Two Killed in Drive-By in Pakistan

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that at least two Christians were killed and three others were wounded when gunmen opened fire on a group of Christians gathered in the Essa Nagri area of Quetta, Pakistan. ISIS’s local branch claimed responsibility for Sunday’s deadly attack, marking its third attack on Christians in Quetta in recent months.

“Four men on two motorbikes opened indiscriminate fire” on a group of Christians, “killing two people while injuring three others,” local police official Abdul Razzaq Cheema told AFP. The shooting took place around 5:30 p.m. Victims were rushed to Bolan Medical Complex in Quetta where two of the victims, Azhar Iqbal and Rahid Khalid, succumbed to their wounds.

The attack took place in the Christian-majority neighborhood of Essa Nagri in Quetta. Following the attack, hundreds of Christians gathered to protest the killings. Protesters burned tires and blocked traffic as they called on the government to provide their community with greater security.

“The Christian community in Quetta has yet again become a target of rising intolerance and violence in society,” Pakistan’s National Commission for Justice and Peace said in a statement. “[We] strongly condemn these acts of terrorism and violence.”

Sunday’s shooting marks the third attack on Christians claimed by ISIS in Quetta. In December 2017, ISIS suicide bombers attacked Bethel Memorial Methodist Church, killing nine and injuring dozens more. Two weeks ago, on April 2, ISIS claimed responsibility for the targeted killing of a Christian family riding in an auto-rickshaw in Quetta. Following the attack, ISIS said that a "covert unit" of its militants "managed to target a number of the combatant Christians."

“The Christian community is feeling insecure and threatened,” Pastor Simon of Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta told ICC. “We are not safe at places of worship, schools, or residential apartments. The majority of Christians are so depressed they are not sending their children to school and even avoid going to gatherings such as social or religious events.”

William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “We here at International Christian Concern stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Pakistan in condemning this heinous attack. No one should fear being attacked and killed because of their religious identity. Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Christians in Quetta have had to face this extreme violence. Pakistan’s authorities must do more to secure Christians and their places of worship. Pakistan must also make efforts to root out the extremist elements perpetrating these attacks. Until then, it is likely that attacks on the Christian community of Quetta will continue.”  

For interviews with William Stark, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org

Source:  International Christian Concern (ICC) - persecution.org.

Six People From India Hospitalized After Gathering

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that an annual prayer gathering in Vakel village, located in the Bastar District of Chhattisgarh, was attacked by Hindu radicals last Thursday. The April 5 attack left many injured, including six Christians who required hospitalization at the district hospital in Jagdalpur.

According to Rev. Ratha Netam, one of the speakers at the prayer gathering, the event was organized for Christians from the Vakel area as a day of prayer at the Village Evangelical India Mission (VEIM) Church. At 7:30 p.m., a mob of 70 people forced themselves into the church, shouting pro-Hindu slogans and carrying wooden clubs. These radicals then beat many of the 60 Christians in attendance and severely injured six, including Pastor Kasinath Baghel, Shanti Baghel, Pansila Baghel, Kanti, Pastor Bodra, and Savitri.

“When I saw the Hindu fanatics shouting at believers asking for me to kill, I [was] afraid and went into my home,” Pastor Kasinath Baghel, one of the six injured Christians, told ICC. “Three of them entered in my home, held my hands, brought me out and beat me mercilessly. When they were beating me I was frightened greatly and thought that if I were killed what would [become] of my children and wife.”

“They misbehaved with me,” 40-year-old Shanti Baghel told ICC. “They did not even consider me as a woman. They continued to harass me and beat me with the wooden clubs. I was helpless. I was hoping that God will protect me from the hands of these attackers while others ran for their lives to nearby forests.”

Pansila Baghel, a teenage girl who was abused by the attackers, said, “When extremists pushed me, I fell to the ground. They beat me and hurled abusive language. One of the attackers told me to give up my ration card, even citizenship, because India is only for Hindus.”

“This attack on poor tribal Christians is unacceptable and a gross violation of [their] fundamental rights,” a local Christian leader told ICC on the condition of anonymity. “The police must act impartially and book the culprits.”

The Christian community reported the attack to local police and filed a complaint. So far, none of the culprits have been arrested.

