Pray for Bosnia Herzegovina

When I was in Croatia about five weeks ago my wife and I attended a retreat on the Adriatic coast of pastors and Christian workers. One early morning I went to a prayer meeting and was paired up to pray with a young lady. I found out later she was from Estonia but was working in Bosnia. I had many questions for her about Bosnia and was excited to hear that God was opening up many ministries. Her name is Jael Puusaag and you can read one of her stories at http://news.om.org/country-article/r27610 and http://www.ebay.com/itm/Jael-Puusaag-God-s-Peacemaker-/220907449231

1. Lord Jesus, we pray that You spread Your cloak over Bosnia Herzegovina. Let us seek the Lord for the release of the Holy Spirit all across Bosnia.
2. Here at Praying for the Balkans we have been praying for Bosnia for many years. Four years ago the report was that there were very, very few evangelical churches in Bosnia. The last report I heard was that there is now more than 25. The Lord is faithful.
3. Let us pray for Jael Puusaag. Lord, we ask for great favor to be her portion. May she wade deep into the river of the Lord’s presence. (I see Jael taking buckets into the river flowing from the throne, filling them and then going into the villages pouring joy upon the hurting)
4. Let us pray for the many villages throughout Bosnia. Lord, we ask You to send many peace makers and physical/emotional healers. The war years hurt the people deeply and they need Your touch, Lord.
5. Let us cry out for the capital, Sarajevo – 95% Muslim.
6. Let us ask for the Lord’s plan to reach Sarajevo. Lord, lay the burden upon Your trusted intercessors. May they stand in the “gap” for that important city.
7. Let us pray for teams to go and proclaim Jesus in the plazas and open markets.
8. May many hear the call of the Holy Spirit to go to Bosnia for short term mission trips this coming summer. May churches send teams to minister in Sarajevo and the villages. Let this be a summer of expressing love to Bosnia.

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Pray for Albania

Week of Feb. 18-24, 2013

There has been a film made, “BESA, The Promise” that celebrates Albanian Muslims that saved many Jews during World War II from the Nazis. There is an unwritten Albanian tradition called “Besa” — a code of honor that it is better to die than to turn your back on a person in need. The film project was produced by photographers Norman Gershman and Stu Huck.

“It's their culture. Someone who shows up at their door, you shelter them from danger. Even if it's their mortal enemy,” Huck said. “And the reason nobody knows about this is, to Albanians this is perfectly normal. In other countries, this is celebrated as extraordinary; in Albania, they couldn't understand people not doing it. Everybody in Albania did it, even the king, King Zog. He personally intervened.”

http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/02/albanian-honor-code-saves-jews-in-wwii/

Don Richardson, a famous missionary, defined the concept of redemptive analogy in his books Peace Child and Eternity in Their Hearts. He explained how, embedded in any culture, there is usually some practice or understanding which can be used to demonstrate the Gospel.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (NIV)

1.       Lord, You draw us unto Yourself. Let us thank the Lord for putting a desire in us to seek Him. Let us pray for the “redemptive analogy” He has put before the people of Albania.

2.       Let us pray that this beautiful redemptive analogy will run its full course and lead many Albanians to its origin, the heart of God. Truly Lord, You desire to bring the hurt and needy into Your house.

3.       Let us pray for churches/houses of rescue to be raised up in Albania.  Think about it, Jesus died to bring us into the Father’s house where we are protected from the enemy.

4.       Lord, I ask for a blessing upon the descendants of those families that risked their lives to save those Jews. May those blood lines be a thread of blessing through the Albanian culture.

5.       Lord, remember what they did for Your chosen people. We declare a blessing for Albania. We are asking You, Holy Spirit, to move in that land and set many free.

6.       Rescue the children of Albania. Lord, draw this young generation unto You. Let us pray for children ministries. Lord, raise up organizers that will plan many outreaches for the coming summer.

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Pray for Turkey

Week of Feb. 11-17, 2013

There is a good article in the Charisma News that is worth noting for prayer, “Turkey's Christians Could Face Nationalist Backlash”. You can read it at  http://www.charismanews.com/world/38171-turkeys-christians-could-face-nationalist-backlash

Religion was kept out of the public square for decades in Turkey. This helped in keeping radical Islam under control and Turks indentified with the West more. For the past 10 years this has been changing and religious institutions are becoming more active. This is mainly because of the new government body that came into power in 2002. The government leaders are now turning from a desire to be like Europe and identifying more with Muslim nations. Although there has been more freedom given to the churches to operate, there is a backlash from nationalist who see the Christians as non-Turks because they are not Islamic. Nationalist usually blame minorities for their county’s problems. Also there is the threat of radical Muslims being embolden to attack Christians. The biggest need is to firm-up laws that protect minorities, especially religious minorities.

