Syria: Defence minister reportedly killed in blast
A suicide bomber struck the National Security building in Damascus during a meeting of cabinet ministers, killing the Defence Minister and wounding other senior officials.Defence Minister Dawoud Rajha, 65, a former army general, was the most senior Christian government official in Syria. President Bashir al-Assad appointed him to the post last year. By Wednesday the capital had seen four straight days of clashes between government troops and rebels trying to bring down the regime. The fighting is an unprecedented challenge to government rule in the tightly controlled capital. Minister Dawoud’s death will resonate with Syria's minority Christian population (about 10%) The Christians have generally stood by
the regime, and say they are particularly vulnerable to the violence sweeping the country. They are fearful that Syria will become another Iraq, with Christians caught in the crossfire between rival Muslim groups. Republican Guard troops surrounded the al-Shami Hospital where some officials were taken for treatment.
Pray:for God’s continued protection of the innocent Syrian population and for Russia, US andEurope to help the country out of this hostile situation. (Ps.9:3,4)
More:http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/07/18/syria-bombing-defence-minister.html
Nigeria: News becomes more dark
A series of coordinated attacks on African Christian communities in Nigeria’s Plateau State over recent weekends have left many dead and injured. The various news reports provide conflicting information about some basic facts - number of attackers - sequence of events - an accounting of the dead - but they all agree on the severity of the attacks. Information from news sources state 50 of the 90 killed in one incident were from a single church in Maseh village. Sources report that rebels from the Boko Haram surrounded the church and set it on fire. As the church burned the assailants waited and killed anyone trying to escape. The spokesperson for Boko Haram, Abul Qaqa, claimed responsibility and guaranteed that there would be more attacks on Christians as they attempt to establish total control and Islamize the region. Boko Haram has essentially declared war in Jos and its surrounding area. Our prayers and support for Nigerian Christians have never been more critically needed.
Pray: for Nigerian Christians to be surrounded and held tenderly by God and to be continually aware of His unfailing love for them. (Ps.13)
More: http://www.opendoorsusa.org/pray/prayer-updates/2012/%297-July/Nigeria-is-becoming-genocide
China: Vanishing Bishop
The day after his ordination last Saturday Bishop Thaddeus Ma Daqin resigned and then mysteriously disappeared. His fellow bishops say he has vanished and it is not known if he is in hiding or something more sinister. The authorities arMexico gang attacks Christian youth campe outraged because of a speech he made after his ordination and a friend said he is in a forced time of reflection. Chinese Catholics number between 8-12 million, and are divided between a state-sanctioned church that has installed bishops without Vatican approval and an ‘underground’ wing long wary of associating with the Communist Party-run church. (see PA 2012-28)
Pray: for Ma’s release, and may God use this situation to highlight to the West the need for positive change in China’s attitude towards Christianity.
More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48132012/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/
Mexico gang attacks Christian youth camp
Mexican police are searching for an armed gang that attacked a Christian youth camp outside Mexico City. Prosecutors said the gang subjected the campers to an ordeal lasting several hours. Seven girls were sexually assaulted and other youths were beaten. The attackers took cash, cameras and mobile phones and escaped in two stolen vehicles. The Governor of Mexico State, Eruviel Avila, has promised to do everything possible to catch those responsible. About 90 members of the Christian youth group were camping in tents in the Colibri ecological park near the town of Ixtapaluca. The attackers burst into the camp at around midnight on Thursday firing shots into the air, the victims said. The park is in a hilly region with no mobile phone coverage so it was some time before the alarm was raised. Mexican newspapers have questioned why there was not better security at the site .STOP PRESS:Police in Mexico have arrested 17 people in connection with the attack.
Pray: for all the youngsters that their ordeal will leave no lasting effect and that the authorities will succeed in finding the perpetrators.
More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18845208
The Summons, October 3-7, 2012
Join us for a Solemn Assembly in Washington D.C.
