Last year the government of Nepal formally criminalized conversion to Christianity. They enacted an "anti-conversion" law that makes it illegal to attempt to convert someone from their faith in the former Hindu Kingdom. Christians make up a small minority of the population, and this move is being seen as one to institutionalize Hinduism and stop the spread of Christianity. According to Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, the Church in Nepal has been growing at a faster rate than nearly anywhere else in the world.

On August 15th, this new law will be enforced. It has been said that Christian leaders will be targeted for arrest and prosecution. Our people have been told that Hindu forces within the government have already drafted a list of Christian leaders to be immediately jailed, and our top leaders are on the list. In the last decade these men have overseen the planting of thousands of churches. It makes sense that they'd being targeted by forces trying to halt the growth of the Church.

We are calling on all believers to join us for a day of prayer and fasting for the people of Nepal on August 14th. By the time that we have finished our day of prayer and fasting, the sun will rise in Nepal, and we pray that the Lord will be with his people, no matter what trials they face.

Some specific prayer points:

• Pray for courage and the boldness to continue sharing Christ (Acts 4:29-31).
• Pray for provision for their families should these leaders be jailed.
• Pray for favor within the government.
• Pray for unity among Nepali believers; that the Church would be united in their response to persecution.
• Pray for Christian lawyers to find loopholes to keep these folks protected from prosecution. (like Paul, is it lawful to beat a Roman citizen?)
• Pray that the work of sharing the Gospel would continue and even accelerate.
• Pray that this persecution would spark an unstoppable movement that would spill over the borders of Nepal into China, India, and Pakistan.
• Pray for strength and that the Spirit of God would embolden believers in Nepal to continue sharing their faith while operating in wisdom.

Our hearts are heavy for our brothers and sisters in Nepal, concerned for their safety, families, and future; but we know the One who holds them. The One who spoke through the Apostle Paul, while in prison, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." May the Lord strengthen his people and give them grace, one day at a time.

Thank you for joining us in prayer for all the believers in Nepal.

Until He Returns,

David

The Timothy Initiative - http://www.ttionline.org

24:14 Global Coalition: A network of organizations, networks and churches which are all committed to the 24:14 vision of praying and working together to start kingdom movement engagements in every unreached people group with urgency by 2025.

To this end, we, the 24:14 Prayer Task Force are seeking to develop a 24/7 canopy of prayer that will pray into this vision of seeing every U/UPG engaged with a  team focused on seeing a movement of multiplying churches and disciples. We would like to see at leasat 31 organizations, prayer networks from existing movements, networks and churches commit to cover in prayer one day per month every month.

What we’re asking:

• That each partner org, network, etc will commit to cover in prayer one day per month every month. (eg Every 3rd or every 19th etc) (or less if 24 hour is not possible)
• Each partner is free to divide their 24-hour day of prayer as they see fit (usually into 24 one-hour segments or 48 30-minute segments).
• Since partners will vary in size and numbers each may choose to pray more or less hours depending on their ability.
• Each partner is to identify a prayer coordinator.
• The prayer coordinator will receive and pass along 24:14 prayer points for the month.
• The prayer coordinator will develop and pass along prayer points regarding their own org, network, etc as it pertains to the 24:14 vision.
• The prayer coordinator will follow up with these pray-ers to encourage, train/equip, connect and gather.
• They will give guidance on various, creative ways for their groups to pray.
• They will be in regular communication with a member of the 24:14 Prayer Task Force.
• We ask these prayer teams to journal what they are sensing from the Lord as they pray, how they are led to pray and share back with the 24:14 Coalition.

What you can expect from us:

• A monthly prayer guide of informed prayer points that are specific, measurable, and Bible-based.
• Regular praise reports in order to encourage groups as they pray.
• Monthly or bi-monthly communication with a member of the 24:14 Prayer Task Force. This will be for the purpose of encouraging, informing, identifying gaps and challenges, etc.

NEXT STEPS: YOUR RESPONSE    

To join the 24:14  Prayer Canopy  please sign up here:  http://inheritthenations.net/2414-coalition-prayer-involvement/

• Let us know the day of the month that you can commit to as an organization and how many hours in that day you are committing to pray and fast.
• Please let us know the name and email of the prayer coordinator. 

Our thanks on behalf of the 24:14 Prayer Task Force.

WWW.2414NOW.NET

Hostility, injustice and violence are a daily reality for millions of Christians across the Horn of Africa. In Somalia the militant Al-Shabaab group frequently kills suspected Christians on the spot, and believers keep their faith completely secret. In Eritrea the government views Christians as agents of the West and will arrest, harass and kill them with impunity. Hundreds are imprisoned in horrific conditions. Ethiopia is a Christian-majority country, but converts from Islam are rejected by their families and communities. In Kenya Al-Shabaab militants cross the border from Somalia. They killed dozens of Kenyan Christians last year. In Djibouti rumours of conversion are often enough for believers to lose their inheritance rights or custody of their children. Imagine living where, because you’re a Christian, you fail your studies, your neighbours beat you up, your home is destroyed, your family is put in prison, your father is killed. Would you lose heart, give up, change your faith? Please pray for those experiencing this daily.

