From some pastors in the country
A very hot summer in Turkey
The Turkish seasides and coasts are very beautiful. If you were to visit you would fall in love with them. Generally, in Turkey, the weather is very hot in summer, especially on the coasts where some of our churches are. However, this year we have been "feeling the heat" of the political situation and not just the weather. As you may know, on July 15th there was a coup attempt in Turkey. This attempt caused the death of at least 294 people and 15.000-20.000 people have been arrested so far.
It has been a complicated season for Turkey. The group that is apparently responsible for this attempt is an influential religious sect that has members within the military. If they had succeeded, the country could have been in real trouble, but the coup attempt failed. Shortly after the failed coup attempt, the president instituted a three-month state of emergency for the purpose of tracking down the other members of this sect within Turkey. Both foreign and local believers were concerned about how the state of emergency would affect the church, but it seems that the danger has passed for now.
This is an internal issue in the political and religious life of Turkey. So far the only real impact it has had in our ministries is in the new temporary rules regarding international travel for Turkish people. We have to bring extra documentation and undergo more thorough questioning at the border. We expect that all of this will return to normal within one or two months and life will continue as always. In the meantime, there are 3 important commandments to remember:
- Rejoice all the time.
- Give thanks all the time
- Pray all the time
Could you join us in prayer:
- against the fear among believers
- for wisdom and safety
- peace
- for people to draw nearer to God
Other friends who work in the country report on what life looks like after July 15. As a result of the coup, we have seen a greater openness to the Gospel.
- Pray for many to come to Christ through this
- Pray God's will to come to place here
- Pray for truth and justice to rule
Praise God for the news that of growing Christian communities and opportunities to share Jesus with the Turkish, Kurdish and other people groups. We are thankful to the Lord for the news that more people are listening to Radio Shema’s broadcast after the failed coup.
Other prayer topics
For Pastors
That pastors, their families and churches would be protected from possible threats by the local mafia, and that the authorities are able to sort things out without anyone being hurt
For the Revival of the Churches
That authorities will recognize the right of Christians to meet in a legally recognized place of worship, and provide suitable property for that purpose
For Deliverance of Middle East Refugees
That God will break into the lives of Middle East refugees with the brilliance of His love and mercy, and that with each step God will turn this dark road into the pathway to provision, with a growing sense of His loving presence
- Pray that God will give wisdom and discernment to church leaders to establish helpful relations with local authorities
- Pray that legislation will be adopted that will grant equality before the law and protection against discrimination on the grounds of religion
- Pray that the Republic of Turkey would be resettled as soon as possible, and that it will recover an air of peace and reconciliation, in which the Gospel can be proclaimed again all over the land
Pray that Christians workers, their families, and their ministries would be protected with divine supernatural power, even in the turbulent situation after the failed coup.
Joel Rosenberg in his blog recently issued a sober warning to world leaders to take seriously the intentions of the radical Islamic terror group known as ISIS based on their own very explicit writings in their magazine.
Here is some of what Rosenberg says:
“The next President of the United States -- and his or her advisors -- need to carefully study and analyze the latest issue of Dabiq, the full-color propaganda magazine of the Islamic State. So do other world leaders, Members of Congress and Middle East policy-makers. So do you.
Three reasons -- in this edition of Dabiq:
- ISIS leaders make clear they want to bring about the End of Days.
- ISIS leaders vow to "break the cross" -- that is, to slaughter Christians in the Middle East, in the West, and around the world, and to annihilate Christianity from the Earth.
- ISIS leaders lay out the six reasons they hate us, they state their ultimate objective, and they explain why they will never stop killing until they achieve total victory.
Far too many leaders in Washington believe the West is winning the war against ISIS. That is a dangerous fallacy. The sober truth is that we are not winning. ISIS is winning. Yes, ISIS is losing large tracts of territory in Iraq. They are also losing ground in Syria. But their forces are growing. The global reach of their attacks is spreading. Their blood-thirsty version of Apocalyptic Islam is metastasizing.
At the same time, far too few leaders in Washington and other capitals truly understand the theology, eschatology and objectives motivating the men and women running ISIS.
This is not Al Qaeda 2.0. The Islamic State and their pursuit of the caliphate is something far, far more dangerous. Those who misunderstand the nature and threat of this especially pernicious form of evil are at risk of allowing the country to be repeatedly blindsided by it with catastrophic results…
As I have been arguing repeatedly again in recent years (see here, here, here, here,here, and here), it is critically important that leaders in Washington and in capitals around the world read and study carefully what the leaders of ISIS are saying.
