Pray for Balkans 2-14-17

Pray for Balkan Change

We encourage you to fully read these two news articles that show hope of righteousness replacing corruption and light replacing darkness. We include not only the link but a large portion of the articles here.

5 Things You Need to Know About the INSANELY Huge Protests in Romania
With so much noise surrounding everything Trump, most people haven’t even noticed that massive protests are going on right now in Romania.

The public outcries by the citizens of the small nation are becoming louder by the day as they take to the streets to protest the country’s corrupt government, a reputation Romania now has among other European Union members.

1. What happened in Romania to spark the protests?
Last Tuesday, the newly selected Romanian prime minister Sorin Grindeanu passed a decree that would protect corrupt politicians from being prosecuted…

[Prime Minister] Grindeanu decided to pass the decree without the consent of parliament or the people. Thousands of citizens responded by hitting the streets to protest the decision because it would allow political criminals to go free from jail. According to media reports, 24 hours after the regulation was first passed, over 250,000 people went to the streets to protest the decision and over the weekend the “anti-corruption” protests gained momentum and escalated to roughly 500,000 people.
2. Who is against the decree?
Romanian citizens and world powers like the United States are standing against the decree because it would allow members of the prime minister’s party, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) to go free from prison without being forced to serve out their sentences or face financial penalties.
3. What is the prime minister doing about it?
The prime minster has attempted to calm the protesters this past weekend by abandoning the emergency decree. A strategy that is quite different than his original one, where he reportedly told reporters that he would “push ahead” with it.
4. So why are people still protesting?
Most citizens don’t believe the emergency decree was actually repealed while others are begging for political reform and the resignation of Grindeanu, so they continue protesting.
5. What are the protests like?
They have reportedly been peaceful and include people of all ages.
http://www.faithwire.com/2017/02/08/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-insanely-huge-protests-in-romania/

Sasa Bakic from Leskovac, Serbia

Roma Christians testify that a new identity—being a child of God—emboldens a new confidence in being Roma.

Excited and nervous on his first day of high school in Leskovac, Serbia, Saša Bakic waited his turn to introduce himself. After he said his name, his new teacher stopped him: “Are you Roma?” she asked. “Let’s make a deal—if you don’t skip school and stay quiet in class, I will pass you with a D.” Stunned and humiliated, Saša tried to protest amidst the class’s laughter, only to be told, “You are all the same.”

The history of the Roma—Europe’s largest minority—is pockmarked with stories of forced assimilation, enslavement, and even attempted genocide during WWII. Today, despite efforts of state and EU policy toward integration, many Roma in Eastern Europe are still mired in systemic poverty and social stigma.
https://sojo.net/magazine/january-2017/outburst-roma-pentecostalism 

Prayer Points:
1)    Romanians are amazing people, and 5.6% of the county are Evangelical Christians; most of these are serious evangelicals. Let us express thanks to the Lord for redeeming a country that suffered under a cruel dictator during communist days.
2)    The protests in Romania are fueled by righteous indignation and they are peaceful. Let us pray that this protest will continue to be motivated by the Biblical principle of light replacing darkness.
3)    Pray that these protests will ingrain into the political landscape and cultural life of Romania a righteous reformation.
4)    True freedom is the establishment of a Biblical worldview. Pray that there would be a righteous indignation arise in all the Balkan countries.
5)    In the Balkans, light needs to replace darkness. Pray that corruption will be exposed regionally, and the people will demand justice.
6)    According to Mathew 25, at the last judgment, the nations will stand before the Lord to be separated into two categories: goats and sheep. Before He returns, nations must come to the point of their decision. Pray that your nation will choose righteousness.
7)    Saša, the young man mentioned in the above article, lives with us in our home while he pursues his degree in theology here in Zagreb. Pray for Saša, he is destined to be a leader among the Roma people in Serbia and the Balkans.
8)    Romania has one of the largest Roma (Gypsy) populations in Europe, but there are large clusters or Roma in all of the Balkan countries. Pray for all the ministries who work with them, that Godly strategies would replace human strategies. There is yet much work to be done among the Roma.

