There is quite a bit of turmoil in North Korea as February included several missile launches following the claimed, but strongly doubted, detonation of a hydrogen bomb as reported here last month.  The next big shock to come was the execution of army chief of staff, Ri Yong Gil. In the North, it is becoming increasingly dangerous to hold high office.  This latest execution may well generate some strong responses domestically.  All of this was followed by South Korea closing down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to the North's missile launches and the North retaliating by freezing what assets it could. Of course it is the "little people", the NK workers and the small to medium SK firms that bear the brunt of this. Here is some analysis of the situation. This, too, is causing increasing unrest in the North.  The government's typical domestic response to all of these events is increasing propaganda that increasingly falls on deaf ears and calling for greater sacrifice such as the "70 Day Battle" leading up to 7th Party Congress in May.

Internationally, North Korea is facing more difficulty as well as China cuts down on coal and other purchases from North Korea and South Korean President, Park Geun-Hye calls for reconvening the Six Party Talks with just 5 parties, excluding North Korea.

Turning away from politics, we are glad at the progress being made by Christian Friends of Korea in dealing with both the multiple drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis and the hepatitis B crises.  Another bright spot is that the Lausanne Movement is turning its focus to North Korea with a North Korea Consultation that was held at the Frontier Ventures Center (formerly US Center for World Missions) in Pasadena, CA last month. With this focus, the Movement will be raising awareness within the Global Church about North Korea, how people can minister there now--despite all the negative news--and how to prepare properly for the future (our main focus here at The Fourth River Project).  I look forward to seeing good fruit from this effort.

So, as we pray for all the problems, we also thank God for what He is doing and for all of His faithful people working on the ground.  We also pray that they be encouraged, blessed, protected and used by God for his Kingdom.

Ben Torrey

Director

The Fourth River Project, Inc.

thefourthriver.org 

We invite you to join in Praying for the Refugee Crisis this month.

This month we provide a prayer guide for praying for the refugee crisis which has received global attention.

1. An overview of the Refugee Crisis.

The refugee crisis has been a major highlight in the last year when over 1 million refugees crossed over to Europe from the war-torn areas of Syria, Iraq and from many other nations in the Middle East and Africa.

People are displaced and made refugees for many reasons, primarily due to political conflicts, war, natural calamities.

To pray effectively, we must understand the people, issues, terms and definitions involved in this crisis.

“A refugee” is defined as “a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, religious or political reasons, and natural disasters.” (The UN estimates there are over 13 million refugees worldwide.)

“Migrants” are those who “choose to leave in order to improve future prospects for themselves and their families in another country.”

“Human trafficking” is the “use of force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation” which generates billions of dollars of profit per year, second only to drug trafficking.

While this crisis has major social, political, geographical and religious implications, it is important to note that a large number of Christians are affected by this present crisis.

The Arab Spring began five years ago with a wave of protests in Arab countries, but eventually turned out to be a nightmare for Christian communities who have been living in these nations for centuries. Suddenly they have been displaced by persecution from ISIS and other extreme groups who have given them the choice to ‘‘pay the jizya (tax), convert or be killed.”

2. “Is this the end of Christianity in the Middle East?”

The above titled New York Times article highlights the genocide of Christians especially in Syria and Iraq.

Most of these Christians call themselves Assyrians, Chaldeans or Syriac, different names for a common ethnicity rooted in the Mesopotamian kingdoms that flourished between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers for thousands of years. Christianity arrived during the first century, and tradition holds that Thomas, one of the Twelve Apostles, sent Thaddeus - an early Jewish convert to Mesopotamia - to preach the gospel.

When the first Islamic armies arrived from the Arabian Peninsula during the seventh century, the Assyrian Church of the East was sending missionaries to China, India and Mongolia. The shift from Christianity to Islam happened gradually under Islamic rule; eventually Christians became subservient and had to pay the jizya, and for 1,300 years different religions thrived side by side.

The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the onset of World War I ushered in the greatest period of violence against Christians in the region.  Genocide was waged by Young Turks in the name of nationalism, not religion, and left at least two million Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks dead. Nearly all the victims were Christian. Others settled in Iraq and Syria, where they were protected by the military dictators who courted these often economically powerful minorities.

The Middle Eastern Christian population — in countries like Egypt, Israel, Palestine and Jordan — declined from 14% to roughly 4%. (In Iran and Turkey, they’re all but gone.)

In Iraq, with the fall of Saddam Hussein, Christians began to leave in large numbers and their population shrank from over 1.5 million to less than 500,000 today. (Many of them internally displaced.)

