Prayer Alert News: UK, Europe, and Worldwide

Dear Ron,

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made. All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (Psalm 145:1-3)

We are pleased to enclose this week`s edition of Prayer Alert with sincere apologies for the late arrival.

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Thank you again for standing with us in prayer over the nations.

David Fletcher – For the Prayer Alert Team

Praising God with 60,000 live worshippers

So far, more than 60,000 people worldwide have watched a one-hour Instagram live video that begins daily at midnight for people to praise God, tagged as the #HallelujahChallenge. Nigerian gospel artist Nathaniel Bassey began hosting the session on 1 June to just over a thousand people, urging Christians to join him in worship for a month. Helped by the promotion of numerous popular Nigerian artists, Bassey (who describes himself on his Twitter page as an ‘authentic Jesus lover’) tweeted, ‘It is a revival and a revolution. JESUS is in charge!’ It is thought to be the most widely-circulated praise and worship movement on social media. Bassey said, ‘The Challenge is a mandate from God, and I am just a vessel. Beyond all the miracles and testimonies, God is doing something eternal – something that will outlive generations.’

Praise:

God for the people lifting up their voices in unity to open the gates of heaven. (2 Chronicles 6:41)

Harvest America 2017

Harvest America 2017 was an evangelistic event broadcast live on the Internet with updates posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This event, similar to a Billy Graham crusade, used the latest media platforms to give a very straightforward presentation of the gospel. At 5 pm on 11 June Pastor Greg Laurie delivered a gospel message via live satellite from the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. Artists joining him for the free one-day event included ‘The Voice’ sensation Brennley Brown, ‘American Idol’ winner Jordin Sparks and CCM artists NEEDTOBREATHE, MercyMe, Trip Lee and Phil Wickham. There were 38,000 in the stadium, and 2,904 made decisions for Christ. Also, people across the country invited friends into their homes to watch it and then prayed with them. Last year it live-streamed to over 7,200 locations and drew 357,000 participants, with 25,000 people coming to faith.

Praise:

God for this wave of evangelism being poured out over the internet. No matter where they are, no one is beyond the reach of God. (Ephesians 2:8)

Friday Focus: pray for five people we meet

The believers in Acts 12 prayed ‘earnestly’ for Peter who was in prison, but when they heard he’d miraculously escaped, they responded ‘You’re out of your mind’! Let’s pray for opportunities to share Jesus with the people we’ll meet today and in our daily lives. (written by Lucy Olofinjana, Evangelical Alliance)

Pray:

Our God and Father, we thank you that You already know the people we will meet each day. Help us to pray daily for opportunities to share Jesus with those we encounter. Grow our faith so that we pray with expectation, having our eyes and hearts open, and let’s expect God to move. (Acts 12:5-17)

Fire at London tower block

Rescuers do not expect further survivors in the block of flats engulfed by fire on 14-15 June. At the time of writing 17 are confirmed dead, and there are ‘unknown numbers’ of people in the smouldering ruins of Grenfell Tower, Kensington. Pray for the friends and relatives desperately seeking news of the missing. Thirty people remain in hospital; pray for God to be with the nurses, doctors, clinicians and families of the patients. Tributes are being paid to the bravery of the emergency services and members of the public who assisted. Pray for those suffering from trauma to receive appropriate care – particularly those who had to watch while others burned in the inferno. There has been an overwhelmingly generous response to the tragedy – see also. It is too early to speculate what caused the fire or contributed to its spread, but health, safety and fire prevention concerns had been raised by residents. Pray for the forthcoming investigations.

Pray:

for short-term and long-term provisions for the homeless, giving thanks for the many people from different faith backgrounds who are looking after them. (Isaiah 58:7)

Lord, have mercy on London

The fire that tore through Grenfell Tower brings us to our knees, as we cry out to the Lord. People in London and across the nation are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our hearts go out to all who have lost family, friends, homes and belongings, and to those who have been injured, both physically and psychologically. We lift them up before the Lord in prayer. We praise God for our emergency services and their selfless response to the situation, and continue to pray as they look after the injured and homeless. London City Mission is working with the Message Trust at Latymer Community Church, and its missionaries are praying and giving comfort to those who have lost so much and providing essential toiletries, clothes and food. Please pray for wisdom for those on the ground who are coordinating response efforts and support.

