It’s Thursday, July 16th, A.D. 2020. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Jonathan Clark
Muslim persecution of Nigerian Christians has skyrocketed
Radical Islamists have killed at least 1,202 Christians in Nigeria, Africa during the first six months of this year, according to a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.
Twenty-two more Nigerian Christians were killed just last weekend.
Radicals have also burned hundreds of church buildings and thousands of Christian homes. And the report found a rapid increase in the number of abductions of girls and women by the Islamists.
Romans 8:35, 37 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
China counter punches America over human rights
After the U.S. sanctioned Chinese officials for the oppression of religious minorities in the country, China hit back on Monday with sanctions against U.S. lawmakers who have been involved with human rights issues in China.
China has sanctioned Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, and the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China.
Iran executed man for drinking alcohol
The Middle Eastern country of Iran has carried out 123 executions during the first six months of this year, including the execution of a man last Thursday just for drinking alcohol multiple times in violation of the country’s Islamic Sharia law.
In contrast, the African country of Sudan is reversing the effects of 30 years of Islamic rule by former President Omar al-Bashir. Last week, Sudan lifted the death penalty for renouncing Islam. The new laws remove Islam as the main source for legislation.
U.S. federal executions have resumed
At the end of last month, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for federal executions to resume for the first time in 17 years.
And on Tuesday, federal authorities carried out the execution of Daniel Lewis Lee who was convicted of killing an Arkansas man, his wife, and their 8-year-old daughter in 1996.
God said in Genesis 9:6, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man.”
Virginia drops criminal charge against pastor for in-person service
Last week, Virginia dropped criminal charges against Pastor Kevin Wilson of Lighthouse Fellowship Church who held an in-person church service on Palm Sunday with 16 people in violation of the state’s COVID Order 55. Interestingly, the sanctuary had a 293-person capacity and the 16 people were more than socially distanced.
Wilson had faced a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.
The church is represented by Liberty Counsel and has received the public support of the U.S. Justice Department and Vice President Mike Pence.
Roger Stone tells CBN: “Vengeance is God’s , it’s not mine”
Last Friday, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Grant of Clemency, commuting the sentence of Roger Stone who was convicted of lying to Congress and obstructing a congressional investigation of the 2016 Trump presidential campaign.
In an exclusive interview with CBN News, Stone said he never broke the law, but that he’s on a new path now after attending a prayer service lead by Franklin Graham in January. Stone said he no longer wants revenge on his political enemies.
STONE: “In the old days, I would have wanted revenge. I would have wanted to take revenge against every one of them. But now I’ve realized that vengeance is God’s, it’s not mine.”
Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”
Judge blocked Georgia Heartbeat Bill
U.S. District Judge Steve Jones permanently blocked Georgia’s 2019 “heartbeat” anti-abortion bill on Monday.
The law would have banned most abortions on babies with heartbeats which can be detected as early as six weeks of pregnancy.
Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said, “We will appeal the court’s decision. Georgia values life and we will keep fighting for the rights of the unborn.”
Do we have a COVID-19 vaccine?
And finally, a COVID-19 vaccine created by Moderna Inc. successfully developed virus-killing antibodies in the 45 participants of the study’s Phase 1 research, according to an announcement from the biotech company this week.
Moderna already started its Phase 2 trials and plans on beginning its Phase 3 trails with around 30,000 participants later this month.
Close
And that’s The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, July 16th, in the year of our Lord 2020. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus (adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.