CARE Prayer Diary January - April 2016 by CARE User

January 2016 to APRIL 2016

CARE Prayer Diary Making a Christian difference through prayer

Kingfishers eat 60 per cent of their body weight each day – mainly freshwater fish. They are vulnerable to waterway pollution, but many local councils and conservation groups are now working hard to revitalise rivers and other wetland environments. A kingfisher hunts from a perch a few feet above the water. Once a fish appears, its head bobs down to gauge the distance and then in a flash of iridescent blue and orange this diminutive bird plunges steeply into the water. The wings stay open and so do the eyes – adjusting to see its prey under water, protected by a transparent third eyelid. The kingfisher then returns to its perch, stuns the fish and swallows it head first. This shining jewel of God’s intricate and beautiful creation and His care for even the smallest of creatures is a reminder of His unending love and grace to us as we ask for help.

The CARE Prayer Diary is written by Celia Bowring.

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Celia Bowring

JANUARY 24 - 30

VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE ‘For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of every human being.’ JOB 12: 10 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

‘You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.’ PSALMS 139: 16,17 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

Sun

Almighty God, thank You for the gift of life: for sustaining us from conception through to our closing moments. Please draw near to those who are coping with a serious disability, frailty or illness and grant them Your peace in Jesus’ name. Amen.

MOn

Remember Baroness Finlay and others who have been supporting her Access to Palliative Care Bill, which calls for equal and improved access to end-of-life care. Pray for this crucial need to be met, with increased ﬁnancial provision and training being made available.

TuES

Pray that frail elderly people and others in hospital wards, care and nursing homes will be treated respectfully and protected from neglect or bullying. Ask God to grant compassion and patience to those caring for any patients who are particularly demanding.

WED

Loving Father, we intercede for women and their families whose babies have died during pregnancy or soon after birth. Please comfort them in their pain and lead them to those who can help them come to terms with what has happened. Amen.

THurS

Pray for children and adults throughout the world who are appallingly abused through oppression, traﬃcking, exploitation and persecution. Ask God to grant courage and wisdom to those ﬁghting for their human rights and others working to rescue them.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for the skill of doctors, surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, paramedics and others who diligently work to save lives each day in our hospitals. Pray for those under pressure to make the right decisions about treatments and procedures.

SaT

Pray about the deep ethical concerns around new techniques that involve destroying human embryos, such as injecting stem cells into unborn babies to ease brittle bone disease symptoms. Ask God to help those involved to understand their moral responsibilities in this whole area.

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‘As a civilised society, we have a duty to support those among us who are vulnerable and in need. When times are hard, that duty should be felt more than ever, not disappear or diminish.’ (Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury)

JANUARY 31 - FEBRUARY 6

WETLANDS ‘You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are ﬁlled with water.’ PSALMS 65: 9 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Sun

MOn

Remember all who are working to protect wildlife species threatened by increased human development, such as agriculture and industry, that is taking over major areas of wetlands, causing pollution and altering natural water levels.

TuES

WORLD WETLANDS DAY – ‘Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods’ Pray that today’s special events and resources will help adults and children to understand more about our wetlands’ vital role for the future of humanity and their contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – tackling global poverty, climate change and inequality.

WED

Lord grant wisdom and courage to Rory Stewart MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Aﬀairs – and others who have responsibility for the protection and conservation of the UK’s many wetland areas. Amen.

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THurS

Remember those working to put SDGs into practice in the mangrove forests, swamps, lagoons, lakes, delta areas, marshlands and reedbeds found in every continent. Pray for eﬀective strategies to be developed, to address the massive loss and degradation of so many of these vitally important places.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for all the benefits wetland habitats provide for local economies, including clean water, plentiful food and coastline protection. The way they regulate water flows prevents desertification, drought and floods.

SaT

Pray that the nine wetland centres throughout the UK will continue to ﬂourish in their work of management, conservation and education, as their 350 staﬀ and 700 volunteers welcome a million visitors each year.

Creator God, we praise You for the beauty and rich biological diversity of Earth’s wetlands: home to an abundance of plants and living creatures, supporting the livelihoods of people living nearby, and providing clean water and protection from flooding. Amen.

Wetlands cover about six per cent of the Earth’s surface – supporting two fifths of the world’s species. They have a vast capacity to absorb chemicals, filter pollutants and sediments, and cleanse millions of litres of life-bearing water. They act as highly effective sewage treatment works, and neutralise harmful bacteria. Floodplains beside rivers absorb rainfall, preventing potentially devastating floods.

