Winter 2022 Update

HAPPY NEW YOU!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
 
Happy New Year!  As we enter a new year, what a wonderful time to remember that God creates all things new, including us!  Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Let’s press forward and not hold onto the past that limits us. Let’s be confident in who we are and live a dynamic life in Christ and believe it!  Let’s celebrate who we are becoming as He renews us daily!

As believers in Christ, we lose the identity of this world and find our identity in Jesus!  Our identity is in Him and in His body, united in the church!  When we accepted Him as our Savior, He made us new.  What Jesus offers to us is limitless!  He knows each of us intimately and what we are capable of becoming!

Let’s internalize on how God identifies us from His Holy Word: 

We are CHOSEN, ROYALTY, HIS SPECIAL POSSESSION! 1 Peter 2:9 attests to this: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (Years ago, at a summer family camp, Luis shared this verse and brought it to life for me personally)!

We are LOVED!  1 John 4:9-10 shares that “[t]his is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

We are HIS CHILDREN!  1 John 3:1-2 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be, has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

We are HIS IMAGE BEARERS! Read the words of Genesis 1:27… “God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

We are ALIVE IN CHRIST! Galatians 2:20 is a great reminder: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” (One of Luis’ favorite verses that transformed his life)!

Let’s identify and grow in newness in Christ together through prayer!  Join me and our Palau Prayer Team on January 25th at 1:00 pm (Pacific time) as we pray for the Palau ministry and all that God has called them to do moving forward to bring others the gift of salvation and the identity of new life in Him!

Renewed in Christ,

Gail Stockamp

"I have called you by name; you are mine" (Isaiah 43:1b, NLT).

PRAYER REPORT

Please enjoy opening the update below and keeping all the regions in your prayers:

Did you miss the Fall 2021 Prayer Call?

Fall 2021 Update

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
 
When we think of October 31, most people think of Halloween.  But did you know that October 31 is also Reformation Day?  It was the day that Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to a church door in Germany which began the Protestant church.  Soli Deo Gloria is Latin translated “to the glory of God alone.”  It was one of the rallying cries of the Protestant Reformation and Johann Sebastian Bach personalized it!  At the completion of every composition, he inscribed three letters in the margin of his music: SDG (Soli Deo Gloria).
 
We can personally take SDG to heart too!  To glorify Him means we acknowledge the greatness and splendor of His Majesty.  God’s glory is the total of all His attributes!  He displays His glory through His wisdom and creation, through us! To give Him the credit in our accomplishments; not by our own power but through the Holy Spirit’s power in us, His sanctification!  He provides us with the strength, direction, and wisdom to persevere in obedience to God.  When we model ourselves after Jesus, we glorify and reflect His character.  How can we do that?  I read somewhere that there are six ways (I’m sure there are more) which I’ve backed up with scripture:

1. Confess Sin: When we confess sin, we are putting on display His glory by declaring His righteousness. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

2. Forgive Others: Our God is a forgiving God. “If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you” (Psalm 130:3-4).

3. Trust God: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

4. Produce Fruit: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

5. Give Thanks: “And on that day you will say, ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name. Make known His deeds among the peoples; make them remember that His name is exalted.’ Praise the LORD in song, for He has done glorious things; let this be known throughout the earth” (Isaiah 12:4-5).

6. Pray: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” (Ephesians 1:18).

 
We are blessed as His children to have the power of Christ in us!  When we do these things in reflecting his character, we are a showcase for God’s glory.  “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
 
Let us come together in prayer to glorify God! Let’s praise Him for what He is accomplishing through Andrew, Kevin, and our awesome LPA team!  Open the reports and join us TODAY at 1pm Pacific time and give God the glory!
 
SDG,
Gail Stockamp
 
“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).

PRAYER REPORT

Please enjoy opening the update below and keeping all the regions in your prayers:

Summer 2021 Update

DREAM GREAT DREAMS!

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you.” (Acts 18:9-10)

The Lord gave many visions and dreams to people in the Bible. Here are a few:

• Joseph saving Israel by interpreting Pharaoh’s dream (Genesis 41:8)

• Solomon’s dream and request for wisdom (1 King 3:5)

• Mary’s husband Joseph being warned to go to Egypt (Matthew 2:13)

Visions and dreams continue in people today.  Some are silly, a lot we don’t remember, and some can be frightening!  Like in Bible days, God still uses dreams and visions, with the help of interpretation by the Holy Spirit in us, to move us to a more abundant life and service to the Kingdom.

Luis had a dream decades ago to preach the Gospel in Central Park in NYC, and the Lord allowed that dream to come true in July of 2015.  Beyond NYC, the Lord gave Luis a vision of impacting the world for Christ. Today, the Palau ministry continues to do that! 

Let’s take a global tour:

South America: Tremendous growth in the evangelical church where Luis has had his largest festivals and radio broadcasts!  God willing a festival is planned for Buenos Aires in March 2022.

North America: Multiple festivals and City Gospel Movements are happening nationwide in big cities across North America and even in small towns like Hermiston, Oregon this August!

Africa: The Lord gave Andrew a vision for reaching 10 African countries with the Gospel over a 10-year period and that dream has now become a reality, strengthening and unifying the church leaders there.  Love Malawi festival is this November!

Europe: Known as a ‘post-Christian’ society and the church being dead, Luis once said, “One generation may reject the Gospel for itself, but it can’t reject it for future generations and Jesus Christ specializes in raising the dead.” New life is returning there!  Andrew and the team will be in Manchester in 2022.

Asia: Luis and Andrew have had many trips there.  Luis even wrote a book with Zhao Qizheng, A Friendly Dialogue Between an Atheist and a Christian.  God willing, we pray Andrew and the team will be able to return to China.

Caribbean Islands: Jamaica has had multiple festivals proclaiming the Good News.  Haiti and Cuba are being reached by radio waves, hearing Luis’ voice and Gospel message daily!

Global Network of Evangelists (GNE): Many other evangelists are working with the Palau ministry, witnessing in places like the Dominican Republic and Pakistan, to name a few!

Digitally: Worldwide! Reaching more people than ever for Jesus, especially during a pandemic.

Jesus gave us the great commission in Matthew 28:19: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” He may have even given you a dream or a vision of how to live out this commission.  That’s the calling of the Holy Spirit, just as it was His calling that has led you to a partnership with LPA.  Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”  What a joy we have to unite together to dream great dreams to grow the Kingdom, fully expectant that—if God is leading—those dreams will be fulfilled.  After all, He wouldn’t have put those dreams and ideas in us if there wasn’t a way to fulfill them!

