Displaying items by tag: Government

The PM’s keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference was marred by a series of misfortunes: an incessant cough, interruptions by a prankster, and problems with the backdrop. She valiantly ploughed on with a speech designed to shift the focus from Brexit infighting to domestic policy on energy bills and council housing, but the accident-prone presentation made some people question how long she could carry on. Newspaper headlines made dismal reading the next day, with words like ‘ordeal, shambles, tragic, disaster’ on the front pages. Pray for God to give the Government a united positive vision for the future, and help the nation to recognise the vision as possible. Pray for the media to focus on the trustworthy character that those who know Mrs May give her credit for; may they focus on the positive words spoken by our leaders. Ask God to repair all that is broken in the Westminster community, lifting them out of a place of fear and disunity.

Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire has made a fresh appeal for political parties to restore the devolved government at Stormont. At the Tory conference he said that while the DUP and the Tories were separate parties, they were working together at Westminster, ‘standing firm against Jeremy Corbyn’. He promised the Government would ‘provide the necessary political stability and governance’ if no deal is reached, including setting a budget for the province later this month. In the past, he said, the political parties had resolved issues and displayed the leadership to create stability. ‘So my message to you is: now is the time to reach agreement. Now is the time to look beyond the issues that divide you. Show the resolve you have demonstrated in the past.’

Send forth Your light and Your truth!

How often have we proclaimed this word of the Lord over our land – and that God has answered! At the German Prayer Conference in Berlin, from September 1 to 3 , weexperienced the revelation of God’s light and truth in aspecial way! This helped us to recognise the influence of thespirit of the age on our thinking and to be released from it.

True repentance begins with a change in our thoughts(“metanoia” in Greek). The word of God is our guide andhelp: “We demolish arguments and every pretension thatsets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we takecaptive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”(2 Corinthians 10:5).

Pray: Let us continue to pray in faith for our land: “Send forth your light and your truth, let them guideme, let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” (Psalm 43:3).   -RS

Universities and centres of further education

In the coming months after the prayer conference we wantto concentrate on how we can make a change in our way ofthinking in our society. The Holy Spirit wants to bring abouttransformation in our society and culture. God wants topermeate our education system to break the power ofungodly ideologies and thought structures. Our thinking isalways subject to the influence of the “spirit of the age”.

Knowledge is never neutral and unbiased, but formedaccording to prevailing and generally accepted beliefs.Nowhere are the thoughts and actions within eachgeneration so strongly moulded and influenced as withinour universities and other centres of further education.

Many of the 2.8 million students today will one day be ourleaders and will in many ways influence all areas of sociallife: justice, business, philosophy, education, theology,literature and politics. For too long the thinking of the ’68movement has been influencing all of these areas. The Spiritof God wants to permeate the centres of thoughtformationin our land once again. In past centuries God has inspiredmany in our universities to take his kingdom into the world.

God is the source of ideas and solutions to all questions inlife. He has all the help and answers that our land sourgently needs. But we also need creative thinkers with aservant’s heart who together with the Holy Spirit candevelop innovative ideas and influence thought withinGermany for the good of our land. God is the one who givespeople the gifts, talents and grace to be a blessing to theworld. Germany has often been known as the “land of poetsand thinkers” and is very open to new ways and ideas.

May the Holy Spirit come into our universities and centresof education to renew our way of thinking and bring forthnew life in our land.

Pray:For a transformation in the ways of thinking in oursociety in a move to draw us closer to God.(2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Pray: For a movement of the Holy Spirit in our universitiesand other centres of thought formation. (Acts 4:29-31)

Pray: That creative thinkers will be inspired by the Holy Spiritto find answers and solutions for the needs of our land.(Daniel 1:7,20; Proverbs 3:5-6)-AS

Formation of a new federal government

The German Federal Parliament was elected four years agoon September 22 , 2013, but the election of the federalchancellor did not take place until December 19 , 2013.There is no deadline for this election in the Germanconstitution. Protracted considerations as to which partiesshould form a coalition and the difficulties in thenegotiations towards a coalition agreement delayed theformation of a new government. This can definitely happenagain if one believes the opinion polls. As this prayer letterwas being written, the result of the new elections onSeptember 24 was not yet known. Angela Merkel recentlystated regarding the election: “Until Sunday evening I canstill do something, then I am constrained to remain passive

Afterwards we just have to wait and see. It is like waiting for your school report card.” But what happens next? Many questions must be answered in Berlin: which parties areable to form a coalition? What positions (ministers, state secretaries...) does each party get? Who are standing for these positions, which political wings within the parties will be involved, which federal state interests must be considered? How many women should be included? Who will be vice-chancellor? All these decisions will determinethe direction of our country for the next four years.

