Savings needed to meet future demand for resources
Governments need to spark a lightweight revolution in the way things are made so the world can keep up with the demand for resources, say scientists. They say homes will have to be built with less cement; cars with less steel; and gadgets with less plastic. And it will need to be done in a way that radically cuts emissions from producing the materials, they add. These are among the conclusions presented in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. The journal tackle the dual problem created by the increased demand for goods as people grow richer and population increase, coupled with the threat of climate change. It warns that unless demand for materials from UK primary industry is reduced, Britain will need the equivalent of a four-fold increase in nuclear power or a 40-fold increase in wind power to meet its target of a 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 from pre-industrial levels.
Pray: that we will manage the resources provided by God is a responsible way. (Gen.1:28)
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-21203336
100 major charities launch campaign to tackle hunger trap
Hunger and malnutrition in childhood will trap almost a billion young people in poverty by 2025, according to a major new campaign, launched last week by Britain's leading development charities and faith groups. 'Enough Food for Everyone IF' is the largest coalition of its kind in the UK since Make Poverty History in 2005. The group warns that in a world where there is enough food for everyone, the scandal of children growing up hungry also imposes a grave economic burden on the developing world, costing £78 billion over the next 15 years. The campaign, launched at Somerset House,London and across the UK, calls on Prime Minister David Cameron to use the UK's G8 presidency in 2013 to take action on the root causes of the hunger crisis in the poorest countries. The 'IF' movement challenges the Prime Minister to tackle 4 big IFs to help there be enough food for everyone.
Pray: that once again Britain will lead the world in tackling hunger in developing countries. (1Jn.3:17)
More: http://www.methodist.org.uk/news-and-events/news-releases/100-major-charities-launch-campaign-to-tackle-hunger-trap
Please pray for marriage on 3 Feb as campaign reaches crucial period
Please will you pray earnestly as we enter a crucial period in the campaign to defend the true meaning of marriage? And can you encourage your church to join our national day of prayer for marriage on Sunday 3 February? Any day now, we expect the Government to introduce its Bill which seeks to redefine marriage. The Government may very well go on a charm offensive, telling the media that people who believe in traditional marriage have nothing to worry about. But we know that’s not the case. European judges have recently shown that people who believe in traditional marriage can be forced out of their jobs. On Tuesday 5 Feb, we expect MPs to have the first opportunity to debate and vote on the Bill. We don’t need an outright win at this stage – so don’t worry if the Bill passes this first hurdle – but it is important that as many MPs as possible vote “no”.
Pray: that marriage will not be redefined, and that real marriage will be promoted in society for the good of all. ( Mtt.18:19-20)
More: http://www.anglican-mainstream.net/2013/01/27/please-pray-for-marriage-on-3-feb-as-campaign-reaches-crucial-period-2/
“News from Pakistan is a huge challenge to pray for our land, our people and us. Since 14th January an "Arab Spring" like situation has developed in our capital city, Islamabad. Several hundred thousand men, women and children have congregated in Islamabad calling for an end to the present corrupt government, electoral reforms and a new caretaker government to carry out elections. The government has adopted a wait and watch attitude hoping that the movement will fizzle out; the opposition parties have rallied together to oppose what they call a "circus" in Islamabad; civil society is also against the gathering in the Capital and we are praying that no violence will ensue as there are women and children in the gathering. The whole shebang is being led by a religious scholar who has recently returned from Canada to bring about reforms in Pakistan. As a dual-nationality holder he is barred from taking part in national politics but has adopted this novel way of bringing about reforms.
Islamabad has been under lock down for the last four days with millions of man-hours wasted due to which the economy has been adversely affected. In addition the Taliban and other militant groups are carrying on a brutal wave of bombings, target killings and suicide attacks on the general public, security forces and especially the Shia'ite community, minority sect in Islam. In one city alone over a hundred people were killed by bombings. Later, the affected people brought out the coffins of their loved ones and laid them in a street for three days before the government even decided to talk with them! Death and destruction have become so commonplace in our country that it takes a jolt like this incident to get people out protesting against such excesses. Unfortunately, the "circus in Islamabad' overshadowed this event also. Please pray that our country will see peace and a return to “normality.”
We are very delighted in another moment of Psalms 133 and Acts 1, Acts 13 where brethren praying and dwelling unity. Our strategy is very simple: 300 leaders gathered in Kansas City joined by IHOPKC staff at our Global Prayer Room on March 24-27, calling 100,000 simultaneous prayer gatherings around the world focusing on prayer for 7 challenges, 7 spheres, 10 geographical regions, 4/14 windows global initiatives and the Back to Jerusalem missionary mandate.
