USA ‘spiritual awakening’ in West Virginia

A spiritual awakening that has led to an estimated three thousand conversions and appears poised to last through the summer is creating continuing enthusiasm among Assemblies of God churches in southern West Virginia. ‘The past six weeks our Sunday morning services have been more spiritual. The move of the Spirit has gone up two or three notches’, said the leader of Victory Christian Centre Church in Lenore. Pentecostal evangelist Matt Hartley has been holding revival meetings which have attracted visitors from Texas, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Georgia and Florida. After other meetings in different venues, on 14 May the ‘Awakening’ shifted to Logan High School's football stadium. ‘Young people want to be involved in Bible study, some pastors and youth groups have travelled hours to get there,’ said the director of youth and Christian education for the AoG Appalachian Ministry Network. ‘This has had some pretty far-reaching results, especially for youth ministries.’

Praise:

God for the awakening and strengthening of His Church. (Is52:1a)

USA ‘spiritual outpouring’ on west coast

Last month a San Diego church posted online, ‘In the midst of outpouring and extended revival, we feel that it's time to be intentional with releasing impartation each month through hosting special themed weekends of revival. We will be bringing together fathers and mothers with a history in outpouring and revival to begin to spread what God is releasing here in this “Fire and Glory Outpouring” in San Diego to the whole of North America and the Nations. Come and be a part of this special time of impartation and activation, in the midst of nonstop revival which has been going on for over two and a half months! Fresh Awakening San Diego is exploding!!!’ ‘Incredible Glory Presence’ is just one of many Facebook messages about the outpouring, at www.livingathisfeet.org

Praise:

God that His Kingdom is a Kingdom of His Word being preached with signs and wonders following. (1Co.4:20)

Atheists and agnostics outnumber Christians

Research has found that for the first time, those without a religion outnumber Christians in England and Wales. The main driver is people brought up with some religion now saying they have no religion. Those brought up as Anglicans and Catholics are most likely to leave the Church, with four out of ten adults raised as Anglicans abandoning their faith. Rising trends of secularism have also been reported across Europe in the past decade, with a study in March finding that the majority of Norwegians no longer believe in God. Pray for us to raise our faith and expectation, our commitment to prayer, to raise our eyes from what we are seeing around us, to take our eyes off the falling and the decaying and to lift our eyes to God; pray also for a powerful new move of God. Read a prophetic word given by Malcolm Duncan at a recent WPC prayer event.

Pray:

for God to revive and strengthen churches, and give confidence, hope, purpose and meaning to the Church. (Ps.80:3)

Counter-extremism proposals and free speech

Last week the Christian Institute stated, ‘The Government’s planned Counter-Extremism and Safeguarding Bill must be carefully crafted to avoid damaging freedom of expression.’ The chief executive of Index on Censorship said, ‘We should resist any attempts to make it a crime for people of faith to talk publicly about their beliefs, for political parties to voice unpopular views, and for venues to host anyone whose opinions challenge the status quo. We urge the Government to use its consultation to ensure this does not happen.’ The proposals for a new law, outlined in the Queen’s Speech, are more ambiguous than earlier Government proposals. Current legislation already prohibits incitement to violence and terrorism, and a compelling case for broadening them further through civil measures has not been made. It is still not clear how new legislation would deal with the problem of defining ‘extremism’ in a way that would not threaten free speech.

Pray:

for the new proposals to create an environment where Christians can freely express their beliefs. (Ps.106:8)

New resource for schools

Teaching of Christianity in schools is set to be transformed by a new resource from the Church of England, launched yesterday. Understanding Christianity is a set of comprehensive materials and training which will enable pupils from age 4 to 14 to develop their understanding of Christianity, as a contribution to making sense of the world and their own experience within it. Available to schools across the country, it was written by a team of RE advisers from RE Today Services, in collaboration with more than 30 teachers and academics. It has been trialled in over fifty schools. Understanding Christianity was commissioned by the Church of England education office with the support of Culham St Gabriels, The Sir Halley Stewart Trust, the Jerusalem Trust and an anonymous donor. The chief education officer for the Church of England said that the ability for young people to have informed conversation and dialogue about belief and faith is key to building a peaceful society and helps combat ignorance and extremism.