Pray:

for God’s provision for those who have lost so much, for Holy Spirit-inspired initiatives to be birthed at this time, and for His people to bring these initiatives to fruition. (Jeremiah 33:9)

PM meets five Northern Ireland parties

On 15 June the five main Stormont parties (DUP, Sinn Féin, UUP, Alliance and SDLP) met individually with Theresa May. These talks are attempting to restore devolution at Stormont before the 29 June deadline. There is little time left to reach a deal, as local parties attempt to take control of their future. Sinn Féin MP Elisha McCallion is concerned about the Government’s neutrality, saying Mrs May and DUP leader Arlene Foster are ‘two sides of the same coin’. Mrs May had previously talked with the DUP about its support for her minority government. In a Government reshuffle, Damian Green has become the first secretary of state, and is expected to play a crucial role in the Brexit negotiations. He favours a soft Brexit, as does Mrs Foster. See also the Europe article on German media projection, and here

Pray:

for God to give our political leaders His vision for the United Kingdom. (Psalm 3:8)

After the election: it’s time to pray

On 12 June Peter Horrobin of Ellel said that the UK has emerged from its most extraordinary election in living memory, at the same time as terrorist attacks on Manchester and London took lives in the name of Allah and scarred the lives of many hundreds caught up in the events. As media and politicians discuss the past few weeks, it is time for God’s people to pray for their nation and seek His face afresh for how to respond in the face of chaos, fear and spiritual darkness. It is time to make a stand against moral confusion and false religion. It is time to pray earnestly for our Christians in parliament: Tim Farron has stepped down as Lib Dem leader, after repeated questions over his faith. It is time to pray for Christian voices to command the respect of our leaders in commerce and industry, as investigations begin into the Grenfell Tower fire.

Pray:

for God to raise up fearless prophets and evangelists, and give them a platform for their voices to be heard in every area where the United Kingdom is in spiritual darkness and chaos. (Amos 3:8)

Scotland: pray blessing and healing

The Pray for Scotland newsletter reminds us to focus on seeking God’s perspective on what is happening to and within the UK, ignoring media chatter, and to ‘be still’ and hear from the One who holds the destiny and future of nations in His hands. We must keep praying for God to bless our Government as it enters the uncharted waters of Brexit. Pray for a time of calm reflection, and above all pray for God to heal the divisions there undoubtedly are in Scotland and throughout the UK. Psalm 60:2 reads, ‘You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fractures, for it is quaking’. So we need to pray that Father God will indeed ‘seal the cracks’ in whatever way he chooses to make that happen. Some politicians may have to change their attitudes to one of greater co-operation for the good of the nation – whatever it takes.

Pray:

for political leaders, facing many serious decisions, to have the courage to lay aside their individual / party agendas and work together for the wellbeing and good of all. (Psalm 46:1)

Queen’s Speech on 21 June

Theresa May is pressing ahead with holding a Queen’s Speech to set out her plans for government, while negotiations continue with the Democratic Unionist Party about the nature of its support for her minority government. A senior Conservative source said that there was broad agreement with the DUP on the principles of the Queen’s speech, but there is as yet no formal ‘confidence and supply’ deal which would tie the DUP into backing the government on key pieces of legislation. The four areas of agreement are strengthening the union; combating terrorism; delivering Brexit; and delivering prosperity across the whole country. However, some aspects of the Conservative manifesto, including scrapping free school lunches, expanding grammar schools, and means-testing winter fuel allowance for pensioners appear unlikely to be included.

Pray:

for God to be in the midst of all agreements between the Conservatives and the DUP. (Jeremiah 29:11)

German media: a soft Brexit ?

