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Sadiq Khan has won another four years as London’s mayor. He said in an interview that the church ‘does a lot of good for all Londoners’, and he finds the prayers for him when he visits churches ‘inspiring’. He thanks Christians for their prayers for himself and all our leaders, saying, ‘It is just so inspiring and I’m always struck.’ The former MP also praised churches for their role in social justice, saying, ‘Over the last five years, I’ve understood just how much our Christian communities contribute to London’s success. I’ve seen churches stepping up to provide support for lonely Londoners, give support for those sleeping rough, help the homeless and give young people constructive things to do.’ He added that churches are not just helping Christians, they are doing so much good for all Londoners, irrespective of faith, race or background.
Praise: God for the official recognition of all that His Churches do in society. (1 Peter 2:5)
More: premierchristian.news/en/news/article/sadiq-khan-i-m-always-struck-by-the-prayers-of-christians |
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James Merritt, pastor of Crosspoint Church in Duluth, met two men, Bartolo and Osmani. Neither of them spoke English – and he didn’t speak Spanish. But, thanks to the Google Translate app, what was supposed to be nothing more than an ad hoc purchase ended up as ‘one of the greatest witnessing experiences I’ve ever had in my life,’ the pastor said. Merritt said he and his wife always keep tracts in our home in both English and Spanish, but he really wanted to engage with the two men in a more meaningful way. That’s when he decided to try the translation app. As they spoke, Osmani learned Merritt was a pastor and decided to call his wife, who is already a Christian, to tell her. His wife then, using the app, asked Merritt to share the Gospel with her husband and Bartolo. That’s exactly what Merritt did, and the two men became Christians.
Praise: God for His Spirit flowing through and covering technology as the Gospel is shared. (Romans 1:16)
More: www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2021/may/georgia-pastor-leads-cuban-men-to-christ-using-google-translate-app |
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We are approaching Virtual Pentecost, at 2.00 pm on Sunday 23 May, for an online gathering. Momentum towards this is building as more leaders, churches and individuals sign up to join the event and add their voice to this call to prayer. If you are a leader and want to add your voice, please get in touch with adam.may@virtualpentecost.com. As of 13 May, the actual number of registrations stands at over 35,000. This is more than the gate registration for Wembley, and there are still ten days to go. Between now and Pentecost, Jonathan Oloyede is speaking on a range of Christian and secular media. Please pray for him as he shares the heart and the vision of Virtual Pentecost, and for God to prompt more people to register. See also
Pray: for the technology creating the event and the evening meetings leading up to it. (2 Chronicles 26:15)
More: www.ndopw.com/pentecost/ |
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On 11 May the Queen set out the government’s priorities at the state opening of Parliament. She said her government would ‘deliver a national recovery from the pandemic that makes the UK stronger, healthier and more prosperous than before’. Pray that Ministers can now start making progress beyond the twelve-month pandemic emergency, and give more time to push through laws to make manifesto promises real. May their plans provide all that is needed to succeed. The Queen also said the government would ‘strengthen the economic ties across the union, investing in and improving national infrastructure’ Pray for our government to stand strong in all that God intends it to do in the coming season. Other topics covered included education, women’s rights, freeports, internet safety, the environment, modernising planning laws, and discouraging asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel. Pray that the PM’s ‘rocket boosters’ agenda would successfully repair all that is damaged.
Pray: for positive policy action in education, NHS, social care, commerce, industry, and making our borders secure. (Jeremiah 32:27)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-57066183 |
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Following the announcement in the Queen’s Speech that the Government will ban conversion therapy, the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, chair of the Living in Love and Faith Next Steps Group, said: ‘The Church of England believes that all people are made in the image of God and must be cherished for who they are. The General Synod has voted overwhelmingly to reject coercive conversion therapies, so we welcome the Government’s commitment to explore these matters further with a view to enshrining that position in law. We recognise the difficulties in defining conversion therapies, and look forward to working closely with the Government to develop a viable definition and subsequent legislation. We want to prevent abuses of power, and ensure that issues of consent are made absolutely central to any future legislation.’ Pray for people to recognise that gay conversion therapy is unethical, harmful, and not supported by evidence.
