From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised. (Psalm 113:3)
Over the past few years on New Year's Day, thousands of Christians across 70 nations participated in the Sunrise Prayer Relay and we are excited that there is an invitation to awaken the dawn with prayer together again in 2024!
We are encouraged to gather just before Sunrise at a public location like a hill, lookout, bridge, or public landmark, at a church in our cities or towns, (or we can also take part privately in our homes) - to worship, pray and exalt Jesus!
Let's declare together that "Jesus is Lord" of our lives, our families, our regions, our nations, and all of the nations!
Together, these prayer gatherings at sunrise around the world will generate a synchronized 24-hour global prayer relay!
Let's not miss the opportunity to share the message of Hope in Jesus with others who are out to see the sunrise!
More info and register participation + receive the prayer resources and updates at: www.sunriseprayerrelay.com
With thanks to our dear brothers - Warwick Marsh & Pat Steele in Australia who are coordinating this initiative.
We invite you and your families, contacts and networks to join us for the Global Day of Prayer for the Buddhist World on February 10th, 2024!
Each year, IPC devotes 4 seasons of focused prayer for the Buddhist, Hindu Jewish and Hindu peoples. We pray concertedly using specially prepared adult and children’s prayer guides.
Each prayer guide concludes with a Global Day of Prayer involving 100 million+ people. During the global days of prayer, we also open an online prayer room for continuous worship and prayers, led by people of all ages from around the world!
From January 21st through to February 10th, 2024, we will be praying for unreached people in key cities and nations across the Buddhist World. See the adult and children’s prayer guides.
Do make a note in your diary for the 2024 Global Day of Prayer for the Buddhist World, which takes place on Saturday 10th February 2024.
More info and prayer guides are HERE
Years ago, I was taught how to pray the Word of God - and it has revolutionized my prayer life. It is the ultimate prayer manual written by God Himself. Scripture is the language of God’s heart! The Bible always makes His will clear to us through the written Word. Anything the Holy Spirit makes known to us will always agree with God’s revealed Word.
As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 writes, God has always been looking for those to whom he can speak, those who will hear and live. The Word of God isn’t casual, and it isn’t an option; our very lives depend on it! As Jesus declared in the wilderness, “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of his mouth” (Matthew 4:4). One of the ways that we learn to listen and talk to God is through Praying His Word!
It is about the rediscovery of hearing, delighting in, trembling before, and obeying the Word of God. The Word is meant to abide in us and transform us from the inside out! God’s Word feeds us (Matt. 4:4), washes us (Eph. 5:26-27), sanctifies us (John 17:17), disciplines us (Heb.4:12-13), imparts faith to us (Rom. 10:17), and equips us (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
May we get into the Word until the Word gets into us, both the written Word and the Living Word, the Lord Jesus!
This booklet, put simply, is a tool to help you spend time with God in his Word! I encourage you to pray the Scriptures out loud, turning truth into personal dialogue with the Lord. My hope is that you will experience more and more of his life, his love, and his mountain-moving power!
For the Supremacy of Christ in all things,
Dr. Jason Hubbard – Director
International Prayer Connect
Prague: shock after gunman kills 14
21 Dec 2023
A gunman has killed at least 14 people and injured another 25 at a university in the historic city centre of Prague. It was the deadliest attack in modern Czech history. Staff and students barricaded themselves in rooms during the attack; videos showed some people jumping to safety from the top of the building, and many fleeing the area in panic. Police say the 24-year-old gunman was ‘eliminated’ following the shootings. Prime minister Petr Fiala said he had cancelled upcoming engagements in light of the tragic events. The gunman, a student at the university, was from a village 13 miles outside Prague. His father had been found dead earlier in the day. The gunman's motives were not immediately known. He legally owned multiple firearms: the Czech Republic has the most permissive gun laws in the EU.
The Half Way House pub in Blackpool has initiated a 'giftmas' tree project to provide Christmas presents for nearly 200 underprivileged children. Traditional decorations on the tree were replaced with tags indicating an anonymous child's age and gender. Patrons were encouraged to pick a tag and donate a suitable gift. This initiative led to over 185 children receiving gifts for Christmas. The landlords highlighted the importance of the project, acknowledging that many children might not receive gifts otherwise. The presents will be distributed through Blackpool's Children's Services. This initiative is significant in the UK, where around 4.2 million children live in poverty, and research suggests one in five might not receive a Christmas present. Following the success of this scheme, other pubs in the same chain are following suit. The chain’s marketing manager praised the initiative for demonstrating the pivotal role pubs play in their communities, ensuring that many children will have gifts to open this Christmas.
Cambridge United Football Club, inspired by Baptist minister and fan Simon Cragg, has introduced an official club carol titled 'United at Christmas' to connect football enthusiasts with the teachings of Jesus. This unique carol was a highlight of a 1,000-person carol service at Abbey Stadium, attended by players, staff, and fans. It was also featured at halftime during the club’s FA Cup match against Fleetwood. The lyrics of 'United at Christmas' use football-related imagery to convey themes of love, hope, and peace, and include references to the club's nickname and historical Christian narratives. Club director Graham Daniels, a former player and head of Christians in Sport, noted the growing openness to faith in football. He credits past Christian footballers like Gavin Peacock and Cyril Regis for setting strong examples of faith in the sport, leading to a cultural shift where being a devout Christian and a professional footballer is respected.
Two teenagers, aged 16, were convicted of murdering 16-year-old transgender girl Brianna Ghey in Cheshire. Brianna was lured to Linear Park and stabbed 28 times. The assailants, a boy and a girl, were 15 at the time and denied the murder, each blaming the other. Their premeditated plan for the killing was evidenced by a handwritten murder plan and messages. During the four-week trial at Manchester Crown Court, it was revealed that the girl, known as Girl X, had a fascination with violence and serial killers. The boy, Boy Y, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, is non-verbal. Prior to the murder, they compiled a 'kill list' of other children. Brianna's mother, Esther Ghey, expressed her enduring grief and gratitude to those who showed kindness to Brianna in her last moments. She also urged empathy for the families of the convicted teens. Brianna's father, Peter Spooner, shared his heartbreak over his loss. The case, which incited global protests against transphobia, awaits sentencing by Judge Mrs Justice Yip. Police believe the motive was not transphobia but a general thirst for violence.
The Bank of England's interest rate hikes, aimed at reducing inflation, have led to a slowdown in the UK housing market. Recent data reveals a significant drop in house prices, the largest since October 2011. This decline, most pronounced in London, reflects the impact of pandemic-driven price surges. Despite this decrease, the housing market faces long-term challenges. Interest rates have risen, functioning slowly like drip filter coffee, and have a delayed effect on the market. This delay is due to the time taken for banks to adjust mortgage rates and for these changes to be reflected in official statistics. The latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show a 1.2% drop in house prices over a year, marking the fastest decline in over a decade. Financial markets anticipate rate cuts next year, which could revive the market. However, the overall cost of living remains high, with increased expenses from food to household bills. Over a million people will face higher mortgage costs next year.