Prayer List for April 12, 2009

Happy Easter

Sunday, please praise God for sending His Son to die on the cross for us and that He gave us the hope of the resurrection through His resurrection..

Monday, please pray for the Arakan people of Burma who will be forced to give up their land for a border fence with Bangladesh and India and for a highway between Burma and India. The Indians who give up land will be compensated by their government, but the illegitimate Burmese government will not compensate the Arakans. If they hold true to form, they’ll require the Arakan people to provide labor for these projects without payment. (Free Burma Rangers)

Tuesday, please pray for the Christians of Pakistan, especially in the Swat Valley. “In Pakistan an average of one Christian each month is arrested or murdered. Attacks on the property of Christians and churches occur almost weekly. Opening a new church building is nearly impossible. Discrimination affects all aspects of daily life…Pakistan recently turned the lush Swat Valley into a Taliban stronghold ruled by (Islamic) sharia law. Although the Taliban has made promises of peace, the Christian community has doubts the Muslim extremists will follow through. An estimated 500 Christians live and work in the Swat Valley. The only church in Swat has been renting space for nearly 100 years because the government has refused to give permission to buy land to build a church building. With the destruction of more than 200 girls schools in the Swat Valley, all Christian families migrated to nearby districts in the past year. Most Christian families have returned to their homes still reluctant to attend church and wary of the possibility of finding normalcy and receiving education for their children.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please pray for the Christians of Turkey where, in spite of claiming religious freedom, it has “refused to grant churches legal status….The Turkish government has made it illegal for the next leader of (the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be from outside Turkey, which will make it nearly impossible for the church to find a new pastor because Turkey is overwhelmingly Muslim. In addition, Turkey has reneged on its agreement to reopen an Orthodox seminary and has confiscated 75% of the church's property.” (Open Doors)

Thursday, please pray for “fourteen Khmu Christian families in Laos (who) are standing strong in their faith, despite the Communist government forcing them to relocate to another village and their homes and church building being destroyed.” (Voice of the Martyrs)

Friday, please pray that the US Congress will pass a bill requiring North Korea to observe human rights before we establish international relations with them. “The upcoming bill requires that North Korea should support human rights… including religious freedom… before the United States establishes diplomatic relations with them. (Open Doors)

Saturday, please pray for the people of Mexico as a death cult that has heavy membership from drug traffickers and criminals have called for a holy war against the Catholic church. It is likely to affect all Christians. The leader of the St. Death cult has been protesting outside cathedrals in Mexico City during Holy Week. “St. Death” is a skeleton dressed in a white tunic or wedding dress and its worship “can lead to demonic practices.” (International Christian Concern, me)

North Korea Freedom Week is scheduled to take place in Washington, DC from April 26 - May 2, 2009.

Prayer List for April 12, 2009

Happy Easter

Sunday, please praise God for sending His Son to die on the cross for us and that He gave us the hope of the resurrection through His resurrection..

Monday, please pray for the Arakan people of Burma who will be forced to give up their land for a border fence with Bangladesh and India and for a highway between Burma and India. The Indians who give up land will be compensated by their government, but the illegitimate Burmese government will not compensate the Arakans. If they hold true to form, they’ll require the Arakan people to provide labor for these projects without payment. (Free Burma Rangers)

Tuesday, please pray for the Christians of Pakistan, especially in the Swat Valley. “In Pakistan an average of one Christian each month is arrested or murdered. Attacks on the property of Christians and churches occur almost weekly. Opening a new church building is nearly impossible. Discrimination affects all aspects of daily life…Pakistan recently turned the lush Swat Valley into a Taliban stronghold ruled by (Islamic) sharia law. Although the Taliban has made promises of peace, the Christian community has doubts the Muslim extremists will follow through. An estimated 500 Christians live and work in the Swat Valley. The only church in Swat has been renting space for nearly 100 years because the government has refused to give permission to buy land to build a church building. With the destruction of more than 200 girls schools in the Swat Valley, all Christian families migrated to nearby districts in the past year. Most Christian families have returned to their homes still reluctant to attend church and wary of the possibility of finding normalcy and receiving education for their children.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please pray for the Christians of Turkey where, in spite of claiming religious freedom, it has “refused to grant churches legal status….The Turkish government has made it illegal for the next leader of (the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be from outside Turkey, which will make it nearly impossible for the church to find a new pastor because Turkey is overwhelmingly Muslim. In addition, Turkey has reneged on its agreement to reopen an Orthodox seminary and has confiscated 75% of the church's property.” (Open Doors)

