October 2019
October 2019
Prophecy Unfolding: Israel & Iran Prepare For War
prophecynewswatch.com
By Michael Snyder/Economic Collapse Blog August 28, 2019
Are we about to see World War 3 erupt in the Middle East? Over the past several days, Israel has attempted to prevent attacks by Iranian forces and their allies by striking targets in Syria, Gaza, Lebanon and Iraq. As you will see below, political leaders in both Lebanon and Iraq are now accusing Israel of a "declaration of war", and Hezbollah is pledging to strike Israel back extremely hard. Of course if a full-blown war erupts between Israel and one of her neighbours, it is likely to become a multi-front war almost immediately. But at the core, this is a conflict between Israel and Iran. The Iranians have repeatedly pledged to wipe the nation of Israel off the face of the planet, and the coming "final war" is going to literally be a matter of life or death for those two nations. Both sides have been preparing for this "final war" for a very long time, and once it fully erupts the death and destruction that we will witness will be off the charts. Just within the past few days, the fighting has escalated dramatically as the Israelis have conducted operations in four different territories... Israeli forces openly claimed attacks over the weekend in Syria and the Palestinianadministered Gaza Strip and were blamed for two more operations in Lebanon and Iraq. As reports of what occurred across the region emerged, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted at his country's ongoing efforts abroad, telling a Monday planning meeting that "we will deepen our roots and strike at our enemies." The attacks in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq specifically targeted Iranian forces and their allies, and the goal was to prevent imminent attacks against Israel...
In Syria, Israeli warplanes killed two members of the Lebanese Hezbollah. Israel says the individuals were supporting an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps plot to launch explosive-laden drones into Israel. The Israelis say that the specific Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit responsible was the Quds Force, led by Qassem Soleimani. If true, the Quds Force was likely using Hezbollah as a deniable proxy to avoid direct links between the plot and Tehran. In another operation in Lebanon, Israel targeted another Iranian-allied group, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. In Iraq, senior Iran-aligned figures accused Israel of another air strike. Missiles are not flying directly back and forth between Israel and Iran yet, but at this point a state of war essentially exists, and many are deeply concerned about what is going to happen next. In particular, it looks like Hezbollah could launch a large scale attack against Israel at any moment, because their leadership is absolutely furious that the Israelis just hit their headquarters building in Beirut... Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's secretary-general, threatened to attack Israel in retaliation for a drone attack over the weekend on the organization's headquarters in Beirut. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are now at their highest point since the 2006 war. And the Lebanese government itself is extremely angry as well. In fact, the president of Lebanon has publicly stated that what Israel has just done is essentially the equivalent of "a declaration of war"... Lebanese President Michel Aoun met Monday with the U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jan Kubis, calling Israel's moves in Beirut and Qusaya "a declaration of war." The statement echoed the words of Iraq's powerful Fateh Alliance, which called separate strikes that killed a militia commander in the border town of Al-Qaim "a declaration of war on Iraq and its people," according to the Associated Press. This is an extremely serious situation. Israel is literally on the brink of war with Hezbollah, and many feel that such a war is inevitable. Meanwhile, a very powerful bloc in the Iraqi government has also accused Israel of "a declaration of war"... A powerful bloc in Iraq's parliament has called for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, following a series of air raids targeting Iran-backed Shia militias in the country that have been blamed on Israel.
The Fatah Coalition said on Monday that it holds the United States fully responsible for the alleged Israeli aggression, "which we consider to be a declaration of war on Iraq and its people." We had not seen the Israeli military strike targets in Iraq until just recently, and this latest attack has absolutely enraged the Shia militias. During the funeral procession for the commander that was killed in the attack, some of the Shia fighters were actually trampling the American flag ... The Shia militia group, meanwhile, held a funeral procession in Baghdad for the commander killed on Sunday. "There is no greater God but God!" the mourners shouted as they marched behind a banner with the words "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Some trampled on an American flag as they marched. Thousands of U.S. soldiers died, thousands more were injured, and we spent trillions of dollars in the process of "liberating" Iraq, and this is how they feel about America. What a colossal waste. Ultimately, nothing is going to be able to stop the massive war that is coming to the region. The Iranians and all of their allies have a religiously-fueled hatred for Israel that most people living in the western world will never understand, and they are absolutely obsessed with permanently destroying the nation of Israel as it exists today. There will never be peace between the two sides, and the coming apocalyptic conflict will literally be a battle for national survival. This can definitely be described as a time of “wars and rumours of wars”, and the situation on the ground is extremely fluid right now. The fact that the Israelis have another national election coming up adds another layer of complexity to all of this, and that election may cause events to accelerate even faster than many were anticipating. Let us pray for peace, because right now tensions are extremely high and things are beginning to spiral out of control.
