Let God Arise and Triumph
There are times when what we hope for and pray for does not happen. Easter was the time when God triumphed while the disciples found what they had hoped for did not happen. Jesus died and arose and surprised them with joy. He exceeded all their expectations. We want to fight for what we believe is right, honourable, lovely, excellent or of good repute. We want to see justice done either legally, politically, or socially when others are attacking marriage, children’s gender and freedom or the striping of parent’s rights to shield their children from confusing role models. Four States have passed so-called “conversion therapy” laws which criminalise prayer and make it illegal to try and stop a child from going to the gender clinic. Christian schools and the freedom of speech have been attacked through new anti-discrimination laws.
It is so easy to feel there is little opposition coming from politicians or an outcry from the public when governments attack Christian schools and take away parents’ freedom to protect their children. Do we even contemplate some sort of peaceful civil disobedience? We can feel betrayed when governments seem to rush legislations through in an undemocratic fashion that restricts our fundamental freedoms. But if we keep our eyes open about the big things and little things God is doing, we may be surprised by them. Let’s thank God that voters in Ireland have recently rejected efforts to change the language of the country’s constitution regarding what constitutes a family and the role of women in the home, and that women professional golfers have updated their policy to allow only females to play in the competition prohibiting men who identify as transgender.
England’s National Health Service (NHS) has announced it will no longer prescribe puberty-blocking drugs to children at gender identity clinics. Let’s pray for a world where people are judged by their own choices rather than the group they seem to be identified with. A world where Big Businesses face the terrifying reality of consumers punching back and having victories. Consumers may be inspired to flex their muscles more. A world which ensures that care is really taken in the “best interests of the child.” and challenges the activist lobby groups that portray treatments as harmless and reversible.
Let’s pray:
* That the Lord will turn the hearts of the parents and our nation to their children, and the hearts of our children to their parents and the elderly (based on Mal 4:6)
*That those who have been hurt by Christians find a way to forgive those who they feel have tried to change them. That they will come to know the God who longs to see them acknowledge Him as Lord without any pressure.
* Praising the Lord and not forgetting all His benefits – forgiving all our sins, healing all our diseases, redeeming our lives from the pit and crowning us with love and compassion and working righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Ps 103:1- 6)
Our Nation in Chaos
Events of the past week have many political commentators saying that our nation is descending into chaos. Riots on the streets of Alice Springs are foreign to our way of life. The Federal Government has admitted that it is struggling to regain control of our borders after a decision by the High Court overturned the status quo in relation to immigration detention, with its attempts to bring changes to the law to deal with perceived holes in our border security legislation knocked back by the Senate. Announced changes to fuel efficiency standards have had to be watered down amid stringent criticism, to avoid an electoral backlash. Attempts to introduce religious freedom laws, promised before the last election, have had to be shelved due to the Opposition and the Greens opposing different aspects of the legislation. The Prime Minister is not willing to proceed towards effective laws unless there is bipartisan support from other parties hence his promise prior to the last election appears now to be doomed to failure.
Please pray:
* That the Federal Government will be able to regain control of the political agenda so that necessary changes to laws in the national interest can be made and agreed to on a bi-partisan basis.
* That the enemy will not be able to take advantage of weakness and uncertainty within the leadership of our government and cause it to lose its way politically to the disadvantage of our nation.
* That subservience to ideology will be replaced with a commitment to govern and pass laws in the best interests of our whole nation. Many of the problems our government is facing are because political ideologies are out of step with best practice and the wishes of many of the people.
Australian Hospital Offering Gender Affirming Care to Toddlers as Young as Three
Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital is offering ‘gender affirming care’ for children as young as three. One Liberal Senator has described the move as ‘incredibly concerning’. Senator Claire Chandler said she was concerned by the idea that a child’s gender is being assessed based partially on what toys they play with or clothes they want to wear. She said, “Across the world many doctors, psychiatrists, de-transitioners and expert reviews are sounding the alarm about the youth gender medicine industry. It’s incredibly concerning that in Australia these alarms are still being ignored and children are being put on pathways towards irreversible and potentially dangerous drugs and surgeries.”
The hospital’s gender dysphoria spreadsheet states that children begin ‘expressing their gender identity at two to three years of age…via their preferences for clothing, toys and interests…but it is normal for children to experiment with gender roles, and many will not desire any form of transition… but for others, living in their birth-assigned gender role is extremely distressing.” Recently, psychiatrist Dr Andrew Amos said Australia’s rapidly expending gender-affirming medical ‘care’ is ‘unconscionable’. “The reality is that we simply don’t know how many kids change their minds.” Rachel Wong, of Women’s Forum Australia, warned her followers that “gender ideology is being pushed on Australian children from every angle…from our education and healthcare systems to entertainment and ‘drag queen story time’ in libraries.”
Please pray:
“But how can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them?” Romans 10:17 MSG
* Please pray for parents and families who have been told untruths about their young children’s development. Pray that they will resist this ideological pressure and look for the truth, listen to the voices and opinions that are trustworthy.
* Pray that the Melbourne Royal Children’s hospital stops its practice of ‘gender-affirming care’ for young children and all children. Pray that the voices raised against this ‘unconscionable’ practice are heard.
* May we, who have heard and do know the One who can be trusted, have the courage and love to speak out about the ‘unconscionable’ and damaging gender ideology being pushed on Australian children.
Praying for Issues in the News
* The NDIS continues to be a problem for Government with rorting by both service providers and participants threatening the continued viability of the scheme. Please pray that the Government will be given strategies that will weed out fraud and tighten the funding of activities the NDIS will fund to only those things that will genuinely meet the necessary needs of all participants.
* Reforms to decriminalise prostitution In Queensland would axe the authority that regulates that states 20 licensed brothels treating prostitution as any other business and open the doors to outlaw motorcycle gangs, and increase risks of money laundering, coercion and people trafficking according to the Prostitution Licensing Authority. Please pray for such reforms to be re-visited and changes made to tighten the laws so that criminals will not again become involved in the running of prostitution in Queensland. Pray too for the women exploited by prostitution that they would be able to escape the industry before decriminalisation is confirmed.
Praying for our Nation
This week let us repent of Idolatry within the Church which has led to the establishment of a spirit of Power and Greed Jeremiah 2:2-7, Isaiah 46:1-9, Matthew 21:12&13.
Source: Australian Prayer Network
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