Blog note:  Christian Persecution. Jesus indicated that many would hate and persecute Christians because of His name. This has always been the case and is increasing in intensity and frequency.

Psalm 25:19. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.

Psalm 38:19. But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

Psalm 41:7. All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they devise my hurt.

Psalm 69:4. They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

Psalm 69:14. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

Matthew 10:22. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Mark 13:13. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Luke 6:22. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

Luke 14:26. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 19:14. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

Luke 21:17. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.

John 7:7. The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

John 15:18. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

John 15:23. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. End of note

At Least 32 Christians killed as mob burns homes, church in Nigeria

By Samuel Smith, CP Reporter. SATURDAY, MARCH 02, 2019

At least 32 Christians were killed by suspected Fulani extremists in Nigeria Tuesday, sources told a leading Christian persecution monitoring group.

The early-morning attack occurred in the district of Maro in the Kaduna state of north-central Nigeria, according to reports. In addition to the loss of life, homes and at least one church were burned as hundreds were displaced. Some homes even reportedly had sleeping residents inside when they were lit on fire.

“Please pray for peace in Kaduna state — hundreds have been displaced and hundreds killed by the Fulani jihadists,” The Rev. Bakari Ibrahim, director of the ECWA’s Evangelical Missionary Society, told Morning Star News. “We evacuated about a hundred EMS kids from Kufana for safety.”

Resident Mordecai Funom Ibrahim told the persecution news outlet that about 400 armed Fulanis attacked villages around Maro around 6 a.m. Tuesday.

At the time of the attack, a group of women affiliated with the ECWA had gathered for a meeting at the local church.

“We ran out of the church building as the shooting was going on,” one of the women from the group told Morning Star News. “Many have been killed, and I have not seen my family members since morning. I have escaped out of the area.”

A Kaduna government official confirmed the attack in a statement.

“Today, the Kaduna State government was briefed by security agencies of renewed attacks in Kajuru Local Government Area, and in parts of neighboring Kachia Local Government Area,” Samuel Aruwan, the senior special assistant to the governor, told The Guardian.

“The state government has been assured that the security agencies are working assiduously to contain the situation. The government is saddened by these attacks, condemns the perpetrators and urges all residents of the area to support the security agencies in their efforts to protect communities.”

The incident was also condemned by the Kaduna chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria. The organization warned youths in the area against responding with violence.

“The attackers fled later, they had already burned houses and a church. The youths came out and guard the environment, with the intervention of security. Normalcy has been restored,” The Rev. Joseph Hayab, leader of the state chapter, said. “We have appealed to the youths in the area that there must never be any reprisal. We want to give the security operatives in the state the benefit of the doubt to go after the killers. We don’t want any reprisal attack because the circle of violence and killings will continue.”