Prayer Alert News: UK, Europe, and Worldwide

Thank God! Christians have finally been told they can wear crosses and religious symbols at work. New official guidance will warn that dress codes will NOT be allowed to ban such items. Non-compliant companies could be fined or forced to pay compensation. Equalities minister Victoria Atkins is rounding on religious intolerance as long as symbols do not interfere with the ability to do the job. She said: ‘Discrimination in the workplace is not only completely unacceptable but also against the law. We will not stand for it. Our society has a proud tradition of religious tolerance; I want to see that reflected in workplaces across the country.’ The Church of England welcomed this ‘sensible decision’, adding: ‘Christians who wish to show their faith by wearing a cross should be free to do so. Freedom of expression continues to be an important British value.’

Praise: God that this right for Christians to express their faith has been upheld and placed into law. (Romans 1:16)
More: www.express.co.uk/news/uk/958852/christians-wear-cross-crucifix-religious-symbols-work

The Australian Gold Coast recently hosted the Commonwealth Games. What many may not know is that local churches, with the help of Christians from other parts of the nation, undergirded the Games with prayer and evangelism. 43 churches engaged in the 24/7 prayer canopy for the games. The Gideons gave away 10,180 scriptures. Chaplains reported never having seen such hunger or such engagement during any previous Games. There were reports of a friendly, peaceful atmosphere in the village itself. The YWAM team reported 7,000 Gospels of Luke and 6,500 flyers handed out, 10,000 estimated meaningful conversations, and one baptism. Be encouraged and give God the glory! Read the full report on the ‘More’ link.

Praise: God for many people reached through this united prayer and outreach, and pray that the seeds will continue to bear much fruit. (Luke 10:19-20)
More: http://renewaljournal.blog/2018/05/09/beyond-gold-at-the-commonwealth-games/

Today’s youth meditation: #pledge2pray #celebrate – To celebrate is to do something that isn’t just required or expected. It is to go a bit over the top about someone; to do more than you need, because, as they say, they’re worth it. God’s worth it. But we regularly take it all as a bit standard. If you were going to celebrate God, how would you do it?

Pray: for five people today and each day – that they may come to know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Celebrate that God has given you family and friends to pray for. (Matthew 6: 9-13)
More: www.thykingdomcome.global/

The head of the US Episcopal Church, the Most Rev Michael Bruce Curry, will preach at the wedding of Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle in Windsor, says Kensington Palace. Curry, from New York, is the first African-American to have served as presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. He will join the dean of Windsor, Rt Rev David Conner, and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who will officiate at the service. Welby baptised Meghan ahead of her marriage to Harry, the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England. Justin Welby said that he is ‘thrilled’ that the couple asked Curry to preach at their wedding, calling him ‘a brilliant pastor, stunning preacher and someone with a great gift for sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.’ See also: and

Pray: that the message of the hope that we have in Jesus will reach many. Pray for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as they begin married life together, that their faith will be a cornerstone of their relationship. Pray for the security of everyone at Windsor. (Colossians 3:14)
More: www.cbsnews.com/news/michael-curry-sermon-royal-wedding-prince-harry-meghan-markle/

The maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be reduced to £2 under new rules unveiled by the government. Currently, people can bet up to £100 every 20 seconds on electronic casino games such as roulette. Culture secretary Matt Hancock called the machines ‘a very serious social blight’. FOBTs generate £1.8bn in revenue a year for the betting industry, according to the Gambling Commission, and taxes of £400m for the Government. A high proportion of those seeking treatment for gambling addiction identify FOBTs as their main form of gambling. Matt Zarb-Cousin, who was previously addicted to them, commented. ‘It’s no exaggeration to call FOBTs the crack cocaine of gambling. If we had a gambling product classification like that of drugs, FOBTs would be Class A.’ See also:

Pray: for those those currently or previously addicted to gambling. Pray for the partners and families who have to suffer the burden of the debt and the relationship breakdowns. (Psalm 18:17)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44148285

Serious crime soared in London in the past year, police figures have revealed, with the murder rate up by 44% and youth murder, personal robbery and home burglary all up by about a third. The figures, from the Metropolitan police, also showed a 23% increase in gun crime, a 21% rise in knife crime, and an 18% increase in the number of rapes. They were released just before a meeting of the London assembly’s police and crime committee on 15 May. Its chairman, Steve O’Connell, called the rise ‘unacceptable’ and ‘deeply troubling’. So far in 2018 the Met has launched more than sixty murder investigations, and the increase in violent crime has been reflected in many other urban areas. Sophie Linden, the deputy mayor for policing and crime, defended her office’s record. ‘It’s very, very early days’, she said. ‘We’re talking about knife crime with injury and we’re seeing that stabilising. But every murder is so appalling on the streets of London that there is no complacency here whatsoever.’