Pray: for the Government, the Church and the Royal College of Psychiatrists to end harmful practices, while ensuring people can seek pastoral support and prayer. (Genesis 1:27)
More: www.churchofengland.org/media-and-news/news-releases/conversion-therapy-ban-comment-bishop-london |
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Children as young as six are being forced to carry and sell drugs far away from their homes. They are made to skip school, sleep in drug dens, and keep secrets from their loved ones. They are treated as criminals when they often feel trapped in a hopeless situation. Prayer is needed to break these cycles of crime, abuse, and exploitation. The Children’s Society helps children affected by criminal exploitation, and works hard to stop it and make sure it doesn’t define a young person’s future. Young people who have been exploited who come to the society are treated as victims, not criminals. They are helped to rebuild their trust and provision is made so that they are not targeted by criminal groups again. Pray for the success of the Disrupting Exploitation Programme which makes children safer, gives them a better understanding of exploitation, and improves their relationships with family and friends.
Pray: for the counsellors, police, local authorities, NHS and schools as they build rapport with children, identify risks early on, and take steps to keep children out of custody. (Proverbs 22:6)
More: www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines |
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A leading scientist and member of SAGE says the lockdown easing in June ‘could be delayed’, as Indian variant cases are increasing in UK hotspots. Vaccine developers are asserting we will need annual boosters or new vaccines to tackle variants, but some scientists are questioning whether this will be needed. When Pfizer said people could need annual boosters, the ex-director of Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said there is no evidence to suggest that this is the case. Scientists said anticipation around the need for boosters is being set by pharmaceutical executives not health specialists, though ‘preparing for such a need as a precaution was prudent’. The director of WHO’s department of Immunisation said, ‘We don’t see the data yet that would inform a decision about whether or not booster doses are needed.’
Pray: for wealthy pharmaceutical companies and national drives for repeat vaccinations to be led by need not greed, and for Boris Johnson as he eases lockdown in a shifting situation. (Proverbs 15:22)
More: news.sky.com/story/covid-news-live-coronavirus-latest-updates-indian-variant-surge-lockdown-delayed-12302400 |
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Pray for God’s Spirit to be moving over the UK, so that His people will rise above the issues of the day, putting their eyes not upon the things of the world, but filling their hearts and minds with the realities of the Kingdom of Heaven. Pray that His Kingdom dwells within us, that life itself comes from Him, that through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we are connected to the very root and branch which brings forth life. May God’s people live moment by moment according to the heartbeat of God. As vaccines, variants, waiting lists, and the future are discussed, pray for God’s people to trust in the Living God, recognising His power to heal, deliver and to save, so that as we step into the fullness of His Spirit available to us, healings within communities and churches will increase.
Pray: for parliamentary decisions concerning the health of the nation to be in accordance with the will of God. (Exodus 15:26)
More: passionforthenation.uk/health-8/ |
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Fraud and error on the main Universal Credit (UC) benefit have reached record levels, according to new official figures. The department for work and pensions reported £8.4bn lost in 2020-21, almost entirely due to fraud and almost double the previous year. The number of people on UC has doubled to six million since the pandemic started. Officials said the increased fraud is a product of more people applying for the benefit, and the value of each fraudulent case rising, rather than a higher proportion of people engaging in fraud. It can be as simple as individuals claiming money to which they are not entitled, like not declaring income from other sources. More complex cases involve criminal gangs stealing people’s details to apply for advance payments of UC. The money is paid to them, but the person whose identity has been stolen gets the bill.
Pray: for this vital safety net to be distributed solely to vulnerable people, for more people to be employed for face to face identity checks when fraud is suspected. (Galatians 6:2)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57091551 |
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The season of Ramadan, when Muslims set aside time to fast and seek God, has now ended. We can ask Father God not to let that time of intentional seeking go to waste. Pray for the Muslims who may have encountered Jesus in this season. Ask God to connect them with Christians, whether local or expatriate, that they may hear the good news of the gospel from them. Ask God to release the Holy Spirit to move powerfully amongst the ‘not yet’ believers as they return to their daily routines.