God wants us to attempt great things for Him to reach our generation and beyond!  Let’s join together in prayer to ask God to renew and expand our vision on how we can achieve what only God, working through us, empowered by the Holy Spirit, can accomplish. 

John 14:13-14 says, “I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father.  You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”  He will do anything we ask, but the key is the Son bringing glory to the Father.  Dream, pray, plan, act!  Make it a reality!  Bring God the glory!

Join us in prayer on July 27th!  Let’s dream great dreams for God’s kingdom and pray great prayers together in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Then in excitement and anticipation, watch God do it and be glorified!  

To the Glory of God,

Gail Stockamp

“God commends the plans of the upright.”  Psalm 32:8

PRAYER REPORT

Please enjoy opening the update below and keeping all the regions in your prayers:

Spring 2021 Update

Did you miss the Spring 2021 Prayer Call? Watch it here.
Mark your calendars for the Summer Prayer Call on Tuesday, July 27 at 1pm PDT!

THE BATON HAS BEEN PASSED!

“… let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1b

Our dear brother Luis has passed from life to life! In his final letter to us, he was eager to finish the race and win the prize God offered him (the glory of a new body and a resurrected life). Yet he realized there is still much work to be done on earth! To press on and reach the lost! Luis “press(ed) on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me (us) heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). To never let the fire of evangelism fade and stand/run strong for the Gospel!

Psalm 78:4-7 says, “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders he has done… to teach their children, so that the next generation would know them… and they, in turn, would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God.”

We see this reality in many examples of transition of leadership through the generations in the Bible:

• Moses to Joshua (Numbers 27:15-23)

• Elijah to Elisha (asking for a double blessing of the spirit, 2 Kings 2:1-15)

• King David to his son King Solomon (1 Chronicles 22:5-19; 29:21-25)

• Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:1-8)

• Jesus to his Disciples (including us, in the Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-20)

Like these Biblical examples, Luis recognized that the race to spread the Good News was not an individual endeavor but rather a relay where the baton would be passed to the next generation, building on the solid foundation that had been laid for an even greater impact for the Kingdom. That is why so much of his time and energy was focused on teaching, training, and discipling Kevin, Andrew, the LPA staff, the Global Network of Evangelists, countless pastors worldwide, and all of us.

Now the race is ours to run! Luis transferred the baton of God’s Gospel truth so beautifully! Receive this baton confidently, firmly, and faithfully! Let’s follow the wonderful example that Luis provided:

Dream great dreams, pray great prayers, and obey great commands!

Wake up every day with joy and excitement and the focus of doing all you can to bring as many people with you to glory!

Stay the course! The race is often difficult and there are roadblocks. Don’t give up the fight! Stand strong for the Gospel! Share the Good News unashamedly! Be strengthened and encouraged by the promise of Joshua 1:9.

All of us will leave a legacy! Let’s understand that we are team players in this great LPA ministry, responsible not only for growing the ministry to reach more lost souls but also developing, mentoring, and discipling the next generation who will receive the baton from us.

Take joy and persevere in the race! Encourage each other as Luis was a wonderful encouragement to us! We rely on the Holy Spirit to work in each of us to accomplish His sovereign will. We abide in God’s truth and shoulder this together in prayer!

Let us continue to support and bless Andrew, Kevin, and our LPA team as we run this race, allowing the Holy Spirit to course through our veins and rely on His power to work in and through us to pray and proclaim the Gospel.

Lace up your running shoes and join our prayer team! Participate and take your stance in the runner’s block. Step by step. Prayer by prayer!

ALSO… mark your calendars for our quarterly prayer conference call, Tuesday, April 27th at 1pm (PT). Zoom details to follow!

Ready, Set, GO!!

Relying on the Power of Jesus’ Name,

Gail Stockamp

“Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you – guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us” (2 Timothy 1:14).

PRAYER REPORT

Please enjoy opening the update below and keeping all the regions in your prayers:

Winter 2021 Update

ENTERING 2021 FIERCELY IN LOVE AND PRAYER

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with ALL your strength" (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Last month we became grandparents for the first time to a precious baby girl, Nora. We experienced the joy of meeting and helping care for her. We also witnessed the love in both our daughter and son-in-law’s eyes for their new daughter. A fierce love; fierce in its powerful display of strong, heartfelt intensity!

Fierce! A word often used in a negative connotation as aggressive and violent. It’s a word found in the Bible in 20 books, in 22 chapters, and in 41 verses. Many times it’s used to describe God’s fierce anger with his people. Yet it can also be expressed positively in boldness; in unapologetic actions; and in powerful, positive feelings.

We see God’s fierce love through the many miracles He performed for His people throughout the Bible. He led Moses and the Israelites through the Passover, the exile from Egypt, even the parting of the Red Sea, bringing them victoriously through impossible hardships and battles. Jesus himself lovingly healed many and performed mighty miracles, even in His own death and resurrection!

As I’ve witnessed the fierce love parents have for their newborn infants, how much more fiercely does our Heavenly Father love us as His children? Love fierce enough as Sovereign God to break through time and space, entering into humanity Himself as a helpless, vulnerable baby to reconcile us back to Him! Love fierce enough that “while we were sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Yet as perfect, Almighty God, He also has a fierce wrath and righteous judgment! Praise God He doesn’t leave us there. His fierceness in wrath is overcome by His fierceness in love. A love to reconcile and redeem us back to Him for eternity; the Good News of salvation. This is the message the Palau team is proclaiming with intensity and urgency! We have witnessed this fierceness, tenacity, and urgency of the Gospel from Luis, Andrew, Kevin, and the entire Palau team as they share God’s message globally. Can we join them in this fierceness? Let’s enter 2021 with a fresh boldness as Christ-followers and with a passionate, urgency in prayer.

We have an opportunity to come together in love and prayer on January 26th at 1 p.m. Pacific time! Please join me and our prayer team! Let’s get fierce together in prayer for Jesus, the Gospel, and the work of the Palau ministry as we begin a new year!

In the Fierce Power of Love in Jesus’ Name,
Gail Stockamp

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

PRAYER REPORT

Please enjoy opening the update below and keeping all the regions in your prayers:

Fall 2020 Update

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12).

The end of October is Halloween, when supposedly all the “spirits” are out.  Spiritual warfare is real, and it’s not only around Halloween.  These demon spirits are not just fantasies, they’re authentic. Satan and his followers love to prowl around to tempt, attack, and harm us continually. And it seems he has been working overtime this year, doesn’t it? The coronavirus, racial and political unrest, riots, fires, hurricanes, physical and financial burdens. . . the list goes on and on! 

