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Friday 5 May 2017
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Dear Ron,
He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him. (1 Chronicles 5:20b)
We are pleased to enclose this week`s edition of Prayer Alert with apologies for the delayed delivery.
Can you help? – Prayer Alert is brought to your inbox without charge thanks largely to the generosity of individuals and organisations that freely provide most of the resources we need to operate. However, we would be grateful for donations from appreciative subscribers towards our costs. Please click the Donations button above to make a contribution.
Thank you again for standing with us in prayer over the nations.
David Fletcher – For the Prayer Alert Team
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Pakistan: church saved, prayer groups grow
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A prayer leader writes: Many were praying for safety and no attacks during the Easter days. NL was a medical student who got involved with Daesh in Hyderabad and married a terrorist. Three days before Easter they went to Lahore, intending to bomb a big church, but a relative informed the police, saying she was acting strangely.. The police followed this lead, and there was a shootout with the couple. The husband was killed, but NL was taken alive. The church was safe. Also on a more spiritual theme, at the medical school in Hyderabad one girl who had attended our prayer seminars decided to start a 24/7 prayer group in Hyderabad with medical students attending. It has become so strong that women from the outside asked to join, and it now has 150+ members.
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God for protecting His people, and for the advance of a Christian prayer movement. (Rom. 8:31)
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Telephone prayer-lines
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United Christian Broadcasting (UCB) Prayerline is a confidential service available to anyone, whoever they are and whatever their background. Christian volunteers take phone calls and pray with the callers over issues they are facing. Premier Christian Radio also have a telephone lifeline; trained volunteers create a confidential, anonymous place for people to talk about and pray into whatever they wish, without judgment or rejection. They could be worried about losing jobs, young people who do not know what to do next, people needing prayer for healing, those with money worries or family worries, or those who want to know more about what God can do in their lives. These are not counselling or advice services; its all about prayer and asking God for help. See also
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God for these and similar services. Pray that they will have adequate funding, and for Gods powerful anointing on every conversation and prayer. (John 16:33b)
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Thousands of former Muslims baptised
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Pastor Paul, director of Bibles for Mideast, writes: My risen Lord Jesus Christ has saved my life once again, and I praise and thank God for His unspeakable grace! Certainly I am not worthy of it. The Assembly of Loving God Church of Bibles for Mideast started praying and fasting from 13 March to 2 April. As that period ended, over three thousand former Muslims were baptised in our churches in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The Lord enabled me to baptise many people during this time. Then three weeks later, when I was changing after an early-morning baptism, militants began stoning our group. Although we were injured, God protected us from much worse.
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God for all the Muslims choosing a new life in Christ. Pray for His protection in unsafe places. (Gal. 6:14)
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Friday Focus: for the whole church to join in prayer
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After Jesus ascension the apostles returned to Jerusalem to pray, and ten days later at Pentecost the Holy Spirit was released and the church was born. Thy Kingdom Come 2017 invites Christians to make a lasting difference in our nations and in our world by responding to Jesus call to find a deep unity of purpose in prayer. (written by Jane Holloway, World Prayer Centre; Thy Kingdom Come)
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Lord Jesus, thank you for this global wave of prayer. We ask that many people will commit to pray for five people they know through Pledge2Pray. May everything that takes place bring glory to your name, and may your mercy and love be revealed as we pray and work together. Come, Holy Spirit, and empower us to be joyful witnesses. (Acts 1:12,14)
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Healthcare and election manifesto promises
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The main political parties have published their manifestos, and leaders have taken to the airwaves to define their ideas and criticise those of their opponents. There is a degree of common ground between Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat proposals on health. With the population living longer and more people living with long-term conditions, more seamless care will become a central challenge in the next parliament. Funding for social care for the elderly and vulnerable has been cut by 16 % recently. Although the Care Act brings clarity and consistency to social care entitlements, it will not end social care rationing. All three manifestos promote the importance of joined-up care, particularly for the elderly and chronically ill. We can praise God that this need is recognised, and pray that positive pledges will be implemented now that all parties have got the message that the NHS needs additional funding to survive.
