AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER
* CHRISTIANS WARNED BY HAMAS TO ACCEPT ISLAMIC LAW AS ARAB
WORLD WATCHES ON IN SILENCE
* BRITISH POLL SHOWS PEOPLE BELIEVE RELIGION DOES MORE HARM
THAN GOOD
* SWEDISH PRIME MINISTER FACES REVOLT OVER GAY MARRIAGE
* NEW PRAYER INITIATIVE TO END THE VIOLENCE IN IRAQ
* WOR****P IN GAZA CHURCH DISRUPTED
* SPIRITUAL REVOLUTION UNDERWAY IN MIDDLE
EAST
-----------------------------------------------
CHRISTIANS WARNED
BY HAMAS TO ACCEPT ISLAMIC LAW AS ARAB WORLD WATCHES ON IN
SILENCE
Christians in Gaza must adhere to Islamic law if they do not want to
be persecuted. The warning came from Islamist militant leader, Sheik
Abu Sager who added that Christians who engage in "missionary
activity" would be "dealt with harshly."
"No more alcohol on the streets. All women, including non-Muslims,
need to understand they must be covered at all times while in public.
Also the activities of Internet cafes, pool halls and bars must be
stopped...if it goes on, we'll attack these things very harshly," he
added.
The Gaza Strip, which, according to the re****t, has a population of
over 1 million, is home to about 2,000 Christians.
In the meantime Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan remained silent as
Hamas completed its bloody control of the Gaza Strip, which it
described as the first step towards creating an Islamic State in one
of the most densely populated and poorest areas in the world. These
countries themselves now fear that fundamentalist Islamists may seek
to cause similar uprisings in their own countries.
More than 90 people have been killed. Morgues are overflowing
and hospitals are overwhelmed with the wounded.
Gaza now faces an uncertain future. The extreme tactics of Hamas
could further choke off the region from international aid. And closed
borders could lead to a humanitarian crisis. The Palestinian
territories have essentially been split into two parts. Fatah still
dominates the West Bank, which is home to most of the Palestinian
population.
PRAY FOR THE CHRISTIANS OF GAZA
Now that Hamas is in power, they will be organizing Gaza as an
Islamic state. This puts Christians at more risk than usual. Many are
now in hiding.
Please pray that:
- the believers would have great wisdom, to know what to do and when
to do it.
- they would know if they are to leave Gaza or to stay (some have
expressed a desire to stay to help new believers).
- they will not become discouraged and lose hope
- the Lord will protect them from the violence
- that the Lord will lead them clearly every day, where to go and
where not to go
- that they would have supernatural provision.
Source: Intercessors for America and World Net
Daily
-----------------------------------------------
BRITISH POLL SHOWS
PEOPLE BELIEVE RELIGION DOES MORE HARM THAN GOOD
(Editors note: These figures are disturbing and indicate the effect
that radical Islam is having on people's perception of anything to do
with religion. It provides the challenge for the Church and
Christians in general to divorce Christianity in the minds of the
m***** from that of a religion based on rules (as is Islam), to a way
of life built on relation****ps, the principal one being with Jesus
himself. Until and unless we can do that the majority of people will
increasingly lump bible believing Christians into the same "box" as
fundamentalist Islamists and their hearts will harden towards the
Gospel and towards all people of faith with implications for
increased persecution.)
More people in Britain think religion causes harm than believe it
does good, according to a Guardian/ICM poll. It shows that an
overwhelming majority see religion as a cause of division and tension
- greatly outnumbering the smaller majority who also believe that it
can be a force for good.
The poll also reveals that non-believers outnumber believers in
Britain by almost two to one. It paints a picture of a sceptical
nation with massive doubts about the effect religion has on society:
82% of those questioned say they see religion as a cause of division
and tension between people. Only 16% disagree.
Most people have no personal faith, the poll shows, with only 33% of
those questioned describing themselves as "a religious person". A
clear majority, 63%, say that they are not religious. Older people
and women are the most likely to believe in a god, with 37% of women
saying they are religious with 29% of men.
The findings come at the end of a year in which multiculturalism and
the role of different faiths in society has been at the heart of a
divisive political debate. But a spokesman for the Church of England
denied yesterday that mainstream religion was the source of tension.
The Right Rev Bishop Dunn, Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle, said "The
perception that faith is a cause of division can often be because
faith is misused for other uses and other agendas."
The survey revealed that only 17% of Brits now consider
Britain "Christian". The clear majority, 62%, say Britain is better
described as "a religious country of many faiths".
Source: The
Guardian
-----------------------------------------------
SWEDISH PRIME
MINISTER FACES REVOLT OVER GAY MARRIAGE
The coalition government of Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt is in danger
of collapse over the issue of same-*** marriage. Eight Members of
Parliament from Reinfeldt's own Conservative Moderate Party are
threatening to revolt if the party does not officially sup****t gay
marriage legislation.
Two of Reinfeldt's coalition partners, the Centre and Liberal
parties, already have announced their sup****t for the bill. A third
party, the Christian Democrats are opposed to same-*** marriage and
have indicated they would veto the legislation.
Sweden already has civil partner****ps under a law enacted in 1995
that gives most of the rights and obligations of marriage to same-***
couples who register. But the country's homo***ual community and
moderate politicians have stepped up lobbying to have the law amended
to permit homo***uals and lesbians to marry.
A parliamentary committee studying the issue last year called civil
partner****ps outdated and has recommended Parliament allow same-***
marriage. It also would allow gay couples to marry in churches. So
far Reinfeldt's Conservative Moderates have failed to introduce a gay
marriage bill in Parliament and the party has carefully avoided
taking a stand.
