Displaying items by tag: North America

As the weeks pass and the Mount Kilauea eruptions show no sign of stopping, many are grappling with ‘What’s next?’ What happens if lava just keeps coming? How will lava-ravaged communities rebuild? The eruptions are in their fourth week, and for the people living on the island their unpredictable future is seemingly unrelenting. Pray for the thousands of families, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, who are being told on news broadcasts to be prepared to vacate their homes at a moment’s notice. Pray for the people returning to their homes to rescue pets and retrieve medicines who are finding mini-volcanoes in their back gardens. Pray for those living in fear as incessant earthquakes shake their homes and heat the ground under their feet, and for the thousands who have lost everything, or fear losing everything. Volcanologists have no idea when the eruptions might end. May God give hope to all whose future looks uncertain.

ACT for America, an Islamophobic lobby group, has published a 129-page booklet ‘The Art of Chapter Leadership’ which includes advice on how to ‘map’ kindergarten to 12th grade school boards for suspected Islamists, and how to monitor Muslim activities in universities, particularly in political science departments and Middle East studies departments which they say ‘have a real likelihood of being funded by the Saudis and have professors who are pro-Sharia, anti-America and anti-Israel.’ A former FBI agent, who provides counterterrorism training to US law enforcement, was secretly filmed telling police officers that Muslim students in universities pose a threat of ‘jihad’ and that a prominent civil rights group is a front for ‘terrorist’ organisations. He also stated publicly that Muslim Americans should not have the same rights as other citizens, and claimed he was in direct and regular contact with attorney-general Jeff Sessions, who serves under Donald Trump.

Fears are growing that Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is heading for a major eruption. The US Geological Survey has raised the alert from orange to red, meaning that a major volcanic eruption is imminent or very likely. The volcano is one of the world's most active, and its activity level has increased substantially over the past twelve days. A 300m-long fissure has opened on the volcano's side, releasing more lava and gas and sending a plume of ash and smoke as high as 12,000 feet. There were reports of ash and vog (volcanic air pollution) falling as far as 18 miles downwind, the USGS said. Dozens of homes and swathes of farmland in that area have been destroyed. US president Donald Trump declared it to be a disaster on Friday, following a request from Hawaii's governor, David Ige.

In Ontario Paul is in the civic centre and his wife is on a dialysis machine in a small motel room. They have been separated from their First Nations community since sewers froze two months ago. He said, ‘We’re forgotten people.’ Anti-indigenous racism is still widespread in Canada. Last month Ontario’s chief human rights commissioner said racism against indigenous people in Timmins is pervasive and normalised. People are scrutinised in stores, hassled when using status cards, called ‘dirty Indians’ and yelled at by motorists to go back to their reserves. If their name sounds First Nations or they look like one, it impacts their ability to get housing. In British Columbia First Nations officials have spoken out for years against a trans-mountain pipeline that will cross their territory without their even being consulted. On 16 April President Trudeau said work will go ahead, regardless of their objections. See:

Christian satire website Babylon Bee was called ‘fake news’ by Facebook, but their comical take on Christian culture has a deeper purpose. They aim to make Bible believers think. ‘We want to make clear we’re not making fun of Christianity, per se, and we’re not making fun of Jesus or the Bible or the gospel,’ head writer Kyle Mann said on a podcast. ‘What we’re making fun of is a Christian culture that builds around those things and the biblical message.’ He and other members of the Bee team are looking to make a deeper point with their satire. ‘Good satire should really make you laugh,’ he said. ‘And then it should make you think.’ The goal is to help Christians think through whether they have created idols or erred in their handling of issues. They want Christians to recognise in their spirit that some Christian culture is unnecessary, but Jesus and the Bible are eternal foundations to build faith upon.

Christian teacher Chuck Colson has published a list of moral issues facing America today. They are - Preserving sanctity of life by resisting the encroachment of abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and embryonic stem cell research. - Defending the persecuted Church around the world, and defending freedom of religion in America. - Protecting human rights. - Protecting by law the traditional heterosexual definition of the marriage and family. – Strength in the War on Terrorism and in the clash of civilisations against radical Islam. - Restoring the constitutional role of the Supreme Court and restricting judicial activism. - Advocating faith-based solutions to societal problems. - Caring for the poor and restoring prisoners.  - Improving education and promoting choices within the educational system. - Challenging the negative impact of mass media on culture, including speaking out against pornography, sexual exploitation, and violence.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide called for action to end religious discrimination in Pakistani, Iranian, Burmese, Nigerian and Mexican schools. They explored violations where many children experience various forms of mistreatment because of their faith. During an event at the Speaker’s House, in the United Kingdom Parliament, attendees heard how children and young people experience discrimination, verbal abuse, physical violence and even forced conversion at school because of their religion or belief. The Executive Director of the National Commission for Justice and Peace in Pakistan said religious intolerance in his country is facilitated by syllabuses that fuel prejudice. He said, ‘This intolerance has threatened the entire social fabric of our nation, and we have to begin by addressing the biased education system, policies and practices prevalent in Pakistan,’ A speaker representing the Iranian Baha’i community called it ‘cradle to grave’ persecution, ‘Baha’i children do not have an absolute right to education.'

