Egyptian Christians have requested our prayers concerning an eruption of sectarian violence.
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If you are in a hurry and do not have time to read the rich articles in this Connections prayer journal, here is a shortlist of crucial prayer concerns we invite you to pray about.
1 The situation in North Korea and the provocative actions of Kim Jong Un and his regime that could get out of hand and cause war, potentially even involving nuclear weapons. Pray for peace and restraint on all sides and that the North Korean leaders will introduce reforms of their society that will both set their people free and establish better relationships with the international community.
2 Afghanistan- that the Spring offensive of the Taliban will not occur and that their movement would be thrown into confusion, disunity and dissolved so they cannot continue to destabilize the nation.
3 Pakistan- that God would raise up honest, good leaders in the parliamentary election (May 11) process going on now and that the Taliban radicals would not be able to derail this election or harm those who are running as candidates.
4 Children in Prayer Chinese World Consultation (May 16-19)- that Chinese Christian leaders in China and Hong Kong will get the vision and be equipped to empower the 335 million youth and children of their vast population.
5 Middle East Prayer Assembly (October 1-4, Cyprus)- that good delegations from each nation in the region would be able to take part and that a strong, ongoing and interconnected prayer movement for this embattled region will be the result.
6 Malaysian National Election (May 5)- that a new government ruled by honest, caring leaders who put the people first will be put into power and that corrupt, self-serving politicians will be removed.
7 Egypt- for the peace of the Lord to reign over this nation and that it will be able to move to greater freedom and prosperity, throwing off authoritarian Islamic ideology in favor of upholding human rights for all its citizens.
8 Syria- that the civil war that has claimed tens of thousands of lives will wind down and that there will be a peaceful resolution of this conflict resulting in a new, united government that works for the good of all Syrians.
9 Exposed: Shining a Light on Corruption – 14-20 October 2013 – that this global campaign against corruption will be used of the Lord to save the over US$1 TRILLION that goes missing through mismanagement, illicit business practices and poor governance so it can be used to help the poor and their children and fulfill the UN Millennium Development Goals.
10 The International Prayer Initiative for the United Nations and Children in Prayer Global Consultation - “Children and Youth: Investing in the Future” (November 15-20)- that all the arrangements will come together and that UN officials, ambassadors, Christian NGOs working among children, ministry leaders as well as praying youth and children will be able to come from around the world for this historic event.
As members of the Religious Liberty Partnership meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, we support the appeal of our brothers and sisters in Syria for the worldwide church to pray for the nation of Syria and the Syrian church at large amidst the current crisis. We specifically call on Christian denominations and organizations worldwide to take this appeal to their members in recognition that we are one body united in Christ.
The RLP acknowledges:
• The call of Syrian Christian leaders for prayer as they struggle to survive amidst this crisis;
• The frustration and fears of the Syrian people following decades of political repression;
• The Syrian refugees and displaced finding protection and critical assistance in Lebanon,
• Jordan, Turkey and other countries;
• The important international efforts to broker a solution to the ongoing conflict in Syria;
• and
• The nation’s historic ethnic and religious diversity and peaceful coexistence which is
• now placed at risk.
The RLP is concerned about:
• The exodus of Christians and other ethnic and religious minorities from Syria as well as the attacks on and destruction of religious sites of all faiths;
• The lack of respect for humanitarian law, including kidnappings, and ongoing violence;
• The security and well-being of Syrian refugees and those internally displaced; and
• The inadequate input from and representation of ethnic and religious minorities in the political dialogue regarding the ongoing crisis in Syria.
We call on the international community:
• To provide sufficient protection for all ethnic and religious communities as well as their historical, religious, and cultural sites;
• To encourage all relevant parties to uphold international humanitarian standards, including appropriate and principled communication, fundraising, and program administration;
• To collaborate with organizations assisting the church in Syria and to promote peaceful coexistence between all ethnic and religious communities;
• To support organizations and agencies working to improve the security and provide for the well-being of those displaced;
• To work toward a peaceful political and diplomatic solution to the conflict that ensures the participation of all Syrians including all ethnic and religious communities.
We call on the worldwide church:
• To participate with the Refugee Highway Partnership (www.refugeehighway.net) in World Refugee Sunday, June 23, 2013 and designate it as a special day of prayer for Christians in Syria and all those affected by the current crisis; and
• To write to the UN Special Envoy for Syria and ask him to pay particular attention to vulnerable ethnic and religious minorities, ensuring their equal participation in his mandate.
The RLP commits:
• To pray for the church and its leaders as they stand amidst the ongoing attacks on their communities throughout the crisis;
• To raise awareness and work toward a peaceful solution of the current crisis, including reconciliation among the various ethnic and religious communities; and
• To utilize practicies that prioritize that well-being of all Syrians when providing assistance and advocating on behalf of the vulnerable.
