We were in St. Peter’s Square in Rome by Vatican City on the morning of 6th January (Epiphany), in the afternoon, we were in Rieti (one hour’s motorway drive north of Rome) in the geographical centre of Italy where we blew the trumpets.

Some time later, when I saw the pictures of Concordia, the Holy Spirit spoke to me: “That is, or rather, will be the condition of the nations of Europe. The proud giant (colossus) is faltering and wavering, and will collapse and cease to exist, if it doesn’t repent and turn around from its present course. And that is also a picture of the Church and churches in your countries. She is in the greatest danger of sinking. She is in an emergency situation! She needs saving and help in order to be raised up and restored.” That’s why I blow the trumpets! Listen to the alarm bells. Wake up and return to Jesus!

Since that time there has been several severe earthquakes, in Italy as well. One could read in a newspaper report that one in three churches in the affected region has been either damaged or destroyed. This is another impressive picture concerning the condition of the churches in our countries.

Let us take another look at the statement about the picture above; "that the proud giant (Europe) is faltering and wavering, and will collapse and cease to exist, if it doesn’t repent and turn around from its present course." What does “cease to exist“ in this context mean?

When we consider the headlines and pictures, which we are continuously being subjected to in the media, from many different countries in Europe, we must realistically acknowledge that our continent is wavering and faltering and is quite tarnished and financially stricken. I don’t think it is necessary to list here individual problems. They are sufficiently well-known. The whole structure of society is changing in every area of life (politically, economically, socially and religiously). It really isn’t painting too black a picture, when we could imagine the possibility that Europe, in the form in which know it today, could no longer continue; in other words, it could “cease to exist."

It would not be the first “kingdom“ to degenerate into chaos and insignificance (other so called world empires have suffered the same fate). And we are once more on course for the same target, because GOD resists the proud. However, He doesn’t allow humanity to run pell-mell into disaster. He warns us, offers a way out (repentance) and will help us and save us. And to this end He needs His church! It would be absolutely fatal in this situation when His church (or at least a large part of it) would likewise be threatened with foundering. I can hear some people say: “But she cannot possibly perish, God has Himself so promised!“: others say, “And there are some really good churches!“ Both these statements are true. Praise be to GOD! When we look from a worldwide perspective, then the Church can never cease to exist. And that which we have just seen and heard at the WPA meeting in Indonesia confirmed this in a most impressive way. On the other hand, we also heard examples from some regions or countries where previously flourishing Christian communities and churches existed, which today no longer exist.

Israel, where the Church was birthed and spread out into what today is Turkey. There people worshipped and signs and wonders occurred and they came to believe in Jesus Christ by their thousands. Several centuries later absolutely nothing remained; neither in Sardis, nor in Ephesus, nor in Laodicea.

Therefore, even when today we have a number of churches, we must realise that many of them have become insignificant and of no relevance to influence the present modern generation and society. We Christians have adjusted and adapted and are no longer distinguishable from our unbelieving neighbours, and so we are showing a completely false picture of our God through our poor, beggarly and weak witness. When we are His body and He looks over this body, then He not only sees the good, individual members! He painfully acknowledges EVERYTHING as it is – including that which is asleep, injured, fights against itself or even is already dead. (For your encouragement: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick“ -Mk.2:17 NIV – Jesus still means that today!)

The world is saddened and stunned, that, after the earthquakes, so many Italian churches have cracks or have been totally destroyed. We, as messengers and representatives of the Almighty God, know, that in the final instance it has nothing to do with buildings – we should concentrate our efforts that we personally and those people in our own circle of influence come to know and love Jesus Christ as Saviour and Redeemer!

He is knocking on the door of our hearts and churches asking for permission to have fellowship with us (Rev. 3:20). Are we prepared to let Him in, not just as a guest, to whom we allocate one room, but as the owner who wants to take up residence within us? Therefore, this trumpet blowing can serve as a call for a turnaround – for those who hear and are prepared to accept the necessary consequences. There is no alternative, no other emergency bailout, no plan B, either for the world or the Church…

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is to come. He will bring glory to Me! (John16:13-14a NIV)

A string of incidents over the past month has served as a reminder that despite the intense, decade-long focus on the jihadist threat, domestic terrorism is still an issue in the United States. On Aug. 5, Wade Page opened fire on the congregation of a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, killing six and wounding three others. Though Page killed himself and did not leave any evidence explicitly listing his motives for the attack, his long association with the white supremacist movement was clearly a factor in his target choice.

