AUSTRALIAN   PRAYER   NETWORK   NEWSLETTER

* NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKE

* UNREST IN ARAB COUNTRIES CONTINUES WITH VIOLENT STREET
PROTESTS

* OBAMA TALKS ABOUT HIS PERSONAL FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

* AT LEAST 100 CHRISTIANS DETAINED IN IRAN

* ETHIOPIAN CHRISTIANS WARNED TO CONVERT OR FACE DEATH

* HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL RAISES TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR
CANADA

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NEW ZEALAND
EARTHQUAKE

Media reporting has extensively covered the New Zealand earthquake
and will not be repeated here. At time of writing (several days
before actual transmission of this newsletter) background Christian
stories from Christian news services have not yet begun to be
received but will be shared when they are. In the meantime we
encourage our readers to pray:
*   that the NZ Government will be supernaturally assisted in their
efforts to deal with the current situation and to rebuild devastated
communities.
*   for the people of Christchurch that God will help them persevere
through this shaking and draw them closer to Jesus as their Lord and
Saviour.
*   especially for all families who have lost loved ones, that they
will find the peace of God.   Also pray for all rescue and emergency
service workers.
Source: Australian Prayer
Network
———————————————–
UNREST IN ARAB
COUNTRIES CONTINUES WITH VIOLENT STREET
PROTESTS
Morocco
Morocco’s opposition has called for deep economic reforms.
In response the Government has announced increased   subsidies to
counter commodity price rises.   Morocco’s reputation has been damaged
by corruption allegations involving the royal family who enjoy strong
support among sections of the public. Economic liberalisation has
attracted foreign investment but some non-government groups say
little has changed, with poverty still widespread and unemployment
high. Morocco allows limited freedom of expression and has so far
been able to contain protests.
Algeria
Sporadic protests are continuing with demonstrators
demanding the resignation of President Bouteflika. Protest groups
opposing the government include small trade unions and minor
political parties. The trigger for the unrest appears to be mainly
sharp increases in the price of food. Earlier this month President
Bouteflika promised to lift the country’s 19 year state of emergency
in the “near future”, but hasn’t done so yet. Algeria has
considerable wealth from its oil and gas exports and is trying to
tackle social and economic complaints with huge public
spending.
Tunisia
Protests have continued in Tunisia despite President Ben
Ali’s decision to step down. He fled the country following weeks of
anti-government demonstrations. The trigger was a young unemployed
man who set fire to himself when officials prevented him from selling
vegetables on the streets without permission. This set off protests
which spread elsewhere. The violent response of the authorities
exacerbated anger and ignited further protests which ultimately led
to the president’s downfall. Parliamentary Speaker Foued Mebazaa has
been sworn in as interim president.
Libya
Thousands of people are reported to have taken to the streets
of the major Libyan cities of Benghazi and Tripoli with many deaths
reported as the Gaddafi Government has fought back in an effort to
maintain order. Protests of any kind are prohibited in Libya, but the
latest unrest was triggered by the arrest of a lawyer who is an
outspoken critic of thegovernment. Colonel Gaddafi is the longest
serving ruler in Africa and the Middle East, and also one of the most
autocratic.
Egypt
President Mubarak stepped down after 30 years in power. The
seeming stability of Egypt masked problems which erupted in popular
demonstrations against his rule. The main drivers of the unrest were
poverty, rising prices, social exclusion, anger over corruption and
personal enrichment among the political elite, and a significant
number of young people unable to find work. Egypt’s Armed Forces
Supreme Council will run the country for the next six months or until
elections are held. Fears of a lurch towards Islamist rule is the
main worry for Western powers and Israel.
Jordan
Jordanians have taken to the streets demanding better job
prospects and cuts in food and fuel costs. In response, King Abdullah
II sacked Prime Minister Samir Rifai and appointed Marouf al-Bakhit,
a former army general and ambassador to Israel. A new 26-member
cabinet has also been sworn in. The Jordanian Kingdom is a small
country with few natural resources. The death of King Hussein, who
ruled for 46 years, left Jordan struggling for economic survival. His
successor son, Abdullah, faces the task of maintaining stability
while accommodating calls for reform.
Syria
Calls for a “day of rage” to coincide with the fall of Egypt’s
President Mubarak failed to materialise and so far the country has
remained calm. President Bashar al-Assad has promised to push through
political reforms after three decades of authoritarian rule. The
country remains under emergency law, in place since 1963. Following
