AUSTRALIAN PRAYER NETWORK NEWSLETTER

August 24, 2009

* IRANIAN CHRISTIANS WOULD RATHER DIE THAN DENY CHRIST

* IRAQ: CHRISTIANS FLEE TARGETED TERROR

* BURMESE COURT FINDS PRO DEMOCRACY LEADER GUILTY

* BRITISH PRIME MINISTER SAYS CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO HIDE THEIR FAITH

* PRAYER ALERT FOR ERITREA

* URGENT PRAYER NEEDED FOR INNOCENT VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE IN SUDAN

IRANIAN CHRISTIANS WOULD RATHER DIE THAN DENY CHRIST

Maryam Rustampoor (27) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) were first arrested and imprisoned on charges of “taking part in illegal gatherings” and “acting against state security” in March this year. They have been in Evin Prison ever since. In a court trial held on Sunday, August 9, they were told to recant their faith. Though great pressure was put on them, both women declared that they would not deny their faith. There is a very real danger they will be convicted of apostasy and given the death sentence.

However, Islamic law forbids the execution of virgins, which both these young women are. To get around that, unmarried female convicts are usually forced to “wed” the night before their execution, be gang raped all night, and then executed the following morning. Please pray earnestly these young women will be delivered from such a fate. Maryam and Marzieh have suffered greatly while in prison, suffering ill health, solitary confinement and interrogations for many hours while blindfolded.

The deputy prosecutor, Mr Haddad, questioning Maryam and Marzieh about their faith. Mr. Haddad, asked the two women if they were Christians. “We love Jesus,” they replied. He repeated his question and they said, “Yes, we are Christians.” Mr. Haddad then said, “You were Muslims and now you have become Christians. We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims,” was their reply. Mr. Haddad’s then asked them if they regretted becoming Christians, to which they replied, “We have no regrets.”

Mr Haddad then said “You should renounce your faith verbally and in writing.” They stood firm and replied, “We will not deny our faith.” During one tense moment in the questioning, Maryam and Marzieh made reference to their belief that God had convicted them through the Holy Spirit. Mr. Haddad told them, “It is impossible for God to speak with humans.” Marzieh asked him in return, “Are you questioning whether God is Almighty?” Mr. Haddad then replied, “You are not worthy for God to speak to you.” Marzieh said, “It is God, and not you, who determines if I am worthy.”

Mr. Haddad told the women to return to prison and think about the options they were given and come back to him when they were ready to comply. Maryam and Marzieh said, “We have already done our thinking.” At the end of the session, Mr. Haddad told them that a judge will give them his verdict. Both women are now back in prison. Both are unwell and have lost much weight. Marzieh is in pain due to a problem with her spine, as well as an infected tooth and intense headaches. She desperately needs medical attention.

Two months ago the prison officials told her the prison would attend to her, but so far no proper treatment has been given. Despite the concentrated effort of officials to pressure them into recanting their faith, Maryam and Marzieh are determined to stand firm to the very end no matter what happens. They will offer their lives for Him if they were called to do so. After today’s court session they said, “If we come out of prison we want to do so with honour.” Maryam and Marzieh’s deserve the support of all those who respect human rights and to be released without charges.

Source: Elam Team

IRAQ: CHRISTIANS FLEE TARGETED TERROR

After turning to the God of Israel the Assyrians formed strong diplomatic and cultural ties with Jerusalem. Upon hearing of the resurrection of Jesus the ‘people of Nineveh’ again ‘believed God’ and embraced Jesus Christ as Saviour. The Assyrian Church of the East, founded in AD33, is the oldest Christian denomination in the world. Once a mighty warrior nation, the Assyrians became a great missionary nation until the Arab Muslim conquest in the 7th Century ushered in an era of endless persecution and massacres at the hands of invading Arabs, Mongols and Kurds.

