On 3 January two bomb explosions near the tomb of general Qasem Soleimani in the southern city of Kerman resulted in at least 84 deaths and many injuries. The blasts occurred during a procession near the Saheb al-Zaman mosque; local authorities described it as a ‘terrorist attack.’ Videos of the incident, on the fourth anniversary of Soleimani's assassination by the USA, showed bodies on the road and ambulances rushing to the scene. It remains unclear who was responsible for the explosions, as no group has claimed responsibility. Suspects in previous attacks on security forces and Shia shrines include Arab separatists, IS, and Sunni jihadist groups. This tragedy comes amidst heightened tensions in the region following the killing of the deputy leader of Hamas in a suspected Israeli drone strike in Lebanon. The first explosion occurred near the mosque, while the second took place about one kilometre away. Reports suggest that two bags carrying bombs were detonated by remote control. Breaking news: IS has now claimed responsibility for the bombings.
Nigeria: ‘persistent, pervasive, proliferating, and growing’ persecution ignored by world
04 Jan 2024
A never-ending massacre of Christians being ‘killed for sport’ is reportedly happening in Nigeria, yet the world appears to be largely deaf to it. While much of the world was celebrating a beginning - Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ - in Nigeria they were mourning the end of many lives. Armed bandits ran amok, according to Amnesty International, in some twenty communities across central Nigeria, killing at least 140. In a country where accurate statistics are traditionally hard to come by, some sources have put the death toll closer to 200. The Christians were killed in a wide swath across an invisible line that separates the mostly Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south in the country’s Plateau State. One commentator on social media asked: ‘When is the protest march scheduled for?’
Javier Milei, Argentina's new president, encountered a setback on 3 January when a court suspended labour rule changes he introduced in December. The decision came in response to a legal challenge from the largest labour union, which argued that the changes infringed workers' rights. Milei's decree included extending job probation from three to eight months, reducing severance compensation, and allowing the possibility of dismissal for workers participating in blockades. The court ruled that the administration had overstepped its authority in implementing these changes by emergency decree, bypassing the legislature. Since taking office in December, Milei has devalued the country’s currency by 50%, cut transport and energy subsidies, and promised to downsize the state workforce - all measures aimed at addressing poverty and high inflation.
An agreement on 1 January by breakaway Somaliland to allow Ethiopia to use the Red Sea port of Berbera has been condemned by Somalia as dangerous for regional stability. Since 1991, when Eritrea gained independence, Ethiopia has been landlocked and reliant on neighbouring Djibouti for maritime trade access. The new agreement, signed by the Ethiopian prime minister and Somaliland’s president, includes acknowledging Somaliland as an independent nation and giving it a share of the ownership of Ethiopian Airlines in due course. Somaliland, which declared autonomy in 1991, lacks widespread international recognition; Somalia insists that it remains part of its territory. Following mediation by Djibouti, the two countries have agreed to restart talks to resolve their dispute.
I wanted to bring you two timely items of news, some words of encouragement and a free gift as we all plan to celebrate Christmas and to enjoy time with our families!
Please find details below of the Sunrise Prayer Relay, taking place on New Year's Day. Many of us will be getting up at the crack of dawn to proclaim the Supremacy of Christ over our nations together. Do join us!
We invite you to join with many millions around the world for a Global Day of Prayer on Saturday 10th February, 2024 (Chinese New Year) as we pray for key cities and nations across the Buddhist world. By way of preparation, we encourage you to use the accompanying 21 Day adult and children’s prayer guides.
Mountain Moving Prayer...
As we approach 2024, I believe God wants us to grow in faith. As we soak in God's written word and speak it out in faith through prayers, we will see mountains moved!
Do watch this talk that I recorded a few weeks ago, in which I share how Mary became the mother of Jesus - God Incarnate - as she responded to God's word in faith 'behold I am the servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word according to your word.' (Luke 1:38) We can learn a lot from Mary’s example.
My prayer for you this Christmas and New Year is that you, like Mary, will experience how an ordinary life can lead to an extraordinary walk of faith and transformation, through the simple yet incredibly effective key of faith-filled, Bible-based prayers and the exaltation and worship of Jesus!
A Gift for You!
Here is a free gift this Christmas called Pray the Word, in which I share some simple tools to help you pray effectively! Use it as a resource in your personal or group devotions to connect with God in a personal way. My prayer is that it will help you Encounter God - bringing life-changing, mountain-moving impacts!
Your Gifts…
Thank you for your prayers, participation, encouragements and support through 2023! If you are sensing that you can contribute with a donation as we approach the end of the year, see here.
On behalf of the whole IPC team across our 14 world regions, I wish you a peaceful and blessed Christmas.
All Glory to the Lamb!
Dr Jason Hubbard – Director
International Prayer Connect
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