I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18
A worker in North Africa writes:
“A couple of weeks ago, the group in my city met to pray. I forgot I was supposed to prepare something for the group, so we decided to sit and ask the Lord what he wanted us to pray for. We heard, ‘prayers of hope’, ‘delighting and resting in God’ - and I had a picture of a wheat field ripe for harvest, and there was a heavy wind blowing off the heads of grain, but some were clinging on. We again asked the Lord how we should use this to pray, and very clearly two out of three of us heard prayer for the local church. So we used these words and images to pray powerfully for the local church. Perhaps you all can, too!”
“Soon after this prayer time, I met with a local believer. Right now, she is the only one we are meeting with in our city regularly who is really thirsty for the Truth. We pray regularly for more like her and that she would have a local body…this was included in our prayers that day. Well, when I met with her, she told me that recently she had had a dream (she often has spiritually significant dreams). She was in the desert with no one around, and off in the distance, she saw a palm tree. She walked the long distance to the tree, and she was very tired; then she noticed a small hole in the sand under the tree. She started to dig and clear away the sand around this hole to see what was under the ground and came to a glass ceiling under the Sertraline sands, and she was so happy. We prayed together this would be. It still hasn’t come to be, but we continue to pray. We ask for the Holy Spirit to keep moving in our land. And we ask for the remembrance of this special dream to keep hope and faith alive!”
Praying for North Africa:
• As God to build His church in North Africa!
• Pray for those who are isolated believers to be encouraged, to meet with God on their own and to grow in their faith. Pray that God would bring isolated believers together.
• Pray for house churches to be planted and to grow in number and maturity.
• Pray that believers would over come fear and be willing to meet together. Pray that secret believers will have courage to declare their faith and be able to meet with others.
• Pray for national leaders for the house churches. Pray for these leaders to grow in knowledge and understanding, that they would have a passion for the Word. Pray that they would develop intimate quiet times with the Lord and that they would hear His voice and know His leading and wisdom.
• Pray for good discipling to take place. For older believers to mentor younger believers with wisdom and love. For workers to disciple and mentor nationals with humility and servant hearts. For more Bible training to be made available. For good teaching materials to be made available in the local dialects.
• Pray for an increased boldness and heart for evangelism so that North Africans will take more and more responsibility for reaching their own nations.
Pakistani military operations in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan have steered clear of North Waziristan, allowing the area to become a haven for militants. Tribal and local intelligence sources say some 15,000 militants shelter in this semiautonomous tribal belt.
PRAY for these 5 persons to be brought to justice and for the dissolving of their networks and operations:
1. Sirajuddin Haqqani
He is head of the Haqqani network and believed to be the main bridge between Al Qaeda, Afghan Taliban, and militant outfits in North Waziristan. Known among jihadis as “Khalifa” and the “soul of Jihad,” Mr. Haqqani has ties to Al Qaeda's Ayman al Zawahiri.
He is the son of commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, a former Taliban minister for tribal affairs. Siraj’s four brothers – Nasiruddin, Badruddin, Khalil, and Ibrahim – are the group's military shura (council). Nasiruddin is believed to have conducted fundraising in Saudi Arab and other Gulf states between 2006 and 2009. Badruddin handles politics, settling disputes between militant outfits. Siraj's youngest brother, Mohammed, was killed in February this year by a US drone strike. The Haqqani network mainly operates along the border with Afghanistan's Khost province.
2. Hafiz Gul Bahadur
Mr. Bahadur is believed to be based between Miramshah and the Afghan border. He hit the headlines when his militia fought against Pakistan’s security forces in 2006-08 and again when he struck peace deals in 2009.
It is reported that each of the nine members of his Shura, or council, commands up to 1,000 local tribesmen, apportioning control of various areas across North Waziristan. Bahadur is honored as a descendant of legendary tribal warrior Fakir of Ippi, who fought against the British rule in the subcontinent. This lineage affords the cleric immense influence, both religiously and politically.
He severed formal ties with the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), but still reportedly provides shelter to its militants.
3. Moulvi Noor Saeed Wazir
Another 3,000 TTP militants operate under the leadership of this local commander known for his ruthlessness. His stronghold is his home region, the Razmak Valley, which links North and South Waziristan. He is reported to be illiterate, and until a few years ago ran a grocery shop.