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for the next Government to take a fresh compassionate look at NHS funding and accounting. (Psalm 94:18)
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Queens chaplain resigns after Quran reading in church
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Rev Gavin Ashenden, one of 33 chaplains to the Queen, had become involved in a controversy because he openly criticised the reading of the Quran in an Epiphany church service in which Muslims took part. During the service, which celebrated the wise mens visit to Bethlehem and their acknowledgment of Jesus being God in human form, passages from the Quran were read in Arabic stating that Jesus was not the Son of God. Rev Ashenden said he needed to resign from his post to avoid any misunderstanding that his statements were said on behalf of the Queen. He added, I think it a higher and more compelling duty to speak out on behalf of the faith than to retain a public honour which precludes me doing so at this time.
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for all believers to recognise the true identity of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of Father God, the word made flesh, and for an end to Christian church services that deny Christian truths in any form. (John 1:1-5)
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Thirty years of mapping the world for prayer and action
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Global Mapping International (GMI) will close on 30 June – three decades after it began as a two-year global mapping project. We thought wed get it done in two years, GMI president and CEO Jon Hirst said. Then we realised that the nature of gathering information for the Great Commission was never-ending. That led to us becoming an independent research organisation supporting the global Church. Its publication Operation World and other resources have helped foreign missionaries become more effective, with custom maps, infographics, etc. Hirst said that a changing approach to mission and funding structure has forced GMI to close. The need for independent mission research hasnt disappeared, and he hopes a new group will step forward to take it up. He said, God blesses causes and people, He doesnt bless organisations. The structures of the 20th century wont always be able to withstand the changes of the 21st. Before closing, GMI will give away all its research.
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for all reconfiguration of ministries in the body of Christ in a season of technological change. Pray for all those working to reach unsaved people groups of different languages and dialects across nations. (Rom. 12:12)
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A Government without God
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Stephen Green of Christian Voice recently wrote, Our leaders try to run things in their own wisdom. Even though our Queen was anointed to reign under the authority of God in the Name of Jesus Christ and given the Holy Bible as the rule for the whole life and government of Christian princes, her ministers have passed law after law in opposition to the will of God. Good laws might not make men good, but they can restrain the wicked, and bad laws encourage evil. We must pray for our Government as never before, and pray that God will raise up men like John Knox and John Wesley in Britain today to call the nation to repentance. Pray for our nation and its people to turn from the belief that mankind knows best and to trust in God again. Pray for Christians in Parliament and all who are led by Gods Spirit in positions of authority to be strong in His power.
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for Christians in politics to be God-led in all conversations in this season of electioneering. (Psalm 33:12)
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Christian doctor condemns IVF egg-sharing scheme
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The health watchdog is looking into claims that women are being offered free IVF treatment if they give away half of their healthy eggs. Undercover reporters from the Daily Mail went to one clinic, and recorded a consultant talking about how thousands of pounds change hands for donated eggs. In one recording a nurse says, ‘It’s just like giving blood.’ The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) says donations are supposed to be voluntary and unpaid. Dr Trevor Stammers is a Christian medical ethics expert and a former GP. He is also a lecturer at St Mary’s University in Twickenham in London. He said the HFEA needs to act. This story is extremely sad, disturbing but actually not surprising. Fertility treatment is extremely costly and women seeking it are very vulnerable, so the power of a doctor to persuade a woman to donate eggs for others is extremely powerful. He added that the HFEA needs a radical overhaul and more funding.
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for additional inspectors who will be more proactive in arranging inspections. Pray also for a reforming of the system, so that women can obtain the help they need without clinics exploiting them. (Lev. 19:11)
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Ashers refuses again to make a gay cake
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Northern Ireland bakery Ashers has refused to make an engagement cake with a same-sex marriage slogan for a man and his partner. Joe Palmer, who is to wed long-term love Andy Wong this summer, says hes hurt by the refusal to bake the cake ordered. This has happened just weeks after a landmark Court of Appeal ruling against Ashers, a bakery run by the McArthurs, a Christian family. The ruling was that Ashers had discriminated against a customer due to his sexuality when they refused his order for a cake with a pro-gay marriage motto. This time a friend, Grainne McCann, ordered and paid for the cake online, only to have the order rejected the next day. The wording requested for the cake was Gay marriage rocks! Happy engagement Andy and Joe! Lots of love xxx. Grainne said, The cake was refused because it celebrated gay marriage.
