Displaying items by tag: Praise

In April 2016, we prayed for a Kickstarter account that was set up for a Wall of Answered Prayer made of a million bricks - each brick telling the story of how Jesus answered someone’s prayer. This wall will now go ahead and be built as a national landmark in the UK. It will lead people to consider and reflect the worth of prayer, through people sharing stories of how God answered their prayers. It will become a source of inspiration. The project is being led by Christian entrepreneur Richard Gamble, former chaplain to Leicester City FC. A person can pledge £5 and get one brick, which will be linked to them and their unique story of how Jesus answered prayer. A corresponding website will be created to give details of the answered prayers. It will be like a ‘database of a million prayer testimonies.’

At a time when Google, Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds are crowded with negativity, Frankly Faraci is an inspirational new Dove Channel show that can be found across the web on tablets, TVs, smart phones, and laptops. It premiered on 21 March, and promises to uplift and entertain audiences of all ages. They want to encourage viewers that good does still exist - and remind them that God can use anyone who is willing to be part of His plan. There is a perception that Christians are judgmental, angry, holier than thou, and finger-wagging, but non-Christian viewers will see that Christians are amazing and fun and cool and the kind of people that they would want to hang out with. The show has an unhidden agenda, to push back against all the negativity. It is hoped that families will tune in and children learn that the sky's the limit, as the programme gives them great role models to look up to. That's really the heart of what they want to do.

Unprecedented evangelical unity across the UK will run from April to October with 100,000+ Christians taking part in '17:21'. The initiative is named after Jesus prayer in John 17:21: 'May they all be one that the world might believe'. Christian groups, conferences and festivals will read the same Bible reading, prayer of commitment, and declaration of a shared life in Christ, and play the same worship song. Malcolm Duncan, representing Spring Harvest, added, 'The 17:21 initiative calls all of us who stand under the shadow of the Cross to link arms in the great responsibility that God has given us – presenting a living Saviour to a dying world. I have been humbled and thrilled to be part of this call to the festivals, conventions and Bible weeks in the United Kingdom to declare that we are united by far more than what divides us. May God take us beyond structural and mechanistic unity and give us the boldness and courage to stand together for Christ.' The initiative comes in the year of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

The Diocese of Chichester is sending an emergency grant of £5,000 to the drought-hit Kenyan diocese of Nakuru. The diocese, in partnership with the Anglican Church of Kenya’s Development Services, will buy and distribute foodstuff and other essential supplies in the worst-hit areas to avert a tragedy. The area is frequently affected by drought and has not received adequate rainfall for two years - leading to death, migration, conflict and inter-tribal wars. The situation worsened last October when they didn’t receive any rain in the short rains season. They are more vulnerable to drought because of heavy reliance on livestock as their source of livelihood. The number of households affected (5,000) increases daily.

Czechoslovakian aid worker Petr Jašek, who had been sentenced to 24 years in a Sudanese prison, was released when 400,000+ people signed a petition for his release. However, pastor Hassan Abduelraheem Kodi and student Abdulmonem Abdumawla are still serving their twelve years behind bars. Christian Solidarity Worldwide said Jašek's release was good news, but the others are Sudanese nationals and are not represented in the same way.

Among all homeless families in the USA, over three-quarters are headed by single women with children; about 30 percent of children in the foster care system would be discharged if their parents were properly housed. CityHouse in Delray Beach, Florida, is now providing transitional housing and support for those who would otherwise be homeless and at risk of having their children placed in foster care. Families at the Avenue Church had been providing shelter for such children. ‘We would take that child till the mum or dad got better. But what we discovered was that it was really the mum that needed care as well,’ explained Casey Cleveland, lead pastor at the church. In 2013 a small apartment building was secured with enough units to house five single mothers and their children, and CityHouse was established. The mothers must demonstrate a willingness to make a positive change in their lives, pay a small amount of rent, and attend weekly Bible studies on the property.

The Samoan government wants to change the constitution to define Samoa officially as a Christian nation. The constitution already references Christianity in the cover and preamble, but not in the main text. Prime minister Malielegaoi said, ‘Instead of "Samoa is founded on God", the constitution will state that “Samoa is a Christian nation founded on God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”’ The Samoan parliament has shown widespread support for these amendments. Many are wondering why this tiny nation suddenly wants to make such a bold statement. The prime minister says it is a way to fend off religious wars that have stormed other countries, primarily in the Middle East and Africa. He wants to clarify that this is a Christian country and that faith will be integral to the country’s law. Other faiths and religions will not be undermined, said a member of the governing party.

Bible Translations

Having the Bible translated into the local language is an important resource for reaching an unreached people group. The written word in their own language adds validity and acceptance to the message, as well as making it more available.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. -Hebrews 4:12

Lord Jesus,

You are the God of all, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love You and keep Your commandments. Lord we want to see the Oral and Oral Bible-less Peoples be some of those who love You and keep Your commandments.

Father we thank You for Your Word, and for those who sacrificed so much over the years so that we could have the Bible in our own language. What a blessing it is to read Your truth anytime we want. We pray Lord that you would provide that same blessing to the Every & All, to each of the Oral and Oral Bible-less Peoples around the globe.

We ask that you would accelerate the translation and distribution process for their language. We bless those who are working on this in Jesus name. We ask that You would release Your favor and grace upon them, and upon each project in the making. We ask for You to abundantly provide the funds they need to get Your Word out to the Oral and Oral Bible-less Peoples. In Jesus name, amen.