William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “Attacks on Christians and their places of worship in India are becoming an almost daily occurrence. Hindu radicals across the country have been given a wide berth by local authorities to pursue their campaigns of hate against Christians and other minorities. This inability or unwillingness to protect and enforce the rights of Christians must come to an end or attacks on Christians will continue to rise in both number and intensity.”

For interviews with William Stark, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org

Source:  International Christian Concern (www.persecution.org)

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 3:22

And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil:  and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:  

- Genesis 3:22 (KJV)

The main problem within the world today is that people want to be like God, but they do not want to be obedient to how He has told all how to be like Him.  God told man not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but man chose to eat from it anyway.  The crazy part about this decision is that the man already had full access to everlasting life.  Basically, the struggle within the mind is to not take shortcuts with your spirituality.

Numerical Analysis:  To stay in the Spirit, choose to listen to His voice.  To stay in God's Word, focus upon Him.  To be complete, you must choose to be like God without taking shortcuts.  To be delivered, know the difference between good and evil.

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 3:21

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skin, and clothed them.

Gen. 3:21 (KJV)

Clothes were provided for mankind from God so that they would not be naked.  If you are walking without God, then you are naked as well.  Instead, allow for Him to tailor His protection around you so that you have some sort of defense this year.

Numerical Analysis:  Stay in the Spirit so that He can manufacture His protection over your life.  Expose evil or remain naked.  Walk in God's kingdom or remain naked.  Stay in the anointing or remain naked.

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 3:20

And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

-- Gen. 3:20 (KJV)

Your calling is in your name.  The name that Adam gave to his wife in this verse is Eve.  Eve means living or giver of life.   This name was given to Eve before she gave birth to her children.  This incident shows that the name was given as a precursor to her destiny.  She was called the giver of life and became the mother of all living.  The design made by God between man and woman is that the woman is the one that gives birth.  If there was no God, then women would not be able to give birth to children.

Many people walk around with no purpose because their knucklehead parents gave them a name with no meaning.

Numerical Analysis:  The numerical pattern for this verse is 3,2,5.  (3) Stay in the Spirit in order to be called by Him.  (2) To follow after God's kingdom, look to be productive.  (5) To stay in God's rest, look to be productive.

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken, and unto dust shalt thou return.

-- Gen. 3:19 (KJV)

Notice that this verse states that man must work before eating.  Why are so many people obese?  Too many people are overweight because they eat without working.  Work then eat.  The reward for working is food.

The second part of this verse lets us know that we all return to the dust after death.  If the Bible was not true, then nobody would be buried six feet under.

Numerical Analysis:  The numerical pattern for this verse is 3,1,4,9.  (3) To stay in the Spirit, realize that you must work before eating.  (1) Follow God until you die.  (4) To stay in God's Word, realize that He formed you from the dust of the ground.  (9) To overturn evil, realize that we all will have to return to the ground once we die.

Numerical Expositions: Genesis 3:18

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

-- Gen. 3:18 (KJV)

As a result of the curse, thorns and thistles are brought forth when mankind tills the ground.  The meaning of this curse implies that unproductive branches will grow although plenty of work was placed in growing bumper crops.  This curse hinders the productivity of what man can do upon this earth.  This curse can be potentially devastating because all of that work could possibly produce nothing in return.  Remember to stay encouraged.

From this verse, you can use the symbolism of thorns and thistles to represent the curse in other verses throughout the Bible.  This type of research can give you further insight on how to eliminate the curse from your life.

For example, in the parable of the sower, "...the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit."  (Mark 4:7 KJV).  The curse will attempt to undermine your productivity.  However, you can maximize your productivity by taking heed to the explanation given in Mark 4:18-19 (KJV).

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful."

1. Stop caring about what the rest of the world cares about.
2. Do not believe that you are something that you are not solely because you have money.
3. Do not allow other desires to supersede your desire for God's Word.

Another key insight is given in the second part of this verse as the herb of the field grows despite of all of the thorns and the thistles.  Herbs are certain plants used for as flavoring for food, medicine, and perfume.  The herbs are not choked out by the thorns because the herbs provide resources that help others.  We must look to help others so that the curse will not be able to stop us.

Numerical Analysis:  The numerical pattern for this verse is 3,9,1,8.  (3) Walk in the Spirit in order to be free from the curse.  (9) To overturn evil, know what you need to eat.  (1) To stay in the anointing, know what you need to eat.  (8) To have a new beginning in God, know what you need to eat.