Pray: for breakthroughs for the police and security personnel as they tackle the underlying issues. Pray for healing and recovery of the victims of these crimes and their loved ones. Pray comfort and compassion for the 60+ bereaved families. (Deuteronomy 16:20)
More: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/may/15/met-figures-reveal-deeply-troubling-rise-in-serious-in-london

Some survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire will still be living in emergency accommodation a year after the tragedy, the Government has confirmed. Housing secretary James Brokenshire told MPs that of the 210 households affected, 201 had accepted rehousing offers. 138 of them have moved: 64 to temporary accommodation and 74 to permanent homes. Labour said only a third of the families were in a permanent home. After the fire (on 14 June 2017), which killed 71 people, the Government said survivors would be offered permanent furnished social housing within twelve months. Mr Brokenshire acknowledged that progress had been too slow, but said the local council now had 300 properties available to those who needed them. Prime Minister Theresa May said, ‘As we approach the anniversary of this appalling tragedy, our thoughts are with the victims and survivors and all those affected by that tragedy.’

Pray: for speedy and positive outcomes for all the Grenfell survivors still not in permanent accommodation. Pray healing of body and mind for those still affected by the disaster. (Psalm 112:4)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44141374

Greece’s parliament passed a bill on 15 May aimed at making asylum procedures simpler and faster and easing overcrowding in its refugee camps. Five camps on islands close to the Turkish coast hold more than double their capacity, and have been mired in violence over living conditions and delays in asylum claims that often take months to process. Human rights groups and the European Commission, which has offered Greece millions of euros in emergency aid, have criticised the government for not doing enough to manage the situation. Migration minister Dimitris Vitsas acknowledged that the bill ‘will not magically solve the refugee and migration issue’, but said the government wanted to reduce the wait for thousands of asylum seekers. Human rights groups criticised the bill, which foresees a shortened appeals procedure for rejected asylum seekers, saying it would lead to slapdash procedures violating refugees’ rights.

Pray: for the rights of the asylum seekers and migrants to be respected; for all those working to support the people in the refugee camps; and for sufficient resources to be released to ensure that the camps are not cramped and have adequate facilities. (Proverbs 31:8)
More: www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-migrants-greece-asylum/greece-passes-asylum-bill-to-ease-overcrowding-in-island-camps-idUSKCN1IG37J?il=0

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, has agreed to face a grilling from European Union lawmakers over how the data of as many as 2.7 million Europeans could have ended up in the hands of consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. On 16 May, European parliament president Antonio Tajani said that Zuckerberg had accepted the EU institution’s invitation to cross the Atlantic and face lawmakers in person as soon as next week. The meeting will take place in private on 22 May, the assembly’s press service said. Facebook, in an statement, said it accepted the ‘proposal to meet with leaders of the European Parliament and appreciate the opportunity for dialogue, listen to their views, and show the steps we are taking to improve protection of people’s privacy’.

Pray: that the privacy and rights of individuals will be protected, and that lessons will be learned from the Cambridge Analytica data breach. (Proverbs 10:9)
More: www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-16/zuckerberg-agrees-to-eu-parliament-grilling-over-data-scandal

The USA wasn’t the only country to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem this week. Just days after the historic – and contentious – opening in the holy city, Guatemala did the same. President Jimmy Morales, a strong evangelical, said, ‘We have had an excellent relationship with Israel since it was founded. I believe we will be receiving a blessing for both peoples by doing the right thing.’ Citing prayer and prophecy as their motivation, Morales and vice president Jafeth Cabrera officially recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last year and pledged to return their embassy there. ‘People in Guatemala pray for peace in this region, pray for Jerusalem, and they are excited’, said Sarah Solis, the country’s ambassador to Israel.

Pray: for the peace of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and for the ongoing peace processes and negotiations. (Psalm 122:6)
More: www.christianitytoday.com/news/2018/may/jerusalem-embassy-guatemala-latin-america-pentecostals-zion.html

Moqtada al Sadr, the Muslim Shiite cleric, and his Marching Towards Reform alliance with Iraq’s communists look to be in first position coming out of the national polls.The elections rejected the Iraqi elite that has run the country since the ousting of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Running a campaign highly critical of both the USA and Iran, the controversial cleric and militia leader has struck a chord with millions of poor Shia voters. Only 44 percent of voters turned out, the lowest in the four elections since the removal of Saddam. During the next two weeks, the various parties will jockey for position as they seek to form a governing coalition.

