FW: The Persecution & Prayer Alert (July 17, 2014) Keep praying for the Persecuted Church, that the LORD may intervene in His mighty power. Amen. To: levibeardy@hotmail Subject: The Persecution & Prayer Alert (July 17, 2014) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:12:51 +0000 From: [email protected] Email not displaying properly? View it in your browser. ...pray that I will understand what God is trying to teach me. ~ The prayer request of a pastor in Israel CUBA: House Church Demolished by Government Agents Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide Pastor Esmir standing on the ruins of his house Photo: Religión en Revolución Government agents, including state security and Cuban Communist Party officials, destroyed the home of a pastor in the eastern city of Santiago de Cuba on July 2nd. The pastors residence also housed their church. The unannounced demolition began at 6 a.m. while Pastor Esmir Torreblanca and his wife and small children, ages two and seven, were asleep. The family is now homeless. The churchs main leader, Pastor Marcos A Perdomo Silva, described the unwarranted attack: (Officials) arrived and violently broke down the front door which was locked. The police entered with batons alongside a group of men carrying machetes. They began to destroy and occupy the properties of the pastor and the church. Photographs taken at the scene depict uniformed officers directing a bulldozer to level the area where the church and home stood. When members of the church attempted to break through the barriers set up by officials to block the roads, their IDs were confiscated and they were threatened with arrest. The destroyed church was threatened with confiscation and demolition in March of this year, but local officials appeared to back down after the case received international attention. The house church is affiliated with the Apostolic Movement, a fast growing network of churches that the government has refused to register and considers illegal. Please lift up Pastor Esmir and his family to our Lord in prayer, asking Him to provide for their every need at this time. May they soon secure a new home, and may the authorities cease their persecution of this family. Ask God to grant wisdom to the leaders of this church as they shepherd their congregation amid severe opposition. May their steadfast dedication to our Lord serve as an example, inspiring other Christians in the area to obey God regardless of what the unbelieving members of the community may dictate (Acts 5:29). For more information on Cubas persecuted church, please visit our website. SUDAN: Authorities Destroy Another Church Building Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Morning Star News The demolished church Photo: Morning Star News Authorities destroyed a church building in Thiba Al Hamyida, North Khartoum, on June 30th. The previous day, officials interrupted the congregations Sunday service and announced the planned demolition. The churchs leader, Rev. Kwa Shamal, attempted to stop the destruction by appealing to the North Khartoum Commissioner and providing evidence that the Church of Christ was the legitimate owner of the land. However, the reverend was reportedly informed that the government had intended to destroy the church since 2012 to make way for the construction of a hospital. However, although the church building was levelled, a mosque located on the same plot of land was allowed to stand. Approximately 70 security personnel armed with guns and tear gas were present at the scene of the demolition. Onlooking church members were threatened with arrest if they tried to intervene. Even if they destroy this church building, our God is still good all the time, a church member shared. We, the believers, are the real church. We are asking you to continue to pray for us because of the great challenge we are facing. Christians in Sudan have come under increasing pressure since the secession of South Sudan in January of 2011. In April of 2013, the government announced that new church licenses would no longer be issued. Since then, the destruction of church buildings has continued unabated. Please pray that these brothers and sisters in Christ will soon acquire a new building in which to worship. In the meantime, may they continue to meet together for fellowship, praising our Most High God for His great faithfulness and unending goodness. May their spiritual zeal lead many neighbours to inquire about our Saviour Jesus Christ and come to faith in Him! As Christians throughout Sudan face increasing pressure, pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen their resolve to proclaim Him as Lord of all and follow steadfastly in His ways, leading to a mighty revival in this area of the world. To post a prayer of encouragement for our persecuted family in Sudan, please visit our online prayer wall. RECENT PRISONER UPDATES IRAN: Three Christian Converts Arrested Sources: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Mohabat News, Middle East Concern Pastor Matthias Haghnejad Photo: Present Truth Ministries Three Christian converts -- Mohammad Roghangir, Suroush Saraie and Pastor Matthias Haghnejad -- were arrested on the morning of July 5th by security forces. The believers were seized while at Pastor Matthiass home in Bandar-e Anzali. Agents also confiscated Bibles and other possessions from the pastors residence. Pastor Matthias has been targeted regularly by the Iranian regime and imprisoned on several other occasions. (To learn more about the trials this pastor has endured, click here.) Mohammad Roghangir and Suroush Saraie were part of a group of seven Christians who were initially arrested in October of 2012 when security forces raided a prayer meeting. The group was sentenced the following July after being found guilty of action against the national security and propaganda against the order of the system. Mohammad was sentenced to six years imprisonment, while Suroush received two and a half years. They remained at liberty, pending an appeal, which was subsequently rejected. It is thought the recent arrests of Mohammad and Suroush are related to these previous sentences; although at last report, this was yet to be confirmed as details of their whereabouts remained unclear. (For more information on these charges, please visit our previous report.) Please pray for Mohammad, Suroush and Pastor Matthias, asking God to grant them His favour and peace. Pray that they will soon be released from detention, while also thanking the Lord for equipping them with devotion and perseverance to follow Him despite the great personal cost. May their loved ones rest in the sure knowledge that God cares very deeply for these apprehended believers. Please also remember in prayer the many other imprisoned Christians in Iran, asking that they will each sense Gods assuring presence in a very real and tangible way. To learn more about how you can encourage and support these prisoners of faith, please visit VOMs letter-writing website at prisoneralert. Additional Note: Two More Believers Released in China Zhao Guoli and Wu Guishan, two believers who were imprisoned for their faith in Henan province, were released on July 5th! The two Christians were apprehended in November of 2013, along with approximately 20 others. While we rejoice in this good news, please continue to pray for the four others who remain detained, including Pastor Zhang Shaojie, who was recently handed a 12-year prison sentence. (For more information, please visit our website.) The Persecution & Prayer Alert is a ministry of: The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, P.O. Box 608, Streetsville, Ontario, L5M 2C1 Tel. 905-670-9721 Website: persecution.net Sign up now to receive our free monthly publication. Please do not reply to this email, as it comes from an address that is not monitored. To contact us, use our online form. If you would like to encourage someone to read or receive this weekly prayer alert, please use this online form and help spread the message of the persecuted church around the world. To change your email address, go to this link To unsubscribe from The Persecution & Prayer Alert, go to this link
Posted on: Sat, 19 Jul 2014 03:13:22 +0000
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