Be Still and Know
As we start 2024 let’s be still and experience the presence of the Lord. May we know He is God and that this year He will be exalted in our nation (Ps 46:10). It is much easier when we are still to hear His voice, to want to praise Him, to be more aware of reasons to be thankful, to see the glory of the Lord, to be aware of His power and know there is nothing too hard for Him. In 1770 Samuel Johnson poured out his heart before God at midnight on Jan 1st “Almighty God, by your grace you have allowed us to see the beginning of another year. Grant us Your help and bless us with peace. Drive away our fears. May we not be led astray by pleasure, lulled into idleness, or cast down by misery. Keep us from sin and guilt and help us to be useful by carrying out the tasks to which you have called us to benefit others. May Your Holy Spirit lead us into a deeper knowledge of You and our faith be strengthened. For the sake of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.”
We are so glad Australia is a nation in which many of those nominated as Australians of the Year have reached out to help the sick, the weak, the marginalised, the children and families of both the original inhabitants of this nation and newcomers. A number were even willing to risk their lives to do so. Australia is a nation where its Aboriginal foundation has been enriched by a great Christian heritage. Before 1788 there were in England those who had a vision to establish a Christian outpost in Australia. Many see there are continuing flaws in our society such as the need for greater diversity, equity and inclusion. When anyone tries to bring this about without trusting in the Lord but leaning to their own understanding (Pb 4:4-5) they fail.
Let’s pray:
* Thanking God that before the nation of Australia was created, there were those in Britain who poured out their hearts to God, asking for His help as to where or how to create a new colony in the Pacific area. They asked the government to send a chaplain to minister to Aborigines and convicts and prayed that all the ships carrying the convicts to Australia would be protected as they travelled. That they would experience peace when they arrived and not be cast down by misery. They wanted the colony to honour God, be led by His Spirit into a deeper knowledge of Him and have their faith strengthened.
* For the many in our nation who choose to reach out to help the sick, the weak, the marginalised, and children and families of different nations. That God will give them great wisdom, integrity, compassion, and insight.
* That by God’s grace our nation will be blessed with peace, experience freedom from fear, not be led astray by focusing on wrong pleasures, lulled into idleness, or cast down by misery. That even more individuals will be kept from sin and guilt and helped to be useful by carrying out tasks that benefit others. That the Holy Spirit will lead us into a deeper knowledge of God and strengthen our faith.
Third Cyclone Could Form off Queensland Next Week
A fresh cyclone could form off the Queensland coast as early as next week, amid a mammoth clean-up for residents in the southeast after torrential rain brought intense flooding to several Brisbane suburbs. The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring a low in the Coral Sea which could form into a tropical low and have the potential to form into a tropical cyclone next week. This would be the third cyclone of the season as the state continues to be battered by wild weather.
Please pray:
* that the atmospheric conditions will prevent the cyclone from forming and landing over the Queensland coastline.
* that residents will have a clear period in which to recover from last week’s heavy rainfall and floods.
* that damage done by the two previous cyclones will be quickly repaired and losses associated with the cyclones will be minimised.
Overseas Gangs Target Boys with Extortion
Police have revealed that international crime gangs are impersonating teenage girls online in order to blackmail Australian children as young as seven. Their aim is to trick boys into sending sexual “selfie” photos, using Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and instant messaging services. The criminals then quickly use the photos to blackmail the boys into sending money, gift cards or even the details of parents’ driver’s licenses, passports or bank accounts. More than 300 cases of “sextortion” of children and teenagers are being reported to the Australian Federal police (AFP) every month. This sickening trend has resulted in self-harm and suicides. Acting Commander Frank Rayner of the Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) said, “When we talk about extortion, we’re really referring to online organised syndicates of offenders and it’s largely offshore, predominantly from Africa.” He urged victims to report the abuse to the ACCCE. Kids Helpline, run by Yourtown, has counselled 280 children who are victims of sextortion over the past year.
Parents of victims are urged to “stay calm and reassure them that it’s not their fault and that there is help available.” The AFP is launching a prevention campaign through NoFiltr with social media giant Meta, sharing and promoting the safety videos across its platforms. The AFP advises victims to take screenshots of the chat and report the crime to the ACCCE. They should also block the fake profile and notify the platform administrators. If children need help they can call Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800.
Please pray:
“So, we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.” 2 Corinthians 4:16 MSG
* Let’s ask the Lord to confound the criminal syndicates that target children in such a sickening way. And pray for the success of Acting Commander of the ACCCE Frank Rayner and his team as they work to counter and destroy those syndicates.
* Pray for Australian parents and families. Pray that they would become very aware of the dangers which threaten their young. Pray that they would find the resolve and strength to supervise and control what access their young people have to the internet.
* Pray that the NoFiltr initiative which the AFP has launched will have a strong impact and be an effective deterrent. And let’s thank our God for his answers and for his daily unfolding grace.
Praying for our Nation
We believe that currently God is calling his bride to return to Him. Rev 2:4 & 5 says “4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” The church today is a poor reflection of the early church. It has neither the power, unity, nor glory of the first century church, and because of this our Nation is also a poor reflection of what God intended it to be. “The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit”. As we begin this season of Prayer let us ask the Lord to outwork in us what He is wanting to do in the Bride of Christ and the Nation. Then we will become a “living intercession” for both. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to convict us of the areas that both the Body of Christ and the Nation have sinned in His eyes and open the way for God’s blessing to flow into our Nation, so we can be a blessing to the Nations, as He intended. Please pray that our prayers will be like a trumpet calling our nation to repentance. Numbers 10:1-9
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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