When it looks like Satan is winning, we can take heart knowing there’s an invisible battle going on. God may have allowed the devil to do his work in this world, but God is still on the throne. (I tell myself that daily.) And we know Jesus conquered death and defeated Satan.  We’re assured of victory. Yet, until Christ’s return, we remain in a fallen world and in the heat of the battle. We’re on the Lord’s side and Satan doesn’t like it. As believers, that’s where we need supernatural power. The power that only God can provide through the gift of His Holy Spirit. The power of the work of the Holy Spirit to live and work in us.

Be blessed and claim these powerful verses for yourself today:

John 14:26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

2 Corinthians 3:3 – “You show that you are a letter from Christ… written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God.”

John 16:13 – “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

How does God equip us to use this Holy Spirit power?  By the application of His Word at work in our lives!

By keeping our eyes on the prize and focusing on what’s eternal versus temporal!  2 Corinthians 4:18 “As we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

By the renewal of our minds! Romans 12:2  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

By worshipping Him in spirit and truth!  John 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

By prayer!  Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Don’t give up!  Join us in the battle in prayer with perseverance and persistence for the prize! Jesus never promised us an easy life!  However – with purpose and a plan through God’s Word, faith, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit – we can persevere and win! The Holy Spirit is never spooky, silly, or superficial; He is the spirit of truth!

Luis, Kevin, Andrew, Wendy, and the entire Palau team are fighting this spiritual battle for people’s eternal destiny on a daily basis!  Use the power of the Holy Spirit in you through prayer by joining us October 27 at 1pm (PST) for a special time of communal prayer!  Mark your calendars now to battle with us!  Details to follow!

Battling with Holy Spirit Power in Prayer,

Gail Stockamp

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

PRAYER REPORT

Please enjoy opening the update below and keeping all the regions in your prayers:

September 2020 Update

REFLECTING JESUS THROUGH PRAYER

"But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

As summer comes to a close, I’ll miss sitting outside with family, looking up into the beauty of the clear night sky.  That’s even more true now as I reside in Oregon, where it was recently reported to have the worst air quality in the world due to all the fires and smoke.  The air is hazardous  and visibility is poor. The sun is a red ball or even invisible on what would have been a clear day!  I look forward to the days and nights when we can be back in God’s nature, breathing in clean air and seeing the night sky full of stars.  On a clear night a few months ago, we saw millions of stars, including the International Space Station.  The only reason we could see it was because it reflected the sun from the other side of the earth. . . how awesome is that?

That got me to thinking and asking myself, do I reflect the SON? Do I shine for Jesus as I move day to day within my realm of influence? And when I’m with others, do I/we reflect Jesus like sparkling diamonds in a dark world?

Proverbs 27:19 says, “As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.” I know we’re all diamonds in the rough. We live in a fallen world and we wear the stain of sin daily. When I look in the mirror, Satan wants me to see my sin and dirt, to see myself through the view of a circus mirror that plays tricks on us, as an illusion of him.

But we are blessed to have a mirror held by Jesus. He reflects clearly how He sees us. He’s called us to be His image bearers; to model and reflect Him and His love. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”

That’s exactly what our Palau team does daily; reflecting the light and love of Jesus to make Him known in a dark world. Your prayers lift up Luis, Andrew, Kevin, and the entire team so that they can continue to move across the globe shining for Jesus and pointing the way to heaven. That’s no illusion, that’s real! Thank you for your continued prayers for them! Please take a moment to open the attached reports to know more fully how to pray and encourage them!

In the light and image of Jesus,

Gail Stockamp

"For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does" (James 1:23-25).

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Praise God for the newly set Malawi festival date | Report

• Asia | Pray for 2021 outreach in Karachi, Pakistan | Report

• North America | GNE Virtual Connect Summit at the end of the month | Report

• Europe | Prayer for online festival Stories of Hope | Report

• Latin America | Buenos Aires Festival in November | Report

• The Caribbean | Political unrest in Cuba and God’s timing for a DR Festival | Report

August 2020 Update

JOYFUL ASSURANCE IN PRAYER

“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13).

We are living in a time of great uncertainty; a time which makes us wonder: How and when will this virus end? When will the protesting and rioting be resolved? Can our economy be restored? Will our finances recover? Will we ever have civil discourse again as we seem to be such a divided country?  The list goes on and on.  This uncertainty creates stress that leads to strained and broken relationships as well as an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness as things seem to be spiraling out of control.  Unfortunately, these things are the result of the fallen world that we live in as a result of sin.

Fortunately, there is one thing that we can be certain of and take comfort in during these uncertain times and that is that none of what is happening is a surprise to God!  He is in control and will use all to advance His purposes.   

God has blessed us with His Word, which is true and sure.  Jesus tells us in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  What are "these things” Jesus told them?  Check out the verses leading up to John 16:33.  In verses 20-24 Jesus shares 3 important truths that are sure:

1) Verse 20: “You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.”
2) Verse 22: “No one will take away your joy.”
3) Verse 24: “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”

I love the song “Blessed Assurance.” Perhaps you do too:

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blessed
Watching and waiting, looking above
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

We can praise Him and take courage in spite of our earthly struggles because we are not alone; we have the assurance of our salvation, the certainty of God’s promise that Jesus is ours!  He has given us eternal life through His Son!  This gives us assurance, certainty, and joy for our future.  

The gift of salvation through Jesus is a joy and a gift we want others to share in too.  A gift that Luis, Andrew, and our Palau team share worldwide, even now digitally and virtually.  A gift that we can help them give as we believe John 16:24:“Ask and you will receive.”  My prayer, and make it your prayer too, is to ask God for others to receive Him and receive joy in these uncertain times.  There are many things we are not sure of, but of this I’m sure: I know that my Redeemer lives!  We can live with and for Him too, as He hears and answers our prayers, in His perfect timing and will—you can be sure of it!

Praying with Certainty,
Gail Stockamp

“The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations”  (Psalm 33:10-11).

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Praise for Africa Unite! | Report

• Asia | Virtual events in Pakistan; continued relations in China | Report

• North America | Updates on Festivals, NGA and CGM | Report

• Europe | Wisdom and logistics for Manchester conference Spring 2021 | Report

• Latin America | Training Webinars in Guatemala, Chile and beyond | Report

• The Caribbean | Guidance for potential events in Montego Bay, Jamaica | Report

July 2020 Update

PRAYING WITH (COM)PASSION

“When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things” (Mark 6:34).

I love to begin my prayer time praying God’s attributes back to him. One of the first ways God describes himself is as compassionate. God tells Moses in Exodus 34:6: “And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.’”

What is compassion? Webster defines it as sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. However, action is what separates compassion from pity, sympathy, empathy, or other compassion synonyms. Compassion gets involved.

