Neighbor Prayer Update

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear….
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail, …then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land
and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.”
The mouth of the LORD has spoken.
(Isaiah 58)

As you pray today (this week) for Neighbors who will be celebrating the end of Ramadan (Eid ul-Fitr), ask God to shine His light of mercy and love on them, bring spiritual healing to their lives and communities, give them the true joy of personal relationship with Christ and a share in their intended inheritance (promise) that He has for them (as spiritual sons and daughters of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob….).

Here are today’s Prayer Requests –

1. From colleagues serving in the Sealands: “We’ll be travelling across the island (and fighting traffic to do so) to be with friends at Idul Fitri. Pray for a good time of fellowship and sharing. May the love and joy of Christ be evident in our lives.” Even though this family will be celebrating with neighbors, their hearts will also be heavy due to an illness in their family. Their uncle was recently diagnosed with lung cancer that has spread to his bones. Ask God to give S & T peace of mind, knowing that their uncle’s life and health are in God’s loving hands.

2. From a MBB brother in Pakistan, requesting prayer for his nation (especially during this time of upheaval, political uncertainty, recent bombings, etc): “I bless God the Father in Christ, for His Grace, that He called me from The darkness into His Holy Light, during 1985, when the Divine Power of The Lord God just drew me to Him. I thank God that now He has shown me His Love for Christ, for the Gospel and the Spirit of Witness of Christ urges me to reach to my Neighbor brothers and sisters, that I may reach to them, like Paul of the New Testament. I offer all my life, my ability, my talents, all myself to the Gospel of Christ, so that I may preach Christ to Neighbors, with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Please accept me as a fellow-worker to serve God and His people. Please pray that I can start door-to-door visits in this city and near-by places, correspondence service with Neighbors via e-mail reply and web sites. May our Lord God, fill me with His Divine Wisdom, with His Divine Holy Word and with the Courageous Strength of His Holy Spirit, so that I can obey the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus to the all nations, especially the Neighbors of Pakistan. Thanks that you pray for the Work of the Lord God in Pakistan and I offer my service for the same to glorify the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Remaining Faithful to the Call of God. Yours in Him — Khalid

3. From team members serving in a “gateway” city: I have learned the mother-tongue of a neighbor people group to almost a survival level. I will now be out of context for 3.5 months. Please pray that daily language study review will allow me to at least sustain my current level. Also lift up my many pre-belief friends whom I will not see for this period of time. My periodic phone calls and emails will not be enough. Rejoice with me that the Lord’s Spirit will continue to speak to their hearts as He was before I even met them.

4. Continue to live up our Iranian friend Massoud, who is currently very busy selling his products at a night bizaar. He is hoping that God will bless him with brisk sales. However, his late night selling and focus on business may be distracting him from the real purpose of Ramadan. He has thankfully acknowledged receiving the email with the VIDEO TESTIMONY but as of yet he has not indicated watching it. Pray that he WILL take the time to quiet himself and watch it, and in so doing will find that Isa al Masih truly is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

5. Pray for Abigail who is serving as a dorm “mom” at a Christian boarding house in Quiapo, Philippines. Neighbor girls are sent to Manila from the provinces to study. Ask God to bless Abigail’s relationship with these girls. May they see a genuine love and Christlikeness in Abigail’s life and be drawn to Jesus through her.

6. From today’s “30-Days of Prayer” –  Pray for the 5 million Hindko-speaking people of Pakistan:

• that Hindko believers would overcome their fear of persecution .
• for additional believers willing to lovingly serve Hindko speakers through practical means.
• that God would reveal Himself through various means including dreams and visions among Hindko speakers.
• that Hindko speakers would have access to God’s Word in their own language through print, audio recordings, radio and the internet.
• http://www.30-days.net/muslims/muslims-in/asia-south-central/pakistans-hindko-speakers/

7. What is Eid ul-Fitr (or Id-Ul-Fitr) or in Malay Hari Raya Puasa and how should we pray?  Eid ul-Fitr is a three day Neighbor holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. Eid is Arabic for “festivity” and Fit means “to break the fast.” This is a very festive time of dressing up, visiting the homes of family and friends, sharing food and gifts, and community prayer celebrations. Pray for Neighbors that you know personally. And if you are invited to participate in their festivities, count it a great honour and a sign of their respect and friendship. This may be the open door for many to come to really know Isa al Masih through your life. If you are not fortunate to be invited to such a celebration, please pray for the many believers who will be that they will spread the light, life, love and joy of Christ.

1. From friends in the Sealands: “With the conclusion of the month long fasting period on October 1 & 2, many believers will have increased contact with their neighbor family members, their neighbor co-workers, and neighboring neighbors. Pray that God will use these contacts and visits to be times of blessing and bridge building. Pray for opportunistic conversations.”

2. Also from workers in Indonesia: “Mr. F is a committed believer layman who has found email to be an effective way to share hi Hope with his co-worker neighbor. Pray for increased opportunity and wisdom for Mr. F. Pray for more desire to know and more questions from his co-worker.”