Pray: for the raising up of a good and honest prime minister and other government officials, to take the nation forward into real peace and prosperity and out of ethnic and religious rivalry and division. (Psalm 7:8)
More: www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iraq-election-result-announced-latest-coalition-moqtada-al-sadr-sairoon-lead-winner-a8351766.html

On 16 May, President Trump was asked whether his summit with North Korea would still take place after the communist regime had threatened to call it off. ‘We haven’t seen anything, we haven’t heard anything’, Trump said. When asked if Kim was bluffing when he threatened to cancel the planned summit on 12 June, he replied, ‘We’ll see what happens’. Pyongyang’s statement blamed the annual military drills between the US and South Korea that had started two days earlier, adding: ‘The USA must carefully contemplate the fate of the planned summit amid the provocative military ruckus that it is causing. We will keenly monitor how the authorities react.’ China has urged North Korea to go forward with the summit. Its foreign ministry says the two countries should make sure that the meeting runs as planned and yields ‘substantial outcomes’.

Pray: that they will follow through with their agreement to denuclearise the Korean peninsula and that the effort to normalise relations will be put back on track quickly. (Psalm 34:14)
More: http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/national-security/2018/may/us-north-korea-summit-in-jeopardy-kim-regime-threatens-to-call-the-whole-thing-off

The Democratic Republic of Congo is braced for a gruesome battle, this time against the deadly virus Ebola. Congolese authorities declared the outbreak in the northwest region on 8 May; so far three have died from the disease. The number of reported cases is 42, according to a World Health Organisation tally. A health ministry spokeswoman said that 5,400 doses of vaccine had arrived from Geneva; they would be kept in Kinshasa until refrigerated transport could be guaranteed. The WHO said the risk of the disease spreading was high, and announced it was preparing for the ‘worst case scenario’. Its chief executive visited the affected area last weekend, saying he hoped for a ‘better way out’ of the latest outbreak. On 16 May Oxfam pledged an initial £50,000 to fight the spread of the disease. Ebola is one of the world’s most notorious diseases, being both highly infectious and extremely lethal. See also:

Pray: healing for the Ebola patients and their families. Pray that the WHO can swiftly get this new drug out quickly to the affected areas, and pray for the safety and protection of the health workers and medics. (Acts 9:34)
More: www.africanindy.com/news/thousands-of-doses-of-ebola-vaccine-arrive-in-drc-15021298

Long ago, wise men in Eastern Arabia noticed a star burning brightly in the night sky and set out to see where it would lead them. At the end of their journey they found Jesus and presented him with costly gifts – one of which was frankincense. Frankincense trees still bloom today, particularly in the Arabian peninsula. At the centre of this region is a city that is home to six unreached people groups – each with their own specific language or dialect, with unique customs and traditions, divided into tribes and families. As different as each group is, they hold certain things in common: their unifying faith in Islam, their abiding love of camels, and the daily use of frankincense. Every day after evening prayers, the city is permeated by the sweet smell of frankincense as families heat it in burners and carry it throughout their homes. Wise men from Arabia once offered Jesus frankincense: today, He is offering the lasting healing, cleansing and deliverance they seek.

Pray: that, just as frankincense found its way to Jesus, the message of Jesus will find its way into the hearts and lives of those living where frankincense grows. Pray for wise men and women in the Arabian peninsula, that in their wisdom they will seek the way of Jesus. (Matthew 2:11)
More: www.30daysprayer.com/booklets/

IS has claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings in three Indonesian churches, killing at least 13 people and injuring dozens of others. According to police, the suicide bombers were all members of the same family: a mother and two daughters aged nine and 12 detonated their bombs in one church, while the father and two sons, aged 16 and 18, targeted two other churches. The Santa Maria Catholic Church was attacked first, then the Surabaya Centre Pentecostal Church and the Diponegoro Indonesian Christian Church. The fact that a family, including children and teenagers, carried out these attacks is part of what makes them so shocking. A family should be a place of love and safety – and yet this one was used to inspire hatred and violence. But there is another family that we are a part of: God’s worldwide family of the church. Our brothers and sisters in Surabaya need our prayers and support today. Many are grieving, many are injured, many are scared.

Pray: for comfort for those who mourn, and healing for those who have been injured. Pray also for protection over churches and others who are targets for extremist attacks. (Psalm 55:9)
More: www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/indonesia-180514/

Fears are growing that Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is heading for a major eruption. The US Geological Survey has raised the alert from orange to red, meaning that a major volcanic eruption is imminent or very likely. The volcano is one of the world’s most active, and its activity level has increased substantially over the past twelve days. A 300m-long fissure has opened on the volcano’s side, releasing more lava and gas and sending a plume of ash and smoke as high as 12,000 feet. There were reports of ash and vog (volcanic air pollution) falling as far as 18 miles downwind, the USGS said. Dozens of homes and swathes of farmland in that area have been destroyed. US president Donald Trump declared it to be a disaster on Friday, following a request from Hawaii’s governor, David Ige.

Pray: that the volcano miraculously does not erupt. Pray for the safe evacuation of those in the vicinity, and that the emergency services staff will be safe and their work effective. (Psalm 46:1)
More: http://news.sky.com/story/major-eruption-of-hawaiis-kilauea-is-imminent-11374296