ISIS leaders are not hiding their genocidal End Times objectives. Nor are they hiding their hatred of the world's two billion Christians, plus all other "infidels" who don't see God and the world and the future the way they do. Rather, they are being as explicit as they can. They want to be heard. They want to be understood. They do not fear being "found out." To the contrary, they are absolutely certain they are on the winning side of history.
Admittedly, eschatology is not the language of the West's historic enemies. Most world leaders and their advisor have interest in -- and certainly little if any desire to talk about -- varying interpretations of Jewish, Christian and/or Islamic End Times theology. But we are living in very different times. These are the cards we've been dealt. This enemy is unlike most others we have ever faced. Their motivations are different. Their strategies are different. So are their tactics.
We'd better understand the game, and how its stakes really are, before it's too late.”
For the rest of this significant article, please see it here:
https://flashtrafficblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/11
- Please pray for the leaders of our nations not to under-estimate the threat that ISIS poses for the world now that it has metasticized into 18 nations.
- Pray that many of ISIS own leaders and followers will experience a revelation of who Jesus really is as God incarnate and of their horrendous crimes against humanity.
- Pray that ISIS as a movement will be overthrown and vanish from the earth.
Dear Friends and Partners,
August 16, 2016
It has been three weeks since the UPRISING (United Prayer Rising) in Korea, and we are still lingering on all that God has done in the gathering, much more in the journey that led to it. He has been so, so good.
It was such a blessing to see “Davids” from different nations rise up and come against their generation’s “Goliaths.” It was a delight to see a Psalm 110:3 army of young volunteers lock arms and stand together, united in fighting for the destiny of their generation. Many of those who came were teenagers and the experience of God’s touch and a global exposure of other young people also hungry for God was a formula for a spiritual explosion.
We have email and reports from UK, Germany, Malaysia and other nations of personal and ministry breakthroughs. One said, “I will reach England for Jesus and turn it upside down!” from Germany, “the presence of the Lord was touchable, and after UPRISING, doors for my ministry have opened.” From Hong Kong, “The fire of God kept on spreading in our church after UPRISING.”
The “NEW WAVE” has just started rolling, the UPRISING has only just begun, and what He has started, we know that He will be faithful to complete until we see “the knowledge of the glory of the Lord cover the earth like waters cover the seas.” So, I request for you to please keep us in prayers as we seek Gods heart for what’s next and where’s next (UPRISING 2017?)
THANK YOU FOR MOBILIZING. Over 41 countries were registered, and though only 32 were represented in Korea (many were denied visas to go, even though they already registered online) the others were with us in prayer still and some even tuned in via live streaming. Literally a whole generation was connected for a moment in praying for their Generation and the UNIFICATION of North and South Korea. Many prayed in the US, Asia and Europe via the live streaming we did… Even they felt the presence of God through the streaming and had encounters with God as well.
THANK YOU FOR INTERCEDING. We cannot overemphasize on the value your intercession has played in the journey toward seeing this world youth prayer assembly happen. It has not been the easiest undertaking, but your prayers kept us going, your prayers kept us believing, your prayers kept us moving.
THANK YOU FOR SOWING. We started dreaming for this gathering with zero finances, only a vision, and God was so faithful to provide. We have seen Him come through for every need, and we praise Him that after the gathering there was even a surplus! Oh, indeed, He is still in the business of multiplying our “five loaves and two fish!”.
We would like to thank you for your prayers and support. Thank you for believing in the vision to see a generation from across nations mobilized for UNITED PRAYER. Thank you for standing with us, too, in believing for the reunification of North and South Korea. We have never gone this way before; we never have done anything on this global scale before, but your heartfelt prayers, encouragement, and support has given us the boost we needed along the way, and especially when we needed them the most. So, thank you.
Again, thank you. We love you. We appreciate you.
For God and this generation,
Jerome and Annabelle Ocampo
Conveners, UPRISING 2016 Korea
UPRISING Videos and Website
Short video summaries from each of the four days of the UPRISING youth prayer assembly that occurred, July 26-30, in Seoul, South Korea are now available for viewing. The Lord used this assembly to impact about 1000 youth who came from all around the world.
Who among the gods is like you, Lord?
Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. (John 14:12)
Dr. Charles Kraft, a former professor of mine who has also become a dear friend and mentor is in his eighties and still going strong in a ministry of healing and deliverance. He has equipped many others to minister in a similar way and has written extensively about the spiritual authority we have in Christ. His writing, and especially his book, I Give You Authority, touches deeply on transformational prayer. I have been rereading this seminal book and recommend it to you if you can get a copy to read it all. Here I just wanted to share a few of his wise comments based on decades of ministry experience. The issue of our identity in Christ and the authority that flows to us through that all-important relationship impacts how we pray and how far we go in our expectations of how that all-powerful authority will flow through us.
Here are a few of his salient comments about the authority we have been given that I hope will encourage you as much as they have me:
“It is as if God has deposited a million dollars in a bank for us and either we do not know it or we cannot find the checkbook.”
“If we do not assert our authority over Satan he will assert his authority over us.”
“By virtue of our position, and the fact that God the Holy Spirit lives within us, we carry infinitely more power and authority than the whole satanic kingdom.”
“Jesus’ power came from being filled with the Holy Spirit. The source of his authority, however, was His intimacy with the Father. He spent hours and hours in prayer along with the Father, keeping in close contact with Him and cultivating that most precious relationship. As Jesus ministered, His ears were always open to the voice of the Father… Because He listened, He could take authority confidently, knowing He was acting in God’s purposes. Jesus’ intimacy with the Father enabled him both to maintain his authority and to get God’s instructions concerning what the Father wanted Him to do each day.”
“I have become convinced, through working in inner healing and deliverance, that the enemy’s primary area of attack is our self-image. He does not want us to discover who we are.”
Some important points relative to our identity in Christ that Kraft has identified are:
- We are created “only a little lower than God” (Psalm 8:5) and in the image of God Himself (Genesis 1:26)…
- As family members, we get to carry infinitely more power than all the satanic kingdom put together!
- We are children of the King. This is our true identity, giving us special rights and privileges with our famous Father. We have among other things special permission as his princes and princesses to come into the King’ mans presence at any time…
- By His grace God actually trusts us! … In the spiritual realm we carry the same authority as God’s princes and princesses. When we understand that identity and use the power of Jesus’ name appropriately, the spiritual realm has to obey. We have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly world available to us (Ephesians 1: 3)… we must never forget who we are, even when we do not feel like it.
- Spiritual authority, then, is part of who we are. It is recognized by God and by the enemy world as flowing from our very beings… as Christians we have no choice as to whether or not we possess this authority. It comes in the package when the Holy Spirit is given to us. Like a credit card.”
“Our task is to get our wills lined up with the will of Jesus and the Father, and on that basis to exercise the authority they have given us. This comes for us, as it did with Jesus, from spending time in prayer and fellowship with God in private, listening to Him to get his instructions and to line up our wills with His. Then we receive from God the necessary power and authority for the specific task ahead of us. Our aim in our relationship with God should be nothing short of total intimacy. Again, Jesus is our model.”
Charles H. Kraft, I Give You Authority: Practicing the Authority Jesus Gave Us (Chosen Books, 1997)
John Robb
IPC Chairman
BRITISH ISLES & IRELAND
How to pray for government & the Church
You may not have prayed for these areas before, but now would be a great time to start! It is important to pray for those in authority (1 Tim 2:2). We have put together some prayer points on how to pray for our elected governments and also for the Church at this time, as well as other points here.
We now find ourselves in a period of tremendous political, economic and social change in our UK nations. This is a new time; a time of mercy and a time of shaking. We believe this is a historically significant watershed moment for our UK nations and for Europe. The EU Referendum campaign and result has exposed deep fractures in our society in all of our UK nations.
Now is the time when God is calling His people to humbly come before Him, seek His face, turn from our wicked ways and to pray. Now is the time to persevere and not to give up. Now is the time for us together, as God's people across our UK nations, to pray in unity for God to fulfill His purposes for our nations.
We commend 1 Timothy 2:1-3 as a basis for our praying as we stand guard over our elected leaders that they may give Godly leadership and so provide stability across our nations and in our communities to allow the gospel to be shared and for many people to discover faith in Jesus Christ.
HOW TO PRAY
For our elected governmental leaders:
In Scotland: Pray for Nicola Sturgeon and for wisdom and patience for the Scottish (SNP) Government, as they seek to deal with the results of the vote; especially that they will work positively with the UK Government and seek not only what is best for the people of Scotland, but also what is best for all peoples in the UK in these uncharted, challenging times.