Pray:That God lifts up and brings down people during theprocess of forming a coalition and the new Germanfederal government. (Luke 1:51-52)

Pray: That trustworthy, visionary and God-fearingparliamentarians will fill the important positions ingovernment (in the foreign ministry, for example).(Proverbs 8:15-17)

Pray: For the coalition agreement; that the needs of ourpeople and the role of our country with regard toEurope, Israel and the world will be Spirit-led andguide us into the future to the praise of God’s Name.(Romans 15:8-12)  -JB

Family-related policies

Family-related policies in Germany have been subject tofundamental changes for some years as the meaning and role of marriage, family and parenthood have beenredefined without regard to traditional Biblical values.

Marriage has lost its exclusive status as a covenant betweena man and a woman by the introduction of “marriage forall”. The term “family” has already for a long time not beenregarded as exclusively reserved for “a father, a mother andtheir child(ren)” in accordance with God’s order in creation.

Parenthood was also redefined by the decision of theconstitutional court (2013) to the effect that legalparenthood and fatherhood can also exist without abiological or traditional family relationship to the child. Atthe same time the state took over more and more duties toeducate and raise children disregarding traditional familyresponsibilities.

Under new buzz-words and catch phrases such as “marriageand career compatibility”, “partnership-life” (replacing“family-life”), “well-being and equal-opportunities forchildren”, etc., the number of children under 3 years of agein some form of state care country-wide rose from 14% in2006 to 33% in 2015, and the number of mothers of 2 to 3year olds in a gainful occupation rose from 42% to 58% inthe same period. The place of the family in the traditionalBiblical sense as the very original core element of oursociety has in the past years been eroded step by step anddeprived of any significance. Let us pray that we will see amajor change in family-oriented policies as the next federalgovernment in Germany is built, with completely newappointments in the ministry for families, women, seniorsand young people!

Pray:For God-fearing personnel to be appointed in the newministry for families. (Psalm 111:10)

Pray: For a complete turn-around in the family-related policies in our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Pray: That for the sake of their children mothers will not want to work and will receive support from the state. (Psalm 127:3)-TF

Anew reformation

The ten year programme of events within the Lutheran Church which started in September 2008 (“Luther-Dekade”in German) and the final year of commemoration of theReformation come to an end on October 31 , 2017.

Countless events, exhibitions and writings will have beendedicated to this anniversary, half of the city of Wittenbergrenovated, and Luther will have been disputed, pulledapart, held in somewhat high esteem and celebrated. Bythe end the numbers of visitors at church conferences andworld exhibitions will remain well under expectations andthe positive outcome that was anxiously awaited will feelmore like a depressive hangover. What will remain from theanniversary of the Reformation?

As the official activity in the past years comes to an end, thefaith for a new reformation has grown. Under the title “NewReformation” thousands of young Christians met in June inPrague and prayed in expectation for a reformation thatdoes not divide us but rather unites us in Jesus Christ andbrings millions back to Him. We believe that we stand onthe threshold of a new reformation that will once againbind the church to the Word of God, as first happened 500years ago, and from there bring a change in our society andthroughout Europe. And that the cloud of witnesses fromthe reformers and generations before us will stand with usbefore the throne of God and pray that the spiritualinheritance of the church in Germany will now be restored.

Pray: That on this 500 anniversary the doors will be openedfor a new reformation in Germany. (Psalm 24)

Pray: Lord, take back the lordship over your church of the Reformation! (Matthew 16:16-19)

Pray: For visible unity between the churches, for healing and reconciliation. (John 17:20-23)  -KH

The German-Israeli Parliamentary Group

The basic function of parliamentary groups in the GermanFederal Parliament is to maintain mutual contacts withother national parliaments in the world. In the newlegislature period, the German-Israeli Parliamentary Group,as all the groups, will be rebuilt from the newly electedmembers of parliament. In the last legislature period therewere about 50 members in the group, representing allparties within the parliament. Membership is voluntary andthe parliamentarians are united by their interest in Israel.

They deal with general aspects of German-Israeli relations,work to provide clarification on Israeli issues to parliamentand the media, and are important contacts for the Jewishcommunity in Germany. As a counterpart in the IsraeliKnesset there is an Israeli-German Friendship Group ofIsraeli parliamentarians.

The work of the German-Israeli Parliamentary Group hasparticularly caught the attention of the general public, notleast because of the dedication of the chairman Volker Beckof the Greens Party, who will no longer sit in the newGerman parliament. Let us now pray for a Spirit-ledcomposition of parliamentarians in the next German-IsraeliParliamentary Group.

Pray:Thanks for the friendly connections between theGerman and Israeli parliaments. (Psalm 133:1)

Pray: That the Spirit of God will call dedicated people intothis German-Israeli Parliamentary Group and that theywill be a true voice for German-Israeli friendship.

