~ PRAY for SERBIA ~

It is reported by Euromonitor International , a leader in independent business intelligence covering industry, marketplace and consumer trends, reports that Serbia:

a. Has an aging population
b. That poverty is increasing
c. Visa restrictions have been loosened
d. Corruption continues to be a problem not only concerning justice but limiting start-up businesses.

Ever since World War II there has been an exodus of young people out of Serbia, especially in the past twenty years as communist fell. Serbian people left for economic success elsewhere. This was true in the churches also leaving many with an aging congregation.

Psalm 103:4-6 (NKJV) 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 6 The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.
1. Let us pray that Serbia’s youth will be renewed. There are encouraging signs of youth coming back to the churches. Lord we ask You to save the youth from alcohol and drugs and give them hope.
2. Let us come against poverty in our prayers. Let us call upon the Lord to satisfy Serbia with substance.
3. Let us pray against evil destructive words being spoken against Serbia. The Lord has good plans for Serbia and wants to release freedom and productivity.
4. Lord we cry out for justice to triumph in the land. We pray first for the wicked to repent and seek Your mercy. Second, that government officials, law officers and judges would execute just laws that promote peaceful co-existence.
5. Let us pray against the negative side of visa restrictions; that people with evil intentions would not be able to get those visas to come into Serbia. Give discernment to border guards to recognize these wicked people.
6. Let us pray for President Boris Tadic, especially in light of the following statements he has made regarding fighting crime in Serbia:

Serbian President Boris Tadic

Development of institutions is a prerequisite of a successful fight against corruption and organized crime, and the further association of the region with the EU is essential for this process, said Serbian President Boris Tadic while opening the round table “Challenges in the Fight Against Corruption in Southeastern Europe”,…

Corruption is a form of social malignancy that stops development and undermines institutions. Where corruption acts, the state withdraws, where [the] state acts, corruption withdraws, said Tadic, reminding that corruption was incorporated into the very structure of society in the 1990s. “Corruption is a form of expected and favored behavior that entered into the culture of the West Balkan societies and thus the very society imposed corruption on citizens,” said Tadic.
He said that Serbia remains committed to the fight against corruption and organized crime and that no one is protected from liability for violations of the law, regardless of party affiliation, family ties or roles in society over the past decade. Still, corruption is also a global problem, so that countries should closely cooperate to eradicate this phenomenon,” Tadic said adding that development of the state and institutions is the responsibility and challenge our epoch. http://flarenetwork.org/blog/2010/06/28/serbia-regional-fight-against-corruption/

7. Lord, we ask for Your protection for President Tadic.
8. Lord, we ask You to surround him with wise counselors. Expose those people around him that belong to corrupt elements and give him boldness to cut off their influence.
9. Help President Tadic to make a stand against corruption and not look back.
James 1: 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

There are reports of pastors in Serbia coming together in unity. This is truly an answer to prayer.
10. Lord, we pray for continued unity among the pastors. May they see that unity disrupts the enemies plans.
11. We pray for the finances of the churches. Release the joy of giving in the people’s hearts. Lord, help the pastors to stay full-time in ministry and not have to take secular jobs.
12. Lord, we pray for the marketplace in Serbia. Send the Christians out into the marketplace with joy. We actually pray that Christians will dominate the marketplace. Lord, move Christians into key positions of present government and non-government institutions.

PRAY FOR ROMANIA
Listed June 21, 2010

When the Moldavian prince Stephen the Great won his first decisive victory against the Turks five and a quarter centuries ago, he decided to mark the occasion with a grand monastery and adorn its walls with the colorful work of artisans of the day. With his second victory came another monastery. With the third, yet another. Because of border changes these colorful monasteries are now in Northeast Romania.
– Let us think about this; A king builds houses for prayer, meditation and study of the Word to commemorate his victories. Oh, that we could have leaders like that now days. http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/travel/20cultured.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

1) Lord we pray for the leaders of Romania and ask You to direct their decisions. We look to these officials to maintain a civil atmosphere of peace so the Gospel can be freely preached.
- a. Pray for President, Traian BASESCU
- b. Pray for Prime Minister, Emil BOC
- c. Pray for all members of Parliament
- d. Especially pray for Min. of Culture & Religious Affairs, Kelemen HUNOR
2) Let us pray that government would not try to influence the churches but that the churches would fulfill their duty to raise up righteous leaders.
3) Let us pray for financial blessings for the people of Romania.
- a. May their fields be abundant with produce this summer.
- b. May their factories produce goods the world needs.
- c. May they lend and not borrow.

