Praying for Albania

These are difficult days for Albania. We made it to the international news again and most of us here in Albania are in shock and dismay that this happened... We are sad because what happened on Friday and what follows has the potential to jeopardize all the steps forward in the past decade.

The political situation is unreasonable and out of any logical sense. But this is a spiritual rather than a political conflict. The devil does not want this country to be stable and developed and unfortunately we as a people have turned our backs to God for centuries and are still playing the devil's game bringing the worst upon ourselves.

Here is my attempt to summarize what has been happening.The socialist lost the general elections in June 2009 but never admitted this even though the elections were certified by all the international organisms. Were the elections very good or excellent? Of course, they;re not. But they were acceptable and much better than earlier ones. The socialists pursued undemocratic ways to put pressure by not participating in the parliament, obstructing any initiative and making the work of government difficult. We are now 18 months after the elections and the opposition escalated its fight against the government with the Friday protest when for 4 hours groups of angry people were hitting the police with stones and tried to enter in the prime minister offices. Three people are killed many protesters and police are injured; It is sad to sit and watch in TV angry and unreasonable people continuously hitting the police with stones and trying to forcefully enter in an important government institution while burning cars and trees around the building. It makes you feel unsafe and sad and ashamed to be an Albanian (this is what you;d hear from most of the people who watched with dismay on TV). It reminds me early 90s and 97 and brings in a feeling of hopelessness because it is now 2011 ans we thought this was the past left behind.

What happened on Friday is a no return toward the destruction of Albania unless God intervenes and sends His Spirit of peace and forgiveness. If the government resigns and the socialists get to power the message is if you lose the elections you can contest them over and over again even with violent protest until you get into power. The democrats will follow in the same footsteps and the cycle will be repeated no constructive contribution in the parliament no approval of vital laws;.no joint efforts to develop Albania and make it part of EU but only blaming and badmouthing each other. If the government does not resign, the socialists will continue with protests, the obstructive and negative approach and more aggression. At this point I am not sure what the solution is and I am sad for Albania and its people who get caught up in yet another self-destructive situation.

Why do we have this recurring problem? This is the consequence of centuries of Isl*m and decades of communism for I the LORD your God am a jealous God punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. Exodus 20:5

Why don't you have this instability in your countries in USA and Europe (yet)?.. but showing love to a thousand generations  of those who  love me and keep my commandments..Exodus 20:6. Praise God for your forefathers who loved God and kept His commandments, but watch out and pray that your generation does not go away from His love and commandments.

Can Albania ever make it to stability and development with all the blessings God has provided to it?

At this point only God can make a difference. The devil is roaring to devour Albania. We need prayers to save Albania and allow it to fulfill the role God created it for. Please join in prayer for Albania specifically for Sali Berisha the Prime Minister and Edi Rama the head of the socialists and the mayor of Tirana and all their advisors and close friends. Pray that the Spirit of God will take control over their minds and hearts and lead them to the right decisions that would benefit Albania and its people. The following 3 days are vital as the socialists plan a protest on Fri in honor of the 3 victims and the democrats plan a gathering on Saturday in support of peace; meantime the international ambassadors here try to negotiate and make the two parties reason together for the best of the country.

“I urge then first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”    1 Tim 2 :1-2

Pray also for the people of Albania to understand that they need to turn their face toward God and ask Him to bring righteousness, forgiveness and healing through Jesus in this wonderfully made land with so many unhealed wounds and so much potential for His Kingdom in this region and beyond. Pray also for the body of Christ in Albania to stand in prayer fighting for Albania in the spiritual realms.

Brother Andrew sharing Jesus with the Taliban

"Peace is not the end of conflict and war, nor the result of so called 'peace talks'. It's rooted more deeply in inner peace with God and people around us," says Anne van der Bijl, the Dutchman who's better known as Brother Andrew. Now in his eighties, he still serves the persecuted church and preaches the Gospel to her persecutors. "Peace is a fruit of justice, as the prophet Isaiah says, not of prayer. That's why Jesus said: 'Blessed are the peacemakers'; He didn't say: 'Blessed are the peacetalkers'."

"The main thing that's preventing peace today is our own 'enemy mindset'," says Van der Bijl. "We build defenses and send out troops all over the world to 'bring peace', but everyone knows that we're not able to establish peace. As the Church of Jesus Christ we've lost the art of bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to our enemies. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus teaches that we don't really have enemies: 'Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you'. This is followed by: 'Blessed are the peacemakers.' I can't love my enemy if he remains my enemy, so I first have to clear the barrier that makes me think there is an enemy."

"What makes us unique as the Church of Jesus Christ is our call to the 'ministry of reconciliation', to be peacemakers in our time. Where do we make peace? Wherever there's conflict and war. When we become friends with those who are considered our enemies, we become effective fighters against terrorism. You will see that the doors and hearts of people are wide open, and if we do what Jesus commands us, there will be supernatural results as well. That's how I got entrance to the Hizbollah, the Hamas and the Taliban."

How did you get access to the Taliban?

"I just go there. I find out where they live and show up at the door step. They ask what I come for and I tell them about Jesus. We've become way too diplomatic and careful in our approach. Next week I hope to visit the Taliban again. They now say: 'Anne, this is your second home'."

"One day I visited a large, notorious Quran school where 90% of the graduates immediately join the ranks of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. A war factory of human weapons, targeted to wage war against the infidels, which is the Americans and NATO. I arrived at a square where hundreds of these students waited in line for military exercise. There was a microphone in the front. The head of the school and a minister of the government gave a short talk, and suddenly the microphone was handed to me: 'Anne, it's your turn'."

"I was surprised as I only came to visit. So I went to the microphone, pulled out my Bible and said: 'This is the only book in the world that tells us that God loves us, that our sins can be forgiven, and how we can go to Heaven when we die.' I told them about Jesus. I believe every Christian should be able to speak about his faith in Jesus unprepared for at least 15 minutes. Sometimes you get a chance like this to share the Gospel, and it would be pity to waste such an opportunity."

"After my talk, the leader of the Quran school, who's also a high official in the Taliban and government circles, came up to me and said: 'Anne, would you please come back and tell us more about Jesus, also to our graduate class?' By the time they graduate, they all have a beard and a high degree, and are ready to take on the battle against the 'great satan', America and NATO. I asked the leader how many guys he had in his final class, and he said: 1,300. This is an amazing mission field! They also ask for Bibles, books and computers. Together with the Bible Institute we already brought them hundreds of Bibles, and I believe many more will follow. We want to reach 300 Quran schools!"

"Recently I visited a leader of the Islamic Jihad. I told him that so many Muslims come to Jesus because they've seen Him in a vision, a dream, a revelation. He looked at me with such a hunger, that I stopped talking and prayed with him that the Lord Jesus would give him a fresh revelation of the Peacemaker, the Son of God. At the end of my long evangelical prayer he said: 'Amen!', straight from his heart. I thought: 'Just one more step. Lord, you have to give him a revelation of Yourself. I did what I could do'."

What can we do ourselves?

"The solution is to make Jesus Christ king of our lives. To ask Him: 'Lord, what do You want me to do?' To submit our whole life as a voluntary service to Jesus Christ. This gives incredible peace, where-ever we go."

Source: Anne van der Bijl
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(c) JOEL NEWS, 2010 | republication only with full credit line www.joelnews.org

Operation World 2010

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In this book you’ll find a profile for every country in the world, including crazy info about their geography, people groups, economy, politics and the various religions practiced there. The Operation World team gives mind blowing statistics that will keep you busy for quiet a while. The best and most useful information for me is the “answers to prayer” and “challenges for prayer”.

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