JUNE 2008

Note From Our Executive Director:

“God hates the great things in which love is not the motive; but He delights in the little things that are prompted by love.”                             - D. L. MOODY

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army,

Greetings Canada’s Kneeling Army, It must be June, because overnight you’ve noticed that pile in the basement, the clutter in the garage, and the flower beds looking a little tired. Friends, before you get to your to-do list, remember to clean up the most important room in your life – your prayer closet.

Before I get any further in my letter, I would like to thank those who have emailed and written to Canada In Prayer over the last month. Your kind words have been an encouragement to myself and the team here at CIP. Please continue to write your thoughts. They are truly appreciated, because after eleven years of being on the front lines crying out for revival it’s always good to know that what we do here still matters.

Now on to our meditation for this month. June marks the month of harvest from the Hebrew perspective and, more specifically, our Jewish brothers and sisters celebrate the major festival “Shavuot” between June 8th and 10th. This Jewish holiday is enlightening to all of us as Christians, but especially to intercessors who are very tuned in to the Orthodox calendar – the one that started it all. Shavuot is observed exactly 50 days after Passover and 50 days after the original calendar date of Easter. If we remember, before Almighty God gave the Torah to Israel and before they were a family and a community, they had to experience a new birth at Mount Sinai. Shavuot is likened to a wedding as, on that day on Mount Sinai, God vowed eternal devotion to a people, and the Jewish people, the descendants of Abraham, pledged everlasting loyalty to the one and only Living God. Wow, talk about the ultimate new beginning!!

As we continue on with our theme for 2008, “New Beginning,” I encourage you to meditate on Acts 4:13-31. Here in scripture you will find the second corporate outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the phenomenal growth of the early church. Friends, my prayer is that you will see the same crimson thread that runs between Shavuot and the outpouring in chapter 4. On further inspection of this chapter, we see in chapter 2 that the disciples were transformed from “weak to willing”, from “zeroes to heroes”, and three thousand responded to Peter’s sermon at a 9:00 am service! From chapter 2 on through to chapter 4, things get a little tough when the servants of God start exercising their new beginning power. Therefore, let us not be caught off-guard or surprised when we enter into this new place of empowerment in our prayer closets. Things will seem like they’re going off the rails, but let me remind you that we, like the early believers, like the children of Israel, must never judge according to our circumstances, but we must always live and operate in our blessedness. Below, you will find what I believe can help us reach our breakthroughs, or for those of us who have already entered that place, go BEYOND our breakthrough.

1. Desire a fresh repentance and humility (Acts 4:13-22). Repentance to turn the Church in Canada and ourselves from our wicked ways. “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.'" (Matthew 3:1-3)   And humility to admit our need for God.

“God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for His power.”       - JIM CYMBALA, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire

2. Intercede in boldness (Acts 4:22-31).  It’s time to pray in an increased boldness and faith!  “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.“ (Acts 4: 31)  “’If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.’ Then He said to them, ‘Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.’ And He said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.’ Then He said, ‘To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;“ (Mark 4:23-31)  “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,“ (Ephesians 3:20)

“Faith’s supreme longing is for the return of the glory that has departed from the sanctuary. If we today would rediscover the virtue in that Name, the victory in that Name, the violence in that Name, we would set this world alight for God.”                                     - LEONARD RAVENHILL, Revival Praying

3. Be a God Chaser (Acts 4:31-37). We must go after God with even greater intensity for the Church in Canada, for our communities and for our families. Paul said, “My determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.” (Philippians 3:10 Amplified)  “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.“ (Psalm 63:1-2)

“God chasers are after the fresh presence of the Almighty. Sometimes their pursuit raises the eyebrows of the existing church, but usually they lead the church from a place of dryness back into the place of His presence. It’s simply not enough to know about God. We have churches filled with people who can win Bible trivia contests but who don’t know Him.”                        – TOMMY TENNEY, The God Chasers

Intercessors, in closing, I salute you for your steadfastness and I encourage you this month to confess that you are indeed blessed, remembering never ever to judge according to your circumstances, but to remind yourself of the crimson thread that runs from Mount Sinai to Calvary and now to you.

Crimson Thread,

Brian Warren

Executive Director, CIP

FROM THE TRENCH

Dear Friends,

Ahhh summer; the joy of sunshine and warmth and green trees and fields! What a great season! But as we continue to fight the enemy’s advances on our minds, it may be difficult for some of us to truly see and appreciate the beauty of it. This is why our Heavenly Father has been reminding me of His promise in Nehemiah 8:10: “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our LORD. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Almighty God has been revealing to me in a greater way what it really means to have the joy of the Lord as our strength. When we come under the lie of performance and obligation and try to do what we believe God wants us to in our own strength, then serving and trying to obey Him becomes a very heavy weight. The truth is, this attitude comes out of a spirit of pride in our hearts, and God cannot bless this. In fact, He opposes it (James 4:6), which is why trying to serve Him becomes so difficult. When we listen to and believe the lies of the enemy that he has been using to battle our minds, we waiver in our belief and in our confession and try to figure out the truth using our own intellect and understanding. The Bible calls this “double-mindedness”. In essence what we’re saying is, “I know better than God.” James 1:6-8 says, “…for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” Proverbs 3:5-6 also tells us, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Discovering the joy in God’s presence (Psalm 116:11), which gives us strength, comes by submitting ourselves to Him and trusting His character and His love for us. We then realize that it’s not WE who determine what path we should walk on or how to do the work – it’s Christ who will lead us and work in and through us. The Bible tells us in 1 John 4:18 that “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.” It is the revelation of Christ’s love that truly removes our fear of God’s wrath and of being obligated to serve Him in our own strength, and our fear of what others will think of us.

