Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 180 | Wed 10 Oct 2012

PHILIPPINES: RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN BANGSAMORO

plus UPDATES on Iran and Saudi Arabia

by Elizabeth Kendal

On Sunday 7 October the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) agreed to a 'framework agreement' with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). This framework is not a 'peace deal' inasmuch as it is an agreed commencement from which the two parties will work towards a comprehensive peace. The agreement will be officially signed on 15 October. As President Benigno Aquino III said, 'The work does not end here. There are still details that both sides must hammer out. Promises must be kept, institutions must be fixed, and new capacities must be built nationally and regionally in order to effectively administer the Bangsamoro.' 'Bangsamoro' is the name of the new entity that will replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

The Philippines Government created the ARMM in 1989 while it was engaged in a struggle with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). When the MNLF put down their weapons in 1996, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) - hardline Islamists who had split from the MNLF to pursue an independent Islamic state - rejected peace, rejected the ARMM and fought on. Until now, the closest the GRP and the MILF have ever been to peace was the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) of July 2008. The MOA-AD would have replaced the ARMM with a greatly expanded MILF-ruled Bangsamoro Judicial Entity. After learning that they would soon be living in an Islamic sub-state, local Christians petitioned the Supreme Court which ruled the MOA-AD unconstitutional, scuttling the deal. MILF responded with a wave of violence against Mindanao Christians that left 400 dead and some 750,000 displaced. In her quest to add 'peace-maker' to her legacy, President Arroyo and those who supported the MOA-AD had shown little concern for thousands of Christians who did not want to wake up one morning in an Islamic 'Judicial Entity' under MILF rule.

The new 'framework agreement' is different in that MILF does not make the same territorial demands. Associated Press reports: 'A new autonomous region will take shape in the south, with Moro rebels giving up their quest for independence in exchange for broad powers to govern themselves.' However, as AP adds, while 'Bangsamoro' is 'broadly based on an existing autonomous region, the rebels want it expanded'. Furthermore, the MILF will not be governing 'themselves' but everyone who lives within Bangsamoro, Christians included. According to the 'framework agreement', Sharia Courts will be strengthened and their jurisdiction expanded, although (it is assured) Sharia will be applied only to Muslims. So will Muslim citizens of Bangasmoro be free to appeal to the Supreme Court for their constitutional rights or will the Islamic Courts have jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to Islam?

In every state where two systems of law operate, Muslims routinely find their constitutional rights rendered illusory by Islamic courts that retain jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to Islam. These include whom Muslims can marry, what Muslims can drink, how Muslims must dress, with whom Muslims can mix and suchlike. Would Bangsamoro Muslims be free to leave Islam - a right guaranteed them in the Philippines Constitution - or would leaving Islam fall under the jurisdiction of the Sharia Court, as it does in Malaysia which is mediating the talks? Concerning religious freedom, the 'framework agreement' states that all citizens are guaranteed the right to 'freedom and expression of religion and belief'; the right to 'freedom of speech'; and the right to 'freedom from religious, ethnic and sectarian harassment'. As harassment is not defined, this 'right' will doubtless function as the basis for laws that will stifle Christian witness.

As per the 'framework agreement' a 15-member 'Transition Commission' (TransCom) will be created to flesh out the details, propose changes to the constitution as required and then draft a law creating the new Muslim autonomous region. The process is expected to take at least two years. In the meantime the MNLF, believing it has been betrayed, is threatening to sue and is 'warning' of unrest. Along with this, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters has split from MILF vowing to continue the jihad.


PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY THAT GOD WILL -

* expose deceptions and deny the devil a foothold in the transition process, so that peace does not come at the expense of religious liberty and security.

* use this opportunity to make Muslims aware of the great value of liberty, a human right which frees them up to seek truth and follow their conscience - something they will be deprived of if they are placed under Sharia Law.

* sustain, preserve, protect, bless and build his Church in the Southern Philippines. 'The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.' (Lamentations 3:25 ESV)


SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN BANGSAMORO, PHILIPPINES

On Sunday 7 October the Government of the Republic of the Philippines signed a 'framework agreement' with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). A 15-member Transition Commission will be established to flesh out the details. It will work towards a comprehensive peace deal and the creation of an Islamic sub-state, to be known as Bangsamoro. It is essentially in the area already known as the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Sharia Courts will be strengthened and their jurisdiction expanded, seriously curtailing the human rights and religious freedom of both Muslims and Christians. The transition is expected to take several years. Unrest is highly probable. Pray that religious freedom is not traded for a tenuous peace with committed Islamists. Please pray for the Church in Southern Philippines.


UPDATES

* IRAN: INJUSTICE AND REPRESSION PREVAIL

Iranian authorities have released Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani but they did not release his heroic Muslim lawyer. Rather, on 29 September, Mohammed Ali Dadkhah was transferred to Ward 350 of Tehran's notorious Evin Prison to commence a nine-year sentence. Dadkhah is charged with 'aiding and abetting' the enemy, spreading propaganda and threatening national security. (Dadkhah provided pro bono legal representation to persecuted religious minorities.) Dadkhah advocated for Nadarkhani. Now we must advocate for him with prayer to the highest authority.


