This will be the last full Prayer Watch bulletin for 3 weeks as we take a mid-year break to give our contributors time off to recharge their batteries for the next term. For the next two weeks there will be an abridged version of the bulletin published. The next full edition of the Prayer Watch will be published on Thursday 1st August 2024
Our Firm Foundation
Many people have felt compassion for the Palestinians. They want the war to cease and blame the Israelis for the mass devastation. In Canberra, a lady by one vote created a division in our nation. When the Muslim Labor senator Fatima Payman wanted to powerfully support a Palestinian State, she voted against her Labor party. Many in the Muslim community who have been voting for Labor for generations now wonder whether ALP no longer represents them in relation to the Israeli /Palestinian war. There is a strong possibility that The Muslim Vote movement could now be created and target federal Labor seats at the next election. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese believes that faith-based political parties could undermine social cohesion in Australia. For a long time, Muslims around the world have believed Palestine should be an Islamic nation. Islam is a combination of both a religious faith and a political movement.
It is a political Muslim belief that any land that has ever been occupied by Muslims should revert to being a Muslim nation. The well-known political phrase from a rapper song “from the river to the sea Palestine will be Free” claimed all the land between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea including Israeli land. This was backed up by the politically aggressive preaching by Muslim leaders in their Mosques, but never been stopped by the police. A religious part of Islam is seen in this quieter quote “You are the best nation produced for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. If only the people of the Scripture had believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are believers, but most of them are defiantly disobedient. “(Quran 3:110)
Chris Kenny began a recent article on Islam with a general assumption that the Western World is unified in its ideology of openness, plurality, and tolerance. Some of the great so-called strengths of Western democracies can turn out to be obvious weaknesses. This tolerance leaves us in the West vulnerable to those who could harm us and undermine our democracy. In the past we saw Communism or Naziism. Now Woke thinking seems to be undermining our understanding and appreciation of the past while focusing on social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBTQIA rights in the present. The way Muslims think can be revealed by their actions and beliefs. Jesus has told us ‘ we can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act”. (Mt 7:16)
Let’s pray:
* For Australia to continue to flourish on a firm foundation as its people develop and nurture a Christian history of democracy, a rule of law, and personal liberty.
* That the government of our nation be on God’s shoulders. A God who is a Wonderful Counsellor, a Mighty God, an Everlasting Father, a Prince of Peace. Pray that we might see more of the greatness of His government in Australia and the peace that He brings of which there will be no end. (Is 9:6)
* That police, bureaucrats, voters and university students understand more clearly the political implications of Islamic and other belief systems and how they conflict with our national values of democracy, personal liberty and the rule of law.
Gender Dysphoria
We want to do a short series on one of today’s vexing issues that does not affect many people but those it does it becomes a devasting episode in their life. As Christians we are called to look after our brothers and sisters so whilst we may feel this issue is far from the reality of our world, we believe as Intercessors we need to stand in the gap for all affected by it. Let us therefore pray for those suffering from gender dysphoria and for them to find their identity in Christ. Pertinent scriptures for this issue are “He created them male and female and blessed them.” (Genesis 5:2) and “You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14).
Let us therefore pray:
* For those experiencing the confusion of gender dysphoria. Please lift this confusion and suffering from their minds. Pray that all ungodly thought patterns as to their sex and gender would be destroyed. Let them know of your great love and compassion for them. Rescue them from Satan’s lies. Bring them to repentance and turn them to the full and abundant life in Jesus.
* For parents dealing with a transgender child – no matter their age. May parents receive wisdom and gain courage to fight against the evil trans agenda wherever they find it. Be strong and courageous. “Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6). I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10).
* That God would give parents loving, truthful words to say to a child who is transgender. Let them show grace. May their words lead their children back to the truth of their Creator and how they are fearfully and wonderfully made just as You designed. Give parents clarity of truth when faced with dis-information and lies, and strength to protect their child. Comfort and sustain them as they walk this difficult path.
Islam Begins to Flex its Political Muscle in Australia
Labor senator Fatima Payman has quit the party altogether as a result of being suspended indefinitely from the Labor caucus after she said she would continue to defy the party’s position on Palestinian recognition. She declined to comment directly on whether she planned to join or form another party but said that she would “reflect on her future and the best way to represent the people of Western Australia. She has revealed that she asked Allah for guidance on what to do in the Senate.
The Muslim Vote runs a website and social media page and appears to be linked to Muslim Votes Matter, an entity registered with the Australian Tax Office since February. The spokesman said the collective had over 2,000 volunteers and was in the process of choosing candidates to endorse in several Labor-held seats in western Sydney. He said a candidate would soon be announced in minister Jason Clare’s seat of Blaxland, with candidates to follow in Tony Burke’s Watson, Chris Bowen’s McMahon and Anne Stanley’s Werriwa.
He also said the Sydney-based organisation wanted to campaign in other states and was working with “organisations, businesses, personalities, influencers, general grassroots leadership.” The Muslim Vote spokesman also said the Muslim community had been furious at the government’s response to the war in Gaza and feel that their voices have been ignored.
Please pray:
The preamble to the Constitution of 1901 declares that Australia would be a nation “humbly relying on the blessing of Almighty God.”
* Pray that Prime Ministers, business leaders, educators the parents would once more rely on the blessings of Almighty God.
* Pray that the religion of Islam never takes a strong hold, or any sort of hold, in Australia.
* Pray that we Christians, across our nation, wake up to the urgency of our situation and call out to our Saviour Jesus for His love and power and for a great spiritual awakening.
Praying for Issues in the News
* Western banks are retreating from Pacific Island nations allowing an opportunity for China to fill the gap thus increasing its influence in the whole of the South Pacific. Westpac has become an exception to that rule and has announced that it will in fact increase its presence in the region much to the approval of both Australian and United States Governments. Pray that multi-national companies would make decisions that affect nations and people groups from a position of holding a social responsibility because of their size and influence and not out of pure self-interest or profit generation.
* Following the defeat of the Voice Referendum little further progress seems to have been forthcoming to address long standing issues affecting our Indigenous people. Senator Jacinta Price has however come up with her own vision for welfare dependent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to do the jobs in their communities currently done by fly-in, fly-out workers and meet the standards other Australians are expected to meet. She has also called for an end to an implied acceptance of cultural payback, arranged marriage, apportioning tragedies and mishaps to sorcery and other practices that are “anathema to modern culture.” Whilst not all points may be acceptable to everyone pray that the suggestions will be carefully considered and not politicised and thrown out because they have come from the wrong source.
Praying for our Nation
The current condition of the land is a sign of the sin in the Church and the Nation. From the beginning of human habitation undealt-with sin and the resultant establishment of altars of offence have caused defilement of the land. Broken Covenant and Idolatry are two areas of sin that cause defilement of the land. We can no longer afford to leave this issue unaddressed.
This week by the study of His word and the revelation of His Spirit let us identify and pray into the Consequence of idolatry within the Nation. Please pray Psalm 73 Deuteronomy 29:24-27.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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