Only last month, 21 Christians were murdered out of almost 300 who remained in the city of al-Qaryatain after ISIS captured it last August.

Some of the victims – who included three women – died whilst trying to escape while others were killed for breaking the terms of their “dhimmi contracts”, which require them to submit to the rule of Islam.

But despite the atrocities, congregations are clinging to their faiths.

Bishop Yousif Habash of Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance based in New Jersey says even though ISIS may take away everything from the Christians, they cannot take away their faith.

Religious groups and leaders are now calling on their followers to pray for the survival of those being persecuted in Iraq and Syria. READ MORE

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Islam has no Redeemer. Muslims believe that The Mahdi — their messiah — will someday arrive to redeem Islam, but not individuals. To reach paradise, you have to be good enough on your own. But you can never know for sure if you really are good enough. All you really know is that one drop of “impurity” makes the whole person impure. How terrible to face the end of life not knowing if you’ve qualified for paradise. 

So Muslims searched Islamic teaching for what we might call a “workaround.” An action that will guarantee paradise even though the person’s life could not possibly qualify him or her. 

And they found it in the Quran. Martyrdom. 

In short, Islam teaches that no matter how wayward and “sinful” the life you’ve lived — even right up until your last breath — if you die as a “martyr” for Islam, you and your family are guaranteed instant entrance to paradise. And, as a bonus, 72 beautiful virgins to pleasure you eternally. (The exact number of beautiful virgins is a matter of debate among Islamic scholars, but 72 is the popular idea in the western media.) 

That explains why so many “martyrs” for Islam, like Anwar al-Awlaki (who was killed by a U.S. drone strike) and several of the 9/11 hijackers frequented strip clubs and prostitutes right up until the end. They knew they had a workaround: Death for Islam while dealing death to the infidels. 

This is one thing that is wrong with Islam. It assures salvation ONLY to the martyr. No one else can know if they are good enough for paradise. 

But God has a better way: Jesus. People who think of Islam and Christianity as basically the same could NOT be more wrong. Muslims work hard in their search for redemption in a faith without a Redeemer. 

Consider the differences. One faith says you either have to be perfect in your goodness or die as a martyr to be saved. The other says that Someone who truly was perfect died FOR you. Paul said, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses (sins) against them… He made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21 NASB) 

And the even better news? This redemption is not restricted to an elite few. The door is open to ALL, to “whosoever will.” (Revelation 22:17 KJV)

ARE YOU COMPLETELY PREPARED? 

IT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT PREP YOU CAN DO!   

The Bible tells us that every human has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God which is  is a heart-penetrating truth. He has provided a way to cleanse us of our sins since we can never be “good enough” to cleanse ourselves. That avenue to God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness (the cleansing of our sins) is through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth Who is equally God.