Senior figures in Europe have been pondering how the result of Theresa May’s election gamble will affect the Brexit negotiations. The newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung said that the European Commission views the election result as a sign that most Brits don’t desire a ‘hard exit’ from the EU. The European Commissioner, Günther Oettinger, has reportedly said that it may now be possible to discuss ‘closer relations’ between the UK and the EU than Mrs May had originally planned. However Wycombe MP Steve Baker, a committed Christian and one of the most vocal Eurosceptic Tory MPs, was moved in the cabinet reshuffle to an important role in the Brexit department. The choice of Mr Baker is likely to anger those hoping the election result would force Mrs May to adopt a more conciliatory tone on Brexit and drop threats to leave the EU without a trade deal. See also

Pray:

for Steve Baker and all involved in negotiating and advising in Brexit talks to have a rich anointing from God. May they speak and act according to His direction and purposes for the nations. (Deut. 6:24)

Brexit negotiations: who to pray for

EU institutions playing a significant role in the Brexit negotiations are: a) the European Council,which defines the general political direction and priorities of the EU and consists of the heads of state or government of member states, together with the President of the European Commission. b) the Council of the EU, which represents member states’ governments. That is where ministers from EU countries meet to adopt laws and coordinate policies. They play a key role in negotiating and approving EU legislation and international agreements; c) the European Commission, the only institution with the authority to initiate legislation in most areas. It draws on input from a variety of other bodies; d) the European Parliament, comprising 751 MEPs elected by citizens of the 28 member states. Its role is to scrutinise, amend and vote on legislation.

Pray:

for God to be with all these EU bodies, as they prepare for next week’s meetings in Brussels which will launch the Brexit negotiations. (Job 8:6)

Egypt: unreached gypsies

Between 9 and 16 June, as part of a Ramadan prayer focus, approximately one million people prayed for the Domari people. There is great expectation that God will do amazing things in this season! In recent years workers have seen some breakthrough, with individuals coming to faith. But whole tribes need to be transformed to worship Jesus Christ. They are originally from Northern India, as are the Roma in Eastern Europe. Domari moved to Asia between 700 and 1000 years ago; but wherever in the world they settle, they are known for the same type of things. The enemy has corrupted all that God has created them to be, but we know that they can be so much more. Instead of sorcery, may they be called to prophecy and receiving revelation from God: instead of immorality and prostitution, may they experience deep intimacy with God. See also

Pray:

for Bible translations, gospel recordings, Christian radio broadcasts and the Jesus film to be available in the Domari language, and for God to raise up evangelists amongst this people group. (Romans 10:14)

Afghanistan: prayer requests

A missionary reports that the Afghan government is demanding that NGOs write more and more reports. For Bible translators, this means more bureaucracy and finding new ways through changes and confusion. They ask us to pray for wisdom for them as they deal with this situation that could drastically affect their ministry. Also, a project for school-children in a major area is undergoing massive changes. Pray for the right strategy and plans for the coming year and for new donors for all their projects, especially in the west of the country. Please pray for a Finnish lady, who is being held captive, to be released unharmed soon. It seems the country is being torn from all sides, and there are increasingly more incidents where the government’s fragile unity is showing cracks. For the recent PA article about a warlord joining the government, see also

Pray:

for God to bring to light all schemes and tricks of those working for the downfall of the country, and for the misleading forms of religion to give way to the only one God. (Isaiah 5:20)

Israel: Palestinian children taught hatred

Dr Daphne Burdman, a psychiatrist, pathologist and lieutenant colonel in the US army, says that in both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas-ruled Gaza, there are carefully planned and widespread campaigns to incite children to hatred. This process of incitement has had totally inadequate coverage in the international media, and these deeply ‘successful’ programmes – based on both old and new techniques of persuasion and indoctrination – are being ignored by the west. There is mounting evidence that some techniques are similar to, and been inspired by, those used by totalitarian regimes such as the Soviet KGB and Chinese intelligence services. This incitement of Palestinian children has led to widespread hatred and a propensity for violence among them. Palestinian leaders urge them to carry out violent acts against Israelis, even though they are likely to be wounded or killed. They are promised that they will become martyrs.