    1.       Let us pray for the government to take seriously their responsibility to protect all Turkish citizens, even the minorities.

    2.       Let us pray for government leaders to open their eyes to the fact that Islam is anti-productive for Turkey. We pray for open doors to the hearts of Turkish leaders.

    3.       We thank the Lord that Christians are more active now than before. Lord, we pray they will be given discernment on how to evangelize in a Muslim culture.

    4.       We pray against the lie that Christians are a threat to nationalism. Lord, change the mind-set of the nationalist to see that Christianity is not a foreign concept.

    5.       The greatest gain in Christianity in Turkey has been the house churches and the houses of prayer. Let us pray for these house churches to excel in prayer and step out into the market place to touch lives one on one.

    6.       Let us remember the Christians in Turkey. It is not easy living under a prevailing spirit of Islam. Pray that these houses of prayer would be able to press through into an open heaven.

2 Thess. 1:4-7

 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. 

Editor’s Note: Nationalism, if channeled right, can be a good thing. The Lord said He is coming to judge tribes and nations.

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Pray for Slovenia

Week of Feb. 4-10, 2013

 

In the News: Calls for prime minister to resign over corruption allegations.

Earlier in January, Slovenia's anti-corruption commission announced that Janša had repeatedly failed to report his assets fully, and that he was unable to explain the origin of some €210,000.

Janša has been on trial over separate accusations that he received kickbacks from Slovenia's purchase in 2006 of armoured personnel carriers from a Finnish company. According to an opinion poll, almost 90% of Slovenes want Janša to resign. http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/imported/coalition-partners-pull-out-of-slovenia-s-government/76283.aspx

Also there are allegations of corruption against Zoran Jankovic - who simultaneously serves as mayor of the capital Ljubljana.

1.       Luke 8:17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Leaders, especially politicians need to be kept accountable. Lord, let those hidden things come forth so the Slovenian people can see the motivations of their leaders.

2.        Let us pray for the political institutions of Slovenia to be shaken. May the wicked be cut off and let the righteous rise up.

3.       Let us first ask for intercessors in Slovenia to pray for their government. Pray that Christians would be warriors in the spirit to take dominion in their countries.

4.       Pray that Christians with management/leadership talents would go into government service.

In our prayer directive for Feb. 20, 2012 (last year) we prayed; - After revealed corruption in government and government policies blamed for the economic down-turn in Slovenia, a new Prime Minister has been sworn in by the National assembly. Let us pray for Prime Minister Janez Janša as he guides government policies. -  

5.       It looks like corruption replaced corruption. Lord, it looks like there is a deep root of corruption in Slovenia. Let us pray for the ax of righteousness to cut this root. 

Before Slovenes can take up duties in government they must walk righteous before the Lord.

6.       Lord, we know You can change a sinner to a saint. There are many statues of past saints in the traditional churches of Slovenia but we want to pray and call forth modern saints that will be a blessing to the country.

7.       Let us pray for righteousness to be taught and demonstrated in all Slovenian churches. 

Letter from an intercessor/ leader in Slovenia:

Love & Respect – May 2013 and beyond: the next big combined events organized by Zazivi zivljenje with evangelical churches is two weeks of seminars with the authors of the best-seller, Love and Respect. The plan is not only to have numerous, large events in May, but to immediately start small groups using Love and Respect materials. Pray for this to have a major impact on the marriages of the nation, and as a tool for Christians to share their faith. Pray for churches and believers to really get on board, to get trained for small groups and reach out to their friends.

Leadership development: Several growing churches are using 2013 to train up leaders. Pray for wisdom for the pastors doing the training and for the people being trained to be equipped, to feel they are equipped, and to have courage to step in to leadership roles, especially in small group settings.

Blessings! TH

8.       Lord, we pray for these planned organized events among the Slovene evangelical churches. Let us pray for the strengthening of God’s people.

9.       May these Love and Respect seminars create unbreakable bonds of marriage.

10.   Let us pray that these seminars would draw lost families that also want help for their marriage.

11.   Lord, You are using small groups all over the world to influence lives. Small groups are where relationships are built. Lord, let these small groups come forth with every pastor’s endorsement.

12.   Let us pray there would be strong leaders in the churches. Strong leaders to lead families, churches and strong leadership to influence the culture.

13.   Lord, lift up the heads of the Slovene Christians to see that they are sons and daughters of the most-high God and their inheritance is there for them to walk in.

 Ephesians 1:18  the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

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