Psalm 122:6 - 9 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity”.
Against all odds, God’s Word is going forth. In a volatile nation in the Middle East, Andrew does his best work when no one is watching — in the middle of the day. The sun climbs overhead, temperatures rise to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and the streets clear out. While everyone finds shelter inside their homes, Andrew takes to the streets, sweat pouring down his face. Unseen, he tucks gospel literature into mailboxes and metal gates. He says, “There’s some guys from our office who ask me, ‘Scary?’ I say, ‘Yeah, of course!’ I’m not a hero. I’m not a James Bond.” Andrew may not be a secret agent, but his work is still clandestine. As Every Home for Christ Ministry Director in a Middle Eastern nation where evangelism is against the law, he risks years in prison and a possible death sentence every time he shares the Gospel. For him, the OIKOS Initiative is not only challenging — it’s illegal. Andrew and his team risk their lives to share the love of Jesus with their people. To mitigate the risk, they have developed a number of unconventional strategies to get the Gospel into people’s hands. In small towns, Andrew and his team find out from local believers when the police change shifts. Most small police stations have the same routine: at the end of a shift, a bus collects the officers
from their posts and returns them to the office for paperwork before a new guard is sent out. This leaves a short window of time — just an hour or two — for Andrew and his team to hit the streets with gospel literature. Then there’s the Muslim call to prayer. In the Middle East, Muslims kneel down to pray five times daily. While they congregate in temples or unroll mats inside their homes, Andrew rushes through as many streets as he can, wearing a backpack loaded with gospel literature. To stay under the government’s radar, the EHC office in this nation has no permanent address. “We rent a house,” he says. “Three laptops, two printers. We can move in one night to another place and pay for one month — and then during the month we move to another place.” The Church is similarly decentralised. Andrew describes meeting in tea houses and under trees, in closed shops and friends’ living rooms. In places like these, new believers are gathering to worship and be discipled. Andrew’s work is bearing fruit. This is just a glimpse of what the OIKOS Initiative looks like in one Middle Eastern nation. Every Home for Christ workers in these nations are transforming their nations from the inside. Against all odds, God’s Word is going forth.
India Crackdown - foreign funding plungED 40% since 2014
According to a report by the consultancy firm “Bain & Company” the government’s crackdown on foreign funding of non-profit organisations has resulted in a massive 40% decline in aid money coming from overseas to help the poor over the four years to 2018. The licences to receive foreign funds of more than 13,000 organisations (some say 20,000) have been cancelled during this time. Every Home for Christ although having been scrutinised, is still able to receive funds from overseas (including Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom), but we must take up the challenge to alleviate poverty, hunger and poor health and to improve education in India while we are still able. India Every Home for Christ and our sponsorship program need your prayers.