FEBRUARY 7 - 13

MARRIAGE MATTERS ‘Give honour to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage.’ HEBREWS 13: 4 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

FEB 7-14 is MARRIAGE WEEK: Marriage Week is a time for couples to pause and learn some new skills to make their marriages even better. It is celebrated in the UK and eleven other countries. (www.marriage-week.org.uk) Sun

Thank You, Father, for all the blessings and benefits of marriage for individuals, families and society as a whole. Please strengthen relationships between husbands and wives – that they would increasingly understand each other and stay true to their vows of faithfulness and love. Amen.

MOn

Pray that there will be many opportunities to speak positively about marriage during Marriage Week: in the media, in churches, within families and among friends and work collegues. Remember those whose relationship is under strain at this time.

TuES

Give thanks that, after 20 years of campaigning, the Government has ﬁnally recognised marriage in the tax system. Pray that this beneﬁt will increase and enable more parents wanting to care for their children at home to do so.

WED

O Lord, please rescue couples whose marriages appear hopelessly broken as a result of unfaithfulness, neglect, addiction, harsh behaviour or coldness. May many come to a place of reconciliation and be helped to make a new start. Amen.

THurS

Pray about the increasing problems faced by Christians and others who are criticised, or worse, for believing in the traditional deﬁnition of marriage. Ask God to grant wisdom and grace to those whose professional lives are aﬀected by this.

10 11 FrI

THANKSGIVING: for those who have been married for many decades – sharing their love, wisdom and faith with children, extended family and friends. Pray that their example of following Your ways will cascade down through the generations.

SaT

Remember engaged couples as they prepare for marriage; pray that many will attend courses and seek wisdom and encouragement – particularly from those whose relationships have deepened and ﬂourished through life’s joys and trials.

12 13

‘Marriage is the ideal God-given basis for family life, particularly because children best learn what committed loving relationships are all about through their experience of the commitment between their father and mother. Nothing is more important in a child’s education.’ (Nicky and Sila Lee: www.relationshipcentral.org/marriage-course)

FEBRUARY 14 - 20

POLICE anD SECURITY SERVICES ‘The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever..’ PSALM 121: 7,8 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

Sun

MOn

Pray for those in the police, ambulance, ﬁre and other emergency services who may ﬁnd themselves in perilous situations at any time. Ask God to grant extra courage, clarity and great skill on such occasions and help them to protect and rescue people in danger.

TuES

Remember the National Crime Agency, ﬁghting an estimated 5,500 organised crime groups targeting the UK. Intercede for success against cyber, drug, traﬃcking, sexual abuse and other heinous criminal activities that blight communities, ruin lives and cost the UK well over £20 billion each year.

WED

Lord, we lift to You the police oﬃcers and special constables serving our own localities. Please help them to build bridges within the community and discover intelligence and evidence that will bring criminals to justice and reduce crime. Amen.

THurS

Pray for the work of MI5: ‘the protection of national security, against threats such as terrorism, espionage and sabotage, the activities of agents of foreign powers, and actions intended to overthrow or undermine parliamentary democracy by political, industrial or violent means.’

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for those who serve in the Armed Forces, especially when they are sent out to parts of the world where they will witness conﬂict and great suﬀering. Pray for protection, welfare and peace for them and their families.

SaT

Pray that men and women of outstanding integrity and insight will be selected in the England and Wales elections for 41 Police and Crime Commissioners on 5 May. Ask God to prepare them for this responsibility and grant them wisdom to ensure local communities are served well.

19 20

Lord our Protector and Deliverer, please have mercy and grant success to those working to detect and prevent the activities of terrorists and other criminals. Help our leaders to be wise about finding the right balance between protecting national security and individual freedoms. Amen.

Police and Crime Commissioners must: secure eﬃcient and eﬀective policing for their area, appoint the Chief Constable and hold them to account, set a police and crime plan, set the force budget, contribute to the Home Secretary’s national and international policing capabilities, and bring together community safety and criminal justice partners, to make sure local priorities are joined up.

FEBRUARY 21 - 27

OVERCOMING ADDICTIONS ‘If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.’ JAMES 1: 5,6 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

Sun

Lord Jesus, You understand our human weaknesses and You forgive and restore us when we fall into sin. Please help Christian believers who battle with addiction to seek Your wisdom and power in their lives – through prayer and the guidance and support of others. Amen.

