Maddmedic
Member
A few reasons to be thankful for and to keep fighting for our right to worship !!
BURMA (Christian Freedom International)
Christian Freedom International received a report yesterday that the Full Gospel Assembly, a fast-growing church movement in the Kyauktada Township of Rangoon, Myanmar (Burma), was ordered by the military government to shut down. According to reports, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) officials ordered Reverend Mung Tawng, of the Full Gospel Assembly, to cease all activities. An unnamed Burmese source urges Christians around the world to pray for Myanmar (Burma) saying, "It is a sad thing to hear that many churches have been shut down in Myanmar (Burma). Let us not forget the fact that freedom of worship is also one of the rights we have as human beings." Since 1999, the U.S. Secretary of State has designated Myanmar (Burma) as a "Country of Particular Concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act for their particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
Pray our omnipotent Father will bring peace and justice to this troubled country. Pray Christians will speak out, knowing God's Word will not return to Him void.
Pray for ERITREA
ERITREA (Compass Direct)
Eritrean police arrested a bridal couple along with their 18 wedding guests on Sunday night, September 4th, dragging them to jail because they were Pentecostals, authorities said. The seven women and 13 men were attending a private wedding ceremony in the home of the bride when Asmara police raided the house. Breaking into the traditional wedding tent of the groom, the police took him into custody along with his bride, the best men and bridesmaids. Jailed at Police Station No. 5 in Asmara, the 20 prisoners included two key leaders of the Hallelujah Church, Aklilu Habteab and Kashay Imbaye, as well as Zerit Gebreneguse, an evangelist in the Philadelphia Church. The church reportedly had taken careful precautions, as there was no singing or noticeable Christian activity, but somehow police learned about the wedding and arrived just as the ceremony was beginning.
Pray God will keep these prisoners as the apple of His eye and hold them under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8). Pray the Holy Spirit will empower them to be witnesses of the love and faithfulness of their Savior. Pray God will answer the impassioned prayers of Christians worldwide to bring about the release of their suffering brothers and sisters.
Pray for PALESTINE
PALESTINE (VOM-Canada)
On September 4th, the homes of at least 14 Christian families in the village of Taybeh, northeast of Ramallah, Palestine, were torched by Muslims from the neighboring village of Dir Jarir. The Muslims destroyed a store, a farm and a gas station. They also vandalized cars and beat the villagers as they fled their homes. The extent of the damage was exacerbated by problems coordinating the Palestinian Security Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, which delayed the response by several hours. The violence was instigated by the death of a Muslim woman who was killed by relatives after they suspected that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with a Christian man. When the family found out, they forced her to drink po(VOM-Canada)
On September 4th, the homes of at least 14 Christian families in the village of Taybeh, northeast of Ramallah, Palestine, were torched by Muslims from the neighboring village of Dir Jarir. The Muslims destroyed a store, a farm and a gas station. They also vandalized cars and beat the villagers as they fled their homes. The extent of the damage was exacerbated by problems coordinating the Palestinian Security Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, which delayed the response by several hours. The violence was instigated by the death of a Muslim woman who was killed by relatives after they suspected that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with a Christian man. When the family found out, they forced her to drink poison and then buried her without notifying the authorities. When Palestinian authority decided to investigate and planned to exhume the body, the family feared the relationship would be discovered. The attack was reportedly to avenge what her family considered the dishonoring of a Muslim woman.
Pray God will protect His faithful children in this hostile environment. Pray the Lord will give them grace and courage to forgive their enemies. Pray the Holy Spirit will bring the Muslims to repentance for their inhumane treatment of an innocent girl and the subsequent attack.
Pray for KAZAKHSTAN
KAZAKHSTAN (ASSIST News Service)
Pressure continues on Protestants in the Atyrau region of northwestern Kazakhstan as authorities find pretexts to refuse religious communities registration. At least two local Protestant churches have been arbitrarily denied registration. This is a serious concern now that unregistered religious activity in Kazakhstan has been made illegal and punishable. Local Protestants in Gulsary have tried unsuccessfully to register the Resurrection Church at the Atyrau regional Justice Administration four times. A Protestant from Gulsary, who preferred not to be named, told Forum 18 that on August 6th, two officials from the Gulsary district public prosecutor's office came to a church meeting and made all the church members write statements explaining why they were taking part in the activities of an unregistered church. They warned church members that if they met again they would be fined. "Basically, they are deliberately driving us into a trap," the Gulsary Protestant complained to Forum 18. "They find pretexts to refuse us registration, and then when we meet together they accuse us of breaking the law." Officials were already putting pressure on members of unregistered churches, but now they have acquired the ability to do this legally.
Pray the Protestants will continue to meet and bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Pray they will trust the Holy Spirit to give them His words when they are dealing with the authorities. Pray God will bring a sweeping revival to this Islamic country.