In Northern Ireland: Pray for Arlene Foster and NI politicians for wisdom, for courage, for grace and positive leadership at this time. There is a genuine fear of the peace process being affected; a fear of the progress that has been made in moving forward toward a 'Shared Future' being undermined, a fear of the unknown. There is concern over how this will affect our relationship with the Republic of Ireland. Will there once again be border and custom checks? Pray for God's people to be in position and for His peace to replace fear.
In Wales: Pray for Carwyn Jones; for unity within the Welsh Assembly and for wisdom especially in handling the financial implications of leaving the EU that could affect the elderly and the poor.
In Westminster:
Prime Minister - Theresa May - for calm leadership, for wise advisors and for her faith to guide her day by day.
Chancellor - Philip Hammond Chancellor - that he will have wisdom, authority and boldness to expose evil financial practices, tax abuse and manipulation and corruption.
Home Secretary - Amber Rudd - for divine authority to keep our nation safe and administer true justice.
Labour shadow cabinet - that as they are shaken we will have an effective, wise and righteous opposition.
For the Church:
Pray that the Church will 'rise up' (Isaiah 60:1) and take a positive lead in promoting reconciliation, both within communities where needed and between the nations of the UK that in these uncertain times, especially at this moment of economic uncertainty, many will open up to the hope and certainty of the Gospel.
For Europe:
As we stand shoulder to shoulder with France in the aftermath of the attack in Nice, we continue to pray protection for France, for God's blessing and for her church to be strengthened and equipped to be carriers of hope and peace.
We ask for God's continued mercy and protection on our nations and wisdom for our security forces
World Prayer Centre This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Raising up a Canopy of Prayer over Europe
We have heard about this new website, the Canopy of Prayer - http://canopyofprayer.eu to raise a canopy of prayer over Europe at this crucial time.
The request is that those who sign up would commit themselves to praying for Europe for a designated 15 minutes per week. They will receive an email fortnightly with information for prayer. The introduction is in German but the form is in English.
An Invitation to the National Prayer Assembly, October 27–28, 2016, Washington, D.C.
Dear Prayer and Ministry Leader,
You are invited to an assembly of national prayer, denominational, and kingdom network leaders from across the nation. America is at a historic crossroads with growing threats within and without. It is a tumultuous election year and an absolutely pivotal time in our history. A dysfunctional and divided government has become increasingly ineffectual in dealing with our growing national problems, including a $19 trillion debt hanging over our heads. In addition, our society is becoming progressively more apathetic and cold to the things of God. Surely, we need a new Great Awakening to turn America around.
A critical component in this pursuit of awakening is the coming together of both America’s prayer and denominational movements to seek His face. We need to join forces, praying with one heart and mind for a fresh, massive outpouring of His Spirit that will bring revival and transformation to the United States of America.
It is time to gather ministry leaders for two days of concentrated intercession, listening, and sharing what God is saying to us. As in the National Prayer Assembly of October 2014, we will have brief reports from experts on the critical issues facing the nation. Our approach will be to pray at least twice as much as we talk. Earlier assembly participants felt this was the right balance, so we will endeavor once again to let the Spirit of the Lord reveal, inspire, and pray out His heart concerns through us for our nation.
Listed below are some of the issues for our prayer focus at the NPA.
Please note that the NPA is by invitation only, so please only forward this invitation to others who serve as leaders or coordinators of prayer ministries, national or denominational ministries, or kingdom networks.
We look forward to your being with us for this crucial time of encountering the Lord together on behalf of our beloved country.
Every blessing in Christ,
Dave Butts (National Prayer Committee)
Rickie Bradshaw (Pray Houston)
Pierre Bynum (Family Research Council)
Paul Cedar (Mission America Coalition)
Lisa Crump (National Day of Prayer)
Kay Horner (Awakening America Alliance)
Dave Kubal (Intercessors for America)
Daniel Lim and Doug Conder (International House of Prayer)
John Robb (International Prayer Connect)
Prayer Assembly Participant Details:
Schedule:
- 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, October 27, 2016
- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, October 28, 2016
Registration fee: $120 per person. You must register each person individually. The fee will include beverage service throughout, lunch on Friday, and our meeting space overlooking Washington, D.C. We are encouraging both prayer and fasting as part of the Assembly if you are able to do that for the first day of this gathering. In addition, a 40-day call to prayer with fasting up to the election will be in progress having begun on September 30.