MOn

Pray for the 500,000 hardcore gambling addicts – doubled over the last six years – and the estimated one million, mostly poor, people in the UK who risk becoming problem gamblers. Pray for better support to be given to them and their families.

TuES

Remember the growing problem of ‘legal highs’ and other drug addictions in UK prisons, often resulting in suicides and violence. Pray for vulnerable inmates to be well supported and for prison oﬃcers and other staﬀ involved to act with wisdom and compassion.

WED

Dear Lord, please watch over those who, having overcome addiction problems, are severely tempted at times. Guide and encourage these individuals to join mentoring and support groups to strengthen their resolve. May many turn to You, the one true source of freedom and life. Amen.

THurS

Pray about the alarming accessibility of violently abusive and child pornography online. Pray that the full extent of this problem will be brought to light and that those who are addicted will recognise the seriousness of their problem and ﬁnd the help they need.

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25 FrI

THANKSGIVING: for Christian and other organisations helping people to break free from addictions, including: Teen Challenge, Victory Outreach, GamServe, Betknowmore, Naked Truth, and local branches of Alcoholics, Drugs, Gambling and Sexaholics Anonymous.

SaT

Ask God to raise up many understanding and wise people to act as mentors and role models to young people and others who have fallen foul of harmful addictions and may feel guilty, hopeless and unsure how to free themselves from these snares.

More than three million people in the UK use illegal drugs. About 10 per cent of these are considered ‘problem drug users’. There were over 4,000 drug-related deaths in 2014. An estimated 7 million young people are aﬀected by parental binge drinking, hazardous drinking, and parental drug misuse.

FEBRUARY 28 - MARCH 5

FEEDING THE WORLD ‘If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the aﬄicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.’ ISAIAH 58: 10 (ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION)

FEBRUARY 29 - MARCH 13 is FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT Sun

MOn

Pray that during Fairtrade Fortnight we will remember that many farmers in the developing world are unfairly paid for what they produce. Ask God to challenge us to take any action we can to help ensure they are treated with dignity and justice.

TuES

Remember staﬀ and volunteers working with over 420 Trussell Trust and other foodbanks across the UK, that last year provided emergency food for over a million people – including almost 400,000 children. Pray that every town will have its own foodbank.

WED

Loving God, we ‘cannot live by bread alone but by every word that comes from You’. Thank You for all those who preach the truth and provide Bibles for people throughout the world to discover the hope of the gospel and receive eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

THurS

Pray for humanitarian workers distributing food to the poorest of the poor. Ask God to strengthen and comfort them when they encounter heartbreaking situations of deprivation and disease, but have access to only limited amounts of food, medicine and other vital resources.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for the World Food Programme’s annual provision of food assistance to an average of 80 million people in 75 countries, with almost £2.5 billion funded by donations from world governments, corporations and private donors .

SaT

Please intercede for the people of Central African Republic, Chad, Zambia, East Timor, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Madagascar and Afghanistan, where levels of hunger are the highest and linked to armed conﬂict and other crises.

4 5

Lord, the scale of global poverty is beyond our understanding. Give bread to those who are hungry and a hunger for justice for those of us who have bread. In Jesus’ name. Amen. (Tearfund prayer)

98 per cent of the world’s 843 million malnourished people live in developing countries. The highest number – 553 million – live in Asia and the Paciﬁc, 227 million are in sub-Saharan Africa and 47 million in Latin America and the Caribbean. Most of these hungry families live in rural areas and widely depend on agriculture to survive.

MARCH 6 - 12

MOTHERS ‘It was I who taught [Israel] to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realise it was I who healed them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them.’ HOSEA 11: 3,4 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Sun

MOTHERING SUNDAY Heavenly Lord, Your never-failing tender compassion is greater than the love of any parent. Please strengthen and encourage every woman who has a mothering role, whether to her own children and grandchildren or to others who need her care. Amen.

MOn

Remember mothers and fathers who mourn children who have died, those who are deeply saddened because they cannot have a baby of their own or those who have been separated from their children. Ask God to grant them comfort, and hope for the future.

TuES

INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY Intercede for women who suﬀer because of discrimination and appalling poverty, notably in sub-Saharan Africa and in city slums throughout the world, where they experience the worst maternal health, education and life opportunities.

