Robert Maginnis who once was a Pentagon insider has helped guide our prayers about security issues. Here is his analysis about some of the hot spots of our world:
Mattis declares North Korea “most urgent.” The Washington Post reports Defense Secretary Jim Mattis declared North Korea the “most urgent and dangerous threat to peace and security” in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. That statement bumps Russia from first place among the threats facing the U.S. The change comes as Pyongyang moves forward with what the U.S. calls an unprecedented number of tests on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. “North Korea’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them has increased in pace and scope,” Mattis said. “The regime’s nuclear weapons program is a clear and present danger to all, and the regime’s provocative actions, manifestly illegal under international law, have not abated despite United Nations’ censure and sanctions.”
South Korea’s president says denuclearizing North is matter of survival. Yonhap News reports South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed to work with Japanese and American leaders to rid North Korea of nuclear weapons, calling it a threat to his country’s survival. “North Korea’s denuclearization is needed to ensure peace in the world and Northeast Asia, but for South Korea, it is a matter of survival,” Moon said. Japanese leaders stressed to South Korea the need to keep the pressure and international sanctions on Pyongyang until the communist state abandoned its nuclear ambitions. "President Moon said because it will not end with only pressure and sanctions, we must bring North Korea back to the negotiating table before we can completely denuclearize the North," Park told a press briefing.
Robert Lee Maginnis
https://www.facebook.com/RLMaginnis/
Pray that a peaceful way will be found to bring the North Korean regime to denuclearize their country and avoid all out military conflict with the U.S. and South Korea. War that would result in possibly hundreds of thousands dying in the two Koreas is unthinkable.
These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. - Acts 1:14
The Book of Acts is one of the most fascinating studies of the efficacy of prayer in all of Scripture. Luke's account of the birth and growth of the early church gives us insight on what was to become a priority in their development; what worked and what didn't. One of the activities that worked was prayer . . . continual prayer, a lesson I fear that has been lost in much of today's church.
Before his ascension, Jesus promised His followers that they would be empowered with a supernatural gift unlike anything they had ever experienced, a gift from the Holy Spirit that would enable them to do even greater works than when He was with them (John 14:12-17). All they were told to do was wait - it was on the way. He called it being, "baptized with the Holy Spirit," and as He was ascending into heaven Jesus reminded them once again of a power that would enable them to "tell people about Me everywhere" (Acts 1:4-11).
Can you imagine what their discussions were like as they immediately returned to Jerusalem and gathered together in "the upper room" to pray? What would the power be like? How would it come? When would it come? What would it be like? Having no answers but our Lord's promise . . . THEY PRAYED CONTINUALLY.
The Bible says that as they prayed they were "all of one mind" (Acts 1:14). That phrase literally means, "to be in unanimous consent together, to be in one accord." It's interesting that the same idea is used six other times in the book of Acts, all having to do with unanimity and prayer (2:1, 2:46, 4:24, 5:12; 8:6; 15:25).
Please notice that this was no ordinary Jewish prayer meeting. Had it been, there would have been no women present. When my wife and I made our first trip to Israel, we went to pray at the Western Wall. We both had to enter through separate gates, into areas that were divided by a partition. Here, however, we see three distinct groups represented; the apostles, the women, including the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. This would become a hallmark of the new church of Jesus Christ: all believers would praise, worship, celebrate communion, and be taught the Scriptures together (Acts 2:42).
Does group prayer like this work outside of the powerful examples that we see in Scripture? Perhaps this illustration will answer that question:
When David Livingstone (1813-1873), known as "Africa's greatest missionary," first began his ministry in the inner parts of Africa, some of the native tribes opposed him. One particular warlike tribe said they were going to kill him and everyone in his party. One afternoon as they were setting up camp, word was out that these warriors had been tracking him all day, and they were outside the camp and they were going to attack and kill everyone when it got dark. Making reference to that evening he wrote these words in his journal on January 14, 1856:
"It is evening. I feel much turmoil and fear in the prospect of having all of my plans knocked on the head by savages who are just now outside the camp." Those who studied his handwriting said you could even see the fear in the way he wrote the letters. He wrote, "But Jesus said, 'All power is given unto me in heaven and earth, and lo, I am with you always, even unto the ends of the earth.'" Livingstone wrote, "This is the word of a gentleman of most strict and sacred honor, so that's the end of my fear. I feel quiet and calm now."
They didn't attack that night. Later the tribe was brought to faith in Christ. A couple of years later, David Livingstone asked the chief of the tribe,
"Do you remember the night you were tracking my party?"
