Bishop calls on Christian MPs to rebel over gay marriage
The Rt Rev Mark Davies, Bishop of Shrewsbury, urged politicians to help protect the ‘God-given meaning of marriage for the sake of all generations to come’. He also criticised the idea that ‘progress’ should mean a ‘continuous shifting’ of society away from its Christian foundations – just days after a landmark legal ruling against prayers being said at council meetings. The Bishop’s intervention comes just weeks after reports that more than 100 Conservative MPs could vote against David Cameron’s proposals on same-sex unions.The Bishop said that the ‘timeless institution of marriage’ was recognised as a key building block of society, including by non-Christians. For politicians of Christian conscience this will be a moment to resist the leadership of their own political parties together with every parliamentarian who recognises the Judeo-Christian foundations on which our society rests. (See also Prayer Alert 06-2012 & 05-2012)
Pray: that the Government will listen and respect the views of the Church and others who recognise the importance of marriage. (Ps.85:8)
Another Welfare Reform Bill defeat for the government
The Government has lost a record eighth vote in the House of Lords over its plans to severely cut and restructure the British welfare system. An amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill, overturning a move to cut payments to specific council tenants with one spare bedroom, was carried by ten votes. The bill is now due to go back before the House of Commons, with the Government defiant but a huge swathe of political popular and public opinion - including charities and others making up Mr Cameron's 'Big Society' - wishing to see significant changes. The latest amendment, tabled by crossbencher Lord Best, would limit the impact of a ‘bedroom tax’, so that disabled people, war widows and foster carers with more than one spare bedroom would be exempt from a proposed £14 cut in housing benefit. It passed by 236 votes to 226, reports the BBC.
Pray: for the Government that they would have wisdom in making just decisions for all those who are affected. (1Ki.3:9)
France: Evangelical churches attracting youth
The atmosphere is like a pop concert in the Montparnasse area of Paris. Hundreds of young people sing catchy songs, waving their arms in the air, while a group plays booming music on stage. This isn't a pop gig. The Australian-born Pentecostal church ‘Hillsong’ planted a Paris church in 2005 and its congregation’s grown from a few dozen people to around 900 at each of its two weekend services conducted in French and English. On a recent Sunday, the 1,000-seat Théâtre Bobino (where the church holds its main services) was nearly full. This youthful, enthusiastic, multi-ethnic crowd is in sharp contrast to the diminishing French Catholic churches and represents the rise of the evangelical movement as a whole in a country that is officially secular. Census figures report 600,000 French members of evangelical churches, with 460,000 regularly practicing their faith - a ten-fold increase from 1950.
Pray: God will reproduce His message of truth and life to the youth of Paris across all of France. (Ro.10:14)
France: Evangelical churches attracting youth
The atmosphere is like a pop concert in the Montparnasse area of Paris. Hundreds of young people sing catchy songs, waving their arms in the air, while a group plays booming music on stage. This isn't a pop gig. The Australian-born Pentecostal church ‘Hillsong’ planted a Paris church in 2005 and its congregation’s grown from a few dozen people to around 900 at each of its two weekend services conducted in French and English. On a recent Sunday, the 1,000-seat Théâtre Bobino (where the church holds its main services) was nearly full. This youthful, enthusiastic, multi-ethnic crowd is in sharp contrast to the diminishing French Catholic churches and represents the rise of the evangelical movement as a whole in a country that is officially secular. Census figures report 600,000 French members of evangelical churches, with 460,000 regularly practicing their faith - a ten-fold increase from 1950.
Pray: God will reproduce His message of truth and life to the youth of Paris across all of France. (Ro.10:14)
Militant secularisation’ is taking hold
A British Cabinet minister has hit out at the way in which faith is being attacked by a rising tide of ‘militant secularisation’. Baroness Warsi, a Muslim, is leading a delegation of government ministers on a two-day visit to the Vatican. She said Europe needed to be ‘more confident and more comfortable in its Christianity’ as she criticised the way in which Christianity had virtually been written out of the European Constitution. Faith, she said, had been ‘neglected, undermined – and yes, even attacked – by governments’ in recent years. ‘My fear today is that a militant secularisation is taking hold of our societies’, she said. ‘We see it in any number of things: when signs of religion cannot be displayed or worn in government buildings; when states won’t fund faith schools; and where religion is sidelined, marginalised and downgraded in the public sphere.
Pray: that faith would rise and take a frontline position against those who criticise believers. (Is.26:2)
Militant secularisation’ is taking hold
A British Cabinet minister has hit out at the way in which faith is being attacked by a rising tide of ‘militant secularisation’. Baroness Warsi, a Muslim, is leading a delegation of government ministers on a two-day visit to the Vatican. She said Europe needed to be ‘more confident and more comfortable in its Christianity’ as she criticised the way in which Christianity had virtually been written out of the European Constitution. Faith, she said, had been ‘neglected, undermined – and yes, even attacked – by governments’ in recent years. ‘My fear today is that a militant secularisation is taking hold of our societies’, she said. ‘We see it in any number of things: when signs of religion cannot be displayed or worn in government buildings; when states won’t fund faith schools; and where religion is sidelined, marginalised and downgraded in the public sphere.