4. Qari Hussain
Widely considered the deadliest of all commanders, Mr. Hussain is reported to be second in the TTP’s hierarchy, after his cousin Hakim Ullah Mehsud. His expertise lies in producing teenage suicide bombers. He is believed to have trained the Jordanian militant Humam Khalil Muhammad Abu Mulal al Balawi, who blew himself up in Khost, killing seven CIA personnel last December.
5. Ilyas Kashmiri
The notorious Kashmiri leads a militia of around 3,000 men. He is operations chief of Harakat-ul Jihad Islami, a group the US government classifies as a terror organization with ties to Al Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the Punjabi Taliban. He is accused of being behind the 2009 suicide attack on Pakistan’s spy agency in Peshawar. He's also accused of carrying out attacks against senior military officials and cross-border attacks against US forces.
Enough is enough! Isaiah said to “CRY ALOUD, spare not. Lift up your voice like a trumpet and declare to My people their transgression…”
It is time to turn to the LORD and call for a holy fast! A fast that will remove the purveyors of wickedness and death and break the chains of injustice and free those oppressed that are held captive. (Isaiah 58:1-7).
We have allowed the dealers of death to dwell in our land long enough. It is time to call upon God and to rid our land of the plague of DRUGS, WEAPONS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING, SEX SLAVERY AND VIOLENCE.
It’s time for the Drug Trafficking Organizations to shut down.
I am calling upon you to join me for 27 days to a holy fast from today until July 4th for the capture of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman of the dreaded “Sinaloa Federation” and Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, (aka) “El Lazca, or “Z3” of the fierce “Los Zetas” Cartel, and to call upon God for the total dismantling of these two Transnational Criminal Organizations. The NAME of the LORD is above every name that can be named. His name is greater than Guzman or Lazcano. HIS NAME is greater than the Sinaloa Federation or the Zeta’s.
…the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds. We have been given weapons of divine power to destroy strongholds.
We will fast and pray for God to set those held in bondage of drugs and sex and human trafficking free and healed.
This fast will change the course of the USA and Mexico. It is time to rise up and call upon God to end the overshadowing darkness that is capturing our two nations.
Note: The outcome of Mexico’s presidential elections on July 1st will redefine our two nations’ relationship and future cooperation on the “war of drugs.”
Pray:
• For God to intervene in Mexico and raise up godly men and women in high places of government.
• For the capture of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (Sinaloa).
• For the capture of Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano (Zetas).
• For the dismantling of the Sinaloa Federation.
• For the dismantling of Los Zetas cartel.
• For an end to DRUG, HUMAN and WEAPONSTRAFFICKING between our two nations.
• For the God’s protection and His empowerment to law enforcement and military as they bring an end to this plague.
We are writing to you as a key prayer leader by way of invitation to this summit. "Transform World" (http://www.transform-world.net/new/) is a mobilization effort that emanated out of the AD 2000 prayer movement of the 90's and subsequent world inquiry. It has identified 7 key challenges now facing the church (see link for more information) (http://transform-world.net/newsletters/2012/TW2012C.pdf) and is now mobilizing focus on these challenges for the summit. The summit in Bali will catalyze a seven-year effort on meeting the challenges. One of the challenges is the "Celebration" challenge for building and connecting houses of prayer in every nation...a "911" call to the nations (based on Amos 9:11 and restoring houses of prayer in the spirit of the tabernacle of David). As you have a heart for this, we would urge your participation and help in sending delegates to this summit.
For the summit, we are looking for 70 key delegates from as many countries and key ministries as possible who will be willing to bring their experience and ideas to the table.
The "Transform World" global challenge to this "911" call will be a unique and vitally important opportunity to build relational strength, develop communication, connect, and strengthen houses of prayer and ministries focused on this vision across the nations for these increasingly tumultuous times. As Nehemiah once spoke, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall," (Neh. 4:19). In these critical times, it is vitally important to close the gaps on the wall to build and strengthen one another. This "Global Challenges" summit will be an important opportunity to close these gaps from nation to nation and emerge more connected and effectual for these challenging times.
We would greatly encourage your prayerful participation and forwarding to contacts you know of who have a heart for the "house of prayer-tabernacle of David" type ministry. We would urge early registration for those interested for planning purposes. We believe this summit will be a pivotal and vital time of connecting to build, connect, encourage and mobilize houses of prayer for the next 7 years.
