Intercessor prayer alert

January 2010 Terrorist threat
In recent weeks there have been many security alerts that should cause us to pray over our national security (the Christmas Day bomb plot being the most recent.) Please continue to pray that God would continue to grant us undeserved mercy in uncovering these plots and prevent innocent lives being lost.

police have foiled numerous plots
Sir Ian Blair in an interview last year alluded to the fact that the police have foiled 15 terror plots in the UK since the year 2000. That figure has gone up recently. The threat against innocent lives in this country is still very present.
We need to thank God for His undeserved protection, but also keep very vigilant in prayer against the terrorist plots out there, and the spiritual forces behind them.


We really need to pray:
* protection over our airports
* protection for shopping centres in the UK
* wisdom and insight for the police
* that those plotting would turn to Christ
* protection over train stations
* any venue which attracts large crowds (eg: football stadiums)
* Our coastlines

click read more... for archived prayer alerts.


ARCHIVED NEWS

Christian Institute court case starts
The High Court in Belfast will consider the Christian Institute’s legal challenge regarding Northern Ireland's Sexual Orientation Regulations on Monday 4 June. The case is scheduled to last for three days.
The High Court will consider whether the SORs unduly interfere with religious liberty contrary to the Human Rights Act and whether the public consultation in Northern Ireland was flawed. Lets pray for a breakthrough for the CI, and that righteousness be restored to our governments decision making.
More information click here
Latest news (Sep 07)
A judge in the Belfast High Court has quashed laws which threatened the religious freedom of Christians. Mr Justice Weatherup struck down the 'harassment' provisions of the Northern Ireland sexual orientation regulations. This means Christians cannot be sued for expressing their opposition to homosexual practice.
In that case a court ruled that a Christian printer should not be forced to print material which goes against his core religious beliefs, but that a Christian printer must be willing to print other material, such as letterhead, for homosexual customers.
The ruling also narrows the sexual orientation regulations in Northern Ireland so that they cannot apply to the school curriculum or affect every activity of a faith-based group which receives some public funding (only the specific activity for which a faith-based group receives public funding will be affected).
There is no doubt that the religious freedom of Christians in Northern Ireland is very much safer as a result of this legal action, but there will still be cases where Christians must defend themselves in court.
There is concern however that the BBC website is running a distorted report of the ruling. This is another example of the BBC's bias.



Sexual Orientation Regulations
The Equality Act (Sexual Orientation Regulations) 2007 were sadly passed on 21st March through the House of Lords (168 to 122 votes) marking the imposition of a new morality in our country.
Please pray that, as the darkness gets darker in the UK, that Christians would stand out in boldness without compromising their faith. Pray that people would be able to see clearly our light. This is an opportunity for Christians to show that they will not compromise the Gospel.
Click the "Read More" link to find out more on how these regulations can affect Christians, or click here to view "frequently asked questions".


Largest human form sculpture is pagan goddess!
In Northumberland there’s an alarming project that would certainly affect the area spiritually. There are plans for the “world’s largest human form sculpted into the landscape” and it appears to be a huge sculpture in the form of a pagan Celtic goddess called ‘Coventina." Please pray a blocking over this in Jesus name.
For more information see website: http://www.hjbanks.com/northumberlandia/2_1.htm
Latest News: March 07
There has just been a 4 week inquiry during which the mining company put its case again. The inquiry regarding the open cast mine and Northumberlandia is finished. Please pray for the planning Inspector as he makes in his final recommendation which will go before the Secretary of State, Ruth Kelly.


The Government have chosen to use a special Parliamentary procedure to push the Regulations through without the need of debate or vote in NI parliament at all. This ‘negative resolution procedure’ means that the mere elapsing of 40 days from the date of the Regulations meant that the SORs have become law in Northern Ireland. This in turn will set a dangerous precedent for the England, Wales and Scotland SORs which are due to come into force in April 2007.

pertinent points - SORs JHCR Report

1. “In our view, the prohibitions on discrimination in the Regulations limit the manifestations of religious beliefs and limitation is justifiable in a democratic society for the protection of the right of gay people not to be discriminated against” (paragraph 44).


2. “Where the manifestation of a belief conflicts with the right of gay people not to be discriminated against in their access to services as important as adoption services, it is in our view necessary and justifiable to limit the right to manifest the belief” (paragraph 52).


3. “In our view the Regulations should clearly apply to the curriculum, so that homosexual pupils are not subjected to teaching, as part of their religious education or other curriculum, that their sexual orientation is sinful or morally wrong”, and “We welcome the Government’s acceptance that [the Regulations] should apply to all schools […] without any exemption for particular types of school such as faith schools” (paragraphs 65 and 67).


4. “In our view there is an important difference between this factual information [about sexual morality] being imparted in a descriptive way as part of a wide-ranging syllabus about different religions, and a curriculum which teaches a particular religion’s doctrinal beliefs as if they were objectively true. The latter is likely to lead to unjustifiable discrimination” (paragraph 67).


5. “During the passage of the Equality Act, the House of Lords removed harassment on the grounds of religion or belief from the Bill […] In our view, however, different considerations apply in relation to sexual orientation, race and sex, because these are inherent characteristics. We therefore welcome the inclusion of harassment […] within the Northern Ireland Regulations and we recommend that it also be included in the forthcoming Regulations for the rest of Great Britain” (paragraph 56).