Do What is Good
Moira Deeming has recently been given a nine-month suspension from the Victorian Liberal party for organising a “Let Women Speak” rally to defend women’s rights and basic freedoms. She declared that it was completely right for women to want their own bathrooms and change rooms, sporting teams and shelters. But her rally was hijacked by a group of unidentified men who used Nazi salutes, and wanted to turn it into an anti-trans rights rally. There was no evidence to link her to this group and she had no affiliation with them but the knee-jerk reaction by the Liberal leadership suggested there was which was why she was suspended. Fortunately others believed her suspension was totally inappropriate which enabled changes to be made. King David wrote from experience “Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good.” (Ps 38:20)
We should not be surprised when such miscarriages of justice do occur in our nation. They certainly have happened in the past many times and will continue to do so. We can all jump much too quickly to draw wrong conclusions and need the grace to let ourselves be changed. It is especially true about those who are in positions of authority over us. We need to remember that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Rom 3:23-24) None of us is exempt, but when those in authority fall short the impact is much greater. Some may wonder why both the Labor & Liberal leader seemed so confident to speak publicly against Moira Denning? Were they reflecting public opinion or creating it? Politicians try to get the public to accept what they say. But we know “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Pb 14:34)
Let’s pray:
* For righteousness to be exalted in our nation, for sin to be a reproach and to pray for all those in authority to allow us to lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (1 Tim 2:1-2)
* Thanking God for those who are willing to make a stand for righteousness in the public place. That they will not lose heart, but inwardly be renewed day by day and fix their eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. (2 Cor 4:16-18)
* He is risen. Let the whole world sing of a world made new, and that we also may live lives made new.
Pray for Muslims During Ramadan
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, but large numbers of Muslims are coming to Christ. Missionaries in the Islamic world believe that a revival is occurring, with millions coming to faith in Jesus! In confirmation, social media contain numerous interviews with Islamic clergy members expressing their concern that large numbers of people are leaving Islam daily and becoming Christians, especially in Africa. Many converts have stated that disenchantment with militant and oppressive forms of Islam has attracted them to the freedom and love of the Christian gospel. March 22 marked the beginning of Ramadan for the nearly 2 billion Muslims around the globe. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and begins with the crescent moon.
According to Muslim tradition, God revealed the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad on the Night of Power, usually commemorated on the 27th night of the month. Ramadan is a period of introspection, communal prayer, and reading of the Qur’an. Muslims believe that God forgives the past sins of those who observe the holy month with fasting, prayer, and faithful intention. As divided as Muslims are in ideology, they do stand united in the observance of Ramadan as one of the pillars of the Islamic faith. Interestingly, Ramadan also makes them most open to the gospel of Jesus Christ, because they become introspective and contemplate the forgiveness of their sins. In response, many international missionary organizations intensify their outreach as opportunities for the gospel abound.
Please pray:
* that Jesus would reveal Himself to Muslims through dreams and visions, especially in places where missionary activity is illegal or absent.
* for a holy disenchantment with the growth of radical and militant forms of Islam around the world to drive people toward the love and compassion found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
* for labourers to be sent forth into the harvest field of Islam and for revival among Muslims to spread across the world. Pray that many former Muslims who now serve Christ will be effective witnesses to their former brothers and sisters in the Islamic faith.
Beijing Cyber Warriors Engage in Political Warfare
Chinese cyber warriors are engaging in political warfare by using a co-ordinated network of social media accounts to spread disinformation and lies aimed at destroying trust in Australian political leaders and the federal parliament and, ultimately, Australian democracy. Since late last year the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has identified that dozens of accounts which are part of the Spamouflage Dragon network have been working together on social media platform Twitter to amplify concerns about behaviour in Parliament House. Spamouflage Dragon is linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Jake Wallis, head of information operations at ASPI’s International Cyber policy Centre, said Australian government intervention may be needed. He said that democracies, since the end of the Cold War are not used to contesting the information domain and are not comfortable with it. But authoritarian countries are very comfortable with it both at home and abroad. ASPI is making a submission to the Senate select committee on foreign interference which is examining the way that social media companies headquartered in the West are being weaponised by authoritarian states such as China and Russia. ASPI suggests that Australian government intervention may be needed.
Please pray:
“For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen!” Matthew 6:13
* Let’s pray for courage and boldness as Christians, to speak out the truth against the lies of the enemy – that only Jesus is Lord! And that all power and glory belong to Him and not to any man.
* Pray for our governments, state and federal. Pray that our representatives will not be swamped and swayed by misinformation and lies, wherever they come from.
* Pray for the ASPI. Pray that its efforts to control cyber warfare will not result in an over-reach of control in our nation.
Praying for Issues in the News
* With the Liberal Party announcing its position on The Voice serious debate can now begin on the proposal to be put to Australians at a referendum later this year. Australia cannot afford well- meaning sentiment to lead us into a position where our long-established way of Government is compromised. Pray for goodwill to be shown by both sides of the argument so that the final outcome of words on the establishment of The Voice would be able to be agreed upon by the vast majority of Australians. Pray that the outcome of the referendum will be the result of Godly wisdom shining through and not the result of inflexible ideology. Pray that the result will be in the best interests of both the Indigenous people and the nation as a whole and take us a step further towards permanent reconciliation between our first nation’s people and those who have subsequently settled in our land.
* The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher will use his Easter message to warn against intolerance, division and cancel culture by calling for an end to hostilities amid deep social divisions within contemporary society. He believes nothing much has changed since the first Good Friday when, according to the Bible, Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross in an attempt to silence Him. He said “angry mobs still demand crucifixion or cancellation. Let us pray that his words will resonate within the hearts of those who hear them and that the message of Easter will bring change and renewed hope into our challenged world.
Praying for Others
This week let us pray for Vietnam. Importing Bibles into Vietnam is restricted, and believers often find it difficult to grow in their faith. Pray that they will find opportunities to mature in faith and knowledge.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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