The crisis in Syria has created a flood of refugees. According to the United Nations, the number fleeing the regime's wrath has risen by several thousand in the past few days and now tops 34,000. Their most recent numbers show that hundreds of thousands are thought to be displaced within Syria. Bill Bray with Christian Aid Mission (http://www.mnnonline.org/groups/CAM) says, "Almost every day, we're getting new reports of increasing numbers of refugees and increasing sacrifice being made by the Christian community in the surrounding countries to reach out."
Most of the poor refugees, made up of nominal Christian and other minorities, are fleeing to neighboring countries where the reception has been chilly. "They are trying to contain the refugee crisis, and displaced persons within Syria and not welcoming them across their borders. All the borders are mined and armed--protected. They don't want a huge rush of refugees from Syria coming into their countries.
"God uses times of crisis to soften hearts to the gospel," added the Christian Aid staff spokesman. "This may be a time of harvest among Muslim and Christian refugees. God is sovereign. He cares for Muslims. Countries in the Middle East are going through great upheaval. Now many Muslims are turning to Christ. Maybe the long turmoil in Syria is God's way of bringing this about."
PRAY:
• Pray for strength for the Christian community and wisdom in dealing with the government and local police officials. A lot of these people are illegal immigrants, they're undocumented; there are no jobs for them so we need to pray for the Christian community as they try to integrate these refugees into their churches and into the community."
• Pray for continued open doors for the Gospel.
• Pray that God will cause seeds of the Gospel to grow.
• Ask God to provide the resources for this response.
Read full article http://www.mnnonline.org/article/16959
In the midst of pain, they find God.
From our believing brothers and sisters in Damascus, needing our prayers came this prayer request. Will you join us in praying for all those in Syria and elsewhere suffering under violence and trusting in Jesus to keep them....pray especially for those who do not yet have hope in Jesus after this life! So many still need to know His love!
Please pray that many will hear the truth and accept it.
• Pray that God will change the heart of those extremists who are coming to Damascus from other Muslim countries to fight. Pray that they will leave Syria with the message of the Gospel. Just like Paul, as he was heading to Damascus to persecute the Christians but later he left Damascus with the Gospel of hope.
• Pray for those who are being persecuted for their faith.
Open Doors invites Christians around the world to take up their position and pray and fast for North Korea on April 15th 2012.
The deceased leader Kim Jong-Il promised his citizens that North Korea would be a strong and prosperous nation in 2012, but his son, Kim Jong-Un, inherited a country where between two and three million people have died of hunger. Most North Koreans are chronically malnourished, unemployed and living miles below the poverty line. Society is gripped by fear. The police have informants everywhere and house raids are not uncommon. More than 1% of the total population lives in Nazi-like labour camps, among them are many Christians.
Because of this gruesome injustice Open Doors calls on Christians worldwide to participate in a global day of prayer and fasting on Kim Il-Sung’s birthday, April 15. According to the US Department of State, North Korea has one of the largest armies in the world. Its active duty military force is estimated to number 1.2 million. “But as God’s children we are part of His army and His army far outnumbers any force on earth,” states Open Doors. “The Lord has given us a most effective weapon in the fight against the forces of spiritual darkness – prayer. So on April 15th we would like to fight on behalf of our brothers and sisters in North Korea by fasting and lifting them up in prayer and asking the Lord to intervene in this nation.”
Would you attempt a dangerous river crossing in the middle of the night? Could you take the risk of bribing a border guard to get to a safe country, knowing there’s a chance they would let you cross and then hand you over to the authorities?
For thousands of North Koreans, many take these dangerous options to escape life under the grip of one of the world’s most brutal and repressive regimes.
There are an estimated 100,000 North Korean refugees in China, who have escaped, risking their lives to reach a place of safety in South Korea. But many of them are trapped in China and at risk of being sent back to North Korea. China’s treatment of these refugees is appalling. They routinely send them back across the border, to face interrogation, torture, imprisonment and even execution when they arrive.
This year’s special focus day will be on June 3. CAF has material available. Please help to let people know about this day. Contact CAF at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. Thanks for your intercession!