The Bible defines compassion as more than a feeling, but as an action of doing something to help the suffering and misfortune of others:

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth" (1 John 3:18 NIV).

"This is what the Lord Almighty said: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other'" (Zechariah 7:9-10 NIV).

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind" (Philippians 2:1-2 NIV).

These Bible verses teach us compassion as a true mark of Christian character. Jesus Christ is our perfect model and the greatest example of someone with true compassion. His compassion is action! Action through His heart and love for people by his many miracles through healing countless people, feeding the multitudes, and even resurrecting life from death! 

Jesus’ life is a picture of love in action. He had compassion on the outcast, the suffering, for “sinners” (those held in judgement or thought less of), for the multitudes, and even now for us! His greatest act of compassion and healing took place on the cross when he personally died to pay the price for our sins. “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That’s compassion in ultimate action!

The Palau ministry is expressing compassion and Jesus’ love in action too. Their work with “City Gospel Movements” meet the physical needs of others, leading to their real act of compassion: proclaiming Jesus’ Good News of salvation which transforms lives for eternity!  Luis and the Palau ministry have many wonderful testimonies of changed lives through accepting Christ. That is reason for us to leap for joy and PRAY this message continues to go out into our hurting world. Their and our heart's desire is for everyone to receive the compassionate love gift of eternal salvation. 

Please open the reports below and join us in prayer on July 28th! Let’s act in compassion by praying with passion for the Palau ministry. Pray for Luis, Kevin, Andrew, Wendy, and the entire team as they creatively and boldly seek new ways (especially in this crazy COVID season and racial/political unrest) to share the gospel personally, digitally, virtually, and beyond!  Let the world know we are Christians by our love in action!

In Compassionate Prayer,
Gail Stockamp

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23).

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Plans in Malawi, Kenya, Burundi | Report

• Asia | A 2021 outreach in Karachi, Pakistan and continued relations in China | Report

• North America | Collaboration to increase and some updates on upcoming events | Report

• Europe | Many opportunities for collaborative events in 2021 | Report

• Latin America | Encouraging update about the !Si, Hay Esperanza!” festival | Report

• The Caribbean | Discernment and resources are needed for future events | Report

SAVE THE DATE: JULY 28TH

Please join us July 28th for our one-hour national quarterly conference prayer call: 1 p.m. Pacific, 2 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m. Central, and 4 p.m. Eastern time. Luis, Andrew, and Kevin will join us! It will be by Zoom – details to follow!

June 2020 Update

PATIENCE THROUGH PRAYER

“How long, O Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?  Or cry out to you, ‘Violence!’ but you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:1-2)

My heart, and I’m sure yours too, is grieving over the recent tragic events across our nation. We are in more than a storm, but a hurricane! A trifecta from the last 100 years has hit us all at once: the “century” flu from 1917, the economic crash from the great depression, and the racial division, riots, and violence from the ‘60s! I know the Lord won’t give us any more than we can bear. We must come to the end of ourselves and turn back to Him. We must persevere in prayer.

I’ve heard it said that there are five “P”s in prayer: Presence, Power, Provision, Protection, and Peace. I’ve thought of another “P,” patience. As these long days of enduring the effects of the Coronavirus, economic collapse, and racial protests, how’s your patience? Are we praying patiently? Being patient is defined as one who is long-suffering, tolerant, understanding, persevering, constant. Are you waiting, or patiently anticipating, for this crazy time in history to be over? Waiting can be more difficult than doing anything… it takes faith and patience. Psalm 130:5 says, “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His Word, I put my hope."

We are waiting! Waiting for the virus to be over, waiting for a vaccine for it, and waiting for our nation to “open” again. We are waiting for racial tensions to ease and for peace and justice between cultures and ethnicities. Meanwhile, as Psalm 130:5 says, we remember He is our only hope. 

Let’s remember God’s waiting too! He’s waiting for each one to turn to Him and know Him as their Savior. So, while He waits—and we wait—we must take our eyes off ourselves, our impatience, and wanting our problems solved now. Let's turn our eyes to Jesus. To look for what God wants to teach us. He is patiently waiting for us! I’m convicted by how many times I keep Him waiting as I’m busy with worldly concerns instead of seeking Him. He’s patiently waiting and wanting no one to perish. Psalm 103:8 says, "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love."

You may be waiting for a family member or friend to come to know Jesus. As we wait, let’s turn to the Bible and be assured our faith will be rewarded:

Isaiah 30:18 “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

1 Timothy 1:15-17 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst.  But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

So we pray with perseverance for God’s presence, His Holy Spirit's power, His provision, His protection, and His peace, with patience and in passion! Passion in thanksgiving for redeeming us and saving us from our sins. Our Palau team is passionate about preaching this to the nations. Thank you for joining me and continuing to do so in persevering, patient, and passionate prayer for Luis, Andrew, Kevin, and the entire staff as they proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to our hurting world.  

We praise God for the recent virtual festival that went viral earlier this month, with over 5.5 million views and 15,000 decisions for Christ!  It’s not too late to continue to share the Good News through sharing hopewithgod.com or hope.palau.org!

Please open the reports below and pray for God’s patience and LPA’s ongoing passion for the lost.

In Patient and Passionate Prayer,
Gail Stockamp

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12). 

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Festival update and elections in Malawi June 23 | Report

• Asia | Evangelism opportunities in spite of restrictions | Report

• North America | Wisdom for future festival, update on Space Coast CityFest | Report

• Europe | Excitement and energy for future festival opportunities | Report

• Latin America | Event strategies for Guatemala, Buenos Aires and beyond | Report

• The Caribbean | Luis Palau Radio ministry goes out daily | Report

May 2020 Update

THE TEMPLE OF PRAYER

“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

These are unprecedented times. I would have never thought that I’d live to see our nation, our world, in “lock down” mode, that we’d be unable to come together to worship in our churches, that our church buildings would be empty, that the Good News is that we know that is NOT where God lives!

In the Old Testament, God appeared to His people—the Israelites—are a pillar of cloud by day and as a pillar of fire by night to lead them through the wilderness.  Moses was instructed to build a Tabernacle and Solomon a beautiful temple, symbolizing God’s promise to “dwell among the Israelites and be their God” (Exodus 29:45). 

We know God no longer resides in a physical temple, behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies. We know that as we recently celebrated Easter as well as Good Friday, by His death on the cross, Jesus tore that curtain! That not only gives us access to a holy God, but actually makes our bodies, His temple, as living stones! 
"As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-6).

Through Christ, from the New Testament until today, He opens the way to God.  We are His chosen people too and He reveals Himself by being in us through the Holy Spirit!

Consider these verses from God’s Word:

• "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

• "According to the grace of God, which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:10-11).  