From the body of Christ in Turkey, to our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world, grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Greetings from the church in Turkey. From the land of Noah, of Abraham, of Paul, of Ararat and Harran, of Antioch, Ephesus, Galatia, of the Seven Churches of Revelation... Yet today, the body of Christians in our land is less than 0.1% of the population of 72 million.
We are writing to you on behalf of the leaders of the church in Turkey to ask for your prayers. Prayer is, of course, the essential need of all Christians everywhere, so why pray for Turkey at this time? For the ground is hard and the battle in the heavenlies is tough and in recent years we have felt an added urgency and burden for prayer for our nation and its churches.
In 2009, we asked the world to join us each year for a 'Global Day of Prayer for Turkey' on April 18, the day in 2007 when 3 of our brothers were tortured and brutally murdered in the town of Malatya.
We greatly desire that you would join the small congregations of Turkey along with many churches worldwide to pray for Turkey in your churches and homes on April 18, 2013.
You can find information on the church in Turkey including more prayer topics along with links for further information at http://prayforturkey.com.
Alliance of Protestant Churches (Turkey)
1. God’s truth and glory are revealed in Turkey, the Turkic window, and the Islamic region so that they may see spiritual restoration and revival.
2. Cast out the spirits of lies, confusion, division, and fear that have a stronghold on them.
3. Let all authorities (Turkish President Gül, Prime Minister Erdoğan) fear God and be used as good instrument of God like King Cyrus.
A recent article on the CNN Belief Blog highlighted the trend of Evangelical colleges inching toward culturally acceptable views of homosexuality. The article highlighted Wheaton College, which in February established an official group for “students to explore questions of gender identity and sexual orientation.” Although Wheaton College receives the most attention because of its prominence, other Evangelical schools are making similar moves…
Christian institutions will have to clearly address homosexuality as the culture increasingly affirms it and more people within the Church openly struggle with same-sex attraction. It is understandable that administrators at these schools recognize the challenges Christian students experiencing same-sex attraction face and want to help and disciple them. At the same time, historically faithful Christian academic institutions should recognize that the ultimate goal of establishing groups expressly for students who identify as LGBT is to legitimize the idea that one’s “sexual orientation” is an inherent and defining characteristic of his personhood.
Christian colleges are communities of young people who are figuring out who they are and what direction their lives will take. They are made up of broken, human people struggling with innumerable sins, all needing discipleship, mentorship, and guidance. Homosexuality is one among many issues students face, and should be addressed with genuine Christian love. Our culture is confused about what it means to be human, and uniquely a man or woman and the Church ought to be a light of clarity amid the chaos. Although a campus is not a church, these institutions play a key role in shaping their students’ lives and they are responsible to clearly teach and equip Christian students to follow God’s design for their lives, including their sexuality.
Please pray that Christian colleges and their administrations will be strong in not compromising biblical values in the face of such pressures from the homosexual community and a culture that is disintegrating morally.
The USA continues to re-establish its spiritual foundations of righteousness and political influence over the nations! Canada has been for two years named as being the country with the most integrity and most prosperous in the world. All this as a result of increased national prayer and focus.
The Nations are shaking with economic fear, political unrest and confusion and rumours of war on many fronts. There is little doubt that spiritual influence through prayer has been a driving force in these dimension and will continue to be the fuel that energizes and guides not only North America but indeed all the nations of the earth!
This note is a “cameo” on the next North America Prayer Summit (NAPS), currently scheduled for Oct 15-18, 2013. Most of you receiving this note will recall at the 2011 Summit a decision was made to continue the Summits with Canada being the host for 2012. As time has evolved it became clear that a 2012 Summit was not possible due to personal leadership scheduling conflicts and world events such as the USA 2012 election. The facilitation leadership group has now determined the timing and location for the next Summit as follows:
Location Ottawa Ontario Canada
Date Oct 15-18, 2013.
Host National House of Prayer Ottawa Ontario.
More specific details are coming as they are solidified. We are looking at very inexpensive accommodations at our Ottawa National House of Prayer and also affordable hotel accommodations. You should plan your arrival for Tuesday Oct 15 by 3 PM to allow for an evening start. We plan to finish by Friday noon Oct 18 so you can feel free to book return flights later in the day on Friday or Saturday. Some may wish to stay longer and enjoy the city! Lots to see and do!
We will be focusing on the three nations for update and prayer and worship as in previous Summits; will be meeting Canadian politicians; will be involved in a session of Parliament with accompanying prayer; touring the legislature; involving youth and children; and praying for global events as they relate to North America and as the Holy Spirit directs. Again you will receive more information on this as it unfolds.
SO……. What should you do now? Book this Summit on your schedule as the Lord directs your path. Send this invitation to other prayer leaders you feel should be involved.
