Weekly Newsletter - June 8, 2007

Honoring Cpl. Joseph Anzack Jr.

Joseph Anzack Jr. graduated from South High School, located in my hometown of Torrance, California, in June 2005. Joseph made national news last month when he and Pvt. Byron Fouty and Spc. Alex Jimenez were believed to be taken hostage by an al-Qaida-affiliated group in Iraq. On May 23rd, Joseph's body was found floating in the Euphrates River south of Baghdad.

On June 1st, Joseph was honored as a hometown hero. His flag-draped casket inside a horse-pulled white-wheeled carriage passed through the streets of Torrance, returning his body to where he graduated less than two years ago. The City of Torrance was never more united, as thousands of her citizens paid tribute to Joseph in the streets as well as in South High Football Stadium.

On June 6th, Cpl. Joseph Anzack Jr., at the young age of 20, was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full honors, a formal procession, Army honor guards, a 21-gun salute and a bugler playing taps. I had the privilege being there with my family with permission of Joseph Anzack Sr.

As I stood with my wife and two young children, behind the Anzack family and next to some of the soldiers who served with Joseph, I realized that I was standing on sacred ground. In the background of this somber graveside service were many hundreds of graves of soldiers who, like Joseph, gave their lives in Iraq.


WHAT ARE WE WILLING TO LIVE FOR?

Joseph knew the dangers of war and was willing to pay the ultimate price, and he did. As of June 7th, he is among the 3,487 men and women who have given their lives for our nation and the people of Iraq. What are we willing to give our lives for? Are we willing to come before the Almighty in great humility and total trust in the One who died for us all and plead for the release of His grace and mercy?

We must be broken before our Lord for the sins of the Church which are bringing judgment upon our nation and be restored. Then our prayers will be like incense and be pleasing to the Lord (Revelations 5:8-10 and 8:3-4).

When our prayers touch God's heart:

*We will better discern the intercessions of Jesus and come into agreement with Him.

*We will be the answers to Jesus' prayer in John 17 and become ONE with Him and ONE with one another.

*He will move and be victorious in the war against terrorism as well as the cultural war that rages in every American city.

*His strong and mighty arms will move and execute judgment over the "Prince of Persia" and the "Jezebels."

*He will silence the false teachers/prophets as well those who are promoting evil agendas.

*He will fight for our soldiers in Iraq and bring them home safely.


Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.
Psalm 33:12


Praying with you,
Prayer Surge Now

Let us remember Cpl. Joseph Anzack Jr. by going to:
http://www.militarycity.com/valor/2786090.html
http://web.go2db.com/media/anzack/
http://www.dailybreeze.com/photos?galleryID=7874212&picID=1&c=y