• "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

The Lord is our foundation. 

He is building us up, individually but also together, united as the body of Christ. We are His chosen vessels to complete His will on earth. Are others seeing us as God’s temple, His glory?  As living stones, are we serving and using our bodies for His glory? Is my body a temple of prayer? 

If you’re reading this I say, yes! Yes, you are! 

Thank you for joining us in prayer as Luis and Andrew and the Palau team are being living stones for the sake of the gospel! God is dwelling in them and in us so that our lives can display Him to the world.  Through our everyday acts of obedience and through prayer, God’s glory shines out to others through us by the Holy Spirit living in us! God’s glory shines out through LPA as they proclaim the gospel to those who are lost and in need of the Good News.

They are busier more now than ever as they unify to build up the body of Christ through hopewithgod.com. Check it out!

Please open the reports below and pray for Jesus to always be our and LPA’s cornerstone. To use us and LPA as living stones for His glory.

In the Power and Incense of Prayer,
Gail Stockamp

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). 

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Pray for health and safety during these uncertain times | Report

• Asia | Pray for continued relationships and possible outreach at Christmas | Report

• North America | The first-ever strategic online festival | Report

• Europe | Postponed plans but a new spirit for the Gospel in Europe is steady | Report

• Latin America | Planning future events in Central & South America | Report

• The Caribbean | Pray for open doors and peace after disasters | Report

April 2020 Update

THE INCENSE OF OUR PRAYERS

“The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand” (Revelation 8:4).

As this COVID-19 pandemic continues, I’m reminded of the time in Numbers 16 when the Israelites rebelled against Aaron and Moses. God sent a plague and Aaron rushed into action!  

"And Moses said to Aaron, ‘Quick, take an incense burner and place burning coals on it from the altar. Lay incense on it and carry it out among the people to purify them and make them right with the Lord.  The Lord's anger is blazing against them—the plague has already begun.’ Aaron did as Moses told him and ran out among the people. The plague had already begun to strike down the people, but Aaron burned the incense and purified the people. He stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped." (Numbers 16:46-48).

The incense is a symbol of our prayers! 

Even King David prayed in Psalm 141:1-2, “I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense.” There it is again, an incense of prayer. Also, Luke 1:10: “and the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.” The incense smoke (a sweet smell) drifted heavenward, symbolizing prayers ascending to God’s throne.

May we, like David, call to our Lord to quickly come and deliver us from the evil of this virus. 

That our prayers would be a sweet smell of incense to Jesus; hearing and answering us to stop COVID-19. The Lord answered King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:13-5: “When I . . . send a plaque among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers (incense) offered in this place.” 

May we as an individual, family, church, community, nation, and world; repent and pray for God’s will, healing power and blessing to be on us.

Take comfort God is still on the throne! I believe this is no accident that this virus is happening in the springtime and over Easter. God is at work and doing a new thing! Perhaps a spiritual revival! Church buildings may have been empty over Easter, but so was Jesus’ tomb! 

Jesus is alive and well and so is the Church! So is our dear Luis and Andrew and all the Palau staff. So are our global network of evangelists. And how about you? Allow the incense power of our prayers to bless and be with LPA as well as those needing to know Jesus personally! Now is the time! God’s Word of hope, truth, love and salvation is going out over the Internet like never before! 

Open the below reports, checkout the website hopewithgod.com, and join us April 21 as we pray together for our world!

In the Power and Incense of Prayer,
Gail Stockamp

“Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Pray for health and safety during these uncertain times | Report

• Asia | Pray for continued relationships and possible outreach at Christmas | Report

• North America | The team’s most ambitious digital evangelism effort | Report

• Europe | Postponed plans but a new spirit for the Gospel in Europe is steady | Report

• Latin America | Planning future events in Central & South America | Report

• Caribbean | Pray for open doors and peace after disaster | Report

SAVE THE DATE: APRIL 21

Please join us April 21st for our one-hour national quarterly conference prayer call: 1 p.m. Pacific, 2 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m. Central, and 4 p.m. Eastern time. Luis, Andrew, and Kevin will join us! It will be by Zoom! Details to follow! It will be a pleasing aroma and a wonderful hour to seek God in prayer!

March 2020 Update

HAVE NO FEAR,
PRAYER (& GOD) IS HERE

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

It’s March which means it’s the Lenten season. A time of preparation and refection as we approach Easter. A time to keep our thoughts on Jesus and His sacrifice. A time when many Christians choose to sacrifice, fast, or abstain from earthly pleasures . . . TV shows, wine, chocolate, or sugar to name a few common choices.

May I suggest another thing to abstain from?

One that we may not enjoy, but something we all do consistently. . .fear.

With the coronavirus spreading worldwide, fear is evident! Yet we can take comfort in His Word which gives us enough “Fear Nots" to cover every day of the year! The verse above, Isaiah 41:10, says we don’t need to fear because:

1. God is with us.

2. God has established a relationship with us.

3. God assures us of His strengths to help us.

This is what God does for us! He is faithful to watch over us. It's okay to feel afraid, but ultimately all dangers in this world are only temporary, and our “light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

How can we respond to our faithful, loving God?  Check out and claim Isaiah 7:4: "Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart. . .”

In one little verse we’re given 4 pieces of advice to respond and claim for ourselves:

1. Be careful (don’t sin – repent and turn to God)

2. Keep calm (God is still in control!)

3. Don’t be afraid (there it is again – no fear – have faith instead)

4. Do not lose heart (trust in the Lord with all your heart, Proverbs 3:5)

The prescription to fight fear is faith, faith in Jesus.  Fear has no power, Jesus does!  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7).

God’s perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18)! His gracious plans cannot be thwarted! He is with each of us, ministering to us. Perhaps you will have an opportunity to minister to those within your realm of influence. The Palau team shares Jesus’ love worldwide, dispelling fear and darkness. 

Thank you for praying with us for Luis, Andrew and our entire Palau team as they fearlessly spread the hope and love of God’s Good News, especially during these uncertain times.

Please open the reports below and pray for Jesus to remove all fear by His love.  

Without Fear in Jesus Name,
Gail Stockamp 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, presents your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). 

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Plans for festivals in Malawi and Kenya | Report

• Asia | Pray for continued blessing over future events | Report

• North America | Praise for outreaches throughout the nation | Report

• Europe | A new spirit of enthusiasm for the Gospel in Europe | Report

• Latin America | Pastors Conference in Argentina | Report

• Caribbean | Pray for open doors | Report

SHARE

Please forward this report with your praying friends and invite them to join us. They can sign up at www.nationalprayerteam.org to receive future emails and prayer requests. If it helps, print out the requests and keep them in a spot where you’ll remember to pray. (It helps me!)