the death of Hafez al-Assad, Syria underwent a degree of relaxation.
Hundreds of political prisoners were released but the granting of
real political freedoms and a shake-up of the state-dominated economy
have not materialised.
Saudi Arabia
One of the most devout and insular countries in the Middle East,
Saudi Arabia has emerged into one of the wealthiest nations in the
region thanks to vast oil resources. Its rulers face the delicate
task of responding to pressure for reform while combating a growing
problem of extremist violence. It has always been in the Royal
Family’s interests to preserve stability in the region and to clamp
down on extremist elements. Opposition movements are banned within
the country. Regionally, the country is important with the King
regarded highly in the Arab world.
Yemen
Following days of protests, Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah
Saleh announced that he would not seek another term in office, after
three decades in power. He also told parliament that he would not
hand over power to his son. Butprotests continue, with people taking
to the streets. Anti-government protesters demanding political reform
have clashed with pro-government loyalists and police have been sent
in to break up the demonstrations. Yemen is the Arab world’s most
impoverished nation, where nearly half of the population lives on
less than $2 a day.
Bahrain
Shia protesters are demanding change after two days of
clashes with police in which two people died. Bahrain is vulnerable
to unrest because it has a majority Shia population in a nation with
a ruling Sunni dynasty. The Al-Khalifas have ruled the country since
the 18th century. Protesters complain of economic hardship, lack of
political freedom and discrimination in jobs in favour of Sunnis.
Since coming to power in 1999, King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa has
pushed economic and political reforms to improve relations with the
Shia community.
Source: Intercessors
Network
———————————————–
OBAMA TALKS ABOUT
HIS PERSONAL FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
Speaking at the 2011 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington,
President Obama talked about how he came to embrace Christ ‘as my
Lord and Saviour’. In his speech, Obama called his faith “a
sustaining force” in his life and answered persistent questions about
his religion. He said “My Christian faith has been a sustaining force
for me over recent years, all the more so when Michelle and I hear
our faith questioned from time to time. The President said, “A call
rooted in faith is what led me to sign up as a community organizer
for a group of churches in Chicago.”
It was through the experience of tending the wounds of hurting
neighbourhoods, that I came to know Jesus Christ personally.” He
revealed that “When I wake in the morning, I  ask him to give me the
strength to do right by our country and its people. When I go to bed
at night, I ask him to forgive my sins and look after my family and
the American people and make me an instrument of his will.” Obama
went on to say, “Fortunately, I’m not alone in my prayers. Pastor
friends like Joel Hunter and T.D. Jakes call in to the Oval Office to
pray with me and for the nation.
The director of our Faith-based and Neighbourhood Partnership’s
office, Joshua DuBois, starts my morning off with meditations from
Scripture.” Then, on the subject of personal prayer, Obama said,
“While I petition God for a whole range of things, there are a few
recurring themes.” The first is for those who are struggling.
Christian tradition teaches that one day the world will be turned
right side up and everything will be as it should be. But until that
day, we’re called to work on behalf of a God that choses justice and
mercy and compassion to the most vulnerable.”
He spoke of the controversial claims that he was a Muslim. He
explained that his Muslim father had little influence on his life. “I
only met my father once, for a month, in my entire life”   “My
earliest inspirations for a life of service actually came from the
faith leaders of the civil rights movement.” “My mother, whose
parents were Baptist and Methodist, grew up with a scepticism about
organized religion, and usually only took me to church on Easter and
Christmas. My mother nagged me constantly about values such as
honesty, hard work, kindness and fair play.” Obama continued.
It’s because of her that I came to understand the equal worth of all
humanity, the imperatives of an ethical life and the necessity to act
on your beliefs. President Obama said “In the wake of disappointments
and failures I’ve questioned what God had in store for me and been
reminded that His plans may not always match my own. The past two
years my faith has deepened. The presidency has a way of making a
person feel the need to pray. Abe Lincoln once said, ‘I have been
driven to my knees many times by the overwhelming conviction that I
had no place else to go.'”
Obama said he recognized the need for humility, and jokingly said his
wife Michelle was the catalyst to that answered prayer. Obama noted
that “none of us has all the answers.” “The challenge I find is to