As we advance in Romanian history let us take an example from “The Lord‘s Army” (Oastea Domnului). In the 1920s there was a preist named Fr. Trifa. God began to move on his heart, and he began to see the need for spiritual awakening and repentance in Romania. He published a series of articles and books on this theme, and in January 1923 the foundations for the Lord’s Army were laid with an article he published in The Light of the Villages. The following years brought forth … remarkable transformation throughout the country: thousands of people, villagers and intellectuals alike, turned aside from worldly lives and turned to prayer and repentance. Taverns were converted into places of prayer, and entire villages were awakened to take their Orthodox faith seriously. In 1929 Fr. Trifa purchased a printing press, and for the next 15 years it turned out tracts, books, and calendars focused on prayer and repentance under the banner of the Lord’s Army. From most reports, during the communist years, although they had to go underground, they stayed true to the faith while other church organizations submitted to government control. http://jaspax.com/archives/2005/03/oastea-domnului-the-lords-army
4) Although the Lord’s Army has stayed within the Orthodox Church they have pointed many to the full-Gospel. Lord revive the Lord’s Army again. Every open door they have for the Gospel’s sake may they run through it.
5) There are many good things happening for the Gospel’s sake in Romania. Lord, we ask that every seed planted would yield a hundred-fold. Mark 4:8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
6) Lord raise up a glorious church in Romania where all expressions of faith can show Jesus’ love.

Back in May of 2009 we had prayed this prayer; “Let us pray about the diasporas of Romanians. This can be called a “brain drain”. Because of a lack of opportunity in Romania people left in search of [a] better future. Let us pray for the Christians that have left Romania. Lord we pray they not forget Romania but be moved to pray and ask You how they can sow seeds back into Romania. Lord we pray for a movement of Christians going back to Romania, pastors, evangelist and business entrepreneurs.” Last Sunday at church a former Romanian pastor, who had immigrated to the states a few years ago, told me his business was failing here and he was going back to Romania. I was so happy because when I first met Constantine years ago I just knew he and his family was to go back. (I wasn’t happy about his business failing)
7) Let us pray for Constantine Hateganu and his family as they return to Romania. May the Lord open doors of opportunity beyond his dreams. As he takes his entrepreneur spirit into his homeland, Lord just make a way for him to prosper and be at peace. Lord, I pray that you will give him the spiritual keys to the city he is going to.

8) Lord we pray for all the Pastors and Priest in Romania. Lord, supply them with their needs and those that “live to give” open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing they can’t contain.
9) The pastors have little theological training. Lord we ask that first of all these pastors be taught by the Holy Spirit and doors of Bible training be opened to them.
10) Let us pray for Apostles to be raised up in Romania. Apostles that will go throughout Romania establishing Churches that rest on sound Christian doctrine.
11) We pray for evangelism outreach to the children in Romania. Lord, work through the Christian summer camps. Lord, release finances for these camps so even more children can participate. Prepare the workers and reward them for giving of their time.
12) Let us remember the Gypsies in Romania and pray the revival among them would continue.

Pray For Montenegro

1) Let us pray for the children of Montenegro. As Montenegro modernizes, there are many pitfalls for children.
a. Let us pray that the families would be strong and be a safe place for the children. Pray that parents would understand the new things children need to learn to survive in a modern world but not abandon their parental responsibilities.
b. There are outside forces that want to affect the children in the schools; one of them being UNICEF and their push for children’s rights. Pray that the children would not be taught to disrespect their parents but regard parental wisdom and guidance as essential to life. See NOTE #1
c. In the name of Jesus we come against the neglect of children in Montenegro. Lord, strike down those forces coming against the families; economic, alcohol and drug abuse, divorce, etc.
d. Lord, we ask for open doors to the schools for Christian organizations. May the evangelical churches have an extended burden for the children in their local areas.
e. Help the churches to develop programs to attract the Children.
f. Let us pray for the Summer Youth camps planned by the churches this summer. Lord, give the pastors and teachers planning wisdom.
g. May there be adequate finances for the camps. Help them to stretch their resources to bring maximum benefit to all the children involved.
h. Let us pray that there would be no fears by the parents in letting their children attend these camps. Lord, even reach the lost families through the children.
i. There is a need for the building of a permanent youth camp site. There are plans being drawn up for this; Let us pray for the finances, perfect site to build on, personnel and project management.

Bijelo Polje (is a town in northern Montenegro. It has a population of 15,883 (2003 census). Bijelo Polje is the center of the municipality of the same name (population of 50,284), which is part of geographical region of Sandžak. It is unofficial center of north-eastern region of Montenegro. Bijelo Polje means literally "White Field" in Serbian.

