In November 2004 Ivory Coast ¢â‚¬â„¢s Christian president, Laurent Gbagbo,
launched surprise air strikes against rebel positions in the North in
an attempt to reunify the country. However,  France intervened. The
West had insisted that Ivory Coast could be reconciled, reunified and
essentially saved by means of democratic elections. In reality, the
divisions are so profound and the stakes are so high that, unless
genuine reconciliation occurred first, elections could only trigger
conflict.
Elections were held on 28 November 2010, with both Gbagbo and
Ouattara claiming victory. The US, European Union and African Union
have recognised Ouattara as the winner and called for Gbagbo to
respect democracy and step down. Russia meanwhile is blocking a UN
statement that would recognise Ouatarra, saying it is not the UN ¢â‚¬â„¢s
role. Ivory Coast ¢â‚¬â„¢s non-Muslims are traumatised, fearing that their
once prosperous  ¢â‚¬ËœChristian ¢â‚¬â„¢ nation is about to come under Muslim
political domination.

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR GOD TO:
* give Ivory Coast ¢â‚¬â„¢s Christian leaders  ¢â‚¬“ pastors and politicians  ¢â‚¬“
great spiritual wisdom and authority.
* bring revival to the Church in Ivory Coast so believers will be
compelled to go out with the gospel in boldness, empowered by the
Holy Spirit, so that Ivory Coast might be spiritually transformed.

* intervene in the tense climate by interposing a spirit of
restraint, compelling the people to seek a negotiated solution as a
means of averting another destructive civil war ¢â‚¬”a war that would
certainly attract international jihadists.
Source: World Evangelical Alliance by Elizabeth
Kendal

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SCORES OF
CHRISTIANS KILLED OVER CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR

A pre-Christmas warning that the festive season would probably see an
increase in anti-Christian violence has sadly been proven true by a
series of deadly attacks in Nigeria, Iraq and Egypt.  ¢â‚¬Å“It is sad that
when Christians were supposed to be celebrating the birth of Jesus
Christ, some people, out of wickedness, would come to perpetrate such
evil ¢â‚¬    said Rev Yuguda Ndirmva, Borno State Chairman of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, after a series of attacks on Christmas Eve,
24 December. Seven explosions in Nigeria, killed 32 people and
injured 74 more, following threats to disrupt Christmas celebrations
in that nation. On the same day a 30-strong mob of Muslim militants
armed with guns, knives and petrol bombs attacked a church killing
five people, while another church was attacked by three armed men,
who murdered a security guard. In Iraq at least two people were
killed and 14 others wounded in coordinated bombings targeting
Christian homes on 30 December. A suicide bomber who detonated
explosives outside a church in Alexandria, Egypt, killed at least 21
people and injured scores more as worshippers were leaving a service
on New Year ¢â‚¬â„¢s Day. Bishop Angaelos, a senior Egyptian church leader
in the UK, said: Men, women, children and the elderly gathered
together in prayer for a happy and peaceful new year. Instead, they
became the innocent victims of a most horrific, callous and cowardly
act of terror and violence. The attack came 2 weeks after an Al-Qaeda
group, the Islamic State of Iraq, posted a statement on its website
calling for militants to bomb churches during Christmas celebrations.
At the scene of the bombing Muslims were seen coming out of a nearby
mosque saying the traditional Islamic war cry  ¢â‚¬Å“Allahu Akbar ¢â‚¬  ( ¢â‚¬Å“god is
great ¢â‚¬ ) as they watched Christian mothers frantically searching for
their children in the debris. Following the bombing threats have been
made against Egyptian churches across the world.Dr Patrick Sookhdeo,
International Director of Barnabas Fund, said: “My heart breaks for
our brothers and sisters who are being violently attacked at a time
when they should be able joyfully to celebrate the birth of Christ.
We must continue to uphold them in our prayers  ¢â‚¬“ for they remain in
grave danger.
Source: Barnabas
Fund

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AUSTRALIA WARNED
AS SWITZERLAND CONSIDERS REPEALING INCEST LAWS

The upper house of the Swiss parliament has drafted a law
decriminalising sex between consenting family members which must now
be considered by the government. Lawmakers insists that children
within families will continue to be protected by laws governing abuse
and paedophilia. Daniel Vischer, a Green party MP, said he saw
nothing wrong with two consenting adults having sex, even if they
were related.   “Incest is a difficult moral question, but not one
that is answered by penal law,” he said.
Commenting on the  new draft law the Australian Christian Lobby ¢â‚¬â„¢s
Managing Director Jim Wallace pointed out that the  news was  clear
evidence of where activists want to take marriage.  ¢â‚¬Å“The fact that
incest is even on the legislative agenda of a modern Western
democratic nation should serve  as a   warning to  Australians about
what is likely to follow advocacy for same sex marriage ¢â‚¬ , Mr Wallace
said.  ¢â‚¬Å“Once the man-woman marriage covenant is challenged  any and all
forms of  sexual relationships are on the table.
The proposed law change is  being pushed by  The Swiss Green Party,
which like its Australian counterpart, is a member of the Global
Greens, which subscribes to a common set of core values, including a
strong commitment to non-discrimination principles said Mr Wallace.  A
common refrain from supporters of same sex marriage is their
objective to  ¢â‚¬Ëœremove all discrimination from the Marriage Act ¢â‚¬â„¢, Mr
Wallace added.
But if all relationships were treated equally by the law, incestuous
and polygamous relationships would also have to be considered
marriage under Australian law.  ¢â‚¬Å“This is exactly what is taking place
in Canada today, with its ban on polygamous marriage being challenged
in the courts using many of the same equality arguments that were
used there to justify legalising homosexual marriage in 2005. This is
a clear warning to the major parties not to compromise marriage ¢â‚¬ ,
said Mr Wallace.
Source: Compiled by APN from reports issued by various
sources