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for Daniel and Amy McArthur to be free of any further litigation, and for their bakery to thrive. (Psalm 31:20)
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Europe and Islam
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Historian David Engels predicts that Europe faces the fate of the ancient Roman Republic – a civil war. Some are now saying, Jihadists seem to be leading an assault against freedom and secular democracies. Mainstream media are asking if Europe fears Muslims more than the USA does. We can pray against fears occupying the collective imagination of Europeans. A survey of 10,000+ Europeans from ten different countries revealed increasing public opposition to Muslim immigration, with 55% agreeing that all further migration from mainly Muslim countries should be stopped. Islamists take culture and history more seriously than Westerners. In Paris, an Egyptian terrorist attempted to deface artwork in the Louvre because it is a powerful symbol of French culture. We can pray for every aspect of Godly heritage rooted deep in European culture to be revived not reviled.
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for Kingdom values to replace suspicion and fear of unfamiliar cultures. Ask God to ignite a spirit of evangelism amongst His people so that they will reach out to their new neighbours with the love of Christ. (1 John 4:18)
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Kingdom view: Europe shall be saved!
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A new chapter has opened in European history. For the first time a member state is leaving. The EU needs citizens who identify with the European project after becoming increasingly sceptical over recent years. A new balance of power is needed between the EUs Council and Commission and its member states. No one is comfortable in seasons of change where the future is not yet born. But a growing number of recognised leaders say that God is preparing a very special time for Europe in the near future. At a small conference last autumn in Switzerland, they received the vision that God will save 100 million in Europe during the next ten years. Breath-taking? Past revivals saw things happen which nobody could have anticipated in either quality or quantity. This can happen in Europe! They heard a word from God, a word which only the Lord himself can proclaim, Europe shall be saved!
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for the Spirit of God to begin to blow across Europe so that the dry bones become Gods army. (Ez. 37:5)
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Iraq: dozens of enslaved Yazidis now free
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Yazidis revere the Bible and Quran; much of their centuries-old religion is oral. Thirty-six Yazidis are free after nearly three years captivity by IS. They are in UN centres in Dohuk, in Kurdish northern Iraq. It is unclear whether they escaped or were freed; the UN wouldnt give more information to avoid jeopardising future releases. IS killed and enslaved thousands of Yazidis after seizing the Sinjar area in 2014. Kurdish forces regained control in 2015, but many Yazidis were held captive by IS elsewhere as the group took over large swathes of northern Iraq. The 36 survivors – men, women and children – are being reunited with family members and offered care and medical and psychological aid. The women and children are being cared for at dedicated service points, and will be referred for more specialised treatment. A spokesperson said, What these women and girls have endured is unimaginable.
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for the estimated 1,500 women and girls still being held to be freed as well. (Ps. 55:17,18a)
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Syria: Christians return to rebuild ancient town
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In the Syrian war, the town of Maaloula – one of the few places where people still speak a dialect of Jesus’ language, Aramaic – was occupied by Islamist al-Nusra militants. Almost all of the town’s 3,000 inhabitants, mostly Christians, had to flee from their homes. Thankfully, the town has now been liberated. Many homes were damaged in the fighting, and every church was burned or vandalised, yet some believers have now returned. With support from local churches and partners of Open Doors, families are beginning to rebuild their homes. Four have already been reoccupied, and in the coming months they expect the other houses to be finished too. Gradually, the infrastructure in Maaloula is also being restored. A bakery, pharmacy and bookshop have opened their doors again.
