USA offers Iran help (?)
US secretary of state Mike Pompeo extended condolences to the victims of the floods in Iran, and said his country was prepared to help. But in a sign that the offer may have been less than serious, he did so in a statement blaming Iranian mismanagement for the flooding, and without explaining how assistance could be directed to Iran without violating US sanctions. Pompeo rejected a claim by Iran that the sanctions were preventing donations to its Red Crescent. He said the USA was ready to contribute to international charities which could then forward the money to the Red Crescent for relief.
Feedback from our national prayer conference
We thank God for our annual prayer conference at Swanwick in March and the wonderful people who stood with us waiting on God. It was (yet another!) important historical week for the nation when a substantive vote was held in parliament and the government suffered a second significant defeat on Brexit. We prayed through the debate and decision making. The key scripture was Isaiah 61 – this great announcement of the Kingdom of God and declaration that God does remarkable things through us.
Throughout Swanwick God was aligning us with His prayer agenda and we have captured some key points below.
- Put on the garment of praise – in a time when everything seems confused we believe God’s purpose is clear – He is our good shepherd, His desire is that we turn back to Him. So, we praise and adore Him, we bring our testimonies of God’s goodness.
- Dave Landrum from the Evangelical Alliance shared very serious concerns that secularism – life without God – is shaping more of the national agenda. He tells us we should 1. Fear not; 2. Speak up; and 3. Pray for boldness and authority.
- Dave told us that globally the number of evangelicals has risen from 500 million to 1.2 billion in 17 years – with 10 million new evangelicals in Europe in the last ten years. These are momentous times - Hallelujah!
- There is a danger that we stand as British Christians with our Christianity secondary. We are seeing prophetic words circulating that are actually political words. We need to be Christians who are British with humility, and a desire to be led first by God’s agenda.
- We need to be searching for God’s Word. He is a God of justice who repeatedly tells us to defend the widow, oppressed, the orphaned and the alien. That may sit uncomfortably for some but we need to be hungry to understand God’s perspective.
- Rebuilding is not “going back to the good old days”, it is looking forward to God’s new purposes.
- God looks at us and sees Christ. Sin has been dealt with and we are in a covenant relationship with Him. He takes the broken and gives us a double portion and makes us beautiful like brides and bridegrooms.
- We need peace in our homes, workplaces, communities and the nation. It seems far away. Jesus declares “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God”
- James tells us “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
- Peacemakers walk in humility, they live in God’s shalom, at peace with themselves and prepared to take risks for peace. They diffuse conflict, address broken relationships, listen generously, encourage honesty and truth. They believe they can disagree with respect.
- We live in a time of strident voices, very public criticism and undermining, and significant falling outs. Romans 12: 18 tells us “As far as it is possible live in peace.”
Steve Botham
Director
Editorial: The WOW Factor!
"The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge" (Psalm 19:1-2).
I am always amazed when I read and study the vastness of creation! My son and I just finished studying a book called Indescribable, by Louie Giglio and Matt Redman.
We learned that astronomers now estimate there to be around 70 million millionmillion stars in the visible universe alone.
According to the best estimates of astronomers there are at least one hundred billion galaxies in the observable universe. And our solar system is tiny compared to our Milky Way galaxy. By way of comparison, scientists say the size of our solar system relative to the Milky Way would be roughly the size of a quarter in an area as big as North America! One of the largest stars in our known universe is the IRS 65. If our sun stood only 18 inches high, then in comparison IRS 65 would stand as tall as Mount Everest.
Next up we learned about Neutron stars. Talk about the wow factor. Some astronomers estimate that neutron stars may actually be ten trillion ties denser than steel. Some neutron stars spin at rates of up to six hundred times per second. Wow! Astronomers estimate that the sun is around 27 million degrees Fahrenheit at its core. It burns up around 4 million tons of its own mass every second. And it's so huge that even at that rate it would last another 5 to 6 billion years! And the sun is just an average star in the universe among billions of others!
Job says, "Stop and consider God's wonders..." (Job 37:14).
"He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names." (Psalm 147:4).
"I am the Lord, who has made all things, who alone stretches out the heavens" (Isa 44:24).
Genesis says that Godspoke these galaxies into existence with mere sentences. He upholds all things by the word of his power! Wow! And yet Job declares that these are the mere fringes of his works,
"how faint the whisper we hear of him? Who then can understand the thunder of his power?" (Job 26:14).
I believe the thunder of God's power speaks of God's person, not just what he does but who He is! He is the All-Consuming One, the All-Sufficient One, the All-Satisfying One, and the All-Deserving One!