Brushing aside Russia’s pledge to repel any Syria attack, President Trump used Twitter to put Moscow on notice that a military response to Assad’s use of chemical weapons is on the way, telling Russia to ‘get ready’ as missiles will be coming, telling him he ‘shouldn’t be partners with a ‘“Gas Killing Animal” who kills his people and enjoys it!’ Although Russia, Syria and Iran forcefully deny that chemical weapons were deployed on the rebel-held city of Douma, the US and its allies claim that they have evidence validating the charge. The precise timing and nature of the attack remains unknown. Recently the White House spoke of building support for an international response to Syria that would emphasise ‘the use of chemical weapons is a red-line no nation should feel comfortable crossing’. Currently, France and Britain are in consultation with the US to coordinate a response to the use of chemical weapons. See also ‘UK: Upholding Chemical Weapons Treaty’ above. 

By John D Robb

1. God desires and requires intercessory prayer for the accomplishment of His salvific purpose for the peoples of the earth.

Jesus told us to pray, "Thy will be done on earth as it is done in Heaven." Abraham interceded for Lot in Sodom, Moses prayed that God would turn from His wrath against Israel, Daniel for the return of Israel from Babylon. Ezekiel was told by God, "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it but I found none" (Ez. 22:30}

Why does God desire and require His people's intercession? Most likely because God originally gave dominion of the earth to humankind. That dominion has never been revoked by God. Satan's dominion achieved through rebellion against the Creator is a false, illegitimate, usurped dominion. Redeemed through Christ, we can exercise our God-given right to influence the affairs of this world through the exercise of intercessory prayer. Like Kuwait's request for the multi-national force to come against the illegitimate dominion of Iraq, so we in prayer as God's redeemed children, pray that His will be done, His kingdom come on earth. Prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit breaks through the false dominion of the enemy, and clears the way for His deliverance and shalom to come to all peoples. Linked through prayer with the risen Christ, sitting at His side (Eph. 2) far above all authority and dominion, we share in the accomplishment of His redemptive purposes.

Dick Eastman, president of World Literature Crusade, recently shared with our staff at World Vision how early in 1988, God had led him to take a team of intercessors throughout Eastern Europe. Their mission was "to confront the strongholds of Communism." In obedience to God's leading, they carried out a "prayer walk" around the Politbureau building in Bucharest where less than two years later, Ceaucescu made his last stand after pridefully announcing his regime would last for a thousand years. While in Berlin, God led Dick to go out with a German friend in the middle of the night to face that still forbidding wall. Moved in intercessory prayer, they both laid their hands on the wall and prayed, "In the name of Jesus, come down!"

In the dramatic events of the last year in Eastern Europe God has used the prayers of His people to shake the nations. He can do the same thing in the unevangelized world. He is seeking those who will stand before him in the gap for the 2,000 major unreached peoples, the 1,000 unevangelized cities, and the 30 unevangelized countries.

2. Victory in the spiritual realm is primary, and it is won by prayer.

Remember Moses' intercession as he held up his hands before God while Joshua and the army of Israel fought the Amalekites in the valley below? Each time Moses' arms grew tired and faltered, Israel's army was pushed back. But as he sustained his stance in prayer with uplifted arms, the Israelites were victorious.

Later in Israel's history. King Jehoshaphat relied on the weapons of united fasting and prayer, public worship and praise which brought God's intervention against the invading armies of Israel's enemies. Bible teacher, Derek Prince, writes: "These weapons, scripturally employed by Christians today, will gain victories as powerful and dramatic as they gained for the people of Judah in the days of Jehoshaphat.... Victory in the spiritual realm is primary. It is to be obtained by spiritual weapons. Thereafter its outcome will be manifested in every area of the natural and material realm."

These two Biblical episodes vividly portray intercessory prayer as being the winning factor. Why should this be any different in today's battle for world evangelization?

3. Prayer has always undergirded and extended the missionary outreach of the church.

Prayer is mentioned over 30 times in the Book of Acts alone, and generally it is mentioned as occurring just before major breakthroughs in the outward expansion of the early Christian movement. For the Apostles extended times of united prayer and waiting on God together were pivotal in their mission to the unreached. Before the first great outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost and Peter's mighty sermon that brought 3,000 into the church, it is recorded that the Apostles "all joined together constantly in prayer" (Acts 1:14). Then, as the Apostles and their new converts "devoted themselves to prayer," signs and wonders occurred, the city was filled with awe, and people were added to the church daily (2:42-44). It was "after they had prayed" that the place where they were meeting was shaken, all were filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness (4:31).

The Apostles early on let it be known what their priority in mission was- "We will devote ourselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word" (6:4). The result of the Apostles determined adherence to this priority was that "The word of God spread and the number of disciples increased rapidly, and a large number of the priests became obedient to the faith" (6:7).

