Neighbor Prayer Update

“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
(Zephania 3:17)

After reading this passage last week I felt led to send it via text message (SMS) to a Malay friend whose mother was in the hospital.  God’s word spoke to that family and they are showing more openness to conversation about Isa al Masih.   This week as you pray for neighbors, recognize (with confidence) again that it is only GOD and His living word that can convict, convince, draw and save people.

1. Praise the Lord, our Iranian friend, Massoud joined us last week for a bible study.  He said afterwards that he’d like to continue coming.  Pray that God’s word, and our team’s witness, will lead Massoud into personal relationship with Jesus Christ….as “the way, the truth and the life.”

2.  A colleague has been given the opportunity to coach a girl’s soccer team, consisting of Malay and Indian middle school girls.  Ask God to give Angie clear direction and wisdom to know how to best use this opportunity to influence these girls for Christ.

3. In addition, Angie and her son have been asked to give some private soccer coaching to some Malay boys in their community. Pray that this coaching relationship will open doors for spiritual mentoring as well.

4.  It has been a week of unrest and violence.  People in Madrid, Kabul, Assam State are suffering from several recent unrelated terrorist attacks.  In each location, may the people of God rise up to offer healing, hope, peace and reconciliation in the name of Christ.

5. Pakistani brothers and sisters are suffering again, this time from a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the province of Baluchistan on Wednesday, killing at least 215 people and leaving another 15,000 homeless.  Pray that the love of Christ will be plainly seen as Christians respond with compassion by offering clothing, food, shelter and medical assistance.

6.  Adapted from this week’s “Intercede Magazine”….please pray:

• for increased Christian witness to Neighbors in Australia, Europe, and the United States. May opportunities for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be heard by Neighbors abound.
• for the millions of Neighbors attending mosques today (and every Jumaa – Friday). Pray the Lord would reveal his love to them in miraculous ways.
• for Neighbors across North Africa…that the Gospel would reach the hearts of so many hungry people.
• for Christian teachers working in secondary schools in Neighbor countries. Pray that doors will open for them to share the love of Jesus Christ.
• for thousands of Neighbors in Latin America. Pray that the Latin American Church will seize the opportunity for ministry to Neighbors.
• for MBBs across the Neighbor world desperately searching for discipleship and fellowship.

Jesus taught:
“Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’?
I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest….
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
(John 4:35) (Luke 10:2)

Oswald Chambers emphasizes the importance of these passages when he writes, “The key to the missionary’s difficult task in in the hand of God, and that key is prayer….(When you) ‘pray the Lord of the Harvest,” He will engineer your circumstances to send you out as His laborer.” So as you pray this week for workers who are already out “in the fields,” and also asking God to raise up new laborers, may YOU also be open to going, serving, or even just loving your neighbors right next door.

1. Requests from various colleagues serving in Singapore:

• A worker in the Malay community: “We need God to raise up more workers to love and serve and reach the Malay community, both here and in Malaysia. May there be an awakening in the church to reach these neglected neighbors.”
• Lift up H…. and F…. the parents of an ex-offender, Nori. A colleague has been involved with this family as a mentor / counselor after Nori’s release from prison. Nori has three boys. Pray that this whole family will experience reconciliation and healing in Christ.
• Our Iranian friend, Massoud is scheduled to attend church with some colleagues this Sunday and then they will visit with him in his home afterwards for more discussion! Please pray that the service and message will speak clearly to Massoud, and that the conversation afterwards will draw Him closer to accepting and following Isa al Masih!
• M….. & her husband R…… have invited some team members into their home next weekend for a family ceremony to mark the first anniversary of M’s father’s death. Pray that our colleagues will bring the reality of “the resurrection and the life” into this gathering.
• Another worker and her son have been given the opportunity to coach soccer with some Malay boys in their community. Pray that this coaching relationship will open doors for spiritual mentoring as well.

2. From coworkers in the Sealands:

• Pray for open doors to a neighbor community where there are no others making an effort to share Good News. The head of the village is very open. Pray for the family and community of Mr. T in the area of S-bi. Pray for wisdom and ability to continue the effort.
  
• Remember S…. and E….. as they travel today and return on Saturday. They are attending some very important meetings that could open up some future work possibilities on our field.

3. Ask God to raise up 100 English teachers to be placed in key cities on the Asia-Pacific region. From this platform, they will be able to naturally develop redemptive mentoring relationships with students and their families.

“…how true it is that God does not show favoritism,
but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.”
(Acts 10:34-35)

When the Apostle Peter spoke these words, in was in the context of divine appointment with Cornelius and his entire household (Acts 10), and realizing that had been at work in this sincere Gentile’s life, drawing him to Christ. God was not concerned about Cornelius’ religion, but was moved by his desire for right relationship. Peter simply had to obey God’s leading and reveal Truth (Christ) to Cornelius who readily accepted. Today, there are many “Corneliuses” around us (sincere Neighbors) who have just come through a period of fasting and prayer. Many are ripe and ready for the Gospel. Pray that God reveals these people to YOU and to those who are serving amongst neighbors.

This week, we also want to feature a video taped message from Carl Madeiras that challenges each of us to focus on relationship with Christ NOT religion. Watch and obey!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8840641224633551184

1. Requests from various colleagues serving in Singapore:

• Pray for N….and M….., a couple from Pakistan. We will have an opportunity to be with them several more times before they move to another city in the Middle East in December. We continue to look for opportunities to lift up Jesus. May they recognize Him as Messiah.
• Massoud has finally viewed the video testimonial! And Praise God, he was moved by the testimony and has contacted us because he wants to know more about Jesus! In fact, he has requested to attend church with us next Sunday and then visit with him in his home afterwards for more discussion! Please keep praying that nothing will stand in the way of this divine appointment next weekend. May the service and message next Sunday in church speak clearly to Massoud, and may our conversation afterwards draw Him closer to accepting and following Isa al Masih!
• Pray with us for our friends, E…. & A….. They are a young Malay couple. E’s father died recently, causing E to be more open to dialogue about spiritual things and Christ. His wife, A, is due to have a new baby soon. May these transitions and stresses of death and birth continue to create within them a desire to be in right relationship with God, and may they come to the realization that only Christ can do that for them.
• Lift up our Malay friend S___. She is currently serving a prison sentence for drug offenses, scheduled for release in November, but facing some real challenges. S will move back home with her parents, but their relationship is very strained. S also will return to her role as mother to her three young children ages 9, 8 and 7. S is divorced so much cope with raising these precious kids on her own. Pray that S will respond to an ongoing mentoring relationship with our colleague and through this relationship may S realize that Christ is the only answer for her past and future challenges.
• Now that Ramadan is over, A___ will try to resume language study with her neighbor friend K___. Pray that A will be quick to learn the language, that her relationship with K will be strengthened, and that K will be drawn to Christ in A’s life.

2. Pray today for team members serving in Indonesia:

• For quick acquisition of new language, culture and formation of deep relationships with the Indonesians….to understand the nuances of the new culture….find bridges to the Gospel…and meet men and women of peace.
• That their ongoing passport application and visa issues will be ironed out.

3. From coworkers in the Sealands: This week God has opened a door to neighbor community where there are no others making an effort to share Good News. The head of the village is very open. Pray for the family and community of Mr. T in the area of S-bi. Pray for wisdom and ability to continue the effort. (Could this be another Cornelius? Let’s pray so.)

4. 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.