We are at a very real gate and entering a very critical time for mobilization towards the "Transform World Global Challenge Summit." In these turbulent times, this meeting is highly strategic and will be vitally important in advancing God's Kingdom. God is allowing the intensity of the times we are in to converge us. We are facing times that require greater working together from ministry to ministry/city to city/region to region/nation to nation which "Transform World" is mobilizing to do. As such, it needs our prayers. As we enter this critical time of mobilization, we urge your prayers and focus…even fasting towards these key issues (we are keeping it simple to help us focus):
Participants:
• Pray that those called to participate are found, respond, and register
• Romans 11:29 "For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable"
• Revelation and desire on all participants (all seven challenges) of the need to connect and build in this hour to advance His Kingdom
• 1 Peter 1:5 "You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
Provision:
• Spiritual provision: Pray for revelation for Kingdom advance in all seven challenges and cultural spheres
• Eph 1:17 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. (also Col 1:9)
• Strategic provision: Pray for creative strategies for Kingdom advance in all seven challenges.
• Proverbs 20: 18 “Plans are established by counsel; by wise counsel wage war.” (also Pro 19:19-22; Jer 29:11)
Protection:
• Pray for protection for all those coming over their families, friends, jobs, ministries. (psalm 91)
Key focus scripture for preparation for the summit:
“I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold, like a flock in the midst of their pasture; they shall make a loud noise because of so many people. The one who breaks open will come up before them; they will break out pass through the gate, and go out by it; their king will pass before them, with the Lord at their head!” Micah 2:12-13
Report of the Transform World Global Challenges Pre-Summit
Jakarta, Indonesia – May 18-20, 2012
A group of fifty servant catalysts representing the Transform World (TW) global network gathered from May 18 to 20, 2012, in Jakarta, Indonesia. The meeting was convened to pray and plan the Transform World Global: Global Challenges Summit 2012, to be held in Bali, Indonesia, November 6-9, 2012, and to agree on three outcomes for each of the seven challenges by 2020.
The gathering served to prayerfully consider a seven-year mandate (Transform World Vision 2020) along with the following the November summit. The focus of the Bali summit will be an urgent call given to the global Church towards seven specific challenges of our times. Based on a sense of direction since the World Inquiry Report of 2004 and with Arnold Toynbee’s words as a reminder.
“Civilizations develop and flourish in response to the challenges they face with creative new ideas – When they are rigid, failing to respond to challenges, they decline” =
This historical gathering will bring together about 500 servant facilitators from around the globe. The meeting this week served to bring together facilitators of the seven Challenges, representative facilitators of the seven spheres of influence and the TW Steering Committee to consider the Conference mandate and make preparations for the summit. Transform World Connections Chair Rev. Djohan Handoyo, Spiritual leader Dr. Iman Santoso, and TW International Facilitator Dr. Luis Bush along with the TW Steering Committee Chair Rev. Dr. Daniel Kim provided leadership for the discussions.
The following outcomes resulted:
• The seven challenges of our times were discussed and agreed upon
• Leaders of each of the seven challenges and seven spheres of influence were introduced to each other. Meaningful times of prayer and dedication for each facilitator was rendered.
• Draft outcomes of each challenge and each sphere over the seven-year period until 2020 were discussed and documented.
• The financial budget of the event was discussed and a strategy to cover this was agreed upon.
The urgent challenges of the times which are to be focused upon in Bali are enumerated below:
1. Ideological Challenge: Issue surrounding Islamic fundamentalism, the turnaround within the Middle East along with other global issues
2. Relational Challenge: An intentional focus on Christian Marriage and the Family with a call to integrity, purity, and witness
3. Adoption Challenge: A focus on the care for the orphans with a view to serve and care for the needy orphans and widows world-wide
4. Physical Challenge: Reviewing poverty lines globally with a focus on availability of basic needs among the poorest communities in the world.
5. Human Rights Challenge: Reviewing status of main human rights issues including casteism
6. Christ’s Missional Challenge: Researching the least reached peoples view to engage meaningfully with them
7. Celebration Challenge: Praise to God through the Harp and Bowl worship with an emphasis on the Restoration of the Tabernacle of David
The seven spheres to be represented and towards which each challenge will speak towards include the Arts, the Business, and the Church, and the Media, Education, Governance, and Family spheres.
