Iraqi girl’s forgiveness comes from the Holy Spirit

The unwavering faith of a young Iraqi girl who was forced to flee her homeland in the Middle East together with her family has stood out among the many horror stories on the IS terror campaign. In a recent media interview that went viral, 11-year-old refugee Maryam Behnam said that, despite all the transgressions committed by the IS, including the brutal killing and abduction of thousands of people, she said she has forgiven the jihadists. She also said that her words come from the Holy Spirit. When asked ‘What are your feelings towards those who drove you out of your home and caused you hardships?’ She replied, ‘I won't do anything to them, I will only ask God to forgive them.’ She also said, ‘In the Bible Jesus said, 'Don't be afraid, I am with you,' and also, He said ‘forgive others no matter who is hating you. You have to forgive them.’

Praise:

God for His Spirit of love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control that He freely gives to us. (Gal.5:22-23)

Boko Haram members come to Jesus

Boko Haram is not driving Christians away. Evangelists have expanded church planting in Nigeria's northeast by meeting the needs of displaced people. Their courage has seen members of Boko Haram repenting and putting their faith in Christ. Boko Haram is killing people, but this indigenous ministry is discreetly working in villages and in camps for the internally displaced. They are offering humanitarian assistance and proclaiming Christ at a time when few are bold enough to do so. ‘There are 70,000+ people in the camps, so it is a mission field for us,’ said the director of the indigenous ministry. ‘We used to reach them with the gospel in their villages, but now we reach them with the gospel, food, medicine and Bibles.’ Former Boko Haram members are being discipled in safe-havens and have shown a strong interest in learning the Bible, ridding themselves of anything grievous to God and becoming spiritually grounded so they can reach other Muslims.

Praise:

God for using established ministries at this time to reach the unreachable. (Mt.5:14)

Surrounded by chariots of fire

Canadian Church leader Dr Joe Boot calls on Christians not to despair in the face of terrorist attacks and changes in the laws of the land. ‘We must not give in to despair in the face of loud, high profile opposition to God and the Christian faith. The same is true for us as it was with Elisha, that the sovereign Lord is on the throne and ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them’ (2Ki.6:16)’. With Islamic jihadists murdering dozens of Britons in Tunisia and the many laws of our land that do not agree with the laws of God it would be easy to be despondent as a Christian. However, the truth of the gospel means we cannot give in to fear, doubt or despair. See also THE MILL GATHERING STATEMENT

Pray:

that Islamic militancy and activist Western courts would cause Christians to rely more on God, speak His truth clearly on every occasion and unite to reveal His love for the world He created. (Ps. 108:13).

Synod gives final approval for Safeguarding Legislation

On Saturday the General Synod gave final approval to a package of proposals intended to take further the process of making the Church a safer place for children and vulnerable adults - both by making the disciplinary processes under the Clergy Discipline Measure 2003 more effective where safeguarding issues arise and by strengthening the Church's wider legal framework in relation to safeguarding in various ways. The legislation was originally introduced in February 2014 following a consultation launched at Synod in July 2013.

Pray:

for Parliamentary approval and the Royal Assent to be given by the end of the year and for every church and Christian institution to be a safer place for people at risk. (Gen.43:9a)

British women should face the truth about IS

Khaleel al-Dakhi, a lawyer who helped to rescue 530 women and children from IS-controlled territory tells of atrocities being committed by IS and warned British women not to join ‘Islamic State’. His work is shown in a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary, broadcast on Wednesday 15 July at 10pm. ‘They beat the women, they gang-rape them, they make them have forced marriage with many men. Some women have their infant babies taken away by force. They take them to a slave market and give women to each other like a gift.’ British women should face up to the truth about IS, Khaleel says, ‘Any British woman planning to leave the UK to join IS should talk to the escaped women of Sinjar about life under the terrorists’ rule. If they don’t believe me or you or the government they should come and talk to our girls, then they will believe.’ See also

Pray:

that this documentary would go viral on the internet and achieve all it sets out to achieve. (Ps.40:4)

Palliative care review started as MSPs block assisted suicide

Members of the Scottish Parliament have launched an inquiry into end-of-life care provision in Scotland, after the issue was highlighted during debates on legalising assisted suicide. Committee head Duncan McNeil MSP and his deputy Bob Doris MSP launched the inquiry at a Marie Curie hospice in Glasgow. Duncan McNeil said, ‘When faced with a terminal condition, it’s clear that the priority must be to put patients’ needs at the heart of their treatment and care. We want this inquiry to shine a light on access to palliative care in Scotland and what more can be done to improve care for people at the end of their lives.’ * PLEASE NOTE - At Westminster, Labour MP Rob Marris is set to introduce an assisted suicide Bill in the coming weeks. MPs will vote on the issue on 11 September.

