Pray for Romania

Week of Dec. 31,2012 - Jan. 6,2013

This Romanian man took off his ragged coat and put on the new coat European Initiative brought him, Jan. 2012.

In this sequence of Praying for the Balkans; praying for Romania comes at an opportune, if not critical time. This will be the 5th consecutive year for European Initiative, which is primarily an evangelical ministry working out of Berlin, Germany, to conduct an outreach to Romania in January. The purpose is to bring warm outer-garments (coats, gloves, hats, shoes, boots) to the very poor, primarily Gypsy population in central Romania. By giving away these items, we are able to get into homes and reach families to share the love of Jesus. Last year, January 2012, we saw over 80 people accept Jesus as Savior. Last year we only reached one village, this year we are geared up to reach six villages. We are believing for many to come into the Kingdom. The outreach dates are January 10th thru 16th. Zuzanna and I are in charge of organizing and managing this outreach. We ask for your prayers of covering and enabling so we may partner with the Lord in blessing the people of Romania.

As I have reported in the past, Zuzanna and I have committed to serving with European Initiative. For us, 2013 will be mainly spent setting up a European Initiative base in Zagreb, Croatia; a base to serve the Balkan countries. (We expect to actually move there in June, 2013)

Let us focus our prayers this week on the final preparations for the 2013 Romanian Outreach:
1)    We have an urgent need to pray right now for the shipment of shoes to get released out of the Romanian Customs at the Black Sea port of Constanta. Because these boots and shoes are new branded shoes the authorities are demanding documentation that they were actually donated as “not to be sold”. Let us pray that even though we are in the middle of this holiday time, the documentation will be satisfied and the container of shoes released within hours.
2)    Let us pray that the “Crocs” shoe company, which make this donation, will make this a priority and quickly produce the documentation.
3)    Let us pray that the Romanian Customs will quickly process this shipment and release the container to its destination.

Final preparations for the team of 18 people from America and Europe:
4)    Pray that each team member will have their financial needs meet for the trip.
5)    Pray for Angelic protection, over each team member’s health, travel, luggage and their families and possessions back home. May this be a season of special covering. We rebuke any demon that has an assignment against this team. James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
6)    (We are confident every team member is divinely chosen for this outreach) As each team member submits to You, Jesus, may Your grace, anointing and destiny be full in their lives and ready to spill over in the heart of Romania.

There is also a team of local church workers assembling in Romania:
7)    Lord, we thank You and we are amazed at what You are doing trough “City on a Hill” church in Apata, Romania. (Click link for Google map location of Apata in Romania, Click Here)
8)    Let us pray for Pastor Eduard and City on a Hill as they prepare for this outreach. Lord, we pray  for each Romanian team member as they prepare to assist with translation, logistics and accommodations.  Lord, put an expectation in their hearts to see Your glory over the coming days.

The unreached of Romania:
9)     Lord, we ask for the nation of Romania. We believe it can be a “sheep nation” and we pray against the enemy and all his plans for Romania.
10)    Let us pray for the people in the villages around Apata. May their hearts be prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the Gospel. Although the Gypsies in this area are down trodden and poverty stricken, may this be the season of turning for them.
11)    Lord, we pray for every individual touched by this outreach; the people in the villages, the City on a Hill church members, the foreign team, and even the custom agents that are holding up the shipment.
12)    We also pray for the Crocs company, Operation Blessing (they first took the donation of shoes); May blessings be on their operations and staff. May profit and peace be their portion.
13)    Let us pray for special blessings on those that gave toward this outreach. They have a major part in this outreach and can rejoice with the angels over every soul that comes to Jesus.

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

Pray for Montenegro

Week of Dec. 24-30, 2012

 I know we are all preoccupied by Christmas (Jesus’ birth), which is good, but please take time to pray for Montenegro.

Montenegro is one of the least evangelized countries in Europe and has the fewest Christians per population in all of Europe. Most people in Montenegro have never heard the Gospel.

