The National 24-Hour Prayer Watch will be published in an abridged form for the next two weeks resuming full publication on Thursday 2nd May 2024. This and other short recesses later in the year will co-incide with the NSW School Holidays and will give our Intercessory Prayer Team who prepare the Watch, regular breaks from the demands of their voluntary commitment to serve the Australian Prayer Network.
Never Alone
There are times when all of us can feel lonely and in need of someone else. We can feel deeply alone without our partner, children, or family. Some of us even long to know God. It was that feeling that some of participants of the TV Series “Alone“ regularly described. They needed someone. God knew, when He created Adam, it was not good for him to be alone and created Eve as his partner. Isn’t marriage so special! How much we seem to need someone else such as God. He originally used to walk with Adam and Eve regularly. He still does want to walk with us and share our lives, but sin has separated us from God (Isa. 59:1-2) Jesus was never alone on earth. He took time to be with His Father and said, “I am not alone for My Father is with me” (Jn 16:32) But, when He died on a cross for our sake, He was separated from His Father. After many hours alone He cried out “My God, My God why have you forsaken me? “(Mt 27:46) There are often times when some of us feel alone at work, at church, in our home, in our community or our nation.
But we don’t need to remain alone. King David prayed, “Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress,” (Ps 25:16) He asked the Lord to deliver him and for him to not feel ashamed when he put his trust in God. No one needs to be alone. The Lord says “fear not, for I am with you. I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you”(Is 41:0) As we experience more of His heart for us, for others and for our nation we can become more aware how many feel alone or isolated. We see it, for example, with racism, misogyny, homophobia, and anti-Semitism. We are aware that even those who grow up as devout Muslims, Christians, Jews, or Buddhists can want an exclusive lifestyle which then seems to keep them apart from others.
Let’s pray:
* For those who feel alone, separated from loved ones in body or spirit, unloved, unappreciated, hated, or undervalued to find the warmth, grace, love of God, the security, acceptance by Christians, experience being valued in churches where Christ is preached, and where the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, and of God’s righteousness, and the coming judgment (Jn 16:8)
* For forgiveness and then acceptance to flow in our nation. This breaks down the barriers which Satan has erected in our nation to separate individuals, religious groups, national groups, and neighbours and even God. He has wept for us but never left us alone.
* For more and more of us in Australia to know for sure that we are never alone because of a growing relationship through Christ with our Heavenly Father and know for sure that life is worth living.
Dealing with the Underlying Issues Essential
Whilst the current curfew in Alice Springs has eased the immediate tension and resultant violence on the streets of Alice, there is a recognition that unless underlying issues causing the street violence is dealt with things will return to what they were after the curfew is lifted. It will take a community wide and Governmental response to deal with what are very long-term issues that have been allowed to fester for many years.
Please pray:
* For Governments Local, Territory and Federal) to take this situation more seriously than in the past and be given wisdom as to what creative measures need to be introduced in order to address the situation.
* For local Indigenous leaders to also step up and deal with family and community issues that directly impact the indigenous youth of Alice Springs, and which are beyond the reach of Governments.
* For solutions to emerge from community consultations beyond the provision of additional funding and extra law enforcement that will address the concerns of locals and meet the needs of the youth and Indigenous families.
Anthony Albanese Urged Not to ‘Betray’ Faith Groups
Religious leaders have informed Anthony Albanese, in a letter sent last week, that it would be a “betrayal of trust” for Labor to team up with the Greens and implement the recommendations of a new Australian Law Reform Commission report which would remove protections for faith-based schools. The alliance of 41 faith leaders and educators – including many Islamic and Christian groups and Hindu leaders – expressed “deep concerns” at the prospect of consideration being given to “negotiating with the Greens to implement the recommendations of the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) and pass a religious discrimination bill. Only a select few have seen the two draft pieces of legislation, apart from the government which has had access to the ALCR report since last year. The Coalition has been reluctant to offer support to a legislative proposal for religious freedom which is unseen and untested by faith communities.
The policies of the Australian Greens include removing exemptions for all religious organisations in anti-discrimination law, not only those related to religious schools, contained in section 38 of the Sex Discrimination Act 1987; replacing school chaplaincy programs with the contentious Safe Schools program; and making federal funding to hospitals – including those operated by religious organisations – contingent upon the provision of abortion. Last week Mr. Albanese declared that he would only proceed with reforms to religious discrimination changes with bipartisan support from the Coalition. But despite that, he has now left open the option of negotiating a deal with the Greens, who have a long running hostility towards religious education and religious institutions.
Please pray:
“If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
* Pray that Mr. Albanese comes to realise that he is denying his fellow Australians the right to practice their beliefs while planning to force them to adopt the dictates of his own belief system.
* Pray that he does not negotiate a deal with the Greens.
* Pray that the letter written to Mr. Albanese by the 41 faith leaders is successful in convincing the government to continue to ensure the freedom to practice religion is protected. Pray for Christian faith leaders. Pray as you feel led, confident that nothing can overcome the word of God. Pray that His truth sets many, many Australians free.
Praying for Issues in the News
* In an effort to find a solution to the Middle East confrontation the Federal Government is considering supporting a push for Palestinian statehood. This is causing not only conflict within the Labor Party itself but also is dividing our nation into pro and anti-Palestinian factions. Many feel the Government is suggesting such a response to shore up Muslim support in key electorates prior to the next Federal election. Previous efforts for a two-state solution have been rejected by the Palestinian side on the basis they are not interested in sanctioning an Israeli state, their policy being the total elimination of Israel. Please pray that Israel will not be forced to accept a solution that it is not happy with, and that Palestinian’s will not be coerced into falsely accepting a solution that they do not want either.
* Pressure is being applied to the Prime Minister by the National Association of Practising Psychiatrists to replicate a landmark British review into medical treatments which enable young children to change gender. Professor Morris said the evidence supporting the benefit of the treatment was “very limited”. Please pray that the Prime Minister will agree to an enquiry as has, and is, happening in other countries so that this harmful ideology can be refuted by medical science and our children protected from lifetime harm.
Praying for our Nation
* This week let us pray for the return of a Spirit of Compassion, Mercy and the Ministry of love to the Church to counter the spirit of inhumanity and lawlessness afflicting our nation. Jeremiah 7:2-8, Isaiah 58: 3-7, Galatians 6:1-5, Matt 7:1-5.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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