Dear Friends,
On 12 April, Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani turns 35.
But instead of planning birthday celebrations with friends and family, he remains imprisoned in Iran, living with the threat of an execution that could happen at any time.
Hence Christian Solidarity Worldwide (http://www.csw.org.uk/home.htm) is launching a month of prayer and action for him in the run-up to his birthday.
In autumn 2011, CSW's advocacy and campaigning triggered a wave of global action on behalf of Pastor Nadarkhani. It mobilised 60,000 activists on his behalf. CSW's lobbying efforts stimulated statements from international politicians and widespread media coverage.
Pastor Nadarkhani was arrested in 2009 soon after questioning the Muslim monopoly of religious instruction for children in Iran, which he felt was unconstitutional. He was charged, tried, found guilty of apostasy and sentenced to death. He's been in prison ever since and has been under pressure to renounce his faith in order to have the charges annulled and the death sentence lifted. Within the last month we received unconfirmed reports that his execution order had been signed.
Show your support - join the month of prayer! In Acts 12, we read of Peter's miraculous release from prison while the Church was earnestly praying for him. We have a vital role to play by standing in solidarity with Pastor Nadarkhani and praying a lifting of the death sentence, and for his unconditional release. See the link www.csw.org.uk/nadarkhani.
"Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate." – Anonymous
Let’s TEACH our Children to pray! Let’s pray FOR the Children of this world!
"For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger, and you invited Me in, naked, and you clothed Me, I was sick, and you visited Me, I was in prison, and you came to Me...”Matthew 25:35-45
There are 2.3 billion children on earth under age 15 and they represent the largest unreached people group in the world. Boys and girls in the 4/14 Window is given priority because they are more open and receptive to the gospel than older youth and adults. Nearly 85% of people who make a decision for Christ, do so between the ages of 4 to 14!
For this reason you are invited to participate in the Global 4/14 Day – a day of prayer and fasting for children aged 4 to 14 – on Saturday, April 14, 2012.While adults are registering for the Global 4/14 Day, ARISE is inviting CHILDREN to gather for prayer in every time zone of the world at 4:14PM (local time zone) on 14 April 2012 to unite in praise and worship, stand in the gap for their generation and to commit themselves to be a generation set apart for God.
For more information please visit the website www.kidsarise.com or contact Gwen De Rozario at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Billions of children around the world are growing up without the basic needs they are entitled to. For example: Education, Safety, Advocacy and Health. To pray for them effectively please visit VIVA –together for children and diarize the date for the World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk 2 – 3 June 2012.
Twelve years ago, Objectif France began mobilizing intercessors to pray for France to awaken, in order for it to enter into its destiny, to be able to testify with the power of God’s love. Our perseverance has not been in vain: in twelve years, the spiritual atmosphere in France has changed and a thirst for God has increased. The Christians are not inactive: we see houses of prayer and adoration opening with a perspective of 24/24; a generation is rising up in the country, full of passion for Jesus and a desire to serve Him. The Church is rediscovering the love for the Kingdom of God!
With intercessors from about 70 countries receiving our guide (translated into English), join us in our desire to blow in the fire of revival. Together, from April 7th to the 29th, we call France, “its admirable light” with a strong manifestation of His Kingdom and His Justice.
To get the prayer guide:
• In English, it can be downloaded for free from the website: www.ccfof.org
• In French, and we hope in Spanish, it can be ordered on: www.objectiffrance.fr
The week of April 9 – 15 has been designated by a number of prayer networks as week of prayer for Mauritania. We'd like to encourage all who have a heart for Mauritania and its people to organize prayer gatherings for Mauritania during that week. Prayer topics for each day of that week will be sent out by April 3. There will be 3 days of intensive prayer and fasting April 12 - 14.
Please pray for the Lord's help and grace in all the preparation for this dedicated time of prayer for Mauritania, and that He would raise up many intercessors around the world to pray for Mauritania and its people throughout 2012 and beyond.