“. . . And Jesus came to them and touched them and said, ‘Get up, and do not be afraid’” (Matthew 17:6-7).

February 2020 Update

"KEGS" OF LOVE AND PRAYER

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God” (1 John 4:7).    

It’s February! And tomorrow is Valentine’s Day – a specific day when we express our love to family and friends. When I was a kid, I LOVED the big party we’d have at school – bringing valentines for everybody. Every student would give and receive valentines and sweet treats. No one was excluded.  
 
God does that to each of us too, doesn’t he?  
 
He excludes no one and loves us ALL! John 3:16 begins “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” He’s set the bar pretty high!  
 
I once heard a saying “It’s nice to be nice to the nice.” But how about those who aren’t so nice? The unlovables in our lives . . . mean neighbors, difficult family members, grumpy colleagues . . . who are your unlovables?  
 
In John 15:12, Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Yikes – that’s hard! And not just to say it or use words, but act on it! Remember, Jesus modeled this perfectly for us.  
 
Here’s an acronym that can help us show love: KEGS (and I’m not referring to drinking beer).  
 
Below are reminders from God’s Word on how He dumps KEGS of love on us!  “KEGS”: (Practicing) Kindness, Encouragement, Generosity, and Smiling! 
 
K: KINDNESS  
“’In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,’ says the LORD your redeemer” (Isaiah 54:8).  
 
“Because your loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you” (Psalm 63:3).  
 
This is our response to His kindness! And when we show kindness, the rewards are awesome.  
 
E: ENCOURAGEMENT  
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).  
 
This verse is so empowering and when we encourage others, it empowers them too. They feel great and so do we. Encouragement brings joy!  
 
G: GENEROSITY  
“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25).  
 
This may sound self-serving, but it’s true. When we give our time and resources, it makes our hearts happy and it blesses others. We can’t out-give God but when we’re generous to others, He pours out more blessings on us! He even wants us to test Him on this – check it out at Malachi 3:10.  

S: SMILE  
“A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed” (Proverbs 15:13).  
 
Smiling is a simple thing to do yet means so much and can brighten someone’s entire day. Let Jesus’ love for you shine through your smile to others.  
 
Pouring out KEGS of love is so awesome. Now bathe it all in prayer and make it even sweeter! Pray in thanks for what God has done for, in, and through us, by His love. Pray His love is poured out of you, as you share His love with and for others. Pray for the Palau Association too as pouring God’s love out is what Luis, Andrew, and the rest of the team do every day.  
 
As you read this, Andrew, Wendy and the team are heading home after pouring out KEGS of love in Egypt this last week. Please continue to keep them in your prayers and pray for the thousands that made decisions to follow Jesus after hearing the Good News of Jesus’ love for them.  
 
Open the reports below and pray for God to open KEGS of love through each of us and LPA as they reach our world for others to experience God’s love and grace for eternity!  
 
Praying with Love in Jesus Name,
Gail Stockamp  

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).  

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:  

• Africa | Update on Andrew and Wendy Palau in Egypt | Report

• Asia | Schools of Evangelism in Myanmar in March | Report

• North America | Space Coast CityFest in Florida in March | Report

• Europe | Momentum building for 2020 festivals | Report

• Latin America | Pastors conference in Argentina | Report

• Caribbean | Opportunities in Cuba | Report

SHARE

Please forward this email to your praying friends and invite them to join us. They can sign up at www.nationalprayerteam.org to receive future emails and prayer requests. If it helps, print out the requests and keep them in a spot where you’ll remember to pray. (It helps me!) 
 
“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8).  

January 2020 Update

2020 VISION IN PRAYER

"In my flesh I will see God” (Job 19:26).

As we begin the new decade of 2020, it makes me think of eyesight. "Normal" vision is 20/20. This means that the test subject sees the same line of letters at 20 feet that a person with normal vision sees at 20 feet. I saw my ophthalmologist last month and my eyesight is no longer “normal.” I needed a prescription for glasses to improve my sight.

I’m thankful for getting a pair of glasses to improve my physical sight. 

How about spiritually? How’s my vision at seeing others? When I’m in a crowd of people – at the grocery store, a sports arena, a busy city street – I’m reminded God loves and knows every single one of them!  Even the one who cut me off driving, the one that I don’t see eye to eye with! I need a pair of glasses to see people through God’s eyes! 

How about you? 

His Word tells us what that looks like:

• "But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart’” (1 Samuel 16:7).

• "For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps” (Job 34:21).

• "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).

• "Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope for His loving kindness” (Psalm 33:18).

• "The eyes of the LORD are in every place, watching the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3).

• "Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36).

• "Looking at them, Jesus said, ‘With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God’” (Mark 10:27).

• "When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it” (Luke 19:41).

• "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you” (John 16:22).

Jesus saw these people! 

A deeper kind of seeing – knowing, perceiving, grasping. He sees me and you too . . . everyone!  And He wants us to see Him too. That is the joyful hope of all believers – to see Jesus as the object of our eternal vision.  Regardless of our circumstances or condition, we can look forward with hope as we glimpse Heaven. Praise God He’s brought us into the light and allows us to truly see. 

“Blessed are your eyes because they see” (Matthew 13:16). We can Look up! To see God with a brightness that can never dim, a glory that can never fade!

But what about those who are blind, in spiritual darkness? Those who don’t see the truth. Those who pridefully go about their earthly ways or those who feel defeated after a lifetime of hopeless struggle can only see death?  Jesus calls us to let our light shine for Him, to shed the light of His truth to those within our realm of influence.

We also have the joy to partner with Luis, Andrew, and the Palau team to look up to our Father in prayer. Let’s also look outward with the Palau's as they proclaim the Gospel and bring those in darkness into His glorious light.  That those in darkness can receive Jesus as the prescription to  look at life through His lens of hope and truth and life.

We praise God that Luis’ health is stable as God continues to give him strength and stamina to continue encouraging believers and sharing the Gospel. We’re thankful for all that was accomplished for the Kingdom through LPA this last year; over 136,000 recorded decisions for Jesus with believers trained and churches united, millions hearing the Gospel through the media and for more than 100 evangelistic events around the world! 

We continue the vision this year through proclaiming the Good News (9 festivals this year, media outreach and supporting the Global Network of Evangelists), uniting the Church as the body of Christ,  and impacting cities worldwide! 

Please join us in prayer, open and read the reports below for more details, and participate in our hour of prayer together January 28! Let our prescription be through the lens of prayer.

Looking Up in the Name of Jesus,
Gail Stockamp

"For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer" (1 Peter 3:12).