balance this uncertainty with the need to fight for deeply held
convictions, to be open to other points of view but firm in our core
principles. And I pray for this wisdom every day.” Obama and his wife
have attended church services in Washington only a handful of times
in the past two years.     When at Camp David. they attend the private
Evergreen Chapel.
Source: Assist
Ministries
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AT LEAST 100
CHRISTIANS DETAINED IN IRAN
At least 100 Iranian Christians have been arrested in the last four
months. Homes have been ransacked and Christians interrogated. Most
arrested have been from Christian evangelical backgrounds. Some were
forced to sign documents stating that they would not engage in
proselytism nor attend house church meetings. Some pastors and house
church members have fled the country. Those who remain face possible
charges for apostasy, proselytizing,and holding church services.
Christian detainees are interrogated then released on bail pending
further questioning.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide’s (CSW) Advocacy Director Andrew
Johnston said, “CSW has grave concerns for those in detention, who
are being subjected to sleep deprivation and solitary confinement.”
He added: “The international community must continue to urge the
government of Iran to allow its citizens freedom of religion and
releasing those detained solely on the basis of their religious
affiliation.”   Christians in Iran are asking for prayer for those
arrested recently, as well as the untold numbers who are still being
held captive from years past.
Please pray for:
* the Lord to be present with all the Christian Believers in Iran who
have been arrested and are being detained and tortured. Ask Him to
comfort and strengthen them, giving them the ability to love their
persecutors. Pray for the Lord to encourage and provide for families
who have had members taken into custody. Pray for them to be reminded
that though they are experiencing tribulation, Jesus Christ has
overcome the world.
* police and officials who are so zealous to rid Iran of Christians
to be convicted by the Holy Spirit. Pray for their salvation. Pray
for the spiritual awakening in Iran to continue. Pray for an awesome
move of the Holy Spirit – especially among the youth.
* the stronghold of Shia Islam to be broken, the Church to grow, and
for the Kingdom of God to come to Iran with glorious power. Pray for
the Lord to reveal Himself in dreams and visions, and to perform
marvellous wonders. Ask for  multitudes to come into relationship with
Christ in Iran.
Source: Christian Solidarity
Worldwide
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ETHIOPIAN
CHRISTIANS WARNED TO CONVERT OR FACE DEATH
Christians in the southern Ethiopian city of Besheno are being
harassed and physically abused after Muslims posted notices on the
doors of their homes warning them to convert, leave the city or face
death. Three Christian leaders were forced to flee the city and two
Christians have been forced to convert to Islam. Evangelist Kassa
Awano remains in critical condition after Muslims attacked him last
November. A few days after the attack, nearly 100 Muslims surrounded
a vehicle carrying Christian leaders on their way to negotiate for
peace with Muslim leaders.
Two men were seriously wounded, and the other leaders suffered minor
injuries. On January 2, Muslims assaulted Temesgen Peteros with a
knife after he testified about the attacks on these Christians in
court. Christians in Besheno have been targeted by Muslims for many
years. Muslims continuously attack Christians for listening to
Christian songs and watching Christian videos. Local Muslim officials
of the city refuse to protect the Christians. The officials ignore
their appeals for justice, declining repeated requests for the
building of a place of worship and a cemetery.
A Christian mother was recently forced to bury her deceased daughter
in a town more than 20 miles from Besheno, due to the absence of a
cemetery for Christians. According to the 2007 national census, 94%
of the population is Muslim and 6% Christian. International Christian
Concern said “We are alarmed by the threats on Christian homes and
against Christians in Besheno. We urge Ethiopian officials to bring
the perpetrators of the attacks to justice, protect the Christians
from further attacks and grant them permits to build a place of
worship as well as a  cemetery.”
Source: Intercessors
Network
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HUMAN RIGHTS
TRIBUNAL RAISES TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR CANADA
The Ontario Human Rights Commission has declared that Christian
Horizons, an evangelical Christian organization, was wrong to make
its employees sign a morality pledge as a condition of employment.
The Human Rights Tribunal ruled against Christian Horizons because
their primary mission is to serve the public need for group homes for
people with developmental difficulties. As such, the tribunal ruled
that there was no need for the staff to sign a morality code that is
explicitly Christian.
Source: Voice of the
Martyrs

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