"Yes."
"We had heard rumors you were going to attack us."
The chief said, "That's right, we were ready to attack the camp that night and kill you and everyone else."
David Livingstone then asked, "Why didn't you attack?"
The chief said, "When we got close to the camp, we looked and saw 47 warriors surrounding your camp with swords in their hands."
David Livingstone was baffled. They didn't have any guards, any warriors.
Later when he was on furlough in Scotland, he shared this story at a church that was supporting him. A man came up to him afterwards with his prayer journal. He said, "Look, I wrote it down, January 14, 1856, was that the night?" David Livingstone said, "Yes." The man said, "That night a group of men came to pray for you. We prayed for your protection. I wrote it down. There were 47 men praying that night for you."*
So, does God respond when the church comes together, "with one mind . . . continually devoting themselves to prayer"? What do you think? Is your church willing to do it on a regular basis? If not, are you the one God would use to start it?
British pastor and evangelist F. B. Meyer believed that "the greatest tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer."
*From a sermon by Bob Joyce, "Putting Your Heart Where Your Money Is," 8/4/2011. Posted by Sermon Central.com
We need you prayers at this time here in Australia. Please pass this important Call for Prayer & Fasting 1 – 3 July 2017 for Australia and for the preservation of Marriage in Australia.
YouTube Video with Ps Tim Edwards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmFs3ioT4D0
Facebook Video with Ps Tim Edwards: https://www.facebook.com/warwick.marsh.9/videos/10211311607844398/
Much Love
Warwick Marsh
MEDIA RELEASE
3 Days of Prayer & Fasting: 1 – 3 July 2017
International Prayer Request for Australia’s Government Leaders
On Thursday 29 June, Australian Prayer Leaders, during a national teleconference, confirmed a proposal to call the Christian churches in Australia to pray and fast from 1-3 July 2017 for the nation of Australia, its leaders and government. It is also a call to pray that marriage in Australia will remain between a man and a woman, as it always has been. This prayer call was initiated by an Indigenous Elder working in partnership with a Catholic Christian leader in our nation’s capital, Canberra.
Ps Tim Edwards, an Indigenous Christian leader, said, “I am deeply concerned about the state of our nation and our government and the revelations that have become known in the last few days. The call to prayer for our nation, our government and for the future of marriage in Australia has been in part motivated by a secret speech recently given by senior cabinet minister Christopher Pyne MP to the ‘Black Hand’ (left wing) faction of the governing party. He claimed that the left-wing faction is 'winning' and that same-sex marriage could be legalized 'sooner than people think.' This call for prayer is on very short notice, but in a spiritual battle you have to move fast!”
Rev Matt Ransom, Deacon in the Catholic Archbishop’s office in Canberra said, “The biblical precedent for this call to prayer and fasting for Godly government and for our leaders and our broader populace to find Christ as Lord and Savior is found in 1 Timothy 2: 1-3: “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
Jenny Hagger, Australian House of Prayer for All Nations, said, “A scriptural precedent for this nation changing three day period of prayer and fasting is found in Esther 4:16. Queen Esther’s call to prayer changed history. This prayer and fasting is above party politics because the church must take responsibility for our nation. We as the church need to engage in a deeper level of repentance for this period of prayer and fasting for our nation to be truly effective.”
David Rowsome, Canberra Declaration, said, “It is great that Australia is able to join with Canada, our sister nation in the British Commonwealth, who is celebrating Canada’s first National Day of Repentance, Prayer and Fasting on the 1 July 2017. The foundation for any national call to prayer and fasting is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, ‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land”.
Warwick Marsh, National Day of Prayer & Fasting team said, “Tim Edwards and I have been greatly disturbed by the malicious persecution of Ps Margaret Court, one of Australia’s greatest sportswomen and a world champion tennis player. She has been publicly vilified very unfairly for her stand for the biblical truth of marriage between a man and a woman. Australia is in desperate need of Godly leadership and that is why we are requesting prayer support from around the world.
Afghanistan is perhaps the most challenging prayer and mission situation on earth? Recently, the Taliban or some other terrorist group attacked some of the Christian workers, killing a key German woman and kidnapping a young Finnish woman, both of whom were lovingly risking their lives to serve the Afghan people. In addition, one of the most evil men on earth has been able to penetrate into the government. Here is a word about him from one of my friends working there:
“The "Butcher of Kabul", Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, has been included now in the government. He is a killer and very cruel and a smart schemer. He has killed a number of Christians, including a Canadian OM brother and the Afghan brother and leader Zia Nodrad. Now he got inside the government in a deal with President Ghani. All the Non-Pashtuns are furious and the government is divided more than before. Please include him always in prayer till he gets dealt with, besides the other terror groups like Taliban, IS and the Haqqanis.”
