While Kim Jong Un seems to be trying to present himself as a popular figure sporting his attractive, young (and possibly pregnant) wife and concerned with the economy, the measures that he has been enacting have not been popular. As he has been ignoring the practical advice of his farm experts internal criticism has increased. In response to a shocking front line defection in which a North Korean soldier killed two of his senior officers there has been a major indoctrination effort and crackdown on sources of "Western corruption." At the same time, there has been an ongoing effort to tighten border security resulting in fewer people being able to flee the country. For those who do manage to escape and make it to South Korea, life is harsh especially for the women. Most defectors also have to spend time in very difficult conditions in detention centers in Thailand.
Through all of this, Kim Jong Un continues to consolidate power by replacing many of the old guard with his own picks. In his effort to secure his rule and North Korea's position in the world, it is as unlikely that he will surrender his nuclear arms program as that his reform programs will bring prosperity.
We need to continue to pray for the people of North Korea and for North Korea's impact on the world situation.
After winning a second White House term, US President Barack Obama aims to start direct, fast-track nuclear talks with Tehran as soon as December, even before his January swearing-in, on the assumption that Iran's window of opportunity is very narrow - just three months, debkafile's Washington sources disclose. White House go-betweens with the office of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Kahmenei warn that Iran's campaign for the June 14 presidential election gets going in March. After that, it is estimated in Washington that Khamenei, whose ill health keeps his working day short, will be fully absorbed in a struggle to purge Iran's political hierarchy of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his clique. But Tehran would prefer nuclear diplomacy to be delayed for eight months until after that election. "We waited for the US election campaign to be over, so why shouldn't the Americans wait for ours?" a senior Iranian official asked rhetorically.
For now, the supreme leader is looking for a suitable candidate for the presidency. This time, the supreme leader is not expected to make the mistake of choosing a charismatic, ambitious and competent figure like Ahmadinejad, but rather one who is satisfied with acting as a representative titular figure and play second fiddle to Khamenei whose bureau will administer the executive branch of government. The supreme leader is believed in Washington to be weighing another alternative: having parliament abolish the post of president and transferring its power to the new post of prime minister, who would be chosen from among the 290 Majlis lawmakers...
The gap between Washington and Tehran is as wide as ever: Obama wants the talks to last no more than three months and end in an agreed settlement of the nuclear dispute, whereas the ayatollah prefers a low-key process to be dragged out past the eight-month period while also gaining more time for Iran's nuclear program to race forward. This tactic would additionally help Tehran erase yet another Israeli red line, the one set by Prime Ministry Binyamin Netanyahu in his UN September speech when he said that the spring or early summer of 2013 would be the critical date for Israel to act.
www.prophecynewswatch.com
Please be in prayer for what is happening inside Tehran politically, that radicalism will be overthrown and that there will be a negotiated settlement with the Iranians about their nuclear program that can be verified. This is such a dangerous situation between the Iranians and the Israelis that we need to focus our prayers on since it could lead to World War III!
A challenging message from a Muslim convert to Christ:
“People of Stockholm, people of the world, people who are concerned about
Human rights, people who are concerned about freedom. There is about 1.3 billion Muslims who do not have freedom to change religion. They do not have freedom of thought conscious and religion. They do not have the right to exist as former Muslims.
This issue was brought up by the UN reporter on freedom of religion to the
UN assembly in New York two weeks ago that freedom to change religion is basic for
religious freedom. We are here to remember the victims if Islam apostasy and blasphemy laws. We are here to see a change in their situation. We are here that they may
have freedom. We are here that they may have equal rights.
Muslim People are killed for rejecting Islam, Muslim people are imprisoned
and tortured for leaving Islam. It is not right that people get to lose their life, get imprisoned and get tortured for their belief. This contradicts with Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which gives freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and this freedom includes the right to change their belief and practice their new faith.
How can we be quiet about this? In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mahmoud Mohammad Taha- he was executed at the age of 76 for apostasy in Sudan.
Mahdi Debag the head of the Bible Society in Iran was arrested after the Islamic revolution in 1979 and was tortured and imprisoned for 10 years. He said I am not just willing to suffer for Christ but to also die for him. After much international pressure he was released and 6 months later he was murdered.
