Syria: US downs Syrian plane and drone
23 Jun 2017
A US fighter jet has blown up a pro-Syrian regime drone, just two days after the US brought down its first Syrian air force warplane. No matter how much Mr Trump personally hankers after better relations with the Russians, the downing of the Russian-made SU-22 on Sunday night has effectively killed any prospect of Washington and Moscow enjoying a new era of detente. The Russian response has been to threaten any coalition aircraft which enters airspace where its forces operate. Meanwhile, an armed Russian warplane flew within five feet of a US reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea in what US officials said was a ‘provocative and unsafe’ way. Tensions between the two powers were already running high after a bipartisan group of US Senators last week voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill that expands financial sanctions in retaliation for Russia’s interference in last year’s presidential contest, as well as Moscow’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014.
North Africa: mass losses at sea
23 Jun 2017
Some 126 refugees drowned in the Mediterranean after Libyan people-smugglers stole their outboard motor, leaving them at the mercy of the waves and other attackers. The dinghy, which left from a beach in Libya on 16 June, was heading toward Italy when it was attacked. The waves soon engulfed the dinghy and it sank. It is believed there were 130 on board, of whom four (two Nigerians and two Sudanese) were rescued by passing fishermen. Most of the passengers were from Sudan. A spokesman for the UN migration agency said the incident was ‘tantamount to murder’. He added, ‘We believe the motor may even have been stolen by the smugglers who launched the dinghy in the first place, or a rival group. Many motors have been stolen in recent times as they are valuable to the smugglers.’
Ongoing conflict in CAR
23 Jun 2017
The mayor of a town in Central African Republic (CAR) said on 21 June that over a hundred people are dead after heavy fighting broke out, despite a peace agreement signed recently in Rome. Also, several dozen wounded have been brought to the hospital run by aid group Doctors Without Borders. However, the local Catholic mission says the death toll could be higher because it has been too dangerous for Red Cross teams to recover bodies from the streets. CAR is a country teetering on the edge of becoming a failed state. Half a million of the country's people have fled to neighbouring nations; a similar number are huddled in squalid camps inside CAR, dependent on food aid and the protection of UN peacekeepers and 900 French troops. CAR has faced fighting since 2013, when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the capital city, Bangui. Anti-Balaka militias, mostly Christians, fought back, resulting in thousands of people being killed. The peace deal signed on 19 June between nearly all the country's armed groups had called for an immediate cease-fire.
Thailand: lack of medical treatment for refugees
23 Jun 2017
A 34-year-old Christian, Ijaz, who had fled Pakistan for fear of persecution, received news on 26 May that his application for refugee status had been refused. The next day he died at the Immigration Detention Centre (IDC) in Bangkok. Some months earlier he complained of chest pains and was hospitalised, but doctors could not diagnose his problem. At the IDC, he was put in the punishment room because he could not pay his hospital bill. Eventually his local church in Bangkok paid the bill, with help from Barnabas Fund. The IDC doctor refused to allow his pastor to bring him medicine. Around 4,000 Pakistani Christians have fled persecution and made their way to Thailand, only to find that they are treated as criminals there. Immigration police carry out arbitrary mass arrests, even raiding worship services, searching for people without valid visas. Detainees are held in such harsh and horrifically overcrowded conditions that some have chosen to go back to Pakistan and face persecution. One source said that this desperate decision is often made because they are not receiving treatment for life-threatening medical conditions. ‘It is a 21st century concentration camp, without the gas chambers’, he said.
It is time!
21 Jun 2017
Across the nation people are saying “It is time to pray.” No wonder we have been rapidly plunged into a time of confusion and uncertainty. Terrorism has created fear and suspicion and we have the grief of devastated parents, families and friends and the increasing pressure on our public services.
The Grenfell Tower fire has added to that fear and grief and created a sense of rage against greed and lack of care that exposed so many people to the fast spreading flames.
The political uncertainty surrounding a hung parliament and a Prime Minister who many see as ‘damaged goods’ is creating a lack of confidence – happening so soon before complex and difficult Brexit talks adds to the nation’s vulnerability.
On top of all this, we have a range of vitriolic attacks on Christian politicians that either causes them to water down the gospel or risk being silenced in a range of areas.
A CALL TO PRAYER
The United Kingdom urgently needs your prayers. In June and July, we are asking church leaders to give prayer a central part in their services, small groups and bible studies to put quality time aside for prayer. As individuals, pray how you want to – in a quiet place, on a busy bus, in your car, at home, work, school or leisure.
HOW CAN I PRAY?
Here are four simple to follow themes:
Key leaders
Pray for key people in the nation and locally, that God will give them great wisdom and authority.
• Cressida Dick – the Metropolitan Police Commissioner and other Police leaders.
• Politicians – all of them under enormous stress – from Theresa May to Jeremy Corbyn, Amber Rudd the Home secretary and David Davis leading the Brexit negotiations.
• Pray for our national church leaders to be heard.
Protection
Pray as you drive, walk and travel “Lord protect and defend this area”.
• For God to expose and confuse terrorists.
• Pray against lawlessness breaking out on our streets or clashes between different communities.
