I got this in an email today from Francis Chan - It’s from a pastor in the Punjab Region in India.
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Please Pray!
· Numerous church facilities have been attacked, some destroyed. The Batala train station has been attacked, beating the train station computers, gathering on the tracks, and stopping railway service. There is a massive stike in Punjab today (they are 13.5 hours ahead of us), affecting bus service and closing shops. Police are telling Christians to not leave their homes to go to church meetings (it is Sunday morning there right now), as they are saying it is too dangerous. There were even threats printed in today’s newspaper that they will find Christian children and burn them. I would not dare use such rhetoric to create drama — these threats against the children were actually read in the newspaper by one of our ministry team members who I talked with a few minutes ago.
· This is a very serious situation that can easily grow into a bigger problem. One Christian has already been killed and many have been beaten. The RSS has been threatening, during this past year, to do in Punjab like they have done in Orissa (if evangelism continues), and I am calling on Christians to pray to God that this will not escalate into such massive violence.
· This is happening right in the center of the towns where our ministry is based in Punjab. I have talked with three of our leaders in Punjab over the past hour, and each of them are giving first hand accounts of the seriousness of this situation. Please pray!
· These problems started because Christians were protesting the public publishing of an insulting picture representing Jesus. It appears some Christians got out of hand, and now the RSS is using this as an excuse to go completely wild.
· Pray for all Christians to be graced with the power of the Holy Spirit to resist lashing out in any ungodly type of protest. Pray for all the Christians to be bold and humble in remaining faithful to God through this situation, to learn from Him, and to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Pray for the unreasonable backlash of radical militants to come under control, and for the protection of all men, women and children from violence. Pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit to be with the believers in Punjab during this time.
· Please take a moment to pray now, as right now the tensions are great, the threats against our fellow believers are real, and forces of darkness are craving to use this time to stir up violence from people who living in confusion and darkness.
· Please also pray for the militant anti-Christian people, that they would somehow see, by the power of God, their need for salvation, and recognize the salvation offered to them through Jesus Christ who died for each of them. After all, isn’t that one of the main reasons we are on earth right now, to see the “walking dead” brought to life through Jesus Christ, thereby bringing God the glory He deserves? Pray for the hearts of Christians to be turned in compassion towards those God has sent them to be a witness to!
