Sidqi’s family had strong ties to Islamic extremists and hated Christians. He harassed his Christian school friends - but they responded with love. When he beat up a boy and stole his jacket, the boy brought him another jacket the next day, saying ‘You might need this in winter’. These Christians had Sidqi’s attention, and he became friends with the people he had hated. When the father of his friend had an accident, the Christians gathered around to pray for him. Then, when his cousin had an accident, his mother prevented her father from helping someone from that side of the family. Sidqi saw the difference between Christianity and Islam and realised his community had been spreading lies about Christians. He began joining his Christian friends to read the Bible. Then when he prayed to Jesus, ‘Who are you?’ he saw a bright light. A hand touched him. A voice said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’

Pastor Said Deeb, in Beirut, had a strange feeling on the day of the explosion. ‘ I felt something bad was going to happen,’ Deeb explained, ‘as if the Holy Spirit was saying, “Go! Go! Go!”’ He was uneasy, sent 34 staff home, and cancelled Bible classes for 200 children. ‘They thought I had lost my mind, but it was the Holy Spirit's prompting’, he explained. Then the unthinkable happened - 200+ people dead, 7,000 injured, and 300,000 made homeless. ‘I thought this was the end, but the Lord had another plan. Despite the horror of Beirut’s deadly explosion, God is bringing something good from the ashes. I'm seeing people come to Jesus like never before, never! - and a big number of priests coming to deeper faith, priests coming for the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the signs and wonders following. So it's the time for Lebanon.’

The number of Religious Studies A Level exam entries has increased 6.1 percent this year. The subject outperformed other A-level subjects as a whole, with a greater increase than most other humanities subjects. This suggests that candidates are recognising the value of RS for higher education entry and graduate employment, and as an essential life skill. Professor Trevor Cooling said, ‘Religious Studies has maintained its popularity over the past two decades at A Level, where students have a greater say in their subject choice, compared with GCSE when RS may not be offered as an examination course. Young people clearly value the importance of extending their knowledge and understanding of religious and non-religious worldviews at A-level and continue to vote with their feet.’ He urges the Government to ensure it is resourced properly and taught by professionally trained teachers.

The following is based on declarations by Suzanne Ferrett, a UK-based prophetic leader: ‘Lord, we thank You that mercy triumphs over judgment. We stand in Your grace and speak Your blessing over our nation. We pray, in the Name of Jesus, for the words and thoughts of our leaders across this land to establish Your plans and will for the UK. We pray that in these significant days, the UK will be led at all times by the men and women of Your choosing. May every seat of authority be filled by the person appointed by You for tasks in commerce, industry, politics, police, NHS and all social services. We pray that they will carry, impart, and implement God-given vision. We pray for Your voice to be heard and acted upon in every influential gateway of society.’