Netherlands: Haarlem coffee-shops offer alternative to weedpass
Coffee-shop owners in the city of Haarlem have reached an agreement with the mayor, which they believe will make the introduction of the weedpass unnecessary in their city. Under the covenant, the owners have pledged to monitor who enters their coffee-shop, bar minors from entering, provide reliable information about soft drugs and ensure that there aren't any disturbances or troubles in the immediate area around the coffee-shops. The mayor of Haarlem is pleased with the measures. But he says, if the weedpass is introduced throughout the Netherlands on January 1, 2013, it will also go into effect in his city. The weedpass was introduced in the south of the Netherlands in May. Only Dutch residents can now legally purchase soft drugs in coffee-shops. Foreigners are barred. The measure has led to a surge in the illegal trade in soft drugs in the southern part of the country.
Pray: for the government to be sensible in its decisions and not make judgements that increase the use of drugs.
More: http://www.rnw.nl/english/video/haarlem-coffeeshops-offer-alternative-weedpass
Netherlands: Haarlem coffee-shops offer alternative to weedpass
Coffee-shop owners in the city of Haarlem have reached an agreement with the mayor, which they believe will make the introduction of the weedpass unnecessary in their city. Under the covenant, the owners have pledged to monitor who enters their coffee-shop, bar minors from entering, provide reliable information about soft drugs and ensure that there aren't any disturbances or troubles in the immediate area around the coffee-shops. The mayor of Haarlem is pleased with the measures. But he says, if the weedpass is introduced throughout the Netherlands on January 1, 2013, it will also go into effect in his city. The weedpass was introduced in the south of the Netherlands in May. Only Dutch residents can now legally purchase soft drugs in coffee-shops. Foreigners are barred. The measure has led to a surge in the illegal trade in soft drugs in the southern part of the country.
Pray: for the government to be sensible in its decisions and not make judgements that increase the use of drugs.
More: http://www.rnw.nl/english/video/haarlem-coffeeshops-offer-alternative-weedpass
Egypt: Update on Christians Facing Blasphemy Charges
Egyptian Christians request prayer for a number of cases involving allegations of "insulting Islam and its prophet". Several are new, whilst for others we requested prayer in August.
Egyptian Christians request our prayers that:
a. Bishoy, Makrem and Gamal and, together with their families, will know the peace and presence of Jesus throughout these ordeals
b. A way will be found to challenge Bishoy, Makrem and Gamal's unjust imprisonment
c. Nevien will be exonerated from any wrong doing
d. The situation in Marko in AL Fashen will be defused
e. Laws and practice will be changed to grant all Egyptians greater freedom of expression, and that the law will be applied equally to all citizens
f. All officials involved will love mercy, act justly, learn about Jesus and choose to follow Him.
www.meconcern.org
The recent anti-Islamic film that caused the death of the US ambassador to Libya, has once again added fuel to an already dire situation in Egypt. The unpredictability of the political and religious situation in Egypt has caused an atmosphere of uncertainty to settle across all spheres of life. If a civil war should break out in Egypt between liberal and conservative Muslims , Christians will undoubtedly be caught in the middle, as was the case in Libya and is currently in Syria.
Up to 100 000+ Christians have already left Egypt in fear of radical Islam under the Muslim Brotherhood. If Egyptian Christians are caught in a civil war within the next two years, thousands more will flee the country, bringing Christianity in Egypt closer to the brink of extinction
Pray that Christians will not lose heart and continue to work towards forgiveness (towards those who persecute them). Pray that Christians will have the strength to stay in Egypt and be bold in sharing their faith. Pray for the new leadership in Egypt under President Morsi.
(INcontext Ministries: www.incontext.webs.com)
A PRAYER LEADER EXHORTS US TO PRAY:
As we see the Muslim world getting more and more violent in these last few weeks we need to remind ourselves that our battle is not against flesh and blood, there is a bigger battle and that battle is in the heavenly realms. Behind the people (M people) is a very powerful religion that leads over a billion people away from the Lord Jesus.
Jesus’ radical call for believers is still to love our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute us. Lord, help us to love Muslims right now.
Lord, we enter into the battle in the heavenly realms and ask for Your hand to be moving forward these events with the end result that more people would call upon Your name and be saved. You are the only answer! Lord, break down this power of Islam.
