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Suicide kills more people in the United States every year than homicide, hypertension or motor vehicle crashes. Yet it's seldom discussed in the Church. Southern Baptists Dr. Frank Page and his wife hope to build on the growing national awareness of mental health issues. At the Southern Baptist annual convention in Houston this week the denomination have been working to promote awareness of mental health issues and begin to remove some of the stigma attached as they encourage churches to more pro-actively minister to those who are suffering. Page says, ‘These are legitimate, serious issues that people struggle with and the church needs to be the place where we say ‘we understand’. The local Church can help through support groups, counseling or simply awareness of what the community has to offer. It's an enormous challenge but with more than 36,000 people taking their own lives each year it could meet an enormous need.’
Pray: for the success of this initiative, may the North American Church save many in every sense of the word. (Is.25:4)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/healthscience/2013/June/Removing-the-Stigma-Mental-Illness-in-the-Church/
At a conference in Washington where thousands of Christians met to Support Israel Texas Senator Ted Cruz said he and other Christians need to do a better job of explaining why support for Israel helps protect the USA and if the U.S. won't stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons Israel will. He added that the U.S. should support Israel unequivocally and Christians should pray that the Palestinians would renounce violence. New York Rabbi Shlomo Riskin referred to Jews and Christians as God's children and grandchildren and thanked the thousands of mostly evangelical Christians attending the summit for demonstrating God's love. Executive director of Christians United for Israel, lamented that America's mainline churches no longer support Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the group on Wednesday by satellite.
Pray: that more people would recognise the danger for Israel as the winds of war blow across the Middle East. (Jer.31:9-11)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/shows/cwn/Religion-Roundup/#1
Fast cars, lavish mansions, infidelity and angst-filled episodes are displayed in prosperous lifestyles of six mega-church pastors featured in a trailer for the new reality show, ‘Preachers of L.A.,’ on the Oxygen network in the Autumn. ‘The Bible says I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. I believe that,’ declares Bishop Clarence McClendon, one of the stars of the show in the trailer posted to YouTube on Thursday. His international broadcast reaches 250 million homes with the prosperity gospel, on Oxygen (NBC Universal.) ‘P. Diddy, Jay-Z, aren’t the only ones who should be driving Ferraris and living in large houses,’ says cast member Bishop Ron Gibson who ministers to 4,500 people at Life Church of God in Christ. Pastor Wayne Chaney explained, ‘being a pastor is very dangerous because you have to be perfect at all times.’However the show focuses on the imperfection in the lives of very famous and very rich ministers.
Pray: against a carnal, superficial image being portrayed. Pray that no one in the body of Christ will be hurt through these ministries. (Mic.2:11,12)
Actor and producer Kirk Cameron said America can get out of the ‘mess’ it's in by returning to the ‘original factory settings’, which involves listening to the Founding Fathers who relied on wisdom that comes from faith in God and His Word. Speaking at the 2012 Values Voter Summit in Washington DC last week, the evangelical Christian said he was concerned about the future of the nation as he is a father of six children. He said he is particularly concerned about the November election due to the nation's gigantic debt and issues like crumbling values, unwanted pregnancies, teenage suicides, breaking families, drugs and alcoholism. Cameron added that he finds most people merely playing the blame game, while there's a need for a clear voice to help the nation get out of the mess. ‘Perhaps we have forgotten what made us such a great nation in the first place,’ he said.
Pray: for a revival and a return to Biblical Christian values in the USA. (Rev.2:4-5)
On Oct. 19, a conference in Des Moines hopes to recruit an army of Christians to combat the abduction of thousands of children each year. The Preventing Abuse Conference will inform, equip and organize people to be part of the solution to the rampant human trafficking problem of 1,000,000 children reported missing each year - 60,000 to 80,000 are abducted by nonfamily members. The problem is made worse by child pornographyto be an increasingly sexualized culture and the spread of drug cartels smuggling children across the border. The FBI reported child pornography the fastest growing form of pornography on the Internet. Organisers of the conference said, ‘Our conference is focusing on the church. No law enforcement agency can match the vast reach of the church and the church has a moral mandate from God to relieve the oppressed and set the captive free. Once the American church is educated about warning signs of a predator they can make the call that could lead to rescuing a victim.’