With each generation seeming to drift away from the God of our Fathers, now more than ever, it seems that we are truly at the precipice of a societal migration away from our Judeo-Christian foundation. With this in mind, the National Day of Prayer (NDP) Task Force has called a Solemn Assembly in Washington D.C. for such a time as this. The urgency of the moment, and the prompting of God, has paved the way for The Summons (October 3-7, 2012) to be a moment in time for God's people to stand in the gap on behalf of all Americans - perhaps as Moses did for Israel (Exodus 32, Psalm 106). Based on Psalm 50:1-6, this special prayer gathering will focus on all institutions of government within Washington D.C. and include outdoor, corporate worship near the steps of the Capitol building, as well as the base of the Washington Monument. Groups will meet with various congressional leaders, travel to the Pentagon, the Supreme Court, and many other key locations to PRAY. This is not an assignment for the faint of heart. You will need walking shoes and clothing suitable for being on location and 'hitting the streets', regardless of weather. We invite you to join with us, and several hundred other like-minded believers, for this unique time of prayer and worship in our nation's capital.
Visit www.Summons2012.com to learn more, and register today!
Do you ever feel weary or burdened after hearing yet another report about the continual onslaught of sexualized messages in our children’s schools? And finding out how well-funded all the sexual advocacy groups targeting our classrooms with their messages are certainly doesn’t make things any easier. Well, I have some good news for you: This week we’ve got a refreshing story to share with you that will encourage your heart.
These brave parents and local school board members in Erie, Illinois – a town of only 1,600 people – are resisting pressure from national activist groups and liberal media.
They made their voices heard after discovering plans to introduce materials from GLSEN – the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network – into their elementary school, which serves children between the ages of 4 and 9.
The good news is, the school board listened to the parents’ concerns and voted 5-2 to reject the GLSEN material. But as a result, the gay-activist groups have launched a national campaign to pressure the board into reversing its vote.
However, the school board says it’s not changing its vote, no matter what GLSEN does. Parents and citizens in this community are standing firm for their kids, their schools and their community values. Those actions are having a ripple effet that will empower other parents nationwide.
If you have concerns about whether this type of curriculum is headed to your local schools and how you can respond, you’ll want to check out www.truetolerance.org. This online resource provides examples of homosexual-themed classroom materials to be aware of, as well as tips on how to respond to efforts to introduce them in your children’s classrooms in a loving, fact-based way.
For faith and the family,
Mexico’s most wanted man, Joaquin "El Chapo" (Shorty) Guzmán, the notorious leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel that has been blamed for thousands of homicides, was indicted April 2012 in El Paso along with 23 others on federal charges.
Guzman is the boss of the Sinaloa Federation, the 5 foot 6 inch son of a poor rural family. Despite having virtually no formal education, Forbes estimates Guzman is worth more than $1 billion. He has been declared the most influential trafficker in the world.
Guzman is infamous for the smuggling of cocaine from Columbia, and heroin from Southeast Asia. His organization also produces their own brand of heroin. U.S. law enforcement have identified Sinaloa Cartel distribution centers in Arizona, California, Texas, New York, and Chicago, where street gangs such as MS-13 and the Mexican Mafia distribute the drugs.
Guzman has eluded capture for more than a decade, is known for coming up with original ways to smuggle, like putting cocaine in fire extinguishers, and is suspected of helping Mexicans and Colombians launder as much as $20 billion in drug profits. Guzman is the heart of the drug war, perpetuating the image of the bulletproof bad guy.
Guzman's influence is reportedly deeply imbedded in the political structure of Mexico, even spilling over to the United States. Guzman's typical plan is to recruit a low-level official and continue to pay that person as he rises through the ranks. Once an official or politician is on a cartel payroll, he is subject to blackmail should he stop cooperating. And it goes beyond cash; it can also involve murder. Whatever the relationship entails, once a cartel gets its hooks into a person, it tends not to let go -- and the person thus entangled has little choice but to continue cooperating, since he can be subject to arrest and political or financial ruin or even assassination if he is caught.
