Afghanistan: ‘Spring Fighting Season’
A Christian living in Afghanistan writes, ‘As the spring fighting season is underway please remember that often what we see in the physical reflects the hidden spiritual battles that are raging. In the natural, we see sharp increases in casualties among international forces fighting for peace. We also see significant increases in civilian casualties as insurgents target banks, markets, university libraries, and security checkpoints manned by army and police. Recent suicide attacks have been staged in such a way that multiple sites are attacked simultaneously, and then rescue workers are attacked as they move in to care for the wounded. We can take courage from the knowledge that if our spiritual enemy is fighting this fiercely, it is because he knows his time is short and our prayers are making a difference. We must not lose heart, but encourage one another to redouble our efforts in prayer!’ Pray: for evil to be exposed, for righteous judgments to prevail and for national and international believers to use their most potent weapon – praise and worship! (Ps.8:1-2)
Syria: Envoy expected in Turkey for crisis talks
A Syrian envoy arrived in Turkey on Wednesday for crisis talks with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, days after the Turkish leader described the Syrian government's repression of protests as ‘savagery.’ The once-close relationship between the neighbours appears close to breaking point as thousands of Syrians have fled to Turkey to escape a fierce crackdown by President Bashar Assad's security forces.
Pray: for Jesus Christ to be in the midst of these talks and for every strategy to be inspired by God's wisdom. (Ps.17:13)
More: http://www.jpost.com/Headlines/Article.aspx?id=225080
Pakistan: Police torture sister of Christian who eloped
Sheikhupura police this month tortured a young Christian woman into revealing the whereabouts of the legal team helping her family after an influential Muslim family kidnapped her and her sister. Police also helped the Muslim family beat relatives of the Christian woman on court premises and attacked the offices of the organization trying to help her family. The Community Development Initiative (CDI) is an affiliate of the European Centre for Law and Justice. They helped the family negotiate the release of the two Christian sisters and also made efforts for the return of the runaway couple in order to avert religious conflict in the Punjab Province when it was feared inter-religious tensions would put the lives of some 70 Christian families of the area in jeopardy. Pray: for God's protection over the vulnerable and for spiritually inspired hope where there is despair. (Ps,10:17,18) More: http://www.compassdirect.org/english/country/pakistan/article_113622.html
INSIGHT: Doctors tell stories of miracles
Following last weeks Prayer Alert item highlighting a conference for Christian doctors on June 11-12, this Praise INSIGHT provides some of the stories of miracles that Christian doctors have seen over recent years. Many of the medics pray for their patients as well as giving medical treatments and some related stories of seeing Christian prayer heal their patients. A Philippines-born doctor spoke of a Korean Christian called Deacon Han diagnosed with gastric cancer following an endoscopic study. He was told that he should undergo an operation for gastric cancer, but he didn’t because he had a belief in God. Han then travelled to the Manmin Central Church in Seoul where he received prayer for his sickness. From that moment, he gained weight and was healed. For more encouraging stories of miraculous healings click the info button and see:
Praise: God for miracles beyond normal medical expectations.
Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/praisestories1.pdf
INSIGHT: Doctors tell stories of miracles
Following last weeks Prayer Alert item highlighting a conference for Christian doctors on June 11-12, this Praise INSIGHT provides some of the stories of miracles that Christian doctors have seen over recent years. Many of the medics pray for their patients as well as giving medical treatments and some related stories of seeing Christian prayer heal their patients. A Philippines-born doctor spoke of a Korean Christian called Deacon Han diagnosed with gastric cancer following an endoscopic study. He was told that he should undergo an operation for gastric cancer, but he didn’t because he had a belief in God. Han then travelled to the Manmin Central Church in Seoul where he received prayer for his sickness. From that moment, he gained weight and was healed. For more encouraging stories of miraculous healings click the info button and see:
Praise: God for miracles beyond normal medical expectations.
Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/praisestories1.pdf
Denmark: Helle is learning to do miracles
Torgen Sondergaard is a young evangelist from Denmark. He believes that when people start following Jesus, it's important to teach them right away to live the commands of Jesus. Take Helle, a young Danish woman who came to Christ three weeks ago and was baptized immediately. Torben invited her to come to the city and pray for people who are sick. ‘Jesus told us to make disciples of all people,’ Torben explains. ‘Baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded us to do. And one of these commands is to preach that the Kingdom of God is near and heal the sick.’ What happens next is quite surprising. Helle, who has almost no Bible knowledge, prays a simple prayer: ‘Father, I thank you for healing and for removing all pain right now, in Jesus' name. Amen.’ To her own amazement and to the surprise of the people she prayed for, they get healed. Praise: God for the way he used Helle and pray that her testimony would encourage others to step out in faith. (Heb.11:1)
Denmark: Helle is learning to do miracles
Torgen Sondergaard is a young evangelist from Denmark. He believes that when people start following Jesus, it's important to teach them right away to live the commands of Jesus. Take Helle, a young Danish woman who came to Christ three weeks ago and was baptized immediately. Torben invited her to come to the city and pray for people who are sick. ‘Jesus told us to make disciples of all people,’ Torben explains. ‘Baptizing them, and teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded us to do. And one of these commands is to preach that the Kingdom of God is near and heal the sick.’ What happens next is quite surprising. Helle, who has almost no Bible knowledge, prays a simple prayer: ‘Father, I thank you for healing and for removing all pain right now, in Jesus' name. Amen.’ To her own amazement and to the surprise of the people she prayed for, they get healed. Praise: God for the way he used Helle and pray that her testimony would encourage others to step out in faith. (Heb.11:1)
Pentecost Festival embraces London
This year’s Pentecost Festival looks set to be the biggest yet. Organisers are anticipating that as many as 30,000 will be reached in the 10-day Central London event which started last Friday. Now in its fourth year, this is the first time the finale, hosted by Holy Trinity Brompton, Hillsong and Jesus House, will take place at the 17,000 capacity O2 arena. The festival sees more than 100 arts-based events with performances from X-Factor finalist Beverley Trotman and US group Spoken Groove, comedy from Andy Kind, John Maloney and Paul Tonkinson, and theatre which addresses issues of injustice. There will be science debates, seminars on faith and fashion and a political evening looking at the impact of the message of Pentecost hosted by Baptist minister the Revd Steve Chalke. Andy Frost, festival director, said 'Once again it will show people that the church is not just about Sunday mornings. 'It's engaging with what's happening culturally. It's representing God's heartbeat.'
Pray: for those leading this event and for its success in reaching out to those who have not received the Gospel message. (Ps.107:22)
More: http://www.baptisttimes.co.uk/news3.htm
Universities are now breeding grounds for terror
England's universities have become breeding grounds for extremism and terrorist recruitment, according to a government report. Officials have identified 40 English universities where ‘there may be particular risk of radicalisation or recruitment on campus’. A soon to be published report, prepared by Home Office officials, – seen by the Daily Mail – will point to a string of examples of students going on to commit terrorist acts against this country or overseas. It warns of hard-line Islamic groups specifically targeting universities which have large numbers of Muslim students in order to peddle a message of hate. It says the universities are not doing enough to respond to this threat to national security. Fewer than half of universities are engaged with the police. Universities UK replied saying that universities ‘are places where ideas and beliefs can be tested without fear of control’, and that they act as a safeguard against ideologies that threaten Britain’s open society. Pray: that, if these finding prove to be true, measures will be taken to curtail such activity. (Isa.1:16) More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394625/40-UK-universities-breeding-grounds-terror.html
Inter-faith peace pilgrimage planned for Southall
An inter-faith reconciliation walk will take place this Saturday 11 June 2011 in what is being called by the organisers the ‘holy city’ of Southall, West London. The 26th Annual Multi-Faith Pilgrimage for Peace is being sponsored by Westminster Interfaith, an agency of the Catholic Diocese of Westminster, which works in cooperation with a range of other religious and civic bodies. Many religions will be represented in the pilgrimage, which will pass by or enter different places of worship in Southall, including Christian churches, Islamic mosques, Buddhist and Hindu temples, and Sikh gurdwaras. This year's pilgrimage commemorates the first such event, which was organised by Brother Daniel Faivre, a committed inter-faith worker, in 1986. Jon Dal Din, director of Westminster Interfaith comments: ‘The aim of Westminster Interfaith is to increase understanding, co-operation and respect between Christians and people of different faiths, and in particular to promote greater awareness through dialogue, prayer and action.
Pray: that people of many faiths will support the pilgrimage in large numbers promoting understanding, co-operation and respect for one another. (Ps.84:5)
More: http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/14896