Algeria: God builds his church

‘It is impossible to comprehend what is happening in Algeria apart from a mighty move of the Holy Spirit and years of patient intercession and sowing of the Word,’ reports Greg Kernaghan of OM International who visited the country to report how Christians in this nation are faring. ‘People from all walks of life are coming to Christ in numbers that church leaders cannot keep pace with. Conversions and miracles are testified and there is an enormous hunger to be trained and discipled. Believers have been set free from fear and their zeal and compassion is felt across the land. The growth of the Algerian church in the past decade - encircled by Muslim unrest and antagonism toward Christians in North Africa - is truly miraculous, There are at least 75,000 believers in Algeria today and their number is growing.’ Kernaghan reports.

Praise:

God for blessing He has given to the Church in Algeria. (Ps.14:1)

Hong Kong - Prayer must be our loudest response'

Prayer vigils in churches throughout the city are being held for those involved in the pro-democracy demonstrations gripping Hong Kong. Congregations are upholding Hong Kong in prayer as the protests are into their third day. (see world article 3). Among the leaders of the movement, under the banner 'Occupy Central with Love and Peace', are former Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun and Baptist minister Rev Chu Yiu-ming. The Vine, an international church located a few blocks from the protests is open for 48 hours as a place of prayer, intercession, rest and refuge for those involved. Pastor Andrew Gardener said, ‘We're digging into prayer and worship over the next 24 hours which will be crucial, and on the practical side we're saying if you need rest, refuge, first aid, if you're hungry or thirsty come to us.’

Praise:

God for the many Christians who are personally involved in rallying for real democracy in the city. (Ps.30:1)

Home Secretary plans new powers to ban extremists from TV appearances

Radical Islamist extremists and neo-Nazis could be banned from making public appearances including on television under a gagging order proposed by the Conservatives with echoes of the broadcast ban that once applied to the voice of Gerry Adams. Theresa May will announce the measure as part of a widely drawn counter-extremism strategy that is intended to catch so-called hate preachers such as Anjem Choudary, who was released on bail last week after being arrested on suspicion of encouraging terrorism. The home secretary’s new orders would be aimed at those who undertake activities ‘for the purpose of overthrowing democracy’, a wide-ranging definition that could also catch a far wider range of political activists. The ‘extremist asbos’ are reminiscent of the 1980s broadcasting ban under which Sinn Féin spokesmen such as Adams were banned from the airwaves. Actors were used to voice the words of republicans and others with links to paramilitary groups in news reports.

Pray:

that the proposed new powers will have the desired effect. (Ps.37:17)

Trojan Horse' scandal 'worse in London' claims Department for Education

Some schools in east London are being taken over by Muslim extremists who are trying to convert pupils and staff to their hard line ideology, according to a report in The Sunday Times. The newspaper spoke to a contact within the Department for Education (DfE) who clams the problem there is even worse than in Birmingham, where a 'Trojan Horse' plot to take over schools was revealed this year. ‘Tower Hamlets is expected to be the next Birmingham,’ said the DfE source, ‘but even worse, because the problems surrounding Muslim fundamentalists imposing their views on education seems to be more embedded.’ One of the schools highlighted in the report is Marner Primary School, which has been inspected by Ofsted following the raising of concerns by the Home Office. The council said it expects Marner to be given a ‘clean bill of health’ within coming days.

Pray:

for the educational authorities that they will be able to guide schools who may be falling sway to radical teachings. (Ps.25:9)

Fracking- license demand growing

The government will vote next month on whether to allow fracking firms to drill under people’s properties without the permission of the land owners. Ahead of this vote shale gas licenses are attracting solid interest from investors. A government spokesperson said ‘There’s more big companies coming into this space with the resources and I warmly welcome them.’ The Department of Energy and Climate Change will simplify underground access for oil and gas developers despite 99% of respondents to a consultation objecting. The UK-wide plan gives companies the right to drill 300 meters or more under private land without negotiating a right of access. On the flipside of the fracking coin the British firm Ineos is accused of ‘bribes and bulldozers’ approach to fracking by offering 6% of future shale gas revenues to those sitting on reserves or affected by extraction. See also

Pray:

for inspired frank, clear, open and informed consultations around fracking prior to November’s vote. (Pr.14:8)

Missing Bristol teenager could become ‘Jihadi

A missing British girl believed to be heading to join extremists in Syria could become a ‘jihadi bride’ when she gets there. Extremism expert Haras Rafiq from the Quilliam Foundation said, ‘She’s not a professional, she’s not a doctor, she’s not an engineer etc. It’s more than likely that she will become a jihadi bride. At 15 she will marry a holy warrior and play a part in the jihad by producing the next generation of Jihadists.’ Yusra Hussein, is thought to headed to Turkey with a 17-year-old girl from London. They will try to cross the border into Syria. Friends said Yusra had recently become tied to her mobile and computer after viewing extremist material on chat rooms and forums. As many as 600 Britons are believed to have joined Islamic forces fighting President Bashar Assad in the last three years. See also