Each of the seven challenges will bring together about 60-70 servant catalysts who are experts in their field of ministry to work together over the next seven-year period. Representation from across the globe will serve to make the scope of each challenge discussion global in nature and wide-spread in impact.
• Pray for Rio Sibarani, Chair, and Conference Committee who will be coordinating all arrangements for this event.
• Pray for godly men and women to be raised up to work together as a team over the next seven years with great synergy, unity, and purpose.
• Pray that God’s choice and chosen servants will gather together in Bali to learn from each other, study God’s Word, and be mobilized with sharper focus and greater vision towards transformation globally.
For additional details, kindly contact:
For invite and registration: Ana Herlina This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For conference details: Pr. Rio Sibarani This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
I have some bad news to report. Just yesterday, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston declared that part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. The federal definition of marriage as being the union of one man and one woman has applied to all federal laws, regulations and benefits since 1996. This lawsuit involves claims from same-sex couples demanding federal benefits that are reserved for heterosexual couples.
Essentially, the appellate court said the federal government—and by extension, the taxpayers in all 50 states—must subsidize whatever types of arrangements a state may choose to call "marriage."
Think about that for minute. In the 1800s, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right of Congress to forbid polygamy in any territory wishing to apply for statehood. But the federal appeals court in Boston today ignored that history and declared Congress has no interest in keeping the definition of marriage the same as it has been for thousands of years.
The U.S. isn't the only country struggling with this issue. Watch this week’s Citizen Link Report (http://www.citizenlink.com/2012/05/31/citizenlink-report-world-congress-of-families/) in which Focus on the Family's director of international governmental affairs, Yuri Mantilla, discusses how pro-family groups across the globe are dealing with it.
It gets even more disturbing. In the ruling, the judges pointed out that the same-sex couples' claims would fail under the usual judicial tests applied to these types of constitutional challenges. Therefore, they applied a new and entirely different test—one they said was gleaned from a few federal cases they dredged up just for the occasion. It's funny that no other federal court has applied this new test in any of the other DOMA cases that lower courts have decided—and there have been several.
The 1st Circuit did manage to get one thing right, however: The judges said this issue ultimately must be decided by the Supreme Court. That's where we expect this case will end up, maybe as soon as October, when the court begins its next session.
Please join me in praying that the high court will see through the 1st Circuit's legal gymnastics and reverse this blatant attempt at social engineering by judicial decree.
Our gathering may be well summed up by one sister who said, "I want to Honor Father God for what He has done among us and melting all our hearts together in one unity as a family. I am thankful for all the open-heart sharing, which I truly treasure and is far beyond my expectation and imagination. To God be the glory!"
What a joy and honor it was to be able to allow the hearts of 18 church and ministry leaders to be knit in love for one another. For three days we gathered without agenda except to share our hearts and corporately seek God's destiny for our city. The group was intimate and small so we were able to bond in a very deep way. Although each of us is responsible for local congregations or ministries, we came together as sons and daughters of God (and as a family) and talked about ourselves as people, our families, our dreams, and we were not allowed to talk about our work or ministry!
We became transparent, and we opened ourselves up to be vulnerable. We were not afraid of judgment because we felt safe with each other, as each of us was being honest about personal things. By opening up to one another and showing tender care for one another, we walked out the truth that "if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7)."
One brother wrote: “Thank you for investing the time into being together these past few days. God has done amazing things amongst us. Most of all He is just pleased that we came together attempting and practicing to be family. I thank you so much for not judging me and standing together as family. I want to celebrate this great joy with you all. Glory to our heavenly Father whose love surpasses our knowledge and continues to amaze us with how much more He loves than we can comprehend.”
The vision of God reigning in Hong Kong is a common vision that drew us together. We know that our congregations and ministries are part of His plan and humbly we confess that, while we may have a part of this vision, we need each other to fulfill the entire plans of God. That is why we called the gathering “Seeking God’s Destiny for Hong Kong Retreat.” As we pursue to fulfill his calling and purpose for us as people, communities, and city that, no matter what trial or challenge, whether famine or fatness, we will not miss the mark.