All these years we have been praying against corruption in the Balkans and to see these protest is really encouraging.

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

Pray for IST Group

Pray for IST Group

Praise Report: This past week was amazing at the Upper Room Zagreb, House of Prayer. New people came and they were ministered to. Monday night, a young man experienced the presence of God for the first time and amid tears declared: “I have only seen religion in the Catholic church and did not want that. This here is something totally different. Your relationship is real with God. Whatever this is, I want THIS.” Thursday evening was also special. Two young ladies, neither one knew the other, but after worship, they both confessed depression and a lack of self-worth. In both of their lives it was due to absent fathers. The young man form Monday night was back and ministering to them as well! These ladies went away not only touched by the Holy Spirit, but a deep work had begun in their lives. As a matter of fact, we are getting crowed in the house of prayer! Praise God.

On another note, Jerry went to the doctor on Monday for his heart check-up, and he received a good report! Praise God!

Tidbits:
The Lika initiative is progressing well. We have our next meeting with the team on the 26th and some individual meetings the week prior to that. It is wonderful to see this team beginning to take shape and get really excited.

The third week of February, we will be traveling to Greece for a meeting with Balkan Networks. Balkan Networks is a loose network of like-minded ministries that meet to encourage one another and coordinate resources. We will be in Athens for 5 days.

The ministry is growing! We are currently in the vetting process of a young couple. We are looking for them to join us here in Croatia and help in various ways. They have lots of cross-cultural ministry experience and we are excited about this possibility.

God is beginning to open doors for us to minister and speak in churches. This has never been something we sought after, but as the Lord is opening doors we feel Him releasing us to take the opportunities.
 
Prayer Points:
1)    We thank the Lord for new people who are coming to Upper Room. May this growth continue, and may the authentic presence of God be experienced by many more here in Zagreb.
2)    Pray that the HOP will attract more Levite worshipers and musicians. We believe that having a bigger variety would bring a new level of growth to the Upper Room.
3)    We are starting to outgrow our current space. We have an attic which has been offered to us free of rent, but it requires about $25K upfront cost to renovate. We appreciate your prayers specifically in this direction.
4)    Keep the Lika team in prayer. Especially the family of six, as they prepare to move to Lika. Each family had tremendous attacks ever since the first meeting. Pray for discernment and protection over each of the families.
5)    Pray for Balkan Networks. We want to strengthen each other and hear from the Lord as to how to properly minister to the region.
6)    What an exciting opportunity for us to lock arms with others to bring the love and presence of Jesus to the Balkans. Please keep us in prayer through the vetting process. Pray for this couple  specifically.
7)    We are happy for these open doors to minister in the churches. Zuzanna is preaching this coming weekend. Appreciate your prayers for the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Thanks for your prayers. They truly strengthen us.

Pray for the Balkans

Pray for the Balkans


Heroes and Villains

Heroes and villains is what the Balkans is all about. One ethnic group’s hero is another group’s villain. One nation’s war criminals are another nation’s victorious heroes. Keeping the peace in the Balkans is very complex. Due to the many past wars and the multi-national populations of each country, this is the reality here. There seems to be a war somewhere in the Balkans every 25-40 years. This is a curse which has devastated this region and this cycle must and can be broken by the power of Jesus Christ.