Fatima was murdered by her family in Saudi Arabia for converting to Christianity 3 years ago after cutting her tongue out.
Frag Fouda, journalist and free thinker, was shot and killed in front of his office in Cairo because he was accused of blasphemy in 1992.
Najeb Mafous, the Literature Nobel prize winner, was stabbed for the same
reason.
Taiser, the governor of Banjab in Pakistan, was murdered by his bodyguard for trying to
free Asia who was in prison for being accused for blasphemy.
Shabaz, the Minister of Minorities, followed the same fate for trying to protect
minorities in Pakistan. 400 Christian families cannot return to their home
since the teenager Rimasha was accused of blasphemy.
A number of pastors in Iran are serving prison sentences for their
conversion from Islam to Christianity.
Metafi in Saudi Arabia has been in prison since he was 18 and now he is 36.
He is an Ismaili accused of blasphemy.
Kashgari a journalist who tweeted that some things Mohammed did I like and some I do not like, was accused of blasphemy, and 30000 tweeted he should be killed. He apologized and this did not help. He tried to escape to New Zeland via Malaysia. He was arrested it there and extradited to Saudie Arabia. He has been in prison since then.
Around 10 countries have death sentences for apostates and blasphemers.
How can we be quiet about this? “For evil men to triumph, it is only necessary for good men to do nothing.”- Edmund Burke. How can be quiet about this injustice? How can we be quiet about this oppression?
Stand for freedom, Stand for Justice, stand for humanity. Stand against apostasy and blasphemy codes in Islam which are choking freedom worldwide.
Stand for freedom for fear; "Freedom from fear" could be said to sum up the whole philosophy of human rights. Dag Hammarskjold
Stand for freedom of speech; if the freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter. George Washington
Stand for justice; injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Martin Luther King
If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality. Desmond Tutu
Stand for freedom, stand for justice, stand for equality. Stand for Article 18 in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Stand for freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and freedom to change belief. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either
alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity. Nelson Mandela
As we pray for the persecuted believers in Christ around the world this month, let’s pray for those suffering grim persecutions for coming to faith in the Muslim world and that such blasphemy and apostasy laws will be overthrown by the governments that now observe them.
Egyptian Christians have requested our prayers following a series of similar incidents in several provinces across the country in which Christians have been threatened or attacked. Egyptian Christians are keen to stress that there are a range of motivations behind these =
incidents, and the primary call is for prayer that effective rule of law will be established and applied equitably to all citizens and institutions throughout the country.
On 5th November a group of Salafists occupied church-owned land in the Shubra district of Cairo. Church leaders informed the Interior Ministry who arranged for the Salafists to leave the site the next day. However this problem is ongoing as Salafists do not want the church to put up a fence or an administrative building, in spite of the fact that all legal documents have been in order for some time and the Church has the support of the Governor. Church leaders have urged members not to engage with Salafists who visit the site.
In early November the General Manager of the Coptic Agricultural Bank in Minya was kidnapped. He was released on 4th November. A ransom was demanded. However, effective police action led to the man being released with no payment made.
In late October a Christian concert was stopped in Minya province due to accusations from Salafists that it was an evangelistic event. Church leaders stated that, whilst the concert was open to anyone who wished to attend, it was made clear to all that it was a Christian event intended for a Christian audience.
Egyptian Christians note that incidents like these often occur as a result of inadequate state security provision, and that Muslims are also suffering as a result of this lack of security. They note that since January 2011, weak security and rising Salafist extremism mean that Christian communities are increasingly vulnerable. Because the authorities seem unable or reluctant to protect Christians from extremist assailants, it has become more common for minor disputes to escalate into sectarian clashes.
Egyptian Christians request our prayers that:
a. The government of President Mursi will uphold the rule of law, ensuring the equitable treatment of all citizens
b. This will be enshrined in the new constitution, which is currently being drafted
c. The situation in Shubra will be resolved and the church’s rights upheld and respected by all
d. Church leaders will know the Spirit’s enabling wisdom to respond to injustice with fact, firmness, and clarity while maintaining a faithful and clear witness to Jesus
e. All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus, and choose to follow Him
(From a Christian leader in the Middle East)
Some stats in relation to Egypt
• Estimated 85-90 million people in Egypt.