———————————————–

IRAQI CHRISTIANS
MURDERED IN THEIR HOMES

Hundreds of Iraqi Christians are fleeing Baghdad and Mosul as
murderers target families in their homes and workplaces. An elderly
Christian couple and their daughter became the latest victims of a
campaign against the country’s believers when they were killed in
their home. Four gunmen raided the property in Baghdad and repeatedly
shot them.  The victims, Hikmat and Samira Sammak  had left the capital
and gone to live in the north. They had  returned just briefly to
Baghdad to finalize the sale of their home.
Two weeks ago Christian brothers Saad and Raad Hannah were shot dead
in their car workshop in Mosul. The incident followed the
assassination of two other Christians by gunmen who burst into their
Mosul home. These raids come  after the October 31 hostage siege at a
Baghdad church that left more than 50 people dead. The Islamic State
of Iraq – an Al-Qaeda front group – claimed responsibility for that
attack and threatened further violence saying  that Christians
everywhere were “legitimate targets.”
As the situation becomes increasingly dangerous, Christian families
are either fleeing the country  or heading in waves to the northern
cities of Erbil and Sulaimaniyah in the semi-autonomous region of
Kurdistan. About 500 families are reported to be currently on the
move. The refugees leave behind their homes, possessions and
work.  Although authorities have promised to give $400 to every family
who moves,  Christians claim it  is not enough to cover even one
month’s rent for an apartment in the north.
Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of Barnabas Fund, said
“Christians in Iraq are facing the agonizing dilemma of either living
in constant fear if they stay in their homes or losing everything if
they leave. We must continue to uphold our Iraqi brothers and sisters
in prayer, and be ready to provide for their practical needs during
this crisis.” The Barnabas Fund asks for prayer for all those
affected by this ongoing crisis.
Source: Barnabus
Fund

———————————————–

URGENT PRAYER
REQUEST AS CHRISTIANS CONTINUE TO FLEE IRAQ

Christian Believers are fleeing Iraq as violence is once again on the
rise. It is estimated that more than half of the Christians in Iraq
have fled to surrounding nations since the start of the war in 2003.
With the outbreak of a new round of violence in October 2010,
thousands more began leaving Baghdad and Mosul. On 31 October,
Islamic terrorists attacked a church, killing 51 people. Since that
time, there have been dozens of shootings and bombings in Baghdad and
Mosul with at least 12 more Christians killed.
The Islamic State of Iraq, a terrorist organization affiliated with
al-Qaeda, has claimed responsibility for the 31 October massacre and
other assassinations.   The group has also vowed they will continue to
kill Christians “wherever they can reach them.” An example of this
vendetta came on Sunday, 5 December when an elderly Christian couple
was gunned down in their home in Baghdad. One Iraqi citizen reported
that the authorities were not protecting the legal rights of
Christians, as guaranteed in the Constitution.
Please pray for:
* Christian Believers in Iraq to be strong and courageous as they
face the threats and intimidation of the enemy.   Pray that God would
comfort those who have lost family members and friends in the recent
outbreak of attacks.
* the government of Iraq to uphold the Constitution and protect
Christians from terrorism and persecution.  Pray for the Lord  to
disrupt  and defeat  all  extremist groups operating in Iraq.  Pray for
the salvation of the enemies of Christians.
* the Lord to fight against those persecuting Christians.  Pray for an
end to the violence in this nation.   Ask the Lord to bring His peace
between ethnic and religious groups.   Pray for the Gospel to be
proclaimed and for the Holy Spirit to bring forth a great harvest of
souls in Iraq.
Source: Windows International
Network

———————————————–

CONGRESS TWEAKS
PRESIDENT’S SPEECH

Forty-two members of Congress have asked President Obama  to issue a
correction to his speech  given   recently at the University of
Indonesia in Jakarta.   The letter claims three of the President ¢â‚¬â„¢s
statements  did not  ¢â‚¬Å“accurately reflect America ¢â‚¬  to the rest of the
world. Members of Congress point out that the President emphasized
the motto E Pluribus Unum,  ¢â‚¬Å“out of many, one ¢â‚¬ , at the expense of
America’s motto,  ¢â‚¬Å“In God We Trust. ¢â‚¬  They assert that his words
diverted attention away from its Christian heritage.
They challenged two more omissions, namely  a failure to mention
 ¢â‚¬Å“God, our Creator ¢â‚¬  as the source of our rights, and a focus on  ¢â‚¬Å“being
unified under one flag ¢â‚¬  as opposed to being  ¢â‚¬Å“one nation under God. ¢â‚¬ 
They exhorted Obama not to distance himself from beliefs that were an
integral part of American society. As President you  represent us to
the world.  Such statements pull the thread of religious conviction
from the marketplace of ideas,  and unravel the tapestry of freedom
that birthed America ¢â‚¬  they said.

Source: Intercessors for
America

http://www.ausprayernet.org.au/