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Andrew and Wendy Palau in Egypt, February 6-9 | Report

• Asia | Global Network of Evangelists Festivals in Myanmar, January 11-23 | Report

• North America | Space Coast CityFest in Florida, March 21-29; NGA Advance Groups growing | Report

• Europe | Momentum building for 2020 festivals in three strategic cities | Report

• Latin America | March pastors conference in BA; Political unrest in many countries| Report

• Caribbean | NGA partners embracing opportunities in Cuba | Report

SHARE

Please forward this email to your praying friends and invite them to join us. They can sign up at www.nationalprayerteam.org to receive future emails and prayer requests. If it helps, print out the requests and keep them in a spot where you’ll remember to pray. (It helps me!)

SAVE THE DATE, HEAR FROM LUIS

Please join us January 28 for our one-hour national quarterly conference prayer call: 1 p.m. Pacific, 2 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m. Central, and 4 p.m. Eastern time. Luis, Andrew, and Kevin will join us! Details to follow! It will be a wonderful hour to seek God in prayer!

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

December 2019 Update

WONDERFUL PRAYER

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

It’s Christmas time which is often referred to as the most wonderful time of the year! We know it’s wonderful because it’s the celebration of Jesus’ birth.

In this season, I’ve been recently thinking on the words “wonder” and “wonderful.” Wonder has two possible definitions. As a noun, it’s a feeling of surprise mingle with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, or inexplicable. Wonderful is inspiring delight, pleasure, or admiration – extremely good. As a verb, it’s is a desire to be curious to know something.

I often wonder about our fallen world. I wonder about the condition of our divided nation and why bad things happen to good people.

Why do children get cancer? Why did Luis get stage IV lung cancer? Why did my 92-year-old mother fall and is now confused wondering why she’s in rehab and not at home with Jesus? I wonder why any of us have to endure the trails and tribulations of life – broken relationships, financial stresses, health issues, death of loved ones – the list goes on.

But as Christians, we know the answer to why so much heartache happens. It’s sin.

I hope for you in this holiday season that you will be stirred to a deeper wonder of how God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you and deal with that sin. It’s so wonderful!

Here are a few version to encourage you toward deeper wonder of our wonderful Savior:

• “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Psalm 139: 13-14).

• “You are wonderful, Lord, and you deserve all praise, because you are much greater than anyone can understand. Each generation will announce to the next your wonderful and powerful deeds. I will keep thinking about your marvelous glory and mighty miracles” (Psalm 145:3-5).

• “O LORD my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to the list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them” (Psalm 40:5).

• “What a wildly wonderful world, God. You made it all with wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations” (Psalm 104:24).

Celebrating Jesus’ birth makes this time of year so wonderful!

The Christmas story is one of the most familiar stories in the Bible. When we are familiar with things, we tend to not celebrate them as we once did. Complacency sets in and robs us of our wonder. We may no longer be gripped by the stunningly magnificent events and truths of the birth of Jesus. The busyness of the season with holiday shopping, cards needing to be mailed, gift wrapping, baking, and parties can captures the wonder of our hearts and control the way we live.

That’s why it's vital to draw toward the wonder of the coming of our great Lord and Savior, Jesus. He is our redeemer, restoring all people back to Himself. How wonderful to have that truth and hope! How wonderful it is to share that hope with others in our broken and hurting world. How wonderful it is to pray knowing our Lord is hearing us and will answer us.

Thank you for faithfully praying for the mighty work of the Palau team who proclaim the wonders of Christ! Have a wonderful Christmas season as we ponder what Christ did for us and how the Palau ministry is getting His Word out to all!

Merry Christmas and Happy “Holy” Days!

In the Wonderful Name of Jesus,
Gail Stockamp

“Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11).

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keep them in your prayers:

• Africa | Exciting events and locations for 2020 | Report

• Asia | Praise Andrew and the teams trip to Beijing and Harbin | Report

• North America | NGA launch in Canada, Florida festival in March | Report

• Europe | Prepared Hearts in Berlin; 20 NGA Events in Romania and Moldova | Report

• Latin America | Instituto Biblico continues to be a powerful ministry tool | Report

• Caribbean | Updates for Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Bahamas and Puerto Rico | Report

  SAVE THE DATE

Please save the date for our next one-hour national quarterly conference prayer call on January 28, 2020. 1 p.m. Pacific, 2 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m. Central, and 4 p.m. Eastern time.

November 2019 Update

THE SWEET TASTE OF PRAYER

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8).

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching! A time when we in the United States celebrate all that we’re thankful for with a feast of delicious foods with family and friends. We are blessed to have our tables full of savory and sweet dishes and desserts. It’s also a time to bless others less fortunate who may not be able to enjoy a special meal otherwise.
 
How about spiritually? Are we feasting on God’s Word or starving? God wants us to be nourished in Him and His will. He wants to bless us and lavish on us in abundance! In the abundance of His love and in abundant life, both here on earth and into eternity. 
 
He says, “I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly” (John 10:10b).
 
Here’s a few more choice morsels of what the Bible says about abundance and feasting:

• “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Luke 6:38).

• "The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, and refined, aged wine” (Isaiah 25:6).

• "But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind" (Luke 14:13).

We’re blessed to live in a country where we have the freedom to  fill ourselves up with God’s Word by having Bible’s easily accessible as well as devotionals, Bible studies, and prayer groups.  Let’s help others less fortunate and share this beautiful bounty with those starving for truth, light, and life! 

We enjoy sharing edible recipes, how about sharing a spiritual recipe? I encourage you today to share your favorite Bible verse, book, or share in a time of prayer with a friend who will be blessed by the encouragement.
 
As we hunger and thirst for Jesus and digest His Word, may we do so prayerfully. Prayer does taste sweet and is such a blessing as we experienced that together in our quarterly conference call last month.  Luis, Andrew and the LPA team share the gospel so beautifully and abundantly as they want no one to go hungry and spiritually starve to death for eternity!
 
Continue to pray and thank God with me for Luis' continued life here on earth! We praise God in how He has used Luis’ cancer to share the message of heaven to countless souls! We praise God in how He is using Luis in his continuing to teach and preach as well as mentor and equip other pastors. Hebrews 13:7 says,"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Consider Luis’ life and faith as he celebrates his 85th birthday November 27! Please pray for a miracle of zero cancer and for God’s healing power to be on his body. Just as the Lord extended Hezekiah’s life, please pray 2 Kings 20:5b-6a with me: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you . . . And I will add to your days fifteen years.” 
 
If you feel inclined, send Luis a card of thanks to the office with “Happy Birthday” wishes!
 
