Pray for the Gypsies of the Balkans

Picture> A Roma woman who has just arrived at the airport in Bucharest, Romania, receives a CD containing Christian music and the Gospel message from a Roma believer. France recently deported the young mother and her family, along with thousands of other Roma, in attempt to rid the country of Gypsies. Several Christians were on hand at the airport to offer transportation and help the new arrivals connect with family members. Photo Terms of Use

The Roma are a distinct people group with a common language and history. Often referred to as Gypsies, the Roma are the largest minority group in Europe, with a population of 7-15 million. Numbers are difficult to determine because the Roma are not usually counted in census statistics since their nomadic history and wartime persecution forced them to move without many of their documents. They continue to be persecuted today and suffer from gross unemployment, discrimination and limited access to education and health care. However, the Roma have a zeal for life and a strong commitment to family. In recent years, they have put down roots and usually live in small communities. They speak the national language of their country as well as various Romany dialects. The Roma are one of the most receptive people to the Gospel in Europe. Having seen the effects of sin, abuse, family dysfunction and violence, they are ready to consider other alternatives.

We thank the Lord for the Baptist and their outreach to the Roma people in the Balkans. http://www.romaministries.com/

1) Lord, we pray for the Gypsies that are being deported from France and other countries. http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?id=34307
a. Let us pray that other churches will follow the Baptist in meeting the Roma people at their greatest point of need as they return to their countries of origin. b. Lord, we pray that they not only resettle into a peaceful situation but also accept You and see peace settle in their lives.
c. Oh. Lord, You have put it in the hearts of Baptist believers to take the Gospel to the Roma. Let us ask for more open doors and join in rejoicing over the fruits of their efforts.

There are reports from the Balkans that many gypsies are getting saved. Let us Pray:

2) Lord we thank You for bringing many gypsies to salvation. Truly Lord, You desire that none perish. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (New International Version)

3) Lord, we ask for your direction for the gypsies. Do they become part of established churches or do they gravitate to their own culturally distinct churches. Maybe both, Lord, let not others try to push them one way or the other.

4) Let us rejoice in the beneficial things built into their culture that can be of redemptive value. Tight family units, tribal, honor given to patriarchal leadership, and culturally connected throughout every country.
a. Lord, let not materialism and individualism pull families apart. May they stay true to their family connections.
b. Tribal can be good because if one gets saved many time others easily follow. Lord, we ask for deep and true conversions and not just religious acts to satisfy others.
c. Lord, we ask that You speak directly to family and tribal patriarchs. Because of the respect afforded him many in the family will come to faith in You. Lord, send your word from family to family and from nation to nation. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, Your God reigns!

5) With many gypsies coming to know Jesus in the past few years, and many churches springing up, there is a need for scriptural teaching and the operation of the five-fold ministry. Lord raise up more Bible schools throughout the Balkans for the gypsy converts. May the present schools embrace the gypsies in their countries.

6) There are many Gypsy churches outside of the Balkans that are mature in the faith; May they be senders of missionaries to the struggling Balkan churches.

7) Lord, we ask that You release finances for ministry to and through the Roma people.

For more information on the history and modern condition of Gypsies go to; http://lolodiklo.blogspot.com/2009/12/romani-cultural-route.html

Please leave a Comment or Reaction so we will know you prayed.

Pray for Turkey

The reports are encouraging from Turkey that many are coming to Jesus. There is an invasion into the Muslim world and Turkey is a gateway.

1) Lord, first we lift up the brothers and sisters that have committed their lives “even unto death” to share You with others.
a. Let us pray for their protection, not only from the authorities but their families that have rejected them because they want to follow Jesus.
b. Lord, bless them as they have to have to leave their families for the sake of the Kingdom. They are truly worthy of much grace.
c. Matthew 10:37
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. This is a hard verse, but let us pray for those that have to stand on this verse, may they have strength not to shrink back.

2) Lord protect those called to pass out New Testaments in the market places of Turkey.
a. Lord, we ask that angels would ride upon these New Testaments and direct them to the hearts that the Holy Spirit has softened.
b. Lord, protect these NTs from the eyes of devious Muslim zealots.

3) Thank You Lord for the prayer-houses that have been raised up in Turkey. Let Your power fall in their mist. Give them an open heaven in their dark surroundings.

4) Lord, we ask for the elevation of dedicated Christians to positions of responsibilities in institutions all over Turkey. We are asking for godly wisdom that sets in order secular systems. May these saints be found irreplaceable and honor will be given them.

5) Let us pray for the missionaries that the Lord has sent to Turkey. May they not be discouraged but that there would be a miracle for them every day. May their vision be sharpened. Lord, we pray for their supporters; May they be blessed and be assured they are part of Your fulfillments.

Please leave a comment or reaction to let us know you prayed, Thanks.

Pray for Slovenia

Let us pray for the Evangelical churches of Slovenia.

1) Slovenia is divided into Municipalities. Most of these do not have an evangelical church.
a. Lord we pray that You would call Christians to first pray for these unreached municipalities and then go take the good news.
b. Let us pray that the present churches would seek the Lord for a plan of how to reach these areas.
c. Lord we pray the Holy Spirit would start to prepare the hearts of the people to receive the Gospel.