Pray: for God to use the scriptures which Muslims share with Christianity and Judaism to draw people to Jesus, so that the veil might be removed. (2 Corinthians 3:15-16)
More: www.pray4bosnia.com/ |
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In the Netherlands, Protestants make up around 16 percent of the population. A small group of traditional Calvinists are opposed to vaccination and social distancing. Most of these believers, who live in a region known as the ‘Bible Belt’, were never vaccinated as children and are opposed to the idea of injecting sickness into a healthy body. Despite surging case numbers, they continue to attend Sunday services without face masks. But amid some of the country’s highest Covid-19 infection rates, some of them are starting to shift their mindset.
Pray: for God’s Holy Spirit to direct their actions and give them wisdom in this dangerous season. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
More: www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/focus/20210512-in-the-netherlands-traditional-calvinists-refuse-vaccines-and-social-distancing |
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Sirens blare, the ground shakes and many now spend the night in bomb shelters as rockets launched in Gaza rain down nonstop. Clashes between Israel and Hamas puts them on the brink of full-blown war. Previously Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) only fired rockets into southern Israel. Now they are sending dozens of rockets into the heart of Jerusalem. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in the Gaza Strip, demolishing Hamas news outlets, targeting Hamas headquarters, and killing PIJ and Hamas commanders. Hamas and PIJ have fired 1,000+ rockets at Tel Aviv and central Israel. The international airport has had to relocate to Eilat. Israel signed normalisation agreements with Arab states last year including the UAE, which has called on Israel to stop the violence and respect ‘the Holy al-Aqsa Mosque.’ Tensions began when Israeli police cracked down on Palestinians protesting at the mosque – followed by Hamas’s call to bomb Tel Aviv and kill Jews.
Pray: for the peace of Jerusalem as Israel declares a state of emergency and old grievances fuel new fighting. Pray for God to comfort His people currently living in fear. (Psalm 122:6)
More: us12.campaign-archive.com/?e=2b376728db&u=7404e6dcdc8018f49c82e941d&id=4918105344 |
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A documentary about a ten-year-old Aboriginal boy’s experience in school has reignited the debate about Australia’s failure to give indigenous children a good education and a fair start in life. Australia’s ‘national shame’ was recognized in 2008, and the government pledged to ‘close the gap’ for indigenous people in terms of life expectancy, child mortality, education and employment. By 2020 most of the seven targets had not been met. Seventeen new targets have now been set, in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups. Currently young indigenous people are 17 times more likely to be jailed than non-indigenous counterparts (43 times more likely in the Northern Territory). A young indigenous man is more likely to be in prison than university. In Aboriginal town camps there are days with no milk, and children eat breakfast at school. Some nights there is no electricity, so children play I-spy under the stars.
Pray: for the closure of run-down camps which sprang up in the 1960s, when Aborigines were forced off their land. (Isaiah 61:8)
More: www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-56544429 |
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Armenian-Lebanese Vicken Euljekjian, a civilian prisoner of war captured when Azerbaijan invaded Nagorno-Karabakh and seized new territory, has been indicted on three counts: participation as a mercenary in a military conflict, committing terrorism, and illegally crossing into Azerbaijan. These charges are falsely leveled against Euljekjian. They are part of the joint attempt by Azerbaijan and Turkey to justify their genocidal actions in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan invaded Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2020, with the support of Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries. The brutality of the invasion demonstrated an intent of ethnic-religious cleansing towards Karabakh’s Armenian Christian community, whose presence in the region predates the Islamic Turkish presence.