Pray:

that this inquiry will result in Scotland’s patients receiving care which reflects their needs. (Is.58:10)

Royal Army Chaplains

For centuries the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department has ministered to soldiers and their families in times of war and peace. Chaplains provide spiritual support, pastoral care and moral guidance to all, irrespective of religion or belief. They are professionally qualified officers who have been ordained in one of the recognised sending Churches and have been selected to hold a commission in the Army. They wear the uniforms of the British Army and accompany their soldiers wherever they go; exercising leadership and management they are non-combatants and do not bear arms. Regular chaplaincy assignments to units generally last between two and three years. Over time this enables chaplains to experience ministry in a wide variety of settings. (See also SAS article below)

Pray:

for our military Chaplains as they minister to soldiers and their families both at home and abroad, giving spiritual support, care, guidance and counsel both publicly and privately, at every Army level.(Ps.37:3)

SAS - Welsh hike 'should have ended sooner'

An SAS selection march in which three reservists died should have been called off hours before the first man was found, a coroner said on Tuesday. L/Cpl Craig Roberts died of multiple organ failure as a result of hyperthermia during a Brecon Beacons march on one of 2013's hottest days. L/Cpl Edward Maher and Cpl James Dunsby also collapsed and later died from the effects of overheating. The Brecon Beacons has been used by the military since Roman times but an inquest heard that the medical plan for the march was not good enough, water supplies were insufficient and the risk assessment did not identify the correct hospital for treatment. The inquest heard, ‘if organisers strictly followed the Ministry of Defence's code of practice the march would have been cancelled.’

Pray:

for the families and friends of the deceased who sat through this inquest. Pray also that lessons learned through this tragedy will be applied and future safeguarding guidelines adhered to. (Ps.27:5)

Violent 12 July loyal order parades across Northern Ireland

More than 3,000 police officers were on duty at Orange Order parades across Northern Ireland on Monday. Nearly half of them were members of public order units, commonly referred to as riot police, and deployed to combat violence. The greatest concentration was in Belfast (1,800 officers). The Orange lodges and accompanying bands were returning from parades across Belfast to commemorate the victory of the Protestant King William III at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Then trouble erupted at 19:30 and escalated after a car struck several pedestrians. Nine police officers were hurt and a 16-year-old girl was struck by an out-of-control car at Belfast parade flashpoints. The violence followed a day of largely peaceful 12 July loyal order parades. First Minister Peter Robinson said, ‘It is vital that those involved in such riotous activity cease and are held accountable. They do a massive disservice to the wider cause they claim to support.’

Pray:

that violence will not continue to hinder respectful celebration of cultural traditions. Pray for growing positive community relations in Northern Ireland and respect for law and order. (Ps.37:8)

Greece: Feud for thought

The single currency, conceived to cement European integration, has revived historical animosity between Greece and Germany, particularly in public opinions expressed on Athens streets and in German tabloids. A lot has happened since Mr. Tsipras called a referendum. The referendum caused banks to close and the European Central Bank to cap emergency lending resulting in the Greek economy needing more money over a longer period (until 2018). After brutal overnight talks, Monday’s deal pushes Greece into a financial abyss and increases political and economic strains in a country already in depression. Many believe, ‘Greece is still nominally part of the Eurozone. But the conditions Germany won to punish the country for its misdeeds could easily topple the fragile Greek coalition government. Economists believe that Greece’s separation will not settle Greece’s relations with the rest of Europe. Whatever Greece decides there will be an angry population within the euro or an angrier population outside of it. The feuding could last for years. See also

Pray:

for Greece to reform and improve her finances through effective tax laws and compassion for their citizens most in need at this time. (Ro.13:1)

Malta: Pastor to submit accounts

Malta’s Tele-evangelist Gordon John Manché’s repeated failures to submit his organisation’s accounts to the Commissioner for NGOs is due to a disagreement with the law, according to the religious group’s financial consultant, adding that the most recent accounts of Nations for Christ will be presented in due course. Nations for Christ have not submitted their accounts to the Commission since 2010. In that year, they declared an income of E149,899 solely from donations, a significant leap from the E43,298 declared in 2009. Their spokesperson told MaltaToday, ‘The reason for this delay is not related to the operation of Nations for Christ but to matters relating to the way legislation relating to voluntary organisations in Malta has developed, matters that we will be discussing with the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.’

Pray:

that the media’s interest in this mission’s default state would result in any hidden media or Church agendas being revealed and for voluntary organisations to be regulated fairly. (Mk.12:17)

Iran: Netanyahu is furious that US is ’caving in to Iran’

While the US and world powers voice optimism about the historic nuclear deal with Iran that was signed in Vienna, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is furious that the world is giving in, warning of a major global threat. Israel’s PM believes the P5+1 Powers have completely capitulated to Iranian demands, while Iran touts its hatred for Israel and support for global terror. ‘Many concessions were given to Iran on issues that had been marked as red lines in the Lausanne package’. See also

Pray:

that the ‘road-map’ regarding nuclear inspections that were agreed on will avert lethal hostility and prevent destruction within Israel’s borders. (Is.60:18)

Global: Christians around the world - dying for Christ

When a Nigerian pastor learned that his daughter, kidnapped by Boko Haram, refused to convert to Islam he said, ‘To die for the sake of Christ, that's the happiest thing for me. I'm grateful that she didn't change her religion. She trusted in God’. He was told that the terrorists dug a hole, buried her up to her neck, and stoned her to death. His wife added, ‘I believe she died with dignity. Monica is now in heaven because she refused to convert.’ The widow of one of the 21 Egyptian Christians beheaded by IS last February has made a similar statement, testifying that she ‘was very proud’ her husband ‘stood firm in his faith and that he didn't deny Jesus.’ Many believe that Christians in the West will face increasing persecution in coming years. In January Britain's security chief warned that al-Qaeda is planning ‘mass casualty attacks against the West.’

