St. Patrick’s Cathedral carrying two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters. Apparently he had also been arrested at a New Jersey cathedral this week and had booked a Thursday flight to Rome, the New York Police Department said.

Similar reports are coming out of Germany. Four separate churches were vandalized and/or torched in March alone. “In this country,” PI-News explained, “there is a creeping war against everything that symbolizes Christianity: attacks on mountain-summit crosses, on sacred statues by the wayside, on churches… and recently also on cemeteries.”

“Hardly anyone writes and speaks about the increasing attacks on Christian symbols. There is an eloquent silence in both France and Germany about the scandal of the desecrations and the origin of the perpetrators…. Not a word, not even the slightest hint that could in anyway lead to the suspicion of migrants… It is not the perpetrators who are in danger of being ostracized, but those who dare to associate the desecration of Christian symbols with immigrant imports. They are accused of hatred, hate speech and racism.”

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14044/europe-churches-vandalized

Jesus told us that there would be GREAT PERSECUTION coming for His followers in the last days. Of course, persecution has been an ongoing thing for Christians in many parts of the world, but this is about to increase and explode, particularly in the West, where it has been less common. These burning Churches are symbolic of the EXTREME Christian persecution that is now coming upon the scene and will continue to grow worse and worse.

Luke 21:12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake. ¹³ It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; 

¹⁵ for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.¹⁶ But you will be betrayed even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, ¹⁷ and you will be hated by all because of My name. ¹⁸ Yet not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain you lives.

Where is all of this Christian persecution coming from? Well, we know that in Egypt and places in the Middle East, the Christian persecution is coming from Radical Islam. Actually, it’s being reported (not by Mainstream media) that much of the vandalizing of Churches in Europe is coming from the HUGE influx of Migrants that they’ve experienced over the past few years. But Islam isn’t the only source. Recently, we’ve been hearing about the rise of political adversaries and state sponsors of Christian persecution such as China, North Korea, Iran, India, Pakistan, Nigeria. In many of these cases, the state either sponsors the persecution or looks the other way.

Nigeria, India and China are countries where Christians face increased persecution in the coming year, warns Release International. There is now an estimated 215 million Christians who face violence and discrimination. According to official figures, violence against Christians is rising, with 250 killed each month.

In Nigeria, Fulani militants (Muslim extremists) look set to continue devastating attacks against Christians in the north and central Nigeria. In the first six months of 2018 alone, they killed up to 6,000 and drove 50,000 from their homes. A Release partner said, ‘The escalation in killing is very clear. There is a deliberate plan to destroy and take over the predominantly Christian communities in the region.’

China has seen a sharp increase in government opposition to religion, including Christianity. Tough new rules, which came into effect in 2018, have banned children and young people from church meetings. In some areas, house churches unwilling to come under state control have split down in order to survive. They continue to meet in small groups limited to 15 people to avoid coming under scrutiny by the authorities.

China has been continuing a policy of removing Christian symbols and closing churches. Increasingly, they are targeting the larger unregistered house churches. A Release partner believes they have been emboldened to close these higher profile churches by the lack of opposition from the West. ‘The government wants to reduce Christianity to just a minor activity by unimportant older people,’ says a Release partner.

In India, attacks against Christians by Hindu nationalists are on the rise. Right-wing Hinduism which is intolerant of other faiths has been gaining ground since the BJP took power in 2014. Violent mobs have broken up prayer meetings, several states have passed laws prohibiting so-called forced conversion (effectively outlawing all evangelism), and pastors have been attacked.

We are seeing persecution against Christians in the West under the banner of “hate speech”. This is especially prevalent by atheists and liberals. Although not yet as violent as what is seen in other areas of the world, alarming strides in Christian persecution have been made in North America. Chick-Fil-A has been banned in two Airports because of its “anti LGBTQ” stance. Of course, this is false because Chick-Fil-A absolutely DOES serve the LGBTQ community chicken sandwiches, but because they publicly came out in defense of the Biblical definition of marriage, they are being banned from serving chicken sandwiches at two airports (so far).

I actually took a college class in the 1980’s called “War and Peace”, and “Yellow Journalism”, and basically the strategy of “demonizing and dehumanizing your enemy” is a very popular, tried and true strategy of war. It’s easier to kill the enemy if you first demonize them and dehumanize them. We’re seeing this A LOT in the Mainstream Media today. Why? Christian persecution is coming, and in-fact, is already here!