* SAUDI ARABIA: APOSTASY TRIAL ON 14 OCTOBER

Maryam (28), a Saudi convert to Christianity, remains in hiding in Sweden. Her Christian boss, Lebanese expatriate Henna Sarkees (50), along with his Saudi 'accomplice', will face court in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday 14 October. Sarkees is charged with abusing his position of authority to coerce Maryam into converting to Christianity. His Saudi 'accomplice' is charged with facilitating her flight out of the country. Pray for Henna Sarkees and his Saudi associate. Pray also for Maryam. Pray for awakening in Saudi Arabia. (Ephesians 3:20,21)

To see this RLPB with hyperlinks go to http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com.au

With persecution escalating and intensifying globally, please consider participating in the International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the persecuted church between 4-11 November. 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood
. . .' (Ephesians 6:12). Critical Prayer Requests (CPR) can be found at http://criticalprayerrequests.blogspot.com.au/ .


We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal's blog 'Religious Liberty Monitoring'

http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

Elizabeth is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly issues direct by sending a blank email to

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Note: This is for my friends (many) who are in the midst of some of the most horrific events at the hands of “God’s” people.  To you I send you the love of the Father and the peace that passes understanding.

Introduction: Today in the middle of my devotions, The Father led me to pray for some friends.  It was not a subtle request.  It was a swamping of urgency.  For several minutes nothing was visible but their pain.  Even now more than an hour later the residue lingers in the tears at the edge of my eyes.  The following devotional is for you.

Psalm 35:4-8 contains David’s prayer for help in the time of need.  He was beat down and surrounded by those who wished him ill.  In these verses he specifically asks for Help from the Lord.

He asks: Father, there are those who wish to kill me.  They want me to come to harm.  Father I am asking You to cause them to be ashamed and disgraced.  David is showing us an awesome principle.  He is showing that the battle is not his, but the Lord’s.  It is clear from the context and the incident that causes David to pray this that he is overwhelmed with the people who have betrayed him and were actively plotting against him.  He is so under the gun (maybe spear might be a better metaphor for David) that he didn’t have anything left to fight within himself.  This is one key to overcoming those who wish us harm. 

In the same verse he asks the Father to cause those who have been planning him harm to turn away and run away.  The key here is that we ask the Father to bring them down. 

The next part is fuel for our soul.  It gives me a great sense of who God is and how He responds to us.  David gives God some suggestions to God on how he wishes the Him to deal with the people who wish him harm.  This is awesome because in the proper way it gives us permission to suggest to God what punishments you wish on those oppose you.  Note:  These are suggestions.

1. God, would you let them be like the chaff that the wind blows away.  In those days you separated the grain from that which wasn’t any good by tossing it together into the air.  The wind would blow and the grain would fall.  Whatever was blown away was useless.  David suggests that He send an angel to do this to his opponents. 

1. God, he says, would you make their road dark and slippery as one of your angels chases them.  This is what the Father showed me here.  When you are opposed and oppressed, you are fearful and have feelings of being alone.  What we ask for is for those in opposition to us experience this same fear and depression.

The third thing that David says about these people is that they have set out ways to trap us and dug pits for us to fall into.  The traps are aimed at us in such a way that they would discredit us.  The purpose is that whoever is being focused on would become impotent.  It is always based in personal preference and not from a focus on the Father. 

The pits are scenarios that are set up so as to cause the focus of their evil to fall.  It has several ways that it is done. 

□ It can be done by accusing a person of sexual sin.  (It usually doesn’t matter if it is true or not, because when it becomes public it damages almost irreversible harm.) 

□ Many times it is aimed at financial misdeeds. 

□ Others it is aimed at your personality. 

□ Other times it is aimed at your method of doing things. 

□ Sometimes it is based in truth but the criticism is not done in a Biblical manner.

1. David reserves a special set of suggestions for this last group of people.  He asks the Father to cause them to come to ruin suddenly.  (The author has seen this happen.)  He also asks that the Father allow them to be caught in their own traps and pits.  The key here is seeking wisdom in the raging battle.  Then your response (not reaction) would be to challenge them with the Word.  The Word is powerful and able to divide between the human spirit and the human soul.  In other words the Word when spoken to the spirit of those who are trying to sabotage us will cause them to have to respond to God, even when they react to you.

Calling on God with clarity, even brutal clarity, is acceptable to Him.  He already knows the state of our heart, so why not be honest with Him and tell him that life stinks!

Father, I am praying that You would go to the wall for those whose lives are being sabotaged.  Would You allow the traps and pits which are intent on their harm to be used against them instead?  I am blasting heaven today for these people who are having a tough season.  Would you come by their side and give them Your comfort.

BTW: If you have a friend who is going through this kind of time, forward this to them.

Millions of Christians united across denominational, cultural, and political differences on Sunday, October 7, as part of The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) to intercede for the city God calls His own and to invoke God’s blessing, purposes, and provision upon all of Jerusalem’s people. From over 175 nations, believers gathered to pray in their worship services, in their homes, on college campuses, in regional gatherings, and on a 24 Hour Prayer Conference Call.