Peter's prayer resulted in signs and wonders such as the raising of Tabitha. Later it was a time of prayer that opened his eyes to the revelation that the gospel was also for the Gentiles, making him willing to go and preach to Cornelius. It was also the church's prayer that brought the release of Peter from prison.

A period of prayer and fasting by five leaders of the Antioch church led to the setting apart of Paul and Barnabus for their frontier mission to the Gentiles. Afterwards they were sent out with more fasting and prayer (13:1-3). It was through prayer that Paul was not allowed by the Spirit of Jesus to enter Bithynia, but redirected into Macedonia. And it was through the prayer and praise of God by the imprisoned Paul and Silas that an earthquake helped to originate the church at Philippi!

The whole European side of the modern Protestant missionary enterprise grew out of Pietism, a revival movement that was steeped in earnest prayer. From its influence the Danish-Halle Mission to India went forth and the Moravian movement under Count Zinzendorf emerged. One author writing about the Moravians said that "the glorious movement of the Spirit... among the Moravians at Herrnhut in 1727 [which] transformed them into what has been the mightiest evangelizing force in the world for the past two centuries, was borne in prayer."

The prayer meeting which the Moravians began in 1727 went on 100 years! By relays they offered unceasing prayer for the church and needs all around the world. This prayer effort kindled their desire to proclaim Christ to the unreached and led to the beginning of modem missions. And from this one small village, over 100 missionaries went out in 25 years.

Decades later, William Carey, while still employed as a humble shoe repairman to support his part-time preaching, drew a homemade map of the world, entering all information he could find about its regions and countries. As he mused over the world's appalling needs and problems, he turned the information gathered into heartfelt intercession. His biographer reveals: "Often in the silence of the night... by the dim rush light, he would scan that map and then kneeling before it, pour out his soul to God." Prayer for the world was a definite motive force in the call and service of the one who came to be known as "the father of modern Protestant missions."

In 1806, a few college students from William's College took refuge from a sudden rainstorm beneath a haystack. Sitting in the midst of hay, they used the time to pray for the world and its needs. Out of that unlikely venue for a prayer meeting, the American mission movement was born.

Robert Glover sums up the role of prayer in the history of missions:

"From Pentecost and the Apostle Paul, right down through the centuries to the present day, the story of missions has been the story of answered prayer. Every fresh outbreak of missionary energy has been the result of believing prayer. Every new missionary undertaking that has been owned and blessed of God has been the germinating of seed planted by the divine spirit in the hearts of praying saints."

John Robb, IPC Chairman

(Excerpted and adapted from the article by John Robb “Prayer as a Strategic Weapon in Frontier Mission” Published in the International Journal of Frontier Missiology in 1991)

Evangelical Call to Prayer for Peace on the Korean Peninsula March27, 2018

As American Christians with diverse approaches to force and nonviolence and yet all committed to pursuing peaceful relations among people and nations, we unite in prayer for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. We do this mindful of the millions of lives, including more than 230,000 Americans, that would be threatened by an escalation of conflict there.

We are heartened by proposals for dialogue between our national leaders at a time when increasing tensions seemed to be marching our countries perilously in the direction of greater conflict, if not war. We call on all Christians everywhere to join us in praying for a just and peaceful resolution.

We pray for wisdom for our political, diplomatic and military leaders as they work across differences toward a goal of peace, security and freedom. We pray that God will bless the efforts of citizens who seek to bridge the vast differences between our countries.

Decades of people-to-people contact between North Korea and the United States- through business, educational and other humanitarian exchanges - have put a human face on those who are sometimes characterized by one another as enemies. So, we pray with empathy and in a spirit of friendship, noting the image of God in every human being. However profound the differences between our governments, we do not view the North Korean people as our enemies. On the contrary, we desire only the best for the people of North Korea.

Most of the nearly two million Korean-Americans are Christians, and many belong to evangelical churches. This community too has contact with North Koreans through humanitarian and family
ties. South Korea is also home to many evangelical churches, including some of the world’slargest. Many of these Korean brothers and sisters have been praying for North Korea for years and we humbly join them. These connections with Koreans in North Korea, South Korea and the United States strengthen our resolve to seek God for mercy and, so far as it depends on us, to pursue peace between our respective countries.

Sincerely,

Leith Anderson – President -National Association of Evangelicals
HyepinIm
President/CEO & Founder
Faith and Community Empowerment
Dr. John P Hartley Chair
Evangelicals for Peace
Rev. Johnnie Moore Founder
The Kairos Company
Nikki Toyama-Szeto Executive Director Evangelicals for Social Action

More info at:http://www.evangelicalsforpeace.org/northkorea


PRAY: Let us continue to pray that the expected upcoming meeting between President Trump with Kim Jong Un will be used of the Lord to end the conflict, denuclearize the Korean peninsula and even to make possible the reunification of the two Koreas.