American Journalist Beheaded by ISIS

Most of us know that Islamic State (ISIS) has been beheading lots of folks over in Iraq and Syria...even little kids.

But those folks are not Americans...so for most of us we shrug it off and say, "Wow, those people are crazy!", and then go back to our lives.

Yesterday we learned that a good looking white boy from New Hampshire was beheaded with a small steak knife and ISIS posted the video to YouTube.  So mark it on your calendars, August 19 was the first act of terrorism committed by ISIS against the USA.

U.S. officials on Wednesday confirmed the authenticity of a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley, making him the first American to be killed by the Islamic State since an uprising in Syria began in March 2011.

The video, titled “A Message to America,” surfaced Tuesday on a YouTube account believed to have ties to Islamic State militants, according to The New York Times. The four-minute, 40-second video, which has since been removed, shows Foley kneeling next to a masked Islamic State militant before he is beheaded.

“Today your military air force is attacking us daily in Iraq. Your strikes have caused casualties among Muslims. You are no longer fighting an insurgency,” the masked militant said, according to Reuters. “We are an Islamic army.”

Foley, a freelance journalist for online media outlet GlobalPost, disappeared while working in northern Syria in November 2012, according to The Wall Street Journal. He had reported in the Middle East for five years and had been previously kidnapped and released in Libya, according to Reuters.

“I wish I had more time,” Foley said in the video, according to the Journal. “I wish I could have the hope of freedom and seeing my family again. But that ship has sailed.”

At least one other American citizen is believed to be in Islamic State custody. Footage at the end of Tuesday’s video showed American freelance journalist Steven Sotloff, who disappeared while working in Syria in July 2013.

President Barack Obama has been briefed on the video but has yet to deliver a statement, according to the Times and Reuters. He is expected to make a statement Wednesday, according to The Associated Press.

Here;  http://www.usnews.com/news/newsgram/articles/2014/08/20/us-officials-confirm-islamic-state-video-of-journalist-james-foleys-beheading

I hope Foley knew Jesus.  If he did, he is now in the presence of his Creator.

If he didn't, it is terrifying to even think about the fear that would run through your mind as your murderer bends you over and begins to saw off your head....and then the ETERNAL FEAR of realizing your first thought as you enter the afterlife is that you made an enormous mistake by rejecting Jesus.

Honestly, I am 100% convinced that if all of us who call ourselves Christians would contemplate hell and eternity a little bit more we would all become evangelists for Jesus because we wouldn't want ANYONE to follow Satan to that place.

So what stops us from telling everyone we know about Jesus and eternity spent in heaven or hell?

"Well, I just don't want people to think I'm one of those weird 'Jesus freaks'"

"Honestly, I would but I just have been so busy chasing the kids to basketball and soccer!"

"Oh Dennis, you need to lighten up!  Don't become so heavenly minded that you become no earthly good!"

"Yeah, I would...but I honestly don't believe that there is a hell....a loving God wouldn't send anyone there....that's how I feel."

"It's not my job to tell people about Jesus....that's why I send my $20 per year to The Jesus Film Project...that's what THEY are supposed to do!"

"I don't really give a rip about what happens to anyone else!  I know what I believe and that's what counts!"

"I would tell people about Jesus, but I don't really know my Bible that well and I'm scared they would ask me questions I don't know the answers to."

So what's YOUR excuse today?