Displaying items by tag: Praise

Impoverished families trafficked from central Indian states are forced to make thousands of clay bricks daily in appalling conditions. Victims don’t speak out due to intimidation. Officials can’t ascertain the truth. Fortunately, one 13-year-old boy told officials how he worked nine hours a day. His courage emboldened others. Teenage girls described carrying heavy stacks of bricks on their heads. A single mother shared the agony of not getting medical care for her sick child. Soon the local authorities had enough information to complete a rescue operation and bring the victims to safety. On 23 March, IJM reported, ‘nearly 150 children, women and men were rescued from bonded labour slavery in a single Indian brick kiln. Years ago, local leaders would not admit slavery still existed, let alone help families in need. Today the families are receiving medical care, food, ID cards, police protection and release certificates that break any bonds to former owners.’

It has been confirmed that 81-year-old Pope Francis will visit Dublin on Saturday 25 August to take part in the Festival of Families, a faith-based cultural concert in Croke Park, and celebrate Mass in Phoenix Park the following day. Bearing in mind the current contemporary challenges that face families in both Ireland and elsewhere, the Catholic bishops said, ‘We are deeply honoured that Pope Francis will come to our country to participate in this universal church celebration of faith and joy’, adding that they look forward to hearing apostolic guidance.

Thousands of Christians are persecuted every day. Each one has a story of how God works in and through them: not just stories of persecution, but stories of faith, courage and opportunity. This is Stephen’s story. Stephen is a young Burmese man living where many Christians face persecution from the government and their communities. He is full of faith, with an incredible vision to see God bring thousands of Burmese to Christ! Through reading the Bible, he heard God’s call to serve Him and began praying for the many tribal groups of Burma without a Bible in their own language. He became the answer to his prayers and went to Bible college. When he arrived, he could not speak Burmese or English, only his tribal language. It was very difficult. But today he is teaching theology and English and declared, ‘A great field is before us. Many try to hinder God’s work, but Burmese hearts are not closed to God.’

President Morales has announced that the Guatemalan embassy will be moved to Jerusalem in May, just two days after the United States. The president, an outspoken Christian Evangelical, has been publicly supportive of Israel since the beginning of his mandate. After receiving an award recently he said, ‘From the bottom of my heart, I tell you, I don’t feel I deserve this. I’m just trying to do the right thing and allow my God, my people, and history to judge me.’ Vice president Jafeth Cabrera said his country is fulfilling biblical prophecy: ‘Yes, we do share the idea that prophecy is coming to pass. We are pleased that Guatemala is contributing to having that happen, and we hope it will soon be a reality.’ The vice president also said the decision could not have happened without prayer.

A message from Christian Concern and Christian Legal Centre: ‘Voices of the Silenced tells the story of fifteen people who have moved away from homosexual behaviour, showing that people don’t have to be defined by same-sex attraction. The film was to premiere at a West End cinema on 8 February. But pressure from opponents caused its cancellation - and publicity that opponents hadn’t intended. We issued a press release so that the media knew our side of the story, and filmed a peaceful protest outside the cinema at the time the film was due to be shown, which then received thousands of views on social media. Soon we received media requests. Our team appeared on the BBC and radio stations, and was quoted in newspapers and news websites globally. Finally the film was premiered at an alternative venue. So in God’s providence, the film was shown and received far more attention than we could have expected.’

An email to this office reads, ‘Praise God for 32 survivors rescued from slavery at a brick kiln this week, and please pray for ongoing obstacles in their case. These families were toiling in a brick kiln until International Justice Mission and a partner NGO arrived to rescue them on Wednesday. The families have been brought to safety, but their former owner is exerting his power in the community to influence local government officials, who are now delaying giving the rescued families crucial documents to mark their freedom and protect them long-term. We need God’s intervention to change the hearts of these officials so they do the right thing, seek justice and protect these children, women and men in their first critical days in freedom.’

From 22 to 24 February intercessors from across the USA gathered in Washington DC to pray for a ‘Turnaround’. Many felt this could prove to be one of the most historic prayer gatherings in America's history. They filled the spiritual atmosphere over Washington with intercession and biblical declarations to bring the USA into a spiritual breakthrough that only God can give the nation. During the gathering they launched the next phase of what they believe will be a worldwide prayer movement, as they and many others sense change is coming across the nations.

The hip-hop musical Hamilton is now playing in the UK, delivering spiritual messages as it traverses a number of important social issues including race, gender equality, immigration and diversity. Black and minority ethnic actors play the roles of the Founding Fathers, a casting decision that turns audience expectations upside down as soon as the musical starts. After seeing Hamilton, the actress Rosie O’Donnell described it as ‘a religious experience, a spiritual cleansing. Hamilton is medicine that I need for my soul. It is vital to me; it feels like going to church’. People are saying that they are unexpectedly drawn into the presence of God as the atmosphere in the theatre changes. The audience collectively feels a weight, a tension, a presence - perhaps even the presence of God - as deeply spiritual themes saturate the musical. Hamilton built his life on the foundation of grace. See v

World News recently published an article highlighting what Christian broadcasters are doing to contribute to the fastest growing evangelical population on the planet. Iran Alive Ministries broadcast Christian programmes across the region, and Dr Hormoz Shariat, the president and founder, has been called ‘the Billy Graham of Iran’. Millions of Iranians refer to him as ‘my pastor’ as he speaks to them in their living rooms each evening on satellite television. In recent months, protests have broken out all over Iran, with people marching in the streets against their government. Dr Hormoz helped listeners outside and inside Iran to understand what the protests mean. He encouraged Christians in Iran to use the protests as an opportunity to share the gospel; in doing this Iranians saw even more people come to Christ. See also

Billy Graham died on 21 February, aged 99. No-one will ever be able to calculate the extent of the blessing he has been to hundreds of millions of men and women, from possibly every country in the world, who were put on God’s path for them through his ministry. To listen to a tribute to Billy Graham presented by UCB, click the ‘More’ button.