Pray: that faith would rise and take a frontline position against those who criticise believers. (Is.26:2)
“ From a very reliable source, we received the following message. Please join us in Prayer for our brothers and sisters in Syria. We've all seen and heard about the uprisings in the Arab world. The Middle East is heating up for better or for worse. We talk about fighting for democracy, desiring to see all ethnic groups obtain it, and even children seek some type of democracy of their own. It takes a huge amount of hatred and ignorance for anyone to refuse such democracy, and yet in the mind of fundamentalists and extremists, there is no room for it. This is the struggle of Christians in the Middle East, especially those living in Syria.
The last few months have been some of the hardest times for Christians in Syria, in the fight against corruption. They have united together to support the call to change. Things began to heat up in the streets, and the effort to fight corruption turned into power struggles, where sects in Islam are fighting each other, trying to take control, forcing their beliefs on one another.
Many slogans have been heard throughout the revolution. One in particular goes something like this, “Take the Christian man to the grave and their women to bed.” Hearing hundreds of men in the streets, chanting against Christians, has brought fear into their lives. Fear for the safety of their women and young children. It has come down to a battle for existence, all because of what they believe. Many stories of Christians being attacked and killed, woman being kidnapped and raped, are being heard throughout Syria. All in the name of Islam and of “Democracy!!”
Please Pray:
• For an end to the blood shed and that any change of government will lead to greater freedom for the people of Syria.
• That the rights of Christians and other religious minorities will be protected
• That the church will have strength to stand firm and bring the light of Christ to their nation.”
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." (Psalm 33:12)
Pray that our leaders will follow the ways of the Lord and make their decisions based upon fear and reverence of His Word. Pray that we as a nation will not turn our backs to God's will and desires. Pray that our leaders will deliver us as a nation from destruction by honoring our Creator and Sovereign who has established us and desires to bless us as a nation.
By Jeff Coors, Executive Chairman of the Board for Intercessors for America
In the back of most Americans' minds today are questions about our nation's future. Can the future of this country be as bright as the past? Have we seen our best days? Does God care about America as a nation? People wonder, "Can America be saved?"…History is filled with the graves of nations who turned their backs on God, but this same downfall doesn't have to happen to America.
First, God can save groups of people from the wrath they deserve. As we read in Micah 5:15, God says, "I will take vengeance in anger and wrath on the nations that have not obeyed me." He does hold nations accountable for their collective actions, just as He holds individuals accountable for their personal decisions and actions. Isaiah describes God's standards of judgment when he writes in 64:5, "You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved (yasha)?" Jeremiah 5:1 answers this question: "Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares. If you can find but one person who deals honestly and seeks the truth, I will forgive this city."
It appears that our God will save a group of people from His wrath based upon the obedience of a few. An incredible measure of mercy! In the midst of this mercy He still demands a nation's obedience. Isaiah 45:22 emphasizes that only our Lord can save a nation: "Turn to me and be saved (yasha), all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other." Mercy comes, and yet complete obedience by all is desired. God saves nations from His wrath and also from outside threats…Pray that He would save us from His wrath, which we deserve, drawing us toward obedience as a nation; and that He would save us from our enemies.
U.S. CONGRESS: 2011 Most Futile Legislative Year on Record
Pray that our 2012 legislative sessions will reflect the heart of God's will for this nation. The Lord desires to bless the nation that honors Him. Pray that our legislators will be sensitive to the needs of our population and that they be granted wisdom for how best to address those needs with the stressed 2012 budget. Pray for reconciliation between the House and the Senate on the important issues which include the economy and national defense.
It's official: Congress ended its least-productive year in modern history after passing 80 bills - fewer than during any other session since year-end records began being kept in 1947. Furthermore, an analysis by The Washington Times of the scope of such activities as time spent in debate, number of conference reports produced and votes taken on the House and Senate floors found that Congress set a record for legislative futility by accomplishing less in 2011 than any other year in history.
The Senate's record was weakest by a huge margin, according to the futility index, and the House had its 10th-worst session on record.
Please pray for the resolution of Burma’s (Myanmar’s) ongoing ethnic conflicts even as there has been some improvement of the political situation in the nation with the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy activists from house arrest and imprisonment. Pray for effective talks and actual, enduring ceasefires between the Burmese government and various tribal groups.
The Free Burma Rangers’ (FBR) mission is to provide hope, help and love to internally displaced people inside Burma, regardless of ethnicity or religion. Using a network of indigenous field teams, FBR reports on human rights abuses, casualties and the humanitarian needs of people who are under the oppression of the Burma Army. FBR provides medical, spiritual and educational resources for IDP communities as they struggle to survive Burmese military attacks.
For more information, please visit www.freeburmarangers.org.
Frozen to death as fuel bills soar
The number of pensioners dying from hypothermia has nearly doubled in five years, a period when a succession of cold winters has been coupled with drastic rises in energy bills. The official figures emerged after several days of Arctic conditions which drove temperatures across the whole country as low as minus 10C (14F). They showed that 1,876 patients were treated in hospital for hypothermia. The number of sufferers who died within 30 days of admission shot up from 135 to 260. Three-quarters of victims were pensioners, with cases soaring more than any other age group. The increasing toll of hypothermia over the past five years coincides with a surge in energy costs, especially gas prices which have gone up by 40 per cent. The row over energy prices is poised to be reignited later this month when the 'big six' energy companies reveal their latest profit figures. Campaign groups said yesterday it was 'scandalous' that pensioners in modern Britain could be suffering from hypothermia.
Pray: for effective support for the most vulnerable during the very cold weather. (Jas.2:16)
More: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2100232/Frozen-death-fuel-bills-soar-Hypothermia-cases-elderly-double-years.html