Broadcast by GOD TV to over 200  nations, Christians were also able to join the special DPPJ Celebration at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. It was co-hosted by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem ( ICEJ), who had gathered more than 5,000 believers from nearly 90 countries for that week. Its Executive Director - Dr. Jürgen Bühler - told the packed audience: "We have to pray for Israel like never before and stand with Israel like never before.  We have to pray for all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, both Jew and Arab…and as we pray for Israel, we must pray for the Arab nations too."  Special guests and speakers participating in this Jerusalem event  included the Israeli Hip Hop artists “Lions of Zion”, as well as Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, MK Danny Danon; Chief Rabbi of Efrat, Dr. Shlomo Riskin; International Director of Interreligious Affairs of the AJC, Rabbi Dr. David Rosen; and other Jewish and Evangelical Christian leaders. 

This multinational, multi-denominational global prayer movement was started in 2002 by Evangelical Christian leaders with Dr. Jack W. Hayford and Rev. Dr. Robert Stearns serving as co-chairmen. Rev. Stearns, Founder/Director of Eagles’ Wings, explained: “We are gathering together in Jerusalem during the season of the High Holidays and declaring that Christians will continue to pray for G-d’s peace to come to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem. We will remind G-d of His promises, and we will remind Israel’s detractors that Israel is not alone.”

Rabbi Shlomo Riskin - Founder and Chancellor of Ohr Torah Stone – shared: "We [Christians and Jews] were previous enemies, but now we are important friends.  This event is more than just prayer; it explains what prayer is all about…  Zechariah 4:6 says: ‘Not by might, nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord.’”

Christians participating in the DPPJ observances not only pray for Jerusalem, but also add practical action to their intercession. This year a check of $20,000 was presented by Robert Stearns from the DPPJ offerings to support two Eagles’ Wings Feeding Centers in Israel, which feed both Arab and Jewish poor in Jerusalem and Tiberias.

Additionally, millions participated by praying in their churches, homes and special services throughout October 7, from cities and rural villages, from huts and mansions, cathedrals and simple church buildings, and from college campuses to underground churches in China and seven Muslim countries. One pastor in India, P. Noel Samuel - head of the Indian Pentecostal Church of God in Andhra Pradesh –had his 1000 churches and 70,000 believers participating in this year’s DPPJ, and he is just one of over 1200 global endorsing leaders.

Throughout the 24 hours of October 7, 613 believers from around the world also prayed together through an internet “virtual prayer room” created by the 24-Hour DPPJ Prayer Conference Call provided by Greater Calling Ministry. Callers representing 32 U.S. states were joined by believers from many nations, including Kenya, Australia, Australia, Canada and Germany. The Lord was praised, shofars were blown, and the people raised their diverse voices in one accord as they prayed for Jerusalem and her people groups. The total combined minutes of prayer was 52,678, which is the equivalent of 878 hours or 37 days of one person praying non-stop!

The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem –on the first Sunday every October - is the largest Jerusalem-focused prayer initiative in the world, involving tens of millions of believers participating each year from over 175 nations. It is endorsed by over 1,200 prominent Christian leaders worldwide, including Jack Hayford, Paul Cedar, Dick Eastman, Ron Luce, Kay Arthur, John Hagee, Jane Hansen Hoyt, K.P. Yohannan, T. D Jakes, Ravi Zacharias, Mosy Madugba, Kenneth Copeland, Samuel Rodriguez, Joyce Meyer, Lance Wallnau, Larry Stockstill, Bishop Charles Scott, Newsboys, Thomas Wang, Sunday Adelaja, and many more.

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving Day giving thanks at the close of the harvest season. I invite you to join me today in giving thanks and praying to “the Lord of the harvest” (Luke 10:2) for the men and women who serve God in the spiritual harvest fields of Canada and especially for those with whom I serve and for whom I advocate in the metropolitan area of Vancouver and on Vancouver Island. Here are some Vancouver facts to prompt your Canadian praying:

• Metro Vancouver is the fourth most densely populated city in North America containing over 200 different language groups.
• One-third of the nearly three million population of metro Vancouver (900,000) are foreign born.
• 500,000 citizens of metro Vancouver, under the age of 35, are second generation – Canadian born children of foreign-born parents.
• In metro Vancouver there are 300,000 post-secondary students, in other words, one of three residents are college and university students. University students in Vancouver, represent 145 nations.
• 35% of those in metro Vancouver have no religious preference. Estimates are that 93% of those in metro Vancouver are non-Christian.
• Among university students, less than .5% are evangelical Christians, making the campus an unreached people group.
• Many mainline denominations are closing their church doors and selling their property. Pray for new church starts in the municipalities of Coquitlam, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, White Rock, Richmond, Surrey, Maple Ridge, in the Vancouver inner city core and on Vancouver Island.
• Vancouver Island has a population of 750,000 and is home to more than 5500 indigenous people. It is said to be the second leading center of occult in the world.
• Vancouver is known as the “Gateway to the Pacific Rim.” To reach Vancouver, is to reach into the Pacific Rim and countries beyond.