The Assyrians fought with the Allies against the Ottoman Turks in WWI but were subsequently abandoned to genocidal massacres after the Allied withdrawal. Iraq’s sizable and ancient Jewish community (descendants of the Babylonian Captives) was ‘cleansed’ out of Iraq in the early 1950s. Today a well-known Muslim war-cry is coming true: ‘After Saturday comes Sunday’ – after we deal with the Jews we’ll deal with the Christians. A little over 50 years since the Jews were eliminated, Iraq’s Christian community is facing genocide.

A campaign of abductions, killings, forced conversions, church bombings and other acts of terror have sent Christians fleeing north out of Basra and Baghdad whilst Mosul has become the base of al-Qaeda in Iraq. Terrorism against Christians in Mosul has escalated. Some 3750 Christians have fled their homes in Mosul as Sunni Muslim militants have escalated their attacks against Christians. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose political survival depends on Western support and protection, has deployed an extra 1000 police to the region to protect churches and Christians.

Assyrian Christians are increasingly taking up arms for self-defence and joining the police force in record numbers. They are protesting the loss of their political representation after the al-Maliki government last year voted to abolish reserved seats for minorities. Some Assyrians are calling for the creation of an autonomous Christian-ruled province adjoining the Kurdish region, a controversial issue which divides the Christian community. Many Muslims are actually supportive of them, but it inflames the more militant Islamists who have various political and ethnic agendas.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR

* God himself to be the shield and encourager of his people, drawing them close, hearing their prayers, intervening on their behalf and increasing their faith. Pray also for God to frustrate the plans of the wicked, bringing their unjust, repressive and genocidal plans to ruin.

* God to intervene in Iraq: crushing the jihadists; disempowering the Islamists; softening the intolerant and awakening the uninterested. May the Spirit of God breathe love and mercy over the land and into hearts so that his people may be preserved and empowered as his witnesses in Iraq.

Source: Intercessors Network

BURMESE COURT FINDS PRO DEMOCRACY LEADER GUILTY

Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to 18 months of house arrest, after a court found her guilty of violating security laws by allowing a US national into her lakeside home after he swam there to beat security around her home. Critics of Burma’s military regime say the verdict is designed to prevent her from taking part in elections in 2010. Ms Suu Kyi has spent nearly 14 of the past 20 years in detention. Her American visitor, John Yettaw, was jailed for seven years including four years of hard labour.

The UN called for her immediate release whilst Britain, the US, the European Union, Britain and France were among those who condemned the verdict describing it as a “sham”. However, trading partners China and India have made no public comment. The court initially said that Ms Suu Kyi was sentenced to three years hard labour. But after a short recess, Burma’s home minister entered the courtroom to announce that the country’s military ruler Than Shwe that reduced the sentence to 18 months house arrest.

Ms Suu Kyi looked alert but tired during the 90-minute court appearance. She stood as the verdict was read out and then thanked foreign diplomats for attending. She then was led out of the courtroom. Mr Yettaw, 54, swam to Ms Suu Kyi’s lakeside house in Rangoon uninvited and stayed there for two nights in May. As a result, Ms Suu Kyi was accused of breaching the terms of her house arrest and faced up to five years in prison. Ms Suu Kyi’s two female house companions were also arrested with her and also received the commuted sentence of 18 months house arrest.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said he “strongly deplored” the verdict, and has called for Ms Kyi’s immediate release. “Unless she and all other political prisoners in Burma are released and allowed to participate in free and fair elections, the credibility of the political process will remain in doubt,” he said. A spokesman for the European Union said the further detention of Ms Kyi was unjustified and unacceptable. “The Burmese junta should immediately end its repression of so many in this country, start a dialogue with the opposition and the ethnic groups” she said.

Source: Intercessors Network

BRITISH PRIME MINISTER SAYS CHRISTIANS SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO HIDE THEIR FAITH

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has rejected calls for the privatisation of faith in society and added that people cannot be expected to keep their Christianity private: “Because we are a diverse society all religious faiths have a golden rule. Do to others as you would be done by, every faith has that same sense that you have a responsibility to other people. “Our communities will be strengthened by the involvement of people of faith in them and our society will be better because people with convictions about what a good society means are playing a part in creating that society.”