- The Psalms are full of prayers that God would bring down the wicked (Ps. 1:4-6, 7:9, 9:5, 10:15, 11:5-6, 37:10-17). Of course, we hope and pray they might repent, but if Gulbadin Hekmatyar and other ruthlessly evil killers do not, let’s pray that they will be removed from the face of the earth, unable to terrify and destroy any more! A year and a half ago, we prayed about another supremely wicked man trying to use occult means to influence the United Nations and he died the same day the alert went out. Let’s pray now in the same way for the Lord to bring down the wicked and especially this horrifically evil terrorist, Gulbadin Hekmatyar.
- Pray also for the release or rescue of those who have been kidnapped and for the protection over other brothers and sisters in Christ, both expatriates and Afghan who are living and serving there.
- Pray for the unity of the Afghan government and for the government of the USA as it plans to commit another 4000 American troops to the battle against the Taliban and other such terrorist groups. May they have victory and may the terrorist groups be thrown into utter confusion and division, fighting against each other until they give up their struggle to take over the nation and institute the awful tyranny sharia law again.
JUNE 29 - JULY 2 TIPSPORT ARENA, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
“Even though it's one of the most beautiful cities in the world outwardly, to my heart it seemed like Nineveh, caught in the valley of decision - not knowing where to go. There are many cities like it all across Central Europe and now it's the church's time to enter the valley and show them the way out.
Since then we have been praying as a team daily for this and we found out this year (2017) will be the 500th year anniversary of the Reformation through Luther. It will also be around 600 years since the Czech Apostle Jan Hus was martyred, and l have personally been gripped by God that it's now time for a NEW REFORMATION.
This Reformation won't be one that divides us though, but rather unites us for the purpose of our cities turning back to God. Sure we could have more conferences - more training - but at some point what we are learning has to affect our nations' future and cause thousands to turn back to God. We don't need to wait anymore, we need a move of God right now.
Luther said: "If I don't pray for 1 day, I feel it. If I don't pray for 2 days, the church feels it. But if I don't pray for 3 days the whole nation feels it". That's exactly where we are at. It's not the time to be asleep, but to be gripped with prayer and to bring mass outreach into this continent.
At this event you will be trained to go back to your nation and city and reach it for Jesus. There will also be a huge emphasis on bringing the lost into the stadium as we call them home to our loving Father. Well known speakers and bands are flying in from all over the world. Men and women of God and churches from all around Europe are bringing bus loads of people to see a NEW REFORMATION this year. The hunger is astounding to us.
We are calling you, too! In fact we need the strengths you carry. Let's once again believe for God's people to be filled with life and for our cities to be shaken by heaven. If Luther and Hus can see it happen, then why can't we? From Charismatics to Catholics, let's move together as a united force from all denominations and bring the power of heaven to Prague, a city in great need.
With a burning heart and many tears over Europe,
Ben Fitzgerald
AwakeningEurope.com
Please join in prayer for a mighty work of the Spirit in the city of Prague, the Czech Republic and throughout Europe, bringing His revival and breakthrough so that indeed there may be a “New Reformation”!
In our last Connections, I updated you on the magnificent time many prayer and mission leaders had together at Herrnhut in early May. It was truly a life and ministry-changing event as we later heard from so many. One of those present who leads a large international mission effort said that it was “the most personally significant event” he had taken part in during 50 years of ministry. Another who leads a large prayer ministry said that he will be “forever changed” by what happened there. Thanks be to the Lord for how He brooded over us and inspired us during that anointed time together and also for your prayers that made such a vital difference!
I also believe that much of the reason we had such a powerful encounter with the Lord and one another is that we were focusing on three issues that are very much on His heart for this time in history. When you think about it, they are also deeply interrelated and interdependent. Therefore, if we go at all three of them together, a great deal of synergy will be released for His kingdom’s expansion around the world. It will be like the first atomic explosion that happened here in my native state of New Mexico at the site called “Trinity” on July 16th, 1945. Physicists and engineers from the secretive Manhattan Project were awestruck at the awesome, never before seen, combined forces that were released when “critical mass” was achieved. History was changed both in positive and awful ways for humanity as we entered the nuclear age, carrying a new incredibly powerful resource for either great good or maximum destruction.