To Register: https://intre.org/?297
Venue: Sheraton Pentagon City, Arlington, VA
- Reagan National Airport (DCA) is nearest airport.
- Shuttle service is provided to hotel.
- Special conference rate is $179/night per room (for twin sharing if desired)
To reserve your hotel accommodations please click here:
https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/events/start.action?id=1603180291&key=101F35BB
For other questions about logistics, please contact Lisa Crump with the National Day of Prayer Task Force via email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Preliminary Prayer Emphases for the NPA:
- Repentance for-
Corporate sins of America
Sins within the Church and Society
- Reconciliation and healing of-
Leadership division
Racial division
Restorative justice
- Restoration of-
Spiritual revival and morality within the church
Truth in media
Morality in arts and entertainment
Integrity and blessing in marketplace
Protection for marriage and the family–an institution under assault
Truth and protection in educational institutions
Sanctity of human life and protection of the unborn
- Reaching and evangelizing the lost
Prayer-care-share lifestyles among Jesus followers
Provision and mobilization of missionaries
- Government and the national election
Religious freedom
Court decisions
Legislative actions
- Prayer movement
Unity
Strength
Mobilization
Engagement
- Next generation
Children
Youth
Emerging Leaders
- False religion and the occult invasion
- National security issues
Military forces
Law enforcement
Homeland security
Radical Islam and ISIS threats
The Power of Prayer was written by Richard and Stephanie Coates from Weston-super-Mare, UK in the Summer of 2016. Rich felt prompted to write it after accepting an invitation to attend United Prayer Rising in Seoul, South Korea in July, 2016.
Richard said, 'There are a plethora of massive issues affecting Korea. This event will be a significant gathering where we will be praying in several ways - repenting, listening to God, proclaiming blessing, worshipping, interceding and seeking solutions to real life issues affecting millions of people. We will also be seeing God at work in thousands of young peoples' lives.'
'My hope is that the song will inspire and encourage the younger generations in particular to enrich their experience of the real purpose and power of prayer. I have a heart for young people and their spiritual development. My prayer is that this song can help young people to find their unique calling and that each one of us returns from UPRISING with a renewed vision and a sense of God's direction.'
The 'Pag-asa' Band (Pag-asa means 'Hope' in Tagalog) was convened to record and lead the song. The members span 3 generations and have much talent and experience. Here are their brief bios:
Tim (15), plays drums, guitar, bass, keyboards and sings. As well as playing in his own band called 'The Baskervilles' he plays in church and town worship bands. He sees the worship band as the place where he can best express his faith and spirituality.
Ruth (16), sings and plays guitar and keyboards. Ruth has a passion for worship and worship leading and leads and also occasionally preaches in her local church. She had specialised training in dance and performing arts in London.
Steph is married to Richard and is a gifted singer and performer. She coaches the youth band in her local church and sings and leads worship. Stephanie has also acted and performed many different roles in theatre productions in London, The UK and Europe and has worked for both television and radio.
Rich plays guitar and bass. He co-coaches his church youth worship band with Steph and sings and plays with the worship group. Rich works in retail management, but spends every spare minute playing and composing. He has written a number of worship songs, one of which is The Power of Prayer.
Rob is a worship leader and musician. He plays guitar and bass. He has produced a number of worship music CD's in his own right. He is CEO of a worship and intercession ministry called Wings Prayer House. He also runs a North of England based Prayer Network called the Northern Power House.
Andy is an experienced keyboard player, accompanist, and leader / co-ordinator of church worship music. He plays for various local and national events in the UK. He serves on the leadership team of International Prayer Connect and is Director for Crosswinds Prayer Trust whose vision is to mobilise and equip prayer globally.
The Power of Prayer: Recording produced by Rob Parker. | Engineer: Tony Hobden / Supersonix. | Vocals: Stephanie Coates, Ruth Parker, Richard Coates, Rob Parker, Andy Page. | Drums: Tim Page. | Guitar / Bass: Rob Parker, Richard Coates. | Keyboards: Andy Page.
You are welcome to use the attached recording and music to share this wonderful and catchy song with those in your church or prayer group with credit given to the composers and musicians:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1u3h29qbzrtw2sh/AABdE6cc2NZxE3WNND_66Rvva?dl=0
Thanks to the 'Pag-asa' Band for so generously sharing this beautiful piece with the international prayer movement and during the UPRISING international youth prayer assembly.
