JESUS Told Us This Would Happen = Matthew 23;34-35
Matthew 23;34-35
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Matthew 24:9-12
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
John 16:1-4
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Mark 6:25-28
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
Revelation 20:4-5
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
AMEN
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CT EDITORS JANUARY 17, 2023 06:01 PM
Latest report on Christian persecution finds Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa the epicenter of jihadist violence, while China leads effort to redefine religious rights.
More than 5,600 Christians were killed for their faith last year. More than 2,100 churches were attacked or closed. More than 124,000 Christians were forcibly displaced from their homes because of their faith, and almost 15,000 became refugees. Sub-Saharan Africa—the epicenter of global Christianity—is now also the epicenter of violence against Christians, as Islamist extremism has spread well beyond Nigeria. And North Korea is back at No. 1, according to the 2023 World Watch List (WWL), the latest annual accounting from Open Doors of the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian.
Overall, and same as last year, 360 million Christians live in nations with high levels of persecution or discrimination. That’s 1 in 7 Christians worldwide, including 1 in 5 believers in Africa, 2 in 5 in Asia, and 1 in 15 in Latin America. And for only the third time in three decades of tracking, all 50 nations scored high enough to register “very high” persecution levels on Open Doors’ matrix of more than 80 questions. So did 5 more nations that fell just outside the cutoff.
Islamic extremism continues to cause the most persecution (31 nations) especially in sub-Saharan Africa where Open Doors fears Nigeria will soon trigger “a vast humanitarian catastrophe” across the continent. Researchers also noted how China has increased digital restrictions and surveillance and is “forging a network of nations seeking to redefine human rights—away from universal standards and religious freedoms.” And a fourth Latin American country, Nicaragua, entered the list as authoritarian governments increasingly view Christians as voices of opposition.
The top countries where Christian persecution involved violence, based on Open Doors World Watch List research (Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022).
Where Christians Were Martyred Most:
1. Nigeria: 5,014
2. Name withheld: 100*
3. Mozambique: 100*
4. Democratic Republic of Congo 100*
5. Central African Republic: 61
6. Myanmar: 42
7. Colombia: 21
8. India: 17
9. Mexico: 14
10. Honduras: 14
11. Pakistan: 12
*Estimate | Open Doors reporting period: Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022
A second category tracks attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, whether destroyed, shut down, or confiscated. The tally of 2,110 represents a 59 percent decrease from last year, and is only about a fifth of the 2020 report’s high of 9,488.
Where Churches Were Attacked or Closed Most:
1. China: 1,000*
2. Nigeria: 100*
3. Myanmar: 100*
4. Mozambique: 100*
5. Democratic Republic of Congo: 100*
6. Rwanda: 100*
7. Angola: 100*
8. India: 67
9. Mexico: 42
10. Colombia: 37
11. Nicaragua: 31
*Estimate | Open Doors reporting period: Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022
Based on 70+ countries tallied by Open Doors researchers for the 2023 World Watch List
2023 WWL reporting period: Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022.
Table: Christianity Today Source: Open Doors 2023 World Watch List
Matthew 23;34-35
Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Matthew 24:9-12
Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
John 16:1-4
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Mark 6:25-28
And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist. And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her. And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
Revelation 20:4-5
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
AMEN
>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>
The 50 Countries Where It’s Hardest to Follow Jesus in 2023
CT EDITORS JANUARY 17, 2023 06:01 PM
Latest report on Christian persecution finds Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa the epicenter of jihadist violence, while China leads effort to redefine religious rights.
More than 5,600 Christians were killed for their faith last year. More than 2,100 churches were attacked or closed. More than 124,000 Christians were forcibly displaced from their homes because of their faith, and almost 15,000 became refugees. Sub-Saharan Africa—the epicenter of global Christianity—is now also the epicenter of violence against Christians, as Islamist extremism has spread well beyond Nigeria. And North Korea is back at No. 1, according to the 2023 World Watch List (WWL), the latest annual accounting from Open Doors of the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous and difficult to be a Christian.
Overall, and same as last year, 360 million Christians live in nations with high levels of persecution or discrimination. That’s 1 in 7 Christians worldwide, including 1 in 5 believers in Africa, 2 in 5 in Asia, and 1 in 15 in Latin America. And for only the third time in three decades of tracking, all 50 nations scored high enough to register “very high” persecution levels on Open Doors’ matrix of more than 80 questions. So did 5 more nations that fell just outside the cutoff.
Islamic extremism continues to cause the most persecution (31 nations) especially in sub-Saharan Africa where Open Doors fears Nigeria will soon trigger “a vast humanitarian catastrophe” across the continent. Researchers also noted how China has increased digital restrictions and surveillance and is “forging a network of nations seeking to redefine human rights—away from universal standards and religious freedoms.” And a fourth Latin American country, Nicaragua, entered the list as authoritarian governments increasingly view Christians as voices of opposition.
Where Christians Face the Most Violence (2023)
The top countries where Christian persecution involved violence, based on Open Doors World Watch List research (Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022).
Where Christians Were Martyred Most:
1. Nigeria: 5,014
2. Name withheld: 100*
3. Mozambique: 100*
4. Democratic Republic of Congo 100*
5. Central African Republic: 61
6. Myanmar: 42
7. Colombia: 21
8. India: 17
9. Mexico: 14
10. Honduras: 14
11. Pakistan: 12
*Estimate | Open Doors reporting period: Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022
A second category tracks attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, whether destroyed, shut down, or confiscated. The tally of 2,110 represents a 59 percent decrease from last year, and is only about a fifth of the 2020 report’s high of 9,488.
Where Churches Were Attacked or Closed Most:
1. China: 1,000*
2. Nigeria: 100*
3. Myanmar: 100*
4. Mozambique: 100*
5. Democratic Republic of Congo: 100*
6. Rwanda: 100*
7. Angola: 100*
8. India: 67
9. Mexico: 42
10. Colombia: 37
11. Nicaragua: 31
*Estimate | Open Doors reporting period: Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022
Violence Against Christians Worldwide (2023)
Based on 70+ countries tallied by Open Doors researchers for the 2023 World Watch List
Category | Total |
|---|---|
Houses of Christians attacked | 4,547 |
Forced marriages of Christians to non-Christians | 717 |
Churches and other Christian buildings attacked | 2,110 |
Christians sentenced for their faith | 1,388 |
Christians raped or sexually harassed for faith-related reasons | 2,126 |
Christians physically or mentally abused for faith-related reasons | 29,411 |
Christians killed for faith-related reasons | 5,621 |
Christians forced to leave their homes or go into hiding | 124,310 |
Christians forced to leave their country for faith-related reasons | 14,997 |
Christians detained for their faith | 3,154 |
Christians abducted for faith-related reasons | 5,259 |
Businesses of Christians attacked | 2,210 |
2023 WWL reporting period: Oct. 2021 to Sept. 2022.
Table: Christianity Today Source: Open Doors 2023 World Watch List
