Thanks for your ongoing prayers and support that enables our EN team to do the work of the Lord. Please remember Michal Ann in you prayers this week, as she has had some health problems arise. We will be sending out a Health Update soon, please look for it as you continue to pray.
Remember, together we make a great team!
Crisis Intercession for Kenya and Gaza
There are two situations in the world to which I’d like to direct your attention for concentrated prayer. I’ll name them below, each with a brief synopsis of the situation. Let us seek the Lord in praying for these crisis situations! Do not forget the our prayers have the power to shape history.
~ KENYA ~
Death toll passes 1,000 in Kenya, but talks resume
The violent turmoil in Kenya brings mixed news today. Negotiations between the government and the opposition are resuming, but the death toll is passing 1,000. "According to the Red Cross, most of the killings have been in the turbulent Rift Valley, where gangs from opposing ethnic groups have fought fiercely in the past few days," The New York Times reports. Estimates at the number of homeless in the conflict top 300,000.
The news was mixed on Monday as well. The sides agreed on immediate humanitarian aid measures, but a chief mediator from the African business community left the process, the Associated Press said.
>>Click Here<< for complete article
Peace Corps Suspends Work in Kenya
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG – >>Click Here<< for complete AP article
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The Peace Corps said Tuesday it has suspended operations in Kenya after weeks of postelection violence, another blow to confidence as business leaders voiced concerns over the turmoil's effect on the economy.
Unrest has devastated the nation's once-impressive economy, decimating its vital tourism industry and prompting foreign companies to consider pulling out, business leaders said.
The Peace Corps said it was withdrawing its remaining 58 volunteers. After clashes first erupted, 86 volunteers were sent home in January.
There were fears that other organizations — aid groups and businesses alike — would also leave unless there is an end to the violence that has engulfed Kenya since a Dec. 27 election that local and foreign observers say was rigged.
"There are questions already being asked, why are you there? What gives you the advantage to stay in Kenya?" said Steven Smith, managing director of Kenya operations for U.S. battery maker Eveready.
Major foreign companies and aid groups have long used Kenya as a base in Africa, helping to make the country a regional economic powerhouse. But "let's face it, many firms don't have to manufacture here," Smith said.
More than 1,000 people have been killed and 300,000 forced from their homes in violence that has repeatedly degenerated into ethnic clashes. Much of the anger has been aimed at President Mwai Kibaki's Kikuyu tribe, long resented for dominating politics and the economy.
~ GAZA ~
JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The few hundred pounds of
TNT that brought Rafah’s border wall tumbling down
also has shaken Israel’s strategy of isolating Hamas.
The Olmert government watched helplessly on Wednesday as the Islamist group, responding to Israel’s tightening of its blockade on the Gaza Strip, blew holes through the border wall between Gaza and Egypt….
Fearing that Palestinian terrorists who regularly tunnel under the Gaza-Egypt border now are at liberty to transport weapons and fighters across the border as they please, towns in southern Israel went on high alert and the military deployed reinforcements.
Because the Egypt-Israel border is more permeable than the Gaza-Israel border, the Israeli army warned that Palestinian terrorists could use Egypt as a staging ground for attacks on Israelis. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s office issued an urgent advisory to Israelis vacationing in Sinai to hurry home….
Other Israeli officials, speaking privately, said this could be a prelude to a full return of Egyptian authority over Gaza. Egypt controlled the crowded coastal territory until Israel captured it in the 1967 Six-Day War, a loss Cairo never appeared to mourn.
>>Click Here<< for complete JTA article
Praying for One Hour Every Week
Practical Tips and Teaching
As mentioned last week, this outline (given below) is intended to be a flexible guideline to be surrendered to the Holy Spirit’s leading as a tool to help you in your hour of worship and intercession.
First, read the Current Prayer Alert located on the PrayerStorm homepage, or visit the archive section to see past Prayer Alerts. Then proceed by offering Thanksgiving and Praise to the Lord. Remember, Psalm 100 instructs us that we enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Let’s enter in! Use a CD or play an instrument if it’s helpful.
One of the emphases of PrayerStorm is upon Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered worship and prayer. Therefore, we emphasize singing and praying in the Holy Spirit or praying in the gift of tongues (I Cor. 14) as a part of your time. Of course, feel free to simply worship the Lord in those designated periods – The Lord inhabits the praises of His people and He will do so for you!
At times, we will direct you into a scripture passage to read as a tool to fuel your faith. At other times, it will be left up to you to select a short portion of the Bible to read. Note: we want to be Spirit-led and Word-grounded in our times of intercession!
Then we proceed into our current “burdens or themes” in prayer. Call out to the Lord for revival in the church. Make it practical. Pray for your region and nation and the church in your city to come alive in Jesus name! On the web site, there are scripture-based teaching outlines for every area or emphasis whether it be Revival in the Church, Prayer for Israel, Youth Awakening or Crisis Intervention. Avail yourself of these tools!
As you proceed, note that we keep rotating back to singing and praying in the Spirit. This is important! Worship the Lord! Pray in the Spirit. Your faith will be charged and your prayers will then be supernaturally guided. While I list out the different prayer themes, note that the Holy Spirit might “land on” revival in the church and you will not be able to get away from it. That is great! Follow His lead! That is our goal. Other times, you will simply pray through this outline or one you have devised and that too will be wonderful! Just be faithful in your hourly watch!
Also note that I did not put crisis intervention as a special section in this prayer outline. That is because we will send out special notices for crisis intercession. Again, there could be a time that your entire hour or even another day and hour, will be spent entirely on crisis intervention. That too is great. We are here to be flexible vessels in the Lord’s hand.
Lastly, we want to end our time with thanksgiving and praise again. Offer up a shout if you want. Just thank the Lord that He has heard you and many others around the globe who are taking their place as watchmen on the walls for such a time as this.
So these are some simple guidelines to help you have an effective time in your PrayerStorm assignment!
Blessings In Your Hour!
