Pakistan: Prayer growth and needs
Prayer Alert readers interceded with and for the church in Pakistan through 40 days of 24/7 prayer during lent. A Pakistan leader writes, ‘Thank you for your prayers. We felt God's presence and protection continually, and there is MUCH TO PRAISE GOD FOR. In one church over 2,000 people came from across the city. This is a very large number for Pakistan. The senior pastor of the host church was so impressed he decided to attempt to continue 24/7 in their church. God is at work! Many of our leaders need further encouragement, and the World Prayer Assembly is about to hold the largest prayer gathering for leaders in Jakarta, Indonesia during May 14-19. Pray that Pakistani leaders will be able to attend. A year ago it was easy for Pakistanis to get visas. This past year Pakistani Al -Qaeda carried out some actions in Indonesia so now it is difficult to get a visa for Indonesia.’
Pray: for the visas, and for more house churches of prayer in cities and rural areas across Pakistan. (Ps.102:17,18)
More: http://www.ipcprayer.org/index.cfm?&menuid=28
Open top Praise Bus to travel Olympic Torch route
Making the journey between most of the seventy overnight stops of the Olympic Torch relay will be an open top Praise Bus. This huge undertaking is an initiative of one small Methodist church, Escalls Chapel, just three miles from Lands End. The bus will travel from location to location on the same day as the Olympic Torch itself. Worship bands and Christian music groups will provide ‘an unbroken symphony of praise’. The Praise Bus is part of More Than Gold’s 70 day cascade of prayer that follows the route of the Torch Relay, encouraging churches to pray for their communities and the nations. This ambitious Praise Bus project is the vision of Tina Bonfieid, a member of Escalls Chapel which is the last outpost of Methodism on the British mainland..
Praise: God for this initiative giving praise and glory to God. (1Ch.16:24)
Open top Praise Bus to travel Olympic Torch route
Making the journey between most of the seventy overnight stops of the Olympic Torch relay will be an open top Praise Bus. This huge undertaking is an initiative of one small Methodist church, Escalls Chapel, just three miles from Lands End. The bus will travel from location to location on the same day as the Olympic Torch itself. Worship bands and Christian music groups will provide ‘an unbroken symphony of praise’. The Praise Bus is part of More Than Gold’s 70 day cascade of prayer that follows the route of the Torch Relay, encouraging churches to pray for their communities and the nations. This ambitious Praise Bus project is the vision of Tina Bonfieid, a member of Escalls Chapel which is the last outpost of Methodism on the British mainland..
Praise: God for this initiative giving praise and glory to God. (1Ch.16:24)
Illiterate man’s body healed, then God gave him ability to read Scripture
A mysterious disease left Yilma Gudini unable to walk or speak for years. One day a missionary visited his village and began to pray for his healing. There was no sign of any improvement, but the missionary persisted in returning day after day. On the eighth day, God answered. ‘The demons left me, and I could walk and speak again,’ Gudini says. ‘It was a miracle.’ On the tenth day he had one of the most vivid dreams he could recall. ‘I saw the Word of God written on the wall,’ he says. But as Gudini stared at the strange symbols lighted on the wall, something unusual happened. He could actually read the words – they made perfect sense. In his dream, he read Scripture for many hours. When Gudini awakened, something even more unusual happened. He ran to get a Bible and when he opened the pages, he could read! Gudini praised and glorified God after this second great miracle in his life.
Praise: God for His wonderful miracles. (Job.5:9)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=39402&PN=1&TPN=1
Illiterate man’s body healed, then God gave him ability to read Scripture
A mysterious disease left Yilma Gudini unable to walk or speak for years. One day a missionary visited his village and began to pray for his healing. There was no sign of any improvement, but the missionary persisted in returning day after day. On the eighth day, God answered. ‘The demons left me, and I could walk and speak again,’ Gudini says. ‘It was a miracle.’ On the tenth day he had one of the most vivid dreams he could recall. ‘I saw the Word of God written on the wall,’ he says. But as Gudini stared at the strange symbols lighted on the wall, something unusual happened. He could actually read the words – they made perfect sense. In his dream, he read Scripture for many hours. When Gudini awakened, something even more unusual happened. He ran to get a Bible and when he opened the pages, he could read! Gudini praised and glorified God after this second great miracle in his life.
