As we come together in prayer meetings, home groups or church services, let us begin this New Year coming before our Father in heaven to ask for his mercy on His Church, on our country, and that His Kingdom will advance across our nations. 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. There will be opportunities during the year to look back and look forward. On 6 January 1918, King George V called a national day of prayer in order to ‘bring our cause to God’. In 2018, a hundred years later, we can start a year of prayer for the UK from 6 January. There is a real sense that God is preparing us for a spiritual breakthrough. Romans 12 tells us to stay excited about our faith as we serve the Lord and to be faithful when we pray.

The World Prayer Centre National Prayer Conference is as much a call as it is a conference. It is a call to people who want to stand in God’s presence, worship Him with all their hearts and let Him gently minister to them and encourage them. It is a call to dedicate time to pray for God’s Kingdom to come, and listen to His call for themselves and for the nation. All are invited, whether new to prayer, young or old, and from any background. If you have a passion for the purposes of Jesus and hunger to see change in our nations, you are invited. This year’s theme, Time to Turn, is a call that starts with us: people who love prayer. Teacher, prophet, author and Church leader Malcolm Duncan will be the guest speaker. Other details can be found at

International trade secretary Liam Fox wants to develop bilateral trade agreements with key partners such as Australia, New Zealand and the USA. This would mean linking into the multi-nation Pacific Free Trade Zone after Brexit. He is currently holding informal talks on joining the eleven members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), according to the Financial Times. Donald Trump withdrew the US from the partnership last year, reversing Barack Obama’s policy. The TPP is currently being re-negotiated under a new title, which will require authorising by all current signatories. Mr Fox, at present visiting China, said he was interested in seeing what the reconstituted TPP would look like. Pray for stronger links with Asia-Pacific markets and for God’s lead as we move into future intercontinental trade.

The Prime Minister has apologised for the postponement of thousands of routine operations at hospitals due to winter pressures. The services are being placed under significant strain as they enter the New Year. As challenges escalate, hospitals are on the cusp of being as bad as 2017 when the Red Cross called it a humanitarian crisis. This year hospitals are prioritising the increased numbers of emergency patients over non-urgent planned services. Pray for God to comfort those whose operations have had to be postponed. Additional services and beds are coming available, funded by the winter budget cash released by the Government. Pray for wise distribution of resources. The BMA said, ‘A&Es are symptomatic of pressures across the system. Hospitals are at capacity, GP surgeries are full, and because of shortages of social and community care, patients who no longer need to be in hospital cannot be discharged - there’s nowhere for them to go.’ See: