USA's critical moment
06 May 2016
The United States is a nation with rich farmland, abundant resources, and a literate and educated population. It is a democratic republic with a constitution that guarantees freedom of speech. Yet the culture foundations have been eroding for decades. The systematic dismissal of God in society has led to increasing violence, rampant corruption, normalised immorality, and widespread spiritual apathy. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Ps. 11:3) We can pray. Across America, and the world, believers humbly interceded on behalf of the United States on Thursday. The USA stands at a critical moment in history. Although the vigil will have ended by the time this article is read, we can still join them and pray for Godly leaders to arise in churches, government, and society. Pray for national repentance of sin, immorality, and selfishness. Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church, bringing another Great Awakening.
India: persecution update
06 May 2016
Hindu fundamentalists vandalised a church in Chhattisgarh during the Sunday service, forcing believers to chant ‘Praise the name of God Ram’. They then captured the pastor, Deenanath, and his seven-month pregnant wife and threw gasoline on them, trying to set them ablaze before vandalising the church and burning the Bible. In another story, Meena and Sunita came to faith through a Christian radio programme and worshipped in secret, listening to broadcasts. When they were baptised and started to visit church services, persecution began. The entire village rejected them, refusing food, clothing and even right of way in the streets. They ran away after a particularly nasty incident and were chased by Hindus shouting ‘Where are they? Burn them! Burn them!’ Both sisters still live in hiding, Open Doors is assisting with necessary supplies. Pray for God to strengthen and protect Christians in many of India’s states who are experiencing intimidation and violence. Pray for indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries to minister safely and reap miraculous results.
Africa: droughts
06 May 2016
Zimbabwe’s ten national parks are famed for their huge populations of elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and buffaloes; but on Tuesday they put their wild animals up for sale to save them from a devastating drought. The Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said, ‘Members of the public with the capacity to acquire and manage wildlife - and enough land to hold the animals - should get in touch to register an interest.’ The drought is expected to worsen an already critical water shortage. Further north, Ethiopia is in the midst of the worst drought in fifty years, affecting over half of the country’s 750 districts. Earlier this month, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs called Ethiopia’s condition ‘a deteriorated humanitarian situation’. Ethiopia is a victim of land degradation, due to increased use of unsustainable agricultural practices. Grazing animals and firewood collection haven’t helped, causing decreased protection against erosion with soil easily washed away. See also
Brazil: Summer Olympics preparations
06 May 2016
International Olympic Committee officials say preparations for the Olympic Games are the ‘worst ever’. The situation is critical on the ground, there is no plan B and they are not ready in many, many ways.The latest warning is all the more significant for coming from inside the IOC. The work has been troubled by construction delays and mass protests. The unwieldy relationships between the city, state and national governments and the ambitious nature of the plans have caused delays and discord. There are also ‘social issues that need addressing’. Hosting the Olympics was designed to showcase Brazil's confidence as one of the fastest growing world economies and turbocharge long-overdue improvement to the city's infrastructure. But negative headlines about the readiness of facilities has dented confidence in its ability to deliver.
Small but Mighty
05 May 2016
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.' (Isaiah 60: 22)
God uses children to change nations. No one is too small or insignificant in his eyes! The Bible is full of children used by God and children who've overcome the odds to become great men and women of God.
Today, children are born into situations of great risk of abuse, trafficking, disease, disaster, early death – yet are being used by God to share his love and to change society.
Let's empower the children in our churches to lead us in prayer.
Let's make them more visible and listen to them.
The 2016 World Weekend of Prayer for children at risk campaign on 4-5 June has the theme: "Small but mighty".
Our desire is to turn to God together in prayer for a change of attitude and action by all communities around the world towards their children.
We're calling on Christians wherever they are that weekend to join us in praying that:
- Children who feel neglected and forgotten would experience lasting change in their lives, receiving genuine love and compassion.
- God would turn around the thoughts and actions of those adults who look down on, ignore or even despise children.
- Child leaders would be raised up and anointed as ambassadors for Christ: committed in prayer, selfless in action and spiritual in their decisions.
We would love for World Prayer Centre to stand with us that weekend and be part of this global prayer campaign.
Would you be able to promote the event through your member/supporter networks, on your website, email communications or through social media?
Go to www.worldweekendofprayer.com to find resources for download, including a resource guide, plus activities, a study series, a song and a prayer diary. Our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/WWPrayer.
Thy Kingdom Come Resources
05 May 2016
We are so excited by the participation in 'Thy Kingdom Come' with 10's of thousands of people already involved and daily more congregations are joining this great wave of prayer for the evangelisation of our nation. Thank you for all you have done to enthuse churches about this week of prayer.
Emails have been flowing in from far and wide, from parishes across a range of traditions and a variety of locations, from urban town centres to rural parishes, from the centre of England to the USA, from Bermuda to Brussels and Israel they are joining with us to hold prayer and Beacon Events.
Many tell us they plan to host continuous prayer, from 12-1 to 24-7, often partnering with others in their deanery and other denominations in their area. We are also most encouraged to hear of a huge number of special prayer services, prayer walking events, and prayer stations, to name but a few.
We are delighted to share with you the invitational video for the Archbishop Canterbury: https://youtu.be/RJt4DrKhwv4
There has been considerable uptake of the Novena prayer booklet and the 'Pray for 5' leather bands (indeed we have sold out of the leather bands and are having to order more!).
Tickets for the Beacon events over Pentecost weekend are going fast – indeed, Canterbury and Durham Cathedrals have no more tickets but Canterbury will live-stream the service over the internet. In Winchester, where all tickets went in a matter of weeks, screens are being erected outside the Cathedral to allow an additional 2,000 people to participate. These tickets along with a few for Coventry and St Michael Le Belfrey are available – please grab them before it is too late at http://thykingdom.co.uk/beacon-events.
Resources are available to use for the week of prayer. You can download PDF's below:
Resource book A5 Young persons resource book A5
Resource book A6 Young persons resource book A6
We do ask that you continue to hold Thy Kingdom Come in prayer and encourage all to think about how they can take part. There is still time.
Source: Thy Kingdom Come
The goal is to have from four to seven tribes represented at this gathering: the Apache, Hopi, Paiute, Zuni, Ute, Arapahoe, and Northern Cheyenne. The leaders who invited them to come expressed grave concern about people in their tribe who were attempting to draw their people back into traditional religious belief systems, so he asked if that was one area we might focus on.
Some of the issues among others that are expected to be dealt with are the Native Psychological Dilemma, Host People and Redeeming the Land, Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Mapping, SWAT Training (basic principles and tools needed to carry out prophetic prayer initiatives), Ministry of Intercession, Deliverance Ministry Team Training, Ministry of Inner Healing, and Spiritual Gifts.
Ivan and Linda Doxtator from First Nations Counseling Ministries will be doing the training. For more information about attending, please contact Pete Belon 505 6864020.
Please pray for His strong anointing on the Doxtators and all those who take part. Pray for the development of a united prayer movement among the Native peoples of the USA. They are crucial for the deliverance and transformation of America.
The success of the Lesbian Gay Bi-Sexual Transgender (LGBT) rampage continues. Simply put, we live in an era that has ushered in the end of religious freedom in favor of "gay rights." Any resistance to redefining the nation by a sexual perversion is considered an affront, resulting in the silencing of any Christian belief.
The current battles have moved from same-sex "marriage" to the letter T in LGBT - Transgenderism. While homosexuals comprise only a small percentage of the population, transgenders are less than .01% of the population. To be a member of the "oppressed transgender minority," one need only to self-identify. What follows is the "right" to enter the bathroom of your choice. Any disagreement is considered discriminatory and bigotry.
Note that:
- Two states have passed have passed religious freedom legislation only to have the legislation vetoed by their governors (Georgia, South Dakota).
- The Federal Government has forced one school district to comply with transgender demands (Illinois). This is just the start.
- One state passed "religious freedom" legislation, then amended the bill into a "gay rights" law (Indiana).
- One state has maintained its "bathroom bill" (North Carolina) but is now being threatened by the federal government with the defunding of several programs.
- One city overturned its "bathroom bill" (Houston).
- Only one state has enacted and maintained its "freedom of religion" bill (Mississippi).
The following are the highlights of the transgender agenda.
Bruce Jenner: Win for the Transgender Community
April 2015 Bruce Jenner, a 65 year old male who has been married 3 times and who has fathered 6 children, declares himself a woman. Jenner, who won the decathlon Gold Medal in the 1976 Olympics, appeared on the cover of Vogue Magazine under the title "Call Me Caitlyn."
