By Elizabeth Prata
Hans Schmidt, Outreach Director at Victory Chapel in Phoenix AZ, was preaching about an upcoming service at his church. The former military combat medic was standing with a megaphone on a busy street corner, a frequent activity in which he engaged, when police received reports a man had been assaulted. Initially unaware that the assault was a gunshot, Hans was transported to the hospital where a CT scan revealed he had been shot in the head.
Hans is a husband and father of two. He remains in critical condition. In an update, his church stated that ‘Hans desperately needs a miracle.’ Police are asking for help in finding the person who shot Hans.
Officer Gina Winn, the public information officer for Glendale police, stated, “It is unknown at this time how Hans was shot. We are seeking the public’s assistance in obtaining any information regarding what could have happened.“
What is especially scary is that the Officer said that the particular corner is a busy one, with lots of cars and pedestrian traffic.
So, dear friends, that someone would be bold enough in bright daylight on a busy place, to simply shoot a man. The Glendale police want help from any witnesses or any information.
Or you can call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS, or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish speakers.
Waning Restraint
It IS a horrible offense. The Rule of Law used to restrain people from walking up or driving up to a person and shooting them because you don’t like what they are saying or doing (motive is not stated by LEO but is assumed by me). If you believe this happened in a faraway state and has nothing to do with you, think again. The Rule of Law via a government isn’t enough any more to stop people from doing the unthinkable. Those restraining bonds, ones established by God in His wisdom and mercy, along with the family and the church, are frayed so terribly they are like gossamer strands unable to withstand even the smallest pull.
Victory Chapel has established a donation button if you would like to contribute to medical expenses for Hans on behalf of his family.
Church website, find the donate button by scrolling down- Victory Chapel, Phoenix: https://www.vccf1phx.com/
or the church donate button leads here: https://www.givelify.com/donate/NjI3NDk=/donation/amount
I donated myself to test the safety of the donation to Victory Church. If you scroll down the options to dedicate your donation, there is a tab that has been added to donate for Hans’ Medical Expenses.
WHY?
We should not be surprised that this happens. The world hates Christ and as a result, hates His people. The only surprise should be that we in America have been shielded from it for so long.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you. (1 Peter 4:12).
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. (John 15:18).
And you will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. (Matthew 10:22).
You have seen how quickly the world began to hate the Jews again when Hamas started the current Middle East war. It rose quickly, and didn’t stay a mere internal emotion but became active and living in protests, marches, and even terrorizing and killings outside the war.
“Recent antisemitism is also a reflection of destructive forces tearing at American and western European societies, where stability and democracy are already under pressure.” Source:A new wave of antisemitism threatens to rock an already unstable world
It should not surprise us that the hatred for God’s people the Jews and Christians rose so quickly. The entire world is under the temporary dominion of the evil one. He is god of this age. (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Picture this: Satan has laid over the entire earth a deep layer of hay. Brittle, combustible, it lays there, waiting. Satan then goes about roaming up and down upon the earth, fomenting hatred, bitterness, and evil among chosen targets. He doesn’t need to work too hard, unsaved people are already sinners through and through. When he has enough of a critical mass, satan lights them up like a candle, their dark hearts pouring forth hatred. They in turn ignite the hay surrounding that portion of the earth. A conflagration of evil and sin erupts.
Sin is always at the ready to ignite. At any and every moment.
Paul said as time goes on, that evil men will wax worse and worse.
Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil people and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:12-13).
Paul in the next verse gave the instruction of how we Christians are to behave in light of this truth:
You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:14-15).
The key to that verse, of course, is HAVE YOU LEARNED? This is not the time or place to wallow in biblical illiteracy. It is not the era of undiscernment. It is imperative, imperative, to know His word, so as to be able to stand on the Rock when trouble comes.
I surmise that Mr. Hans Schmidt probably never thought that though he successfully stood on that same street corner preaching with his megaphone, that THIS day, THIS moment was the one where out of seemingly nowhere, he would be shot in the head for preaching righteousness.
But he was and so can we all be entering the next moment of the time of trouble, distress, or persecution. Each day that passes it is more likely, “even” here in America. As if America is exempt from the biblical promise that trouble and persecutions will come. We are not exempt, and in fact, the national character of the people of the United States in general is one that seems to be incurring its due judgment for our national sins.
Pray for the Schmidt family and their church family. Donate if you feel led. Become situationally aware, stay in the word, and know that some blessed day, Jesus will return and stop all this.
Republished with permission from Blogs.crossmap.com, featuring inspiring Bible verses about Street preacher shot in head while preaching Good News (donate button inside).