Please pray that India EVERY HOME FOR CHRIST will continue to retain its licence to receive foreign funds. Australia: PO Box 168 Penshurst NSW 2222 Telephone: (02) 9570 8211 Facsimile: (02) 9570 4738 ABN: 88001276240 www.everyhome.org.au E-mail: ehc@everyhome.org.au New Zealand: PO Box 31-260 Milford North Shore City 0741 NZBN: 9429043322862 Telephone: Free call 0800 900 200 Facsimile: 0061 2 9570 4738 www.everyhomeforchrist.org.nz
PLEASE pray for India
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J E S S E
E N G L E
PRAYER JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO CHANGE THE WORLD
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(MARK 11:22-23)
PRAYER, ALONE, WILL REMOVE EVERY OBSTACLE THAT STANDS IN THE WAY OF FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION. The task ahead requires a faith-filled cry for God to do what only He can do. From its earliest days, Every Home for Christ has operated under the conviction that prayer is the key to world evangelization. Yet it is perhaps of greater relevance now in light of the OIKOS Initiative. Indeed, it is abundantly clear that this task is impossible to achieve in our own strength — it can only be done through redoubling our efforts in prayer. Therefore, we invite you to join the OIKOS Prayer Band in fervent intercession until the last door of the last home is opened to receive the Good News. The Necessity of Great Commission Prayer Scripturally Prayer is one of the greatest gifts given to the believer. It is our relational access to God as our Father, Friend, Helper and Provider. In prayer we overcome temptation and hear the voice of God directing our steps. Prayer is not only a gift, it is a weapon that, when wielded with faith and the Word of God, is the world’s most powerful force for good. John Piper has said, “Prayer is a wartime walkie-talkie for spiritual warfare, not a domestic intercom to increase the comforts of the saints.” When we pray, God hears and moves to accomplish His plans in the earth, and His plan has always been to seek and save the world’s people. Martin Luther once said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance but laying hold of His willingness.” Today, Jesus is willing and able to stretch out His hand to save, heal and deliver the lost and broken of the world. He is waiting
for those who would agree with His willingness and pray for that which is close to His heart — the harvest. Didn’t the Father command the Son in Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance”? Are we, too, asking the Father for the nations? Are we passionate for His inheritance — a worshipping people from every tribe and tongue before the throne? Jesus Himself, filled with compassion, gave us the key to reaching a plentiful harvest. In the context of the Great Commission, He did not call us to plan meetings or even to fundraise (though these things are needed). He commanded His followers (which includes you and me today) to cry out for Him to send forth labourers into the harvest field — to reach out to the harassed and thrown down (Matthew 9:38). What if we actually took Him at His word and prayed daily for gospel workers to be sent out in the power of His Spirit to every home so they can boldly proclaim who He is and what He has done? We must put this prayer to the test and own it with great responsibility and faith.
P R AY FO R M U S L I M BACKGROUND BELIEVERS WHO RISK THEIR LIVES D A I LY TO FO L L O W J E S U S .
“PRAYER IS NOT ONLY A GIFT, IT IS A WEAPON THAT, WHEN WIELDED WITH FAITH AND THE WORD OF GOD, IS THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL FORCE FOR GOOD.”
PAPUA NEW GUINEA EHC PIONEER MISSIONARIES CROSS A BRIDGE WITH GOSPEL L I T E R AT U R E I N PA P U A N E W GUINEA.
The homes of the world are not all found in cities. Many are not even found on roads. Tucked away in the mountains of Papua New Guinea is a district called Kagua Erave, a region that is only partly accessible by roads and bridges — many of which are in need of repair. During the rainy season, intense flooding makes many villages entirely inaccessible. But there are still homes there ... and they need the Gospel. Richard Kei,a Pioneer Missionary, led a team of men and women into Kagua Erave this Spring. Their way was difficult, burdened by bags full of gospel literature and slowed by the rough terrain. Heavy rains nearly put an end to their outreach, forcing delays of hours and sometimes even days as they waited for rivers to become passable. Still they persisted, visiting villages with the Good News. By the end of their outreach, 48 people had responded to the Gospel — men and women who would not have been reached if the Pioneer Missionaries had turned aside. One of those 48 people was a young man named Steward. A drug addict with a bad reputation around town, Steward was nevertheless ready for the Gospel. He was struck by the missionaries’ passion and their joy under pressure. When they told him that the Lord could completely transform his life, he immediately committed his life to Jesus. As the missionaries prepared to go to the next village, Steward asked to go with them. He wanted to learn from them and devote his next season of life to sharing the Gospel with others. His life is set on a new course.
OCTOBER 2019 Bible Readings: This month the daily text will be taken from the Ezekiel and Daniel. For those wanting to do the one-year Bible reading program these chapters are in brackets.
