FBI arrests Idaho 18-year-old for ‘violent plot’ to attack churches on behalf of ISIS, Justice Department says

April 10, 2024 — FoxNews.com reports: – “The FBI has arrested an 18-year-old in Idaho after uncovering his ‘truly horrific’ and ‘violent plot’ to attack churches in Coeur d’Alene this past weekend on behalf of ISIS, the Justice Department says. 

Alexander Mercurio is now facing a federal charge of attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization after the FBI says he devised a plan to ‘incapacitate his father, restrain him using handcuffs, and steal his firearms to use for maximum casualties’ in an attack he had been planning to carry out in the northern Idaho resort city on Sunday, April 7. 

‘The defendant allegedly pledged loyalty to ISIS and sought to attack people attending churches in Idaho, a truly horrific plan which was detected and thwarted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force,’ FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement…

‘His attack plan involved using flame-covered weapons, explosives, knives, a machete, a pipe and ultimately firearms,’ the investigator added. ‘His plan grew more precise as he eventually identified the specific church and date on which he planned to attack.’…”    (Great persecution will soon overtake most Christians in a majority of the world.  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. – Matthew 5:10 – 12; If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.  But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. – John 15:18 – 21; …When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held.  — Revelation 6:9; …I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. – Revelation 20:4; and Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. – Revelation 2:10.  See the next report.)

ISIS calls for Ramadan massacre of Christians and Jews by ‘lone wolves’

April 2, 2024 — The Jerusalem Post reports: “ISIS called for ‘lone wolves’ to murder Christians and Jews around the world as part of the holiday of Ramadan, British news outlet Mirror reported on Friday.

Islamic State spokesperson Abu Hudhayfah al-Ansari praised the terror attack on Crocus Concert Hall near Moscow, where 140 were murdered, the British news media outlet reported.

 Al-Ansari proceeded to reach out to ‘lone wolves’ on Telegram, urging them to ‘target Christians and Jewish people, especially in the US, Europe, and Israel during the holy month of Ramadan.’

Commemorating the 10th anniversary of the ISIS caliphate declaration in Iraq and Syria, al-Ansari stated that American troops in Iraq will ‘lead to more attacks’ from the terror organization.

In a 41-minute audio speech, the spokesperson ‘highlighted and praised the global expansion of Islamic State’ and sharply criticized the terror organization al-Qaeda, claiming that it had strayed from its path…”

Why Americans are losing their religion

April 24, 2024 — Voice of America News reports: “A decades long trend toward secularization, which has come more slowly to America than many other developed countries, appears to be picking up speed in the United States, according to polling and other evidence.

In 1965, a Gallup poll found that 70% of respondents said religion is ‘very important’ in their lives. Today, fewer than half of Americans (45%) say religion is ‘very important.’

‘Younger generations probably weren’t really brought up in a faith tradition, or maybe if they were, they didn’t go to church that often … so I think that’s a big reason,’ Jeff Jones, a senior editor at Gallup, says.

One-fourth of Americans (26%) said they were religiously unaffiliated in 2023, which is up from 21% in 2013, according to the Public Religion Research Institute.

The same study suggests that these religiously unaffiliated folks are not looking to get more religion. Only 9% say they are interested in finding a new religious or spiritual home…”  (…when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? – Luke 18:8.  The article makes one wonder what the answer to that question would be.  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. – Amos 8:11-12.

Thankfully, God always has a faithful remnant.  In I Kings 19 following the victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah fled to the wilderness after hearing a threat from Jezebel.  We read: …he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.  And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.  And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.  And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.  And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah?  And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.  And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:  And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.  And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?  And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.  And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:  And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.  And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.  Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. – I Kings 19:4-18 [Emphasis mine].  Thank God for His faithful remnant.)