Pray:

for the trainers commissioned to train teachers to use the resource, for the development support available to all teachers who sign up, and for more teachers to come forward for training. (Mt.19:14)

Dementia: different perspectives

Recently Angela Rippon investigated dementia in a TV programme. Dementia took her mother’s life and is now affecting her friends. Angela visited people who are living with the disease and families that carry a gene for early-onset Alzheimer’s. In an ageing population, dementia is an issue that is likely to touch each one of us some time in our lives. We are hearing more about it on the media as our population ages. In his article ‘Dementia, God, & Christian Faith’ James Howell, a pastor in Charlotte, North Carolina, says that polls indicate we fear dementia more than we fear cancer. However in Christianity, well-being is not gauged by the presence or absence of illness or distress. Well-being is defined by the presence of God, and God is not distant from the one with dementia, or from those who love someone with dementia. Howell says, ‘Can someone with dementia have a spiritual life? I’ve seen forgetful, withdrawn people to be quite prayerful; faith sometimes achieves a lovely simplicity in such instances.’ See here.

Pray:

for the Church to develop a workable ministry, tailored to support individuals with dementia, that they and their families know that they are, and will always be, beloved children of God. (Dt. 31:8)

The Bible in heart languages

Wycliffe Bible Translators UK and Ireland is part of an international family of over a hundred organisations from more than sixty nations working alongside many partner organisations, individuals from local communities and international groups to carry out Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations. They see Bible translation as something that reflects the character of God and teaches people His provision for them. Much work has been done over the years to bring God’s truth to unchurched / unreached people groups, but the remaining task is immense. Pray for those developing various programmes specifically designed to equip nationals with the skills they need to develop languages and Bible translation into these languages. Pray for good partnerships between Wycliffe individuals and churches to develop Bible translation further. Pray for the protection of overseas workers, and for God’s wisdom to be with those working with His words of life all the time.

Pray:

for God to give more people a passion for language development and translation.(Mk.13:10)

Review of Sharia law

An independent review will establish whether Sharia law in England and Wales has been used to discriminate against women. It will look at whether Sharia law is compatible with UK laws and whether it is being ‘misused’. Theresa May commented that some Sharia councils had sought to legitimise forced marriage and issue unfair divorces to women. The review will be completed next year and seek best practice among councils. It will be led by Professor Mona Siddiqui, an expert in Islamic and interreligious studies from the University of Edinburgh. Pray for an end to discriminatory decisions taken by Sharia councils and for all UK citizens to adhere to the UK’s laws and justice system.

Pray:

for this and all other Government counter-extremism strategies to be fit for purpose. (Pr.21:15)

‘Three-parent babies’ concerns

Scientists have raised fresh questions over effectiveness and safety of ‘gene-editing’ techniques which create ‘three-parent babies’. The technique aims to prevent babies inheriting health problems which may lead to developmental delays, seizures, deafness and heart failure. The 'three-parent' IVF technique creates an embryo with no disorder. Many concerns have been raised as to the ethics. Now, a report has discovered ‘potential adverse’ outcomes when using the technique: it states, ‘In some trials the transfer of unhealthy mitochondria could sometimes ‘carry-over’ and dominate the healthy mitochondria.’ This may increase over time, potentially causing one of the diseases the therapy was intended to cure, and therefore nullifying the technique’s effect. Last year, the UK legalised ‘three-parent’ IVF. The fertility regulator, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), is yet to give it the green light. HFEA will wait for further experiments on the technique’s efficiency and safety before approving it for clinical use.