Thursday, please pray for “fourteen Khmu Christian families in Laos (who) are standing strong in their faith, despite the Communist government forcing them to relocate to another village and their homes and church building being destroyed.” (Voice of the Martyrs)

Friday, please pray that the US Congress will pass a bill requiring North Korea to observe human rights before we establish international relations with them. “The upcoming bill requires that North Korea should support human rights… including religious freedom… before the United States establishes diplomatic relations with them. (Open Doors)

Saturday, please pray for the people of Mexico as a death cult that has heavy membership from drug traffickers and criminals have called for a holy war against the Catholic church. It is likely to affect all Christians. The leader of the St. Death cult has been protesting outside cathedrals in Mexico City during Holy Week. “St. Death” is a skeleton dressed in a white tunic or wedding dress and its worship “can lead to demonic practices.” (International Christian Concern, me)

North Korea Freedom Week is scheduled to take place in Washington, DC from April 26 - May 2, 2009.

Prayer List for April 12, 2009

Happy Easter

Sunday, please praise God for sending His Son to die on the cross for us and that He gave us the hope of the resurrection through His resurrection..

Monday, please pray for the Arakan people of Burma who will be forced to give up their land for a border fence with Bangladesh and India and for a highway between Burma and India. The Indians who give up land will be compensated by their government, but the illegitimate Burmese government will not compensate the Arakans. If they hold true to form, they’ll require the Arakan people to provide labor for these projects without payment. (Free Burma Rangers)

Tuesday, please pray for the Christians of Pakistan, especially in the Swat Valley. “In Pakistan an average of one Christian each month is arrested or murdered. Attacks on the property of Christians and churches occur almost weekly. Opening a new church building is nearly impossible. Discrimination affects all aspects of daily life…Pakistan recently turned the lush Swat Valley into a Taliban stronghold ruled by (Islamic) sharia law. Although the Taliban has made promises of peace, the Christian community has doubts the Muslim extremists will follow through. An estimated 500 Christians live and work in the Swat Valley. The only church in Swat has been renting space for nearly 100 years because the government has refused to give permission to buy land to build a church building. With the destruction of more than 200 girls schools in the Swat Valley, all Christian families migrated to nearby districts in the past year. Most Christian families have returned to their homes still reluctant to attend church and wary of the possibility of finding normalcy and receiving education for their children.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please pray for the Christians of Turkey where, in spite of claiming religious freedom, it has “refused to grant churches legal status….The Turkish government has made it illegal for the next leader of (the Ecumenical Patriarchate to be from outside Turkey, which will make it nearly impossible for the church to find a new pastor because Turkey is overwhelmingly Muslim. In addition, Turkey has reneged on its agreement to reopen an Orthodox seminary and has confiscated 75% of the church's property.” (Open Doors)

Thursday, please pray for “fourteen Khmu Christian families in Laos (who) are standing strong in their faith, despite the Communist government forcing them to relocate to another village and their homes and church building being destroyed.” (Voice of the Martyrs)

Friday, please pray that the US Congress will pass a bill requiring North Korea to observe human rights before we establish international relations with them. “The upcoming bill requires that North Korea should support human rights… including religious freedom… before the United States establishes diplomatic relations with them. (Open Doors)

Saturday, please pray for the people of Mexico as a death cult that has heavy membership from drug traffickers and criminals have called for a holy war against the Catholic church. It is likely to affect all Christians. The leader of the St. Death cult has been protesting outside cathedrals in Mexico City during Holy Week. “St. Death” is a skeleton dressed in a white tunic or wedding dress and its worship “can lead to demonic practices.” (International Christian Concern, me)

North Korea Freedom Week is scheduled to take place in Washington, DC from April 26 - May 2, 2009.

