A tragic event in Burkina Faso this weekend

On Friday masked terrorists opened fire in our beloved Ouagadougou, sending bullets flying into Cappuccino restaurant and setting off car bombs outside, before retreating into the Splendid Hotel across the street where they continued to kill and destroy all that stood in their path.

All through the night and early morning hours, a war was being waged against the terrorists and Burkinabé security forces, along with French and American military support.

Finally, as the hot Burkina sun made it's way over the sky...the siege ended, the terrorists drew their final breaths, dying among the carnage that they caused.

In all, thirty people died that night at the hands of these wicked people.

In Job 24:13-24 it says,

"There are those who rebel against the light, 

who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. 

When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy,

 in the night he steals forth like a thief. 

The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk, 

he thinks, "No eye will see me," and he keeps his face concealed. 

In the dark, men break into houses, but by day they shut themselves in, 

they want nothing to do with the light. 

For all of them, deep darkness is their morning,

 they make friends with the terrors of darkness.

 Yet they are foam on the surface of the water, 

their portion of the land is cursed, 

so that no one goes to the vineyards. 

As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, 

so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. 

The womb feasts on them, 

evil men are no longer remembered but are broken like a tree. 

They prey on the barren and childless women,

 and to the widow show no kindness. 

But God drags away the mighty by his power; 

though they become established they have no assurance of life. 

He may let them rest in a feeling of security, but his eyes are on their ways. 

For a little while they are exalted, and then they are gone; 

they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like heads of grain. 

There is NO future, there is NO prosperity, there is NO hope, there is NO peace for men who delight in evil and shun the LORD Almighty.

Cowardice men and women who delight in evil and engage in hate filled conduct will be wiped away from the face of the earth. They have no assurance of Life. They will not be remembered and the Lord will take away their power.

There is a war waging. A mighty battle taking place against good and evil. Light and darkness. Both physically and spiritually. Though it appears that evil and the powers of darkness are advancing, and robbing the righteous of their future and leaving a trail of destruction and depravity...they will not be victorious.

The Lord will take up the cause of the righteous. He will usher in justice like a mighty wave and wipe away those who stand against Him.

Proverbs 14:11 says, "The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish."

As followers of Jesus Christ we are not called to revenge. For the Bible says, "If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, if he is thirsty give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head and the LORD will reward you." The LORD says that vengeance and retribution are HIS. We are called to imitate Christ. We are called to pray for our enemies. We are called to spread love, pursue peace, show kindness, defend the poor and vulnerable among us, protect, hope and rejoice in truth, be patient, and sacrificially serve, even our enemies (!) in the name of Jesus. By doing so, the world will know that we have the love of Jesus in our hearts.

In this attack carried out on Friday night, the forces of evil succeeded in killing many believers of Jesus....one of whom was our dearly beloved Mike. But what these terrorists don't know is that though these believers are no longer with us here on earth...they are rejoicing in heaven eternally with our LORD. Great is their reward!

May fear and trepidation plague the hearts of men who delight in pursuing malicious ways.
May God in His good and perfect timing bring them low and deliver justice.

"But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten."-Jer. 20:11

I want my children to know that those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. That they need not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day. We are not promised a trouble free and easy life and we do not know the length of our days on earth...but great is our reward in Heaven when He calls us home. Until we meet our Creator face to face, we are to live a life that brings Him glory. We are to serve and love those he's placed in our life and not be afraid to run to dark places and carry His Light and shine it brightly so that others may come to know Him too, even those who would persecute us. Love conquers hate. Light vanquishes dark. This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine so bright that the darkness runs and hides. Let it shine so bright that the darkness can not overcome it and that the love and power of Jesus stops the devil in his tracks!

May we live boldly. Confidently. Not cowering away in the presence of evil but standing firm in the promise that HE is with us! 

Evil will not prevail, nor will it overcome His mighty plan and purpose. For Joseph said, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."

Amen. What the forces of darkness intend to hurt us, destroy us, defeat us, isolate us....God will turn around and use for good. For His glory and benefit. He will accomplish His purpose and work out ALL things for the good of those who love him.