Efforts continue to extract a Thai youth football team (aged 11-16) and their 25-year-old coach from a flooded cave in Thailand.  Water is being pumped out and officials hope the lowered water levels  will mean the boys could keep their heads above water and not rely on scuba apparatus to escape the cave in which they have been trapped for 12 days. Rescuers are battling against the clock to beat monsoon rains expected on 7 July. At the time of writing (5 July) the water levels have reduced by around 40% but parts of the passageway leading to where the boys and coach were found are still flooded all the way to the ceiling - leaving diving out of the cave the only option for survival if the water levels are not reduced quickly. They want to reduce the water enough for them to scramble out, walk and perhaps do a little diving.

88 million Mexicans voted on 1 July for a new president and over 3,400 government positions across all levels. The electorate decided that neither major party had a solution to curb spiraling violence and a plundered economy. Andrés Manuel López Obrador – or Amlo to his fans -  intends to deliver an unyielding assault on the scoundrels he claims have plundered Latin America’s second largest economy and plunged it into becoming a cauldron of thievery, bloodshed and want. The left-wing firebrand, who some journalists compare to Jeremy Corbyn, intends to increase minimum wages without raising taxes. He said it will be funded by stamping out corruption. He also promised to turn the opulent presidential palace into a public park, to sell the president's $300 million 787 Dreamliner jet and to cut his own salary to half of his predecessor's. Pray for his success in turning around environmental degradation, insecurity, extortion and kidnapping.

Few politicians have established such a connection with the millions of underprivileged families in Mexico as Lopez Obrador. He regularly campaigned draped with garlands and gaudy sombreros. Like Trump, the headstrong ‘Amlo’ is the heart and soul of his movement and his presidency could heighten tensions between Mexico and the United States over trade and migration if the two men clash. The prospect of a showdown between the two blunt men over the US-Mexico border and renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement has worried many. ‘There’s going to be a clash of vanities and a clash of egos. Who knows where it will end.’ said Juan Jose Rodriguez Prats, a former party colleague of Amlo who has known him for 40 years. President Trump tweeted, ‘I look very much forward (sic) to working with him. There is much to be done that will benefit both the United States and Mexico!’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to provide healthcare and insurance to half a billion Indians, a people-mass larger than the entire population of South America, is facing serious hurdles.  Almost five months after announcing the programme they are still working to lock in hospitals and insurance companies in time for the planned 15 August launch (India’s Independence Day). The healthcare scheme aims to cover the poorest 40% in a country where a 2017 World Health Organisation report found personal spending on health pushed over 52 million people below the poverty line. Although beneficiaries are identified and IT infrastructure is in place, the involvement of hospitals still needs to be finalised. It is the government's second major welfare push this year. It recently presented a draft bill on a social security programme designed to cover the country’s 500 million poorest workers, including those in informal employment.

In North America 70 wildfires are consuming 630,000 acres across Alaska, California, Colorado and other western states. Meteorologists warn of more blazes due to strong winds, dry conditions and low humidity. A huge fire in Canada’s British Columbia has been burning since 21 June at Comstock Lake. Another 12-hectare forest fire is being fought in Kawarthas near Toronto, Ontario.  In England a major incident was declared as moor fires converged in Lancashire. The Northern Ireland fire service has had to deal with 600 gorse fires this week and in Ireland Slieve Bloom mountains are alight with an uncontrolled fast-growing blaze. Nine out of ten wildfires are carelessly (or deliberately) started by people. A wildfire destroys ALL vegetation, causes erosion which degrades stream water quality and wildlife are burned, dehydrated and malnourished. The larger animals like deer can escape but squirrels, foxes and snakes are not always able to. Birds can fly away, but nests and eggs are destroyed. See also

Saudi Arabia is issuing driving licences to women after abolishing its ban on female drivers. 2,000 women want to complete a driving course now offered at all-female university campuses. However women are still restricted in everyday life. They can’t make major decisions without male permission. They must have a male official guardian, father, brother etc., and need their guardian’s consent to travel, obtain a passport or sign contracts. Their dress code is governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law. The religious police harass them for exposing too much flesh or wearing too much make-up. Women must limit time spent with men to whom they are not related and most public places have segregation. They cannot use public swimming pools available to men neither can they compete freely in sports. Saudi Arabia proposed hosting an Olympic Games without women. They cannot try on clothes when shopping or read an uncensored fashion magazine.

The UK's proposals for fishing in UK waters after Brexit was unveiled on 4 July. Michael Grove hopes that our fishing industry will get a larger share of domestic catch after Brexit, once the UK ‘decides access’  to its own waters. Currently 60% of fish caught in UK waters   goes to Europe. The environment secretary said the UK would be in the ‘driving seat’ in quota negotiations once the UK leaves the EU's Common Fisheries Policy but would not commit to a specific figure. UK fishing groups are pressing to keep more than 80% of domestic catch. There were protests earlier this year when it was revealed that the UK would continue to be bound by the Common Fisheries Policy during the post-Brexit transition that ends in 2020. Now the White Paper sets out a UK vision for an ‘independent coastal state’ from 2021 onwards.