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DEAR READERS
I recently had the privilege of attending the Aglow
International Conference in Indianapolis, the crossroads of
America. Aglow International, led by Jane Hansen, is in 156
nations, has 10,000 women in leadership and can mobilize one
million women in their Global House of Prayer! As a prayer
leader I was so encouraged to see the nations gathering to
worship Jesus and to hear from anointed ministries. The Spirit
of God moved powerfully in their midst and breathed new life and
purpose into the delegates from all over the world. Aglow is
undergoing change to adapt to the purposes of God, including
reaching out to the women of Islam, and standing in the gap for
Israel and the Jewish people as an Esther company - 'for such a
time as this'. The Heart For Zion Conference in Bellingham, two
weeks ago, was also a sobering and informative time concerning
events in the Middle East. We can both pray for the peace of
Jerusalem and for Isaiah 19:24-25 to come to pass. 'Blessed be
Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my
inheritance.'
SHARIAH LAW - ONTARIO
Alarm bells have been ringing in a flurry
of e-mails from across the world by concerned intercessors. Has
Canada gone Muslim? Not quite. Under Ontario's Arbitration Act
the provincial courts are now required to uphold agreements
negotiated through an arbitrator as long as they are not
'unreasonable' or in violation of the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms.The newly formed Islamic Institute of Civil Justice
will appoint and train arbitrators to resolve civil disputes
according to Shariah law for Muslims. Shariah is a complex body
of law based on Islamic principles and Muslims should resolve
all their commercial and personal disputes according to its
tenets. The number of Muslims in Canada more than doubled from
253,300 in 1991 to 579,600 in 2001, representing 2% of the total
population. So what is the spiritual significance for Canadian
Christians (and Jews)?
This is the latest step in a long struggle
to have Islamic law recognized in Canada. We have learnt
recently that what is legalized in one province can soon become
law in another province. As Muslims increase in a nation so
their lifestyle-religion grows in influence through Islamic
schools and political influence. Anti-semitism can also grow in
intensity as we have recently seen in France with 6 million
Muslims. Across North America Jewish students are intimidated in
the colleges. Significantly this could also positively affect
increased 'Aliyah'. The growing influence of Islam in the UK has
led Church leaders there to warn that it is inevitable that
Islam will control the UK if God does not intervene. We need to
pray and repent as this feels like more judgment upon the
Church. We have failed to stop the slaughter of one million
babies in the last 10 years in Canada. Islam would not permit
abortion, the blood of the innocents cries out. Have mercy Lord!
AGLOW OF CANADA
At the International Conference for Aglow, in Indianapolis, the
retiring President for Canada, Zee Jones, was honoured for her
15 years of service to the women of Canada. She has passed the
baton to Sheryl Lindberg from Bowmanville, Ontario. For the last
five years Sheryl has been the national prayer coordinator for
Aglow and now assumes the leadership with a passion for the
women of Canada to be walking in victory in Christ. Lift Sheryl
and her husband Larry up to the Lord as they adapt to this huge
change in their family life.
SO HELP ME GOD!
So help me God! Those were the words with
which our new Prime Minister completed the oath of office
yesterday (Friday) A few moments earlier they had sung O Canada
but also included a traditional Aboriginal Cleansing ceremony!
Why was this? Paul Martin needs our prayers. He is 65 years old
and no stranger to Canadian government. His father, another Paul
Martin, was also a Liberal cabinet minister who served four
Prime Ministers. Today, (Saturday), Mr. Martin held his first
cabinet meeting. Next week, the new ministers will receive a
crash course in the inner workings of government and take
seminars with former cabinet minister Brian Tobin and others.
The full cabinet is listed below for those who may want to pray
over them individually, but real political power also rests with
the hidden cabinet - his closest advisors. These are Chief of
Staff - Tim Murphy, and Principal Secretary - Francis Fox, and
the Clerk of the Privy Council - Alex Himelfarb. These three
need to come under strong intercession for their influence in
the nation.
THE CABINET
- Prime Minister:
Paul
Martin
- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness:
Anne
McLellan
- Minister of Finance:
Ralph
Goodale
- Minister of Health, Minister of
Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister responsible for
Official Languages:
Pierre
Pettigrew
- Minister of National Defence:
David
Pratt
- Minister of Transport:
Tony
Valeri
- Minister of Human Resources and Skills
Development:
Joe
Volpe
- Minister of International Trade:
Jim
Peterson
- Minister of Industry and Minister
responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for
the Regions of Quebec:
Lucienne
Robillard
- Minister of the Environment:
David
Anderson
- Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Bill
Graham
- Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food:
Bob
Speller
- Minister of Justice and Attorney-General
of Canada:
Irwin
Cotler
- Minister of Public Works and Government
Services:
Stephen
Owen
- Minister of Citizenship and Immigration:
Judy
Sgro
- Minister of National Revenue and
Minister of State (Sport):
Stan
Keyes
- Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern
Development:
Andy
Mitchell
- Leader of the Government in the Senate:
Jacob
Austin
- Minister of Labour and Minister
responsible for Homelessness:
Claudette
Bradshaw
- President of the Queen's Privy Council
for Canada, Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status
Indians, Minister responsible for La Francophonie, and
Minister responsible for the Office of Indian Residential
Schools Resolution:
Denis
Coderre
- Minister of Western Economic
Diversification:
Rey
D. Pagtakhan
- Minister of Veterans Affairs:
John
McCallum
- President of the Treasury Board and
Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Boards:
Reginald
Alcock
- Minister of Fisheries and Oceans:
Geoff
Regan
- Leader of the Government in the House of
Commons and Minister responsible for Democratic Reform:
Jacques
Saada
- Minister of Social Development:
Liza
Frulla
- Minister of Canadian Heritage:
Hélène
Chalifour Scherrer
- Minister of Natural Resources:
John
Efford
- Minister of State (Children and Youth):
Ethel
Blondin-Andrew
- Minister of State (Infrastructure):
Andy
Scott
- Minister of State (New and Emerging
Markets):
Gar
Knutson
- Minister of State (Financial
Institutions):
Denis
Paradis
- Minister of State (Multiculturalism and
Status of Women):
Jean
Augustine
- Minister of State (Federal Economic
Development Initiative for Northern Ontario):
Joe
Comuzzi
- Associate Minister of National Defence
and Minister of State (Civil Preparedness):
Albina
Guarnieri
- Minister of Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency:
Joseph
McGuire
- Minister of State (Public Health):
Carolyn
Bennett
- Minister for International Cooperation:
Aileen
Carroll
- Deputy Leader of the Government in the
House of Commons
Mauril
Bélanger
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