In recent weeks, a number of individuals who pray regularly for Mauritania have sensed the Lord urging prayer for humility, confession, repentance and unity on three levels:
1. among all those who are committed to praying for it – That we would guard our hearts and be quick to confess any sin or seek forgiveness and work to restore broken relationships so that nothing would hinder our prayers. We sense the most important preparation for the week of prayer in April is our own humility, purity and right relationship with the Lord and one another
2. among believers in Mauritania – May the Lord pour out His grace and kindness in the lives of believers in Mauritania, leading them to recognize, confess and repent of any sin in their lives, including deeply entrenched sins that are "strongholds" in the culture - including love of money, pride, deception or manipulation, racism, occult practices, sexual sin. Pray for healing of divisions and unity among believers. Pray for God's "rain" in their lives, softening hard hearts and refreshing and renewing those who are weary and dry.
3. Prayer for conviction of sin, confession, and repentance within the country as a whole: In studying the ministry of John the Baptist, we are reminded that before Jesus began His ministry, there was a large movement of confession of sins and repentance throughout Judea and Jerusalem. John was called to "prepare the way" for Jesus to come, and calling people to confession was a key part of that preparation. Pray for God to pour out the Holy Spirit in Mauritania, convicting Mauritanians of their sin and helping them recognize that they are sick, in need of a savior to heal and restore and reconcile them to God.
Key Scriptures: Mark 1:1-8; Luke 7:27-30; Mark 2:16-17; Malachi 3:1-3; John 16:7-11
Please keep praying for the WPA! Your prayer support will be all-important to this event which is intended to be a "new paradigm" for an international congress-carried out Acts 13-style-incorporating listening to God, united prayer, and strategic implementation of world-impacting action that proceeds out of that encounter with the Lord and one another.
WPA Prayer Concerns
We are now less than two weeks from the World Prayer Assembly. Your prayers have been a sustaining and encouraging force for us. We know that without your support in this way, we could be dead meat in the spiritual battle that rages against us and this "once in a generation" gathering of praying people from around the world.
Here are some causes for thanksgiving to God and continuing key issues in prayer we hope you can focus on with us now and during the WPA:
1. God has answered your prayers for people to hear His voice and come to the WPA. There are now about 6000 registered to take part! Much of this wave of registrations has flowed in to our Jakarta office in the last month.
2. The Lord has been providing funding as it is needed. There is still about $400,000 needed to help hundreds of children, youth and adults with subsidies for their accommodations and ground transport and in some cases with partial travel help. Please pray that donors will respond now and provide the rest that is needed. A colleague is asking for 100 people to each give $4000. If the Lord moves your heart to help, please let us know.
3. Pray for the many speakers, facilitators and worship teams that they will be anointed and prepared to play their part at the WPA. We want to follow a new/old paradigm of letting the Lord guide and speak as He did in Acts 13 to the five leaders at Antioch. Pray that we may have special wisdom and sensitivity to know how to do this effectively in both the plenary and track sessions.
4. The Indonesian national committee needs our continuing prayer as they seek to bring together the very challenging and detailed logistics- hotels and other accommodations, ground transport involving many buses and program details. It is a huge undertaking- please pray for them regularly.
5. The May 17 national stadium event will link the 100,000 participants live to 362 cities within Indonesia with an estimated audience of 5 million as well as many millions of others throughout the world through satellite TV and Internet streaming. Please pray for an anointed, powerful program that is being developed now, for excellent collaboration with Christian and secular media outlets, and that all the technical aspects will work flawlessly.
6. Pray for unity, love and humility among the Indonesian committee and our international coordination team. Pray for excellent security, both spiritual and physical, to surround the venues, hotels and ground transport. We all need His protection both physically and spiritually as we move into these last weeks and during the WPA as well. The evil one wants to hinder such a global prayer tsunami from happening, of course, and we must not underestimate his resolve to disrupt it.
7. Of course, finally, pray that the WPA will be mightily and wonderfully used of God to fulfill His purposes and to be a vehicle for world revival and breakthrough in mission.PrayEphesians 3:20 and Habakkuk 2:14 for it!
Thanks so much for standing with us for this "once in a generation" event.
Yours in Christ,
John Robb (on behalf of the WPA International Coordination Team)