On Aug. 15, Floyd Corkins shot and wounded a security guard in the lobby of the Family Research Council's office in Washington after the guard blocked him from entering the office. Corkins reportedly was carrying a bag containing a box of ammunition and a number of Chick-fil-A sandwiches. He apparently targeted the Family Research Council because of its public support for Chick-fil-A in the wake of the controversy over statements made by the fast food chain's founder regarding gay marriage. According to media reports, Corkins said, "I don't like your politics," before opening fire.

And on Aug. 16, an off-duty sheriff's deputy was shot and wounded while working as a security guard at an oil refinery in St. John the Baptist Parish, La. When two other deputies responded to a nearby trailer park where a vehicle reportedly associated with the shooting was spotted, the trailers' occupants ambushed and killed the deputies. An additional officer was wounded, along with two of the suspects involved in the shooting, Brian Smith and Kyle Joekel. Seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident, including Smith's father and brother. News reports indicate that the group was associated with the sovereign citizen movement, and members of it were under investigation for weapons offenses and previous threats to law enforcement officers in other states.

All three of these incidents stem from distinct ideological streams: the white supremacist skinhead movement, the radical left and the Posse Comitatus/sovereign citizen movement. While unrelated as far as timing and motive, when taken together they show that extremist ideologies subscribed to by certain individuals on the fringes of U.S. society continue to radicalize some to the point that they are willing to take violent action in accordance with those ideologies. Domestic terrorism is thus alive and well.

Old Streams

First, we need to remember that terrorism is a tactic practiced by actors from a wide array of ethnic and religious backgrounds who follow various ideologies stretching from anarchism to neo-Nazism. Terrorism does not equal jihadism. Long before jihadism reared its head in the United States, anarchist Leon Czolgosz assassinated President William McKinley, white supremacist James Earl Ray assassinated Martin Luther King Jr., and Posse Comitatus member Gordon Kahl killed three law enforcement officers in a multistate spree of violence.

Indeed, as we look at all of the recent attention being paid to lone assailants and small cells, it must be remembered that anti-government and white supremacist leaders in the United States embraced the leaderless resistance model of operations long before jihadist groups began to promote it…

The recent spate of incidents is also not all that unusual. Other examples stand out in recent years of different streams of domestic radicalism leading to a confluence of attacks by different types of actors. For example, on April 19, 1995, a large truck bomb built by anti-government extremists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols detonated outside the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people. Five days later, on April 25, timber lobbyist Gilbert Murray became the third fatality and final victim of Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski's long Neo-Luddite bombing campaign.

Another such convergence occurred in the summer of 1999. After conducting arsons at three Sacramento-area synagogues, brothers Matthew and Tyler Williams killed a gay couple in their home in Happy Valley, Calif., on July 1. On July 2, World Church of the Creator adherent Benjamin Smith began a multistate shooting spree that killed two and wounded nine and that only ended when he killed himself July 4. On Aug. 10, former Aryan Nations member Buford Furrow mounted an armed assault against a Jewish day care center in Los Angeles, during which he wounded five people before killing a Filipino-American mailman on the street.

Domestic terrorism in the United States is a cyclical phenomenon. There are discernable peaks in that cycle, like those we've discussed -- and like the one the country is currently experiencing. The intense political polarization that has occurred in recent years in the United States, the widespread distrust of the government on both the extreme right and the extreme left, and the current election-year rhetoric will further inflame political passions. This means that the current cycle of domestic terrorism plots and violence is likely to continue for at least the next several months.

Implications

While domestic terrorism is currently at the peak of the cycle in the United States, it is important to remember that most domestic terrorism cases tend to be simple attacks conducted by a lone actor or small cell. There are far more instances of simple bombings, such as those conducted by Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph or animal rights bomber Daniel Andreas San Diego, than the sort of large truck bomb attack committed by McVeigh and Nichols, which was an anomaly. Even more common than bombing attacks are the armed assaults that we've seen recently, and they are generally implemented against soft targets -- something we've talked about in relation to other terrorist threats.

And that means that the implications for domestic terrorist threats are essentially the same as they are for the jihadist or Iranian threat. First, it is critical for people to remember that terrorist attacks do not appear out of a vacuum. Individuals planning an attack -- no matter what their motivation or ideology -- follow a discernable cycle, and that cycle involves behavior that can be identified and detected before the attack is conducted. Indeed, it appears that the Smith family and their associates involved in the Louisiana shooting were known by authorities in several jurisdictions and were considered armed and dangerous.

It is also important for individuals to understand that it is physically impossible for governments to protect all potential targets from every sort of attack. This means that many places are vulnerable to an attack, should an assailant choose to strike and should the assailant's preoperational activities go undetected. Therefore, citizens need to assume responsibility for their own security. This involves citizens not only reporting suspicious activity to the authorities, but also practicing good situational awareness and having updated and appropriate contingency plans in place for their families and businesses.