 

Religious belief in Montenegro

 
The Serbian and Montenegrin Orthodox churches (two different denominations) claim to be the religion of the people but this claim is a farce and a tragedy.

The example in Niksic [Montenegro] is instructive: The population of the city of Niksic is around 70,000. Around 60% of the population would claim to be "Orthodox." Yet there is only one Serbian Orthodox church that regularly holds services, and on any given Lord's Day there will only be around 50 people that attend the whole service. Many who claim to be Montenegrin or Serbian Orthodox have no idea what the Montenegrin or Serbian Orthodox church teaches and have never even been inside a Montenegrin or Serbian Orthodox church building. 

What is extraordinarily sad is that many of the Serbian Orthodox leaders are just like the Pharisees of whom Jesus said, "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in." (Matt. 23:13) So many Serbian Orthodox leaders do not preach the Gospel; they do not call Montenegrins to faith and repentance, they do not teach the love of Christ, but they do call biblical Christians a "sect" and liken us to Satanists and tell people not to listen to us. It is so sad that many Montenegrins listen to this kind of propaganda. Read More: http://christianitymontenegro.org/christianity.php

1)    Please pray that God would open the eyes of Montenegrins to see the Gospel and the lies of those who would hinder them.
2)    Please pray that the mouths of those who speak lies would be shut and that their lies would be ineffectual.
3)    Let us pray that intercessors would be raised up in Montenegro. May they take their place on the walls and cry out day and night for the Spirit to come.
4)    Holy Spirit, we ask that You go forth and prepare the hearts of Montenegrins to receive the Gospel.
5)    We pray for the breaking of old, un-redemptive mental images Montenegrins have of Christians, church and Jesus as just on icon. Lord, activate the need for a savior in their hearts.
6)    Let us pray for the Lord of the harvest to send out labors to gather Montenegrins unto His Kingdom. I truly believe the Lord has plans to evangelize Montenegro. He just needs committed Christians that He can trust His plans to.
7)    May foreign churches and ministries be drawn to the spiritual needs in Montenegro. May they send help; may workers and money be sent to help the few churches that have been started.
8)    There was a “Christmas shoebox drive” in Montenegro this season; let us pray for powerful results as the Lord uses His servants to distribute about 5,000 boxes. Lord, may there be an anointing on each box.
9)    Let us pray for workers to do follow-up with those that have received boxes. 

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

Pray for FYROM Macedonia

Week of Dec. 17-23, 2012

Skopje Fortress >

The Macedonian parliament has started working on reforms in their military laws/statutes that are aimed at giving equal benefits for all ethnic groups in Macedonia.

Quote:  “Today we start our battle to save the inter-ethnic relations and build bridges between Macedonians and Albanians,” said during the session Xhevat Ademi from the Democratic Union for Integration, DUI.

The draft law, pushed by the main ruling VMRO DPMNE party of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, envisages state pensions, free healthcare and other benefits - but only for Macedonian army veterans of the 2001 conflict between government forces and Albanian insurgents.

But there is opposition from the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA); they want the same rights extended to former Albanian guerrilla fighters, or want the bill dropped altogether.
Ethnic divisions in Macedonia have been the greatest hindrances to a smooth civil government.

1)    Lord, we thank You for these steps in the government to solve ethnic differences. May these lawmakers be forgiving of the past injustices and have wisdom to set into law a respect for all ethnic groups.
2)    Democratic government usually requires compromise on behalf of opposing parties in order to establish a law. Also compromises can be impacted by a greater idea, usually delivered by a statesman, that can create a more sure solution. Lord, we pray for a solution that solves the needs (not wants) of all parties involved. May they work toward the unity of one country and not a fragmented society. 
3)    Lord, we believe it was and is Your will to set apart a northern Macedonian nation. We pray that the citizens can put aside past abuses and work together to bring forth a “sheep nation”.
4)    As the government’s reforms laws, we pray that all religious expression would not be legislated against. Let us pray for total religious freedom in Macedonia.

