Frontlines

Frontline sounds like a war term. Well it was intended that way. As you may have gathered from my last few posts here, the Christian faith is under attack. In other parts of the world it looks more like an all out war right in the open. Some nations don't even bother to hide the fact that they are at war with Christians. Back to frontline: I got the title for this post from a man who's life is reminiscent of The Apostle Paul. His name is Dr. Peter Hammond. He started a group known as Frontline Fellowship. Here is a piece from the website about the founder:
The official government of Sudan, Ministry of Foreign Affairs website includes an article that declares that missionary Peter "Hammond should expect to be bombed when he comes to Sudan … he should expect to be shot on sight"!
Dr. Peter Hammond is a missionary who has pioneered evangelistic outreaches in the war zones of Mozambique, Angola and Sudan. Often travelling by off road motorbike, Peter has travelled hundreds of thousands of miles to deliver Bibles to persecuted Christians in Africa and Eastern Europe. In the course of his missionary activities Peter has been ambushed, come under aerial and artillery bombardments, been stabbed, shot at, beaten by mobs, arrested and imprisoned. On some mission trips he has flown far behind enemy lines to the beleaguered Nuba Mountains in Central Sudan with tonnes of Bibles, books and relief aid. He has then walked throughout the war devastated Nuba Mountains showing the Jesus film in Arabic, proclaiming the Gospel, training pastors and evading enemy patrols.
The things this man goes through to spread The Gospel are simply amazing. How many of us have been even stabbed for our faith?I saw an interview with Dr. Peter Hammond on Wretched with Todd Friel were Hammond recounted a story of one of his stays in prison. The cell he was in housed about 50 men, there were no toilet facilities other than a bucket all the men used. One form of torture they used on him was to stick his head in this bucket, but he would not deny his faith. He tells these stories just so matter of factly it is unreal. He is indeed on the Fronltines.
Dr. Hammond has written several books, I am hoping to soon get my hands on one of them, unfortunately the local library has a rather slim Christian section. When I do get a chance to read one I am quite positive I will have some posts from that. In the mean time if you want to read more about this organization check out their website at: www.frontline.org.za
All in all his story shows just how good we currently have it here in America! We must stay active on the political frontline or we may lose our freedoms. Christianity is under attack from all sides. The attacks here are more subtle, but if they continue to win battles to suppress the Christian voice it may come to a time where we experience the same struggles here that Dr. Hammond endures in Africa. Luckily we do have some that stand to fight for our rights in our legal system. I can not say enough good things about the work the ACLJ does for Christians in America and abroad. I urge everyone to support their work at www.ACLJ.org , you don't have to support them financially, although they could use the help, but often they just need signatures on various petitions. The least we can do is to pray for these men on the frontlines fighting the good fight to defend and spread Christianity, such as Dr. Peter Hammond and Jay Sekulow.

• Persecution
• Romans 8:34-36 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:“ For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
• 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
• Keeping Faith
• Psalm 119:2-3 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him with the whole heart! 3 They also do no iniquity;They walk in His ways.
• Prayer
• James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.