We in the IPC want to be used of the Lord in facilitating progress in each of the three following directions mentioned once again below. They are all in and of themselves so valuable for the cause of Jesus Christ on earth. However, when joined together for our prayers and actions, we could reach a kind of “critical mass” spiritually. Connected closely, they are infinitely more forceful in advancing His kingdom, especially that overarching goal that everyone on earth may have the opportunity to experience His love and salvation, discovering their unique calling and destiny as human beings.
Would you please, therefore, join us in praying for the continued convergence of these three prayer and mission thrusts that are already being so greatly used of the Lord to bless our world? How can we increasingly flow together for maximum impact? How can these efforts be effectively coordinated and synergized for the greater purposes of God and the benefit of all!
Here is an excellent three-minute video that describes the impact of the Moravian prayer and mission movement from Herrnhut where we held last month’s consultation. It will help you to catch the heartbeat of what God did among us. Please share it with others and pray accordingly.
Video on Linking Prayer and Missions
“Spirit of the Moravians” Vision on Vimeo or
Here are the three main emphases I believe we need to keep our hearts, minds, prayers and actions wrapped around going forward:
1) Reaching the unreached with the Gospel- Pray for the effective linking and coordination of prayer and mission efforts for finishing the task, adoption of every unengaged unreached people group in prayer and mission in the coming 5-10 years. Let’s pray especially for the “Finishing the Task” event in early December that will bring together hundreds from the mission agencies along with a significant group of prayer leaders for the first time. You can find out more about specific unreached people groups needing to be adopted at https://joshuaproject.net/ Please adopting one yourself as your own assignment to cover that group in prayer until they are reached.
2) Raising up the “now generation” of youth and children to find their unique missions in life and impact generations to come for Christ and His purposes. Pray that in the coming decade, we will see children and youth prayer movements develop, be connected, and strengthened in every nation on earth (they are probably going in one-third of the nations so far). The Children in Prayer movement and the international team coordinating this effort and the UPRISING youth prayer movement with their team are both extending this crucial vision for the raising up of the Now Generation vision. Please pray for His provision, guidance, unity and wisdom for the leaders of both these movements.
3) Transformational prayer for breakthroughs in the socio-political realms (global institutions like the UN, “Seven Mountains” cultural spheres, regional summits, national initiatives, wars and human suffering, authoritative prayer efforts for territorial deliverance). Please pray for prayer leaders and ministries targeting those challenging socio-political issues and institutions affecting life in our various nations and world. Pray for clear discernment, guidance and power from on high to pull down strongholds and drive out forces of spiritual darkness in His authority for atmosphere-changing breakthroughs that open peoples to the Gospel and bring about major transformations in favor of Kingdom values.
All of us can be personally involved in one or more of these three crucial directions for the global Body of Christ. May we each hear His specific call and find our unique place! As we pray and take action together, may there also be a divinely orchestrated convergence, a “critical mass” that the Lord will use to hasten both the transformation of our world and His return. Maranatha!
John Robb
IPC Chairman
'The villagers started punching and kicking us, all over our bodies. They asked us to praise Hindu gods. We refused. They kicked us harder.' This is what happened to Sohan, after he decided to follow Jesus and began sharing the gospel with others. His attackers then called the police and accused him of converting people to Christianity. He was imprisoned for four days, and saw God work in amazing ways. Sohan says, 'I preached the gospel and prayed for an inmate who was sick. He was healed and believed in Christ instantly. My other cellmate was a person suffering from intense depression. He kept saying that he wanted to kill himself. I prayed for him and the suicidal thoughts left him. He also accepted Christ. I also met a young man falsely accused of raping a woman; he was very upset and felt hopeless about his life. I shared the gospel with him, and he also accepted Christ. This way I saw God's immense power and deliverance.' Open Doors partners were able to bail Sohan out of prison, and are helping him to fight the false claims filed against him.
Two rescues from trafficking
30 Jun 2017
Recently, after an anonymous tip-off, anti-trafficking authorities in the Dominican Republic, working in cooperation with International Justice Mission (IJM), found two young girls and their mother - who was exploiting them - in a crime-ridden and impoverished neighbourhood in Santo Domingo. The mother was arrested, and IJM social workers are working to ensure that the girls will recover from the trauma they endured. In another story, in South Asia, IJM and police had been investigating a sex trafficking network for over a year. On 25 June the team successfully rescued two young girls from a private brothel and arrested four suspects. Please pray for follow-up on the legal case, and pray for comfort and healing for these girls as they settle into a loving aftercare programme.