The following stories are rooted in this problem. A small portion of each article will give you a taste of the challenges. You can open the links to read the full articles.
>
Croatian Anne Frank Tribute Commemorates Fascists’ Victims
The anti-fascist association in the town of Sibenik will mark Holocaust Remembrance Day with a reading of Anne Frank’s diary after a local school director barred an exhibition about the WWII diarist. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/croatian-museum-marks-holocaust-with-anne-frank-01-26-2017
>
Albanians Await Access to Communist-Era Police Files
State institutions and individuals have started applying for access to information kept confidential in secret police files for more than 25 years after the Albanian Communist regime fell. - See more at: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/albanian-institutions-request-communism-secret-police-check-ups-01-26-2017#sthash.8X11R4lo.dpuf
>
Montenegro’s Bosniaks Thwart Njegos National Holiday
Montenegro’s government dropped plans to declare the birthday of Petar II Petrovic Njegos a national holiday after opposition from Bosniaks who accuse the poet-prince of glorifying the killing of Muslims.
The Bosniak Party said at the time that certain ideas in Njegos’s works “were used to justify genocide against the Muslim community in both the 19th and 20th centuries in Montenegro and in the region”. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosniaks-oppose-memorialisation-of-montenegro-s-royal-poet-njegos-12-29-2016
>
Defiant Bosnian Serbs Celebrate Banned ‘National Day’
Celebrations in the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska saw a ratcheting up of independence rhetoric as well as high-level spats over the participation of members of the country’s armed forces.
Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik used the occasion of the biggest-ever celebration of the Day of Republika Srpska, which went ahead on Monday in defiance of a ban by Bosnia's Constitutional Court, to demand greater autonomy for the entity.
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnian-serbs-hold-national-day-despite-ban-01-09-2017

Prayer Points:
1)    The “Peace Maker” must be welcomed in every Balkan country. Only Jesus can bring permanent peace. Lord, let Your presence come to this region and bring true transformation.
2)    Pray that ethnic groups in the Balkans would learn the power of forgiveness. This must be supernatural, as hatred is such an intricate part of the Balkans. 
3)   Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. This verse comforts us as Christians and it shows the depths of God’s love. Pray that all Christians in the Balkans would be able to accept God’s forgiveness so they can forgive others.
4)    Pray that Christians would be the example to their countrymen in showing the freedom of forgiveness.
5)    There are Balkan-wide Christian efforts that are displaying unity among ethnic groups. Pray for Brother’s Keepers and Daughters of the King. Two annual regional gatherings which have done much to bring healing in the past 10 years.
6)    The battle is not against men but against spiritual principalities in high places. 6)    Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Let us stand in the gab against these spiritual host of wickedness that have been stirring up hatred in the Balkans for centuries.

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

Pray for Croatia and Church Planting

This past weekend The Lausanne Movement conducted a three-day Church Planting Workshop here in Croatia. For more information on what they are about, check them out: https://www.lausanne.org This was the third such meeting in the past year. The purpose of the Lausanne Movement is to help national evangelicals to see the need to promote the Gospel through planting new churches. The first meeting was for the purpose of finding out who were interested in church planting. The second was to explore what works and what does not work. This third meeting was for the purpose of putting a plan together for going forward. At the IST Group, we are participating in this endeavor for several reasons, one being our Lika Project.

The encouraging thing is, that pastors and ministry leaders from four to five denominations have been joined together for this endeavor. I remember George Otis, Jr.’s research of modern day revivals or moves of God. He concluded, that there were two things common to all revivals: 1) desperate prayer, and 2) unity between pastors and churches.

When we first came to Croatia and the Balkans, division in the body of Christ was so very evident. Division remains a challenge, however we can see measurable progress not only resulting in these meetings but as well, through IST Group. This workshop is a crowning example of the Holy Spirit softening hearts.

In the UR Zagreb, we pray often for unity, and it is so encouraging for us to see things happening in Croatia, like the Lausanne Movement coming here to work with us and the pastors responding so willingly.

God is responding not only to our intercession, but I assure you, your prayers are being heard! God is on the move here in Croatia and throughout the Balkans.

Prayer Points:
1)    We rejoice in the small beginnings. Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to stir the Christians to join forces. May they get a revelation of the synergy that such unity creates.
2)    Pray for this Lausanne group as they move forward. May God give them wisdom to communicate to the national leadership that programs and methods are only good if we allow for God to be in charge.
3)    Pray that serious church planting will go forward in Croatia. Many world Christian leaders are understanding that the prayer/worship movement, global missions and the church planting movements all need to work together in order to accomplish the Great Commission.
4)    Our goal at the IST Group, is to utilize all three in the task assigned to us here in the Balkans. Pray that we have wisdom above all, in order to move forward in His strategies and not ours.
5)    IST Group has a clear mandate form the Lord to establish a work in an unreached area of Croatia, Lika. There is much excitement on the team, and we are preparing for our second monthly team-building meeting for the Lika Project. Pray that God would continue to unite our hearts into His plan for the region. Pray for wisdom as we move forward with the many plans.
6)    Let’s also take a minute and pray for the world. It is projected that the New Testament will be translated into all the languages of the world by 2020. Let us fervently pray for this accomplishment.

