Prayer and Terror: Part B: Personal journaling and getting informed about the history and current events of terrorism (November 17-18, 2015)

Prayer and Terror: Part B: Personal journaling and getting informed about the history and current events of terrorism (November 17-18, 2015)
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There are so many important articles to read today that I am posting this personal journaling immediately and am not waiting until tomorrow. art of being informed is being informed immediately--not after the fact. This is particularly true when it comes to terrorism in the present after the Paris Terror Attacks and the world's response.
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I just bought a new book today and I think this will be the book I read first and foremost right now. It looks like the best one for me to read as an introduction of sorts and it will certainly help me to pray effectively about terrorism. (12:35 p.m.)
The book is:
"What Every Christian Needs to Know about the Qur'an" by James R. White. 2013. Bethany House Publishers. Bloomington, Minnesota.
Publisher Website: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/bethanyhouse.
Here is the link for the book:
http://smile.amazon.com/Every-Christian-Needs-About-Quran/dp/0764209760/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1447789167&sr=1-1
I will read this book and then look at my other books I have bought for my studies (resources), along with different resources on the internet, and other books I have not found and/or bought yet.
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Article 6)
Title: Anonymous Cyber-Hacking Group Warns ISIS: "Your Jihad is Coming to an Abrupt End" [VIDEO]
Link and Read more at: https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/54075/watch-anonymous-cyber-hackers-declare-war-isis-following-paris-attacks-terror-watch/#equ9MQvsFeFReXfr.99
Article 7)
Title: "Another disaster averted? German soccer stadium evacuated after bomb plot uncovered"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/17/german-soccer-stadium-evacuated-security-concerns-cited/
Article 8)
Title: "France, Russia pummel ISIS stronghold as critics blast US rules of engagement"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/17/france-russia-pummel-isis-stronghold-as-critics-blast-us-rules-engagement/
Article 9)
Title: "World Leaders Hold 'Moment of Silence' for Paris Victims. But One Nation's President is Late…"
Link: http://www.ijreview.com/2015/11/473645-world-leaders-hold-moment-of-silence-for-paris-victims-but-one-nations-president-is-late/?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=afternoon-newsletter&utm_medium=owned
Me: Why am I not surprised? However, I cannot help but react and add a scathing commentary now. Pardon me while I vent. How pompous and disrespectful. This is the man that represents the United States of American, and our people, past and present. What an embarrassment. This is how he shows his true opinion of the victims in France -- and, France, our greatest ally that helped us fight and win the War of Independence. Pardon me? I was raised to show respect to the position, if you cannot show respect to the people. I was also raised to stand in support for anyone who mourns -- to be there and offer them my condolances and a shoulder if needed. I was in elementary school when I learned these values--and how old is our President? What a disgrace. Rude. Inconsiderate.
My prayer: Father, speak to him. Guide him. Convict him. Show him Your way.
Article 10)
Title: "We're not Islamophobic, Mr. Obama, we just don't want to get blown up"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/11/17/were-not-islamophobic-mr-obama-just-dont-want-to-get-blown-up.html?cmpid=NL_tadspth
Article 11)
Title: "Radical Islam is our enemy: It's time for us to leave political correctness at the door"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/11/17/radical-islam-is-our-enemy-its-time-for-us-to-leave-political-correctness-at-door.html?intcmp=trending
Article 12)
Title: Goodwin: It's time for Obama to make a choice: Lead us or resign
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/11/16/goodwin-its-time-for-obama-to-make-choice-lead-us-or-resign.html?intcmp=trending
Article 13)
Title: "6 Times the Obama Administration Downplayed the Threat ISIS Posed to the World"
Link: http://www.ijreview.com/2015/11/472955-6-times-the-obama-administration-downplayed-the-threat-isis-posed-to-the-world/?utm_source=email&utm_campaign=afternoon-newsletter&utm_medium=owned
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Prayers and Blessings,
Stacy Duplease
Blogs:
RYP Stories http://rypstories.blogspot.com/
Prayer and Terror http://prayerandterror.blogspot.com/
A Journaling Odyssey http://ajournalingodyssey.blogspot.com/