Prayer List for April 5, 2009

Sunday, please pray for “Christian bookshop owner Shi Weihan (38) (who) has been detained in prison since March 2008. Twice courts have rejected the police’s case against him due to insufficient evidence. Shi’s case was supposed to go before the courts for a third time on March 20th for what we believed would be a critical and decisive hearing. Chinese authorities delayed the court date which means there is still time to send the Chinese Ambassador an email on his behalf.”(Open Doors)

Monday, please pray for a Pakistani-born preacher in London, Reverend Noble Samuel, who was beaten by Muslims and threatened after clashing with Muslims on his television show, the Asian Gospel Show. The Muslim station owner condemned the attacks on air. (Fox News, Open Doors)

Tuesday, please pray for the Christians of Karnataka state, India. “The Hindu nationalist government in the southern state of Karnataka, which recorded the second highest number of attacks on Christians last year, is planning to introduce the kind of ‘anti-conversion’ law that has provided the pretext for anti-Christian violence in other states.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please pray for the people of Darfur and southern Sudan. “The four-year conflict between al-Bashir’s jihadist-backed militia (Janjaweed) in the north against the mostly-Christian people of the south has driven more than 2.7 million people into temporary camps, most with nothing but the clothing on their backs. More than 4 million have been killed. Although Sudan signed a peace treaty in January 2005, the country is still in a state of turmoil. Prior to January, the Janjaweed bombed or burned schools, churches, homes, clinics and crops and poisoned wells. Up to 2 million women and children were enslaved. Thousands of those slaves are now being released but have no home to go to.” To worsen matters, the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir expelled13 aid groups in March following his indictment by the International Criminal Court. He has allowed Make Way Partners, World Relief, and Samaritan’s Purse to stay, but the amount of work has increased for each agency. (Make Way Partners, me)

Thursday, please pray for Pastor Walter Hoye, jailed in California for holding a sign offering aid to women planning to abort their babies outside an abortion clinic. While he is in jail, he is talking to the other prisoners about the Lord. He refused probation because he would have had to promise not to assist women. Pray for him, his family, his church, and for the salvation of inmates. (OneNewsNow, me)

Friday, please pray for “Marzieh Amirizadeh Esmaeilabad and Maryam Rustampoor (who) were arrested by Iranian security forces and labeled ‘anti-government activists,’ according to Farsi Christian News Network (FCNN). Thirty year-old Marzieh and 27-year-old Maryam are being held at Evin Prison, which is notorious for treating women badly. ‘Both women are allowed just a one minute telephone call everyday to their immediate families. Both are unwell and in need of urgent medical attention,’ FCNN reported. During their last call on March 28, Marzieh said that she was suffering from an infection and high fever. She said, ‘I am dying.’” Both are committed Christians. (Voice of the Martyrs, Farsi Christian News Network)

Saturday, please pray for the Christians of Kot Lakha Singh village in Punjab, Pakistan. Following the elopement of a Muslim girl and Christian man, the girl’s father, Noor Husain, took Muslim friends on a rampage through the village, dragging Christian women from their homes and parading them through the streets. They had also desecrated the church. Twenty-one Christian families have left the village, leaving only four. (International Christian Concern)

North Korea Freedom Week is scheduled to take place in Washington, DC from April 26 - May 2, 2009.

Prayer List for March 22-28, 2009

Sunday, please pray that God will work in Mexico where drug networks are increasing in size, wealth, and violence. “Mexican officials say the violence killed 6,290 people last year _ and more than 1,000 in the first eight weeks of 2009. Warring drug cartels are blamed for more than 560 kidnappings in Phoenix in 2007 and the first half of 2008, and killings in Atlanta, and Birmingham, Ala.” Please pray for the church in Mexico. If it is effective, it will become a target as it is in Colombia, but if it is not filled with God’s power, the situation in Mexico will likely deteriorate as people are pulled into one side or the other. (NewsMax, me)

Monday, please pray for the growing Christian conversions in the Islamic country of Bahrain. “Pray that the Spirit of God would open the Bahraini believers' minds so that they would understand more fully the message of Christ. Pray that their fellowship would deepen with one another, developing into a mighty Church.” (Arab World Ministries)