Pray:

for God to raise up people who will remove teaching rooted in misleading cultural beliefs and aggressive psychological mechanisms linked to Palestinian nationalism. (Psalm 68:1)

Canada: children could be removed from non-LGBT homes

Pro-family advocates are in an uproar over a newly-passed bill which allows the government to take children away from parents who don’t support the LGBT ideology. The bill replaces the Child and Family Services Act which covered child protection, adoption and foster care services. While the old act allowed parents to direct their child’s education and religious upbringing, Bill 89 does not take into account the religious faith in which parents will bring up their child. Jack Fonseca, senior political strategist for Campaign for Life Coalition, urged Christian parents to resist the bill and to ask their religious leaders to stand up for the protection of parental rights.

Pray:

for the pro-family groups to have their demands acted upon by parliament, so that this area of parental authority is placed back into the hands of the parents. (Proverbs 21:15)

Global: storms, floods, mudslides, fires, hurricanes

On 8 June Cape Town, South Africa suffered its worst storm in thirty years. 10,000 people were evacuated, and the military helped to battle multiple blazes which destroyed dozens of homes and damaged a hospital and school. Twenty suburbs were damaged by spreading fires, and whole towns were evacuated. On 14 June severe storms brought down trees and power lines and dumped heavy rain, hail and tornadoes on America’s plains. These violent storms are now spreading across the Midwest, with damaging winds and isolated tornadoes. The Chicago area has had flooding and power lines down. In Bangladesh over twelve inches of rain have fallen between 12 and 15 June, triggering deadly mudslides that have killed 147 so far. The north Indian province of Mizoram (predominantly Christian) has suffered the worst floods in living memory, with much damage and many deaths. June marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, and forecasters predict tropical systems forming in southwest Gulf of Mexico from 19 July. See also

Pray:

for those needing food, shelter and medical aid; for those mourning the dead; for the emergency agencies dealing with the aftermath of severe weather. (Psalm 5:2)

US president obstructing justice?

President Donald Trump is being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller for possible obstruction of justice. US media say senior intelligence officials will be interviewed on whether Mr Trump tried to end an inquiry into his sacked national security adviser, and about the firing of FBI chief James Comey in May. Mr Trump’s legal team said the latest leak to the media was ‘outrageous’, and the president has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia, calling the ongoing inquiry a witch-hunt. The Washington Post sees Mr Mueller’s decision as a major turning point in his investigation, which until recently focused on the Russian angle. Mr Comey, who had previously been leading the Russia inquiries, told Congress last week that Mr Trump had pressured him to drop the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

Pray:

for God to give great wisdom to those investigating truth, motives, and conversations. Pray for honesty to be openly demonstrated and separated from deception. (Proverbs 1:20)

Gulf tensions continue

A ransom paid by Qatar to Iranian Al Qaeda-linked terrorists to secure the release of members of Qatar’s royal family being held hostage is believed to have prompted Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to sever ties with the tiny but resource-rich emirate, accusing Doha of ‘funding terrorists’. Qatar is home to 10,000 American troops and a major US military base. On 8 June the US and Qatari navies began manoeuvres, just hours after the USA agreed a major warplane sale to the Gulf kingdom, underscoring a military alliance despite Donald Trump’s assertion that Doha supports ‘extremism’. It is not clear when the joint naval exercise was arranged. Washington is sending conflicting signals about its position on the diplomatic crisis. Trump expressed support for the Saudi-led allegations against Qatar, but Pentagon and State Department officials have scrambled to reassure the emirate of support and continued sales of F-15 fighters. Meanwhile Turkey has deployed soldiers and military hardware to Qatar, and will train Qatari police. See also

Pray:

for wisdom and calm thinking in foreign policies and East / West transactions. (Proverbs 8:10,11)