Displaying items by tag: prayer

Friday, 22 July 2022 05:51

Global: Christians persecuted and displaced

When our brothers and sisters are displaced because of their faith in Christ, we can support them through prayer. As we pray, we open our hearts to their needs and grow deeper in fellowship with them. Pray for the Lord to meet all their needs. (Philippians 4:19) Pray for their healing from physical and emotional trauma. (Psalm 147:3) Pray for them to be able to love and forgive their persecutors. (Matthew 5:44) Pray for persecutors to repent and trust in Christ. (Luke 15:10) Christians in Burma, China, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Vietnam are persecuted by their governments and religious freedom is violated. Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, the Central African Republic, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Sudan, and Turkey are countries whose governments allow or engage in ‘severe violations of religious freedom.’. Take time to pray for Christians in these nations. 

Published in Worldwide

The UN secretary-general has warned that war in Ukraine, climate change, the pandemic and inequality have produced an ‘unprecedented global hunger crisis’ already affecting hundreds of millions of people. UK’s April inflation was the highest in forty years, food costs increased by nearly 9% and the number of foodbank users has doubled in the last year, but tonnes of produce have been ploughed back due to labour shortages. Jesus told us to pray collectively and daily for the Father to provide ‘our daily bread’ (Matthew 6:11). Pray for leaders working to combat the global food crisis, for all who are suffering drought and hunger, and for ourselves to be generous and give (Psalm 37:21). The Bible emphasises our dependence on, and gratitude to, God for our daily bread, stewardship of the earth, and respect for one another. But our priorities easily become skewed in favour of selfish gain.

Published in British Isles
Friday, 15 July 2022 09:42

Iran: prayers for the Church

85 million people, 98.6% of Iran’s population, are Muslim; only 0.2% are Christian. Massive numbers of Iranians have come to Jesus in recent years. From only 500 Muslim-background believers in 1979, many estimates suggest the number is even greater than one million. Large numbers of Persian people have also encountered the risen Christ outside of Iran. The Church has not grown this fast since the seventh century. In Iran, a person can receive a death sentence for abandoning their religious faith. This growth is a remarkable move of the Holy Spirit, with many signs and wonders, dreams and visions. But we still need to pray for a mighty move of God across the nation; for the Iranian believers to be protected as they share their faith; and for those who are translating the Bible into the many different dialects spoken in Iran to reach every lost tribe.

Published in Worldwide
Friday, 01 July 2022 15:27

Blessing the Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games start Thursday 28th July and end Monday 8th August in  Birmingham. They are known as ‘the friendly games’. As thousands of athletes and officials arrive from the 54 nations, The World Prayer Centre wants to prepare a highway of blessing and thanksgiving. The team have joined with Gas Street Church in Central Birmingham for a service that will include worship led by Tim Hughes and Gas Street music, together with prayers and messages from countries including, The Caribbean, India, Africa, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia. It’s free to attend this powerful event on Saturday 16th July 2022 for an afternoon of celebration to welcome and bless the nations and territories of The Commonwealth to the UK. Between now and 28th of July we can pray for God to watch over the police and security teams, keeping them safe and giving them wisdom as they keep our streets free from violence.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 23 June 2022 22:30

European Court of Human Rights

Individuals who were due to be removed to Rwanda lodged applications with the Court of Human Rights requesting they be allowed to stay in the UK as their application for residency in the UK is considered. Following a first request for an interim measure, on 14 June others lodged similar applications. There are serious risks that the international law principle of non-refoulement (compulsory repatriation to a nation of origin leading to great danger) will be breached by forcibly transferring asylum-seekers to Rwanda. We can ask God to protect our human rights laws. We can pray for the future UK Bill of Rights, currently being considered by the UK government, to come under God’s authority; and for treaties and laws to be according to His order, not man’s. Protecting people and giving them freedom lies at the heart of human rights laws. Father, we ask for every law and law management around this issue to be aligned with Your principles. 