Pray:

for an end to questionable and ‘discredited’ fertility treatments being offered at private clinics. (Dt.32: 6)

Praying for God’s will in the migration crisis

Sometimes we don’t understand what God is doing until, with hindsight, we recognise God’s plan and the beginning of understanding how to respond to His will. Our duty is to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (Ja.1:27) Pray for local initiatives working hard to show a Christian welcome to all those in need. Railway carriages in Eidomeni (Greece) are being used as brothels, women are being trafficked out of camps, people-traffickers are profiting at their expense. Pray for security and police forces attempting to intercept organised criminal gangs which trap, transport and sell refugees. European parliament members are divided in opinion: keep migrants out, welcome them in, give them new residency rights, pay other countries to house them, fly them in, or fly them out? Billions of Euros are spent, and the solution is not clear. Pray for compassion and wisdom to be the bedrock of asylum strategies.

Pray:

for those on the move to find shelter and those not wanting to move to be safe at home. (Ps.91:1,2)

Ukraine: national prayer forum

Christian politicians will gather next week (2-3 June) in the Ukraine, seeking to form closer links that will protect Christian values in Central and Eastern Europe. Their forum is for ‘cooperation of Christian politicians and civil society in the promotion of Christian values on the international arena’. They aim to develop closer collaboration between Christian politicians and civil society, and will explore ways of protecting the Christian values of human dignity, family and freedom. Pray for the MPs of Ukraine and the international officials as they explore these issues in a ‘western cultural revolution’. Pray for the workshops, where debate and promotion of different ideas will be expressed around subjects of intolerance, discrimination against Christians and challenges to family policies and actual threats. Pray for God’s word to rule and reign as they discuss ‘natural law challenged by gender ideology, redefinition of marriage, and queering of human rights.’

Pray:

for the international speakers and delegates to be anointed and inspired by God. (Ps.92:2)

A Messianic perspective on reconciliation

A Messianic Jew writes, ‘Jews and Arabs, and even Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians, don’t mix. I am not saying that we don’t attend each other’s congregations or pray together at conferences. Of course we do. But we don’t let our guard down, talk about the tough questions and bring each other into our lives. In these days of terrorism and occupation, it is not surprising that many of us, if not most, give in to the rhetoric of the media and politicians. We assume the worst of each other and demand that “the other side” make concessions or conform to our perspective before being willing to engage in conversation. As Messianic Jews, we struggle not only with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but with all that it means to be an Israeli. Army service, the love we have for our country and our precarious place in Israeli society all come into play.’

Pray:

for all who are working towards bringing redemption and reconciliation through the message of the gospel; for Messianic Jews serving in the Israel Defence Forces to have God’s peace and wisdom. (Pr.16:3)

USA: pray for peace in Baltimore

A Baltimore police officer has been acquitted of assault and other charges in the arrest of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died a week after he was critically injured in police custody. A judge found Officer Edward Nero not guilty of misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. He announced his verdict on Monday. Nero was one of six Baltimore police officers charged in the case. He waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead to argue his case himself. An earlier trial for an officer charged with manslaughter in the case ended in a hung jury in December. Gray's death about a year ago led to protests and rioting in the city and fuelled the Black Lives Matter movement. See also

Pray:

for God to cause true justice to overrule human ‘justice’. (Pr.16:9)

Egypt: air crash investigations continue

European companies are being hired to find EgyptAir 804’s flight recorders, which are the best chance of finding out what happened on the flight from Paris to Cairo. Egyptian authorities believe terrorism is a more likely explanation than equipment failure for the crash last week. So far no hard evidence has emerged. Debris including life vests, personal belongings, parts of wreckage and small fragments of human remains have been found. Officials in Cairo are trying to identify and match them to victims. Families of the victims have nearly completed giving DNA samples to help with the grim task. Pray for the teams investigating the crash, particularly the forensics department trying to match DNA to family members. Pray for the families in mourning visiting the morgue to give samples. Pray for the Egyptian submarine and for the ships and planes from Britain, Cyprus, France, Greece and the United States taking part in the search.

