‘Passion for the Nation’ circulated this prayer yesterday, in response to the terror attack at Westminster: ‘Lord, we speak Your healing, comfort and strength to every person injured in the Westminster attack and to the relatives of all those killed. In the Name of Jesus, we declare that a spiritual watch will be increasingly established in our land, and we call the Church to a new level of watching and prayer. May God’s watchmen be positioned over the high places of our nation, over our cities, borders, streets and all high-profile locations. We declare an increase of divine connections to civil authorities in this season. God’s plans are for good and not for evil, so in the Name of Jesus we pray for God’s plans for peace, mercy and hope over and against every plan and purpose of Satan to bring fear and division into our land.’ For the full declaration, click the ‘More’ button.
Scotland’s unprecedented times and division
24 Mar 2017
Nicola Sturgeon has called for 'indyref2'; Theresa May indicated it wouldn’t happen in the time frame. Holyrood’s debate on Wednesday, with a vote scheduled for 5:30 pm to ask the UK Government to agree to a second independence referendum, was suspended after the terrorist attack outside Westminster. The debate and vote will now continue next Tuesday. The following day, Wednesday, formal 'triggering' of Article 50 will start negotiations to leave the EU. Many Scots are once again taking up the deep-rooted positions which divided communities and families during the last independence campaign. Others are confused and anxious about the future.
MSPs snubbed calls to terminate their debate on independence after the terrorist attack at Westminster. At 3.30pm Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser asked for the debate to be suspended, prompting groans from the SNP benches. His request was turned down by deputy presiding officer Linda Fabiani, who said MSPs must carry on with ‘business as usual’. An hour and 20 minutes after news of the attack emerged, presiding officer Ken Macintosh finally announced a close to the debate ‘because the events were affecting the contribution of members’ (MSPs were watching Westminster events unfold on their devices). When this happened, environment secretary Roseanna Cunningham said it was a ‘disgrace’ that Scottish business was being suspended, allegedly adding, ‘This is because you didn’t want to talk about independence.’ For a moment it looked as if something quite serious was going to kick off between the two opposing positions on the vote, but fortunately it didn’t.
Pro-life campaign v abortion bill
24 Mar 2017
Across the UK the Christian pro-life campaign, 40 Days for Life, is gaining momentum showing communities the consequences of abortion. Meanwhile Parliament is calling for the decriminalisation of abortion, without specifying any restrictions - allowing abortion up to birth, on demand, for any reason, without two doctors’ signatures. This bill should have its second reading on Friday, but the recent terrorist event, and parliamentary overload, may change this. Recently Prayer Alert readers were invited to pray about this Bill when it entered as a 10-minute rule abortion bill at its first hearing. Tragically it slipped through because it was timed to happen after the Brexit vote, when many MPs had left the house. If this bill goes through it could be passed into law. Few Bills introduced via the 10-minute rule become law, (Abortion Act 1967 was an exception). If enough people email their MPs and Theresa May (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) objecting to this bill, it will not progress beyond its second reading.
Social media v real relationships
24 Mar 2017
Social media technology is responsible for an entire industry. But how does social media affect real-life relationships? Radio took 38 years to reach one million users; TV took 13 years; Facebook added 200 million users in less than one year, demonstrating the power and growth of the uncontrollable machine that is social media. More and more people are asking the question, ‘Is it time to switch off occasionally and have a technology fast? This does not eliminate freedom, but helps people recover it.’ We live in the flesh, and an experience that happens without the flesh is not on the same level as one that happens in the flesh. For example, while chatting with a friend on social media we might type ‘hahaha’ at something funny, but that’s the best we can do. It’s much better actually to be sitting in the company of friends and having a laugh together.
Pressure on Duchess of Cambridge
24 Mar 2017
The Duchess of Cambridge was speaking at a Royal College for Obstetricians and Gynaecologists reception to launch a project about mental health in early parenthood. The educational films promote understanding of mental health for parents struggling with their infants. She spoke of the ‘pressure of being a perfect parent’ and admits experiencing lack of confidence and feelings of ignorance after becoming a mother. Even she, with all the benefits of having help at home, had found parenthood a ‘huge challenge’. She said, ‘Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. Personally, becoming a mother has also been a rewarding and wonderful experience.’
Romania needs our prayers
24 Mar 2017
A Christian in Romania writes, ‘We need prayer for President Klaus Iohannis to be strong in this time of battle against corruption. The left wing want to remove his right to nominate the general prosecutor and the director of the National Direction against Corruption. Until this time the justice representatives did their job and thousands are in prisons or attending court. The coalition majority is very corrupted. Many have committed felonies and should be in prison, but they have parliamentary immunity. Pray for those who are honest to dissociate from those corrupted and for this coalition to be dissolved. In this way we can hope for the election of a new government.’ The current law pardons politicians who commit felonies, receive bribes or offer favourable contracts for families and friends. This parliament wants to decriminalise these actions and set prisoners free. The people are demonstrating in the streets against this proposals.
Shaykh Dr Umar Al-Qadri, head imam of an educational and cultural centre in Eire, said there would be ‘a backlash’ against a new European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling allowing employers to ban staff from wearing hijabs and other religious symbols in the workplace. He was responding to the ruling on the EU directive on equal treatment in employment and occupation. A Muslim woman in Belgium had challenged a company policy prohibiting the wearing of a hijab, on grounds of discrimination. However, the ECJ ruled that an internal rule prohibiting the visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign does not constitute direct discrimination. Dr Al-Qadri said the ruling was ‘a very serious threat to the principles of tolerance, equality and religious freedom in Europe’. He warned that Islamophobia is increasing, especially in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.