BURMA (Christian Freedom International)
Christian Freedom International received a report yesterday that the Full Gospel Assembly, a fast-growing church movement in the Kyauktada Township of Rangoon, Myanmar (Burma), was ordered by the military government to shut down. According to reports, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) officials ordered Reverend Mung Tawng, of the Full Gospel Assembly, to cease all activities. An unnamed Burmese source urges Christians around the world to pray for Myanmar (Burma) saying, "It is a sad thing to hear that many churches have been shut down in Myanmar (Burma). Let us not forget the fact that freedom of worship is also one of the rights we have as human beings." Since 1999, the U.S. Secretary of State has designated Myanmar (Burma) as a "Country of Particular Concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act for their particularly severe violations of religious freedom.
Pray our omnipotent Father will bring peace and justice to this troubled country. Pray Christians will speak out, knowing God's Word will not return to Him void.
Pray for ERITREA
ERITREA (Compass Direct)
Eritrean police arrested a bridal couple along with their 18 wedding guests on Sunday night, September 4th, dragging them to jail because they were Pentecostals, authorities said. The seven women and 13 men were attending a private wedding ceremony in the home of the bride when Asmara police raided the house. Breaking into the traditional wedding tent of the groom, the police took him into custody along with his bride, the best men and bridesmaids. Jailed at Police Station No. 5 in Asmara, the 20 prisoners included two key leaders of the Hallelujah Church, Aklilu Habteab and Kashay Imbaye, as well as Zerit Gebreneguse, an evangelist in the Philadelphia Church. The church reportedly had taken careful precautions, as there was no singing or noticeable Christian activity, but somehow police learned about the wedding and arrived just as the ceremony was beginning.
Pray God will keep these prisoners as the apple of His eye and hold them under the shadow of His wings (Psalm 17:8). Pray the Holy Spirit will empower them to be witnesses of the love and faithfulness of their Savior. Pray God will answer the impassioned prayers of Christians worldwide to bring about the release of their suffering brothers and sisters.
Pray for PALESTINE
PALESTINE (VOM-Canada)
On September 4th, the homes of at least 14 Christian families in the village of Taybeh, northeast of Ramallah, Palestine, were torched by Muslims from the neighboring village of Dir Jarir. The Muslims destroyed a store, a farm and a gas station. They also vandalized cars and beat the villagers as they fled their homes. The extent of the damage was exacerbated by problems coordinating the Palestinian Security Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, which delayed the response by several hours. The violence was instigated by the death of a Muslim woman who was killed by relatives after they suspected that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with a Christian man. When the family found out, they forced her to drink po(VOM-Canada)
On September 4th, the homes of at least 14 Christian families in the village of Taybeh, northeast of Ramallah, Palestine, were torched by Muslims from the neighboring village of Dir Jarir. The Muslims destroyed a store, a farm and a gas station. They also vandalized cars and beat the villagers as they fled their homes. The extent of the damage was exacerbated by problems coordinating the Palestinian Security Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, which delayed the response by several hours. The violence was instigated by the death of a Muslim woman who was killed by relatives after they suspected that she had been involved in a romantic relationship with a Christian man. When the family found out, they forced her to drink poison and then buried her without notifying the authorities. When Palestinian authority decided to investigate and planned to exhume the body, the family feared the relationship would be discovered. The attack was reportedly to avenge what her family considered the dishonoring of a Muslim woman.
Pray God will protect His faithful children in this hostile environment. Pray the Lord will give them grace and courage to forgive their enemies. Pray the Holy Spirit will bring the Muslims to repentance for their inhumane treatment of an innocent girl and the subsequent attack.
Pray for KAZAKHSTAN
KAZAKHSTAN (ASSIST News Service)
Pressure continues on Protestants in the Atyrau region of northwestern Kazakhstan as authorities find pretexts to refuse religious communities registration. At least two local Protestant churches have been arbitrarily denied registration. This is a serious concern now that unregistered religious activity in Kazakhstan has been made illegal and punishable. Local Protestants in Gulsary have tried unsuccessfully to register the Resurrection Church at the Atyrau regional Justice Administration four times. A Protestant from Gulsary, who preferred not to be named, told Forum 18 that on August 6th, two officials from the Gulsary district public prosecutor's office came to a church meeting and made all the church members write statements explaining why they were taking part in the activities of an unregistered church. They warned church members that if they met again they would be fined. "Basically, they are deliberately driving us into a trap," the Gulsary Protestant complained to Forum 18. "They find pretexts to refuse us registration, and then when we meet together they accuse us of breaking the law." Officials were already putting pressure on members of unregistered churches, but now they have acquired the ability to do this legally.
Pray the Protestants will continue to meet and bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Pray they will trust the Holy Spirit to give them His words when they are dealing with the authorities. Pray God will bring a sweeping revival to this Islamic country.
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