SEND YOUR CONFIRMATION OF ATTENDANCE TO Murray Dodds at:
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Cell 403-605-9094
Blessings on behalf of the facilitation team,
We do not rejoice in the death of anyone, even Taliban leaders that have been involved in the murder of many civilians, police and military as well as government officials; however we need to pray that they will either repent or be stopped by force and leave the “how” in God’s wise and loving hands.
1. Continued prayer request: Pray the Taliban be caught and their networks be destroyed. Pray the leaders be captured if they don't want to repent. Pray their unity be broken and their supply lines be cut off. Pray there will be no Spring offensive as has been announced.
2. Continued prayer request: Pray more tribal areas where the Taliban came from would stand up against them and not allow these terrorists to go through and/or use their lands.
3. Continued prayer request: Pray for the president of Afghanistan to change and stop making offensive/damaging remarks that cause distrust among the ethnic groups and with NATO.
4. Continued prayer request: Pray the country stays together in unity.
5. Continued prayer request: Pray for the elections for Afghanistan's president (a year from now). It is time to pray for the right candidate to come forward!
6. Continued prayer request: Pray for a good relationship between the Afghan government and NATO forces.
7. Continued prayer request: Pray for the expats and local believers to be given courage and strength to stand and pray as they are key to pray inside the country.
8. Pray for the teams that are in-country for His protection and that God will give clear direction how to pray. The Lord has revealed certain roots that need to be uprooted (the way Islam came into the country, demonic powers that are worshiped, etc.). Jer. 1:10 "See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Pray that the Lord will expose the roots and use our prayers to pull them up.
9. Please pray for the expats and local believers in the country that they will not come under fear but share the Good News with others. May the Lord grant them dreams and visions of Jesus, especially to people with influence, leaders and even Taliban!
10. All the like-minded organisations in these countries need more workers. Pray that He might sent the right people into the harvest Mat 9,36-38
11. Continued prayer request: In the authority of the Lord, bind and nullify with us aggressively the evil covenants of Afghan and Pakistani political leaders and Taliban / Al Qaida / Haqqani / Gulbadin terrorists with demonic powers / rulers through blood sacrifices, witchcraft & rituals. Bind and break the covenant of death and destruction! (See Matt.12, 28 - 29; 2 Cor.10, 3-5).
12. These are provincial areas from which the Taliban need to be uprooted and driven out. Pray that Afghan forces, supported by local villagers and NATO will be effective in defeating and dislodging them:
Laghman - a Taliban stronghold close to Kabul, the capital. The provincial capital, Mehtar Lam, is especially insecure. Was handed over by NATO to Afghan forces in 2010
Nangarhar - many of its districts are often attacked by insurgents - Chaprihar district lies 15km from the capital Jalalabad but is a no-go area for government employee
Zabul - this strategically important province, providing access to Ghazni, Uruzgan and Kandahar, now has virtually no NATO presence. The Taliban have filled the vacuum
Ghazni - like Zabul has almost no NATO presence, allowing the Taliban and al-Qaeda to assume control
Helmand - Kabul's writ has never run strong in the remote southern plains
Kandahar - spiritual home of the Taliban, who retain a presence in rural areas
Kunar-a Taliban stronghold in the East bordering with Pakistan and a not under the control of the Afgh government. From there the Taliban control Nuristan. Gov and NATO had many casualties there and much fighting going on.
Actually there is still a lot of fighting going on in the country and nearly daily of Afghan policemen and soldiers are being killed. The Taliban are still inflicting heavy casualties to the Afghan forces in some areas. Pray that the Afghan and NATO forces will prevail and root out and defeat the Taliban wherever they are.
Pakistan
Blasphemy law Strikes: 175 Christian homes burnt by militants
www.persecutioninpakitan.com
Almost 175 houses were burnt in a mob attack on a Christian community at the Badami Bagh area in Lahore on March 9. One Christian youth has been falsely accused and out in jail under the Blasphemy law. The militant mob comprising of almost 10 to 12 thousand attacked the Joseph colony The attack was led by Muslim Ahmed against the Christians.
Almost 150 Christian families were forced to flee the area. Another militant cleric Saifullah said that they must cut the Christians into pieces.
Fox News on April 8:
“At least 30 Pakistani soldiers and nearly 100 militants have been killed in fierce fighting in a remote, northwest valley over the past four days following a ground offensive launched by the army, military officials said Monday…The Taliban have remained a serious threat and continue to launch attacks throughout the northwest and other parts of the country with frightening regularity. There is concern that the militants could step up the pace of attacks even more in coming weeks in an attempt to derail parliamentary elections scheduled for May 11.”
1) Pray for the Pakistani army to have good success in rooting out the Taliban and defeating them in this area and across the country and that the Taliban will not be able to disrupt the national parliamentary elections in this first democratic transition of government.
2) Pray for a fair, uncorrupted election campaign and for honest, good leaders to be put into power and that the wicked will be brought down or kept from getting into power.