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

Pray for IST Group

Pray for Intentional Strategies for Transformation

This is the beginning of a new year, 2017. Many churches and ministries, stop and take time to look back on the past year and look forward to the year ahead. What was accomplished last year in ministry?  What and how to move forward in the new year with the vision the Lord has put in our hearts to accomplish?

Habakkuk 2:2
Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.

First, we acknowledge that it is His vision, He birthed that vision in us and He is working to accomplish it. Therefore, in order to know His vision, we must prepare ourselves to hear His voice.  Here at the IST Group, we have chosen to fast and pray this week, in pursuit of Him and to hear His plans for the ministry this year.

Psalm 103:7
He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.

Although the children of Israel saw the acts of God, He made His ways known to Moses. It is very important to us that we are found to be trustworthy. God does not just trust His ministry to anyone. Ministry is handling people’s souls. Jesus died for them and they are precious to Him, so we will fast and pray for a door of grace to be opened to us for 2017.

Prayer Points:
1)    Revelation 3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Pray that IST will obtain a greater measure of the above verse this year. 
2)    Joshua 22:5 “But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Pray that we would walk in all His ways.
3)    Also, as we pray for an open door, we must be ready to face down the adversary by walking in Jesus’ victory.    1 Corinthians 16:9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
4)    We see God moving in ever increasing ways. We are very encouraged with what He has done this past year at the Upper Room Zagreb. There are opportunities presented to us for growth this year in human recourses as well as geographically and at the House of Prayer facility. Pray that we as a ministry take the leaps of faith which He requires of us.
5)    IST is moving forward to develop a plan for mentorships throughout the region. Pray with us for all the details and plans to flow in line with His heart and come to fruition at the right time. There is huge potential for impact with connecting mentors.
6)    Doors continue to open and there is forward movement with the Lika project. Pray that God leads our monthly meetings with the Lika team and that He would speak to their hearts confirming to each their involvement with this project. We need much prayer as we walk through the “landmines” of the planning process.
7)    Pray with us that the funding for everything He is asking us to accomplish would materialize.


We know that 2017 is an important year for what God has called IST to. We walk humbly and in the fear and the admonition of the Lord. We invite you to continue partnering with us, lifting us up to His Throne of Grace.

Jesus' Intercessors

Jesus' Intercessors

 May you be filled with an adoration of our King as we remember and celebrate His birth this Christmas season. May we never lose the wonder of His majesty.

Let us look at two amazing intercessors, Simeon and Anna. Did these two actually pray-in the advent of Jesus? We know that usually intercession comes before a move of God. Clearly, God had burdened these two at that time in history to be intently looking for the Messiah to come to redeem Israel. It is truly remarkable that they knew Him when they saw Him, and they accepted that He was a baby.

Luke 2: 25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

Luke 2:36 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years,[i] who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord,[j] and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

What burden is God laying on us to pray for? We can bring forth acts of God through our intercession. First God shares His burden/heart/desire with us (looking for someone to stand in the gap) and then we fill the bowls of heaven with our prayers until He determines the time is right to answer with His plan and purposes.

We want to thank each of you for praying with us again this year. Many of you have joined us throughout the years while others have been with us since the birth of this blog/prayer letter at the beginning of 2009. We have seen some amazing answers to our prayers, while we continue to contend for others. As we walk the land and do the work of the ministry, we count it a joy to have you pray with us and for us. You are making a difference in the heavenlies over this region!
 