Macedonia’s Economy:  Macedonia has maintained macroeconomic stability with low inflation, but it has so far lagged the region in attracting foreign investment and creating jobs, despite making extensive fiscal and business sector reforms. Official unemployment remains high at 29%, but may be overstated based on the existence of an extensive gray market (illegal trade), estimated to be more than 20% of GDP that is not captured by official statistics.

I was overwhelmed by all the scriptures in the Bible concerning the poor.

Psalm 41:1
Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.
1)    Let us go beyond considering the poor and ask for the lifting up of the poor in Macedonia. Lord, release innovation and relax government restrictions on opening small business.
1 Samuel 2:7
The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.
2)    It is true, the Lord makes the poor and makes the rich, but we want to pray into the second part of the verse; “He brings low and lifts up”. Lord, we know You desire to bless all the people of Macedonia so we pray that both rich and poor would be lifted up.
1 Samuel 2:8
He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, To set them among princes And make them inherit the throne of glory.  
3)    God knows how to bless whom He wants to bless. God chooses the lowly and blesses them. Let us pray that the poor would give their financial concerns unto the Lord and therefore be able to receive His blessings.
Psalm 10:2
The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.
4)    The wicked persecute the poor because they are an easy target. Let us pray that the wicked of Macedonia would be humbled before the poor.  Lord, expose the financial schemes that are designed to rob the poor.
Psalm 12:5
“For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now I will arise,” says the LORD; “I will set him in the safety for which he yearns.”
5)    Let us stand in the gap and join in their yearnings. I truly believe your prayers are highly considered by the Lord when He decides to bless a people or nation. Let us agree with the Lord and ask for His favor on the poor of Macedonia. Lord, we ask that the spirit of poverty be broken over Macedonia.
Romans 15:26
For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem.
6)    There was a time when Macedonians gave to the poor of Jerusalem. (These were likely Greek Macedonians) Lord, we ask that churches outside Macedonia would repay a blessing for a blessing that was given long ago.
Luke 14:13
But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
7)    Let the churches be full of feasting and let the poor be invited to sit at the Lord’s table.
Psalm 72:4
He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will save the children of the needy, And will break in pieces the oppressor.
8)    The will bring justice, so we declare it – What was spoken in heaven for the poor, we declare it on earth in Macedonia. Lord, we pray for the children of Macedonia. May the Gospel be presented to them.
9)    Lord, we pray for the widows and orphans. May the churches take the responsibility to minister to them as You commanded.

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

Pray for Kosovo

Week of Dec. 10-16, 2012

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A U.N. war crimes tribunal on Thursday acquitted the former prime minister of Kosovo [Ramush Haradinaj] and two of his former Kosovo Liberation Army comrades for the second time of murdering and torturing Serbs and their supporters in Kosovo’s war for independence.

His British lawyer, Ben Emmerson, confirmed that Haradinaj wants to return to power. “With the consent of the people, he will soon be resuming his rightful position as the political leader of the country,” Emmerson told reporters at the court.

Emmerson said Haradinaj told him he wants to lead a government representing all ethnic groups in Kosovo. “It is time, he says, for reconciliation.”
:

1)     Now I know my Serbian friends may not feel like praying for Ramush Haradinaj but he has returned to Kosovo as a hero and likely future prime minister. We must trust God according to the following verse; Proverbs 21:1 The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.
Let us pray that Haradinaj would recognize the “hand of the Lord”.
2)      Let us pray that he will be true to his statement to bring about reconciliation. Lord, we know that only You can put reconciliation in the hearts of men.