Personal journaling and getting informed about the history and current events of terrorism (November 16-17, 2015)

Prayer and Terror: Personal journaling and getting informed about the history and current events of terrorism (November 16-17, 2015)
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The purpose of my personal journaling is to get informed about the history and current events of terrorism, so I can pray effectively. That's it in a nutshell.
I am sharing this with you via blog form so that you can learn from the research that I do. I will give you the original sources so you can research it further and fact check what I say. I will share my opinions and what I think based off of what I learn. It is my goal to do the research so you don't have to, if you don't want to or have the time to do so for yourself.
The truth is I am biased. I am starting with the opinion that terrorism is wrong and that over one thousand four hundred years of ideology cannot be changed overnight. However, I want to know what they believe and why and the facts of the history and current events regarding terrorism.
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I am a journal keeper of 33+ years and I journal all day and night long. Therefore, I journal multiple times each day. Rather than put each journal entry as a separate blog post, I will include all of them in a daily blog post.
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Current events articles for November 17, 2015
I'm going to include current event articles each day to help us stay informed. I will put them in the order in which I receive them.
Article 1)
Title: "Obama: The Current [Failing] Strategy We're Putting Forward Against ISIS Is Ultimately The One That Will Work"
Katie Pavlich | Nov 16, 2015
Link: http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2015/11/16/obama-the-current-strategy-were-putting-forward-against-isis-is-ultimately-the-one-that-will-work-n2081404
My thoughts: If what we were already doing was working, why did a Russian jetliner get taken down by ISIS? And, why did the Paris Terror Attacks happen? If we were effective in our strategy, these things would have been known about in advance and stopped.
Article 2)
Title: " Obama: Paris terror rampage a 'setback'"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/16/obama-facing-criticism-for-push-to-contain-isis/?intcmp=hpbt1
My thoughts: Saying that a terror attack is a setback is heinous. It minimizes the deaths and those wounded. It allows the people who died to die in vain. It is absolutely sickening that the President of the United States would use such a phrase. He is supposed to be a leader. I am, frankly, shocked at how callous he is in using this phrase. If he sees this as a mere 'setback,' how can he effectively fight terrorism?
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In order to understand terrorism, it's important to learn about the history of Islam and the Koran (Quran). In order to learn the most I can about Islam, the Koran, and terrorism, it's important for me to learn about the founder, Muhammad.
Timeline
570 Muhammad was born.
610 Muhammad's revelation of the Koran began in 610 in a cave near Mecca. The cave was called the Cave of Hira.
610 Then, the same year, at the age of 40, Muhammad's prophethood began when the Angel Jebreel (Gabriel) appeared to him and called him the Prophet of Allah.
632 Muhammad died.
From these facts, we can do some math. 2015 - 610 = 1,405.
Islam began 1,405 years ago or thereabouts.
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418 p.m.
Article 3)
Title: " Sadly, Glenn's prediction about Paris comes true"
Link: http://www.glennbeck.com/2015/11/15/sadly-glenns-prediction-about-paris-comes-true/
Article 4)
Title: "The Strategy Continues As Is: Breaking Down Obama's 'Striking' Remarks on Paris Terror"
Link: http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/11/16/obama-refers-paris-terror-setback-hemmer-baier-break-down-striking-remarks
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NOVEMBER 17, 2015, TUESDAY
Article 5)
Title: "How One Unlikely Man Stopped the Stealing of Thanksgiving" by Ann Voskamp
Link: http://www.incourage.me/2015/11/a-story-how-one-unlikely-man-stopped-the-stealing-of-thanksgiving.html
Article 6)
Title: "Russia joins France striking ISIS stronghold in Syria"
Link: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/11/17/france-carries-out-fresh-isis-airstrikes-as-report-claims-allies-targeted-paris/
Article 7)
Title: "#F**kParis' — 'Black Lives' Show True Colors On Twitter"
Link: Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2015/11/16/fkparis-black-lives-show-true-colors-on-twitter/#ixzz3rlDcRgMw
Prayers and Blessings,
Stacy Duplease
Blogs:
RYP Stories http://rypstories.blogspot.com/
Prayer and Terror http://prayerandterror.blogspot.com/
A Journaling Odyssey http://ajournalingodyssey.blogspot.com/

