Four Christian Churches Attacked Sunday in Iraq.
The killed or marytered 12 Christians today.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - At least 12 people were killed in one of the four attacks on churches in Baghdad Sunday, a Reuters witness said.

At Least 12 Killed in One of Baghdad Church Blasts

He said a car raced into the parking lot of the Chaldean church in the southern Baghdad neighborhood of Doura and exploded as people were leaving a service. He said he saw at least 12 people dead and body parts scattered across the area.


BAGHDAD, Iraq - A series of coordinated bombings targeted churches in Baghdad and the northern city of Mosul during evening services Sunday, wounding at least 20 people in the first attacks on Christian places of worship in Iraq (news - web sites)'s 15-month insurgency.

The church attacks came amid a flurry of other bombings in and around the two cities that killed at least 10 Iraqis and an American soldier. The U.S. military confirmed two other explosions in Baghdad in the evening, but their target was not immediately clear.

The church attacks in Baghdad appeared to be car bombs. The two blasts exploded just minutes apart outside two nearby churches — one Armenian and one Catholic — in the Karada neighborhood.

Massive plumes of black smoke poured into the evening sky over the city as firefighters struggled to put out flames leaping from the front of the Armenian church and several blackened cars.

"I saw injured women and children and men, the church's glass shattered everywhere. There's glass all over the floor," said Juliette Agob, who was inside the Armenian church during the first explosion.

At nearly the same time, two blasts struck outside a church in Mosul and a third blast hit a bridge, Iraqi officials said. There was no immediate word on casualties.

Father, heal those wounded and cause them to stand even stronger in Your Word. Let those who did this be quickly captured in Jesus Name. Father, place Holy Warring Angels around Your people there to protect them.

__________________


As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

I knew there was an underground church in Iraq, I had no idea there were actual churches there!

Father, forgive me for not seeking out more information on the church in Iraq. Forgive me for not praying for the lives of the people who attend these churches.

Father, build up a strong tower for the Christians of Iraq to runinto in time of trouble, surround them with an hedge of Your Protection and place thornes on the walls of the hedge so the enemy cannot come near them. Encamp angels around your people and free them to fight for the Christians in Iraq. Surround them with a wall of Fire, just because You love them! Renew their Salvation Walks Lord and keep them at Your side for the duration of the danger. Prepare them to live in Your Light and Walk in Your Truth as they Walk in Trust at Your side. I rebuke the spirits of terror that are surrounding them and speak life to their hearts and Jesus to their spirits. Give them hope Lord, for the Glory of God to be revealed in their lives and their churches. Avenge Your martyrs and bring ever more converts to Salvation in Jesus! AMEN!

__________________

Amen.I agree with this.

Lord, I pray that you will protect the many churches all over the world. Surround them with your guardian angels. Support and encourage the people.
Amen

__________________
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." ~ Jeremiah 29:11

"He (God) is predictably unpredictable. He comes at the unexpected time, in the unexpected way." ~ Jon Courson

I stand in agreement in Jesus' Name!!

__________________


As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

We pray Father for all the men, young and old
for wisdom dear Lord, that you might bring upon them a stiring of the spirit where they might desire peace more than anything in their entire lives - where they will desire laughter, joy, security, peace - where they will desire peace - peace - where they will desire to go out and dance - and sing and all the pleasures they see in pictures and books - that they might desire peace in their lives O God our Saviour - for you created us to live in peace with one another.

Father, bring peace to these nations. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe peace today - especially in the lives of every man, young and old. That every man should desire peace, that they should desire to rest. To sleep, and to see their children educated and their wives happy. Father, God, Jehovah Jirah, Jehovah Shalom, we are believing you today that these people will begin to think peace, to live peace, to imagine peace, to endure things in peace, and to begin to build their nation.

In Jesus' name! Amen

FAITH UNDER FIRE
Iraqi Christian compound attacked
Assyrian facility in Baghdad hit with mortars

---

Posted: August 10, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Stefan J. Bos
© 2004 ASSIST News Service

BAGHDAD, Iraq – The Assyrian Christian compound in Baghdad came under mortar attack yesterday, just over a week after bombers killed up to 15 Christians, news reports and church officials said.

Assyrian leaders said the targeted compound in the Iraqi capital's Zayuna district houses a clinic, a women's center and a computer center. It also provides free telephone calls to those in need and supports humanitarian relief activities in addition to serving as the nerve center for Assyrian Christians in Iraq.

There was no word of casualties, but the violence was expected to increase concern among Iraqi Christians. Hundreds and possible thousands of Christians have reportedly fled to countries such as Jordan and Syria following attacks against five Assyrian churches on Sunday, Aug. 1 in Baghdad and Mosul.

Those who stayed behind, including believers of Baghdad's Chaldean Church of St. Peter and St. Paul where most Christians died, have prayed for those responsible for what was the largest terrorist attack against Christians since the 15-month-old insurgency began.

"We cannot understand why or how they could do something like this," Father Faris Toma told the British daily The Daily Telegraph last week. "All we can do is ask God to give them forgiveness and grant us peace."

In addition, the well informed Internet website Assyrianchristians.com reported on other recent incidents, including the killings of two Christian children, 6 and 16, in their Baghdad home.

Monday's attack against the Assyrian compound further confirmed that "the anti-democratic forces in Iraq are trying to start sectarian 'warfare,'" the community said in a statement released via the Internet.

Yet, "by attacking the various Assyrian Christian offices ... they have failed to generate support from the Iraqi public who have been sympathetic to the plight of the Christians. This latest savage attack as the previous ones will fail because the Iraqi people understand what is happening," an official said.

The mainly Assyrian Christians are the indigenous people of Iraq, and experts say many were forcibly converted to the Muslim religion throughout the centuries and especially under the last years of the Saddam Hussein regime.

While some church officials claim there are around 2.5 million Assyrian Christians still in Iraq, most estimates suggest the real figure may be roughly 750,000, due to persecution and massive migration.

"With the rise of radical Muslim clerics the situation has changed dramatically and there has been an exodus of these once large communities," said Ken Joseph, a spokesman for the Assyrian Christians in Iraq.

A hitherto unknown group, the "Planning and Follow-up Committee in Iraq," claimed responsibility for the attacks. It said: "Your mujahedeen brothers dealt painful blows to the dens of the Crusaders, the dens of evil, corruption, vice and Christianization," the Daily Telegraph reported.

However, Joseph said he was encouraged that the "one Assyrian Christian minister" in the government, Pascale Warda, enjoys "broad support" within the Cabinet "for her courage and outspoken views supporting a strong and independent Iraq."

In addition, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's senior Shia cleric, has denounced the church bombings as "hideous crimes." Iraq's interim government blamed them on foreign Islamist militants led by the al-Qaida-linked terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, news reports said.

Yet at least one Assyrian Christian reportedly said Christians are showing defiance.

"We were afraid before, we are no longer so," the unidentified woman was quoted as saying in an Internet message from the Assyrian community. "I will wear my cross proudly. Nobody is going to force me, my family or our people from our country. The more they try the stronger we are becoming." she added.