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PRAY FOR DICK AND DEE EASTMAN. Dick is the International President of Every Home for Christ with a large responsibility for EHC ministries across the world. Ezekiel 27 (Jeremiah 21,34) PRAY FOR DIPLAVE POKHREL Please continue to pray urgently for the Immigration Department to approve Every Home for Christ's application for a Labour Agreement so that we can sponsor Diplave to continue working with Every Home for Christ. PRAY FOR ERIC AND LORRAINE LEACH Please ask God to guide them, especially as Eric draws up the plan to visit every home in Australia and helps with New Zealand as Executive Director in both countries. Ezekiel 28 (Jeremiah 37-39, 52)
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PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY - sons, daughters and grandchildren, plus others to come to Christ. Get a piece of paper and write down their names. Get their photos and pray every day for their salvation; eternity without Christ is a long time! Ezekiel 29 (Jeremiah 40 - 44) COTE D'IVOIRE Pop. 24,300,000 Map. 41 Demonic practices reign in the town of Gboghe. Sixty percent of the population, including some Christians, adhere to these practices. Pray that God, through His Word and His spirit will break that satanic power and deliver people as they repent and surrender to Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 30 (Lamentations 1 - 5) CREATIVE ACCESS Pray that the seeds of God's Word that have been planted will bear fruit in their season. Pray also that God will meet the needs of Mobile Training Coordinators on the front lines, who often experience loneliness. May they know the Lord as a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Ezekiel 31 (2 Chronicles 36:9-21, Daniel 1 - 4) MOZAMBIQUE Pop. 29,700,000 Map. 8 Political instability in Mozambique becomes more pronounced around election time. This negativity affects the ability of EHC workers to move around the country as they share the Gospel. Pray for peace in the nation as they approach the October 15 national election. Ezekiel 32 (Daniel 5 - 6)
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PRAY FOR ISRAEL
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GUATEMALA Pop. 16,900,000 Map. 179 Please pray for protection for Federico as he leads EHC ministry in Guatemala. Officials often stop and harass him as he crosses the border from Mexico, supposing he is involved in trafficking. Ezekiel 33 (Daniel 7 - 9) CAMEROON Pop. 15,900,000 Map. 47 Pray that those who recently accepted Christ will have a hunger to get to know Him better. Pray for God to give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation as they study the Word, filling their hearts with wonder at all Ezekiel 34 (Daniel 10 - 12) Christ has done for them. BELGIUM Pop. 11,400,000 Map. 87 Pray for Philippe as he introduces the vision of the OIKOS Initiative to congregations in Liege, Namur, Walloon Brabant and La Louviere. May the Spirit be with him as he speaks and cause many to share his passion in their communities. Ezekiel 35 (2 Chronicles 36:9-21, Psalm 137) CREATIVE ACCESS Recently, Adam and his wife Sophia, were sharing gospel literature and praying for people in the hospital. The doctor filed a report, and the police put them into jail. They have now been released, but request prayer for wisdom and boldness to continue sharing the Good News. Ezekiel 36 (Ezekiel 1 -3) LIBERIA Pop. 4,700,000 Map. 42 Praise God with Kwiah, who says, "I have served the devil throughout my life. With one foot in hell, salvation has come to my house at the age of 78. I felt it was too late for me and that my sins would not be forgiven, but thank God for the people who were sent to me by Every Home for Christ."Ezekiel 37 (Ezekiel 4 - 11)
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CREATIVE ACCESS Pray that Every Home for Christ would get security approval in the provinces where Pioneer Missionaries want to work.They want to share the love of God with everyone, but it is difficult. Also pray for God to prepare hearts that are searching for Him. Ezekiel 38 (Ezekiel 12 - 17) GUINEA Pop. 12,700,000 Map. 45 Pray for May, who recently gave her life to Christ. She is now facing serious persecution from her parents and community. Pray that her persecutors will come to know Christ and that May will find strength and encouragement every day in God and His Word. Ezekiel 39 (Ezekiel 18 - 20) DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Pop. 10,800,000 Map. 192 Praise God for the good impact of gospel outreaches in the areas of Monte Plata, Sabana Perdida and Villa Mella. Pray for open doors and unity among the pastoral leadership in Guaricano, where workers will concentrate their efforts in the coming months. Ezekiel 40:1-25 (Ezekiel 21 - 24)
