Israel: attack in Tel Aviv
10 Jun 2016
Two Palestinian gunmen dressed in suits opened fire at passers-by near the Benedict restaurant at the Sarona Market food and retail centre on Wednesday night. Police have captured the attackers, both from the same Hebron family. Following the shooting, and after security consultations overseen by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the military rescinded 83,000 permits issued to Palestinians from the West Bank to visit relatives in Israel during Ramadan. Such measures in the past have led to increased tension with the Palestinians. After the Tel Aviv attack, in which four Israelis were killed and six wounded, fireworks were set off in the West Bank and people sang, chanted and waved flags. Hamas called it ‘the first prophecy of Ramadan’ and said the location of the attack, across the road from Israel's fortified Defence Ministry, indicated that the uprising continues. During recent waves of violence, Israel has criticised Palestinian factions for inciting attacks and not doing enough to quell them.
North Korea: pastor killed
10 Jun 2016
In May it was reported that Pastor Han Chung-Ryeol, 49, was brutally murdered on April 30, in Changbai, China. He pastored a Three-Self Church near the North Korean border, and helped countless North Koreans come to know Christ. He leaves behind a wife, a son and a daughter. He is believed to have been killed by North Koreans, who probably returned home after the attack. In February, their government issued an order for Pastor Han to be kidnapped, brought to North Korea and interrogated. Despite the threat, Pastor Han continued his work. Since planting his church in 1993, he had helped orphans, sex-trafficked women, soldiers and the famine-starved, among others. North Koreans often said they could ‘see his heart,’ which helped them trust him as he nurtured them spiritually. Ask God to replace this lovely man with thousands more to carry on the work he and others are doing for North Korean refugees.
Niger: first weekend of Ramadan
10 Jun 2016
Many Christians will be praying for Muslims, using the Prayercast Ramadan Challenge as a resource. Muslims’ pursuit of God is in vain without Jesus Christ. The spiritual condition of Muslims in Niger is dry. We can pray for focused efforts to evangelise those under the age of fifteen (half the population); pray for speed and accuracy for those translating Scriptures for barely reached people groups, and for a visible Christian presence in their societies. Pray for peace among struggling believers who feel isolated. Niger was under military rule for thirty-one years; violent coups and bloody political infighting have finally unfolded into a fledgling democracy, but slavery is still practised in isolated areas of the country. Children are trafficked for labour in gold mines, sexual exploitation, and begging. Women are abducted and sold and young boys are kidnapped for work in stone quarries. A land dispute with Libya remains unresolved and triggers spasmodic acts of violence.
World: commitment to Bible translation
10 Jun 2016
One in seven people do not have the full Bible available in their native language. But there are many Christians whose mission it is to change that statistic by 2025. For example, United Bible Societies recently brought together 450 worldwide Christian leaders in Philadelphia for their world assembly, which occurs once every six years. American Bible Society members hosted the event during that organisation's 200th year. The assembly included representatives from 147 Bible societies working in more than 200 countries and territories. ‘We saw the Holy Spirit at work in so many ways, especially through patterns of praise, unity, generosity and urgency toward the singular mission and shared vision of the Bible,’ said American Bible Society's managing director of communications. He said that various Bible translation organisations have agreed to form new partnerships, and believes that they will make great strides in the next ten years in translating and distributing at least some portions of scripture to the 1,800 people groups still waiting.
Australia: federal elections and the Church
10 Jun 2016
Australians are asking us to pray with them for justice in the Church. Their election prayer diary for this week says, ‘Let us pray for justice to be manifested in the Church. Let us repent of our prayerlessness for those in government, and for the times we have judged and criticised them, instead of praying. Pray that the Church will be faithful in praying for all members of parliament and their advisors, taking the time to find out the policies and intentions of those in their own constituencies standing for parliament. Ask the Lord to grant His grace and favour to those who would stand up for justice and truth, that they may be elected.’
Israelis encouraged to study the Bible
03 Jun 2016
Israel is currently taking positive steps to teach people God’s Scriptures on a national level. The programme, called ‘929 studying the Bible together’, was launched in December 2014 and will end on Israel’s 70th birthday, 19 April 2018. The daily Bible readings of one chapter per day run from Sunday to Thursday. There are 929 chapters in the Hebrew Bible. 93% of Israelis own a Bible, but only a minority have ever read it. It is expected that one million Jews will participate - studying in schools or educational institutions, or using social media, TV, smart phones, radio and internet, with a variety of commentaries to promote discussion. Hebrew Scriptures follow a different order from English Bibles. On 12 and 13 June (Pentecost in the Hebrew calendar) they will read of the Messiah in Isaiah 52 and 53 (not normally read in annual synagogue readings and remaining largely hidden). See also
Fleeing from terrorists, finding Jesus
03 Jun 2016
Nouh, a young Iraqi boy, said, ‘I used to be scared of Daesh but Jesus filled my heart with joy and peace.’ He came to faith in Christ after his family were forced to flee from IS. Though his family were of Christian heritage, they didn’t know Jesus personally. Nouh said that when IS seized control of his home town, he was ‘very afraid that they would kill us because we heard they killed many people’. His family, like thousands of other Iraqi Christians, fled to Lebanon where they were welcomed and supported by a local church. ‘We got introduced to many people who love Jesus Christ.’ Despite all that Nouh and his family have suffered and lost, he said, ‘I am very happy that I came to Lebanon and learned about Jesus. Now I know that Jesus takes care of all the details in my life.’
Europe: floods and climate change
03 Jun 2016
The European Environment Agency reports, ‘Temperatures are rising, rainfall patterns are shifting, glaciers and snow are melting, and the global mean sea level is rising. These changes are expected to continue, and extreme weather events such as floods and droughts will become more frequent and intense.’ This week torrential rain has hit several countries. On Wednesday five people died in floods in France and Germany. Dozens of towns have been inundated and people have been saved by helicopter. Residences, schools and a retirement home were evacuated in Montargis, south of Paris. In Germany, near the Austrian border, firefighters and other emergency services were dispatched to inundated towns. The national weather service said France had endured the wettest month of May since records began. Forecasters say waters are expected to keep rising for several days. See also