A sister who ministers in the marketplace noted, "I began to see that a lot of pre-conceived ideas about one another fell off, and I began to see others as God shows. A lot of new solid relationships were built from this as walls between some of us were torn down with a fresh perspective of one another. We could be honest, in particular, marketplace Christians, about ourselves and how we look at Hong Kong and the world and how we also have a special perspective to give. I found this affirming and know it is right in the sight of God."
One couple said, “We have been transformed by your love and honesty! Today, we brought this culture [of trust and love] back to our company and everything changed! Thank you Father and thank you everyone!”
We will continue to inquire of the Lord of His ways and purposes that we might be able to see God's destiny fulfilled in each other, in our city, and in our generation. As we start trusting each other, we pray that we will be guarded so this trust remains. Thank you for your prayer of faith.
As a parting word, one sister commented, “There's nothing more powerful than this Love that we carry. Let us continue to love each other and to love those who are lost in the world, and WE WILL SEE His Kingdom come and His will be done HERE TODAY on earth as it is in heaven.”
Christians Killed – Since the establishment of Sharia Law in Northern Nigeria in 2001, over 13,750 Christians have been killed for their faith by Muslims.
Churches Destroyed – Just since December 2011, over 300 churches have been destroyed in Northern Nigeria.
Threat - Five million Christians in Northern Nigeria live under severe persecution. Radical Islamic groups regularly issue ultimatums to Christian communities: “You have three days to leave, or you will die!” Christians throughout Northern Nigeria are continuing to suffer a series of attacks which are often pre-planned and well-coordinated. There are many attempts to force them to convert to Islam under the threat of death. Many have courageously died as Martyrs rather than deny Christ.
Jihad – Islamists in Nigeria call it Odium Fidei – The War of Religion. In the village of Dogo Nahawa, Islamists with machetes killed over 300 Christians, mostly woman and children.
A Battle for the Soul of a Country – Many Muslims, both persecutors and those appalled by the behaviour of the Radical Jihadists, have been won to Christ in recent years. The scale of persecution of Christians by Muslims in Northern Nigeria has accelerated over the last decade. Many hundreds, even into the thousands, of church buildings have been damaged or destroyed, and thousands of believers have been murdered.
Muslims are Coming to Christ – An evangelist in Northern Nigeria writes to us: “Islamic hatred for the Gospel of Christ is seen in many ways. On a Muslim website under the title Evangelism Invasion, they complain that Christian Evangelism has become a big threat to them. Muslims are being incited to reject and oppose the Gospel, claiming that Northern Nigeria is Islamic, and no Muslim should listen to or accept the Gospel. Please pray for me and my team. We are compelled to preach the Gospel, no matter the risks involved. Some Muslim children get the beating of their lives just for their presence in outreach centres, but the beatings didn’t stop them from coming the following day either. In the midst of the bombs, God is still moving powerfully in Northern Nigeria. Muslims are coming to know Christ, the only way to Salvation.”
“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2
Isaiah 16:4 “Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer. The oppressor will come to an end, and destruction will cease; the aggressor will vanish from the land.”
Throughout human history, there have been regular times where large numbers of people have had to seek refuge away from their traditional homes. The situation is very difficult for the refugee. They are among strangers who often use and abuse them. God told His children through Isaiah that they should provide shelter to Moabites. And this was one of the people groups the Israelites often fought!
Pray that we will obey the words of Isaiah and give shelter to those who have been our enemies.
The refugee highway spans the globe and is filled with stories of human suffering. The challenges encountered along the highway are complex and include meeting spiritual needs, dealing with emergency crises, providing physical necessities, healing emotional trauma, and advocating for justice. The Refugee Highway Partnership grew out of a vision to connect the many different people involved in ministry at diverse points along the refugee highway. World Refugee Sunday is an opportunity for you to join the churches around the world in praying for refugees and internally displaced people. World Refugee Sunday is celebrated by the Refugee Highway Partnership in cooperation with the World Evangelical Alliance. You can find additional information about refugees and displaced personas at: www.refugeehighway.net. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information. Website: http://www.refugeehighway.net/events/world-refugee-sunday
World Refugee Sundays: June 17 or 24 (taken from http://www.refugeehighway.net/)
Pray for refugees who are resettling in strange lands. Everything is new and different for them. Protect them from thieves. Help them to communicate well. Give them patience with one another and with those they contact. Above all, pray for them to have the chance to experience Jesus’ saving power.