Read Dr. Dan’s Monday Morning Manna at www.discipleallnations.org/blog.

Today was my church's 33^rd anniversary celebration, and I think it was a sign of God’s pleasure over us and his joy that 33 people were baptized on Saturday and Sunday between the three services. During the 9:15 service, a few prayer warriors met in the our Lighthouse prayer chapel and interceded through the early morning service, and for the next 33 years. We prayed for our church’s future history, and in this ministry we call the Outlet Prayer Ministry, we often wrestle with silent questions:

• What does God want?
• How can we get there?
• How can we glorify Him?
• We ask God to draw more KCC’ers into a saving relationship with Jesus.

At the core of these questions lies the idea of revival, and getting back to the influence on the world around us that the early church exercised. After Peter’s first sermon, over 3000 people were saved and baptized. (Acts 2) Throughout Acts, sermons brought conviction and conversation. As we prayed this morning, two ideas bubbled to the surface.

1) The apostles waited on God’s promise of anointing and power at Pentecost before they began to preach the gospel. Jesus had asked them to wait for this promise before venturing into the world with his message of grace and forgiveness. One the Day of Pentecost, just before God’s power fell, Luke writes that the apostles were “all together, and in one place.” Did the detailed doctor repeat himself, or is this an important component to the day’s miraculous events?

In another translation, this phrase is rendered “the apostles were together in one place, and in one accord.” It wasn’t enough for them to be physically together. They had spent the 10 days between Jesus ascension and Pentecost praying, reading the scriptures, and building deep community. I imagine that they talked through Peter’s denial, Thomas’s doubts, James and John’s desires to have the first place in line, and how Jesus had to appear to them two or three times before they were ready to really, really believe. They came to a place where they were not only all together, but they were in one accord, ready to speak to the world about this life-changing Jesus.

2) The church had lost everything. Those who believed in Jesus cowered in that upper room for fear of the Jewish leaders and the Roman guards. For three years these young idealistic disciples followed Jesus around the country learning his Way, Truth and Life. They had gone all in, and now Jesus promise was all they had.

These conditions describe the hearts that God found when he poured out his power, and the church began to change the world. They didn’t have any allusions about building kingdoms, businesses or fortunes. The One they loved most had been cast out, and eventually crucified by those who were threatened by his power. As his followers, they could not expect to be “better than their Master.”

I’m not writing to suggest that Christians should choose a path to deliberately create conflict with the world around us, or that being a ‘real’ Christian means selling everything we own and finding a room to rent in a hotel somewhere. I’m saying that Jesus brought his followers into a place there they could honestly say that they had Him and only Him on which to rely. They waited in that place, and in that place God poured out his power which equipped them to change the world.

As we prayed this morning, we prayed and asked for God’s power to once again fall, and continue to fill KCC, our people, staff and services in the years to come. Yet in the midst of our prayers, I had to confess that too often we are dependent on ourselves, serving divided interests, and at odds with each other. . .  and yet we still ask God to come and do great things. Throughout the scriptures, God connected the dots between the condition of his peoples’ hearts and lives with his ability to answer their prayers in great ways. As we start our 34^th year, let’s pray with King David, and ask God to:

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
And see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Ps 139. 23-24

For several years, America has been under what Romans 11:8 calls “a spirit of stupor.” More on that in a minute, but first a story…

You’ve probably heard the old German legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. When the town of Hamelin was suffering from a terrible rat infestation, a charismatic man dressed in multicolored clothing appeared, claiming to have a solution. The desperate townspeople gladly promised to pay him for his services, and the man proceeded to play a musical pipe to lure the rats into a river, where they drowned.

Despite this success, the mayor of the town refused to pay the piper the full amount of money due. The piper angrily left the town, vowing to return and seek revenge.

Sure enough, the piper came back, this time when the townspeople were in church. He played his pipe again, but not to lure away the rats this time. The seductive sound of his music drew away the children of Hamelin out of their town and into a cave, where they were never seen again.

Why has this story endured for so many centuries? Because we’ve all experienced some version of its plot: The guy hired to fix one problem ends up creating other problems that are even worse.

We see this in the Biblical story of the woman who suffered with a hemorrhage for 12 years. We’re told that she “had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse” (Mark 5:25-34). Notice that this poor woman (1) suffered at the hands of the very ones who were supposedly trying to help her, (2) spent all her money on worthless cures, and (3) ended up getting worse instead of better.

And it’s also crucial to notice that this woman apparently persisted—for 12 long years—in a treatment plan that actually made her situation worse. No doubt, her worthless (or evil) doctors assured her that improvement was right around the corner. “Just stay the course,” they advised her. “We’re surely making progress.”

You see, there are Pied Pipers everywhere. Politicians, financial planners, sports coaches—we’ve all heard the “stay the course” message when it made no logical sense at all.

That brings us back to “the spirit of stupor.” Romans 11:8 says this unfortunate condition came from God Himself, a judgment for people’s idolatry, hardness of heart, and failure to seek His ways. Those overcome by this spirit had “eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear.”

Our English word “stupor” comes from the Latin stupure, meaning “insensible.” Dictionaries define it as “a lack of critical cognitive function, where a sufferer only responds to stimuli such as pain” … “suspension or great diminishing of sensibility, such as the effect of narcotics or intoxicants (e.g., a drunken stupor)” … “mental apathy.”

Just as a person usually needs several drinks to become inebriated, America’s stupor didn’t happen all at once. The Pied Piper spirit began to weave its seductive web decades ago, but its tune surely came to a crescendo with the intoxicating rhetoric and promises of 2008.

If you see this as strictly a matter of party affiliation you’ve completely missed the point. There are Pied Pipers on all sides of the political spectrum. We have to address the spiritual roots of many people’s trancelike political preferences. The stupor is, after all, a “spirit”—something that must ultimately be broken through prayer, fasting, and spiritual warfare.

Have you ever tried to persuade a drunken person to follow any kind of sensible path? Good luck on that. First, the intoxicated person must sober up and come to his senses.

In the same way, God graciously wants to return America to “sobriety” and sensibility. Prayer is a powerful thing, and the curse of spiritual stupor can be broken. But time is running out, and our children’s future depends on it. We must boldly cry out to awaken those still mesmerized by the piper’s seductive spell, “Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light” (Ephesians 5:14).

...."Because you have prayed to Me...." Isaiah 37:21

King Hezekiah saved Israel because of one act. He prayed; and because he prayed, God moved on his behalf. In fact, God moved so powerfully that Hezekiah did not even have to fight the battle.

Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! (Isaiah 37:36)

The king of Assyria was even murdered by his own sons. Imagine seeing your enemy totally destroyed without one hand raised in battle!

God wants to act on behalf of His children if they will call on Him. One of  the motives Hezekiah had in seeking God's help was "so that all kingdoms on earth may know that You alone, O Lord, are God" (Is. 37:20). This is what happened. God was glorified.

God wants to let  us know that He is a living God. He can deliver. Let's seek Him  for  all things in our life. Keep our motive pure and God will surely answer.

Things changed because of prayer!!! Let's watch the what the Lord does through us because we prayed!!!

Introduction: The scripture is full of places where God asserts His ownership of His people.  (2 Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 28:9; 31:23 and 34:9, etc.)  Ownership means that the person has given themselves to the Father.  Ownership brings with it great promises.  In Psalm 34:15-17 we find a passage where His promises are given for the benefit of His people.

David writes here of His love for His people.  Here are the ways that He shows His love for us and His disdain for those who are not His.

The first one is enough to convince me that He is to be trusted as my owner.  He, the Father, sees good people and listens to their prayer.  He listens!  The Master and Creator of the universe listens to us individually.  All he asks for in return is to show two of the characteristics of giving Him ownership.  He asks you to obey what He shows in prayer.  Then He asks you to trust Him with what He shows you.  He has a purpose for what happens to us in life.  He asks you to spend time with Him in the Word and in Prayer.  Could you not tarry with me for one hour?

The second point is against those who do evil.  He says that He will cause them not to be remembered.  He is speaking to those who do not show the ownership characteristics of submission to and reliance on God.  When we depend on ourselves, are egotistical, selfish, fomenters of dissension, etc. we are opposed to God.

The next one is incredible.  He says that He hears the cries of good people and saves them from their trouble.  Yes He does save His people.  When His people cry out in humility and faith they hear from God.  In this way we show two more characteristics of ownership.

The final point is almost beyond belief.  He says that He is close to the brokenhearted.  He also saves those who have had their spirits crushed.  In this world everyone I know has fit into one or both of these two categories at least once in their life.  Some have been literally crushed by what the world handed them.  If you talk to the abused, addicted, alienated, etc. you will soon find that “crushed” is an accurate description.

But what if God has a purpose for this brokenness?  What if He has a way for you to recover from this brokenness that brings you recovery and Him glory at the same time?  I know full well that when I write this that some are going to write me off as simplistic.  That’s ok, because I know what the Spirit of the Lord is showing me in this verse.

Like many of you I have had my life and spirit crushed by life’s worst and people’s insensitivity and actions.  Because I have experienced the horrid crushing that threatens to blow up the pieces of life, I can say that it is not simplistic, just short and practical.

When I was in the throes of the pain of being crushed in nearly every aspect of life the words of my most important mentor came to me.  The voice said, “Dale don’t be like most people who face tough times and run from God, instead run to God.”

This is totally opposite of what the world teaches and what we would do naturally.  So as a challenge, try this method.  Instead of just tossing God on the garbage heap of disdain, ask Him what he wants you to learn.  Ask Him what His purpose for this “crap” is.  Tell him in an angry (shout) voice what your difficulty is.  (David did this many times as he sang his songs/psalms to God.)  Call Him to fulfill His promise to always be with us. I dare you to shout at God that you need help.   

Then submit to His will and wait.  Be still and know that He is God.  You are more receptive to the thoughts of God when you are you get quiet instead of focusing on what has beaten you up. When we focus on Him instead of our brokenness we are more prone to hear His answer.  When you are at your weakest, God is at His strongest. 