Pray: For the new chairman to be influential and dedicated. (Psalm 119:30)   -RS

Keep praying: Relationship between Germany and Turkey

The relationship between Germany and Turkey gets worse day by day. Increasingly German citizens are findingthemselves under interrogation, arrest and detention. Thearbitrary arrests have led to travel warnings. The Germangovernment now takes the position in the European Union that it would be right and proper to break off membershipnegotiations with Turkey. This however must be a majoritydecision. At this time there is no majority. The negativeinfluence of the Turkish Islamic Institute for Religion whichis controlled from Turkey comes more and more into thepicture. See also: “The Turkish Islamic Institute for Religion  (Ditib)” in the prayer letter from November 2016.

Pray:For the re-evaluation of the relationship betweenGermany and Turkey in accordance with God’s plans and purposes. (Proverbs 2:6)  -RS

Dates for your diary

01.10 International Day of Prayer for the Peace ofJerusalem (Robert Stearns - Eagles Wings).

31.10 Reformation Day in Germany.

God’s blessings from Rosemarie Stresemann and Team

www.waechterruf.de

Liam Fox, secretary of state for international trade,  has visited Mozambique, which is in a debt crisis after surreptitiously borrowing from two London-based banks in 2013. The loans remained hidden until 2016: none were agreed by the Mozambique parliament, so they were illegal. Commenting on Mr Fox's visit, the director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign said, ‘The UK needs to take responsibility for the actions of these banks in arranging $2 billion of loans to Mozambique. Credit Suisse should be investigated as to whether it undertook the enhanced due diligence required by UK money-laundering regulations. Furthermore, the Government should act immediately to ensure all loans to governments given under UK law are publicly disclosed when they are given.’

Theresa May has told the UN that people need to wake up to the horrors of modern-day slavery, and victims must have confidence to come forward and be given the support they need. She added, ‘Modern slavery will only be defeated by making more people aware of the horrific abuses going on in their own communities’. The Prime Minister has the power to do something about this on the international platform. Two years ago, as home secretary, she brought in the most up-to-date laws in the world to crack down on modern slave-drivers. On 19 September she spoke out in an attempt to secure a global commitment by the UN to acknowledge the scandal and unite with tough action against the perpetrators. She urged leaders ‘to work collaboratively and internationally’, and ‘to look at their own situation’.

33-year-old James Ward has a low IQ and mental health problems. In 2006 he fought with his father and was given a ten-month jail sentence. Unable to cope with prison life, he set fire to his mattress and was sentenced under Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP). An IPP is a sentence with no release date. All who know James believe he is not a risk to the public, he's just a risk to himself. He is suicidal, self-harms, and needs the right support. The Parole Board is now working to find James a hostel and mental health support. His sister said she had yet to speak to her brother about his release, and was unsure whether he even knew he was to be freed. She added, ‘I hope other IPP prisoners who are way over tariff can now also be released’. IPPs were abolished in 2012, but 3,000+ people are still serving them.

A survey of 17,000 parents suggests that over 60% are 'unprepared' for the Government’s Tax-Free Childcare scheme (TFC). By 16 August, 108,000 parents had successfully signed up to TFC. This compares with over 780,000 parents currently using childcare vouchers. 98% of parents said they would like access to childcare vouchers to be kept open alongside TFC. As of April next year, childcare vouchers will be closed to new entrants. In light of the findings, there are renewed calls for the Government to revise plans to close access to vouchers. Also, over 3,000 childcare providers found that 48% of parents had either not heard of TFC or didn’t feel ‘well-informed’ about the scheme. 20% of those who had registered had experienced issues about receiving payments in a ‘timely manner'.

Damian Green, the UK’s first secretary of state, urged the Trump administration to use the UN processes to resolve the crisis between the United States of America and North Korea. He said, ‘It’s obviously in all our interests to make sure that nothing escalates,’ and, ‘we are very strongly in support of the UN process, which has put, and continues to put, pressure on North Korea to stop acting in an irresponsible way.’

The number of unaccompanied child migrants living in ‘dirty’ Greek detention centres has increased ‘alarmingly’, said Human Rights Watch. 117 were in police cells or custody centres in Greece at the end of July, compared to just two last November. Under Greek law the authorities should separate vulnerable minors into safe accommodation, where they are appointed guardians who represent them in legal proceedings. However, when there’s no room in safe shelters the authorities lock them in dirty, crowded police cells and immigration detention facilities, sometimes with unrelated adults, instead of being cared for.

Justine Greening, equalities secretary, says the church should reflect ‘modern attitudes’ and public opinion, keep up with the modern world and allow same-sex couples to marry in church. The issue has split the church, which would have to call on the Government to change the law. Ms Greening told Sky News, ‘I think it is important that the church keeps up and is part of a modern country.’ Pray for God to lead His people; may they reject ‘modern man’ agendas in parliament and the media. Meanwhile disaffected conservative evangelicals are expressing wishes for an alternative Anglican structure in Britain. See