Pray: that this and similar conferences would lead to the rescue of thousands of children and the arrest of predators. (Mt.10:16)
More: http://www.wnd.com/2012/10/taking-the-war-to-the-sex-traffickers/
800,000 government employees are out of work without pay, while those still working do not know when they will be paid.Some agencies are critical to the needs of people across America such as the military, food programmes and medical services. Wendy Dwyer speaking for the working homeless shelters said that if shelters have to shut meals wouldn’t be served and children would not have the same day-to-day contact that gives them stability. Meanwhile the debate over the debt ceiling is evolving as the House threatens to refuse to let the US borrow any more money. If the debt-ceiling is not raised the country enters default territory and that could impact the world.
Pray: for the President and leaders in America - for God to direct them through grace filled negotiations. (2Ch.7:14)
Pray also for those who are at risk of financial, physical and emotional suffering through no fault of their own. Pray for God to heal the land. (Is.61:8)
Masab Hassan Yousef, the son of a prominent Hamas leader who became a Christian is facing a deportation hearing on June 30 in San Diego because the U.S. Government views him as ‘a threat to America’s national security.’ Yousef, 32, authored the globally circulated book ‘Son of Hamas’ in which he recalls embracing Christianity and working as a secret agent for Israeli intelligence for over a decade to halt ‘terrorist attacks throughout Israel.’ Israeli officials have not commented on the case. The book was published this year, resulting in television appearances on American network shows. Yousef sought political asylum in the US but was told last February he was ‘barred from a grant of asylum because there were ‘reasonable grounds’ for believing he was ‘a danger to the security of the United States.’ Pray: for God to protect Yousef and provide a safe haven for him to put down his roots. (Ps.121:3) More: http://www.worthynews.com/8288-hamas-leaders-christan-son-faces-deportation-from-u-s
As observers around the world mourned the teachers and children killed in Newtown, many expressed frustration with a US political system that has left guns so easily accessible. The German Foreign Minister signed a condolence book for the victims at Berlin’s US Embassy. In Moscow dozens of Russians spontaneously placed flowers at the US Embassy over the weekend, news of the tragedy was shared across the Internet in China, which witnessed its own school attack on Friday. (see item 4 below) Across Europe heads of state expressed their grief, shock and horror plus mounting frustration with a US political system that has left dangerous weapons legal and accessible to the public. Mexico is directly affected by US gun laws. Other nations that have experienced mass homicides by a lone shooter have reformed legislation and question why the US can’t do the same.
Pray: for all who have been touched by this atrocity to know God’s comfort and sustenance (Ps.55:4-5, 16-17) Pray also for clarity and tightening of US gun laws. (Ps.45:4)
More: More: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/19/us-china-attack-media-idUSBRE8BI0E920121219
Residents of Moore are trying to recover and clean up as the Governor asked America to pray for Oklahoma. While people were at work and children in school a 20 mile long 1¼ miles wide tornado hit Moore on the outskirts of Oklahoma City. A resident said, ‘It's like a bomb dropped on Moore. I just praise God my daughter is safe.’ A fire fighter among the first responders to the crisis said that the devastation was unimaginable. ‘You could tell the people who lost everything. They have that look- like they aren't all there. They just walk around in a daze.’ Neighbourhoods are unrecognizable.’ Rescuers braved the danger of electrocution and fire from downed power lines and ruptured natural gas lines. President Obama has declared a major disaster. See: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324787004578495501019509408.html?mod=WSJ_WSJ_US_News_3 51people were killed, including 20 children. Some of the most heartbreaking stories have involved children, with the town's two schools taking a direct hit
Pray: for families of the deceased, and for the thousands who have been affected by homes, schools, businesses and medical centres being destroyed. (Ps.20:1a)
More: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2013/May/At-Least-20-Children-among-Oklahomas-Dead/
They came to the USA seeking protection from persecution in their home country but have been caught up in what some are calling an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ situation. In one case a young man from South Sudan trying for years to get permanent residence in the USA was denied sanctuary because of his possible ties to a terrorist organization. The tie is the time he was held at a Sudanese rebel army's training camp for a month after being abducted as a child. He escaped and resettled in the U.S. but his case remains on hold. Human rights groups argue provisions in immigration are overly broad. Others who have been placed in the terrorist category include doctors who assisted the wounded and were unaware that the patients were terrorists and women who were forced to feed terrorists at the threat of their lives. Pray: that the United States continues to be a beacon of freedom and hope for those seeking asylum. (Lev.19:15)