Now go take a nap, sleep the whole night through and then get up and do it again.  Follow this pattern until you get relief.  It works.  It sometimes takes a long time.  But the end result is awesome. 

Your brokenness can be a tool for great good in the Kingdom.  You will become a wounded healer.  The wounded and broken and crushed are the best witnesses of recovery.

Point: As you develop the characteristics of being owned by God in your life you will become more intimate with Him.  Then you will see some tremendous promises fulfilled.

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Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin | RLPB 179 | Wed 03 Oct 2012

INDIA: UNRELENTING PERSECUTION

by Elizabeth Kendal

Persecution of the Church in India is unrelenting, primarily due to the Hindu nationalists' incitement of racial and religious hatred; the impunity afforded to violent persecutors; and the authorities' lack of political will. The following incidents were recorded by the Evangelical Fellowship of India. They are typical - and the tip of the iceberg.

On 24 September, 12 Hindu extremists disrupted a prayer meeting in Kandhamal, Orissa, verbally abusing the believers and chasing them out into the forest. When junior pastor Mantu Nayak tripped and fell, the Hindus beat him mercilessly, leaving him with head injuries and fractures in both arms. On 11 September police in Kashganj, Uttar Pradesh, accused Christians of 'forcible conversions'. The next day, a mob of armed Hindus arrived and threatened the believers, demanding they 'return' to Hinduism. Reacting against news of an impending Christian inter-caste marriage, the Hindus drove the bride-to-be and her family out of the area. On 7 September Pastor John Pargy was distributing gospel tracts quietly when he was accused of insulting Hinduism. He was then assaulted and arrested. On 4 September Pastor Anand Nirala was arrested in Jangir Champa, Chhattisgarh, after Hindus accused him of 'forced' conversions, insulting Hindu deities and disturbing social harmony. On 1 September Hindu extremists in Balod, Chhattisgarh, stoned a church and beat the pastor and believers. The next day, a 600-strong mob returned and terrorised the believers, eventually driving them from their homes. On 26 August a large mob of Hindu extremists burst into a prayer meeting in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, and violently attacked the believers, leaving two Christians seriously injured. Accusing the believers of 'forced conversions', the Hindus rampaged through the village. One local Christian, Edwin Raj, was beaten to death.

On 29 August the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) had a minor and partial victory when the High Court of Himachal Pradesh struck out one section of the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (HPFR Act), a law that regulates conversions. The judge struck out section 4, which mandated that anyone intending to change their religion must inform the district administration 30 days before conversion takes place - essentially to obtain permission - or else face a fine. Whilst the judge ruled that section 4 violated a person's right to privacy, he did not agree with the EFI that the HPFR Act, which criminalises religious 'force', 'fraud' and 'inducement', violated the constitutional right to religious freedom. ['Force', 'fraud' and 'inducement' are defined in a way that effectively criminalises virtually all Christian witness. In India, 'freedom of religion' is essentially understood as freedom from religious 'interference'.]

According to the High Court, freedom of religion must be subject to the interests of public law and order. Though Christians are said to have full rights, in practice conversions and Christian witness must be restricted if they lead to Hindu rioting. This is exactly the same backward thinking involved in Islamic blasphemy legislation. Confident they will be appeased, religious dictators incite violence, blame the victim and extract concessions. Though governments might find appeasement expedient in the short term, in the long term it is disastrous as it legitimises intolerance, justifies violence and fuels persecution.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY -

* for God to grace India with awakening, so that Indians will see they are being fed lies and deprived of religious freedom by religious dictators out to perpetuate their own caste privilege. '. . . let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.' (Amos 5:24 ESV)

* for God to grace the Indian government with discernment, conviction and courage to deal with Hindu nationalist propaganda before it devours the nation.

* that the Church will continue to grow in spite of repression and violent persecution, as God adds to her number daily those who are being saved.

* that the LORD of hosts will be a protective shield and strong, safe fortress to every Indian believer, particularly those pastors and evangelists who risk life and liberty to share the Gospel and serve the people in the name of Jesus.

SUMMARY TO USE IN BULLETINS UNABLE TO RUN THE WHOLE ARTICLE

UNRELENTING PERSECUTION IN INDIA

Persecution of the Church in India is unrelenting, primarily due to the Hindu nationalists' incitement of racial and religious hatred, the impunity afforded violent persecutors and the authorities' lack of political will. 'Religious Freedom' laws define 'force', 'fraud' and 'coercion' in ways that criminalise virtually all Christian witness. Such laws are a gift to the Hindu nationalists who incite violence, blame the victims and are appeased with impunity and restrictions on egalitarian Christianity that the high-caste Hindus recognise as a threat to their own caste privilege. The government is reluctant and even afraid to tackle Hindu propaganda. Consequently the propaganda flourishes, fuelling religious hostility and creating an incendiary environment. The situation is extremely dangerous. Please pray for the Church in India.


URGENT UPDATES

* KENYA: TERROR THREAT. On 14 September police in Nairobi uncovered a large cache of weapons, foiling a massive terror plot due to be launched against churches. Unfortunately, on 30 September a Sunday School class was bombed, killing one child and wounding nine.