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CREATIVE ACCESS David, a new believer, and his family members are facing persecution from the police and have been asked to leave their village because they believe in Jesus. Pray that God will provide for them and give them wisdom and strength to walk in faith and not fear. Ezekiel 40:26-49 (Ezekiel 25 - 28) MAURITIUS Pop. 1,300,000 Map. 6 Nationalist Hindus have noticed EHC workers going home-to-home to present the Gospel and invite people to become Christ-followers. Now they are proposing an anti-conversion law. Pray that God will intervene so people can freely proclaim the Gospel. Ezekiel 41 (Ezekiel 29 - 32) CREATIVE ACCESS Every Home for Christ is printing 400,000 copies of a gospel booklet. Pray for a smooth process of printing the literature and shipping it to various places around the country. Also pray that many will accept Jesus as their Saviour after reading these booklets. Ezekiel 42 (Ezekiel 33 - 35) DEM. REP. OF CONGO Pop. 81,300,000 Map. 19 Pray for an EHC Pioneer Missionary who contracted malaria during his last field trip. He is sick and exhausted but has declined to go to hospital due to the ongoing Ebola epidemic. Pray for healing, encouragement and an end to the Ebola epidemic. Ezekiel 43 (Ezekiel 36 - 39) HAITI Pop. 10,900,000 Map. 191 Please pray for political stability and peace in Haiti. Pray that God will protect EHC workers going home-to-home sharing the Gospel and that the Holy Spirit will speak to many more about joining this work. Ezekiel 44 (Ezekiel 40 - 42) CAMEROON Pop. 24,000,000 Map. 24 Pray for follow-up work with new converts in the west.There is a great need for New Testaments as well as for translation of discipleship materials into local languages. There are also many illiterate people. Pray that God will overcome these challenges. Ezekiel 45 (Ezekiel 43 - 48) PAPUA NEW GUINEA Pop. 8,300,000 Map. 146 Please pray for our Pioneer Missionaries who are reaching homes in Ialibu-Pangia District and part of Imbonggu District in the Southern Highlands Province. Pray for courage, clarity and wisdom to present the Gospel and for a great kingdom harvest. Ezekiel 46 (2 Chronicles 36:22, Ezra 1:1 to 5:1) PHILIPPINES Pop. 104,900,000 Map. 169 Praise God for the way He opens opportunities to share the ministry of EHC Philippines in the Muslim-populated provinces. Please pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to the Filipino Muslims in Mindanao. Ezekiel 47 (Haggai 1 -2)
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CREATIVE ACCESS Young people in the churches here are doing sports evangelism. They invite unbelievers, become friends with them during soccer games and then share the Gospel with them. Please pray for these young people and for those who hear the Gospel for the first time. Ezekiel 48 (Zechariah 1 - 8)
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AUSTRIA Pop. 8,800,000 Map. 80 Please pray that God will work in lives as EHC workers share their evangelistic newspapers in Vienna. Pray that many will open their hearts to jesus Christ and that the general attitude toward the Christian faith will change. Pray for a great awakening in Europe. Daniel 1 (Zechariah 9 -11)
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KENYA Pop. 49,700,000 Map. 27 Every Home for Christ recently launched a ministry in North Horr, a Muslim-populated zone with few believers and scattered churches. Pray that God will raise up a strong local team willing to share the Gospel in every home, and pray for many to receive Christ. Daniel 2:1-25 (Zechariah 12 - 14)
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NIGERIA Pop. 190,900,000 Map. 35 It is not easy to evangelise on the streets in the northern part of the country. EHC coordinators report on how careful they have to be while visiting every home and navigating the streets. Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen are a great terror to the people. Pray for protection and a move of God's Spirit. Daniel 2:26-49 (Psalm 107, 126) PARAGUAY Pop. 6,800,000 Map. 222 The corrupt customs workers at the border threaten to take and destroy all literature if EHC Pioneer Missionaries do not pay a bribe every time they cross. Please pray that our teams can find a way to receive the cargo directly in Paraguay and thus end these threats. Daniel 3 (Ezra 5:2 to 6:22) CREATIVE ACCESS David is convinced of the depravity of man but he has not found a solution in any religion. Sometimes he receives messages in dreams but does not know how to interpret them. Yet in the last few years he has developed an attachment to Jesus. He is asking God for the truth. Pray for him. Daniel 4 (Esther 1 - 2) ARMENIA Pop. 2,900,000 Map. 104 Recently, the EHC discipleship team had a chance to visit a hospital and pray for a young man named Alex, who listened to the Word and said the repentence prayer. Please pray for him to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. Praise God for bringing Alex into His Kingdom. Daniel 5 (Esther 3 - 7) SEYCHELLES Pop. 95,000 Map. 145 Pray for believers on the islands of Praslin and La Digue. Pray that they will be grounded in the Word, able to stand agaisnt the pride of life, the lust of the flesh and all of the wiles of the enemy. May they desire more of our Lord, hunger for His spirit and walk in His power. Daniel 6 (Esther 8 - 10) GERMANY Pop. 82,800,000 Map. 83 An EHC worker shared "The Father's Love Letter" with every person in a retirement home. Because no one was at the entrance, she entered without registering, causing some initial confusion. But after some discussion, the home asked EHC staff to hold an official church service there. Daniel 7 (Ezra 7 - 10)
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