Iran Wants to Resume Talks on Its Nuclear Program
In apparent reaction to the imposition of new sanctions by the West, Iran is asking for a new round of talks about its nuclear program with the United States and five other world powers. Tehran’s uranium enrichment program could result in the development of nuclear arms. It is important for us to pray because the last round of negotiations between Iran and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany that happened a year ago were unsuccessful. The Iranian negotiator said, “We formally declared to them to return to the path of dialogue for cooperation.”
Please prayer that these talks will go ahead successfully and that the Iranians will agree to comply with concerns of the international community and discontinue any plans to build nuclear weapons which would destabilize the security of the whole region and our world. Pray that Islamic radicalism and apocalypticism would be discredited and rejected by the Iranian people and that moderate, good leaders will be raised up within that nation who will pursue the wellbeing of their own people and the region. God is able to bring change in this dangerous situation as we pray in faith!
Iran May Kill Condemned Christian Pastor in Secret
“An Iranian pastor facing a death sentence for refusing to renounce his Christian faith and embrace Islam is expected to spend another year in jail, awaiting an appeal on his death sentence, while government authorities try to force him to convert to Islam.
However, the delay could be a ruse and the Iranian government could kill him in secret, warns the founder of Present Truth Ministries, which was the first to report on Pastor Yosef Nadarkhani’s arrest in October 2009.
Nadarkhani, who has been jailed since he was arrested and charged with apostasy, came within two days of being hanged in September until Iranian court officials — perhaps influenced by international outrage from the Rev. Franklin Graham, House Speaker John Boehner, and other notables around the world — decided to let him appeal the sentence.
The 34-year-old Nadarkhani, who became a Christian at the age of 19, was tried and convicted in December 2010. The pastor of several home congregations in a small Christian community called the Church of Iran, he has refused repeatedly to recant his faith.
The apostasy charge stems from the government’s allegation that he converted from Islam to Christianity, while his defense claims that he had not been a Muslim before becoming a Christian. The government contends that he was a Muslim because he was born into a Muslim household.
He refused three times during the three days running up to his execution date to recant, and his death appeared to be imminent until he received a reprieve of sorts.
The evangelical pastor’s lawyer was confident at one time that his conviction would be reversed. But he was told that Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, the head of Iran’s judiciary, asked the presiding judge to delay judgment on his appeal and keep him in prison for another year, the Christian Post reported last month.
The deliberate delay is meant to let the case “slip away from international attention” even as the authorities continue to “use whatever means necessary to cause him to convert to Islam,” the Christian Post quotes Present Truth Ministries’ Jason DeMars as saying.
The case has taken several outrageous turns since Nardakhani’s arrest, including the arrest of his wife in an attempt to force him to recant, as well as the addition of other trumped-up charges of rape, security violations, and Zionism that Iranian officials added around the execution date. That was the first time in the two-year process that such charges had been mentioned, and many observers regarded the additional charges as an effort to rationalize the death penalty.
Various reports have indicated that his health is deteriorating in prison.
Although the Iranian court very well could wait another year before deciding Nadarkhani’s fate, “there are no assurances that he will not be executed,” DeMars warned. “It could happen at any time. This is the way that the Iranian government operates with executions. They do not give advance notice, and it is done in secret.”
Please pray for Pastor Nadadakhani that he will be encouraged and strong in the Lord, that the plots of evil men will be overturned and that he will be released from prison soon. Pray for his family as well and for the Iranian believers to not be intimidated but rather emboldened to bear witness so that the church grows greatly as a result.
Nigeria Mourns
“It is no more news that the Christmas in Nigeria was a black Christmas. On the 25th of December, 2011, as families dressed up to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, many never knew they were dressed up to die. Families lost loved ones to a war declared by Boko Haram which the Nigerian government has been treating with kid gloves. Like Job, what we feared most has come to us. Could this be a wake up call for the church in Nigeria?
Please join me in praying for Nigeria, that the wisdom of God will prevail. Pray that the Church will be driven back to her knees. We can stop Boko Haram with prayers – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mat. 19:26).
Many have called the church bombing as a declaration of religious war…Our leaders (political and ecclesiastical) need to do something because the worst is coming to happen soon. I am not a prophet of doom, but the worst will happen unless the government becomes proactive.
Please pray for families who lost their loved ones, that the Lord will encourage them and help them bear this loss. It is a colossal loss; it is unbearable without the grace of God.
Pray for our church leaders – that God will bless them with wisdom and sanctified lips.
It is only the Christians that can save Nigeria from this situation by praying. There is no political or religious remediation for this monstrous happening. Prayer and fasting is the solution. Our ecclesiastical leaders should call the Christendom in Nigeria to a day of mourning (prayer and fasting).
Pray for Christians in Northern Nigeria not to despair. Make a declaration: CHRISTIANITY SHALL NOT BECOME EXTINCT IN NORTHERN NIGERIA. IN JESUS’ NAME.
Thank you for praying for Nigeria.
Pastor Amakor
Open Heaven Intercessors
http://www.injesus.com/message-archives/prayer/openheavenintercessors/prayer-directivesnigeria-mourning
Update:
http://www.injesus.com/message-archives/prayer/openheavenintercessors/country-intercession-nigeria-breaking-news
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Some Prayer Requests for South Africa
A South African sister in Christ has asked prayer about the following issues:
1. “There are plans to start a 24-hour pornographic channel in our country. We must stop this in Jesus’ name.
2. The British Prime Minister David Cameron has started what they call a “Gay Rights Crusade” in Africa. He decided to link financial aid to gay rights by insisting that African governments who do not embrace homosexual rights should either be denied financial aid or should be given drastically reduced aid until they embrace homosexual rights.
3. The Mr. Gay World competition is planned in Johannesburg this year over the Easter holidays. The intention is to remove focus on the resurrected Christ to the homosexual competition.
4. The ANC is planning to hand over South Africa to their ancestors during their centenary celebrations from 8 January 2012 in Bloemfontein. I believe intercessors must bring these urgent matters before the Lord in prayer as they will bring a curse on our country. We desperately need a mighty visitation from God and not spirits of the dead ancestors.”
Please pray for South Africa about these serious concerns.