Prayer Points:
1)    Pray for the churches of the Balkans, they are generally small and often inward focused. Taking Jesus’ love to the world is the exception and not the norm. Pray that Balkan Christians would share their faith more often and that it comes from a heart of true love.
2)    It is said that the Christians which do not attend church here is larger than those that do. There are various reasons for this, but one of the main reasons is having been hurt by church leadership. Pray that there is a true and deep repentance in church leadership for damage done to His bride. Let us also pray that God would raise up healthy church leadership. 
3)    At the core of our ministry, IST Group, there is a culture of honor. Pray that we honor and love others well, and that we can be an example of godly leadership. Jesus washed the disciple’s feet and we desire to do the same in our life and ministry.
4)    Christmas here in the Balkans is fast becoming commercialized and the focus seems less about Jesus and family, and more about the outward expression. Christians are trying to find what is the right place in all this. Pray that believers here would not lose or neglect the true purpose of the season. May we take the time to express our affection and worship to the One who came to take away the sins of this world.


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

Pray for IST Group

Pray for Intentional Strategies for Transformation

We continue to be so very grateful to the Lord for prayer warriors like you, who lift up the Balkans, the IST Group and us in your prayers! When we face challenges, we know that we do not stand alone. Thank you!
At IST we are involved with several initiatives, and of those we would like to highlight two main directions this week and ask your prayer for: The Upper Room Zagreb House Of Prayer (UR Zagreb HOP) and the Lika project.

UR Zagreb HOP 
We have been offered a new home! It is an attic much closer to the center and a much larger space! We really believe that this is God preparing to grow the UR Zagreb HOP, but we need roughly $25K for renovations.

We have two primary purposes in the HOP: First, to worship and lift up the Father, Son and Holy Spirit because the God-head is worthy and second, to pray and intercede for Croatia because God has given us the responsibility to bring forth righteousness in this land. Even as our team, faithfully comes weekly to pray and we take our place on the wall as watchman, there has been a desire to gain a deeper understanding on such things as worship and the principles of the Tabernacle or Tent of David. In order to more fully engage in the dynamics of worshiping in concert with the power of heaven, we need to put better language around this with our team. For this reason, we have decided to take the first Monday of each month and provide teaching on this, and related subjects.

This Monday Dec. 5th we will listen to Michael Mauldin of Upper Room Dallas as he taught on the Tent of David. (To see this teaching, follow the link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ljx3smmfzyA&t=4890s&list=PL53UyyJumifTsAXMCxlxcj1njrEG3Pf9B&index=16)
 
Lika
Next Friday Dec. 9th we will meet with the three Croatian families who have a burden for this region. Lika is an unreached area that actually lies in the heart of Croatia. There are three primary purposes to this meeting: Team Building and fellowship; Spending time to hear from God and pray together; Discuss vision and the way forward.
 
Prayer Points:
1)    Pray for the UR Zagreb HOP as we continue to grow and lift up Jesus over the country. Pray for the provisions for the renovation of this new space. It will be a blessing for many years to come!
2)    Praise God with us, for the many testimonies! We are not only seeing lives changed but things are changing for the better in economics and government. (We will have specific data on this soon)
3)    Please pray that those attending the prayer sets would realize and walk in their full potential as worshipers and intercessors.
4)    As we begin this new activity of bringing teaching, pray for deeper understanding and even more hunger in individuals.
5)    Pray with us that the worshippers would not only allow the Lord to purge their lives completely in the prayer room but would be fruitful in their daily lives. Lord, teach us the benefits of walking in Your joy and letting it spill over on those we encounter.
6)    Lord, we pray that we would not be satisfied with Your goodness but we would expect Your glory.
7)    Pray for the Lika meeting. Pray that God would bind our hearts together and that the meeting is productive. May each family hear clearly what their involvement is to be in this project and to what extent.
8)    Much sacrifice is needed from each parties in order to answer the call of God. Pray for His sovereign work, clarity and a deep commitment from all.
9)    Pray that we will continue to have favor and guidance from the pastoral leaders in Croatia.

Psalm 51:7
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

2 Chronicles 34:8
In the eighteenth year of his[Josiah] reign, when he had purged the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the Lord his God.
Thanks for standing with IST Group as we seek to bring transformation in this land of Croatia and the Balkans.