In the coal region of West Virginia, a revival that began in April has brought 4,000 souls to Christ over eight weeks. Matt Hartley, a Tennessee evangelist, was God’s instrument to spark revival. He has taken a break for a few weeks. ‘He was exhausted,’ said the regional Church of God. ‘Nobody thought when we scheduled him for three days that he would be here for eight weeks.’ Hartley is scheduled to preach again in mid-August near the border with Ohio. In one Logan County school, a young cancer survivor felt stirred to preach to others in the hallway; students crowded together to hear the message, and some decided to follow Christ. In Mingo County, prayer clubs are seeing higher crowds and people are giving their lives to God. 150 students were saved in just one high school. There seems to be a widespread movement in southern West Virginia and even in some Kentucky schools. God has a plan for the region.

26 June is this year’s Prayer Sunday, the date for Canadians to pray for their nation’s leaders. Join them in praying that the leaders will not be swayed from the Charter of Rights, which begins ‘Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognise the Supremacy of God and the Rule of Law.’ Pray for a nation that upholds freedom of conscience and religion, and freedom of thought, opinion and expression. Pray that physician-assisted dying will not become a norm in Canada, but that good palliative care will be recognised and expanded to care for those who are approaching the end of life. Pray for wise and Godly counsellors to help leaders reach their full potential. Pray also for an increase of a generation of Josephs, Esthers and Daniels who can be raised up to advocate and provide wise counsel for righteous judgments and decisions. (Pr.11:14)

Since Fallujah was all but liberated last Friday, people have escaped to four camps outside the city that were already brimming with thousands of families who fled when the fighting began in May. These makeshift camps face a humanitarian crisis. 80,000+ are without shelter and sufficient water, in temperatures of 46 C and sandstorms. There’s sporadic electricity and a shortage of latrines. At one camp they treat 1,200 people a day suffering from malnutrition and other ailments. Conditions are miserable. New arrivals put a strain on Iraq’s cash-strapped government and aid organisations trying to meet the demand for basic needs of food, drinking water, and health care. Thousands are barred from seeking refuge with relatives in Baghdad because of suspected sympathies with IS. Allowing these families to proceed would significantly ease the burden on the camps. Pray that women, children, the sick and vulnerable may leave camps and settle with relatives in safety.

 Prostitution and sex-trafficking take place in Tehran, and the number of women working in the profession is growing. The government agency charged with overseeing morality is turning a blind eye to the issue, to avoid dealing with something ‘not spoken about’ by the state. In twelve months 32 brothels were discovered in Tehran. Most women go into the profession to avoid extreme poverty, many being sold into prostitution by their husbands to make ends meet. There are 100+ young girls in Tehran making 2 - 20 dollars per client. 35% of prostitutes are married women with children. Others are involved in ‘pleasure marriages’ (temporary couplings recognised by Shi'ite Islam to conceal the fact that they are engaged in prostitution). These marriages are decided upon by men, without the woman's consent, and accompanied by a payment given by the man. When women become pregnant, the babies are abandoned on the street and later used for other purposes.

Christians and Hindus make up 10% of Bangladesh's population of mainly Sunni Muslims. On Monday 2,000 Bangladeshi Christians from various denominations prayed for ‘humanity to wake up’ to the growing threat of Islamic terrorism in the country. They prayed for a country of unity, peace and harmony, for a dormant humanity to become aware of the persecution, violence and murders committed in secret. They asked God to bless the terrorists so that they change their minds. The prayers were led by Catholic and Protestant clergymen. ‘We live in fear because every day ordinary folks become victims of Islamic militants. For this reason, we urge Christian leaders to call on humanity to wake up’, said Father Kamal Corraya. ‘There is no place for violence in the teachings of Jesus Christ,’ said the moderator of the Protestant Church of Bangladesh.

Doctors without Borders (MSF) said a ‘catastrophic humanitarian emergency’ is unfolding at a camp in Bama where 24,000 people have taken refuge from Boko Haram and nearly 200 have starved to death in the past month. Many are traumatised and one in five children are suffering from acute malnutrition. Thirty people die every day due to hunger or illness. MSF's visit to the camp was only possible with an army escort. Violence in Nigeria is widespread, perpetrated by Boko Haram, ethnic groups, farmers and herdsmen who resort to violence. Some acts of violence have religious overtones, and a new generation of Niger Delta militants are threatening war against the state. Government soldiers kill civilians indiscriminately, and police are notorious for extrajudicial murder. Between May 2011 and June 2016 there were 15,588 deaths perpetrated solely by Boko Haram and another 12,962 deaths perpetrated by terrorists and state combined. See:

A week after the mass shooting in an Orlando nightclub, senate Democrats demanded action on gun control; but the measures failed to pass the senate’s sixty-vote threshold. On Wednesday Democrats in Congress started a dramatic sit-in for gun control, completely disrupting political business. Chanting ‘No bill, no break!’, they wanted the traditional two-week summer break not to start until the issue was debated. The Democratic whip said, ‘This is an issue that ought to transcend party politics - it's about saving lives and keeping our communities safe.’ The sit-in, reminiscent of strategies used by civil rights activists in the 60s, was called off after 24 hours. However, many believe now is the time to do something similar, make a peaceful noise, get in the way and act for what they believe in.

For an hour each day, Kim Chung-seong, a defector from North Korea and a Christian missionary, takes to the microphone in a small studio. At 1.00 am his show ‘Hello from Seoul’ sends a mix of gospel music and news into North Korea, defying the isolated state's efforts to keep its people in the dark about the world, religion and the truth about its leaders. ‘Brothers and sisters in the North, I hope this time can be a moment of prayer for a miracle that every party member of North Korea at the party congress can meet God, not take a further step into the cult of personality’, Kim said. He was referring to the meeting of the North's ruling Workers' Party this month, where young leader Kim Jong Un was unanimously elevated to party chairman. Kim came to the South in 2004 and broadcasts from his studio at the Far East Broadcasting Company.

Carol Everett is a champion of the pro-life cause but had previously been part of the abortion industry and had even owned abortion clinics. In 1973 her husband and doctor pressured her to abort her third child, which she did. That decision led her in a downward spiral. She began drinking, had an affair, and left her husband. She worked for a medical supply company and saw how much money could be made in the abortion industry. Owning an abortion clinic with a high abortion quota would make her a millionaire, so she opened two clinics and managed four others. Then in 1983 she encountered Christ, and her views on abortion radically changed. Carol is now a pro-life advocate who has started an organisation called the Heidi Group which offers life-affirming medical services to pregnant women, and encourages women who are considering abortion to talk to someone who does not have a monetary interest in their decision.

Since 20 February, when David Cameron announced that the UK would vote on Britain's membership of the EU on 23 June, well-known Christian figures have aired their thoughts on the EU. They range from theologian Krish Kandiah who thinks we're better together in the Union, to Jonathan Arnott, Christian UKIP MEP, who wants Britain to leave. Prayer Alert has no editorial line beyond a commitment to communicate Christian reflection and commentary to enhance understanding on an issue that many find both confusing and divisive. All the media is full of comment, but we need to be like 'the men of Issachar' who understood the times and knew what to do (1 Chr.12:32). The most important thing we can do right now is to ask God for His directive. This week’s INSIGHT article contains various comments from the Christian media, giving Bible-based perspectives to help people as they pray and allow God to inspire their thoughts. To read this article click the ‘More’ button.