The world has changed

The world has changed.
(Personal journaling entry #2. Written November 14, 2015.)
The world has changed.
How many people realize this? And how many of us are too oblivious to realize this truth? And, do I realize the full ramifications?
The Paris Terror Attacks mean our world is far different than it was prior to Friday, November 13th, 2015.
In fact, people are once again saying that World War 3 has begun.
PRAYER: Lord, I pray every individual, every country, believes both these things to be true. Please help us to be active in our realization of these two new realities and to fully act on these things. Help this to drive every Christian to learn fully about Islam, the Koran, the conflict in the Middle East, and terrorism. Help us to gain the full understanding of these things so our prayers can be as highly effective as possible.

My ineffective prayers about terrorism

(Journal Entry #1 of Prayer and Terror. Written on November 14, 2015, Saturday)

Why have I started this personal journaling series, which I will share in a blog (which I will then later turn into a published book)? This is why:
My husband and I have date night every Friday night and we decided to go to an early to dinner on November, Friday the 13th since we were hungry. As we drove there, my cell phone made the notification sound which let me know I most likely had a breaking news alert. Hence, I decided to check it, and sure enough, at 247 p.m. we learned of explosions in Paris, France. (Was it a new terror attack?) There were also reports of gunfire and at least two people were dead.
We both said, "Oh, boy..."
As we sat there in the restaurant, we kept receiving news alerts and the numbers of dead and wounded kept growing, along with the details of what happened (and was happening) in Paris. Needless to say, "Oh, boy," grew to, "Oh, Lord." The last was a form of a prayer when we just could not find the words.
Our hearts fell as we prayed.
It sure sounded like terrorism.
To make matters worse, as we sat there at dinner, we read of a news report about how Christians in Indonesia are experiencing jihad after imams say how they will keep hunting Christians and burning churches.
These two news reports left us rather stirred up about the need to take a stand against terrorism and fight terrorism.
{NOTE: The numbers I share were what were being reported at the time. Therefore, when all is said and done, these numbers will be different. We will know in a week or two the true numbers of the Paris Terror Attacks.}
Then, when we got home, we headed straight to our television and watched to see what was being said about Paris. Was it being called terror yet? We quickly learned how the situation only grew worse by the moment. There were around 100 hostages in the Bataclan Concert Hall. Then, things got worse. People said on social media how the terrorists were executing people one by one. Then, things got even worse. People said how the terrorists in the Bataclan were throwing hand grenades in the faces of the hostages. Then, things got more intense when it was reported how there were five explosions outside the Concert Hall. Next, police went in the Bataclan and 12 or so were rescued. In the end, that stopped the terror attacks last night and we are still waiting for the final murdered and wounded counts.
The Paris Terror Attacks were not known about ahead of time, according to initial reports. There was no known chatter specifically about attacking Paris. (As I type this on Monday, November 16, 2015, we are hearing differently.) Hence, it was a surprise attack. France was already on heightened alert after the Charlie Hebdo attack on January 07, 2015.
So, France didn't hear chatter. Neither did we (the USA). This realization was and is rather disturbing. In the past, we would have. This shows how much we have regressed.
Also, the Paris Terror Attacks happened eight hours after President Barak Obama announced on television how ISIS was "contained." He said this even though they took a Russian Jetliner in the last week and it killed around 200 people on board. (Pardon?)
A couple of days prior, a terrorist known as "Jihadi John" was killed in an airstrike. (Note: I need to look him up and this information up later.)
Also, The USA has been attacking Syria and has stepped up its efforts in the war on terror (slightly and minutely).
The six Paris Terror Attacks have me stirred up and have left me stunned. It has made wonder several things. For instance, what can I do personally, if anything, to fight terrorism? And, how can I understand terror and the beliefs of terrorism? Can I? (And just because I might understand what they believe, it does not mean I support it or need to do so. Nor does it mean I have to be politically correct.) Are the terrorists part of a 'radical' form of Islam? Or does Islam have militant tendencies? What does the Koran (Quran) really say? What is the history of the Crusades, the conflict in the Middle East, and terrorism?