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/domestic-terrorism-persistent-threat-united-states?utm_source=freelist-f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20120823&utm_term=sweekly&utm_content=title&elq=1a0dac08682f46d1b3c188c71c94d3a8

Al-Qaida Advertises for Suicide Bombers; China Steals 2.7M US Jobs; Cartels Bribe DHS Workers

1. Cartels’ Bribing of DHS Workers Raises Terrorist Threat

Mexican cartels are increasingly engaged in the “systematic corruption” of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) workers to expand their smuggling operations — including the trafficking of aliens from terrorism-linked countries. “Drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) have become not only more violent and dangerous, but more clever as well. The DTOs have turned to recruiting and corrupting DHS employees,” Charles Edwards, the acting DHS inspector general, told a hearing of a House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee.

“A corrupt DHS employee may accept a bribe for allowing what appear to be simply undocumented aliens into the U.S. while unwittingly helping terrorists enter the country. Likewise, what seems to be drug contraband could be weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical or biological weapons or bomb-making materials. “According to government reports, DTOs are becoming involved increasingly in systematic corruption of DHS employees to further alien and drug smuggling, including the smuggling of aliens from designated special interest countries likely to export terrorism.”

Special interest countries are nations thought to pose a terrorist threat and include Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia, CNS News pointed out in a report on Edwards’ testimony.

Edwards said border corruption may take the form of cash bribes, sexual favors, and other gratuities in return for U.S. employees allowing contraband or illegal aliens through inspection lanes — “or even protecting and escorting border crossings.”

He also said DHS employees may be bribed to leak or sell sensitive law enforcement information to smugglers, and provide them with documents such as immigration papers.
The cartels target employees who may be “going through financial difficulties, gambling, debts, [or] sexual infidelity,” he added.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner David Aguilar, who testified alongside Edwards, said that 141 CBP employees “have been arrested or indicted for acts of corruption” since October 2004.

Edwards warned in his written testimony that “while those who turn away from their sworn duties are few, even one corrupt agent or officer who allows harmful goods or people to enter the country puts the nation at risk.”

Organized gangs in Mexico are also increasingly involved in the theft of petroleum from the nation’s state-run oil company, Pemex, CNS News reported.

Pemex said on Aug. 10 that the national pipeline systems “are practically taken over by organized crime gangs associated with heavily armed groups.” Criminals use devices called “clandestine taps” to steal the oil from the pipelines. According to Pemex, more than 1.84 million barrels of oil were stolen from the pipeline system in the first six months of this year, meaning that on average, at least 17,500 gallons of oil were stolen per hour!

2. Al-Qaida Advertises for Suicide Bombers

The terrorist organization al-Qaida is running a “job ad” on an Internet forum seeking applicants for short-term employment — as suicide bombers. The ad on the Shumukh al-Islam forum, which is accessible only to al-Qaida members, appears under the heading “Area of activity: The planet Earth.”

Applicants must be Muslim, mentally mature, dedicated, able to listen, and utterly committed to completing their mission, according to the ad.

While real names are not required, candidates are asked to send details of their nickname or handle, their age, marital status, languages spoken, and a list of passports in their possession, the Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

The ad also specifies the targets of the suicide attacks that applicants will be expected to carry out, including “People who fight Islam and Muslims” and enemy “financial, military and media targets.”

And it states: “Only one person will be in charge. He will gather all of the intelligence, he will prepare the operation — and he will complete the attack.” However, “a military panel” will oversee the bomber’s training and select the target.

The job description promises only a “very slight chance of being caught.” The Yedioth article claimed the ad has elicited several positive responses. The Times of Israel observed that the ad indicates al-Qaida is “apparently low on bombers.”

From: Newsmax.com (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
Date: Sun, Aug 26, 2012 at 8:21 AM

Please pray that citizens and also public officials in the US and elsewhere will be watchful about potential domestic and international acts of terrorism and will be able to counteract them effectively.

http://www.tendaysofprayer.org/

Matthew 9:15 - And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

Click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZkC2LpPmfHM&feature=youtube) to watch our video on the origins and purpose of the “10 Days”.

What’s the Purpose of 10 Days:

Revealing Unity:

Revealing and advancing the unity of the Body of Christ 10 Days is intended to bring together Christians from many different traditions, denominations, and ethnicities of a region to seek God together. While a larger body of believers can’t meet as a city or region daily or weekly, an annual season of joining together is attainable. Since the unity of the church is in Christ, the 10 Days is “uniting the Church with Jesus at the center”. Praying for and with one another leads to loving one another more. Ultimately, unity is nothing more or less than love or one another!