In Syria, before the civil war broke out in 2011, 10% of the population were Christians and nearly 600,000 have found themselves with no choice but to flee the country, driven out by extremist groups. Many are in refugee camps or in neighboring countries. The stories of pain and horror of those left behind and persecuted for their faith are heartbreaking. So while you read or see news clips about refugees, we must intercede for many of these Christians fleeing persecution.

The United Nations estimates the total number of Syrian refugees alone at over 3 million, and last year identified about 1.5 million Iraqi refugees.  The total displaced around the globe has reached approximately 30 million!

The refugee crisis will certainly change the face of the world. This is why intercession is very important at this time!

While the Paris terrorist attack last November highlighted the vulnerability of Europe’s cities, with extremists taking advantage of the refugee crisis, there is yet a greater window of opportunity for Christians in Europe to minister to Muslims as never before. In one media interview a TV reporter asked why these Muslim refugees are not running to other oil rich Gulf States or to Islamic nations for refuge?

Maybe they think Christian nations are more compassionate and generous, or, are they looking for an alternative to Islam?

Intercession can open hearts of genuine seekers and therefore “while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Galatians 6:12)

3. The Story of the “Refugee Bible”

Reading the Bible from “Refugee eyes” will certainly revolutionize your intercession! You will be surprised how present-day events correspond with many biblical accounts of characters who were displaced and made refugees.

• Adam’s family became the first displaced. They became migrants leaving their original dwelling for an alternative lifestyle.
• Abel was the first victim of religious persecution, and someone noted that this first religious war wiped out a quarter of the world’s future population! 
• Noah and his family were the first migrant “Boat People” ending up in Turkey (Mt. Ararat) displaced by the flood which was God’s plan of salvation!
• Abraham was a refugee in Egypt because of a famine in Canaan, and his wife was almost a victim of sexual exploitation.  The same happened to his son
• Jacob became a refugee in Syria, and Joseph was a victim of human trafficking and slavery in Egypt.
• Moses himself was a refugee in the land of Midian before he led the largest refugee migration of 3 million Israelites from Egypt in one night! Only one “Relief Agency” took care of them for 40 years! God gave them bread from heaven and water from a rock.
• David was a refugee in Philistine country running from Saul’s persecution, and Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, became a child war victim, disabled and a refugee in Lodebar.
• Naomi’s family were refugees in Moab due to a famine.
• Israel became refugees, again, as exiles for 70 years in Babylon and Persia. Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel were refugees as well.

The New Testament begins with the story of the “North African refugees.”

• Jesus and His parents were refugees in Egypt, North Africa, because of Herod’s persecution!
• The Prodigal Son became an economic migrant becoming destitute in another country.
• Many in the Early Church, including Apostles, became refugees through persecution and the Church in Antioch and many others were planted by refugees (“…those scattered”). 

So, does the Bible Understand a Refugee Crisis? Yes, it does.

4. Intercessors as Refugees 

Intercessors can learn from the refugees’ experience of being totally dependent on God. Intercession is not an option or an alternative; it is the primary source of bringing hope.

King David says, “God is our refuge” and that “He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken... my refuge is in God.” (Ps 46:1, 62:4)

Abraham chose to live in a tent (like millions of refugees today), “by faith” as an alien in the land of promise, but was “looking for the city” whose architect and builder is God (Heb 11:9).

Intercessors must guard themselves from the temptation of being overloaded with prayer requests for material needs and for earthly objectives without prioritizing the Kingdom purposes of interceding for the lost souls. Let us keep interceding for “heaven’s will” on earth that “none should perish” and that this gospel must be preached to all nations. Missions prayer must not be substituted for temporary needs.  

5. Fasting for the Refugees  

Intercessors must not only pray but also fast – the kind of fasting which Isaiah 58 introduces — which is done outside the prayer closet.

"Is this not the fast which I choose …Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into the house? When you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?”

This fasting involves intercession combined with humanitarian aid which has a promise of great spiritual breakthrough for those in spiritual darkness!

 “Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth…  

Then you will call, and the Lord will answer. You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’”

We must pray and partner with the European Christians (See links below) and help their ministry agencies as they provide relief, believing for an unprecedented spiritual breakthrough among Muslim people.

You can take an offering for the refugees or share with the relief efforts of those involved with them.

Pray for:

• Protection of refugees from dangers of travel and from being exploited.
• Pray for sufficient support and provision for the refugees and for their health.
• Remember the refugee children — the most vulnerable and exposed to danger.
• Pray for those separated from families and loved ones, for comfort from pain and trauma.
• Pray for suitable settlement in the right locations or to be resettled back in their own nation.
• Pray that churches will have a heart for the refugees and serve them and share the love of Christ and the gospel.
• Finally, let us pray that God will cause these evil wars to cease, and peace would prevail in this region.