Tuesday, please pray for Christians in China who are studying Arabic to take the Gospel into the Muslim world. “Pray for all Asian workers who face the challenges of learning both English and Arabic. Pray for their future employment that will provide long-term entry into the Arab world. Pray that these pioneers of the Chinese Church would blaze a trail for a movement of Chinese missionaries into the Arab World.” (Arab World Ministries)

Wednesday, please praise God for massive conversions in China. “First, China continues to change. Since the Olympics, our contacts on the ground tell us the church is growing like wildfire, experiencing increasing religious freedom. In fact, an estimated 10,000 people are coming to Christ each day!” Please pray for the church as persecution is on the increase again. “But in the midst of this growth and increasing freedom, we are getting reports that Christians are still being arrested and churches are being shut down in certain areas of the country. And we have evidence that the government continues to repress the distribution of Bibles.” (Open Doors)

Thursday, please pray for “Hector Aleem, a human rights activist, (who) remains in jail on trumped up charges of blasphemy and abetting. Last November, a Muslim scholar received a text message insulting the Islamic prophet Muhammad . Authorities arrested and charged Aleem for the crime. Recently however the investigating officer ruled out the possibility of a blasphemy charge since evidence showed the text message came from an unlisted phone number that did not belong to Aleem. According to Compass Direct News the deputy secretary of Pakistan’s Ministry of Human Rights said Aleem may have been framed due to his social activism. Aleem is the director of a small Non-Governmental Organization that lobbies for the rights of Pakistani Christians in Islamabad.” Even if found not guilty, Aleem could become the target of radical Muslims. (Open Doors)

Friday, please pray for Sudan where foreign aid organizations are being ousted. “A moment of context: one of the reasons Sudan is widely considered the worst place on the planet for human trafficking is because five decades of war has left the entire country in an ancient state. The largest country in Africa and nearly one-quarter the size of the United States, SudanSouthern Sudan boasts less than three miles of pavement and has no bridges to deliver life-saving supplies. There is no governmental infrastructure to protect the orphans and, yes, Western Aid Agencies are being kicked out; they are accused of being foreign spies. All of these factors make Sudan the “perfect storm” for human trafficking.” (Make Way Partners) has an estimated 1,000,000 orphans who are vulnerable to slave raiders, wildlife and exposure from living alone and without shelter in the desert.

Saturday, please praise God that new Iranian Christian, 27-year-old Hossein Karimi is free after being detained in prison for 27 days. “Hossein, a new convert, had been arrested on charges of attending home churches, evangelizing, storing Bibles and converting to the Christian faith, FCNN reported. Hossein was arrested by Iranian secret police on Jan. 30 and was held for 27 days in an unknown location until his release. He’s now waiting for the courts to give him a scheduled date to appear to present his case.” (Voice of the Martyrs)

Prayer List for March 8-14, 2009

Sunday, please join today in the Global Day of Prayer for Burma. “This year on Sunday, March 8, thousands of people from all over the world will join together in prayer for the people of Burma, on this, the 13th annual Global Day of Prayer for Burma.” Burma’s tyrannical government has arrested the democratically elected president and has declared genocide on some of the tribal peoples of Burma, especially the Karen tribe. (Free Burma Rangers, me)

Monday, please praise God that a film of the life of the Apostle Paul is being shown to the political leaders of Syria. “More than 1,100 senior Syrian government officials, journalists, business leaders and religious leaders -- Muslim, Catholic and evangelical Christian -- will attend the gala premiere of a major motion picture entitled "DAMASCUS," written, produced and directed by entirely Arab Christians…. It is unheard of in the Middle East to have a major Christian film about the events of the New Testament debut in a Muslim-majority country run by the secular Ba'ath Party, much less have the premiere supported and attended by senior government officials…. After the premiere, the film is expected to be launched throughout Syria and the rest of the Muslim world.” (Joel Rosenberg, worldviewtimes.com)