Pray:

for God to come near to those family members and friends of victims who know the Lord, and to draw others into His presence as they cry out for answers and reasons. (Ps.145:18)

Ramadan: 1.7 billion fasting and praying Muslims from 7 June

Muslims welcome Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, as a period of fasting, self-evaluation and spiritual growth. 1.7 billion people (25% of the Earth’s population) will pray and fast during daylight hours. In the UK, that is nineteen hours a day. Muslims everywhere are encouraged to be devout in prayer, read the Quran and practise kindness to the people around them. Muslim believers are the majority in 49 countries, which makes Islam a huge part of the world; the effects of the fast are so great that they affect the global economy. During Ramadan, Muslims worldwide will seek blessing on their lives and families and peace for those in their communities. During this time, the Church can be praying for Muslims, particularly for practising Muslim refugees, many of whom are homeless, without possessions, needing refuge, seeking ‘spiritual relief’ in their brokenness.

Pray:

for many Muslims to have visions and dreams of Jesus as they search for spiritual growth and realise who He really is. (Job 33:15-17)

Canada: update on fire disaster

Many are calling it the worst natural disaster in Canada's history: a mammoth inferno sweeping across the northern regions. At the time of writing, 26 May, fire conditions are high to extreme, Fort McMurray remains out of control, and fire covers 566,188 hectares. Fifteen different wildfires are burning. Firefighters are conducting controlled burns to limit potential flare-ups later. There are 2,054 firefighters, 88 helicopters, 256 pieces of heavy equipment and 25 air tankers currently battling the fires. Wildfire crews from across the world are supporting Canada’s efforts. The forecast for today is 22 Celsius, humidity 30%, with a possibility of thundershowers on Thursday or Friday. Pray for rain. Pray for firefighters and their families. Pray for the safe re-entry of residents to burnt-out areas. Pray for those organising and receiving temporary housing support. Pray for the information centres being set up throughout the region to offer resources for returning residents.

Pray:

for fresh physical rains and the spiritual reign of God in the land. Pray for the Church to be mobilised to give physical help and spiritual hope as people work through this disaster. (Is.52:7)

Iraq: fears for families in Fallujah

Fierce fighting has been raging around Fallujah since Iraq's military launched an offensive on Monday to reclaim the traditionally Sunni-dominated city from IS. The UN says it fears for the safety of an estimated 10,000 families trapped there, who will pay a heavy toll for the liberation of the city. Iraq's airforce has airdropped thousands of leaflets on Fallujah instructing residents to leave and promising them passage through ‘safe corridors’ established by the military to camps outside the city. The government has set up a hotline for residents to call or text if they require evacuation, while state television has broadcast advice to residents to wave white flags over their homes if they can't flee and to stay away from IS facilities and gatherings. Activists say IS has been preventing residents from leaving and has cut many communication lines, leaving thousands potentially caught in the crossfire between government troops, backed by Shiite militia and tribal fighters, and IS.

Pray:

for God to direct the government forces and their allies in their battles so that families remain safe. Pray for the ‘safe corridors’ to remain secure, and for drone strikes to hit targets not civilians. (Dt.23:14)

Iran ‘can destroy Israel in less than eight minutes’

The latest of a long series of Iranian threats against Israel was spoken by Ahmad Karimpour, a senior advisor to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. ‘If the Supreme Leader’s orders are to be executed, with the abilities and the equipment at our disposal, we will raze the Zionist regime in less than eight minutes’. Iran’s ‘Supreme Leader’ Ali Khamenei, its 76-year-old head of state and most powerful figure, has repeatedly threatened to annihilate Israel. Earlier this month, Iran’s military successfully tested a precision-guided ballistic missile with a 2,000- kilometre range (and so capable of reaching Israel). Iran signed an accord last July pledging to curb nuclear activities in exchange for lifting of sanctions: illogically, ballistic missiles were not covered in the agreement.

Pray:

for Iran’s current president, Hassan Rouhani, to show restraint. Pray that God will use this usually moderate man to have the last word on the country’s missile programme. (Pr.2:8)