INSIGHT North Korea; Transfer of power
09 Oct 2010
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s son, Kim Jong-un, has been appointed a general and leader of the defence commission amid rumours he is being anointed as successor this weekend at the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Workers Party. The Workers Party has not met for decades and observers believe Kim Jong-il may be cementing the family dynasty. The succession is being closely watched because of the North’s nuclear programme and hostility with the South. This announcement is Kim Jong-un’s first mention in state media and is reminiscent of his father’s rise to prominence in the 1970s. He is being elevated to a four-star general without military experience. His elder brother and half-brother appear to have been ruled out of the running for succession. Things are changing, an anonymous Open Doors traveller reported being allowed to pray publicly and sensing there may be a little more relaxation on the spiritual level. Click 'nfo' for North Korea INSIGHT ARTICLE. Pray: for a sustained spiritual, physical, and political turning from hidden darkness to open freedom. (Is.42:16) Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/NorthKoreaPowerInsight1.pdf
INSIGHT ARTICLE: Syria - Escalating unrest
18 May 2011
* EU has announced an arms embargo on Syria and sanctions against 13 officials while turning a blind eye towards President Bashar al-Assad’s role in overseeing violence against his people. *The UN demanded humanitarian access to 30,000+ Palestinian refugees in Deraa desperate for medical supplies. Deraa was cut off two weeks ago by troops and tanks ‘restoring government control’. *Hundreds have been arrested in house raids with 400+ rounded up in Banias since Saturday. *Banias has a power station and oil refinery. It is predominantly Sunni Muslim but also home to many Alawites (the sect of the ruling Assad family and many senior officials).* 7,000+ are detained in overcrowded prisons, schools and public buildings *An agency caring for 120 Palestinian patients unable to get insulin supplies need help. * Exiled Syrian opposition members from across the political spectrum including activists affiliated with the banned Muslim Brotherhood are attending a Cairo conference later this month. Source: For Christian roots in Syria click 'Info'.
Pray: pray this will not be turned into a religious uprising between Christians and Muslims. (Jer.29:11)
Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/Syria1.pdf
The New York Times reported: The withdrawal of the United States from Iraq leaves Mr. Abu Risha and the militia units he commands, known broadly as the Sunni Awakening, to navigate increasingly troublesome relations with the central Shiite-led government of Iraq. See: http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/category/iraq-war-2003-2011/ The Sunni Awakening, remain outside the new Iraqi police force and army and the ragtag groups of men wearing jeans and carrying rifles at dusty checkpoints throughout western Iraq are a loose end left by the United States. Some Awakening members are former insurgents and members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party who fought in a nationalist wing of the Sunni uprising early in the war, a matter of grave concern to the Shiite-dominated government. Without the buffer provided by the Americans relations between the Awakening and the central government, always touchy, are growing increasingly strained, and the government now wants the Awakening to disband by Dec. 31st. For INSIGHTS into Shiite and Sunni relationships across the Middle East click the Info button.
Pray: for a progressive atmosphere of peaceful relationships across various tribal groups in Iraq. (Ps.147:10-11)
Info: http://site.prayer-alert.net/index.php?option=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=355&Itemid=93
INSIGHT ARTICLE: South Sudan: A new nation
21 Jul 2011
To inspire our prayers for the new nation of South Sudan, please find in this week's INSIGHT article a portion of the prayers used by Revd Ron Hart of Salisbury Diocese at a vigil for South Sudan in the Cathedral last Friday, held at the celebrations in Juba the capital. He said, ‘There is much to give thanks for: The evangelisation of the North by 6th Century missionaries; the founding of the catholic Mission station of the Holy Cross in 1858, and the work of the Catholic missionaries. However, terrible things are happening in the Nuba Mountains and in Kadugli, bombing and looting. 75,000 people are displaced. Cathedral windows broken, altar burnt, along with vestments and the Bishop's official residence attacked. Priests have been arrested and tortured. The fear is of ethnic cleansing.’ Pray: that in the midst of change in South Sudan God will bring about His purposes and provisions and evil that will depart. (Job.36:16) Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/SouthSudanSOMA.pdf
This year Hajj falls on November 14th to 17th. The Hajj (or pilgrimage to Mecca) is one of the five pillars of the Islamic religion. Muslims from all over the world flock to Mecca to perform rituals believing the Hajj cleanses them from all sins. As Christians we would never condemn Muslims from wanting to be clean of sin, and by clicking on the info button below and using this weeks INSIGHT’s into the 4 days of Hajj we can enter into informed intercession for Muslim seekers of God. Also see a Hajj 5 minute video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUofxXeT3VM The Saudi government’s preparations for the pilgrimage includes officials spending five hours a day spreading a message of Hajj awareness to security challenges on the pilgrimage route. As Christians we can also prepare for the Hajj and pray that God's Holy Spirit will meet seekers at every junction of their pilgrimage route. Pray: for 1.4 billion Muslims globally to see the risen Lord and for the 3 million pilgrims to be physically safe from stampedes and ‘Mecca flu’ disease. (Lk.24:45)
There are at least 200 Muslim people groups of over 100,000 individualsThere are at least 200 Muslim people groups of over 100,000 individuals who do not receive any Christian witness. During the 30 days of Ramadan, August 11 to September 9, many Muslims will sincerely seek God through prayer, fasting, repenting of past sins, and attempting to purify themselves through self-restraint and good deeds. In closed countries where Christians are forbidden to openly share their faith we hear testimonies from Muslims to whom Jesus has directly revealed Himself through dreams and visions during Ramadan. We may not be able to reach them ourselves, but we can and ask God to pour out His Holy Spirit on the spiritually dry and thirsty in the three weeks leading up to and through this ‘Holy Month’. For inspirations to help your prayers for Muslims click link. (see also item 3) Pray: .for many Christian prayers to be released, preparing the way for revelations of God's Kingdom. (1Jn.4:18)
‘Convert or die’. Masih Gill, a Christian from the city of Mardan, in the province of ‘Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’ Northern Pakistan was threatened with these words by a group of Muslims with whom he had been speaking after the recent episode of the burning of the Koran in the US. See Three churches have been attacked in one week by Muslim extremists, and eleven UN guards were killed on April 1st. Local sources say that Masih Gill simply defended his faith, saying that Christians respect all religions and do not nurture hostility towards anyone. The Muslims then threatened Gill. They also said that they would charge him before Pakistani authorities with blasphemy. For insights into the current situation in Pakistan for Christians please click the info button Pray: for God to uphold and strengthen the Christians living and working in Pakistan. (Is.41:10) Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/Pakistansituation1.pdf
In spite of assurances of justice from officials the Lao Christians expelled from Katin village at gunpoint for not renouncing their faith (Prayer Alert0810) are suffering prolonged lack of adequate food and clean water. Lack of basic resources since January has led to diarrea, dehydration, eye and skin infections, fainting and general weakness and one Christian died suddenly while praying for two Christians hospitalized with illness caused by their living conditions. They are living in temporary shelters at the edge of the jungle; their neighbours were aggressively warned not to help them in any way. In March a delegation of officials visited the Christian jungle site and assured the refugees of their legal right to embrace the faith of their choice and live anywhere in the district. For insights into how to pray for Laos click info button.
Pray: for God to protect and provide for the outcasts of Laos, to strengthen the Christians and bring those not knowing Him into faith through His son Jesus Christ. (Mt.5:11,12)
More: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/2110 Laospeopleprayer.pdf