Praise: God for His wonderful miracles. (Job.5:9)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=39402&PN=1&TPN=1
Church 'must never see older people as problems'
A respected Baptist academic has called upon churches to ensure they are a welcoming home for Britain's ageing population. Dr Roy Kearsley, of South Wales Baptist College, admitted that ageing was a challenge for church, mission and pastoral care. He said that recent headlines about poor levels of care for older people in Britain were ‘disturbing’ and indicative of a ‘social and spiritual crisis’. Recent reports, including most recently the Which? report last month, have revealed shocking levels of neglect by care workers across Britain. In some instances, older people do not have enough food and water, are forced to sleep in soiled beds, and are missing taking their medication. The study was published just days after the Royal College of Nursing declared that care homes for the elderly are in crisis. Dr Kearsley said: ‘These shocking revelations are impacting not just the elderly but also their family carers, voluntary carers and professionals of varied kinds.’
Pray: that the church would take a lead by example in support of the elderly and challenge those whose roll is care in our society. (Lev.19:32)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/church.must.never.see.older.people.as.problem/29576.htm
Wilberforce Academy 2012
The Wilberforce Academy 2012, organised by Christian Concern, took place last week at Exeter College, Oxford. 72 delegates, mainly consisting of students and young graduates, attended the Academy and were equipped to take the truth of Jesus Christ into the public square. The speakers, each of them experts in their respective fields, were able to demonstrate how the drift from the Christian faith has had such a destructive impact on communities and individuals in Britain. Delegates were equipped to bring Biblical teaching to bear on the pressing issues facing society and speakers such as Baroness Cox, Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali and Andrea Minichiello Williams were able to speak out of experience about the cost and joys of standing for Christ’s truth in the public square. Whilst Christian viewpoints are mistakenly labelled in the media as ‘homophobic’, ‘hate speech’ or ‘intolerant’, the speakers demonstrated that Christians ought to love those who oppose them.
Pray: that the teaching the delegates received will have equipped them to take the truth into the public square. (Pr.23:15-16)
More: http://www.christianconcern.com/our-concerns/social/wilberforce-academy-2012
Bid for new law to protect kids from internet porn
The first attempt at a law introducing an opt-in system to protect children from being bombarded by online pornography has been launched in the House of Lords. A Private Member’s Bill has been introduced by Baroness Howe with the backing of Christian charity Care. The Bill would require internet service providers and mobile phone operators to block internet porn, unless a customer aged 18 or over asks to have access to such content. A Private Member’s Bill rarely becomes law unless the Government gets behind it. Claire Perry MP, who recently convened a cross-party enquiry into online child safety, said she was pleased the issue was being raised. She said: ‘The Howe Bill addresses very effectively one of the greatest challenges for UK parents today, protecting children online. It is a timely and important piece of legislation that I hope will have a big impact.’
Pray: that this Private Members Bill will receive Government backing and become law. (Ne.1:11)
Swiss assisted suicides rise sevenfold in 11 years
The number of assisted suicides for Swiss residents has risen by 700 per cent in the space of 11 years, according to new figures. In what is believed to be a first, Switzerland’s Federal Statistics Office has published official statistics showing how many people ended their lives by assisted dying between 1998 and 2009. Almost 300 Swiss residents died in this manner only in the year 2009, compared to just 43 in 1998. The vast majority of people were over 55, and the figures also showed that women were more likely to be killed by assisted suicide than men. Figures from Dignitas, a Swiss suicide clinic, showed that the organisation helped 1,298 people commit suicide between 1998 and 2011. The news follows a debate in the House of Commons last week, where an attempt to undermine the law against assisted suicide was unanimously rejected by MPs. The Commons gave unanimous backing to an amendment encouraging the development of specialist palliative care services.
Pray: that this growing trend would be halted. Also pray for the adoption of specialist palliative care such as has been introduced in the UK. (Pr.15:24)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/swiss-assisted-suicides-rise-sevenfold-in-11-years/
Swiss assisted suicides rise sevenfold in 11 years
The number of assisted suicides for Swiss residents has risen by 700 per cent in the space of 11 years, according to new figures. In what is believed to be a first, Switzerland’s Federal Statistics Office has published official statistics showing how many people ended their lives by assisted dying between 1998 and 2009. Almost 300 Swiss residents died in this manner only in the year 2009, compared to just 43 in 1998. The vast majority of people were over 55, and the figures also showed that women were more likely to be killed by assisted suicide than men. Figures from Dignitas, a Swiss suicide clinic, showed that the organisation helped 1,298 people commit suicide between 1998 and 2011. The news follows a debate in the House of Commons last week, where an attempt to undermine the law against assisted suicide was unanimously rejected by MPs. The Commons gave unanimous backing to an amendment encouraging the development of specialist palliative care services.
Pray: that this growing trend would be halted. Also pray for the adoption of specialist palliative care such as has been introduced in the UK. (Pr.15:24)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/swiss-assisted-suicides-rise-sevenfold-in-11-years/