I thank God for each of YOU too, and for joining me in prayer on the NWPT; for the Palau team and the rich banquet available for all who come to salvation in Christ!
 
Abundantly Thanking Him in Jesus Name,
Gail Stockamp
 
“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His steadfast love endures forever” (Psalm 118:29).

PRAYER REPORTS

 Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Love CapeTown CityFest happening now | Report

• Asia | Andrew in China in early December; NGA in Cambodia and Vietnam | Report

• North America | NGA launch in Canada, Florida festival in March | Report

• Europe | Prepared Hearts in Berlin; 20 NGA Events in Romania and Moldova | Report

• Latin America | Unrest in Chile cancels trip, Instituto Biblico continues a powerful ministry tool | Report

• Caribbean | Open doors and resources for Cuba and other strategic places | Report

October 2019 Update

OPEN DOORS THROUGH PRAYER

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7).

On a recent trip my husband and I had the joy of visiting the “Ark Encounter” in Kentucky, a full size replica of Noah’s ark! We also went to the Museum of the Bible in Washington D.C. Wow! I highly recommend both of these experiences. Many things impressed me at these awesome sites, but what struck me at both were their huge doors!

It got me thinking about doors and what the Bible says about them:

• The Ark Door: safety and earthly life by entering the ark. “Go into the ark, you and all your household” (Genesis 7:1).

• The Passover Door: protection from the angel of death. “The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are.  And when I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13).  

• The Temple’s Inner Doors (Curtain): separating sinful man from Holy God. "And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split” (Matthew 27:51).

• The Sheep’s Door: He is our Good Shepherd. "Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep" (John 10:7).

• The Cross: the bridge between sinful man and Almighty God. "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved” (John 10:9).

• The Tomb’s Door: Jesus’ victory over death and the devil. "But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away” (Mark 16:4). “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:6).

• The Narrow Door: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Many families will literally be opening their doors later this month on Halloween. A treat I love to share along with candy is an evangelism tract sharing Jesus (and I tell them this is the best treat)! It can’t get any easier than that, and they come to me!  In fact, we don’t have a “No Soliciting” sign on our door because when people come to our door, it’s open to promote and share Jesus. They might have their agenda, but when we open our door, we have an agenda too!

Luis, Andrew, and the entire Palau team have an important agenda! We can keep them in prayer through the power of the Holy Spirit as they work hard opening the door through evangelism for people to open their hearts to God!

One of Luis’ favorite Bible verses is a verse he uses many times when he closes his message to allow people to respond to the Good News. It’s Revelation 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” We want to pray for all to be saved and walk through the open door of eternal life.

Let’s bring Luis, Andrew, the entire Palau team to Jesus in prayer and help them open the door to salvation for all.

Praying for open doors in Jesus Name,
Gail Stockamp

PRAYER REPORTS

 Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Preparations, God’s guidance for Love Cape Town in early November | Report

• Asia | A visit planned to Harbin and Beijing November 29 - December 9 | Report

• North America | Praise for CityFest East Texas, gearing up for Brevard County | Report

• Europe | Upcoming Festivals in Berlin, Wolverhampton, and Mulhouse | Report

• Latin America | NGA at work; Preparations for Buenos Aires 2020 and beyond | Report

• Caribbean | Open doors and resources for Cuba, South Caribbean, and Jamaica | Report

SAVE THE DATE, OCTOBER 29!

Mark your calendar! I encourage you to save the date, OCTOBER 29 for our next quarterly conference prayer call 1 p.m. Pacific time, 2 p.m. Mountain, 3 p.m. Central, 4 p.m. Eastern time. Call in details to follow!

"I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8).

September 2019 Update

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2).

As the school year begins and we walk through our neighborhood by our local high school, we see the kids out practicing for football, cheerleading, lacrosse, etc. They’re getting back in condition as they practice physically, individually and as a team, to be their best. They also condition mentally as they grow in knowledge as school resumes. But what about spiritually? Luis once shared that Americans work hard to improve their bodies and minds, but spiritually we’re withering! How do we improve spiritually?

I believe it begins with the practice of prayer! Colossians 4:2 says that we can practice prayer in three ways: steadfastly, watchfully, and with thanksgiving.

Practice Steadfastly In Prayer

Jesus practiced praying. In fact He modeled this well for us, with steadfast earnestness! Athletes practice this regularly in spite of weather or weariness. Wouldn’t that be life-changing if we sought that same steadfastness spiritually in disciplined prayer?

"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13).

Practice Watchfully in Prayer

The dictionary describes “watch” as “vigilance and expectancy as contrasted with laxity and indifference.” When we’re attentive in prayer, it requires concentration and focus. Jesus asked this of His disciples and He asks the same from us too.

A prayer life marked by watchfulness is one where the distractions of sleepiness, anxieties, personal struggles and conflicts are replaced by attentiveness and expectation.

"Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).

Practice Thankfulness in Prayer

A grateful heart keeps us humble. Expressing thanks during prayer reminds us that all we have is from God, and not because of our own efforts. God’s Word tells us that thankfulness is to be found in all our prayers.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).

As we practice going to God in prayer, let us rely fully on Him instead of ourselves and see God show up in amazing ways through answered prayer. Be encouraged by Christ’s reminder to watch and pray. His example of steadfastness, watchfulness, and thankfulness teaches us to rely on what God can do through our prayers, rather than rely on ourselves. If we’re out of a routine of communing with God, let’s get back in the rhythm of prayer.

Will you join me in earnestly praying for Luis, Andrew and our Palau team? Will you watch with me in confidence to see how the Holy Spirit will work through the Next Generation Alliance (NGA) and City Gospel Movements (CGM)? Let’s pray together in thanksgiving for transformed lives through the Palau ministry by the Holy Spirit! Thank God with me for how well Luis is doing and how his cancer is being used for God’s glory!

Practicing Prayer In Jesus Name,
Gail Stockamp

PRAYER REPORTS

Please enjoy opening the regional updates below and keeping them in your prayers:

• Africa | Malawi Prayer Summit Sept 16-17, Praises for Nigeria and more! | Report

• Asia | God’s wisdom and favor to visit Harbin and Beijing in December | Report

• North America | CityFest East Texas with Andrew October 4-6 | Report

• Europe | Advance 2020 Summit October 12th, Events in UK, Germany and France | Report

• Latin America | Preparations for Buenos Aires 2020 and Beyond | Report

• Caribbean | Resources for Cuba, South Caribbean and Jamaica | Report

LET’S PRAY TOGETHER

Save the date now and practice the power of prayer with us: October 29th! Our next quarterly conference call, 1pm Pacific time, 2pm Mountain, 3pm central, 4pm eastern time.

“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future" (1 Timothy 4:8).