Pray: for the nations to ensure justice is done for the Christian communities under threat, and for the release of Vicken and at least 200 other Armenian POWs illegally jailed. (Ecclesiastes 3:17)
More: www.persecution.org/2021/05/06/civilian-armenian-pow-faces-terrorism-charges-azerbaijan/ |
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Until 2001 women’s rights in Afghanistan were severely curtailed. Barred from education and work, they were only allowed to leave a house covered head to foot and with a male relative escort. In the last twenty years women have returned to the classroom and workplace and can drive automobiles. Under the Taliban these actions were moral offenses and punished by flogging and stoning. When US troops withdraw many are concerned that the Taliban will roll back any gains women have made. Lawmakers are concerned that Afghanistan may once again become a refuge for extremists, and ‘women in Afghanistan may again be targets of violence’. Pray for lawmakers to refuse to turn back the clock to the previous austere restrictions imposed by the Taliban regime, and for husbands and fathers to stand up for the rights of their wives and daughters. See also
Pray: for the few Christians in Afghanistan to share the respect that Jesus showed to his female followers. (Matthew 27:55)
More: www.indiatoday.in/magazine/up-front/story/20210503-a-new-chapter-in-afghanistan-1794152-2021-04-23 |
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The Pentagon believes Chinese space activities present growing threats to US and global security. Chinese and Russian military doctrines indicate they view space as critical to modern warfare and the use of counter space capabilities as a means of reducing US military effectiveness and winning future wars. China is developing electronic warfare capabilities to jam satellites and probably intends to develop additional weapons that could destroy satellites. Given the chance, China will move ahead to use space to dominate not only the US but also the rest of the planet. Many believe defense budget cuts or flatlines in the military should be regarded as suicidal. Shortly after becoming president Xi Jinping said, ‘Developing the space program and turning the country into a space power is the space dream that we have continuously pursued. The space dream is part of the dream to make China stronger. China aims to become the world’s leading space power by 2045.’
Pray: for global harmony under God’s power as nations plan rising against neighbours. (Isaiah 2:4)
More: www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17306/china-space-power |
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On 11 May four Christian farmers from the remote village of Kalimago, Poso regency, were murdered by five sword-wielding attackers. The terrorists ambushed a group of farmers who were harvesting their coffee plantation. The victims were aged between 42 and 61. A fellow-farmer saw the suspects carrying firearms and sharp weapons approach the victims before he fled and informed the police, who later said the witness identified one attacker as a fugitive and a member of the IS-linked Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) terrorist group. The attack was motivated by robbery and to terrorise local residents. One of the victims was decapitated in this particularly brutal attack. In November, the same Sulawesi-based terrorist group burned down a Salvation Army church and Christian homes, and hacked four Christians to death and beheaded one. The authorities have not been able to capture the fugitives despite months of efforts.
Pray: for the success of a joint task force whose mission is to hunt down the remnants of MIT. (Proverbs 29:8)
More: www.persecution.org/2021/05/12/terrorist-group-allegedly-murdered-four-christian-farmers-central-sulawesi/ |
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Attendees at the Bring Back our Girls conference heard that twenty parents have now died before being reunited with their daughters. ‘I’m Chibok girl Dad. Bring Back Our Girls Now’, read the white letters on one man’s red T-shirt. On 15 April seven years ago, he woke to hear his daughter had been abducted from her school. He has not seen her since and has no idea if she is alive, but amidst his anguish he pleads, ‘Our people are being killed on a weekly basis’. 112 Chibok girls remain unaccounted for. The dad pleaded, ‘ Why has the government abandoned us? I appeal to Governor Zulum to bring peace to our land’. ‘No amount of intimidation will stop us demanding the girls’ rights’, said another parent. There have been three attacks this week in Damasak town, 200 miles north of Chibok, this time by an IS group which has splintered away from Boko Haram.
Pray: for this week’s event to bring the situation back into the limelight and cause the army to work creatively to release the girls and end the kidnapping industry created by terrorists. (Daniel 2:21)
More: www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2021/04/bring-back-our-112-chibok-girls-now-and-alive-demands-for-closure-and-disclosure-7-years-on/ |
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Prayer Alert is produced in partnership with
The World Prayer Centre, Cornerstone House, 5 Ethel Street, Birmingham, B2 4BG, England.
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