Tuesday, please pray that Christian medical practitioners in the United States will have the courage to stand against the Obama administration. Under the Bush administration, “medical workers were allowed to reject procedures if they violated their conscience.” Therefore they could refuse to do abortions or prescribe drugs that would kill patients in the states that offer doctor-assisted suicide. “The Obama administration is moving to rescind a regulation that protects the civil rights and the exercise of conscience of medical practitioners.” According to Dr. David Stevens of the Christian Medical Association, “an informal survey of Christian Medical Association members indicates that more than 40 percent are being pressured to violate ethical standards -- and the fallout is significant.” (Pete Chagnon and Jody Brown, OneNewsNow)

Wednesday, please pray for an Egyptian Christian mother to be able to regain custody of her children. The courts are reviewing a decision that turned the twin boys over to their father who converted to Islam. (Open Doors)

Thursday, please praise God that “(t)wo nuns who have been held captive in Somalia since last November have been freed.” Please pray that they will recover physically and emotionally from the experience. (Open Doors)

Friday, please pray for thirteen-year-old Saba Masih and her family in Pakistan. Muslims kidnapped her and her ten-year-old sister last year and forced Saba to marry a Muslim. “Pray that the lawyers can legally maneuver around Pakistani policemen who, according to Compass, have stonewalled attempts to arrest the captors in spite of a Pakistani judge charging them with kidnapping. Praise God for the judge’s decision to file kidnapping charges. This marks a major shift of momentum in the case where previously the judges have repeatedly sided with the Muslim kidnappers.” Pray for the safety of the family and the lawyers also. (Open Doors, me)

Saturday, please pray for “Maher Ahmad El-Mo’otahssem Bellah El-Gohary, the Muslim-born Egyptian, (who) is legally attempting to change his religion on his identity card from Muslim to Christian. In a hearing on Feb 22nd, more than 20 Islamic lawyers advocated that he be convicted of “apostasy,” or leaving Islam, and sentenced to death.” Because of the danger El-Gohary did not attend the hearing. “He had planned to obtain papers authorizing his attorney to act as his proxy representation in court. But staff members at the registry office swore at and beat his attorney thus preventing him from filing the proxy.” Please pray for the safety of his lawyer also. Jobs, schooling, and marriage depend on proper identity papers. (Open Doors, me)

Prayer List for February 8-14, 2009

Sunday, please pray for the church of Eritrea and especially for the families of two Christians. “Mogos Hagos Kiflom (37) died as the alleged result of the continued physical torture he endured for his refusal to recant his faith. Mehari Gebreneguse Asgedom (42) died in solitary confinement. Sources say he died as a result of ongoing physical torture and complications from diabetes. Late November, 34 members of the Kale-Hiwot Church in Dekemhare were arrested. Shortly before Christmas, at least 49 key leaders of underground churches in Asmara were rounded up over a two week period. The government arrested 15 members of the Kale-Hiwot Church in Keren on January 11 and around the same time closed down a printing press while arresting the owner.” (Open Doors)

Monday, please pray for the Kachin and Karen peoples of Burma. The Burman overlords forcibly transfer them out of their home villages into other ones and work them as unpaid laborers. (Free Burma Rangers)

Tuesday, please pray for Iranian Christians, Jamal Ghalishorani, his wife Nadereh Jamali, and Hamik Khachikian. They “were arrested on January 21st and are being held without charges by Iranian authorities. Arrests and pressure on Christians from authorities have ramped up even further in the past few months, the source said. The arrests are particularly disturbing in light of the Iranian parliament’s approval last September of a new penal code calling for a mandatory death sentence for ‘apostates,’ or anyone who leaves Islam for another faith (i.e. followers of Jesus Christ). Under the new penal code, male ‘apostates’ would be executed, while females would receive life sentences.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please praise God for the acquittal of several Pakistani Christians on blasphemy charges. “Nearly two years ago in March of 2007, during a religious holiday celebrating Muhammad’s birthday, Salamat Masih, his son Rashid, Ishfaq, Saba and Dao Masih were arrested and charged with ‘blasphemy’ against Islam. The Islamic clergymen agreed to issue a fatwa (religious edict) declaring the accused men innocent of blasphemy.” An acquittal for blasphemy is rare. Christians mark this as historic and hope that it marks a change in policy. Blasphemy charges have been a tool for revenge on one’s enemies. Muslims have suffered more under the blasphemy law than Christians. (Open Doors, me)

