Testimonies from the Welsh Outpouring
f you are a reader of Prayer Alert I'm sure that you have heard about what's going on in Cwmbran, Wales. See Prayer Alert 19-20-22&25. Let me encourage you to watch this video on the’ More’ link of testimony to the amazing things that God is doing.
Praise: God for His continued blessing on the people in south Wales and long may it continue, (Ps.85:6)
Brazil: 2 Million Christians shut down Sao Paulo during 'March For Jesus'
Two million Christians from all over Brazil trekked the streets of Sao Paulo over the weekend to join in on the country's largest religious gathering, ‘March for Jesus.’ The annual event, organized by Pastor Estevam Hernandes of Renascer em Cristo, or Reborn in Christ Church, and other Pentecostal churches, included speeches and prayers from pastors, political figures, and entertainment from various Brazilian gospel artists. ‘After so many years, the event continues to have an impact,’ Pastor Estevam Hernandes told Brazilian press outlets, adding that the success of the event was due to years of ‘work and prayer.’ This year's theme was ‘New Time,’ which describes the nation's hope for change as it faces its worst social turmoil in over 20 years with Brazilians taking to the streets to demand the government find solutions to provide citizens with a better quality of life.
Praise: God for this powerful alternative to protest marches. (Ps.88:2)
Brazil: 2 Million Christians shut down Sao Paulo during 'March For Jesus'
Two million Christians from all over Brazil trekked the streets of Sao Paulo over the weekend to join in on the country's largest religious gathering, ‘March for Jesus.’ The annual event, organized by Pastor Estevam Hernandes of Renascer em Cristo, or Reborn in Christ Church, and other Pentecostal churches, included speeches and prayers from pastors, political figures, and entertainment from various Brazilian gospel artists. ‘After so many years, the event continues to have an impact,’ Pastor Estevam Hernandes told Brazilian press outlets, adding that the success of the event was due to years of ‘work and prayer.’ This year's theme was ‘New Time,’ which describes the nation's hope for change as it faces its worst social turmoil in over 20 years with Brazilians taking to the streets to demand the government find solutions to provide citizens with a better quality of life.
Praise: God for this powerful alternative to protest marches. (Ps.88:2)
Fears more students being lured into prostitution
A support group for people in the sex industry fears the high cost of further education will tempt more students into pole dancing, escort work and prostitution to make ends meet. The warning comes from Beyond the Streets, formerly the National Christian Alliance on Prostitution, after research by the University of Kingston found that in 2010, a quarter of students knew someone who had worked in the sex industry to fund their studies, a staggering increase on 1990 when the figure was just 3%. In a separate study by the University of Leeds, a quarter of lap dancers were found to have a degree and a third of the women interviewed were doing lap dancing work to fund training in other professions. ‘It may look like easy money to the desperate eye, but what it really is, let's not be fooled, is luring students into prostitution,’ the group said.
Pray: that with the increasing cost of education pray that the financial pressures will not attract students into prostitution. (Mt.26:41)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/fears.more.students.being.lured.into.prostitution/33102.htm
Street preacher arrested for ‘homophobic’ language
The Christian Legal Centre is supporting a man who was arrested on Monday (1st July) for using ‘homophobic’ speech whilst preaching on a London high street. Tony Miano was preaching from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 on sexual immorality and the need to abstain from it. Mr Miano was arrested and taken to the local police station where he was photographed, fingerprinted and had a DNA sample taken. Mr Miano commented: ‘It surprised me that here in the country that produced the Magna Carta that an otherwise law abiding person could lose his freedom because one person was offended by the content of my speech.’ Although a US citizen, he plans to send a letter to every member of both Houses of Parliament, expressing his concerns about diminishing free speech in the UK and his fears that the proposed legislation redefining marriage will lead to an increasing number of cases like his.
Pray: that those who preach God’s Word will be protected. (Ps.5:11)
More: http://www.christianconcern.com/media/interview-with-tony-miano-and-footage-of-his-arrest
British military restructuring
Several military barracks are to close and more than 30,000 soldiers relocated to new bases across the UK as part of a restructuring of the army. The moves are part of the wholesale re-organisation and shrinking of the army as almost 16,000 soldiers return from Germany over the next six years and thousands more are pulled out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014. The army will restructure around seven regional hubs in the UK.
