Eleven members of one of Iran's largest evangelical house church movements, who were charged with ‘action against the order of the country’ and drinking alcohol, have been acquitted by an Iranian court. The charges referred to their involvement in a house church meeting and to taking communion wine, Iranian Christians said earlier. Following their arrests in April, the members of the Church of Iran were brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal in Bandar-Anzali ‘for a rushed hearing where their lawyer, Mr. Seyyed Mohammed-Ali Dadkhah, hastily drafted a statement in their defence,’ said Britain-based advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide. In a written verdict issued in mid-May, the court ruled that since the eleven claimed to be conducting a Christian ceremony, their activities were covered by Article 13 of the Iranian Constitution, which allows Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians to ‘perform their religious rites and ceremonies, and to act according to their own canon in matters of personal affairs and religious education’.

Praise: God for the release of these 11 believers and pray that others still incarcerated would be released. (Ps.136:24)

More: http://www.worthynews.com/10247-iran-court-acquits-11-evangelical-christians

Ten years ago a young Muslim girl dreamt she saw Jesus coming towards her with a necklace. He hung it around her neck. She looked down and saw a cross with the number 10 in the heart. She didn't know what it meant but from that moment on she knew that Jesus existed. She explored Christianity through a psychology course in university and found a church in her city where she got to know Christ. She now has a Christian husband, but it’s too dangerous for them to go to normal church because they converted from Islam. So today, 10 years after the dream, they are teaching other secret Believers in their house group. She says, ‘It isn't easy being a Christian in Iran, but I think this is what Jesus wanted to say to me with the '10' - that in 10 years I would be here, knowing Him and being together with others who also know Him’

Praise: God for the many stories we are hearing of Muslims meeting Jesus through dreams and visions across the nations where evangelism is forbidden. (Joel 2:28)

More: http://www.breakingchristiannews.com/articles/display_art.html?ID=12583

‘Every time I visit the Arctic the people ask me, ‘When will we have the complete Bible?’ Now their question can finally be answered,’ says Hart Wiens, director of Scripture translations at the Canadian Bible Society. On June 3, in Iqaluit, the capital of the Nunavut territory, milestones were celebrated as a new cathedral was dedicated, two new bishops were consecrated and God’s Word was celebrated. On this brisk, sunny day the Inuit people finally received what they had eagerly awaited for - The Inuktitut Bible - an entire translation to their own tongue! Inuktitut, the language of Inuit people, is the most widely spoken aboriginal language Arctic. This historic undertaking marks the first Canadian translation of the whole Bible completed entirely by native speakers rather than missionaries. The Inuktitut Bible is also the first full translation produced in Canada using the cutting edge computer software tools distributed and supported by the Canadian Bible Society..

Praise: God for the gift of His Word. (Ps.147:1)

More: http://www.unitedbiblesocieties.org/news/1764-inuit-people-celebrate-arrival-of-their-bible/

Following last weeks Prayer Alert item highlighting a conference for Christian doctors on June 11-12, this Praise INSIGHT provides some of the stories of miracles that Christian doctors have seen over recent years. Many of the medics pray for their patients as well as giving medical treatments and some related stories of seeing Christian prayer heal their patients. A Philippines-born doctor spoke of a Korean Christian called Deacon Han diagnosed with gastric cancer following an endoscopic study. He was told that he should undergo an operation for gastric cancer, but he didn’t because he had a belief in God. Han then travelled to the Manmin Central Church in Seoul where he received prayer for his sickness. From that moment, he gained weight and was healed. For more encouraging stories of miraculous healings click the info button and see:

Praise: God for miracles beyond normal medical expectations.

Info: http://www.prayer-alert.net/info/praisestories1.pdf

The Muslim world is complex. But from the teeming cities of Southeast Asia to the tribal villages of Central Africa to the arid deserts of the Middle East, there is a common denominator in how God is working to draw people to Himself. Mission organization Pioneers launched a video series that tells the story of what indigenous church planting looks like in the Muslim world. The first one is about a city in Indonesia where small groups of Muslim seekers and new believers are gathering to study the Bible, pray and then put their faith in action. In the face of persecution, spiritual warfare and poverty, Jesus is building His church.

Praise: God that His Church continues to grow despite the difficulties. (2Th.2:14)

More: http://www.pioneers.org/multiply/indonesia.aspx

More than 100,000 Indonesians prayed on Thursday night at the Jakarta National Stadium, while believers in 378 other Indonesian cities prayed at the same time in their homes and churches around television screens via CBN Indonesia who screened the event. ‘More than 2.5 million Indonesians cried out to God to send His Holy Spirit to the nation,’ said Dr Bambang Widjaya of World Prayer Assembly. The prayer rally of leaders from various denominations and global ministries called for greater unity among churches. ‘There is tremendous power in unity,’said Enoch Adeboye pastor of Redeemed Christian Church of God. It's that unity that organizers say will bring lasting spiritual change to the country. Cindy Jacobs from Generals International said, ‘God gave me a prophetic word that as a result of this there is going to be a new missions movement start that would literally go to every tongue, tribe and kindred.’

Praise: God for the new life birthed in Indonesia last week; may unity in prayer and mission grow across the nations.(Mt.24:14)

More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2012/May/Indonesia-Believers-Cry-Out-to-God-in-Historic-Rally/

A six hour Hindi film, ‘Christayan’ (the journey of Christ) was released in Indore Madhya Pradesh in early December. It was directed by Father George, a Catholic priest, who worked seven years on it with a team of 200 amateur actors, scientists, technical staff, professors, doctors, teachers, social activists, farmers, atheists, students, media persons, priests and religious sisters. They visited 10 states including the north-eastern part of India. Ankit Sharma, a Hindu young man, acted as Jesus. Over 80% of the team were ‘friends of Jesus’. ‘Christayan’ has an eastern flavor with Indian socio-cultural backgrounds and aesthetics interwoven with various genres of Indian music by some of the best Asian singers and musicians of our time. Father George wrote the script, lyrics and also supervised makeup and costumes. He was a missionary in the interior villages of the state, and believes ‘Jesus, the living and loving God, is present with us and within us.’

Praise: God for this film; may it spread throughout India. May peoples' spiritual eyes be opened to see Jesus the Son of the Living God. (Ps.24:5)

More: http://persecutedchurch.info/2012/12/05/six-hour-long-hindi-film-on-jesus-released/

A few years ago journalist Lee Grady interviewed two people who had seen biblical-style resurrection during an evangelistic meeting in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Jyothi Pothabathula was two years old when she collapsed on the bus. The little girl had no history of illness, but she suddenly stopped breathing. The girl’s mother, Nagamani, began desperately praying for God to save her baby. The girl’s father, Suribabu, carried Jyothi’s lifeless body to Harry Gomes, an evangelist on campaign in the city. Immediately after he prayed for her, they said, Jyothi sat up and then began walking. ‘I know Jesus is a great God because he raised my daughter to life,’ Suribabu said, wiping away tears. His brother and two more of his Hindu family members converted to Jesus after they heard the story and saw the revived girl.

Praise: God for His healing power and living testimony. (Jn.16:2)

More: http://brendanwitton.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/j-lee-grady-the-lazarus-factor/