What showing God's love can do: 200,000 Tibetans, including 62 Buddhist monks, decide to follow Jesus
Something wonderful in the Christian sense is happening in Tibet, a region in China considered as the highest in the world and the home of Mount Everest, earth's highest mountain rising more than 29,009 feet above sea level.
Tibetans are mostly Buddhist, but there are also some Muslims and Christians, according to sources.
Last year, one Tibetan Buddhist priest embraced Jesus Christ and became a Christian pastor after seeing the love of Christ shown by a group of Christian workers who helped out and provided relief goods to the people of the region when a major earthquake struck the area, according to Joe Handley, president of Asian Access, a Christian organisation seeking to spread God's Word in South Asia.
Now, the seed of Christian love has grown. In an update, Handley reports that 62 other Buddhist monks have decided to follow the footsteps of the former Buddhist lama and are now following Christ as well.
And that's not all. "Just within the last year alone, [church leaders] are estimating that more than 200,000 people have come to Christ as a result of the labours of the Christian community there," Handley says.
What is causing this avalanche of Christian conversions?
Handley says this is all due to the work of Christian workers who provided hope and healing to the people of Tibet in the aftermath of last year's devastating quake. "They haven't seen Buddhists, Hindus, or other religious groups helping in the midst of the rubble. Rather, week after week, it is the followers of Jesus who have proved the test of time, sacrificed their own lives to serve and been the hands and feet of Jesus," he says.
Asian Access is playing a key role in this spiritual movement by training church leaders with the aim of establishing long-term spiritual growth in the region.
"Asian Access just has the privilege of coming alongside key pastors like the ones that have invested in this Tibetan priest's life," Handley says. "We invest deeply, building their capacity so they can reach their communities."
"God does amazing things when you invest in people and see them grow deeper in Him, grow stronger as leaders, learn how to reproduce other leaders, and then it spreads through church planting efforts in ways that are simply remarkable," he adds.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/what.showing.gods.love.can.do.200000.tibetans.including.62.buddhist.monks.decide.to.follow.jesus/88890.htm
Let’s pray for this wonderful turning of Tibetans to Jesus to grow and spread to wherever Tibetans are found in China, India and in diaspora. Pray that they will realize that Tibetan Buddhism is an awful deception and bondage to the evil one and that they will be liberated by coming to know Jesus. Pray too for foreigners that have gotten ensnared by the Dalai Lama and his false teachings. Many are unaware that he gets his guidance from a demon-possessed oracle (Nechung Oracle). Pray for the overthrow of this system of demonic darkness and that even Tibetan monks like the Dalai Lama himself will repent of their involvement and be delivered by the power of God from this terrible and destructive idolatry.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has just crossed a very dangerous line. He has just signed a law making it illegal for Russian followers of Jesus Christ to share or preach the Gospel anywhere outside the walls of their church, or even email their family and friends to invite them to church. What's more, he has done so under the guise of preventing "terrorism."
As I have been warning for a decade (see here, here, here and in my 2006 book, Epicenter), Putin -- who is fashioning himself as a rising Czar -- is an increasingly dangerous despot. He continues to centralize government power and control to himself. He is trampling over human rights, the media, and NGOs. He is rebuilding the Russian military. He has invaded neighboring Georgia and Ukraine. He is arming and building alliances with Radical Islamic countries, particularly Iran.
Now, Putin is positioning himself as an enemy of Christ and His Church. If he doesn't not reverse course, he risks bringing disaster upon himself and the people of Russia.
As Christianity Today reports, last week "Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a package of anti-terrorism laws that usher in tighter restrictions on missionary activity and evangelism. Despite prayers and protests from religious leaders and human rights advocates, the Kremlin announced Putin’s approval yesterday. The amendments, including laws against sharing faith in homes, online, or anywhere but recognized church buildings, go into effect July 20."
Please read and share this important article from Christianity Today with others. Please be praying for God to change Putin's heart. Please be praying for the pastors and Christian leaders and lay people in Russia. And please pray for the Russian people. This is a very dangerous road they are now heading down.
EXCERPTS FROM THE CT ARTICLE:
......Though opponents to the new measures hope to eventually appeal in court or elect legislators to amend them, they have begun to prepare their communities for life under the new rules, reported Forum 18 News Service, a Christian outlet reporting on the region.
