Beacon2Light

Watch and Pray:  Two More Soldiers Killed in Gaza One shot dead "by a terrorist in a tunnel;" another by a missile defense system's activation in a tank Meanwhile, rockets continue to rain down on Israel Anti-Israel protesters rally across France, defying ban imposed after synagogue clash Thousands march through French cities in protest of Israeli operation in Gaza Strip; French president says will not allow violence to spill over into France. Article by Nicholas Vinocur, Joe Bavier Jul. 19, 2014 | 10:40 PM source unknown Initial U.S. assessment: Pro-Russian rebels fired missile that downed Malaysia jet Related: Russia supplied missile launchers to separatists, U.S. official says The United States has confirmed that Russia supplied sophisticated missile launchers to separatists in eastern Ukraine and that attempts were made to move them back across the Russian border after the Thursday shoot-down of a Malaysian jet liner, a U.S. offic...

Hard for NATO to defend Baltic states from Russia: Spiegel From the article:  NATO would struggle to defend the Baltic states from any Russian aggression "with conventional means" Russia is capable of building up a local or regional military threat at short notice and at an arbitrary spot, the draft document continued. However, Europe at the end of the Cold War had concluded that "it could reduce its capabilities for fighting conventional, large scale and high intensity conflicts in Europe." Large number of Chinese troops seen heading for China-Vietnam border POSTED BY CHANKAIYEE2 ⋅ MAY 18, 2014   source From the article: A large number of People’s Liberation Army troops have reportedly been spotted heading towards the China - Vietnam border as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate, Thousands of Chinese nationals living or on business in Vietnam have already fled the country amid anti-China riots, which were sparked by a tense ...

Syrian Christians Told: Convert, Pay or Face the Sword Voice of the Martrys February 28, 2014 Christian leaders in the city of Raqqah, Syria, have reportedly signed an agreement to pay the jizya protection tax and accede to the demands of radical Muslim rebels who now control their city. The agreement was announced online by The Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS)  [ click link to read more ] "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."  1 Peter 4:12–13 (NIV) Nigeria:  Violent school attack shakes the Church PUBLISHED BY KATEY HEARTH ON FEBRUARY 28, 2014 Boko Haram terrorism in northern Nigeria is shaking the Church. According to Open Doors USA sources, an unknown number of believers were killed in a violent school attack earlie...

  Evin Prison in Iran It is a question that is often times a riddle to Westerners.  How do persecuted believers do it?   What is it within them that enables them to withstand the extremes of persecution? In Nigeria, a pastor's son was hacked to death by machete-wielding Boko Haram terrorists.  His response to the tragedy was that he still loved his son's attackers.   Iranian American pastor Saeed Abedini has been held in Iran's notorious Evin prison for over a year.  Reportedly, he came out of solitary confinement, meant to break a prisoner, actually elated and encouraged from the experience.  What happened in that confinement?  More on that in a minute.  image from International Christian Concern's website   Stories abound of Christian ministers and laypeople being imprisoned, beating, etc., and seeing the situation as a God-given opportunity to minister to prison guards and fellow prisoners.  What make...