He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Surely he took up our infirmities, and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
( Isaiah 53:3-5 )
On this Good Friday, in many parts of our world it remains a dark day, as many find themselves in situations of unbearable sorrow, turmoil, brokenness and despair. It is for these places and these precious people that Christ came, suffered, died, and rose again. Let us lift up neighbors all over the world today, and in our own communities, with the hope that by Christ’s wounds they too will be healed.
- In the past several days, new waves of violence have struck Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq… with numerous attacks and suicide bombings in mosques and market places, wounding and killing many. May we not become callous to the suffering of neighbors in these difficult places. Only Christ can set them free from this cycle of violence and bring them true peace. Pray that Christ’s church continues to be an instrument of peace in these strife-torn areas
- Thank God for young people like Marni, in Indonesia, who is involved in a non-traditional ministry group designed to reach neighbors. These teams travel into areas steeped in culture and tradition that is often quite unfriendly to Biblical truth — places where traditional forms of ministry were likely to grow. She and her team walk long distances and cross cultural and language barriers in order to build friendships with those they meet. On one of her team’s recent visits they were disappointed to find that one of their long-time contacts was not at home. After they had walked quite a distance from his house, he came from behind on his motorcycle, honking his horn at them. He hoped they would come back to his home. He had missed seeing them for the last few weeks. They returned to his home and shared a verse of Scripture with the family. In the past he has frequently debated what they read in an effort to justify his way of life. This time he sat quietly. The Word was causing him to think new thoughts. He admitted that he had been living only for himself. Pray for Marni and her team, and for this man and his family who are close to the Kingdom
- Pray for Sam as he continues to serve up noodles from his street-corner stall, in a neighbor community in Indonesia, that through his loving service and kind words many of his customers would become hungry for the Living Bread and Water.
- Continue to lift up our colleagues in transition to a major gateway city to live and work amongst a key Unreached People Group. Between now and August they have much to do, securing work visas, full-time employment, learning the language, strengthening relationships with men and women of peace
- Pray for believers ministering to Neighbors this Easter weekend. Colleagues in Singapore are inviting neighbors over for a meal, egg hunt, and opportunity to share the “Resurrection Eggs” story. Pray that their friends will be open to the truth of the Gospel.
From this week’s Intercede Magazine, please pray…..
- …for the Neighbors of Somalia. Fighting continues to destabilize the region, and daily life is a struggle for millions of Somalians. Approximately one-third of the population is dependent on foreign food aid.
- …for the Neighbors of Gaza to hear witness of Jesus Christ. Pray that despite political turmoil, the gospel would be heard in this troubled spot.
- …for radio and satellite broadcasts reaching Saudi Arabia. Pray for a genuine move of the Lord in this closed country. Read about the ways God is already answering this prayer through World Mission Broadcast
( http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?sid=10000008&id=10007001 )