* EGYPT: EXPULSIONS. Christians have been ethnically cleansed out of the Sinai. What started as jihadists' terror was completed by the government of Mohamed Morsi.

* PAKISTAN: BLASPHEMY CASE. The three Muslims who gave sworn testimony against the imam Khalid Chishti have withdrawn their statements, claiming to have been coerced. They had testified that he had tampered with evidence so that the illiterate Christian, Rimsha Masih (14), might be accused of blasphemy and all Christians subsequently driven from the slum (see RLPB 173).


To view this RLPB with hyperlinks visit the Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin blog at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com


With persecution escalating and intensifying globally, please consider participating in the International Day of Prayer (IDOP) for the persecuted church between 4-11 November. 'For we wrestle not against flesh and blood . . .' (Ephesians 6:12). Critical Prayer Requests (CPR) can be found at http://criticalprayerrequests.blogspot.com.au/ .


We suggest that churches and fellowships using the above Summary might also provide a copy of the listed prayer points to be used in their worship by people who are leading in prayer.

For more information, updates and helpful links see Elizabeth Kendal's blog 'Religious Liberty Monitoring'

http://elizabethkendal.blogspot.com

Previous RLPBs may be viewed at http://rlprayerbulletin.blogspot.com

This RLPB was written for the Australian Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission (AEA RLC) by Elizabeth Kendal, an international religious liberty analyst and advocate, and a member of the AEA RLC team.

Elizabeth is Adjunct Research Fellow in the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at the Melbourne School of Theology.

If this bulletin was forwarded to you, you may receive future weekly issues direct by sending a blank email

to <join-rlpb@hub.xc.org>.

As a Christ-follower, I have a laundry list of things, important things on my prayer list. Children, finances, job issues, friends going through tough times – I can go on. God I need this. God, I want you do that. I don't know about you, but when I pray this way, focusing on my laundry list, my prayers seem like they bounce off a brass ceiling, and fall to the ground around me. I'm not saying that we shouldn't pray for situations like these, Yet if all I do is ask for stuff, it's not long before I sense something in my prayer life is missing. I wind up spiritually dry and unexcited about the eternal.

There are no rules when we pray, yet God's Word gives gentle instructions. We can't manufacture God's power. Yet when we pray, and follow his pattern, He promises He WILL show up. The purpose of a prayer ministry, any prayer ministry, is to find and follow God’s pattern in order to find God’s promised response. Based in God's Word, we know when we pray and wait expectantly, our Heavenly Father does what we can't. The acronym ACTS is a great way to focus on his pattern as a guide.

Adoration (Praise): Psalm 100 says: “Enter into God's gates with thanksgiving, and come into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him, and bless his Holy name. (Ps 100.4) When we gather together, intercessors should resist the temptation to start with our laundry list. Instead we take time to praise, and worship God for who He is. We take time to recognize we are coming into the courts of the Creator of the Universe, and He is worthy of our praise.

Confession: Psalm 66.18 says: “If I regard, (or hold onto) iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Jesus encourages us to take this idea seriously. He says that when we come to worship, if we remember that we have something against someone, that we should leave our sacrifice, and reconcile or make the situation right before we come to worship. Does this mean I have to be perfect before God will hear my prayers? No. It means that God expects that we live what we say we believe, and do what we can to live in right relationships with others.

Thanksgiving: Phil 4.6 says: “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Thanksgiving naturally flows from a heart that is filled with worship, and that has been cleansed of sins. We are naturally thankful when we can see God's greatness, our humanness, and how Jesus has bridged the gap. Thanksgiving differs from praise and worship in that worship lifts up who God is, thanksgiving focuses on what God's done.

Supplication (Intercession) : 1 Thess 5.16-18 says: “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Finally we get to our laundry list, but when we start by focusing on God, and his requests of us, theirs is a change in my attitude. After focusing on God's glory, dealing with our sins, and spending time thanking Him for all the things He's done in our lives, my laundry list isn't all about me anymore. It's about God, His glory and how we can be a part of His plans.

If you’re involved in a prayer ministry or prayer group at your church, I challenge you to change your focus for the next few times you gather. Put your laundry list in the pocket of your bible case until you spend time in God’s presence, longing for him instead of stuff. In Jeremiah 29.11-13, God says that when we seek him, we will find him, when we search for him with all our hearts. The condition resides with us. We have to lay down our agenda, our to do list, our expectations and wait on him before we will see clearly to pray according to his priorities.

Free Resources for Children's Ministry Leaders

Free Printable: "10 Ways to Teach Your Child to Pray"

"Helping your child develop a daily prayer life is one of the greatest gifts a mom can give."

Download and share this printable with the parents in your children's ministry.

From iMom, "Teaching your child how to lay down their worries, seek wisdom, and enjoy the presence of a loving God is a treasure! Here are some prayers every kid can pray that may help you get started."

Get Download Now >>

Resource provided by iMom.com

Download Instructions: To download this resource, right-click on the appropriate link (e.g., "Download Color PDF") and choose "Save As."

