Republicans need only six seats to have a majority in the Senate; this week they gained that majority. While the Republican Party is far from perfect, it is currently the political party that most closely matches the core policy beliefs of evangelical, ‘born again’ Christians and Catholics. According to pollster George Barna, there are 77 million ‘born again’ evangelical and Catholic voters in the United States. The Midterm election results means Republicans will have new powers to challenge Obama's agenda in the final two years of his term, able to launch investigations and hold hearings from both chambers. They can hold up key appointments and pass GOP (Grand Old Party) favoured legislation. The division of power also could yield areas of agreement on subjects ranging from immigration to energy.  See also 

On Tuesday an enraged Muslim mob beat a Christian couple to death near Lahore and burnt their bodies in the brick kiln where they worked for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. This is the latest example of mob violence against minorities accused of blasphemy. Pakistan’s brick-kiln workers are often subject to harsh practices, with an estimated 4.5 million being indentured labourers (Indian indenture system is a form of debt bondage). Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a three-member committee to fast track investigation of the killings and ordered police to beef up security in Christian neighbourhoods. Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in Pakistan, with allegations often prompting mob violence. A Christian woman has been on death row since November 2010 after she was found guilty of making derogatory remarks about the Prophet Mohammed during an argument with a Muslim woman. Continue to pray for the repeal of the blasphemy laws which are often misused to persecute Christians and those of other minority faiths.

A UN report issued on 2 November warned that unchecked climate change will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems. Ban Ki-moon said that if we maintain a ‘business as usual’ attitude about climate change the opportunity to keep temperature rise below the 2 degrees Celsius target ‘will slip away within the next decade.’ A recent assessment of climate change report confirms actual climate change being registered around the world and warming of climate systems that is unequivocal. The atmosphere and oceans have warmed, snow and ice has diminished, sea levels have risen and the concentration of carbon dioxide has increased to an unprecedented level. The report found the world very ill-prepared for the risks of a changing climate, especially the poor and most vulnerable who have contributed least to this problem. See also last week’s Prayer Alert ‘EU reaches deal on CO2 emissions cut’.

Boko Haram laughed at the announcement of a ceasefire and release of abducted school girls. Two weeks ago Nigeria’s Foreign Minister said the schoolgirls would be released ‘in the very near future.’ However, a recent Boko Haram video showed Abubakar Shekau saying, ‘Don't you know the Chibok schoolgirls have converted to Islam? They have memorised two chapters of the Quran. We married them off.’ He also denied knowing the negotiator with whom the government claimed it had worked out a ceasefire deal. In the video, Shekau talked not of peace but of more violence - promising more ‘war, striking and killing with gun.’ On Saturday Boko Haram sent messages to Christians in hideouts in the hills telling them that non-Muslims would be killed. Many tried to escape to Cameroon in the night but were stopped. Boko Haram later attacked the area and killed many remaining in the hills. See:

As unrest tears through the land over one million people, many of them Christians in predominantly Muslim lands, have been displaced. Most have fled with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Winter is approaching. Refugees face temperatures of 35 to 55 degrees F. ‘It is already cold at nights and they have nowhere to go’ said the president of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council. Meanwhile a representative of The Catholic Relief Services said, ‘Just weeks or months ago, they were middle-class with homes and careers. they were corporate professionals or barbers or teachers or college students. Now they’re in perilous conditions.’ The refugee camps already have fever and disease. International humanitarian organisations are working together to bring relief to thousands of Iraqi in Turkey; 850,000 Iraqi in Kurdistan, including 150,000 Christians; 200,000 Syrians in the Kurdish Region of Iraq. Thousands more arrive daily. See also 

The following is from the 31-day prayer guide for Nigeria. Day 30 tells us of the increased dependence of Nigeria’s politicians and even some ‘church leaders’ on occult powers. The experience of two state governors; Anambra and Ogun states were publicized but many other governors and their cabinet members are involved in taking oaths at shrines to confirm allegiance. This idolatry brings about God’s wrath, (judgment, curses, captivity, and defilement, famine, drought, cloud of darkness, reprobate minds, evil kings and demonic presence in lands). Pray for God to bring repentance for the sin of idolatry and occultist practices by political leaders. Pray and ask God to convict those involved in sinful acts of their wickedness and that they will repent and turn to the true God, (Prov. 28:13, 1 Jn.1:8,9) see: 

Thousands of Canadians gathered on Tuesday to honour Cpl Nathan Cirillo, the 24-year-old honour guard shot dead during last week's terror attack in Ottawa. The incident followed another terror attack in which an IS-inspired terrorist ran over two soldiers in a parking lot in Quebec, killing one and injuring the other. Now, in an open letter to Canadians, award-winning Muslim journalist Raheel Raza suggests the attacks should serve as a wake-up call to Canada and the West, stating that Canada is under attack and some Muslims have been insisting since 9/11 that Canada is not safe from terrorist attack and it’s just a matter of time. She suggests scrutiny of imams and their sermons', Muslim organizations to declare where their donations are coming from putting a moratorium on immigration from some countries, accountability of Islamic schools syllabus and not giving in to Islamic religious demands. See also 

Children in the world's youngest country of South Sudan are being forced to fight on both sides of an ongoing civil war. The United Nations estimates that there are 11,000 child soldiers in South Sudan’s rebel and government armies. It is a conflict which has made few headlines, but cost many lives, including those of the youngest and most vulnerable. UNICEF reported 70% of the 11,000 children are serving with rebel groups, including the notorious White Army, known for sending thousands of children into battle. Stephen managed to escape the army and describes being frozen with fear as the rebel fighters took him and more than 100 of his classmates from a schoolroom. They were given no choice. He said that in the army, ‘when we were moving and boys got sick and died they would just be left where they fell.’ They were forced to train and if they didn’t they were beaten heavily.

IS runs a powerful intelligence apparatus that has plenty of security experience acquired by intelligence officers from the previous regime. The apparatus is similar to other intelligence agencies around the world, monitoring and identifying opponents then eliminating them to avoid opposition on its territory. The list of people to eliminate includes tribal sheikhs who have government connections, members of the Awakening movement who have fought against jihadist groups in the past, clerics who oppose IS's extremism and anyone suspected of delivering security information to governmental or other cooperating parties. The number of victims is high and punishments are extremely cruel. Activists who criticized IS’s measures were slaughtered in Mosal. Group executions occur. Everyone who opposes IS's religious measures, (eg.imposing the niqab on women) is punished. IS raises its flag on top of the victims’ homes to make examples of them, so that others know that someone has been punished.

Reeva’s death was tragic and sad - yet it should not be isolated from the deaths of other South Africans. 47 South Africans are killed every day and this means that the day that Reeva was killed, 46 others also had their lives taken away from them. The social status of these other South Africans who were also killed on14 February 2013 remains anonymous.  Anene Booysen was raped, killed and mutilated on the same day but she was hardly an issue for many people because she was an every-day South African teenager from a poverty-stricken background. The media spotlight on Oscar’s trial is understandable but In God’s eyes Reeva’s death is not more important than Anene Booysen, or the deaths of babies during abortion. Is the media pulling the strings on our hearts?