Lord, we pray for our people looking to take Your good news to Muslim nations. We know this is a trying time, but it is also a time of ministry, we ask for Your wisdom to be with them.
Lord, we lift up the governments of the Muslim nations. We ask that you give them wisdom in dealing with these situations. Help them to bring peace to their nations.
Lord, we ask for your fame to be known in all the world. We ask people would have a hunger to know Your name and know You. Send dreams and visions across the Muslim world.
Iran Detained 7 More Christians in Church Raid – October 14
Authorities in Iran's Fars Province detained seven Christians in a church raid on Friday, even as five other Christian converts who were detained eight months ago from the same province will face trial on Monday. Over 300 Christians have been arbitrarily arrested and detained over the last two years.
Security personnel on Friday evening raided a house church belonging to the Church of Iran denomination in the city of Shiraz, and detained seven Christians, U.K.-based charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reported.
The seven, identified as Mohammad (Vahid) Roghangir, Suroush Saraie, Roxana Forughi, Eskandar Rezaie, Bijan Haghighi, Mehdi Ameruni and Shahin Lahooti, were being held in Plaque 100, the Intelligence Ministry's notorious detention center.
Security men threatened older people at the prayer gathering, and then allowed them to leave while detaining the others.
CSW said the latest detentions were part of a "marked upsurge in a campaign of harassment of Christians of all denominations, with reports of a significant increase in arrests during recent weeks. "There appears to be an increasing tendency by the Iranian authorities to characterize legitimate religious activities as crimes against the state," CSW's Chief Executive Mervyn Thomas said. "In reality, people are being harassed merely on account of their faith."
Meanwhile, five Christian converts arrested eight months ago from Shiraz officially received a trial date through a lawyer for Monday, Mohabat News, an Iranian Christian news agency, reported.
The trial will be held in Branch 3 of the Revolutionary Court in Shiraz.
The accused were identified as Mojtaba Hosseini, Mohammad-Reza Partoei (Kourosh), Vahid Hakkani, Homayoun Shokouhi and his wife Mrs. Fariba Nazemian. The charges against them include "creating illegal groups," "participating in house church service," "propagation against the Islamic regime," and "defaming Islamic holy figures through Christian evangelizing."…
Reuters last month quoted Ahmed Shaheed, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, as saying that he estimated that "over 300 Christians have been arbitrarily arrested and detained throughout the country since June 2010."
"Scores of other Christians appear to remain in detention for freely practicing their religion," Shaheed said. "Churches continue to report undue pressure to report membership, in what appears to be an effort to pressure and sometimes even detain converts."
Christians have faced a wave of arrests since the disputed presidential elections in June 2009. And persecution of minorities intensified as international pressure began to build over Iran's secret nuclear enrichment program leading to sanctions in the following months, World Evangelical Alliance's Religious Liberty Commission notes.
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering this abuse at the hands of the Iranian regime. Pray for their encouragement, protection and release and for the political transformation of this important and potentially dangerous nation.
Pastor Thanks Those who Prayed for his Release
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, recently released from an Iranian prison, has written a letter of thanks to all those who brought attention to his plight and prayed for his release.
Nadarkhani said God's goodness and protection was overwhelmingly evident during his imprisonment. He added, "I also want to express my gratitude towards those who, all around the world, have worked for my cause, or should I say the cause that I defend. I want to express my gratitude to all of those who have supported me, openly or in complete secrecy. You are all very dear to my heart. May the Lord bless you and give you His perfect and sovereign Grace."
Nadarkhani said while he had been tested, he had never felt lonely. He continued, "I was all the time aware of the fact that it wasn't a solitary battle, for I have felt all the energy and support of those who obeyed their conscience and fought for the promotion of the justice and the rights of all human beings. Thanks to these efforts, I have now the enormous joy to be by my wonderful wife and my children. I am grateful for these people through whom God has been working. All of this is very encouraging."
Nadarkhani said while imprisoned God comforted his family and gave them the ability to get through the difficult time. He said, "He has comforted my family and has given them the means to face that difficult situation. In His Grace, He provided for their spiritual and material needs, taking away from me a heavy weight." Nadarkhani said God provided wonderfully during the trial, allowing him to face the challenges ahead.