VIDEO: Big Prayers

» Source: Wycliffe Bible Translators USA

In less than two minutes, a Wycliffe leader motivates viewers to pray bigger prayers – to pray for the most miraculous things.

» Watch Pray Bigger Prayers. Other short and stirring videos from the same source which you might find useful include Language Is Tied to Identity and Determining Truth.

Reprinted from Missions Catalyst 09.26.12 – Resource Reviews.

America's Prayer Leaders Pray for the Peace Of Jerusalem on Oct. 7th

In an hour when the very existence of Israel is threatened on all sides, God still has His plan. Despite Hezbollah missiles to her north and Hamas rockets to her South, God still has His weapons. Though allies have become foes and friends are hard to find, God is still raising up Watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. This year, two very strategic prayer gatherings   - The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ) and “THE SUMMONS” in Washington DC - discovered that they are part of God’s plan, His weapons, and His Watchmen as they join forces on the very same day – Sunday October 7th - to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. 

The global  Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem on October 7th (http://www.daytopray.com  )  - led by Dr. Robert Stearns, Dr. Jack Hayford, and Dr. Paul Cedar, along with over 1200 Christian endorsing leaders – occurs the first Sunday of every October in the local churches of  over 175 nations, including underground ones in China and seven Muslim countries. It is the call to the global Church to pray for God’s peace (Psalm 122:6) and blessing over His Holy City – Jerusalem, over ALL who live there - Jew and Arab alike, and over the land He calls His own. In the midst of countries in continual chaos,  God is still the Rock of Israel and Jehovah Shalom.

THE SUMMONS 2012 (http://summons2012.com ), is a Solemn Assembly in Washington DC. From Oct. 4 – 7, called by The  National Day of Prayer Task Force “due to the urgency of the moment and the prompting of God.”  America’s National Prayer Committee Chairman, Dave Butts, explains, “It is God's call to the Church to come together in our capital  during this very intense political season, to pray and ask God's blessing over our nation and our people.”  With both the Republican and Democratic Conventions  over, American Christians now face the daunting challenge of discerning which man will bless our nation over the next four years… which leader will hear God’s still quiet voice behind him saying: “This is the way; walk in it.”( Isa.30:21)

Is this overlap of dates a coincidence?  Though not originally planned by either ministry, leaders quickly realized that there was a divine motive to the dates. John Bornschein - Vice Chairman of The National Day of Prayer explains: “God is very intentional; DPPJ and Summons 2012 are evidence of His divine order and purpose. Praying for America and the Peace of Jerusalem are assignments God is summoning for our time on Sunday, October 7th.”   Dave Butts adds, “I believe it is absolutely God-orchestrated timing that The Summons, a time of prayer for America, concludes on the same day as the Global Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. What an amazing opportunity to bless Israel and our own nation, by praying for the peace of Jerusalem in Washington DC.” Those sentiments are shared by many of the speakers and prayer leaders in The Summons 2012 since several of them are already Endorsers of The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem. This includes Christian leaders such as: Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., Dr. Negiel  Bigpond , Pat Chen,  Dave Kubal , Barbara Byerly, Jeremy Story, and Dick Eastman.

Both nations face critical decisions in this hour and both nations need divine revelation from the God of all Wisdom and from the God who sees “the end from the beginning.” Co-Chairman of The Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem and executive director of Eagles' Wings– Dr. Robert Stearns – explained: “Just as the early Church leaders in Acts understood the Jewish roots of Christianity, so did the founding fathers of our nation understand the inseparable link between the land and the people of Israel. I believe it is incredibly significant that as America’s prayer leaders are praying for revival in this land, they are also praying for peace in His Land with the people of Israel, recognizing this Divine link both naturally and spiritually.”

Dr. Mahesh Chavda, Senior Pastor of All Nations Church in South Carolina once said: “When we take what is special to God and make it special to us, He takes what is special to us and makes it special to Him.”

Maybe there is real hope for both America and for Israel, as God blesses our prayers for His Land and ours on October 7th.

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

Awakening Weekend - Asheboro, NC

The Summons

Doug will speak at 'The Summons' - a gathering of leaders called by the National Prayer Committee and the leadership of the National Day of Prayer. Other speakers include: Dick Eastman, Pierre Bynum, Harry Jackson, Tony Perkins, Paul Cedar, David Butts - and so many more. This is a Solemn Assembly for the nation. The event takes place October 3-7, in Washington, DC. Find out more at www.summons2012.com.

Church of God State Conferences

- Florida: He will share the Praying Church Program to pastors in that State on Monday, October 29.

- Pennsylvania: He will share the Praying Church Program to pastors in that State on October 11-12.

- Canada: He will speak at the Regional Pastor's gathering and also share the Praying Church Movement with pastors of the Ontario Region.

Pentecostal Free Will Baptist

Doug will be in Eastern North Carolina for the Pentecostal Free Will Baptist District Revival in Four Oaks on October 7-10; and the following week, for the Bladenlakes Camp Meeting, October 14-17.

Back to Miami

From October 19-21, Doug will be at Faith Christian Center with Pastor Winston Williams for a Prayer Impact Weekend.