Protestants and religious minorities small enough to gather in homes fear they will be most affected. Last month, “the local police officer came to a home where a group of Pentecostals meet each Sunday," Konstantin Bendas, deputy bishop of the Pentecostal Union, told Forum 18. "With a contented expression he told them: ‘Now they're adopting the law I'll drive you all out of here.’ I reckon we should now fear such zealous enforcement.”
“There are potentially very wide-sweeping ramifications to this law,” Joel Griffith of the Slavic Gospel Association said in a Mission Network News report. “It just depends on, again, how it is going to be enforced, and that is a very huge question mark.”
------
Earlier CT reporting (June 29): Christians in Russia won’t be allowed to email their friends an invitation to church or to evangelize in their own homes if Russia’s newest set of surveillance and anti-terrorism laws are enacted.
The proposed laws, considered the country’s most restrictive measures in post-Soviet history, place broad limitations on missionary work, including preaching, teaching, and engaging in any activity designed to recruit people into a religious group.
To share their faith, citizens must secure a government permit through a registered religious organization, and they cannot evangelize anywhere besides churches and other religious sites. The restrictions even apply to activity in private residences and online.
This week, Russia’s Protestant minority—estimated around 1 percent of the population—prayed, fasted, and sent petitions to President Vladimir Putin, who will have to approve the measures before they become official.
“Most evangelicals—leaders from all seven denominations—have expressed concerns,” Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia and a former Moscow church-planter, told CT. “They’re calling on the global Christian community to pray that Putin can intervene and God can miraculously work in this process.”
Following a wave of Russian nationalist propaganda, the laws passed almost unanimously in the Duma, the upper house, on Friday and in the Federation Council, the lower house, today.
“If this legislation is approved, the religious situation in the country will grow considerably more complicated and many believers will find themselves in exile and subjected to reprisals because of our faith,” wrote Oleg Goncharov, spokesman for the Seventh-day Adventists’ Euro-Asia division, in an open letter.
Proposed by United Russia party lawmaker Irina Yarovaya, the law appears to target religious groups outside the Russian Orthodox church. Because it defines missionary activities as religious practices to spread a faith beyond its members, “if that is interpreted as the Moscow Patriarchate is likely to, it will mean the Orthodox Church can go after ethnic Russians but that no other church will be allowed to,” according to Frank Goble, an expert on religious and ethnic issues in the region.
Russian nationalist identity remains tied up with the Russian Orthodox church.
“The Russian Orthodox church is part of a bulwark of Russian nationalism stirred up by Vladimir Putin,” David Aikman, history professor and foreign affairs expert, told CT. “Everything that undermines that action is a real threat, whether that’s evangelical Protestant missionaries or anything else.”
Sergei Ryakhovsky, head of the Protestant Churches of Russia, and several other evangelical leaders called the law a violation of religious freedom and personal conscience in a letter to Putin posted on the Russian site Portal-Credo. The letter reads, in part:
The obligation on every believer to have a special permit to spread his or her beliefs, as well as hand out religious literature and material outside of places of worship and used structures is not only absurd and offensive, but also creates the basis for mass persecution of believers for violating these provisions.
Soviet history shows us how many people of different faiths have been persecuted for spreading the Word of God. This law brings us back to a shameful past."
Stalin-era religious restrictions—including outlawing religious activity outside of Sunday services in registered churches and banning parents from teaching faith to their kids—remained on the books until the collapse of the Soviet Union, though the government enforced them only selectively.
Some have questioned whether the government could or would monitor religious activity in private Christian homes.
“I don’t think you can overestimate the Russian government’s willingess to exert control,” Aikman told CT. If history is any indication, the proposed regulations reveal a pattern of “creeping totalitarianism” in the country, he said....
If passed, the anti-evangelism law carries fines up to US $780 for an individual and $15,500 for an organization. Foreign visitors who violate the law face deportation.
Russia has already moved to contain foreign missionaries. The “foreign agent” law, adopted in 2012, requires groups from abroad to file detailed paperwork and be subject to government audits and raids. Since then, the NGO sector has shrunk by a third, according to government statistics....
From joelcrosenberg | July 13, 2016 at 10:29 am | Categories: Epicenter | URL: http://wp.me/piWZ7-5eZ
Please pray for religious freedom to be preserved throughout Russia and for the strengthening of the followers of Jesus wherever they are in this vast nation. Pray for true revival to hit the Russian Orthodox Church and its hierarchy as well as for Vladimir Putin and members of his government. Russia has had such massive revivals in the past and we pray for another visitation of His Spirit there.