How can I pray about terrorism?
How can Christians take a stand? Should Christians take a stand?
What should we pray specifically about terrorism?
September Eleventh was over fourteen years ago and I realize how little I still understand about terrorism, Islam, and the Koran, never mind the history of all three--and what the history of all three have to do with current events. Therefore, I am forced to ask a troubling question. How can my prayers be effective, let alone fully effective, if I do not understand this history and current events of Islam, the Koran, and terrorism?
Stop.
Let me repeat that.
How effective can my prayers be if I do not understand Islam, the Koran, and terrorism--past, present, and in the future?
The answer is simple and straightforward. My prayers are ineffective at best because I cannot pray specific, pinpointed, targeted prayers about terrorism if I am not fully informed about the current events and history of Islam, the Koran, and terrorism.
Period.
If I am not fully informed about Islam, the Koran, terrorism, the Crusades, the conflict in the Middle East, al-Qaeda, ISIS/ISIL/IS, I cannot pray effectively. My prayers, if uninformed, are like me having a dart, and I am spun around and blindfolded, and am told to hit an one-inch target from a mile away. How do these prayers help anyone? And, how do they advance the kingdom and will of God? (They don't.)
Therefore, it is my goal to get schooled in Islam, the Koran, the Middle East, and terrorism--in the past (history), present, and future of each. I want to become a subject matter expert so my prayers can be fully and completely effective.
All that being said, let me me perfectly honest here. I have not even prayed against terrorism as I could or should. I haven't prayed about terrorism far too many times and days. More to the point, I have been silent in prayer regarding terrorism far more than I have uttered one word of prayer about terrorism.
If I had prayed like I could or should, would the Paris Terror Attacks have happened at all--or would they have been at least lessened?
I have bought four books to start my education.
I am starting this personal journaling series, which I will turn into blog posts, which I will then turn into a book or two. After all, I am certain I am not the only Christian who feels this way, who is not informed about the history, and is concerned about praying in the most effective way possible regarding terrorism--past, present, and future.
I think it's critical for each and every Christian to pray about terrorism. And, our prayers should be as effective as possible.
ISIS is not a JV (or jayvee) team and they are not contained in the slightest. Nor are they in retreat.
Terrorism is an evil ideology. We need to understand the magnitude of the threat of terrorism. We are at war. We can deny it and run from it, but terrorists have declared war on us. Hence, we need to make our prayers count and be as effective as possible. The only way to do that is to know and understand the history and current events.
PRAYER: Lord, please help Paris and the victims of the Paris Terror Attacks. Guide the French government, the first responders, and military. Guide the world to make a proper response, Lord. Father, help me to grasp their ideology, the conflict in the Middle
East, and terrorism. I am tired of having small and ineffective prayers about terrorism. Teach me and guide me, Lord.
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Miscellaneous Information:
ISIS stands for Islamic States of Iraq and Syria.
ISIL stands for Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.
ISIS is also known as ISIL, Daesh, and IS.
IS is Islamic State.
ISIL was founded in 1999 by Abu Musab as-Zaqawi.
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Timeline of Muhammed, Islam, the Koran, Terrorism, and the Middle East
2015
January 07, 2015 Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in Paris, France.
November 13, 2015, Friday The Paris Terror Attacks in Paris, France.

Paris Terror Attacks on Friday the 13th

After the Paris Terror Attacks on Friday the 13th, I decided it was time to research and study everything that I can about Islam, the Koran, the conflict in the Middle East, the Crusades, terrorism, and the history and current events of each.

Why?

I want my prayers to be effective as possible and if I don't understand all of this, know it, and understand it, my prayers about terrorism simply are not effective.

I owe all of the effective prayers I can to Paris and all the victims (and their families) of terrorism, past, present, and future--and the first responders and military (and their families) who have, are, and will fought terrorism.

Prayer is the only way I can fight terror personally and I want to be as effective as possible.

On this blog, I will share what I learn, process, and pray about Islam, the Koran, the conflict in the Middle East, terrorism, and the history and current events of each.