Pray:

that Christians everywhere will continue to feed on the Word of God, develop their relationship with Jesus are filled with the Holy Spirit and will continue to stand in the face of opposition. (Eph.6:13)

Canada: Church’s pastor missing in North Korea

The Light Presbyterian Church continue praying for their founding pastor, detained in North Korea since early March. Despite the lack of information, they remain hopeful that God will bring Revd. Hyeon Soo Lim home. A member of the church said, ‘This is taking longer than we would like, but we remind ourselves that God’s will trumps our desires, He hears our prayers and He is good.’ Lim disappeared while visiting humanitarian facilities in North Korea. Under his leadership, the missions-centred church regularly sends small teams to oversee agricultural projects, food factories, schools, orphanages, and a nursing home they founded. Those who know Lim well, say he has a long-term vision and wouldn’t have risked the opportunities they have in North Korea by overtly sharing the gospel. When they pray many members feel that God has a purpose, - God will use him to work in the hearts of the people who are around him and bring him home in His timing.

Pray:

for Lim’s release and thank God for increasing his parishioners’ intercession as they trust in God daily for their lives and the lives of others. (Is.61:1)

Yemen: UN cease-fire fails to take hold

A cease-fire brokered by the United Nations that was to allow the delivery of relief supplies failed to materialise in Yemen on Saturday, as a Saudi-led military coalition carried out airstrikes and fighting continued between the Houthi rebels and rival militias in several cities. Many are saying the international community urgently needs to revisit its posture on Yemen’s war and put pressure on all parties to end the conflict and address the humanitarian catastrophe. The UN has designated Yemen a level-three humanitarian crisis, the highest level in the UN's ranking system. 21 out of 25 million Yemenis are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, of which 20 million need immediate access to water and hygiene and 13 million need food. Relief workers report the situation is deteriorating rapidly. They cannot get sufficient aid into the country to stop the downward spiral. Yemeni children are at particular risk. See also

Pray:

and ask God to break this situation where the poorest country in the Arab world is being blockaded by the richest countries in the Arab world. (Ps.86:8,9a)

China: Police, politics and human rights

There was widespread detention of human rights lawyers last weekend after more than 100 lawyers across the mainland issued a joint statement protesting against the disappearance of crusading lawyer Wang Yu. Mainland police detained lawyers and law firm staff and searched some of their homes and offices. Three human rights groups say that other people have disappeared. Across 15 cities 57 people were taken away, summoned or detained by police. One of them, Guangzhou-based lawyer Sui Muqing, was placed under ‘residential surveillance at a designated location’ - a form of detention - for alleged ‘incitement to subvert state power’ according to a police document given to his family. Some have since been released but were warned by police to refrain from publicly voicing their support for Wang Yu. Since lawyers started openly identifying with human rights causes and coordinating their advocacy campaigns, they have become the closest thing China has to a political opposition.

Pray:

for the release of Wang Yu and all who are detained because they support similar values. (Ps.37:20)

Iraq: Human rights organisation appeals for Christian protection

Between 21 June and 1 July, four Christians were abducted in Baghdad. One was released following police intervention. Ransoms were paid for the others’ release. However, two were murdered even though ransoms had been paid and one was released. Imad Youkhana, an Iraqi Christian member of parliament, issued a statement decrying this violence and urged Iraqi authorities to provide greater protection for Iraq's Christians. He said the violence is part of an intimidation campaign to force Christians to emigrate and undermines the unity of Iraqi society. An Iraqi NGO, the Hammurabi Human Rights Organisation, today (13 July) issued a similar appeal for the protection of Christians in Iraq.

Pray:

that the families of those abducted and murdered will know the presence and comfort of Jesus as they mourn and for all who are still captured to receive God's support and be released soon. (Ps.55:22)

USA: State allows 15-year-olds sex-change without parental notification

A report has claimed that residents in Oregon are only now finding out that the state allows teenagers as young as 15 to get state-subsidised sex-change operations without parental notification. ‘It is trespassing on the hearts, the minds, the bodies of our children,’ Lori Porter of Parents' Rights in Education told Fox News on Thursday. ‘They're our children. And for a decision, a life-altering decision like that to be done without the knowledge of a parent or guardian, it's mind-boggling .’ The executive director of the Trans-Active Gender Centre in Portland, said the Fox News report is ‘irrational’ and the policy does not mean that 15-year-olds can simply walk into a doctor's office and get sex-change surgery. The facts are: The age of consent has been 15 since 1971. Youth in Oregon can access all healthcare at the age of 15. For sex-change operations they do not have to be older than 15.

Pray:

that the Oregon Health Authority will alter its policy to be within God’s laws. (Lev.18:22)

Source: Prayer Alert - World Prayer Centre UK