Published in Europe
Friday, 17 June 2022 10:28

Isolated elderly

There are unseen challenges that people struggle with in later life. Pray for the elderly struggling with eating and living well. May they have a network of caring friends to support them as they find they cannot do the things they used to do, due to limited mobility and shrinking finances. Pray for those impacted by the onset of dementia and trying to maintain their independence in an ever-shrinking world. Pray for the widows and widowers living alone who could be depressed, with no one to share the ups and downs of their days with. Pray for God to raise up people in different generations to come alongside the elderly people in their communities and be befrienders. Pray for anointed and caring people to help older people to understand their purpose in later life. May our aged feel that they remain purposeful in their later years.

Published in British Isles
Thursday, 09 June 2022 23:21

Ukraine: scenarios to pray about

The story of this war cannot yet be written, but we can pray about possible scenarios. One would be Russia and Ukraine grinding each other down with neither demonstrating capacity to land a tactically decisive blow. Pray the West will supply Ukraine with all that is needed to overcome Putin. Another could be Putin announcing a ceasefire, pocketing his territorial gains and declaring ‘victory’ with a land corridor to Crimea established. This might change the narrative but not end the fighting. Pray for God’s wisdom to saturate Ukraine’s leaders so that a theoretical peace is avoided, and for US, UK and European policymakers to ensure Russia's invasion fails, for the sake of Ukraine and the international order. Pray for Ukraine’s victory using its new long-range rockets. Pray that it can retrieve territory where Russian supply lines are stretched, causing the troops to withdraw to where they were before the invasion, as Western sanctions hit Russia's war machine.

Published in Europe
Thursday, 09 June 2022 23:19

Ukraine: pray for the refugees

Ukrainians fleeing to neighbouring countries, looking for peace from conflict, are finding that their lives have changed drastically. They face new questions: where to live? how to make a living? They are struggling with language barriers and uncertainty about the safety of their loved ones still in Ukraine. They had been owners of homes and financially independent: now they are alone in a foreign country that is not their home. Father, please bring healing and restoration to those with vivid memories of death and destruction. Give peace of mind to those now suffering strife and fear. May they quickly settle into their new environments and have a sense of belonging. Father, please care for those whose life seems out of control; may they find a sure foundation in you. Give the disillusioned hope in a future and by Your Spirit draw near to those who are living with sorrow and uncertainty. Release Your comfort into shattered lives.

Published in Europe
Friday, 08 April 2022 04:13

Europe - healing of the nations

God loves the nations, and we can pray for their healing and destiny. May Ukraine experience God’s comfort and help. May the sun of righteousness rise upon them with healing in its wings. May God’s peacemakers arise in Russia, people full of mercy. Pray for love to overcome evil and for all that is in the dark to come to light. Pray for corruption to be revealed. May Jewish people in both countries hear the call to come ‘home’ to Israel and that spiritual revival comes. Europe is currently experiencing how the national and international security of the past few decades is beginning to falter with Russia invading Ukraine. The war poses far-reaching questions regarding political, diplomatic (international relationships, understanding of national interests), economic (sanctions, embargo) and military (weapons delivered to Ukraine, realignment of military resources) How can the war be ended quickly? 

Published in Europe
Thursday, 31 March 2022 21:55

Asia / Arab world: pray for missionaries

Interserve works alongside the Church in nations across Asia and the Arab World, and in other locations where there is opportunity to disciple Asian and Arab peoples. Some missionaries serve long-term, others for a shorter time. Some join through as volunteers or as consultants. Pray for more people to hear God’s call on their lives to be involved in bringing transformation into the lives of the people by starting a business, or working in medicine, or ministering to refugees. Pray for God to send those with the skills to assist immigrants, now in the West, with language classes, teaching, and much more in partnership with the global Church. Pray for those already discipling people in dangerous situations; ask God to keep them safe. Pray for those countering human trafficking, working alongside refugees, and assisting immigrants in every way possible. https://www.interserve.org.uk/focus/ Times have changed, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and for ever.

Published in Worldwide