3. From colleagues serving in a “gateway city”: “In late August we said a temporary “Goodbye” to our neighbor friends who reside in ____________ city. Our friends represent four grossly under-reached neighbor people groups. We will miss our new friends as we will not see them again until January 2009. During these three-and-a-half months we will stay in touch with them via phone and email. We know that,
as many pray, the Holy Spirit will continue to graciously drawn them to our Lord.”

4. Continue to lift of our pastors and churches in (Orissa) Southern India…that in the midst of violence (even death) that the Holy Spirit will encourage and sustain them, and that they will continue to show a spirit of love and forgiveness to their persecutors. And by their love, may many of their unreached neighbors be drawn to Christ.

5. Intercede for our Iranian friend, Massoud. Since sending him the video testimony we have not heard from him, but a colleague will follow up this weekend. Pray that the eyes of Massoud’s heart will be opened to Jesus Christ as “the way, the truth and the life….” as he watches this video testimony. May this soon become Massoud’s testimony.

6. From today’s “30-Days of Prayer” lets intercede for the Minangkabau people of Indonesia. Numbering about 8,659,000, they are the fourth largest ethnic group in Indonesia and exercise significant influence in the country. While some Minangkabau are scattered across the country on various islands, they originate from the province of West Sumatra. Please pray that:

Minangkabau Girl

• the Holy Spirit will open the hearts of the Minangkabau to the truth that only Jesus can bring salvation, and that He can free them from a life of fear.
• Minangkabau people, including Lina and her family, will no longer look to the dukuns to solve their problems but rather they will look to Jesus for help and healing.
• whole families of the Minangkabau will come to a trusting reliance on Jesus.

7. Finally, this is also a quick appeal from a worker in Iran, for the church inside Iran that has been experiencing an increase in persecution. Pray for strength, peace, mercy and courage for them. In spite of this increased pressure, they report: The team here is doing well and we are seeing open doors on everyside. Visas for workers are available. Open doors for Op Mercy projects, tent making and starting businesses are possible. Please pray for our Op Mercy personnel that the Lord would strengthen them in their faith and that they would recieve great courage from Him—the Lord of Peace.

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.
The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth:
“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.’ “They will be called the Holy People,
the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After,
the City No Longer Deserted.”
(Isaiah 62:10-12)

Earlier in this passage from Isaiah 62, it says I have posted watchmen on your walls…they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest….” May we too be like watchmen who continually call on the Lord for the nations, so that many others will be called “Redeemed of the Lord!”

1. Intercede particularly for our Iranian friend, Massoud. He is very close to the Kingdom and is seeking a closer relationship with God. One of our colleagues has been meeting with him and Massoud is very open to dialogue about Christ and Scripture. This colleague will share a video testimony with Massoud this weekend about another Iranian who had a beautiful encounter with the Lord and was deeply loved and forgiven. Pray that the eyes of his heart will be opened to Jesus Christ as “the way, the truth and the life….” as he watches this video testimony. May this soon become Massoud’s testimony.

2. From the 30-Days of Prayer calendar, please pray for the people of Tunisia,

Arab Tunisian

particularly the 120,000 who reside in the city of Kairouan. Some believers in Kairouan are convinced that God has asked them to “raise a banner of praise” over this city, just as he called the worshippers to lead the march around Jericho. By His grace, they claim the promises of Isaiah 62 for their city. Pray through this text with Kairouan in mind.

3. Mark & Denise are developing a good relationship with a Malay couple who is very open to dialogue about Christ. Mark & Denise have been invited to attend a Hari Raya celebration with this couple’s family. Pray that they will have opportunity to share the Gospel and exalt Christ at this family gathering at the home of Murni.

4. Lift up Ahmad, who continues to suffer from diabetes, heart and kidney problems. He and his wife, Aida, run a canteen near a colleague’s office. These believers have been able to pray with Ahmad and have given him a Jesus Film in his language. Pray that Ahmad will watch the DVD and be drawn to seek physical and spiritual healing from Isa al Masih.

5. Joe & Kathy are serving in a gateway city in a creative access area, developing very good relationships with their language teacher and her extended family. Recently Joe & Kathy were able to attend a festive wedding and were very included as “part of the family.” Kathy has also been offered a full time teaching job at a school in this area. Pray that these open doors and developing friendships will lead to the salvation of many people in this family and in the communities beyond.

6. Stan and Tracy are serving as teachers in Indonesia in a predominately neighbor city and community. Every day they are awakened very early by the call to prayer from the many mosques that surround them, and are daily reminded during Ramadan for their own need to fast and pray for their neighbors. Ask God to give Stan and Tracy (and their two small children) a deepening sense of love and compassion for their neighbors that is constantly displayed in their actions and attitudes. May God send them men and women of peace who will become the catalysts for a church planting movement amongst these precious people.