• Pray for the Anti-terrorist teams near you to have Godly wisdom and insight.
Against fear
The enemy’s tactic is to make us afraid to go anywhere, to put a divide between Muslims and other communities and undermine our confidence that God is Sovereign.
• Pray for God does not give us a spirit of fear “but gives us love, power and self-discipline.” 2 Tim: 1.7. We are in an intense spiritual battle.
• Pray for God’s love, power and self-discipline to replace fear in crowded areas, schools, and communities.
God’s Kingdom to Come
We are in a spiritual battle. Many people are coming to Christ including many Muslims. The nation has been stirred to pray and the enemy hates the church, hates children and hates the Gospel. In the midst of uncertainty, let us pray this simple but powerful prayer – “Your Kingdom Come and your will be done” in the places we love.
Jesus wept. The Holy Spirit is the comforter. Let us pray for a great hunger for the presence of God in His Church. This nation needs the love of Christ and the peace of the Holy Spirit and it needs a Church that can take Jesus into every corner of our Isles. So our final prayer is:
“Lord draw me close to You, may I see Your face and know the depth of Your love. Amen”
Seeking God together in difficult days
21 Jun 2017
Like so many of us at this time I have been asking the Lord, "Why are these horrific violent, deadly and disastrous things happening in our nation?"
I believe the Lord has shown us that a door has been opened through the recent two elections and Brexit referendum where sadly many Christians were dictating how people should vote. There have been so many people who have verbally attacked others who have different opinions. This has opened a door for a political spirit to come into our nations which brings division, disunity and so much wickedness. Let me be clear this is not saying people should not be involved in politics but that we are to be led by God and not a wrong spirit.
Kris Valotten recently said, "The Signs of a Political Spirit"
1) The political spirit always needs an enemy! This spirit is more concerned with winning an election than with solving a problem.
2) The political spirit demonizes anyone who doesn’t agree with them. In other words, we don’t just see them as wrong on an issue, we view them as evil.
3) The political spirit imprisons our minds and reduces us to partisan opinions. This spirit separates people into two categories; winners and losers. In this environment, straw polls replace practical wisdom and success is measured in media bits rather than real solutions.
4) True governance is displaced by political polarization in which, people are expected to support a party rather than legitimate answers. This political spirit replaces national patriotism with loyalty to a party. This attitude creates a culture where we don’t have permission to think for ourselves but it’s “decision by affiliation.”
We need to repent where we have done that, where we have grumbled about our government and not prayed for them. We need to make a decision to seek God for the best for our nations at this difficult time.
1 Timothy 2:1 is a clear mandate to us, "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. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."
Wherever we are let us choose to pray FOR the government the electorate chose to hear God for the strategies to take us forward.
We need to pray for the media and those who have agendas to disrupt and increase the chaos. Please pray this week as the Queen's Speech takes place on Wednesday to signal the start of the Parliamentary year. There are many aiming to cause trouble and there are many hurting angry people who can be easily mobilised without realising they are being manipulated.
Let us pray that God will refresh Prime Minister Theresa May, those in government, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, the Police, Fire Service, Ambulance Services and Health Services who must all be completely overwhelmed and exhausted by all that has happened.
Please pray for your community and let us join together to pray for London at this vulnerable time. Pray that every plan and scheme of the enemy will be exposed and stopped in it's tracks before it comes to fruition.
Let us turn our eyes upon Jesus, the HOPE of the world and watch to see what He is doing in our nations at this time.
Jeremiah 29:7 "Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."
God bless you mightily as you stand before God for our nations.
Source: Coastlands & Gateways
Praising God with 60,000 live worshippers
16 Jun 2017
So far, more than 60,000 people worldwide have watched a one-hour Instagram live video that begins daily at midnight for people to praise God, tagged as the #HallelujahChallenge. Nigerian gospel artist Nathaniel Bassey began hosting the session on 1 June to just over a thousand people, urging Christians to join him in worship for a month. Helped by the promotion of numerous popular Nigerian artists, Bassey (who describes himself on his Twitter page as an ‘authentic Jesus lover’) tweeted, ‘It is a revival and a revolution. JESUS is in charge!’ It is thought to be the most widely-circulated praise and worship movement on social media. Bassey said, ‘The Challenge is a mandate from God, and I am just a vessel. Beyond all the miracles and testimonies, God is doing something eternal - something that will outlive generations.’
Harvest America 2017
16 Jun 2017
Harvest America 2017 was an evangelistic event broadcast live on the Internet with updates posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This event, similar to a Billy Graham crusade, used the latest media platforms to give a very straightforward presentation of the gospel. At 5 pm on 11 June Pastor Greg Laurie delivered a gospel message via live satellite from the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. Artists joining him for the free one-day event included ‘The Voice’ sensation Brennley Brown, ‘American Idol’ winner Jordin Sparks and CCM artists NEEDTOBREATHE, MercyMe, Trip Lee and Phil Wickham. There were 38,000 in the stadium, and 2,904 made decisions for Christ. Also, people across the country invited friends into their homes to watch it and then prayed with them. Last year it live-streamed to over 7,200 locations and drew 357,000 participants, with 25,000 people coming to faith.