Voice of the Martyrs Prayer Update for week of june 3, 2011

The Voice of the Martyrs USA: www.persecution.com

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5–6

Algeria—Seven Churches Face Closure—Compass Direct News

Isaiah 37:14–17
And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. Then Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, saying: “O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

Seven churches in Algeria’s Bejaia province received notices on May 22 that they face closure because they have not registered with the government. The churches were warned that if they do not comply, authorities could use force. The governor of Bejaia, one of 48 Algerian provinces, also sent a statement to the president of the Protestant Church of Algeria informing him that all churches in Bejaia are illegal because they have not registered. Although the Bejaia churches have submitted the required registration documents, the government has not responded to their applications. Despite this intimidation, Christians plan to continue their services. “We expect that we may encounter the police,” said a church leader. Leaders say that some Christians have expressed fear, while others have questions. The Bejaia churches have mobilized their congregations to pray. Pray with them for all the churches and Christians in Algeria. Ask God to intervene especially in the Bejaia situation.

Pakistan—Millions Attend Religious Festivals—VOM Sources

Isaiah 35:5
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

Many Pakistanis attend Muslim, Hindu and Sikh festivals throughout the year. Several of these religious festivals attract up to a million visitors, and some who attend the Muslim festivals consider their attendance the equivalent of a hajj pilgrimage, one of the basic requirements of Islam. VOM-supported evangelists all over Pakistan aggressively share the gospel with people like those attending the festivals. Although their work is perilous, they continue on “with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the prayers of all the VOM friends,” one evangelist writes. “Our main target is to give the gospel and the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ to win souls for him, and we have done it very faithfully.” Please pray that God will open the eyes of those attending the religious festivals and they will come to know the good news of Jesus. Pray also for the VOM-supported evangelists.

Uzbekistan—No Progress for Uzbek Prisoner of Faith—VOM Canada

Isaiah 44:21
“ Remember these, O Jacob,
And Israel, for you are My servant;
I have formed you, you are My servant;
O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me!

Persecution against Christians in Uzbekistan increased last month — from raids to fines to literature confiscation — underscoring the need to remember the nation’s believers in prayer. Tohar Haydarov, 27, has been imprisoned since his arrest in March 2010 and is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for the “illegal sale of narcotic or psychotropic substances in large quantities.” It is widely believed that the charges were fabricated as a means of punishing Tohar for his religious activity. At last report, he had appealed the prison sentence but there had been no indication of progress. Pray that comfort and peace will reign in Tohar as he suffers for his faith. Pray that he will be assured that he is not forgotten, but that he is loved and remembered by God and His people. Pray that the charges against Tohar will be dropped and that he will be released.

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

© 2011 The Voice of the Martyrs