Seeking Maturity:

Awakening, strengthening, and purifying the Body of Christ

1. 10 Days is a time of focusing our attention on God and “unplugging” from the world, even from good things like food, work, or recreation

2. It’s like a spiritual overhaul, an extended time of letting God check “what’s under the hood”. Often, this can result in incredible personal transformation

3. God wants the Church to be a “pure and spotless bride!” 10 Days is an opportunity for God to move us into that identity as never before

4. Often, God uses these seasons catalytically to launch us into new acts of service

Desiring Christ’s Return:

“Eagerly waiting” (Romans 8:25) for the return of Christ

• While longing for Christ’s return is a basic concept in Scripture, it’s something that has not been a focus for many of us

• Jesus is not coming back to “marry” a Church that’s indifferent to his return. He’s coming back for a Bride that’s “eagerly waiting” for Him

• The return of Christ can be controversial and we’re not promoting a specific theological perspective on this issue. The simple fact is this: Christ will come again and his followers are to “long for and hasten” his coming (2 Peter 3:12)

Major Themes:

Consecrated Time:

Many of us have experienced the power of a Christian camp, a prayer retreat, or another set-apart time to seek God. The 10 Days is designed to usher many Christians within a given geographical area into this type of experience together. The result is an acceleration of God’s activity as many people and groups have transforming encounters with God within the span of 10 Days. These gatherings, where God’s presence is manifest and many lives are touched, have the potential to spark the transformation of entire communities.

Mourning:

”Mourning” is a major focus for the 10 Days. This word, which sounds so unattractive, really means this: learning at a heart level what we’re missing and what we’ve lost so that we can receive it.

Truth be told, our hearts and minds are often far from aligned with God’s will and purposes. Not only that: most of the time we’re not even aware of our glaring need. To mourn is to recognize our own poverty apart from God’s grace, to turn away from our own futile ways, and to posture ourselves to receive more and more from our generous Father. It’s mourning in hope, longing for the promises of God, aligning our hearts with God’s priorities so that we might see them come, on earth as it is in heaven.

There are three kinds of mourning that we emphasize (Learn more about mourning):

• Personal: God starts with us as individuals, revealing to us how much He loves us and what Christ has won for us. This enables us to throw off false mindsets and begin to have “the mind of Christ” where we see things as God sees them, not with eyes of the flesh. The Holy Spirit is the leader of this process and it’s His presence that enables it. The Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-12) are key to understanding this type of mourning.

• Intercessory: Daniel’s prayer in Daniel 9 is a clear example of Intercessory mourning, where Daniel petitions God to return the Israelites to Jerusalem as He had already promised to do. This type of mourning is on behalf of others and because of God’s promises. We pray God’s prayers and promises, “Your Kingdom Come, Your will be done” recognizing that around the world there is incredible darkness and suffering affecting real people unless He comes. This time is an opportunity to receive God’s compassion for other people.

• Longing for Christ’s Return: The Bible concludes with a cry for Christ’s return, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” 10 Days is an opportunity to let our hearts feel the weight of His absence so that we can long for His coming.

Fasting: Participating ministries will extend an invitation to 10 days of fasting (Sept 4-14 2013). We recommend that believers consider a Daniel Fast (vegan fast) or a liquid fast for the 10 Days.

Ongoing Worship and Prayer is the heart of the 10 days. Believers are invited to devote this time to corporate worship, prayer, and waiting on God together. These expressions of humility and dependence invite a response from God who “humbles the proud, but exults the humble.”

Evening Gatherings are the most visible part of the 10 days. Each night, a different group of congregations and ministries will host a gathering of worship, prayer, and communion in a different location. If you attend night-to-night, you’ll get to see the fundamental unity and incredible diversity of Christ’s body in your region, and probably make some new friends in the process.

Many Cities: The vision for this time is for many cities/regions to come together at the same time each year. Find out what cities are doing the 10 Days.

Fall Feasts: 10 Days occurs during the Days of Awe on the Biblical calendar, beginning with the Day of Trumpets and ending with the Day of Atonement. These feasts are an important part of our common Biblical tradition. Many believe that the fall feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles) symbolically point to the return of Christ.

Acts of Reconciliation: 10 Days is an ideal time for the Body of Christ to do something together for their community. This may include various acts of reconciliation: corporate action intended to reach out to or bless a particular part of the community that may be estranged. Possibilities include evangelism, a financial gift, sharing a meal together, reaching out to an estranged group, care for the poor, or an apology to groups or individuals that have been offended.