                          “He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire…The God of Jacob is our refuge.” Psalm 46 

1. Prayer Initiative for the UAE, February 18-20

It was a blessing and joy to serve with 23 others on a large international ministry team for a national prayer initiative for the United Arab Emirates held in Dubai, February 18-20. Some were colleagues from the leadership of the IPC and others were prayer leaders and intercessors that wanted to take part. About 250 local participants representing many of the 64 churches in the Emirates took part and the local organizers were so gracious and sensitive to the work of the Spirit in our midst.

The overall theme was “Uniting in Prayer, Transforming our Nation and Region”. A larger theme that under-laid and motivated the initiative was prayer for the fulfillment of Isaiah 19 and the prophesied highway that will one day link Assyria (Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and the other nations that were once part of the Assyrian Empire), Egypt and Israel to be a “blessing on the earth” (Isaiah 19:24). The highway must first be formed as a spiritual relationship, uniting the Body of Christ across the Middle East in prayer as we heard expounded by one of our team during the initiative. Certainly the UAE is a very strategic place for His people to be and to pray together in order to contribute to the fulfillment of Isaiah 19! There are more than 8 million guest workers from up to 200 nationalities and only 1.4 million Emiratis (local Arabs). If God’s people there can unite in prayer and service, a great synergy for His Kingdom will be released that will impact the whole Middle East and beyond.

I felt from the beginning that through this prayer initiative we were sowing seeds that would spring into life, both there in the UAE while the Christian guest-workers are living and working there as well as for later on when they return to their many different countries. Other images I saw as we prayed were of God stirring a large pot that was full of different people groups being melded together, then poured out in His unique purposes. On the final day, I saw a glistening crystal fountain from which living water poured forth in all directions and felt that the Spirit was saying that the UAE could become a new Antioch for blessing the nations.

Various ministry team leaders and I led the following sessions interspersed with strong times of intercession:

Isaiah 19

Prayer and Social Transformation

Reconciliation and Identificational Repentance

Prayer and Prophetic Ministry

Children and Youth in Prayer

Prayer for the Middle East Region (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Israel and Turkey)

Conflict with Spiritual Powers

God’s Promise to the Arab World

Compassion and Humanitarian Ministry (focus on Syrian refugees)

Prayer for Revival and Renewal for the Nations

Commissioning as Intercessors

Needs that were highlighted within the UAE were the serious problems of 90% of the expats being in debt, sexual immorality and drugs. There is also an ongoing economic downturn that is causing many to lose their jobs right now.

The Lord blessed and anointed our time together. Local pastors and elders were encouraged strongly to maintain the unity of the Spirit and to work and pray together as one for the future, which they committed themselves to do. Please do pray for them to be strong and united in ongoing prayer and to carry out the unique mission He has for them with great power, love and faith. May they indeed become another Antioch that the Lord will use far beyond all we can imagine to bless the UAE, the Middle East region and the nations of the world!

2. Conferring with ministry leaders Israel, February 21-25

After the initiative in Dubai, Brian Mills, our IPC senior advisor, and I journeyed to Israel to confer with ministry leaders about a possible united prayer initiative to be held there in the future. On the one hand, it is encouraging to see all that the Lord is doing through His diverse Body of Messianic Jews, Israeli Arab Christians and Palestinian believers in the West Bank. There are many vital ministries with good numbers coming to the Lord. However, we heard from a number of ministry leaders about the lack of unity within Christ’s movement due to differences of perspective on politics and prophetic interpretations. The land continues to be a very sensitive issue and seems to be a stumbling block to real unity as believers have tended to line up with their governments rather than with one another.

We can rejoice that there are some significant efforts being made to bring Christ-followers together such as a recent consultation in Cyprus that included both Messianic Jewish and Palestinian Christian leaders to deliberate together how to move towards reconciliation. A group of pastors, both Jewish and Arab, called “Sitting at Yeshua’s feet” is going on as well as wonderful gatherings for youth that include participants from both ethnic groups. Please pray for these ministries to further develop and involve many more in the country.

If Isaiah 19 is to be fulfilled, the essential thing is to see real heart unity develop between the various niches and factions in the Body of Christ in the region. Israel occupies a central role in the creation of this spiritual highway that will bring great unity and blessing to the region and our world. Please pray with us for the effective building of a united prayer movement within Israel and the Middle East and that God will use such heart-connected prayer and action to bring about His agenda of revival and transformation to these nations.

 John Robb

IPC Chairman