Controlled by militant Muslims, the place of Jesus’ birth is a danager zone for Christians today. But Arab believers say the gospel continues to be preached there.
[12.24.08] Rami Ayyad was closing up at the Bible Society in Gaza where he worked when armed men whisked him into a car and sped away. For hours, Ayyad’s whereabouts were unknown. Pauline, his wife and the mother of their three children-the last still in utero-finally got through to him on his cell phone.
He wasn’t able to say much, and she could tell something was wrong. It turned out to be the couple’s last conversation.
The next day, October 7, 2007, Ayyad’s body was found marred by signs of torture and riddled with the gunshot wounds that killed him.
Hanna Massad, pastor of the Gaza Baptist Church-the only evangelical church in the Gaza Strip-said Ayyad was the first known martyr in Gaza and most likely was killed for refusing to convert to Islam.
These people risk dying everyday while we in America are guaranteed the right to practice our religion as we see fit. Yet the Christians in this country are criticized almost daily in our news papers and in our courts by the ACLU and other groups claiming we are infringing on the rights of other religions in this country. It’s time the people in this country wake up and remember that we are going to be judged along side the Christians of the early church some of which paid for their beliefs with there very lives. Yet we cannot be inconvenienced to live our lives according to the teachings of the Bible and in comparison to the apostolic age we are not persecuted at all. Where will you stand should the tides change and our freedom of religion be taken away or should it become unlawful to practice it in this country?
Just something maybe we should be thinking about in these changing times we know not what the next four years will bring!!!
Very good point.