3)     In my research of Ramush Haradinaj, there was no mention of him being a Christian. Let us pray for his salvation and the salvation of his family. As a Christian he could do so much for Kosovo. Oh, that the Kings of the earth would submit themselves to the King of kings.
4)     Let us pray for godly people to be assembled around Haradinaj so they may supply him wisdom to help the Kosovars.
5)     Let us pray against corruption and cronyism in the government of Kosovo. May there be justice for all in Kosovo.

6)     Although Kosovo is mainly Islam, it is shallow in the hearts of the people. It is more of a cultural commitment rather than deep set of beliefs. Let us pray that the emptiness of Islam would be exposed and a hunger for truth would consume the people of Kosovo.

7)     Let us pray for the Christians in Kosovo to be deeply burdened for their country. Lord, may You give creative ideas to the Christians for sharing Jesus outside the churches.

8)     Lord, we ask that if there is not a “house of prayer” in Kosovo yet, You would draw saints together with a burden to pray. Lord, we pray for a portal or open heaven to be opened in Kosovo.

Present Prayer needs:
Pray for the upcoming outreach to Romania. More information about this trip at http://www.europeaninitiative.com/media/entry/the_adventure_of_a_lifetime
We are taking some bold steps in confronting the poverty Satan has imposed upon the eastern part of Transylvania. Please add your prayers as we watch God bless these people that have been disregarded in the past.

Pray for Roma People

Week of Dec. 3 - 9, 2012

Evangelical fervor has swept through the one-million-strong gypsy population in Spain at the speed of a Mediterranean brush fire. According to the Spanish Association of Gypsy Presence, about 30 per cent of gypsies in Spain are Alleluyas. The Church of Philadelphia itself says it has 90,000 officially baptized members and about 500 churches across Spain. There are now 70 churches in Madrid alone; ten years ago there was only one. 

  http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gypsies-for-jesus-1572555.html

The Catholic Church has been taken completely by surprise by this sudden upsurge in religious activity. Its priests say they are too overstretched to meet the needs of the gypsies and some are even critical of the cult for being too spiritual.

1. “Too spiritual,” Oh yes, Praise the Lord! The Lord has not forgotten the Roma people. He said He would pour out Holy Spirit on all flesh. Lord, thank You for what You are doing in Spain and we believe for an out pouring in the Balkans.
2. Actually it is happening in the Balkans with reports of Roma revival in Serbia, Macedonia, etc. Lord, You are seeking out the despised and pouring out a blessing.

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.

The Romanians and the citizens of Rome complain about the word Roma being used but the term "Rom" means "people" in Romani, the mother language of the Roma.

Although the Roma never claimed to be Egyptians, the term "gypsy", which stems from "Egyptian", was given to the Roma by Europeans who incorrectly thought that they originated from Egypt. (It is well established now that they originated in India.)

3. Lord we thank You for bringing many Roma 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)
4. Lord, we ask for your direction for the Roma people. Do they become part of established churches or do they gravitate to their own culturally distinct churches. Let us pray that above all they will be cared for by loving pastors.
5. 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.
6. Lord, let not materialism and individualism pull families apart. May they stay true to their family connections.
7. Tribal can be good because if one gets saved many times others easily follow. Lord, we ask for deep and true conversions and not just religious acts to satisfy others.
8. Lord, we ask that You speak directly to family and tribal patriarchs. Because of the respect afforded the elder male, 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!
9. 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 to train those that are called to evangelize, pastor, and teach the Roma people. May the present Bible schools embrace the Roma in their countries.
10. 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.
11. Lord, we ask that You release finances for ministry to and through the Roma people.

"And I will sow her for Myself in the land. I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion, And I will say to those who were not My people, 'You are My people!' And they will say, 'You are my God!'" Hosea 2:23 (NIV)

Norway's biggest church, the (Lutheran) Church of Norway, has apologized to the nation's Romanies—once known as gypsies—for its ill treatment of their people in the past. http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2000/decemberweb-only/56.0.html

Personal Note: The more I pray for these people the more my heart is broken for them. I can’t wait to visit many Roma’s homes in January 2013.

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