A re****t issued by the committee last year noted a public opinion
poll showed that 46 percent of Swedes are sup****tive of gay marriage,
while 31 percent are opposed. The remainder were undecided.
Reinfeldt has said the party will make a decision on the legislation
at its annual convention in the fall. The eight MPs pressuring him to
act sooner are said to include at least one cabinet
minister.
Source: Intercessors
Network
-----------------------------------------------
NEW PRAYER
INITIATIVE TO END THE VIOLENCE IN IRAQ
A new prayer initiative to mobilise churches throughout the world to
pray for an end to the violence in Iraq has been launched. Each
church who registers is asked to commit to praying for 3 minutes
each week (in their Sunday services) for the violence to end in Iraq.
Between 1st January and 24th April 2007 there have been 1010 fatal
attacks in Iraq. 764 of these occurred in just 10 cities of which 408
were in Baghdad alone.
The prayer focus is on these 10 most violent cities of Iraq,
including the 9 districts of Baghdad. Using an interactive map on the
http://www.iraqprayer.org/
website, churches can sign up to pray for
one of these cities or districts. The web site also contains
background information on Iraq and related details to help people
pray.
This new prayer initiative comes out of partner****p with prayer
leaders from many nations and Christians living in the Middle East.
Organised in London, the initiative is endeavouring to connect
Christians from across the world who share a love for Iraq and a
heart for prayer.
James 5:16 says that the prayer of the righteous is very powerful.
The focused prayer of churches worldwide can make a difference to
seeing the violence end. Interested Churches can sign up to pray for
an end to the violence in Iraq at www.iraqprayer.org.
Source: International Prayer
Movement
-----------------------------------------------
WOR****P IN GAZA
CHURCH DISRUPTED
The fighting between Hamas and Fatah, the two major opposing forces
in Gaza, has disrupted life for Christians in the Palestinian
territory. Rev. Hanna Massad, pastor of Gaza Baptist Church, had to
call an abrupt end to a wor****p service last Sunday due to heavy
gunfire. "Last Sunday night I was not able to finish my sermon
because there was heavy shooting close to the church building while I
was preaching. The people became very nervous and afraid, so we
stopped the meeting," he said in an email message to the Baptist
World Alliance.
Both Fatah and Hamas are engaged in a civil war that has intensified
over the past several weeks. Fatah, which previously controlled the
Palestinian Authority government, became the main opposition party
after it lost its majority to Hamas in the Palestinian parliament in
a general election in January 2006. Hamas won 76 of the 132 seats in
the chamber, while Fatah won 43 seats. Since Hamas' election victory,
sharp infighting has occurred between the two groups, which recently
escalated into full civil war, leading to many Palestinian
deaths.
Massad re****ted that a Baptist family had its house bombed, slightly
injuring one family member, and that the Gaza Baptist Church was
commandeered by Palestinian Authority police as a lookout point. The
building, which is six stories high and was dedicated in November
2006, was similarly seized and used during another major flare-up in
February. "In the last few days, the PA Police took our church
building.. When they asked us, we said no, so they just broke in,"
Massad.
"Most of the people in Gaza are watching and waiting to see what will
happen. Nothing is clear. All the borders are closed. We are in the
biggest prison in the world," Massad said. But despite the fighting
and tensions, Massad re****ted that "We continue to experience the
power of God's presence, His peace and love at this time."
Source: Baptist World
Alliance
-----------------------------------------------
SPIRITUAL
REVOLUTION UNDERWAY IN MIDDLE EAST
More Muslims converted to faith in Jesus Christ over the past decade
than at any other time in human history. A spiritual revolution is
underway throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
As a result, a record number of Muslims have turned to Christ this
year, despite intense persecution, assassinations, and widespread
church bombings.
Joel C. Rosenberg, while living in the Middle East, interviewed more
than three dozen Arab and Iranian pastors and evangelical leaders
throughout the region. The picture they paint is one of Christianity
being dramatically resurrected in the region of its birth.
Some Examples:
IRAQ - More than 5,000 new Muslim converts to Christianity have been
identified since the end of major combat operations, with 14 new
churches opened in Baghdad, and dozens of new churches opened in
Kurdistan, some of which have 500 to 800 members. Also, more than 1
million Bibles ****pped into the country since 2003, and pastors
re****t Iraqis are snatching them up so fast they constantly need more
Bibles.
EGYPT - Some re****ts say 1 million Egyptians have trusted Christ over
the past decade or so. The largest Christian congregation in the
Middle East meets in an enormous cave on the outskirts of Cairo. Some
10,000 believers wor****p there every weekend. A prayer conference the
church held in May 2005 drew some 20,000 believers.
AFGHANISTAN - Only 17 Muslim converts to Christianity before 9/11/01,
but now there are more than 10,000 believers. Dozens of baptisms take
place every week.
IRAN - In 1979, there were only 500 known Muslim converts to
Christianity, but today Iranian pastors and evangelical leaders say
there are more than 1 million Iranian believers in Jesus Christ, most
of whom meet in underground house churches.
Source: Intercessors for
America
--
Shalom/Salaam! Rowland Croucher
http://jmm.aaa.net.au/
(20,000 articles 4000 humor)
Blogs - http://rowlandsblogs.blogspot.com/
Justice for Dawn Rowan - http://dawnrowansaga.blogspot.com/
Funny Jokes and Pics - http://funnyjokesnpics.blogspot.com/
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