2) There is a church in Dallas, Texas (MacArthur Baptist) that is trying to plant a church in Bijelo Polje, Montenegro. This area of Sandzak is hard ground and there is already tension with the Muslims. Lord, we believe You can plow up this hard ground so the seeds of the Gospel can be planted.
3) Lord, we ask You to do an amazing work in Bijelo Polje and the Sandzak area. Raise up a church of Christians that will impact the area.
4) Lord we lift up the eastern side of Montenegro. There are also accusations between Montenegro and Kosovo over border lines. (See NOTE #2) Lord let there be peace in the Balkans and no more wars.
5) There was a request to pray for the Brethren Assembly in Montenegro. It seems that divisive forces and legalism are attacking the unity of the church. Lord, we pray that the head of the enemy that is trying to causing disunity be cut off. May the saints see Your forgiveness, Lord, and may they choose to forgive one another.
6) Lord, we ask You to touch the Brethren pastor in a special way. Give him hope and show him Your grace. Let the Holy Spirit flow through him and disarm his enemies.

NOTE #1: Read more concerning UNICEF, Promoting participation in Montenegro and the ‘Juvenile Justice System Reform’ Project at http://www.unicef.org/montenegro/reallives_14597.html.
NOTE #2: Bajram Rexhepi, interior minister of Kosovo, accused Montenegrin officials of turning a blind eye to the encroachment of its territory, according to the Friday edition of the Pristina daily Kosova Sot. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-06/12/c_13346115.htm


If you have more prayers, concerns and knowledge of needs that you would like to add, please reply to this email and they will be added to the Montenegro webpage on www.freebalkans.com. If you have information about any of the other Balkan countries please share them also by replying to this email. Corrections are more than welcome also.

Jerry Low, Editor and Webmaster
URL: http://www.freebalkans.com/

Email: djerilo@yahoo.com

Skype ID: iamjerrylow

Donation are welcome at http://freebalkans.com/contactus.html

Macedonia (FYROM)
Listed 6-7-2010

Note From Jerry, Prayer Coordinator: Usually by Friday I start doing research on the next week’s country that is to be targeted for prayer. Then on Sunday evening I start seeking the Lord for the direction of the prayer points and wrap it up Monday morning in time to send out the emails. This past weekend I was either not focused or other things were pressing my time. I finally sat down this (Monday) afternoon to seek the Lord, first asking His forgiveness as I waited on His leading. One thing I had done on Friday was to send an email to a brother in Macedonia asking for his input. So I went to my email to see if he had responded. He had responded and as I read his suggested prayer points I heard the Lord say, “This is it, you need not add anything.” So the following is from a fellow prayer warrior, Bryan Brenchley. He references many scriptures and I suggest you look them up and pray the Word over the matter.

Jerry:
Thank you so much for your consistent and persistent prayers for the Balkans and all you are doing to call people to pray. That is the most important thing we can do. This is a critical time for Macedonia and I am glad to share with you some current prayer requests:

Government of Macedonia:
The government is stuck in a difficult position regarding leading Macedonia into the NATO and the European Union. Greece does not accept that Macedonia should be called “Republic of Macedonia”. Nor do they accept the historical identity of ethnic Macedonians. Without an agreeable change to both of these conditions Greece is able to block Macedonia’s entry into both of these organizations. The government and people are frustrated. This problem is mostly spiritual and not political. Recently God seems to be making this clear to many people.
About a month ago the President of Macedonia, Georgi Ivanov, did invite pastors from the Protestant Churches of Skopje to meet with him and to pray with him for Macedonia. He asked the pastors and churches to continue to pray for this issue to be resolved.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Thank the Lord that He is using this “roadblock” to to turn hearts toward Him.
2. Thank the Lord for opening up the heart of the President to reach out to the pastors. Pray that the pastors will be faithful in praying and leading the local church to pray for the government and for the country.
3. Pray that the Lord will open up a deeper relationship between the Protestant Church and the government leaders of Macedonia.
4. Pray Psalm 33:12 over Macedonia:
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

Relationship with Greece:
The relationship between believers in Macedonia and Greece is almost non-existent. This needs to change soon.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Pray Ephesians 2:14-18 over the Church in Macedonia and Greece – that we would agree Him “who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility” and that we are now reconciled to God and having the one and same Father.
2. Pray John 15:11-14 over the believers in Macedonia and Greece – that we would love one another as He loves us, that we would lay down our lives for one another as He has done for us.”
3. Pray that the Church in Macedonia would pray for and bless the nation and people of Greece. Pray that the Lord would release again a “giving spirit” among the Macedonian people according to Philippians 4:14-16.
4. Pray that the Lord would open up a door for Macedonian believers to meet with Greek believers in the next month.