Linda Bemis

International Orality Network

[International Council Member]

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ION Prayer Blog: IONPrayer.com  

International Orality Network

- Influencing the body of Christ to make disciples of all oral learners 

       - 80% of the world (5.7 billion) are oral learners / 1/2 are children! ~Visit: Orality.net 

http://orality.net/

Some of us from the IPC spent several delightful days last week with others from the international children and youth prayer movements making plans for the future development of those movements during meetings in and near Jakarta, Indonesia. Praise God for all the good things happening in our day as He, working through the efforts of perceptive, supportive adults, raises up the Next Generation of men and women of God through engaging them in a life-long encounter through prayer. Here are some brief highlights from the meetings last week for rejoicing and our further intercession:

• India- we heard how hundreds of thousands of children and youth are being helped and trained to pray in that vast land with its enormous diversity of peoples and that a national Children in Prayer consultation is being planned for later this year.
• Indonesia- the National Children’s Prayer Network now has 67 networks and will host a national CiP conference this May, bringing together up to 200 children’s prayer coordinators from across this expansive island nation.
• Myanmar has many thousands of children praying and has seen amazing political and economic transformation as the kids pray for their nation.
• China- 500 gathered from 24 provinces to raise up a CiP effort throughout their land. A city-wide Hong Kong training event is in the offing to evaluate and strengthen CiP.
• 4-14 Window Movement- this effort has developed a good infrastructure of regional coordinators and wants to help ministry leaders see that children are on a mission for God in order to nurture them in their unique callings to serve Him.
• We were challenged by the call of the Lord in Psalm 2:8 to ask Him for the nations and the uttermost parts of the earth as our possession in the Body of Christ and that the way to see this happen is through Psalm 8:2 –it is through the prayers of babes and children that the enemy of Christ’s global mission will be silenced and stopped.
• We envisioned the “New Wave of Glory” (Habakkuk 2:14) from the World Prayer Assembly of 2012 that involved so many youth and children becoming “new waves” plural and unending, flowing out to impact the nations through the Next Generation. “Empowering children in a lifestyle of prayer and service to transform our world” is a new vision statement we propose for the international CiP movement. We also suggested other more detailed directions for the future that will be reported on soon.
• We reflected on scripture passages such as Isaiah 11:6-9 which envisions a new world where children will help lead. They will be bold, unafraid and will take His authority to become agents of His transformation.
• We prayed and dreamed together for a CiP and youth prayer movement in every nation on earth in the next 10 years. We estimate about one third of the 220 nations have such networks and movements by now. Please help us in this huge enterprise by prayer and by connecting us with other CiP efforts and leaders we are not yet aware of.
  
  (For more information about getting involved in CiP or if you already are involved in a CiP ministry or can connect us with others who are, please contact Jeffrey Chew This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Onassis Jeevaraj This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
• In the youth prayer movement meetings that followed, we heard about how the UPRISING event held in South Korea was such a deep blessing to the youth leaders that participated and how other nations now want to have similar gatherings in the future (Mongolia, Brazil, Germany, South Africa). Also, most significantly, the decision was made to hold a World Youth Prayer Assembly in Indonesia next year in July (17-20). It is anticipated that several thousand youth and also children from across the world will take part.
  
  The goal is not another event but igniting a world transformational movement organized and led by the youth, now that half the world’s population is under 30 years of age. As we were in prayer, one saw a flask of oil representing the Holy Spirit that would be poured out on the participants. Another saw a volcanic explosion with rivers of fire flowing out to the nations as Jesus baptized the youth with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). We believe that the WYPA will be a highly supernatural experience that will equip many from the Next Generation to do exploits for the Lord, finding and fulfilling their unique callings and destinies and raising up many new leaders for the Body of Christ in all walks of life.
  
  (For more information about the World Youth Prayer Assembly or youth prayer movement, please contact the UPRISING/WYPA administrator, Sarah Torres This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)

Please pray for the unity and clarity of the Spirit for the international CiP team as it seeks to build a more coordinated effort that will connect the various strands for a worldwide CiP network of national movements and that we could see CiP be planted and practiced in every nation on earth in the next 10 years.

Pray for the youth leaders in Indonesia and the International Dream Team of the UPRISING as they seek to work together to organize the World Youth Prayer Assembly to be held in Jakarta, July 17-20, 2018) that they will have His guidance, unity and protection and that all the resources needed will flow in a timely manner. 

Pray also for the Indonesian national election happening February 15 that the first Christian governor of Jakarta will be vindicated amidst the current attacks by radical Muslims on his candidacy and will win another term of service. This will be important not only for the WYPA but especially for the blessing and welfare of Indonesia and His people there.

Being a pastor's son is never easy, especially as there is a lot of pressure to do good and maintain the right image. Hillsong United frontman Joel Houston knows this feeling very well: his father is Brian Houston, senior pastor at Hillsong Church. Instead of embracing the pastor's kid image, Joel says he tried to shake it off: ‘I grew up a pastor's kid looking for an excuse, honestly, to run away from the pressure of being a pastor's kid.’ But Joel says God knew better. Try as he might to escape his identity, he always ended back at his roots. He thought he knew what he was doing, but God took all of his plans and said, ‘Watch how I'm going to make this work.’ Joel said God definitely has a sense of humour, since he ended up serving in the ministry he swore he wanted nothing to do with. He says God believed in him even during moments when he doubted himself, and he assures other lost souls that they do not need to be perfect to serve God. ‘You don't have to be super-talented, or have it all together - God is all about using people who just make themselves available,’ he says.