WED

Loving Father, we remember women who struggle to care for their families because they are alone, face physical and mental health issues, or have serious financial problems. Please send people to strengthen and help them in their need. Amen.

7 8

THurS

Ask God to watch over women who are expecting a baby – some with joyful anticipation, some anxious and exhausted – and others who are facing possible miscarriage or thinking of terminating their pregnancy. Pray for health and healing, and for His peace for both mothers and their babies.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for the unique role mothers can have – nourishing and nurturing their children physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Ask God to inspire and help them to share the truth and love of Jesus, especially while their children are young.

SaT

Please pray for mothers of children with disabilities and life limiting illnesses who have complex special needs that involve frequent hospital visits, constant caring and sometimes stressful relationships alongside other responsibilities and concerns.

‘Only God Himself fully appreciates the inﬂuence of a Christian mother in the moulding of character in her children.’ (Dr Billy Graham) 9

MARCH 13 - 19

EDUCATION anD TRAINING ‘For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose way of life is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.’ PROVERBS 2: 6-8 (NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP WEEK 14 - 18 MARCH Sun

Lord our Teacher, please help all who are studying and in training – in school, college, through the internet, as apprentices and in other situations. Grant them wise understanding, self discipline and the abilty to apply what they learn to their lives. Amen.

MOn

Pray about government plans to start three million apprenticeships by 2021: that many employers and potential applicants will recognise the potential of these and other traineeships, which equip people of all ages with skills that will beneﬁt them and the wider economy.

TuES

Intercede for the almost 850,000 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK not in education, employment or training – mostly from disadvantaged households and troubled communities. Give thanks that their numbers are going down, and ask God to give them the motivation and opportunities they need.

WED

Almighty God, please inspire countries, organisations and churches to support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring by 2030 ‘inclusive and quality education for all and promotion of lifelong learning.’ Amen.

THurS

17 FrI

THANKSGIVING: for Pray for Schools – CARE’s partnership with Association of Christian Teachers, Education Sunday, Open the Book, Prayer Spaces in Schools, Scripture Union and Youth for Christ – equipping and encouraging individuals, groups and churches regularly to remember local schools in prayer. (www.prayforschools.org)

SaT

Remember children and young adults with learning disabilities, physical impairments and other special needs in both mainstream and specialist schools and colleges. Pray that their teachers will be inspired to encourage them to achieve their best and to lead fulﬁlling lives.

Remember Education Secretary Nicky Morgan MP and her counterparts: Angela Constance MSP in Scotland, John O’Dowd MLA in Northern Ireland and Huw Lewis AM in Wales. Pray for wisdom, clarity and discernment as they fulﬁl their crucial roles.

Since 2000, global literacy rates for adults (aged 15 and older) have risen to 85 per cent. However, UNESCO estimates that 757 million adults, including 115 million youth, still cannot read or write a simple sentence – roughly two-thirds of them female. In countries like Afghanistan, Mali and Senegal, the adult literacy rate is below 50 per cent.

MARCH 20 - 26

THE POWER OF LOVE “This is My commandment, that you love and unselﬁshly seek the best for one another, just as I have loved you. No one has greater love, nor stronger commitment, than to lay down his own life for his friends.’’’ JOHN 15: 12,13 (AMPLIFIED BIBLE)

Sun

MOn

Father, compared to most people in today’s world, we are rich. Please show us how to be generous – through giving financially, praying and sharing our lives with those in other places who need our help. And may Your name be praised through our actions. Amen. DOWN’S SYNDROME DAY – ‘MY FRIENDS, MY COMMUNITY’ Thank God for all who encourage children and adults with Down’s Syndrome and their families to lead fulﬁlling lives and participate in their communities. Especially remember Prospects, working through local churches to reach out to families aﬀected by learning disabilities, including Down’s Syndrome. (www.prospects.org.uk)

TuES

Ask God to use and bless every endeavour to share the gospel message of forgiveness and grace: through biblical preaching, internet and broadcast media, the written word, song and acts of mercy and love in Christ’s name.

WED

Remember those we see in the streets who have fallen upon terrible times and are destitute, hopeless, and leading risky lifestyles. Pray that God’s redeeming love will reach out to them through Christians and others who are willing to care for them.

THurS

Pray for those who have fostered or adopted children who, because they have been scarred and traumatised in their early years, are very diﬃcult to relate to and have challenging behaviour. Ask God to pour His wisdom, patience and love into those families.