Outcome: Jenner was praised for his "transition" and received ESPN's Arthur Ash Award for Courage.
Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act,
Complete Turn-Around: Now a "gay rights" law
July 2015 Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act was legislation passed by the state legislature to allow Christians the "free exercise of religion" and to protect citizens against being "substantially burdened as a defense in legal proceedings."
Outcome: After a horrendous outcry from national and international businesses and athletic organizations, the legislation was amended, making it an anti-discrimination law favoring the LGBT community. In other words, a complete turnaround occurred from the law's original intent.
Houston Equal Rights Ordinance
Rejected by Voters After Being Labeled the "Bathroom Bill"
November 3, 2015 Dallas TX overwhelmingly rejected the city's ordinance allowing men in women's bathrooms (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance). Houston's City Council passed the legislation spearheaded by lesbian Mayor Annise Parker. The locals forced the City to place it on the ballet but only after a Texas Supreme Court mandate.
Outcome: Win for the Community. However, Houston is now being threatened by such efforts as a call to rescind the NFL Super Bowl which is scheduled to be played there in 2017.
Palatine Township High School
Forced by the Federal Government to Accommodate a 12 year old
Boy in the Girl's Shower
December 3, 2015 Palatine Township High School, a Chicago School District, had a Civil Rights Discrimination lawsuit filed against it demanding that a 12 year old transgender boy be allowed in the girl's locker rooms.
Outcome: Win for the Transgender
The Obama Administration, misrepresenting Title IX federal funding designed to insure the inclusion of girls in sports, interpreted the law as addressing gender discrimination and forced the school district to acquiesce. Non-compliance would have resulted in the withdrawal of millions of federal dollars that fund athletic programs. The school board had proposed a number of different measures as compromise solutions. All were refused. The boy is allowed in the girls' locker room despite overwhelming objection from the community. In a school district of 12,000 students, the Obama administration has forced the accommodation of one very disturbed 12 year old boy.
New Mexico Legislation is Introduced to Protect Religious Freedom
January 2016 Religious Freedom Legislation was introduced to "prevent discriminatory action by a person or a government agency in response to a person's free exercise of religion."
Outcome: The legislation was vehemently attacked by Santa Fe's homosexual mayor, Javier Gonzales, and the house minority leader, Brian Egolf. It was not placed on the legislative agenda and was not debated.
South Dakota's Bill Vetoed by Governor
March 1, 2016 The Governor of South Dakota, Dennis Daugaard, vetoed a bathroom bill passed by the Senate that would have required biologically-defined sex to determine bathrooms usage.
Outcome: The governor, wishing to avoid an economic backlash, caved to the transgender agenda.
North Carolina Passes a "Bathroom Bill"
Disallowing Charlotte's Ordinance to Allow Transgenders in Bathrooms
On March 23, 2016 North Carolina's Governor Pat McCrory signed into law a "Bathroom Bill" that negates Charlotte's February 20, 2016, bill that would have allowed transgenders into women's bathrooms.
Outcome: An enormous economic backlash has occurred with a reported 120 companies opposing the measure including PayPal, which cancelled a $3.6 million call center employing 400 people in Charlotte. Popular rock star Bruce Springsteen announced he'd canceled a concert in the state.
Georgia's Governor Vetoes Legislature's "Religious Freedom"
March 28, 2016 Under tremendous economic pressure, Georgia's Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the state's "Religious Freedom" legislation. The law would have protected pastors and religious nonprofits that didn't want to participate in same-sex marriage, while including modest protections for individuals and businesses.
Outcome: The State Legislators are considering calling a special session to override the governor's veto.
Mississippi Allows Churches, Businesses to Decline Services that
Violate Religious Beliefs
April 5, 2016 Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed into law legislation that allows churches, religious charities and privately held businesses to decline services to people if doing so would violate their religious beliefs on marriage and gender.
Outcome: The state's Attorney General has refused to defend the law, an impeachable offense. The backlash has just begun.
In addition to New Mexico, states that have considered legislation have been Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee and Wisconsin.
The New Mexico Watchman
Please pray that the American people and especially the Christians will boldly stand up for public righteousness and for the preservation of our religious freedom.