Pray:

for the families of the missing youths believed to be fighting abroad, pray also for the UK authorities to generate measures that will halt the recruitment of UK-born would-be jihadis. (Pr.21:1)

Cameron wrong to redefine marriage, say councillors

The majority of Conservative councillors believe David Cameron was wrong to pursue legalising same-sex marriage, a poll for the BBC has revealed. Responding to a survey conducted by ComRes, 60 percent of councillors said they disagreed with the Prime Minister’s push for gay marriage. Nearly two-thirds of councillors said that legalising gay marriage made the Conservative party less electable. The survey also found that 58 per cent of councillors think redefining marriage will cost the party more votes than it gains at the next election. Writing for the Daily Mail Online this week, former Tory frontbencher David Davis picked up on why he thinks the party are likely to lose votes. He said the party has ‘abandoned traditional Conservative principles and made ourselves less appealing to those who supported us’. Davis argued that the party should not have focused on ‘fringe issues’ such as gay marriage because it is rarely in voter’s ‘top five concerns’.

Pray:

that Cameron will listen to the comments of the councillors and consider ways of reversing his decisions. (Heb.7:12)

Slavery in the UK on the rise

Thousands of people are being treated ‘like cattle’ by modern slavery gangs who tattoo them and force them to work for a pittance. The number of victims smuggled in Britain has soared by a fifth as organised criminals cash in on the lucrative market in human misery. They are expanding their operations from the sex trade and drug factories into hand car washes and bogus doorstep charity collections. Victims are bought and sold for as little as £200 and put to work in fear of violence against them and their families. Many are Eastern Europe children brought into the country to join street begging gangs while their handlers steal their generous benefits. Adults are duped into travelling here, often through recruitment websites or even dating agencies, with the promise of better paid work or education. But when they arrive they are forced to work as prostitutes, on illicit cannabis farms, as construction labourers or on isolated farms.

Pray:

that the authorities will find ways of halting these evil trades. (Ps.5:4)

Studies indicate abortion increases risk of breast cancer by 5 times

Twelve studies into the link between breast cancer and abortion have shown that on average, women who have had a prior abortion have a 554% greater risk of developing the disease. The President of the Population Research Institute (PRI), Steven W. Mosher, reports the findings from studies conducted in the Indian subcontinent between 2008 and 2013. He says the main reason the findings are so important ‘is that women in India and neighbouring countries are simply ideal subjects for studies, they marry early, do not use the pill, have multiple pregnancies, and breastfeed their babies.’ In other words says Mosher, ‘all of the other major risk factors for breast cancer are absent. such as marrying later in life, the use of oral contraceptives at a young age, the use of Hormone Replacement Therapy when older, having only one or no full-term pregnancies and not breastfeeding their babies.’

Pray:

that this research will help in finding links between cancer and abortion and lead to successful treatment. (Ps.113:9)

South of France hit by devastating floods

Around 60 towns in the south of France have been officially declared natural disaster sites following severe flooding caused by torrential downpours, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced on Tuesday. Flood waters inundated roads and highways, engulfing cars after the Lez river, which flows by the coastal city of Montpellier, burst its banks. More than 4,000 people across the rain-soaked region spent the night in emergency centres, schools, train stations or the airport, the local government said in a statement. According to the authorities, emergency workers were called out more than 1,200 times, backed by three helicopters. ‘We will put in place natural disaster measures for about 60 towns,’ Cazeneuve told local media, adding he would head to the flood-hit region later on Tuesday. Rains were expected to ease Tuesday and meteorologists downgraded the maximum red alert to orange in the region.

Pray:

for all those effected by the flooding that the problems will soon be overcome. (Mt.7:27-29)

Belgium begins largest 'terrorism' trial

Prosecutors accuse 46 men of belonging to a ‘terrorist group’ and indoctrinating young men to join war in Syria. Belgiam prosecutors have begun the country's biggest-ever terrorism trial, accusing 46 men of being members of a terrorist organisation that indoctrinated young men to fight in Syria. Nine of those charged were present in court in Antwerp on Monday, including the alleged ringleader Fouad Belkacem. The others were allegedly still in Syria, with many possibly dead in the fighting there. Prosecutors said the accused belonged to Sharia4Belgium, a group disbanded two years ago which prosecutors say was led by the 32-year-old Belkacem. Members, the court heard, approached young men and a few teenage women in Antwerp and Vilvoorde, north of Brussels, to invite them to their centre in Antwerp where they were indoctrinated and readied for their trip to Syria. ‘The clear aim was to prepare them for armed combat,’ Luc Festraets, a prosecutor, told the court.

