Displaying items by tag: Praise

A New York state trooper, Chris Mahoney, at a petrol station, noticed a man carrying several heavy bags. Striking up a conversation, the trooper learned the man was homeless and carried all his belongings on his back. When Mahoney asked him when he’d last eaten, he learned the man had only had a doughnut. When he offered to buy the man a meal, another customer took a photo of his kindness, which went viral. Now, Mahoney encourages more people to do kind things for others. Jesus said we are to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and to love your neighbour as yourself.’

A New York state trooper, Chris Mahoney, at a petrol station, noticed a man carrying several heavy bags. Striking up a conversation, the trooper learned the man was homeless and carried all his belongings on his back. When Mahoney asked him when he’d last eaten, he learned the man had only had a doughnut. When he offered to buy the man a meal, another customer took a photo of his kindness, which went viral. Now, Mahoney encourages more people to do kind things for others. Jesus said we are to ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and to love your neighbour as yourself.’

People crowded onto Jacob Riis Beach on a hot July afternoon to witness an unusual event - 51 people presenting a public witness for Christ through baptism. As exciting as it was, for the Journey Church, one of the city’s largest Southern Baptist churches, it wasn’t necessarily out of the ordinary. The Journey is on track toward 140 baptisms this year - close to the church’s average over its 18-year history. Since its founding in the days following 9/11, the church has baptised more than 2,750 people. On a typical weekend it draws 1,000 people for worship in three Manhattan locations. Kerrick Thomas, its lead pastor, said that New York is one of the most unreached cities in America. They see reaching people with Christ as their primary mission, focusing on training and equipping believers to talk about their faith with their friends and co-workers.

In August 1727 the Moravian community in Herrnhut started a 24/7 prayer watch that sent an unbroken stream of prayer to heaven for 100+ years. Moravian influence on John Wesley helped start the Wesleyan revival. The Moravian vision of sending missionaries (they sent hundreds) helped spark the Protestant missions movement that took the gospel to most countries of the world. Brother Andrew, in 1982, initiated seven years of intercession for the fall of the Iron Curtain. In 1989 the Berlin Wall fell and re-opened eastern Europe to the Gospel. In 1991 he initiated 10 years of intercession for the Muslim world: in 2001, 9/11 was the tragic catalyst that brought immense change to the Muslim world, including many great breakthroughs for the good news of Jesus. Up to now, 26 years of the annual publication ‘30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World’ have ‘coincided’ with 26 years of unprecedented numbers of Muslims encountering Jesus.

The Day of Prayer for the Nation at Wembley on 31 August was a releasing day. There was a wonderful spirit of worship and expectation as an inspiring diversity of leaders from across the country led prayer. Two of the key themes for prayer were: a) Unity: we will all have different views on Brexit and many other issues, but we are God’s chosen people if we have given our lives to Jesus. We are a family where love, honour and togetherness bind us. b) Humility: we are like the fishermen who said, ‘Lord we have toiled all night and taken nothing but at your word, we will let down the nets’. We are crying for more of Jesus and less of us. We want to get rid of pride, and uncertainty concerns about our reputation, standing and status. Our focus is Jesus. Awake - God is calling us into action NOW! 

Christian workers report several encouraging developments in the demanding Afghanistan mission field. Seven new believers recently formed a house church after being baptised, translators are working on three new Bible projects for minority languages, and followers of Christ are now present in every one of the country’s 34 provinces. As we celebrate God at work in Afghanistan, we are also asked to pray for the future success of various media projects such as films, radio, satellite TV, and social media outreach, so that every one of the currently unreached people groups is touched by the Holy Spirit.

2019’s Soul Survivor saw 2,100 become Christians. But now, after 27 years, organisers said God was calling them to ‘hand over the baton’. Over 30,000 attended this year’s events in Peterborough, Stafford, and Kinross. Founder Mike Pilavachi said that God has spoken to them and they were looking forward to the future. They have seen people walk out of their wheelchairs. One had not walked for five years, one for ten years. People have been set free from addictions. ‘Stuff happens when you give the Holy Spirit space.’ While the summer festivals end, Soul Survivor will continue to operate as a church in Watford and run events to equip church leaders across the country. Leaders are encouraging young people to attend four alternative events, similar in style, next year.

Christian publishers are rejoicing because the Bible has been exempted from President Trump's looming tariffs on Chinese goods. The 10% increase on $300 billion worth of other Chinese goods will go into effect on 1 September. With China being the world's largest Bible publisher, it had been feared that the tariffs would have made some translations too costly to produce.

Florida’s supreme court historically backed abortion rights, but now has more conservative justices. In a victory for abortion opponents, an appeals court overturned a judge’s ruling from January 2018 stating there was no need to make a person wait 24 hours before having an abortion. They argued that the law violates privacy rights and places roadblocks in the way of women seeking abortions. The 24-hour time gap will now give the person time to consider more deeply the act of abortion and ensure they give ‘informed consent’. This case could become a key test for anti-abortion lobbyists.

Syrian refugees usually don’t see beyond their own needs, but Turkey’s missionaries have seen a change. When food trucks arrive at settlements, the predominantly Muslim Syrians clamour for distribution to begin. But recently women went straight to the director and said, ‘First we want prayer. This child is crippled, he’s an orphan, please pray for him. We don’t want food, just prayer.’ A great awakening has begun among camp refugees; they knew Jesus as a prophet, but now realise that he is the God of Christians and he heals and works miracles today.