Thursday, please pray for peace between the Palestinians of Gaza and the Israelis. Please pray that God would fill His children in the area with power and use them to win precious souls. (Arab World Ministries)

Friday, please praise God that a former Islamic history teacher in the Middle East has come to the Lord at 84. Please pray that his life will have an impact on other Muslims. (Arab World Ministries)

Saturday, please pray for a Saudi Christian, Hamoud Bin Saleh. “On Jan. 13, Saudi police arrested Hamoud Bin Saleh ‘because of his testimony that he converted from Islam to Christianity,’ according to the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI). His journey to Christ began after witnessing the public beheading of three Pakistanis convicted of drug charges. Shaken, he began an extensive study of Islamic history and law, as well as Saudi justice. His research led him to an exploration of other faiths and of the Bible. After reading how Jesus forgave rather than stoned a woman condemned for adultery, Bin Saleh prayed to receive Christ as his Savior.” (Open Doors)

Prayer List for February 1-7, 2009

Sunday, please praise God that an Egyptian Christian has won the legal right to change his identity papers from Muslim to Christian. “Fathi Labib Yousef, who had long ago converted to Christianity, spent 31 years officially identified as a Muslim but has now won a rare legal victory to be officially registered in his “new” faith. According to Compass Direct News, changing one’s official religious identity from Islam to any other religion in Egypt is extremely difficult. Religious reversion cases are difficult to win, but it is far more difficult for Muslim-born converts to Christianity to officially change their religious status.” (Open Doors, Compass Direct News)

Monday, please praise God that a German couple’s jail sentence for homeschooling their children was overturned. Please pray that Juergen and Rosemary Dudek’s retrial will result in a change of heart among German government officials. HSLDA Staff Attorney Michael Donnelly says “he remains concerned that there is no indication that German authorities are changing their position on stamping out what they call ‘parallel societies.’ There continue to be signs that the German government is cracking down on homeschooling families,” he said. “A recent letter from one family in southern Germany contained threats from local school authorities that unless the family enrolled their children in school, they would seek fines in excess of 50,000 euros (nearly $70,000), jail time and the removal of custody of the children. German policymakers must create regulations or laws to protect homeschooling families from this persecution. This kind of behavior by a so-called Western democracy is unacceptable. It is this kind of repression that is forcing families to flee Germany and to seek protection in other countries, like the Romeike family, who have applied for political asylum in the United States.” (Home School Legal Defense Association)

Tuesday, please pray for a “Christian pastor in Meherpur district (Bangladesh, who) suffers continued torture and harassment at the hands of 4,000 Muslims. Jhontu Biswas, 31, said residents of Fulbaria town accused him of misleading Muslims by distributing Christian booklets. They confronted him on Dec. 9 as they gathered for the Islamic Eid al-Adha festival of sacrifice. ‘They also accused me of converting poor people by offering money,’ said Biswas. ‘They called several local journalists in that massive assembly to publish news against me and my activities. They took my photograph and interviewed me but did not publish anything in their respective newspapers.’ Biswas denied the accusations against him, and the Muslims threatened to harm him and others who converted from Islam to Christianity.” (Open Doors)

Wednesday, please pray for the people of Mexico. “Mexico is in danger of a ‘rapid and sudden collapse’ due to criminal gangs and drug cartels, according to a troubling new report by the U.S. Joint Forces Command on worldwide security threats. Criminal activity in Mexico has killed more than 5,300 people in the past year, including members of warring drug cartels, law enforcement officials and bystanders, many of them slain close to the U.S. border.” As lawlessness increases so do attacks on Christians who stand against evil, as we have seen in Colombia. Please especially remember those Christians who are standing for Christ in Mexico. (Jim Meyers, Newsmax.com, me)

Thursday, please pray for Believers from a Muslim Background who are coming to the Lord throughout the Muslim world. They face ostracism, rejection from family and culture, torture, and death. Yet more and more are coming to the Lord with hungry hearts. (Arab World Ministries)