• Approximately 13 million of them are Coptic Christians
• With a further 1 million Evangelical Christians
• Cairo (capital) has an estimated population of 23 million people, of which 5 million commute to Cairo for work from outlying areas
• Since the revolution, there is a limited police force on the ground, but it’s virtually non-functional in day-to-day affairs.
• The army has retracted mainly to military operations and oversight of the country; Egypt is ruled by a Muslim Brotherhood-led government whose chief aim seems to be the institution of Islamic Sharia Law to establish Egypt as a pure Islamic state, thereby limiting the role of Christians and if possible rid the country of its 2000-year Christian history and witness.
• There is an increasing lawlessness with emerging gangs of young Muslims terrorizing parts of city and country.
• An estimated 120+ thousand Christians from the more affluent and educated levels of Egyptian society have emigrated since 2011 revolution.
• We heard there is an excess of 1 million Muslims coming to faith over the last five years with some estimates varying up to 5 million. It is happening for sure, but it’s very difficult to get accurate numbers.
• Across the country, there are massive problems with poverty, failing infrastructure, religious disharmony and persecution between Christians and Muslims, as well as Muslim sectarian fighting.
(Quoted from a visiting prayer leader who was recently there.)
Strategy: Every week, two nations are encouraged to mobilize all Christians to stand in the gap to pray for their nation: the national Christians, expats, missionaries and mission agencies working in that nation, and churches that are supporting missionaries in that nation. Every nation is encouraged to take 2 weeks of extra-ordinary and non-stop prayer for their nation, one week every 6 months.
- Encouraging believers to come together in larger groups (where possible) to have extended times of prayer.
- Encouraging believers to have prayer rooms or prayer watches where all 168 hours of the week can be covered in prayer.
- Encourage Christians from other nations to send prayer teams to those nations during the specific week.
Every nation use all possible means to mobilize the church in their own country.
Prayer focus for the first 6 months: the Church
1. Establishing new believers in Christ (Phil. 4:19)
2. Salvation of unsaved and church that will take Matt. 28:19-20 seriously.
3. An outpouring of the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication on the church (Zec. 12:10).
4. That God will fill the church with the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:28-31; Eph. 5:18).
5. For the church to reach out to the poor and needy as well as the social need and pain in their communities (Eph. 2:10; Isa. 58).
Prayer focus for the second 6 months: Godly leadership in the church and establishing of the kingdom of God in all spheres of society
For more information, contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Information also available in Arabic, French, and Farsi.
Approximately 250 local ministry leaders supported by 70 international intercessors met not far from the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) separating North and South Korea. Some North Korean defectors were present and shared about the awful conditions and suffering of the Christians in the prison camps of the North There was a powerful and moving time of repentance between participants from the two divided nations, different denominations in the South and for the bloodshed of millions through the history of the Korean peninsula. Praise God for the sense that history was being made during this strategic initiative! We believe that His breakthrough and deliverance for the North is coming soon. Please continue to pray for this with us.
Robert Park, the missionary activist who walked into North Korea two years ago and was severely abused during his imprisonment there, spoke passionately during the PINK gathering, calling for mass demonstrations as well as prayer for those suffering in the North. He has since written about “reports of mass starvation and widespread death in North Korea not only from defectors (refugees) he knows personally but also in the media.” See the pictures from recent report by MSNBC and share with others: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44808274/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/
He goes on to say: “North Korea is the most militarized nation on earth, and spends more money according to gross domestic product on its weapons program than any country in the world. It would be simple for them to feed these children and prevent their deaths - but the children are being sacrificed in the most wicked and abominable manner to meet the political ends of the regime.”
One way to help practically, he affirms, is to “raise financial support for the North Korean refugees so they may send remittances into these areas of North Korea and save lives that otherwise will die. That this is a confirmed route to affect the starvation-stricken areas has been confirmed in government and academic circles, see for example: http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/04/21/remittances-from-north-korean-defectors/”
Please also see article Park wrote for the Washington Post in April for specific recommendations he has for the international grassroots community to solve this catastrophe: "The forgotten genocide in North Korea"(April 20th, 2011): http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/when-will