Awards recognise unsung Christian heroes
30 Nov 2011Unsung Christian heroes from across the UK were recognised for their community work at the Inspire Awards last week. More than 120 nominations were whittled down to just three winners who were awarded during a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament attended by Christian MPs. The award for the Inspiring Individual went to Christine Deponio, who runs Emmanuel House in Gateshead, a free service to those suffering with terminal cancer. Lifeline Church, in Essex, was presented with the Inspiring Church award for its Open Doors project. The project has been running for 10 years and offers friendship and care to vulnerable and isolated women. Green Pastures, which provides accommodation for 200 formerly homeless people in Southport, received the award for Inspiring Project. The annual Inspire Awards are hosted jointly by Inspire magazine and the Evangelical Alliance.
Praise: God for all those recognised for their gifts as they reach out to those in need. (Ac.10:4b)
More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/awards.recognise.unsung.christian.heroes/28920.htm
Australia: Prayer movement 'Rising Up'
22 Feb 2011Flash floods and a powerful cyclone have taken a toll on Australia this year, but in the midst of their hardship, many residents have found the ‘good news.’ Pockets of revival are breaking out in the country and miracles have been reported as a result of the prayer movement ‘Rise Up Australia.’ Australia was once considered a Christian nation, but aggressive secularization has caused many people to grow cold to Christianity. Only about 10 per-cent of the population regularly attends church, yet a number of churches and ministries are becoming more resolute in praying for the nation and desperately crying out to God. ‘Rise Up Australia’ was started in 2000 by pastor Daniel Nalliah, president of Catch the Fire Ministries. Now, more than 10 years later Christians are gathering for monthly prayer meetings in 75 Australian cities.
Praise: God for the stirring of His Spirit and the growth of prayer across Australia. (Ro.12:12)
More: http://www.openheaven.com/forums/forum_posts.asp?TID=35639&PN=1&TPN=1
Twenty of Australia’s senior church and denominational leaders have urged the Government to protect the definition of marriage in Australian law. The Joint Statement on the Significance of Marriage follows: Marriage is the lifelong commitment and faithful union of one man and one woman. As such, marriage is the natural basis of the family because it secures the relationship between biological parents and their children. As Christian leaders representing different denominations or churches, we join together and affirm our shared commitment to promote and protect marriage. We honour the unique love between husbands and wives; the vital place of fathers and mothers in the life of children; and the corresponding ideal for all children to know the love and role modelling of a father and mother. We call on ourGovernment to: protect this definition of marriage in Australian law, and not change the meaning of marriage by adding to it different kinds of relationships.
Praise: God for this stand by the church and that the Government will protect traditional marriage. (Jer.29:6)
More: http://ausprayernet.org.au/newsletter/DisplayNewsletter.php?e_id=00000002315#st2
Christian doctors and medical professionals will be travelling from many different countries around the world to prescribe ‘spiritual healing’ as an answer to sickness in the 21st Century, during a unique conference in Brisbane, Australia from June 11-12, 2011, reports Assist Ministries. The doctors will examine actual case studies of miracles presented by various respected doctors as they search for evidence of Divine Healing at the 8th Annual International ‘Spirituality and Medicine’ Conference to be held for two days at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. Brisbane plans to welcome hundreds of Christian medics who will be examining data presented by their peers about ‘miracles’ that they believe prove that God has intervened in impossible situations. The event is being sponsored by the World Christian Doctors Network (WCDN), an interdenominational organization composed of Christian medical professionals from around the world who believe in divine healing.
Praise: God for this conference and that it will bring glory to God and greater understanding within the medical profession. (Jer.8:22)
More: http://www.christiantelegraph.com/issue13030.html
Five more Audio New Testaments have been completed and released to reach tens of thousands of people with the Gospel, reports Mission Network News. These new Audio New Testaments represent 184,000 people throughout Mexico, Guinea, Papua New Guinea and Colombia. The five new releases bring the number of audio Scripture recordings released by Faith Comes By Hearing to 521. The Audio New Testaments that have now been made available are: Chinanteco de Tepetotutla, Ipili, Mazateco de Ayautla, Ticuna, and Yalunka. The production of these five audio Scriptures will not only make the Gospel available to a host of people, literate as well as illiterate, but it also brings Faith Comes By Hearing closer to its goal of recording audio Bibles in 2,000 languages by the year 2016. People often receive Audio New Testaments from Faith Comes By Hearing in the form of solar-powered Proclaimers, which contain the entire New Testament and can be hand-cranked or set in the sun to work. Praise: God as the people receive audio Scriptures that they would understand and embrace the His Word. (Heb.4:12)
Assisted suicide Bill rejected in Scotland.
12 Jan 2011
MSP’s were given a free vote yesterday, allowing them to vote according to their consciences rather than along party lines. The End of Life Assistance Bill was crushed by 85-16. Gordon Macdonald, of the Care Not Killing alliance said it was a fantastic result and a ‘victory for the most vulnerable in our community’. In rejecting the controversial legislation, he said MSP’s recognised that legalising assisted suicide would ‘seriously endanger public safety’ and had instead given a ringing endorsement to palliative care. ‘The sheer magnitude of the Bill’s defeat should settle this issue in Scotland for a generation,’ he said. ‘The key argument that decided this vote and the similar votes in the House of Lords in 2006 and 2009 is a simple one. The right to die can so easily become the duty to die.’ (See Prayer Alert 4710) Praise: God for this answered prayer. (Mt.10:30-31) More: http://www.christiantoday.com/article/scottish.parliament.rejects.assisted.suicide.bill/27178.htm
he United Bible Society has reported a sharp increase in the number of Christian Scriptures distributed in some of the countries where believers suffer the highest levels of persecution. Statistics suggest that Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world and Baroness Warsi made headlines recently when she warned that Christianity could be wiped out in the Middle East. (See Prayer Alert 47-2013) However, recent figures released from Bible Societies around the world indicate that more Christian Scriptures were distributed than ever before in 2012. Global Scripture distribution rose from just over 381 million in 2011 to more than 405 million in 2012; an increase of 6%. Of the 405 million distributed, 32.1 million were whole Bibles, which matched 2011's record-breaking year of Bible distribution. Surprisingly, the highest increase was in Syria, with over eight times more Scriptures distributed by the Bible Society, through a network of church volunteers, in 2012 than 2011; 163,000 in total last year.
Praise: God that His Word still speaks and brings life. (Dt.32:2)
Armenia: The POWER OF GOD manifest
21 Aug 2010
Despite opposition David Hathaway spoke to encourage the believers and to pray for victory over all opposition in an Armenian evangelistic outreach. Four thousand people prayed Our Father Your Kingdom come Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. And God’s will was done with people saved and signs and wonders following.- A 10 year old tumour the size of ping-pong ball on a ladies left jaw vanished! A cancer tumour on a child’s back completely disappeared A grandmother testified for her 4 year old crippled granddaughter who couldn’t walk and was healed! An 18 year old pain in a mans head disappeared. Five tumours on a young mans head completely gone! A broken left arm healed! A skin disease of open wounds on a ladies hands and feet now perfect flesh. - These are just a few of the recorded miracles; for more faith building encouragement click the more button below. Praise: God for doing great things in Armenia, and pray that His fire will fall on all who step out in the ministry of evangelism and prayer. (Ac.2:21) More: http://www.propheticvision.org.uk/MediaResources/121/PV57UK.pdf