Friday, please pray for ministries who are engaging and befriending Muslims at colleges and universities throughout the West. Please pray for the Lord to pour out His spirit upon these young people. (Arab World Ministries)

Saturday, please praise God that the abduction of “two teenage Christian sisters in Pakistan is over, but difficult times still loom ahead. Parvisha Masih, 18, and Sanam Masih, 14, who were kidnapped and assaulted last November” are at home now. Please pray that the Lord would help them recover from the trauma and that those around them would love them rather than shun them. (Open Doors)

Prayer List for January18-24, 2009

Prayer List for January18-24, 2009

Sunday, please pray for the people of Gaza and Israel. Over 700 have died in Gaza. Hospitals are poorly staffed and supplied, but this matters little to Hamas who started the attacks. Now rockets have been launched into Israel by Hizbullah from Lebanon though the Lebanese government is decrying these attacks. Please pray for the Christians who are often victims of the terrorists and victims of the Israelis since the terrorists stage themselves among the Christians. The terrorists use Christian bodies as propaganda against Israel and decrease the number of Christians at the same time. (Open Doors, various news, me)

Monday, please pray for Pakistani Christians Emanuel and Amin Masih. Emanuel Masih “of Faisalbad, a father of six and a former street sweeper, is trying to commute his prison sentence after police officer Omer Draz tortured him and had him imprisoned on trumped-up charge originating from a quarrel between their sons nine years ago.” Emanuel’s brother-in-law Amin was arrested on the same charges. Draz tortured the two for a month, leaving Emanuel paralyzed in the arms and legs. “The two men were eventually released on bail. In the intervening (9) years, they continued to attend court hearings. But on May 24 they were arrested and given a 5-year prison sentence along with a fine of 25,000 rupees. Lawyers appealed the decision in September at a Faisalbad court. Emanuel Masih could be released from prison due to an article in Pakistan criminal law that requires proper facilities for an incapacitated person. Without the use of his arms, Emanuel Masih could not survive in prison unless Amin assisted him.” Both men are totally innocent of a crime, however. (Compass Direct News, International Christian Concern)

Tuesday, please pray for 27-year-old Bangladesh Christian, Sujan Chakma, his wife, Shefali, and their 6-year-old son. Since Sujan became a Christian, his Buddhist neighbors have beaten him, threatened to beat and imprison him, and have ostracized and refused him work. On days he doesn’t work, his family cannot eat. They have also pressured him to divorce his wife. He fears to stay in his home at night. (Compass Direct News, International Christian Concern)

Wednesday, please praise God that Pakistani courts returned a Christian teenager, Nousheen Bibi, held in slavery by a Muslim women to her mother. (Jawar Mazhar, International Christian Concern)

Thursday, please pray for a Brazilian homeschooling couple, Cleber and Bernadeth Nunes, who have been taken to court for homeschooling. In Brazil Homeschooling is illegal in spite of the illiteracy of 70% of teens from 15-19 years old. The Brazilian Congress is considering legalizing homeschooling.(Pete Chagnon, OneNewsNow)

Friday, please pray for the surviving families “of a brutal attack December 26 in a church in the eastern region of Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa. According to news reports, attackers used machetes and killed dozens of people at a church in remote eastern Congo. The Ugandan army accused the Lord's Resistance Army rebels of the massacre. The accused Ugandan rebel group, which has waged one of Africa's longest and most brutal wars, denied responsibility, according to a report.” (Open Doors)

Saturday, please pray that the American people would recognize the pressure that is being put on companies to make contributions to organizations promoting and trapping people in homosexuality. “In the last two years, Pepsi has given $500,000 to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and $500,000 to the Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). The $1,000,000 was to be used to help promote homosexuality in the workplace. Pepsi refuses to give money to any pro-family organization that opposes the homosexual agenda. Plus, every homosexual organization we know of is overwhelmingly pro-abortion.” “The Media Daily News reports that Campbell's will continue to use its advertising dollars to support homosexual publications pushing the homosexual agenda and same-sex marriage. AFA had asked the company to remain neutral in the culture war.” (American Family Association)