U.S. law enforcement officials say that no other cartel has the international cocaine distribution networks of Guzman's Sinaloa Federation, which is also making a major push into methamphetamines in Mexico and Central America. He has a $7 million bounty on his head in Mexico and the U.S., and teams of law enforcement agents from both countries are devoted to his capture.
PRAY:
1. We call upon You, Almighty God, for the capture of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (Sinaloa) (Hebrews 4:13 & Job 12:22).
2. That all communication fail within Guzman's ranks that keeps him one step ahead of capture.
3. That the Lord will shine His light on the whereabouts of Guzman, and on all those in the cartel's leadership.
4. For supernatural wisdom, breakthrough and protection for all law enforcement that are working to take down Guzman.
5. That the Lord would send His mighty heavenly army to arrest Guzman, bringing law enforcement to the right place at the right time for Guzman's capture.
PRAISES!
Seven members of Mexico's Zetas cartel were arrested Tuesday after a U.S. indictment accused a total of 14 cartel members of laundering drug money through the breeding and racing of American quarter horses in the United States, authorities said. Los Zetas leader Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, 38, and his two brothers were named in the federal indictment, and brother Jose Trevino Morales, 45, and his wife, 38-year-old Zulema Trevino, were among the seven arrested, federal authorities said. The 14 defendants were charged with a conspiracy using horse racing and breeding to launder the cartel's drug money, authorities said.
A member of Mexico's Los Zetas drug cartel suspected of running piracy operations for the criminal organization was arrested earlier this week, the Defense Secretariat said Thursday. Gregorio Villanueva Salas, known as "The Czar of Piracy," also faces charges in connection with several grenade attacks. Villanueva was arrested by army troops on Monday in Monterrey, the capital of the northern state of Nuevo Leon, along with three other members of the gang. Villanueva was "one of the principal operators" of Los Zetas, a drug cartel notorious for dismembering its victims, Defense Secretariat spokesman Col. Ricardo Trevilla said.
“What an amazing time to be alive! There have been so many prayer and mission events taking place across our nations including 2 stadiums (Leyton Orient and Ashton Gate) and many other prayer weeks, nights of prayer, prayer vigils and prayer walks. It is completely impossible to keep up with how the Holy Spirit is mobilising His church at this time. Apologies for the fact that the Prayer Forum website is not yet functioning. We pray that it soon will be!
World Prayer Assembly. Stories from those who were part of the approximately 50 people delegation from the UK at the World Prayer Assembly in Jakarta have to be heard to be believed. ‘It was truly tri-generational (Abrahams, Isaacs and Jacobs), multi-ethnic and global. Between 9,000 and 10,000 participants from 86 nations attended the Assembly. On 17th May they joined with 100,000 Indonesians at their national stadium for five hours of prayer, praise and worship. Watch for the new wave of prayer and mission that is erupting globally. See Ian Cole’s report on World Prayer Centre website http://www.worldprayer.org.uk/files/2012/06/WPA-2012-Report.pdf or head over to International Prayer Connect for June Newsletter http://ipcprayer.org/
The 70 day Cascade of Praise and Prayer got off to a great start at Lands End with the commissioning of the prayer relay batons and the start of the prayer relay, praying for the Praise Bus and 7:14 prayer events taking place across the west country.
The impact of the Praise Bus as it simply declares the praise of Jesus is mighty as it goes ahead of the Olympic torch route. One church said, “I can't say how much our day on the bus has meant to us, it has impacted on our every day worship. Thank you for this opportunity”. Full details about the vision is on www.thejourneyfromescalls.co.uk.