Pray: for wisdom for those involved in the shaping of Britain's armed forces over the coming decades. Pray for those civilian as well as military staff affected in these changes; some facing relocation of job, home and schools and others redundancy. (Pro.3:13)
More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/mar/05/seven-military-barracks-army-restructuring
Belarus: Praying in homeless shelter a crime
A young Catholic layman, who turned his home in a western Belarus village into a shelter for homeless people with a prayer room, is being accused of leading an unregistered religious organisation, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Aleksei Shchedrov - who says he has helped about 100 local people since December 2011 - is being investigated on criminal charges under Article 193-1, and faces a maximum possible sentence of two years' imprisonment. Shchedrov denies the authorities' accusation of founding an unregistered religious organisation. ‘I am a Christian and I started to help those who are in need,’ he insisted to Forum 18 on 24 June from the village of Aleksandrovka, Grodno [Hrodna] Region. ‘I give them food, a bed, a bath and clothes and I pray together with them. But this is no religious organisation, just charity.’ Local police launched the criminal investigation against the 28-year-old Shchedrov following raids on the shelter in February and April.
Pray: for Shchedrov that the authorities will release him and allow him to continue to care for those in need. (Rom.12:13)
Belarus: Praying in homeless shelter a crime
A young Catholic layman, who turned his home in a western Belarus village into a shelter for homeless people with a prayer room, is being accused of leading an unregistered religious organisation, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Aleksei Shchedrov - who says he has helped about 100 local people since December 2011 - is being investigated on criminal charges under Article 193-1, and faces a maximum possible sentence of two years' imprisonment. Shchedrov denies the authorities' accusation of founding an unregistered religious organisation. ‘I am a Christian and I started to help those who are in need,’ he insisted to Forum 18 on 24 June from the village of Aleksandrovka, Grodno [Hrodna] Region. ‘I give them food, a bed, a bath and clothes and I pray together with them. But this is no religious organisation, just charity.’ Local police launched the criminal investigation against the 28-year-old Shchedrov following raids on the shelter in February and April.
Pray: for Shchedrov that the authorities will release him and allow him to continue to care for those in need. (Rom.12:13)
Germany: Heavy metal evangelism
Watchman Team international Europe have forwarded the following prayer request, ‘We would like to mention two ‘Heavy Metal’ music festivals this summer in Germany. ‘Wacken Open Air’ takes place from July 28th to August 4th in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein (northern Germany) with an estimated 75,000 visitors from all over the world, and ‘Summerbreeze’ takes place in Dinkelsbuehl in Franken (southern Germany) from August 15th to 17th with about 30,000 visitors. Please pray for the Spirit’s protection and power for the Christians who will be witnessing at these events – that many young people will be drawn out of darkness into the light. Extra copies of the ‘Metal-Bible’ are being printed for distribution to visitors who are drawn to hear the gospel message.
Pray: that God will powerfully anoint all who are called to share the gospel at these events. Pray for successful printing and timely delivery of all evangelistic material. (Ps.134:3)
Germany: Heavy metal evangelism
Watchman Team international Europe have forwarded the following prayer request, ‘We would like to mention two ‘Heavy Metal’ music festivals this summer in Germany. ‘Wacken Open Air’ takes place from July 28th to August 4th in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein (northern Germany) with an estimated 75,000 visitors from all over the world, and ‘Summerbreeze’ takes place in Dinkelsbuehl in Franken (southern Germany) from August 15th to 17th with about 30,000 visitors. Please pray for the Spirit’s protection and power for the Christians who will be witnessing at these events – that many young people will be drawn out of darkness into the light. Extra copies of the ‘Metal-Bible’ are being printed for distribution to visitors who are drawn to hear the gospel message.
Pray: that God will powerfully anoint all who are called to share the gospel at these events. Pray for successful printing and timely delivery of all evangelistic material. (Ps.134:3)