I believe, however, that the “perfect love” referred to is also our own love for Christ, which is shown through our obedience (1 John 2:5). We must first recognize and receive the revelation of our Saviour’s incredibly great love for us and the abundant blessings He gives us, and then we are filled with His joy and set free to love Him in return. This motivates us with a desire to give back to Him everything we possibly can. Then serving and obeying Him is no longer a scary, burdensome job, but rather it becomes a passion and an exciting journey. The call remains the same, but our perspective changes. Without the Holy Spirit’s help and without the revelation of who God is, we cannot love and we cannot obey, which means we cannot have His joy. Without the joy of the Lord, we have no strength. And without strength, we cannot do anything that God has called or required us to do.

Therefore, dear friends, let’s spend this coming month asking God to transform our mind sets, change our perspective, and grant us faith to recognize and believe in his unyielding love so that we can be filled with His joy and HIS strength for the task at hand. It will require great humility and a desperate desire to no longer suffer the consequences of disobedience caused by leaning on our own understanding and performance. As we confess our own weakness, submit to God, and cry out for a willing spirit, ears to hear His voice, and a heart to understand the truth of who He is, He will take us on an incredible adventure of discovering the joy in knowing Him, the strength in depending upon Him in all things, and the rewards in accomplishing His work!

For the joy of the Lord is my strength,

Karen Schmidsrauter

News Director, CIP

PRAISE REPORTS

 - Praise God for an exciting time at the National House of Prayer (NHOP) during the month of May. A visiting prayer team from the Toronto area had the opportunity to attend the National Prayer Breakfast, the NHOP Leaders' Luncheon, and meet a number of cabinet ministers. They have also had many people drop by their centre for a tour. The previous month NHOP also had a wonderful time of growing in prayer as they taught their "School of Prayer" in Elliot Lake, ON, where over 75 people participated, and in Rouyn-Noranda where they were warmly welcomed by a Francophone congregation and delivered the same teaching by full translation.

- Praise God as well for the National Prayer Breakfast that took place in Ottawa in mid-May. It was an amazing day with over 800 attendees. Please pray that the seeds sown will continue to be watered and bring forth a harvest.

- Thank the Lord with Acts News Network (ANN) in Toronto for providing someone to help with the distribution of their Prophetic Destiny of Canada film documentary.

PRAYER-DRIVEN EVANGELISM

- Please pray for the Ontario Alpha Conferences in Pickering on June 13-14, and Ancaster on June 20-21. Pray that these conferences will help local churches and ministries get their teams ready for this year’s National Alpha Initiative, “The Year of the Host”. Pray that those who participate will be encouraged and equipped by the Holy Spirit to share the gospel with those who don’t yet know Christ or those who are new believers.

- Pray for all of the construction that is taking place in the city of Stratford, ON. Agree with local intercessors that God will also reconstruct the city spiritually. Pray for their Festival season as it begins this month and goes throughout the summer months. Intercede that Jesus and not Shakespeare will take centre stage in their city. Pray also for an open door for Christians from the area to pray at city hall. Stand in faith that this will be the summer that salvation and revival are released in Stratford, for the glory of God.

- Intercede for the annual “LOVE WINNIPEG” happening in Winnipeg, MB from May 24 until June 8 this year. Pray that even more churches will be involved this year, and that local believers will be mobilized to go into the streets of Winnipeg and pour out God’s love to all who live there. Pray that the random acts of kindness performed will be done by the Holy Spirit working through His people, and that the love of Christ will be made manifest in word and deed. Pray especially for a group of children (with their families) who will be going to give out food to the poor. Agree with the local Church that this will once a again be a time of joy, and that those who receive these acts of kindness will come to receive Jesus personally as they experience His Body in action. Please agree that the Holy Spirit will baptize the church with love and empower them to “go forth” as Jesus commanded His disciples in Mark 16.

PRAYER REQUESTS

Prince Edward Island:

- Please pray for the 'Fiery, Faith & Fiddles' Concert taking place in Murray Harbour on June 15. Pray that the love of Christ and the gospel message will be brought forth through this concert, and that lives will be changed as the Holy Spirit speaks to their hearts.

Nova Scotia:

- Pray for “The Prayer of Hope” on June 8, an annual Cape Breton wide prayer event for the Church in Cape Breton. Pray that many churches in the area will participate, and that the wind of the Holy Spirit will blow throughout this region bringing life, transformation, healing, deliverance and salvation. Pray as well for the youth prayer event on the same afternoon.

