PRAY FOR OUR NATION: A CALL TO ARMS:

This comes by way of an urgent addition to the final Bulletin for Operation Sovereign.  It has impacted us that the final week of the prayer initiative is coinciding with the amendments and final reading of the Married (Same Sex Couples) bill, currently before the House of Lords.  The third reading takes place, as you may know, on July 15^th, after which the bill will be passed back to the House of Commons.  We are informed by Parliamentarians in both Houses that David Cameron is aiming to have this bill on the statute book by July 17^th.    This would appear to fly in the face of every principle of democracy, but for reasons that remain unclear he appears personally determined to push forward this bill.

The timing for all of this seems to us at Operation Sovereign to be no coincidence, but the Lord's purpose.  We feel a major part of our calling this past year has been to pray the Lord’s light and presence into this legislation.  In this final week, therefore, we are now asking you to pray a further three things:

1.      We understand that there are around 170 hard line gay activists in the House of Lords, strongly pushing for this legislation to go through without amendment.  We ask you to hold these 170, who are known to the Lord, specifically in your prayers.  Pray His blessing and light upon them, and that over the next couple of days they will each one of them experience a Damascus Road moment – that brings them face to face with the Lord and shakes them to the core.  Pray for heart change and repentance from rebellion against God’s law.

2.      Some of the Peers, such as Lord Dear, have mounted a spirited defence for real marriage, strongly opposing all redefinition.  In the current climate this is no easy thing and takes courage, so pray blessing on these brave men and women, that the Lord anoint, encourage, and refresh them.

3.      Pray for the Church in this land, of all denominations.  Pray repentance where we have wilfully gone astray and that the people of God be purified, that we may once again be salt and light in this darkened society.  Pray for courage for those in leadership – that they hear the Lord clearly, and give strong leadership. 

Advance notice  After the Prayer Colloquium, A Call to Arms, on July 20 we shall take a summer break and then relaunch, as the Lord directs, in September.  We shall at that point give full details of the next phase and ask people to re-register, so that you can then decide whether or not you wish to continue.  Thank you again for your faithfulness this past year.  We believe it has been at eh Lord's command, and though we may never fully understand this side of eternity what we have been doing, we believe it has been, and is, a vital part of the Lord’s plan for salvation.  We believe too that the battle is only just now starting, and that the fate of the world hangs in balance

God bless you all,

Lynda and Lisa

Please join us on Saturday, July 20^th at the Emmanuel Centre, Marsham St, Westminster for

Operation  Sovereign - A Call to Arms