Displaying items by tag: Praise

Sudan's ruling military council and civilian opposition alliance have signed a landmark power-sharing deal and Khartoum civilians have celebrated in the streets, dancing and waving their national flag. Omar al-Bashir, the former president of Sudan, will now face a long jail term if his high profile corruption trial finds him guilty of possessing foreign currency, corruption, receiving gifts illegally, and systematic human rights abuses.

Freddie O’Neil grew up in care, was abused by the system as a child, and became an adult not knowing what God, family and love are. He is now a convicted rapist based in the secure John Howard Centre. He found Jesus in prison and immersed himself in the Gospel, but when he was transferred to the centre he realised there were no Sunday services or any Christian input during the week. He said, ‘I relied on this so much for my well-being that I raised the question, but they just laughed and ignored me.’ Friday prayers for Muslims happened every week, so he asked the Christian Legal Centre for support. After letters, discussions, and threats of court proceedings, all Christian patients at the centre now have a Sunday communion service, and the centre allows them to exercise their faith in Christ. See also the article on ‘Prisoners and faith communities’ in the UK section.

Bishop Efraim Tendero, secretary-general of the World Evangelical Alliance, says he wants evangelicals across the world to read the Bible and reflect more, invest in the translation and publication of it, and ensure people in all walks of life can engage with it. Addressing thousands at a Global Youth Day in Manila, he said, ‘Properly understood, the Bible points us to the Creator whose Word is true, righteous and endures for ever. We will highlight the importance of the Bible as the enduring foundation for fostering unity, freedom, development and quality of life today and for the years to come.’ The year-long initiative will launch formally at the newly-built Museum of the Bible in Washington, with the backing of ministries such as Wycliffe Bible Translators, YWAM, American Bible Society, and Call2All.

In March Prayer-Alert intercessors prayed for an inquiry into the unfair arrest and abuse of Pastor Oluwole Ilesanmi, a street preacher. Now, supported by the Christian Legal Centre, he has been offered £2,500 in exemplary damages from the Metropolitan Police in relation to his false arrest, imprisonment and unlawful detention. Also a petition with over 38,000 signatures has now been given to the Home Secretary calling on her to investigate the guidance and training given to police officers nationwide on the freedom to preach in public. May this petition now be acted upon. See

Last week we prayed for God to direct the UK’s defence ministry and the Royal Navy as they organise safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, either individually or in groups. This week the foreign secretary Dominic Raab announced, ‘The Royal Navy will join a US-led taskforce to protect merchant ships travelling in the Gulf.’ The decision goes against plans laid out by his predecessor, Jeremy Hunt, for a European-led mission in the area which was not favoured by some European countries invited to participate. The US/UK move comes amid growing tensions between the two western powers and Iran over the shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz.

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team and Samaritan’s Purse are ministering at refugee centres in Texas, to offer the love and compassion of Jesus to those who have been granted legal US access. When exhausted immigrant families arrive at a centre, they are offered prayer by local pastors and have an opportunity to take showers, receive new clothes, food and other necessities, along with temporary shelter and organised transportation. Chaplain Jennifer Metallo recalled meeting one Cuban family that began to sob as they spoke to God. ‘This was the first time they had ever been able to pray out loud without fear or repercussion in a public setting. You could see on their faces that they were still apprehensive but the opportunity to do this was so monumental they couldn’t just not risk it’.

Voice of the Martyrs recently reported, ‘Afghan believers are boldly sharing the gospel in their country like never before in its history. In a nation that is 99 percent Muslim, the risks of such ministry are incredible. But many of these courageous followers of Christ have decided their countrymen must hear that God loves them, that Jesus Christ has paid for their sins, and that there is a guaranteed future for them with God through Jesus. Their witness is producing fruit: today there are Christians throughout the country of Afghanistan. Over the years, Afghan believers have often hidden their faith, but there are men and women willing to share the gospel courageously throughout Afghanistan and other Asian nations where Christians are persecuted for their faith.’

In Kenya a group of local Muslims alerted twenty, mostly Christian, construction workers to an attack by a jihadist fundamentalist group. The workers were building a hospital when the Muslims warned them to leave the site quickly and helped them do so. The area is usually very hostile towards Christians, and believers who come from other areas for work or ministry face harassment and are continuously targeted by al-Shabaab attacks. Pray for God’s protection over those who took this bold move.

Through Africa Renewal Ministries in Uganda abandoned babies, child sponsorship, and children's transition care programmes are bringing hope and renewal to thousands of vulnerable children. Each age-appropriate programme (0-19 years) focuses on discipleship, education, healthcare, and leadership. Participants include Loving Hearts Babies Home, Early Childhood Development Programme, Child Development Programme, Bethany Children's Village, and the Mwangaza Children's Choir.

We recently celebrated fifty years since men landed on the moon. But NASA did not share one celebration on that day. Once the lunar module landed in the Sea of Tranquillity, Buzz Aldrin radioed Earth to say they wanted a moment’s reflection on what had just happened. Then he turned off the radio. Aldrin, who was a church elder, opened containers of bread and wine that he had brought with him and read John 15:5. In the 1/6th gravity of the moon the wine curled slowly and gracefully up the side of the cup: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the first food eaten there, were communion elements. A few years earlier three Catholic astronauts took Holy Communion on board the Endeavour, and Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon said the Jewish Shabbat Kiddush prayer while in space.