Dear Praying Neighbors,

Urgent prayer is requested for Nazarenes in Orissa and other Christians suffering at this time. Pray also for the Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and JESUS Film staff who are currently preparing to respond and help wherever they can.

Orphanage set ablaze by angry mob.

As the violence continues to spread in Orissa, India, many Christians remain in hiding after days of riots that have left many dead and countless Christian homes and churches burnt or destroyed.

Last week, two Nazarene congregations were mourning the death of their pastors–Purna Digal of the Baliguda Church of the Nazarene and Purendra Digal of the Bataguda Church of the Nazarene. Both pastors were killed by a mob on Friday night, August 29, and their churches burned and homes destroyed while the villagers fled into the jungle. Both were leaders of the JESUS Film church mission group in Orissa.

In similar incidents, Nazarene churches in at least six villages were burned down and homes of countless Nazarene families were destroyed or burned by the angry mobs.

Visit NCNnews for more details: http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?id=10006338

We can pray as Jesus prayed for his disciples in John 17:

“Faither, our  prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that you keep them by Your name and protect them from the evil one…Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
As you sent (Christ) into the world, (continue to send) them into the world….(may) they too may be truly sanctified.” (JOHN 17:14-19)

A donation account has been established through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in the General Treasurer’s Office. All funds should be forwarded noting the account “India Civil Unrest-AMC1600″ to the General Treasurer, 6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131. Those desiring to send funds after September 10, 2008, please use the new address: General Treasurer Church of the Nazarene, Global Ministry Center, 17001 Prairie Star Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66220. In Canada, checks should be made payable and sent to the Church of the Nazarene Canada, 20 Regan Road, Unit 9, Brampton, Ontario L7A 1C3. Online donating will be available shortly at ncm.org.
–NCM

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
(Jesus the Anointed One, Luke 4:18-19)

** May our prayers today for Neighbors be filled with petitions for their freedom, recovery, and release. May they have ears (and opportunities) to hear the Good News,
and experience the favor of God in their lives. **

1. From “30-Days of Prayer“, for Friday, 5 September, Ramadan 2008. “Loving Muslims Through Prayer” (The Challenge: Winning the Bugis peoples)…….

A Bugis young lady

The vast majority of the Bugis in Indonesia (over 3.5 million) live on the south-western peninsula of Sulawesi Island. For the Bugis people, Islam is part of their ethnic, as well as, their religious identity. They have a reputation of being fanatical with a history of violence against non-believers. In addition to following Islam, many Bugis people are involved in animistic spiritual practices such as seeking power from spirits of the dead, seeking help from dukuns (shamans), and using amulets and charms. Due to their links to dark spiritual forces, the Bugis people present a great challenge for those who seek to reach them with the love and truth of the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah (Isa Al-Masih). Here are some specific ways you can intercede for the Bugis people:

• That the barriers of Islam and occult practices among the Bugis will be overcome by the Holy Spirit.
• That the Good News will spread powerfully and that Jesus will be honoured among the Bugis people.
• For more Indonesian workers who demonstrate great sacrificial faith to build God’s kingdom. May financial matters not become a distraction to their ministries.
• Pray for those Bugis students and migrant workers who have moved to cities on the region for work and studies, that they’ll be open to new TRUTH, and that their colleagues and fellow students will share Christ with them.

2. From colleagues serving in SEAsia: “We recently received a call from a friend, asking if we would come and pray for a baby who was sick. At the hospital I sat down beside the bed and touched Ezekiel’’s head. Just a month earlier he had been a healthy, chubby, and happy first child of his parents. Then he suddenly got very sick. Now, as a five-month-old baby, he was suffering with fluid on his brain and lungs. After praying, I stood up again and was getting ready to leave when suddenly the door opened and in walked the mother and father with several other friends and family. They were happy that I had prayed and they they asked me if I had something to share from the Word of God!

Wow! Praise the Lord! Through acts of love and kindness, God is opening the hearts of Neighbors to His Word. Please join our team there in praying:

• For the physical healing of little Ezekiel, and the spiritual healing of his family.
• Remember our friends and neighbors who are fasting this month, trying to please God and find new spiritual strength, that they would, indeed, find a new and deeper understanding of who God is and the great love He has for them.
• Remember Kasih and Yati’s father as they continue to recover.
• For our colleague’s family — health, adjustment to life and language in this country, guidance for their two kids in local school, and open doors of ministry for the parents as they volunteer this semester at one of the local public universities.

3. From partners serving in the Southern Philippines and South Asia:

Our Bajao ministry is under HUGE spiritual attack and we URGENTLY need your prayers. One of the new Bajao pastors is stirring up dissension amongst the fragile group of believers and the Bible College students.

Bajau Woman

Please pray for these specific needs in this situation:

• That an upcoming meeting with this pastor will be production and redemptive.
• For the Lord’s intervention in the pastor’s heart.
• The need for an audio Bible in their language and the equipment to listen (such as MP3 players).