Pray for Pakistan
Pakistan is in dire straits and in danger of falling. Pakistan needs your prayers. This is an excerpt from a longer call to prayer by a prayer leader who is concerned about this crucial country.
Deteriorating relationship between Pakistan and U.S.
Realizing the opportunity to break the relationship between America andPakistan, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and China have approached Pakistan. “Forget America. We will stand beside you and help you.”--China is asking to open a naval base and an air force base near Gwadar and it seems this request will be granted, perhaps even by this summer. Gwadar isone of the best deep-water ports in the world – at the head of the oilstraits. Military equipment is now being purchased from China rather than the U.S. They are also buying military equipment from Russia and having joint exerciseswith them. Pakistan has held joint military exercises with Saudi Arabia, and istraining their military.
In this turmoil, the fanatics and terrorists have seen their opportunity to overthrow the government. They stormed the streets in many cities. They blocked entrances in and out of the capital and brought the country to a standstill. Government, police, and even the military could not stop them without an all-out civil war. The Supreme Court gave an ultimatum that the issue be resolved and the result was that much of the power of the country was given over to 19 “pirs” (holy men/witchdoctors). Now again the fanatics’ demands of bringing in sharia law have not been met. (Most in Pakistan are terrified of sharia law knowing that their lives are at stake). A few days ago these same fanatics began to fill the streets again.
More embarrassing is to learn that an American known as “the most evil man in the world “,George Soros, was the one behind much of this with his support (especiallyfinancial) for these fanatics. Early this year the government told hisorganization to leave the country, but this weak government now in charge hasnot been able to carry this out. (Pray that he and his influence will be broken over Pakistan.)
What is at stake? Pakistan is one of the largest Muslim nations in the world-soon to surpass Indonesia in its population. The Muslim world looks to it forits religious education. It is also looked up to because it is the only Muslimnation that has nuclear bombs (probably over 200) and delivery systems. If thefanatics and militants could take over the country, Iran and its threat would bedwarfed. There is already a fanatical teaching structure in Pakistan to whichpeople from probably every nation in the world come for training. This wouldgreatly increase in structure and influence very quickly.
What is the answer? God must intervene. That happens THROUGH PRAYER.In the 1970s a communist country was about to take over Pakistan. Three daysbefore that, a military coup took place, saving the nation. This could be oneway God could work.
PRAY for Pakistan for the following:
- Not fall into hands of fanatics and sharia law
- Not fall into hands of communism
- Restored relations between Pakistan and U.S.
- Honest leaders
- Protection of nuclear weapons
Pray for the “Big Apple”-New York City
New York City is one of the most influential in the world. Saturate New York involves prayer walking every street and zip code and now will include passing out Jesus Film DVDs and asking families if the prayer walker/evangelizers can pray for them.
Pray: June 2 is the day to pray for this effort which will involve many churches working together!
Pray:also for local believers who are trying to get a weekly prayer gathering going in the City Council and for the establishment of a weekly word and worship service at the United Nations.
Pray: for His favor to cover local brothers and sisters in the prayer movement and churches for these efforts and for spiritual breakthrough, with many coming to Christ throughout the city and in these important institutions.
New York City Intercessors
Commonwealth Games built under the covering of Prayer
As we all know the Gold Coast was the host of the recent Commonwealth Games. What many may not know is what went on behind the scene as the Churches of the Gold Coast, together with the help of Christians from other parts of the nation, undergirded the Games with prayer and evangelism.
This week and next we will report on what happened as the Church took the initiative providing opportunity for the Holy Spirit to work His miracles amongst those who attended the Games, and also within the community of the Gold Coast. Be encouraged and give God the Glory. This report was compiled by one of the team for Beyond Gold, the combined Churches initiative that co-ordinated all the aspects of the Christian witness provided to the Games and was supplied to us by Pastor Len Rossow, the Australian Prayer Network Coordinator in that area.
43 churches engaged in the 24/7 prayer canopy for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Some of the hidden gems that we can now reveal were:
* Since September 2017 prayers were prayed that the hidden gems would emerge in the City. (Specifically Artists and Musicians) We were praying for Artists that carry the Lord's heart of love and unity and whose work speaks to the heart. We were Praying also that hearts would be open in the City to respond to the Lord's message in their works.
* We were praying that in the planning God would go ahead of our organizing team, opening the doors for live art, flash-mobs and music in the public square.
* We have been rejoicing in the way Christian Artists and Musicians have been linking together.
Teams from 16 churches were prayer-walking strategic games related locations across the city through Feb - March 2018.
Then in early March a strategic 40-hour Prayer Weekend took place with 45 intercessors from across Australia joining with 35 from the Gold Coast to form 8 teams of 10. This prayer offensive was organised by the Australian Prayer Network and covered 32 key assignments across the Gold Coast. It was a powerful weekend that brought a shift in the spiritual atmosphere in the City that prepared the way for productive outreach and operation of the games.
The Baptism, in the lake, of our Mayor, Tom Tate, on Easter Sunday together with positive media publicity set the tone for a great witness in our city as we sought the Lord for a spiritual awakening to the Gospel across the Gold Coast. 85 local churches (3,500 people) were represented at the Easter United Celebration at the new HOTA Amphitheatre. There was a great sense of family and unity as together we lifted Jesus Christ up as Saviour and Lord over the Gold Coast and as a banner over the Commonwealth Games. Quite a number responded to the call to open their hearts to Christ as Saviour and Lord.
The unity of the Churches was outworked in the way in which the ministry provided by the Street Chaplains, Red Frogs, Gideons, YWAM and many church groups worked in tandem to see the gospel lived out in word and deed during the Games. Some of the answers to prayer that happened during the games were:
* 380 Bibles and 400 testaments were distributed through the Multi-Faith Centre at the Athletes Village.
* Chaplains reported never having seen such hunger or such engagement during a Games previously.
* Reports of friendly, peaceful atmosphere in the village itself.
* 57,070 individual wrist band prayers were given out amounting to 5.14 kilometres of prayer chain
* 30 different groups and 5000 people directly involved in the effort from around the globe.
Traffic and Transport
* Traffic Flow was brilliant. (Seemingly many coast residents heeded the warning extensively publicised through the media to stay at home or use public transport. Many left the coast for the duration of the Games.)
* Public Transport Networks operated efficiently …no breakdowns
* Gideons- 10,180 scriptures were given away
* Several hundred given away also in Townsville and Cairns where some of the events for the Games were also held.
* 98 Gideon members from every mainland State participated.
* There were 8 known salvations on the streets.
* Distribution covered people from all walks of life
* 20,000 Gospels of Luke were supplied to churches and organisations for distribution by the Bible Society.
YWAM street teams & Outreach Tent:
* 368 YWAMmers releasing 16 ministry teams on the ground through community events, games and sport, street evangelism, street chaplaincy, FLASH Mobs, worship and performance.
* 7000 Gospels of Luke and 6,500 flyers handed out
* 10,000 estimated meaningful conversations and 1 baptism
* 4 churches &organisations partnered with them throughout the Games.
Street Chaplains:
* 100 trained for street chaplaincy by Sports Chaplaincy Aust and Chaplain Watch QLD.
* 43 street chaplains from GC churches, Chaplain Watch Qld, Canberra, Sunshine Coast and Qld regional areas,
YWAM.
* Southport, Broadbeach and Surfers covered throughout the Games with Street Chaplains.
Indigenous:
* While there were indigenous protests at the Games which attempted to disrupt venues and transport, they were quickly dispersed.
* The Indigenous art and festival at the Ganggalah Ministry Training centre went well and with positive impact.
Homeless:
Praise God for the ways in which the hubs sponsored during the Games where the homeless of the Gold Coast were encouraged to find shelter during the Games operated virtually incident free and for the new possibilities opened up through their success.
Give thanks to the Lord for the way He answered prayer for our Aussie brothers and sisters in Christ and pray for His continuing transformation of their nation!
Source: Beyond Gold
IRAN: Trump’s Biggest Gamble Yet?
WILL PULLING OUT OF IRAN DEAL LEAD TO THE NEXT GREAT WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST?
by S DOUGLAS WOODWARD on May 8, 2018
Today, May 8, 2018, might become an infamous day in American foreign policy and in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Or it may not. But it is likely to be seen as a very significant move toward the next great war in the Middle East. It is unlikely to send the entire region into a state of war.
However, it will increase tensions in the longer-term, even while it reduces tensions in the immediate future.
The JCPOA is Now History
There is no doubt that terminating America’s participation in the JCPOA (Joint cooperative plan of action) alienates the U.S. from Russia, China, and even our European allies. At the same time, our most important ally in the Middle East, Israel, is praising Trump’s decision.
And yet, the final word on the ‘pull out’ of the treaty is still subject to further discussion over the next two weeks according to some sources. America could terminate its involvement but not reinstate sanctions against Iran. Additionally, by supporting the Iranian agreement, the U.S. could elect to bring sanctions against those nations that continue to support the agreement. This could lead to strained relations in all directions between the U.S. and everyone else except Israel.
Is Military Action Imminent?
At this moment, Israel and Iran are repositioning troops. Hezbollah on Israel’s northern border will probably draw fire from Israel at the drop of a hat. Hezbollah boasts over 150,000 troops supported by Iran and they are prepared for war. But, given Iran is over 500 miles away from Israel, most experts believe that Iran and Israel can’t go into “hand-to-hand” combat, but can only exchange airstrikes and conduct a proxy war in southwest Syria along the Golan Heights. Still, the possibility of a nuclear exchange looms if one believes the rhetoric of the respective sides.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent presentation on “Iran’s Big Lie” concerning its actual nuclear bomb project (conducted over a decade ago despite denials to the contrary), was timed to demonstrate to world leaders that Iran can’t be trusted and Trump is justified in pulling out of the JCPOA. His PowerPoint may not have convinced European leaders, but it no doubt wasn’t meant for them. It was targeted to Donald Trump’s base in the U.S.
From the standpoint of keeping his promise, Trump benefitted from Mr. Netayahu’s timely polemics. A “casus belli” was well articulated and a majority of Americans buy it. So we must wait to see what the next action will be – but we won’t be waiting very long.
May 8, Iran and Israel Prepare for War, Geopolitical Futures
The U.S. has an aircraft carrier group present in the eastern Mediterranean and stands ready to protect American interests in the Levant (which generally means the U.S. will defend Israel in the event of its being attacked).
This event, coupled with the move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem in the next week, provides a double dose of pro-Israel medicine that Islamic leaders (and the Palestinians) opposing the Israel/U.S. alliance must accept. Will they just swallow hard and move on? This seems improbable. These two actions by Trump and the recent Israeli bombing of a missile cache in Syria seem sure to precipitate a major reaction to the conflict.
But what might Iran do in response? It is predictable that Hezbollah will soon fire Iranian-made missiles at Israel – those not destroyed in the aforementioned attack. This will likely lead to a significant military response on the part of Israel. And even if Hezbollah doesn’t initiate a war, Israel will. Israel has a consistent pattern of preemptive strikes. There is no reason it will hold back now. However, as long as Iran, Russia, Turkey and other states in the northern Islamic confederacy don’t strike Israel directly, it is unlikely the U.S. will get directly involved at this time. Just being in the neighborhood with our allegiances clear is enough. Our military strength and presence create a dampening effect on major military action, but it has little effect on the conflict between Israel, Hezbollah (and indirectly Iran). This means that it is doubtful that Russia or China will engage in a regional war at this time. And if Israel decides to go all out in its military efforts against Hezbollah (which is likely in my opinion), expect Israel not only to aggressively strike Hezbollah with massive bombing runs but to also direct the IDF to cross the provisional border between Israel and Syria. That is, the IDF will engage Hezbollah on the battlefield, attempt to destroy its missile cache, and likely weaken Hezbollah’s position in a meaningful way. I expect a ground war in southern Syria this summer.
What Does Trump Want?
Trump’s gambit appears to be seeking regime change in Iran. The Iranian leader, Rouhani, is not in a strong position after years of sanctions. According to Jacob Shapiro of Geopolitical Futures (May 8, 2018):
… the biggest impact of ending the deal will be felt within Iran itself. The Rouhani administration, which represents a political faction that wants to reduce state control of the economy and curtail the wide-ranging power of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, banked its future on the JCPOA. Rouhani believed the influx of foreign capital and the attendant economic benefits would legitimize his ambitious political reforms. Rouhani’s administration even moved to arrest key IRGC figures last September. Now, Rouhani’s grip appears to be loosening. Rouhani took to the airwaves over the weekend to criticize an Iranian ban on the messaging app Telegram, alluding to decisions made at the “highest level of the system” to which he had no recourse. Hard-liners in Iran suspected the U.S. would pull out of the deal as soon as it was no longer consistent with U.S. interests and will be vindicated at home if the deal fails.
David Sanger (New York Times, May 8, 2018) summarizes the situation this way:
For President Trump and two of the allies he values most — Israel and Saudi Arabia — the problem of the Iranian nuclear accord was not, primarily, about nuclear weapons. It was that the deal legitimized and normalized the clerical Iranian government, reopening it to the world economy with oil revenue that financed its adventures in Syria and Iraq and its support of terror groups.
Now, with his announcement Tuesday that he is exiting the Iran deal and will reimpose economic sanctions on the country and firms around the world that do business with it, Mr. Trump is engaged in a grand, highly risky experiment.
Trump also wants to demonstrate toughness to Kim Jong-un (North Korea’s dictator) to make doubly sure that the negotiations on the future of the Korean peninsula move forward in a favorable way. And, if Trump can force Iran back to the table (which seems unlikely for a number of months), it is certainly conceivable that Trump will win big in dealing with the other half of the modern day “axis of evil” (Iran, North Korea being its ally). This may well result. Trump could conceivably accomplish his goals for peace between North and South Korea while at the same time, fail miserably in the Middle East.
However, I assert that this course of action ultimately will only harden the resolve of the Islamic nations to conspire against Israel to find a “final solution.” If so, then what happens during the month of May 2018, promises to be a primary driver pushing the region toward its next great war involving Russia, Iran, Turkey, and also Islamic nations to the south, all confederating against Israel. Note: this doesn’t confirm the Psalm 83 war looked for by so many. Instead, it points to the war at the outset of the so-called Tribulation period. It has been my view (as outlined in my book, The Next Great War in the Middle East) that the Psalm 83 war is not what comes next. Rather, the “big one” is what we should expect. It is what the ancient prophets of Israel saw as the Messianic War concluding the age.
In conclusion, this sparring between Israel and Iran may trigger World War III. So it is that what happens in 2018 could lead us to the war of Ezekiel 38-39. In other words, what prophecy scholars call the war of Gog and Magog now becomes even more likely as a result of Trump’s gamble.
Please pray that God’s peace to reign in this potentially very dangerous situation between Iran, the USA and other nations of the Middle East like Israel and Saudi Arabia. Pray that Iran will be set free from the control of Islamic radicals and will agree to end their nuclear and missile programs.
Bekir, theology student 