Ontario recently passed Bill 89, which, under its Human Rights Code, “protects” a child’s professed homosexual orientation or transgender expression and, thus, allows the government to remove children from the homes of parents who oppose gender ideology (aka: the LGBT agenda). Bill C-16 makes it illegal to use the “wrong” pronouns when referring to a transgender individual. In other words, if a man wishes to live as a woman and be called “she” but you say “he”, you can be fined or jailed.  Moreover, an Ontario Christian school has been banned from teaching parts of the Bible that may be offensive to certain individuals, namely those whose sexual and/or gender expression contradict the Bible.

Well, consider that in the U.S., there is a growing movement to suggest that Christians are unfit for public office. LGBT groups recently made that declaration and Bernie Sanders went so far as to suggest that a Christian’s belief in the Gospel makes us hateful and incapable of fairly serving all people –  including those who don’t share our faith – specifically, Muslims. According to Sanders, the Gospel is “indefensible, it is hateful, it is Islamophobic, and it is an insult to over a billion Muslims throughout the world.” And just the other day, Tim Gill was quoted by the Rolling Stone as saying it is his plan to use state and local governments to “punish the wicked“, referring to Christians who are opposed to the LGBT agenda.

Jesus warned of SEVERE Christian persecution at the time of the end. He warned that Christians would be dragged into Synagogues, imprisoned, and killed because of HIS NAME.

Radical Islam is already persecuting Christians in the Middle East and Africa, killing them, burning down churches, levying heavy taxes against them, raping, and other atrocities.

Liberal and atheist groups who align themselves with the Illuminati and the pro-LGBTQ agenda are maligning Christians and demonizing them in Western Governments, the Mainstream Media, private organizations, all in preparation for greater persecution.

Radical Hindu extremists in India are severely persecuting Christians, attacking them, killing them, and burning churches.

Oppressive Socialist and Communist regimes want control over Christianity, so that it can only be their “version” of Christianity, regardless of whether the doctrines taught are true or false. They have been closing down churches and imprisoning Pastors. “The Chinese government has orchestrated a campaign to ‘Sinicize’ Christianity, to turn Christianity into a fully domesticated religion that would do the bidding of the party,” said Lian Xi, a professor at Duke University in North Carolina, who focuses on Christianity in modern China. Bibles, sales of which have always been controlled in China, are no longer available for purchase online, a loophole that had existed for years. In December, Christmas celebrations were banned in several schools and cities across China.

This is what we’re dealing with Right now! It’s only to get worse before it gets better. But there is GOOD NEWS. Although this side of “the veil”, it’s difficult to imagine, Jesus tells us that we should REJOICE when we are persecuted for His Name because our REWARD in HEAVEN is GREAT!

Matthew 5: ¹¹ “BLESSED are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹² REJOICE and BE GLAD, for your reward in heaven is GREAT; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Now, more than ever it is CRITICAL for Christians to stand firm in our faith. We are facing opposition from other religions, from atheists, from liberals who promote the lgbtq agenda, and from communist governments. Most importantly, we are also facing SPIRITUAL OPPOSITION, the driving force behind the persecution. For this reason, Christians need to buckle up and ARMOR UP!

Know the Word of God! Trust in God’s Promises! As Christians, we are not fighting FOR victory, we are fighting FROM victory! Jesus Christ already won the war, and ALL will be made right in God’s perfect timing! We just have to believe in HIM and hold onto our FAITH no matter what!

1 John 5:4: For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”

Romans 8:16-17: For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

The final and ultimate victory belongs to Christ, and those who trust in Him will share in His eternal triumph. No matter what we face now, our future is secure in heaven. One day, every tear will be wiped away, and every pain will be healed. We look forward with hope to the eternal kingdom where righteousness reigns and victory is forever.

Rev. 21:4: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Prayer for the Persecuted Christians around the world. 🙏🏻

Loving Father in Heaven– we live in an evil world and know that You are coming back soon for Your Church – be with all that are suffering persecution at the hands of so many that would destroy the truth of Your Word.

Help every man and woman, boy and girl that is going through some form of persecution today – may You guard and guide and encourage each one, no matter where they are… 

Give them the strength to remain firm in their faith, despite any physical, emotional or psychological pain they may have to endure for the sake of Jesus Christ. Protect and keep each one from harm and danger that stalks their path – hide them under the shadow of Your wing and support and strengthen them in the ordeals that they will be subjected to. 

Let Your peace and joy and love reign in their hearts and help them to walk humbly before You – as they identify with the sufferings that the Lord Jesus endured for them… And Father – may their lives.. and possibly their deaths be a fruitful witness. May the seed of Your love be planted in the hearts of their persecutors – so that their life may produce much fruit, in Jesus name we pray, 

Amen! Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus!