Wycliffe Associates reported on the recent murder of four of its workers, though it has not released the names of the victims or even which country in the Middle East the attack took place, due to the extreme dangers associated with the work.

The attack was carried out by Islamic radicals, who shot up the Wycliffe Associates office, destroying and burning all the books and materials – though, praise God, the hard drives containing
the translation work for eight language projects was saved.

The scarce information about the victims reveals that two of them died by gunshots, while two others were beaten to death after laying on top of the lead translator, in the end managing to save his life at the cost of their own. “The remaining translation team has decided to re-double their efforts to translate, publish, and print God’s Word for these eight language communities,” the organization said following the attack.

The translation workers are reportedly setting up a new office at a secret location, looking to raise emergency funds to finish up the translation projects.

Source: Christian Post

Bible Study: 2 Timothy 2:8-9

PRAISE God for the sacrifice of the translators and that priceless material was saved.

Pray for their protection and for the salvation of their attackers.

The International Prayer Council – a coalition of more than 3,000 Christian prayer networks and organisations who share a common vision to mobilise and equip worldwide prayer for the blessing, healing and transformation of the nations – is calling for a global prayer UPRISING from 26 to 30 July 2016 in Seoul, South Korea.

They say, ‘With the global crisis this generation is facing and the attacks on them, we believe that it’s time to gather the youth from across the nations for a prayer assembly to stand against attacks on this generation. The youth are this generation’s Davids, and they will fast and pray and face the Goliaths of this world. They will stand for South and North Korean unity as they intercede at the border of these two nations, believing now is the time to pray for their unification. They will fast and pray as they intercede for change in the regions and the nations.’

Uprising will call forth and engage an emerging generation, tens of thousands from every nation, to challenge and empower them to fulfil their destiny as catalysts for Christ’s Kingdom. It will seek to be a springboard for new youth movements, new youth ministries and new prayer and missions movements.

Source: Prayer Alert; Int. Prayer Council

Bible Study: Luke 18:1-8

PRAISE God for this initiative. Pray that He will mightily mobilise the Christian youth of today, in united prayer and ministry for the Gospel to the nations.

Matthew 16:13-20
Glen and Emma are pleased to call All Souls their spiritual home and Glen is thrilled to be able to carry on preaching there as he is able. God has grown this church significantly in the last 5 years.

PRAY for this strategic church to continue to grow in love for Jesus, in maturity in Christ and in evangelistic zeal.

Psalm 84:5-7
The way of all things naturally is to go from strength to weakness. We lose our vigour, we grow weary, we tire, we age – that is the way of all the earth. But the Psalmist says there’s another dynamic possible: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you… They go from strength to strength.” If our strength is in ourselves, it can only deplete. But “those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength!” (Isaiah 40:31)

PRAY for eyes to see the strengthening grace of the Lord and for renewed empowerment for today’s tasks.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6
Glen will preach at Durham Cathedral this Christmas and again at the Durham University Christian Union’s outreach week in February 2017. His visit today will be about building trust and an ongoing partnership. Glen will preach at lunchtime in an evangelistic event and in the evening will address the CU.

PRAY for people to encounter Christ at lunchtime and for Christians to be deeply encouraged in the evening.

SAT-7 marked the New Year festival Norouz – which began on March 20th – with special programmes that celebrated the new life that is available in Christ. Nikoo Ordodary, SAT-7 PARS’ Programming Manager, said: “As Iranians celebrate the New Year and the new beginnings that come with spring, we will be relating this to the new life that is available in Christ, and sharing the hope that Jesus gives us for each new day.”

The Church in Iran has much to celebrate this Norouz despite ongoing restrictions and persecution. According to Operation World, Iran has the fastest-growing evangelical population in the world! Every day, two or three people from Iran tell SAT-7 that they have given their heart to Christ after watching a programme on the Farsi satellite TV channel.

Norouz is a time when families come together to celebrate new beginnings and hopes for the future. The schedule of SAT-7’s Farsi channel was themed around Norouz for the 13 days of the festival. The TV channel displayed a selected Bible verse for each day.

Among many other programmes, SAT- 7 PARS showed a 13-episode sermon series called New Season broadcast daily. The Rev. Jalil Sepehr called viewers to begin the New Year by puting God at
the centre of their lives. Live worship music spoke about how the resurrection of nature points to the resurrection of Christ.

Source: SAT-7 News

Bible Study: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5

PRAISE God for the opportunity SAT-7 has to reach into Iranian homes. Pray for a huge awakening.

A Malaysian man, who converted from Islam to Christianity 33 years ago, has finally been granted permission to oficially change his religion after all these years. Christian Today reports that Justice Datuk Yew Jen Kie ruled that the Sarawak Islamic Religious Department and the Sarawak Islamic Council must issue a letter of release from Islam to Roneey Anak Rebit, whose former name was Azmi Mohamad Azam Shah.

The Justice noted that Article 11 of the Malaysian Constitution provides for religious freedom. Roneey reportedly professed faith in Islam at the age of 10, under the direction of his parents, but later converted to Christianity and was baptized. The court contended that because Roneey was a minor at the time of professing faith in Islam, his identification with Islam can be relinquished and his conversion to Christianity upheld. This ruling represents a real breakthrough for Christian converts from Islam in Malaysia and could open the doors to many others in similar situations, allowing them to “regularise” their documentation.

Source: Christian Headlines

Bible Study: Nehemiah 6:1-15

PRAISE God for this court decision. Pray that it may be fully implemented and that other Christian converts may benefit from it.

PRAISE God for these places from where the Bible and Christian literature are distributed. PRAY that government restrictions may ease and the church in China be light to the nation.