The backbone of these prayer gatherings is made up 100,000 praying homes that will be hosted by 100,000 leaders. Each home can 3-30 people gathering to prayer in 2 hours slots through the 3 days period synchronizing their schedule with TW2020-IHOPKC www.ihop.org/tw
Beyond this 100,000 homes, we need to call for prayer gatherings in churches, public venues, schools, colleges, hospitals, government offices, businesses, entertainment studios etc. These venues are chosen by leaders who sign up as prayer gathering hosts.
We need you to rally your network to sign up to be prayer gathering host and Here is a possible short email or mobilization you can sent out:
We need you to rally your network to sign up to be prayer gathering host and here is a possible short email or mobilization you can send out:
Dear servant friends,
We are in a kairos moment in world history. As nations are in uproar, economies in upheaval, social order declining, and times increasingly tumultuous, God is beckoning His Church to advance His kingdom.
Transform World Prayer Summit: Vision 2020, March 24-27, 2013
In response, Transform World and the International House of Prayer are co-sponsoring a prayer summit, “Transform World Prayer Summit: Vision 2020,” March 24–27, 2013 at the International House of Prayer Missions Base in Kansas City, MO. We are writing to invite your participation and encourage your prayerful participation, as key leaders in the Body of Christ.
70 Hours of Prayer
Vision 2020 is a convergence call to the Body of Christ. For 70 hours, under the banner of ongoing 24/7 worship, prayer, and prophetic impartation, we will cast vision, seek the Lord’s guidance and anointing, and engage with seven critical challenges that the Body of Christ is facing.
This prayer summit will launch a seven-year prayer focus on these challenges, linked to the seven spheres of society, seven regions of the world, as well as the 4/14 Window and the next generation.
7 Challenges
Ideological challenge: Issues surrounding Islamic fundamentalism
Family Challenge: Focus on Christian marriage and the family, with a call to integrity, purity, and witness
Orphan Challenge: Focus on care for orphans, with a view to a world where every child belongs to a family
Poverty Challenge: Reviewing global poverty lines, with a focus on the availability of basic needs to the poorest communities in the world
Justice Challenge: Toward a godly society based on God’s justice—considering injustice in casteism and North Korea, etc.
Christ’s Missional Challenge: Reaching the last and the least with the truth of Jesus
Celebration Challenge: Identifying, connecting, and encouraging 24/7 houses of prayer and worship in every nation
7 Spheres of Society
1. Arts
2. Business/workplace
3. Church
4. Delivery of media
5. Education
6. Family
7. Government
10 Regions of the World
• North America
• Latin America
• Eurasia/Western Europe
• Arab World/Middle East
• Africa
• French Africa
• South Asia
• East Asia
• Southeast Asia
• South Pacific
24/7 Webstream
Intercession and worship from this prayer summit will be streamed live throughout the 70 hours, beginning at 4:00 pm on Sunday, March 24, and continuing throughout the day and night until 2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.
Through the webstream, Vision 2020 will be an opportunity for college campuses and ministries in the US and around the world to pray and strategize about how best to meet the seven challenges and advance God’s kingdom. Afterwards, the event will be archived. We also hope that GOD TV will assist with broadcasting parts of Vision 2020 live.
(http://transformworld2020.com.s96484.gridserver.com/)
The following leaders have committed to be part of this concerted effort of prayer along with many others:
Dr. Luis Bush (Transform World)
Mike Bickle (International House of Prayer)
John Robb (International Prayer Council/ World Prayer Assembly)
Dr. Paul Cedar (Mission America)
Billy Wilson (Awakening Alliance/ Empower 21 Movement)
Dr. Thomas Wang (Former Chair of AD2000 & Beyond Movement)
Paul Eshleman (Jesus Film/ Campus Crusade)
Mark Anderson (Global Pastors Network/ Call2all)
George Otis Jr. (Sentinel Group/ Transformations)
Jim Fiske (Prison's Fellowship/ Christian Worldview Coalition)
Sign up NOW to be part of the 100,000 leaders in the nation to host a prayer gathering in your location at http://transformworldprayergatheringhost-eorg.eventbrite.com/
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
From the Sudan Support Network (SSNet): We feel compelled to mobilize a 40-hour prayer chain for Sudan & South Sudan for the weekend of 25 to 27 January 2013.
To be exact: Next weekend, starting on Friday evening 19:00 to Sunday 11:00.
The structure is quite easy to understand: 40 slots of 1 hour each. We want to encourage believers from different nations to take responsibility for part of that 40 hours. It does not matter so much if in the various time zones it does not match up precisely; we believe that in heaven it will add up.
Please mail me specific commitment(s) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Could I encourage that you sign up and ask others to do too for 1 hour or more next weekend in prayer for Sudan.
Key directions for prayer:
*Psalm 2 – the whole Psalm
*From the Scripture given below, it is a sobering thought that in the past month more than 100 Christian workers have been kicked out of Sudan. Right now, they're picking up the pieces. The process is continuing relentlessly! It reminds a LOT of when Christian workers were kicked out "en masse" from China in the 1950's. Everybody thought that's the end of Christianity in China, but now we know that GOD had to do that for the growth that would come.
Pray that God would raise up indigenous believers to take up the baton in Sudan. (He's already doing that).
Pray healing and direction for those kicked out and picking up the pieces.
For more info on Sudan, please go to www.Sudan4Jesus.com.
Colombia: American Christians spread Gospel to FARC guerrillas
For more than 40 years, Colombia has been terrorized by kidnappings and murders resulting from power struggles between drug lords, revolutionaries and paramilitary groups. But in the midst of the chaos, brave Christians in Colombia are risking their lives to spread the gospel. Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is committed to helping them. One of VOM’s partners in Colombia is a pilot named Russell. VOM helped Russell purchase an airplane, and today that plane flies over FARC-controlled areas of Colombia dropping small packages attached to parachutes. The packages, which float down into FARC camps and villages, each contain a selection of Christian books as well as a solar-powered Galcom radio pre-tuned to a Christian station. Before the parachutes are dropped, the radio is turned on so that even if the parachute catches in a tree, someone will hear the radio and climb up to retrieve it. More than 14,000 parachutes made by American Christians recently left the distribution centre headed for Colombia. They have already received more than 62,000 parachutes.
Praise: God for this initiative and pray that each package will bring new life. (Lk.2:10)
Colombia: American Christians spread Gospel to FARC guerrillas
For more than 40 years, Colombia has been terrorized by kidnappings and murders resulting from power struggles between drug lords, revolutionaries and paramilitary groups. But in the midst of the chaos, brave Christians in Colombia are risking their lives to spread the gospel. Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is committed to helping them. One of VOM’s partners in Colombia is a pilot named Russell. VOM helped Russell purchase an airplane, and today that plane flies over FARC-controlled areas of Colombia dropping small packages attached to parachutes. The packages, which float down into FARC camps and villages, each contain a selection of Christian books as well as a solar-powered Galcom radio pre-tuned to a Christian station. Before the parachutes are dropped, the radio is turned on so that even if the parachute catches in a tree, someone will hear the radio and climb up to retrieve it. More than 14,000 parachutes made by American Christians recently left the distribution centre headed for Colombia. They have already received more than 62,000 parachutes.
Praise: God for this initiative and pray that each package will bring new life. (Lk.2:10)
Nepal: Sabres bring Gospel to Himalayas
A mission team will be going to Nepal next month with Sabres. No, not light-sabres as in Star Wars. A Vision Beyond Borders (VBB) mission team will be bringing solar powered mp3 players called ‘Sabres’ to people in Nepal. These Sabres play the Bible on audio. The mission team will be taking the Sabres to remote villages high in the Himalayan Mountains. Many of these people have never even heard about Christ. Furthermore, Nepal has an adult literacy rate of 56% according to UNESCO. With so many people who can’t read, getting the chance to hear the Bible is invaluable. There are 153 dialects in Nepal, and VBB has contacts working to translate God’s Word into every single dialect. VBB’s mission team are currently seeking more funds to bring more Sabres to Nepal.
Praise: God as they bring God’s Word to these remote peoples. Pray for their travels and for safety. (Pr.1:33)
More: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/18132
Nepal: Sabres bring Gospel to Himalayas
A mission team will be going to Nepal next month with Sabres. No, not light-sabres as in Star Wars. A Vision Beyond Borders (VBB) mission team will be bringing solar powered mp3 players called ‘Sabres’ to people in Nepal. These Sabres play the Bible on audio. The mission team will be taking the Sabres to remote villages high in the Himalayan Mountains. Many of these people have never even heard about Christ. Furthermore, Nepal has an adult literacy rate of 56% according to UNESCO. With so many people who can’t read, getting the chance to hear the Bible is invaluable. There are 153 dialects in Nepal, and VBB has contacts working to translate God’s Word into every single dialect. VBB’s mission team are currently seeking more funds to bring more Sabres to Nepal.
Praise: God as they bring God’s Word to these remote peoples. Pray for their travels and for safety. (Pr.1:33)
More: http://www.mnnonline.org/article/18132