FrI

GOOD FRIDAY

22 23

SaT

THANKSGIVING: Lord Jesus Christ, thank You, from the depth of our hearts, for sacrificing Your life at Calvary – atoning for our sin and bearing our suﬀerings on the cross. May we live out Your love by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pray for the ministry of Street Pastors and similar groups of trained teams of men and women from local churches, who prayerfully patrol the streets to care for people who are there, through the night hours of Friday and Saturday. (www.streetpastors.org)

‘Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; long-suﬀering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battleﬁeld; meekness is love in school; and temperance is love in training.’ (Dwight L Moody – Nineteenth-century American evangelist thought to have led a million people to confess faith in Christ.)

MARCH 27 – APRIL 2

CHURCH In THE WORLD ‘Understand the conﬁdent hope he has given to those he called … and the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him, the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand…’ EPHESIANS 1: 18-20 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

Sun

EASTER SUNDAY Eternal Father, we praise You for Your immense power that raised Christ from the dead to conquer sin, defeat the devil and destroy death! Fill us with this wonderful resurrection hope, ever to serve You with joyful obedience and faith. Amen.

MOn

Intercede for Christian sisters and brothers around the world who are persecuted for their faith to be steadfast, trusting in God’s promise of peace in times of trouble. Pray especially for those in prison – some condemned to death, some sentenced to hard labour – and their families.

TuES

Continue to pray about the growing signs of secular opinion that is steadily pushing biblical beliefs and values to the margins of society – such as last year’s Commission on Religion and Belief in Public Life – calling for ‘public life in Britain to be systematically de-Christianised.’

WED

Lord Jesus, send us as ‘light’ and ‘salt’ to live out Your truth and love in the world. Please help us in our places of education, work, leisure and every part of the community to shine for You and bring help and blessing to those we meet. Amen.

THurS

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for organisations that are dedicated to distributing the Bible and other Christian literature freely to people in formats and languages that they can understand. Pray that those who receive God’s Word will discover its power to transform lives, communities and nations.

SaT

Pray for Christian men and women in various kinds of leadership to stay close to God, leading holy lives of prayer, love and gospel witness. Remember those struggling with major problems, that they and their loved ones may be protected and strengthened.

Ask God to strengthen and equip all who work as chaplains: in prisons, hospitals, hospices, town centres, ports and other transport hubs, schools, colleges, universities, with the Armed Forces,police and emergency services, sports teams and many other places.

In 2013 there were about 50,000 churches in the UK with many mission-focused unity movements in cities, towns and rural districts, bringing Christians together for prayer, evangelism and social action. The Church of England reported that churchgoers contributed 23.2 million hours of voluntary service each month in their local communities outside the church.

APRIL 3 - 9

SuPPOrTInG VULNERABLE PEOPLE ‘Turn your ear to listen to me, and set me free. Be my rock of safety where I can always hide. Give the order to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress. My God, rescue me from the power of the wicked, from the clutches of cruel oppressors.’ PSALMS 71: 2-4 (NEW LIVING TRANSLATION)

Sun

Lord our Healer, we pray for those with mental illnesses that have painful eﬀects and cause them to feel frightened and confused. Please pour out Your grace and strength, and grant patience and wisdom to their families and carers. Amen.

MOn

MINE AWARENESS DAY Pray that highly trained specialist ‘deminers’ will be safe and successful in clearing valuable land of mines and other explosive remnants of war that kill and injure thousands of people every year and block access to healthcare, education and development. (www.halotrust.org)

TuES

Remember those working under huge pressure in Accident and Emergency, many feeling undervalued and overwhelmed by ever-increasing patient numbers and staﬀ shortages. Pray that this will change so they can give of their best professionally, caring properly for those in need.

WED

Dear Father, we lift to You children and young people who are engaging in sexually explicit activities on their mobile phones and other internet devices. Please help them to realise the risks involved and ask for help to be free. Amen.

THurS

WORLD HEALTH DAY - DIABETES Pray about the global epidemic of 347 million cases of diabetes – of which 80 per cent are in low and middle-income countries. Ask God to guide and equip everyone who is working to prevent and control this disease that in 2012 claimed 1.5 million lives.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for the legislation passed last year that will make it possible for child victims of traﬃcking to receive specialist advocacy support. Pray for the new scheme being introduced in Northern Ireland and for the development of existing projects in Scotland, England and Wales.