As David Bryant writes,
"He defies all human categories; there is no language that can adequately describe Him. He is the incomparable One! He remains in a class by himself...no duplicates, no clones. His importance eclipses all others. He outranks every other being in Heaven, earth, or hell. He is the exalted One; for all eternity he holds the primary focus of our praises. He holds a position of unrivaled distinction, prestige, and majesty.
He will be the joy of all peoples, the desire of all nations. He is the Victorious One. None of his enemies will prevail, he will defeat all of his foes unconditionally-both human and demonic and will emerge forever unthreatened, unhindered, and victorious over all opposition, permanently and forever.
He is the Preeminent and Supreme One...in time and space and history he lays claim to the universe, it all belongs to Him. He is the all sufficient One. Nothing can exhaust his power or resources. He will forever prove totally adequate for all of our longings, fears, needs or heart cries. He is faithful and true!"(David Bryant, Christ is All, pg. 41-42)
He is indescribable in his beauty, unfathomable in his wisdom! He is outstanding! He is the well-spring of eternity, the fountainhead of all glory; glory that flows from him and through him and back to him! He is the dazzling one, the radiant one, the chandelier of heaven, and the Light of the World! Jesus' countenance is said to be brighter than the sun. The worth of Jesus is so stunning that the angelic host of the heavens collapse under the weight of his Glory! Literally 100 million angels catch a glimpse of Glory and fall down saying, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth, and wisdom and mighty and honor and glory and blessing" (Rev. 5:12).
One of the most astounding verses in Scripture is found in Revelation 20:11,
"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them."
The entire universe flees away and is no more when God turns his face towards creation at the end of the age! Wow! There are simply no words to adequately describe the awesome power, presence and glory of the uncreated God. The more we understand the Scriptures, the more majestic and magnificent and awesome Jesus Christ is. May our worship, prayer and service to Him be a direct reflection of that wonder and awe!
And to think that this God is the God who pursues us, who takes delight in us, who enjoys us even in our weakness! As Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV) declares, "The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he rejoices over you with gladness; he quiets you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."
I believe it is God's aim to ravish the affections of the human race with irresistible displays of his GLORY!
We were made to know and experience the Glory of God! To enjoy and treasure the Glory of God! His glory becomes our JOY! He is our great Treasure. He is our exceeding Joy! (Psalm 34).
Amen and Amen!
Dr Jason Hubbard- Executive Coordinator
IPC Connect
Year of the Frontier May 2019-June 2020
“Year of the Frontier” is a time to pray in agreement for the largest gaps in work among the unreached! Frontier Peoples are those unreached groups which have fewer than 1 in 1,000 believers and little work among them.
These groups represent huge gaps for the gospel. In particular, Year of the Frontier will focus on the approx. 400 Frontier people groups over 500,000 in size each for daily specific prayer May 2019-June 2020.
This steps up from The Thirty-One booklet (which covered the 31 largest Frontier Peoples).
The 400 Frontier People Groups (over 500,000 in population):
- 1 in 5 of all people live in the 400 largest FPGs.
- 1 in 3 of all who don't identify with Jesus live in the 400 largest FPGs.
- 9 of every 10 who live in Frontier People Groups live in the 400 largest FPGs.
Until Jesus-followers unite in obeying His commission, these masses have no hope of hearing about and being introduced to Jesus before they die.
The Great Injustice:
- 1 in 9,000 living in the 400 largest FPGs identifies with Jesus in any way.
- 1 in 15,000 living in the 400 largest FPGs is estimated to follow Jesus.
- 1 in 100 cross-cultural laborers is estimated to work among these 400 FPGs.
Try out these Resource Options in support of this initiative:
More information: https://www.go31.org/
Printable prayer guides & Abbreviated Calendars: https://prayerstrategists.net/about/prayer-guides/
Or https://joshuaproject.net/prayer/calendars
To get daily prayer materials via email:
https://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreachedoftheday/email
or http://www.globalprayerdigest.org Then submit your email in the top right-hand box.
For the podcast:
Go to iTunes and search for “Global Prayer Digest” or try this link: Globalprayerdigest.libsyn.com
To download the App:
For Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=umot.tw.gdp
For iPhones: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/global-prayer-digest/id1181417800?l=es&mt=8
UPG of the Day Widget to customize for your website: https://joshuaproject.net/pray/unreachedoftheday/widget
Draw close to God by embracing His urgent passion to bless these frontier People Groups.
Your prayers are vital to ending this Great Injustice.
For the joy set before us...
Liz Adleta
Global Prayer Strategist
Fellowship of Prayer Strategists, the Ethne Movement, & the 24:14 Coalition
Web: www.ethne.net/www.prayerstrategists.net&https://www.2414now.net/