The 70 day Prayer Relay has taken place in a variety of locations, including churches, on a ship in Cardiff Bay, outside Liverpool Cathedral and on the most northerly point in N Ireland. The town crier welcomed the pray-ers and prayer baton from Bangor into Chester. ‘Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share in this fabulous and momentous event. We had an extraordinary time in Belfast as we sat under the prayers of blessing written in Newry for Belfast’. Follow the Prayer Relay on the World Prayer Centre & More than Gold facebook pages. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=841449172 & http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=841449172#!/pages/More-Than-Gold-UK/117009724976998
7:14 prayer events continue to be organised in many of the locations of the over night torch relay stops - the night before. For reports and further information see http://www.facebook.com/pages/714/233575236702971
And so this historic, unprecedented season of praise, prayer and mission continues through June as it travels through Scotland and through most of the NE and NW of England and then coming as far south as Birmingham by 30th June. It is wonderful to see the body of Christ responding to the Father’s heart to come and give him the praise and worship at this critical time. To find out where the Olympic torch is going (and so find out re Praise Bus, 7:14 and prayer relay) head over to www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17358291.
More news will follow as we move into July. Please mark 8 am 27th July in your diaries as More than Gold, World Prayer Centre and many others plan to issue a call to prayer across every part of the British Isles as those church bells peal!
And of course don’t forget to plan to join us on 29th September at Wembley Stadium for the national day of praise and thanksgiving for all that God has done and will do! www.ndopwembley.com Tickets are now available.
The 70-day cascade of prayer and praise will come to an end with the prayer relay finish in East London on the evening of the 26th July, and the Praise Bus will complete its journey on the 27th July.
We want to invite everyone everywhere to prayer 8:12 a.m. on 27th July - please forward this invitation on.
At 8:12 a.m. on 27th July 2012, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games are calling for bells to be rung across our nations: any bell, anyone, anywhere. www.allthebells.com
We feel this is a very significant moment and want to invite everyone to pray wherever they are on that day! We long to see a spiritual turning in our nation.
It is 70 years ago to the day when Winston Churchill called for the bells to be rung after the first battle of El Alamein ended on 27th July 1942 with a stalemate. The bells marked a turning point. After the second battle of El Alamein which ended on 3rd November 1942, there was victory. He recalled ‘before El Alamein, we never had a victory; after El Alamein, we never had a defeat’.
Bells were rung on 3 June at the Jubilee Pageant carried on the bell barge and were answered by church bells along the Thames. Bells will ring on 27th July 2012 at 8:12 a.m. A 27-ton bell will ring at 9:00 p.m. on 27 July. It is twice the size of Big Ben and the largest tuned bell in Europe and will ring in the Olympic Stadium to start London 2012. It will carry the quote from The Tempest, ‘Do not be afeared; the isle is full of noises’. A number of people have been carrying words about the significance of bells:
1. Jonathan Bellamy http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/The_Bells_Of_Change/47694/p1
2. Benicar Johnson of Bethel Church had a recent word about the bells ringing in England http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it3acc9XwAk&feature=em-share_video_user
3. Kathie Walters (http://www.kathiewaltersministry.com) who has mobilized thousands around the world to pray during the Jubilee and for the start of the games.
World Prayer Centre has put together some scriptures and prayers for you to use; but feel free to pray how the Lord leads on that morning. Download the Call to Prayer 27th July sheet (http://www.worldprayer.org.uk/files/2012/07/Call-to-Prayer-27-July-8.12am-WPC-27_07_12.pdf)
Please invite all you know!
Defence cuts for the British Armed Forces
The announcement of yet more defence cuts comes at a time when the Armed Forces are stretched beyond reasonable capacity, with those deployed working round the clock with little down time. The commitments given to our Armed Forces are great, from overseas to the home front, including currently the Olympic Games. Our Armed Forces are second to none but with each reduction, their capacity gets eroded. An army can be debilitated by a stroke of a pen, but to restore it again can takes years.
Pray: for wisdom for our Government and those in authority that the defence of the realm will remain secure. (Ps. 91:4)