New Brunswick:

- Please pray for the National School of Intercession taking place in Fredericton on June 19 – 22. Pray for the intercessors from throughout the Maritimes who will be gathering together for four powerful days in the presence of God. Agree with them that He will equip, heal, unite, inspire and refill them, and that they will break through in prayer for their communities, families and churches. Intercede that meaningful relationships will be built and that the Lord will knit hearts together, for His glory.

Newfoundland & Labrador:

- Pray for an outpouring of healing and miracles to flow across Newfoundland & Labrador. Cry out that hospitals will be emptied because of a mighty move of God's power. Pray also for healing of the land as believers personally and corporately turn to God in repentance.

Quebec:

- Pray for the "D-Day" United Prayer event on June 6 as youth groups from all over Quebec seek the Lord for revival in their province. Pray also for “Lovers of God”, who will be training 300 prophetic evangelists to minister in Quebec City from June 15 to 22.

Nunavut, Northwest Territories & Yukon Territory:

- Pray for the spirit of poverty to be broken across Northern Canada. Pray that the Canadian Body of Christ will rise up to support their brothers and sisters in this region, not only financially but by investing into them the biblical knowledge, wisdom and tools to break this spirit and help them come into the wholeness and abundance of Christ. Pray for resources, finances and lands to be multiplied into the hands of those who will use them for the kingdom.

Manitoba:

- Intercede for the pastors and intercessors meeting on June 3 in Winnipeg, that God’s presence will overwhelm them as He impacts their city and province with His healing love. Agree with them as they believe for the healing revival that began in the south to spread here to Canada.

Saskatchewan:

- Intercede that the Body of Christ across Saskatchewan will remember that they are not forgotten. Cry out that Almighty God will remind them of His great love and compassion for them, and of the great purposes He has for them as His children, His church and His bride. "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15) Pray that the Holy Spirit will speak these words of affirmation and encouragement into their spirits, producing joy that will strengthen them to continue in their journey of serving Him.

Alberta:

- Stand in prayer for Eastern Alberta, including Hardisty, Amisk, Hughenden, Czar, and the surrounding areas. Pray against complacency and apathy, and pray that the Holy Spirit will awaken and stir up believers in the region. Pray that He will grant them a revelation of who Jesus Christ is, and that out of that will be birthed a heart of compassion and desire to share Christ with those around them and see them saved and set free. Pray also for the many prodigals who are waiting in "the wings" to come back to the Father. Pray that the fear of the Lord and forgiveness will be restored within the Body of Christ, and that there will be repentance, a letting go of offenses against one another, and healing and restoration within the Church.

British Columbia:

- Pray for the province of British Columbia, that God will grant His Church in this region eyes to see that the fields are ripe for harvest, and the faith to believe that He is about to pour out His Spirit and bring revival. Pray that they will be filled with His compassion and recognize the urgency of sharing Him with a generation who does not yet believe. (John 4:35).

Ontario:

- Please pray for a prophetic conference taking place on June 7 in Toronto, themed “Government in the heavens, Conquering in the earth.” Pray that Almighty God’s voice will be heard, and that those who attend will have submitted and willing spirits to receive and appropriate His word.

- Continue to pray for the release of Acts News Network’s film documentary, that it will be released in God's perfect timing, and that the Lord will open the doors for it to be aired on television. Agree with them that the film will be shown at the highest level of government, and that God will take care of all the details for its distribution.

- Praise God with believers in Stratford, ON that His Kingdom and His will are coming more and more in their midst. Agree with them that new intercessors will also rise up and take their place in the region. Pray as well for local churches that are currently in transition.

- Pray for the 24 Hour Worship and Prayer taking place from June 20 – 21 in Toronto. Please pray that many will come and humble themselves and seek God’s face for the GTA and beyond. Pray that He will come by His Spirit and pour out upon them His Spirit of grace and supplication, that they will know and pray His heart. Agree that the joy of the Lord will be their strength to carry them through the night.

- Intercede for the School of Revival & Prayer in Hamilton from June 11 – 13. Pray that those whose hearts are truly committed to prayer and revival will attend this school, and will receive revelation from the Holy Spirit on these themes in a practical and biblical way. Pray for the moving of God’s Spirit to begin as they seek His face, and to continue on and beyond this time, resulting in a spiritual harvest being reaped throughout this region and across Canada, for the glory of Almighty God in this generation and the generations to come.

CANADA:

- Intercede for and agree in prayer across the nation on Government Prayer Sunday, taking place on June 29 (the Sunday before Canada Day). Pray that hundreds of churches will prayerfully support our nation. Lift up all of the leaders who make up our Canadian government from coast to coast to coast, both locally and nationally.

- Please pray for the process of selecting a new Supreme Court Justice in the next few months. Pray for the person of God's choosing, and agree with His word that: “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” (Prov. 21:1)

- Please pray for the “40-Day Fast Track”, where believers in each time zone across Canada consecutively throughout the year will spend 40 days in prayer and fasting for the nation. Agree with those who are participating within the Atlantic Time Zone from May 12 – June 20, followed by those in the Eastern Time Zone from June 21 – July 30. Agree with God’s heart cry for a generation, for souls, for harvest, and for the glory of God to fill our nation and be seen once again.