Evangelical Church in Macedonia:
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Thank the Lord for a gathering of over 200 intercessors who met to pray and worship the Lord together in Skopje on the Global Day of Prayer, May 23, 2010.
2. Thank the Lord for an increased spirit of reconciliation that He is releasing in the Church in Macedonia. There are initial talks now for some churches that went through a split over 12 years ago to meet and to reconcile.
3. Pray that the Lord would continue to pour out a spirit of unity over the Church in Macedonia according to Jesus prayer in John 17:20-23.
4. Pray that the Lord would bless a new initiative to establish a Bible and Practical Ministry training school in Skopje. Ask the Lord to release teachers and funding needed to translate materials.
5. Pray for the establishment of a House of Prayer in Skopje and in cities throughout Macedonia – in response to the Lord’s desire of Isaiah 66:1:
This is what the LORD says:
"Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?


I hope that this gives you some current and practical prayer points to share with those who are interceding for Macedonia this week.

Blessings in Christ,
Bryan

NOTE: If you desire to encourage Bryan, send the email to me and I will forward it to him.
If you have more prayers, concerns and knowledge of needs that you would like to add, please reply to this email and they will be added to the Macedonia webpage on www.freebalkans.com. If you have information about any of the other Balkan countries please share them also by replying to this email. Also send an email just to acknowledge you are praying with us. Remember we are effecting nations with our prayers and His Kingdom is expanding.

Pray for Greece

(listed 6-1-2010)
We just want to thank the Lord for the Greek Orthodox Church and how they have stood for the Gospel for two centuries now. Peter and Paul both spoke of a day when evil men “walking according to their own lust,” would creep in and water down the promises given to the fathers that fell asleep. Even Orthodox Greeks will admit that the Orthodox Church is no longer a transforming institution in the Greek culture. As we pray and contend for the lost souls of Greece, we can’t ignore the Greek Orthodox Church. Let us remember the following scriptures as we pray for the Greek Orthodox Church.
Acts 17: 13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Peter 1:3 2that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”
Jude 16These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.
1) Lord Just as, (Jude) 9Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”, We too rebuke the Devil and his attacks on the Orthodox Church.
2) Lord can You redeem a weak and dying institution that once proclaimed Your name? Lord we know that all things can be done through You. Lord we ask You to breathe life on the old Orthodox Church.
3) In the GOC the apostles are held in great esteem. May the Greek people return to the teachings and warnings of the Apostles.
4) Lord, we pray for the priest in the GOC. May they be visited by the Holy Spirit and turned into new men ready to proclaim the Full-Gospel. That they would no longer be, “sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.”

The English word "evangelism" comes from the Greek euangelizo, literally "to announce good news," and the English word "gospel" a translation of the Greek euangelion, "good news." Inherent in both of the Greek terms is the notion of proclamation.

5) Lord, raise up evangelist from the Greek people. It was mainly the Greek evangelist of the first and second centuries that took the gospel to Europe. Let it happen again Lord.
6) Lord, we thank you for the evangelical churches in Greece, especially the way the Pentecostals have proclaimed the Gospel. May the evangelicals not let those that cause divisions come in.
7) Anything that has been lost in the evangelical churches, Lord, restore.
8) Just as we ask that the Lord visit the priest, so may He visit the pastors. They are all shepherds watching over the Lord’s flock.
9) Lord, we pray for a move of the Holy Spirit in Greece. As a nation, Greeks have lost touch with Your blessings. May they call upon You Lord and be saved.

Greece looks like it is about to disintegrate. On May 5, over 30,000 demonstrators overran the streets of Athens. They began their protest at the Field of Ares—named after the Greek god of war. Many were there to do battle—Molotov cocktails, gas masks and sticks their weapons of choice. “It’s not unusual in Greece for a small minority to cause trouble during a protest, but on Wednesday the rage ran deeper… http://www.thetrumpet.com/index.php?q=7225.0.125.0
10) Lord we pray for the economic condition of Greece. Economic ministers have been irresponsible with their financial responsibilities. Lord bring justice into this situation. Those that are ranting and raving, may they consider their own personal responsibilities first and how they bought into a system that was doomed to fail. Lord we ask for calm.
11) Lord, You only know the lessons that need to be learned out of the financial crisis in Greece. Lord, as You pass a judgment on Greece, we pray for the poor that You would supernaturally meet their needs and draw them to You, the true source of substance.

The Greek government has announced it will start taxing churches as part of its efforts to get out of its financial crisis. A new draft bill to be tabled in parliament next week (June 2010) imposes a 20 per cent tax on the Orthodox church’s real estate income, reportedly worth over 10 million Euros (US $14.8 million) a year, the Wall Street Journal reports.
http://blog.echurchwebsites.org.uk/2010/03/25/greek-government-announced-start-taxing-churches-part-efforts-financial-crisis/
12) If they tax one group of churches, they will tax all. May this law not pass.

Let us believe that Greece will be a shining light once again.