Pray:

for the authorities as they bring these young radicals to justice. (Pr.21:15)

INSIGHT: Middle East and terrorist cells

President Barack Obama admitted that U.S. intelligence underestimated the Islamic State's emergence in Syria, and that breaking up the terrorist cell will be a complicated battle involving both military and political action. The president spoke about implementing the multi-national effort against terrorists and acknowledged that U.S. intelligence didn't take seriously enough what had been taking place in Syria, while overestimating the ability of the Iraqi army to fight militant groups. Islamic militants went underground when al-Qaeda was quashed in Iraq, but over the past two years, during the Syrian civil war when huge swaths of the country were completely ungoverned, they reconstituted themselves. He said we have to push them back, shrink their space, go after their command, their weapons, their fuelling, cut off their financing and work to eliminate the flow of foreign fighters. For facts and INSIGHTS to help your prayers into this subject click the more button.

Pray:

that all of President Obama’s statements of intent will be successfully implemented. (Pr.21:29)

Iraq: Baghdad frontline from Canon Andrew White

The following is a segment of the Bishop of Baghdad’s Facebook page entry for Sept.30th. ‘Thank you for your prayers, we seriously need them. The good news is - IS has been halted 5 miles from Baghdad. People are very fearful the nation looks as if it has collapsed. The usual hectic streets are almost empty. The news from areas surrounding Baghdad is worrying. ISIS or DAASH as they are known locally are very close to Baghdad. This morning I was with one of the soldiers assigned by the government to protect me. When asked what he would do if he saw IS coming he said he would take off his uniform and run. I asked if he took seriously his role to fight and protect his people. He assured me he did not. He did it for the money. Meanwhile yesterday at Church I spoke on the subject of why we must love Israel.

Pray:

for Andrew White and the few Christians left in Baghdad to have peace of mind, pray for improved security for the civilians in Iraq. Pray for successful strategies that will remove IS completely. (2Sam.22:31)

China: Clegg speaks against Beijing's attempt to control Hong Kong’s political

Tens of thousands of activists have been demonstrating against China's decision to only allow vetted candidates to run for elections on the island in 2017. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will meet the Chinese ambassador later this week to make clear his ‘dismay and alarm’ at how authorities have handled the demonstrations. He said, ‘It is essential that the people of Hong Kong have a genuine choice of chief executive in 2017 through universal suffrage.’ The unrest began after it was ruled that in three years' time, Hong Kong residents must choose their leader, or chief executive, from candidates picked by Beijing who must declare their ‘love’ for China and its Communist system. The island's chief executive Leung Chun-Ying has called on protest leaders to ‘immediately’ withdraw from the streets. Student leaders threaten to take over government buildings if autonomous region's leader does not resign by Thursday. See also

Pray:

for ‘Occupy’ the main group behind the protests to negotiate a peaceful resolution based on the 1997 handover agreement from Britain to China of Hong Kong’s independent legal and political framework. (Ps.64:1,2)

Gaza Strip: Harsh winter awaits Gaza's displaced

As winter draws closer, displaced families in the Gaza Strip are still waiting for reconstruction to begin on their homes. According to a statement by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), 20,000 houses are now uninhabitable due to the war in Gaza. UNRWA stressed the need to ensure alternative housing is available for the displaced before the start of winter. Umm Raed and her eight member family live in a tent made from pieces of worn cloth. It’s the only shield from the heat of the sun, but what she is really afraid of is winter when they will be exposed to bitter cold and rain, which will turn their lives into an unbearable hell. Her family cannot afford to rent an apartment due to high prices, demand and landlords exploiting the situation. UNRWA promises to provide financial assistance in the form of ‘rental subsidies’ for those with uninhabitable homes.

Pray:

that the promises will be honoured and the homeless provided for sooner rather than later. (Jas.1:27)

Saudi Arabia: Hajj Oct. 2 – 7

In Luke 7, Jesus predicts that his encounter with a sinful woman will become famous throughout the world and throughout history. This woman washed His feet with an abundance of tears, anointed Him with embalming perfume, and wiped it over His feet with her long hair. Jesus says in response, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Today that same desire, the desire for forgiveness of sins, is found on many blog sites, where men and women are asking if the Hajj will cleanse them not only of small common sins, but also of big serious sins. They are told that their desire will be granted by the Hajj, which if performed properly and sincerely for Allah, removes all sins. Muslims go on the Hajj to be cleansed of sin; we all desire to be clean of sin. Romans 6:23 states, ‘For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.’

Pray:

that many seekers will supernaturally meet Jesus Christ on Hajj and in other times of searching.(1Jn.1:7)

West Africa: Witchdoctors are spreading Ebola

Traditional healers and witchdoctors are contributing to the spread of Ebola. Terrified people from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea have been handing over large sums of cash in return for spells, potions and advice from those claiming to have the antidote. A man in Nigeria going by the name of Dr Zack Balo says he can cure Ebola using animal parts providing he is given £200. Other suggestions include eating raw onions, using anointed water and bathing in salt water at certain times of day. Cases of people flocking to see these so-called healers has resulted in the disease spreading further, as the witchdoctors themselves often contract Ebola, which is spread through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. The first Ebola victim in Sierra Leone was a faith healer, whose funeral resulted in over 350 people contracting Ebola after touching her dead body.

Pray:

for all the organisations working in areas of infection to successfully help people understand why some practices must not be done. (Is.8:19 & Is.9:2)