2) Lord we thank You for the present evangelical churches.
a. Pastors are like channels for God’s redemptive love. Let us pray that the pastors would be true to their calling to love the people.
b. Redemptive love, how wonderful it is to have the Holy Spirit changing us into the image of Jesus. Lord, we pray that the Christians in Slovenia would not become stagnant but be continually seeking after Your holiness.
c. Lord, reveal Your Kingdom to them. May the Christians of Slovenia live different than the world around them.

3) Acts 4: 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
a. May this be the experience in the Slovene Churches. Lord, we pray that the Slovene Christians would make prayer a serious thing.
b. Lord, we are not asking for earthquakes but that You would be in their mist and endue them with boldness to share their faith.
c. It is all about sharing the love that Jesus has for people. May the boldness be an overflow of Jesus’ Love.

4) Lord, we just want to thank You for your love for the Slovene people.

Help us know you prayed by leaving a comment or a reaction.

Pray for SERBIA

The picture to the right is from the 90s and the Kosovo conflict. Many times this picture has been a point of motivation and inspiration for my prayers for Serbia. God wants to bring peace not rage to Serbia.

While praying and asking the Father how to pray for Serbia, I just felt like the pastors, their families and all the workers in the churches were very special to the Lord. Let us focus on those that give themselves for the Kingdom.

Psalm 132:4-5 “I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, Until I find a place for the Lord, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
1. Many pastors and their families give of their time and resources to raise up a church. Many have to work a job and pastor at the same time.
a. Lord, we ask that their sacrifice not be forgotten.
b. Lord, hold them up when they become weary.
c. Keep them from the thief that comes to steal and plunder their resources and their health.
d. May they continue to be driven by the love for people, especially those in their city or village.

Psalm 132: 8-9 “Arise, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priest be clothed with righteousness, And let Your saints shout for joy.”
2. Just as King David prayed:
a. Lord, rise upon the churches in Serbia that were planted by Your sons and daughters and dwell among them, letting Your ark of strength be in their mist.to secure them and the buildings they worship in.
b. May Your priest and pastors be clothed in righteousness, being model citizens that are worthy examples of the Lord in whom they repersent.
c. Lord, may Your Joy dwell in the hearts of the Serbian believers.

Psalm 133:1 “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
3. Notice the exclamation point at the end of the above verse:
a. Lord, keep the pastors and priest in Serbia in unity.
b. Show them they are the building blocks that hold up the country. Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because God’s mercy was withdrawn. Mercy Lord, mercy for Serbia.
c. Let there be times of coming together were pastors can share their needs, fears, and visions.
d. Let there be fathers of the faith raised up. (1 Cor. 4:15 “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.”)

Prayer request from Pastors in Serbia.

From Pastor Viktor Sabo in Subotica, Serbia:
4. Pray for the leaders that they open up to each other because some leaders are going through severe problems due to the long isolation.
5. Last week I visited a Christian TV station in Timisoara, Romania. They are producing 24 hours long program daily. I was a guest of the director. I spend 5 hours with him and was interviewed about the state of the church in Serbia. The goal was to raise interest and prayer support of the Romanians believers. His name is Tudor, a man I like very much. He offered his help for starting a Christian TV program in Serbian language. I have no idea about this but Arpad my son has a vision for this and some other brothers in Serbia. This can be thing to pray about. Let us pray for radio and television broadcast in Serbia. Let us pray for Tudor and the vision God has planted in his heart.
6. I need very much a secretary beside me please pray that I can find someone.

From Pastor Daniel Kuranji in Novi Sad, Serbia:
7. prayer for the natural disasters in our country. Around a month ago there was a earthquake in Kraljevo where hundreds of people lost their homes. These days there were also floods in West Serbia. We want to pray for the protection and comfort of those who are affected by these disasters.
8. prayer for the distribution of shoe boxes (outreach of Samaritan’s Purse). In December, thousands of children will hear the good news. May that bring long lasting effects.
9. we pray for control over sports fans. violence is increasing… Groups that cheer for a certain team are under the control of the mafia and fascist groups. Those are the main sources of criminal groups. Pray for the ban of groups that approve of fascists, e.g. "Obraz" (translated as cheek) - two weeks ago they caused problems in the evangelical church in Nis.
10. For the recovery of the the economy in Serbia. There is practically no production. The building industry is blocked.

From Katarina in Belgrade, Serbia:

11. one thing that's been on my heart is my friend's pregnancy crisis clinic. As you may already know, abortion is quite a problem in Serbia. The people there just seem to be very ignorant about other methods of birth control, adoption, etc. So a friend of mine started a clinic years ago to counsel women and help them make informed choices. The clinic is doing well but they're always in need of supporters and donations. And in the near future, they would like to start doing sex education classes in schools, which is something the schools don't have right now. Eventually they would also like to handle the adoption process which is currently controlled by the government.
12. (Presently Katarina is in the United States) I told my friend I would try and raise some funds for them while I'm in the states and I haven't had any success so far. Let us pray that the windows of heaven would open for these babies in Serbia.

Let us seek the Father’s grace and mercy for Serbia, knowing that He hears us and has been waiting for us to call upon Him. Jeremiah 33:3 (New King James Version) ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’