SaT

Ask God to bless the work of Christian pregnancy advice centres around the country that oﬀer support to women in times of crisis. Pray that many in need will be led to these excellent services. (www.pregnancycentresnetwork.org.uk)

‘Father of the forsaken, Help of the weak, Supplier of the needy; You teach us that love towards the human race is the bond of perfectness, and the imitation of Your blessed Self. Open and touch our hearts that we may say and do, both in this world and that which is to come, the things that belong to our peace...’ (Lord Shaftesbury – 19th century Christian social reformer and philanthropist.)

APRIL 10 - 16

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever ... He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.’ DANIEL 2: 20-22 (NEW KING JAMES VERSION)

Sun

MOn

Remember the scourge of global illegal drug traﬃcking, worth over £215 billion and leading to over 180,000 drug-related deaths each year. Pray for international agencies and governments to work together increasingly to bring those responsible to justice.

TuES

Intercede for the hundreds of thousands of people ﬂeeing war-torn countries such as Syria, and undertaking perilous journeys across the Mediterranean to seek asylum and resettlement in Europe. Pray about this crisis as countries struggle to cope with the inﬂux and protect themselves against terrorism.

WED

Prince of Peace, please grant wisdom to Defence Secretary Michael Fallon MP and Ministers in other governments that are trying to subdue so-called ISIL. May Your justice and mercy be shown in the midst of this conflict and the violent oppression of innocent people brought to an end. Amen.

11 12

THurS

Pray about the disputes over the extent and eﬀects of global warming. Ask God to reveal the true situation and bring the nations together in unity to address genuine concerns about changes in the atmosphere, the oceans and land masses and how people could be aﬀected.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: that worldwide, Christians are being inspired by the Holy Spirit to engage in evangelism, education, healthcare, shelter and other life-giving support for those in need. Ask God to bring growing unity to His Church, so that His name is gloriﬁed and His redeeming love known in every nation.

SaT

Intercede for increasing success in the ﬁght against international human traﬃcking – with almost 21 million adults and children being bought and sold into forced and bonded labour – six out of ten of them for commercial sexual exploitation.

Sovereign God, the many suﬀerings in our world often overwhelm us. We lift our hearts to You, praying ‘Your Kingdom come, Your will be done’ in countless individual lives, families, communities and nations – especially that many will believe and trust in Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

‘We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God. His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success. And His presence with us leaves us no other choice.’ (Rev John Stott)

APRIL 17 - 23

CITIES ‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will ﬁnd your welfare.’ JEREMIAH 29: 7 (ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION)

Sun

Father God, we intercede for the billions of the world’s city dwellers, both rich and poor. Please empower the Church to proclaim truth and demonstrate compassion to let Your kingdom come in cities large and small. Amen.

MOn

Remember Government and local authority plans to create 240,000 homes a year to provide for the UK’s growing population. Pray that God will enable town planners, architects, building companies and property developers God to work with integrity and creativity.

TuES

Pray for those at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Aﬀairs, and the equivalent agencies in Northern Ireland,Scotland and Wales, as they work with local government representatives to reduce ground, air, water and noise pollution – especially in cities.

WED

Lord, we lift to You every evangelistic initiative in cities throughout the world, especially those reaching out to adults and children who do not have a Christian background. Please bring about the salvation of many through the proclamation of Your gospel and the demonstration of Your love. Amen.

THurS

Pray about serious threats of terrorism facing many cities. Ask God to bring to light any potential attacks, so that police and security services can track down and prosecute those responsible.

FrI

THANKSGIVING: for the rich cultural life of cities, where talented and creative people from all over the world have so many opportunities to develop in theatre, music, dance, art, architecture, literature, ﬁlm and many other ﬁelds. Pray for Christians involved.

SaT

Intercede for the billions of poorest city dwellers living in shanty towns and slums who, humanly speaking, have no hope for the future. Pray for greater eﬀorts to be made to help them through education, healthcare and local Christians’ evangelistic and compassionate initiatives.

Twelve out of the world’s twenty biggest cities, with populations between 15 and 38 million, are in Asia. The UN forecasts that today’s global urban population of 3.2 billion will rise to nearly 5 billion by 2030, with three out of ﬁve people living in cities, particularly in developing countries. Over 2 billion of them will be living in slums.

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