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for the people returning to badly damaged houses not to be dispirited. Pray for abundant resources to be released so that all the displaced can return to their homes. (Jer. 29:11)
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Papua New Guinea: violence ahead of voting
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As Papua New Guineas official election campaign period started, violence dominated the news. Three people were killed and more injured, following fights between supporters of two candidates. Shops, schools and businesses are shut in Kimbe. Things are very tense. The electoral commission needs another $US25 million for polling officials’ allowances. The People’s National Congress Party is confident it will win in two months time. A Christian in PNG writes, Please stand with us in prayer for our elections. We are praying that no unrighteous leader will rise up again to lead our nation, and for God to intervene and establish a Kingdom-model nation. See also and Here
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for God to prevent further ethnic violence in the election season, for appropriate distribution and wise use of electioneering funding, and for the Christians in PNG to know Gods provision. (Psalm 111:9)
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Guinea Bissau: outreach
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The Guinea Bissau Free Methodist work is led by Pastor Rito Mande. He first connected with Free Methodists after a mission trip by Cindi Angelo, a Brazilian missionary who speaks Portuguese (Guinea Bissau has historical and linguistic connections with Portugal). Cindi discovered Rito was a devoted follower of Christ and encouraged him in his faith. In 2015 Rito started leading an outreach to children, but it soon became a church for the whole family. Three other fellowships all started following the same pattern, and are now a part of the work. Nine leaders, young adults, help with these fellowships. Of the countrys 1,704,000 people, only 1.6% are evangelical Christians. The Joshua Project reports that 68.3% of the population are unreached. Their primary religions are either ethnic religions or Islam.
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for spiritual needs to be met, for Bibles in correct dialects for each people group, and for more missionaries to be recruited, trained and released to serve in remote parts of Africa. (Psalm 96:3)
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USA: youth suicides and Netflix series
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13 Reasons Why is one of the most talked-about shows on Netflix. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, is urging Christian parents of teens and church youth ministry leaders to engage in online conversations which explore the questions raised by the series, which follows the story of Hannah who takes her own life after a series of traumatic experiences. Moore said that while he wouldn’t want his own children watching it, he believes the controversy surrounding the show might bring some grace-filled moments. If the series shows anything, it is that there are multiple reasons behind the darkness leading to suicide. Maybe this controversy will prompt friends, parents and youth ministers to talk about suicide and give signals to those in trouble that they are not alone and won’t be judged if they come forward and seek help. For the scale of youth suicides in the USA go to here
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for God-filled conversations online to result from this series, and for Christians to discuss and learn what to do if they ever see desperation operating in a young persons words or actions. (Psalm 118:17)
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Algeria: the cry from a first-generation church
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Algerias population is 40.3 million – 99% Muslim, 1% Christian. Literacy: 87% men, 73% women. The country was home to St Augustine, one of the Churchs foremost theologians (354-430). Christianity flourished between the fifth and seventh centuries but disappeared after Arab invasions. Since independence in 1962, an entirely local church has been born among the Berber people. Its astonishing growth in the last few decades is thought to be the fastest in the Arab world, with several thousand new believers baptised every year. Church growth is exciting and challenging. In this first-generation Church there is a great need for discipleship, strong biblical teaching and encouragement for believers to live out their new-found faith every day. Such a radical change in their worldview means that new Christians are often left with questions and face many challenges. SAT-7 broadcasts across the airwaves, and is responding to this need with a range of programmes to encourage and disciple Algerian believers.
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for the live on-air testimonies to continue to be an inspiration and encouragement to others. Pray for the Bible teaching, and that the spiritual hunger of this young Church in Algeria will be met. (Matt. 7:7)
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USA: pornography in the Church
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In the USA, 68% of men in church regularly view porn. New research has now revealed that of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively actively seek out pornography. These latest statistics show that the Church has a dirty secret. Chances are that on any given Sunday morning, either the person sitting to your left or to your right will be struggling with pornography. Never before has such a large portion of the Church lived in contradiction of what we believe. Jesus didnt mince words when he said, But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. At that point in time, adultery was punishable by death! If we dont confront the issue of pornography, the church is going to continue dying from the inside.
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for this problem (in any country, not just the USA) not to be addressed only as a moral issue, but recognised as an addiction of bondage. May the Church be equipped to develop appropriate programmes for all – men or women – who are trapped by it. (Matt. 5:28)
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