Gordon Brown said that people with faith and strong values need to be at the forefront of the progress we make towards the future. His comments come as Christians in the workplace have raised fears over their faith being pushed from public life and a growing intolerance towards openly practicing Christianity. But the reaction to his comments has been sceptical. Dr Mark Lloyd Davies, a trustee of the Conservative Christian Fellowship and a Tory candidate for the next election, said Mr Brown needs to match his words with actions.

He said: “It’s all very well sitting in Downing Street saying it’s important to have faith in public life, but it’s actually being intentional in making sure those on the front line of business and family lives are able to express their faith. Martin Turner, a member of the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum said Mr Brown’s words aren’t strong enough to convince him: “What politicians and Christians need to do is come out and say that ‘I am a Christian’. And that’s what he doesn’t do.”

Source: Premier 10 News Service

PRAYER ALERT FOR ERITREA

A Believer imprisoned by the repressive government of Eritrea has died because authorities refused to provide him with medical treatment. Yemane Kahasay Andom contracted malaria at the Mitire Confinement Centre after “continuous physical torture” and solitary confinement. He would not sign a letter renouncing his faith and became the third Christian prisoner to die in Eritrea this year. More than 2000 Christians are believed to be imprisoned at present.

The nation of Eritrea is inflicting great suffering on Christians. “In the past three years, ” reports Voice of the Martyrs, “repression has escalated with Eritrean security police cracking down on Christians.” Dozens of pastors have been arrested and scores of Believers have been detained. Many of them are being held in metal shipping containers that lack ventilation and quickly overheat in the sun. It is estimated that as many as 500 Eritreans try to escape from the horrors of the Marxist government every week.

Please pray:

* for God to bring an immediate end to the torture and imprisonment of Believers in Eritrea and to strengthen Believers who are being held in shipping containers, underground cells, and crude jails. Ask Him to give them hope and joy in the midst of suffering.

* for President Afworki’s heart to be filled with godly sorrow and for him to repent of his evil behaviour. Pray for his salvation and for God’s Kingdom to come to Eritrea, transforming it from “one giant prison” into one giant testimony to the great and marvellous power of Jesus Christ.

* for Christians to be used as witnesses to guards and fellow prisoners and for them to display God’s love even to those who cause them pain. Pray for God’s provision for the families of pastors and believers who have been arrested and comfort those who have lost loved ones.

Source: Windows International Network

URGENT PRAYER NEEDED FOR INNOCENT VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE IN SUDAN

More than 700 have died this year in conflicts between two rival tribal groups in the Sudan. In the latest violence l85 people were gunned down and speared mercilessly as rival Murle and Lou Nuer groups clashed. Most of the dead were women and children. The United Nations Security Council condemned the violence and expressed concern about “retaliatory attacks.” The incident was one of the most deadly since the civil war between North and South Sudan ended four years ago.

Unfortunately, ethnic violence has become more and more common in the region. The latest raid was merely another event in an escalating series of violence. The president of the U.N. Security Council told reporters “there is a degree of urgency now in preventing this spiral of violence which is affecting southern Sudan, which if continued, could destabilize the region and bring to an end the fragile peace between the mostly Muslim North and mostly Christian South.

Please pray:

* for God to intervene in this ongoing conflict. Pray for His enemies to be scattered and for His Hand of protection to rest on the innocent and for His will to be done in Sudan as it is in Heaven.

* that God would comfort those who have lost family members in the violence and have been forced to flee from their homes. Pray for His provision to be poured out upon them.

* for the spirits of rage, bloodlust, vengeance and destruction to be bound and cast down and for Christians to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty Power.

* Pray for them to continue to boldly proclaim the good news of the Gospel to the people of the Sudan.

Source: Windows International Network

Australian Prayer Network

Related Articles:

• SUDAN & BURMA: CHRISTIAN REFUGEES IN PERIL
• Pray for the World 6 February 2012
• PRAYER OF A HUMBLE SERVANT
• Prayers for Help in Times of Trouble
• Pray for the World (January 31, 2012)

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