Neighbor Prayer Update

This I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
(Lamentations 3:21-26)

As we continue to pray for Neighbors around us, and around the world, may we pray with hope. God’s salvation plan IS being accomplished amongst the nations, as people daily are being drawn by His Spirit to seek Him and place their faith in Him.

REMEMBER, today is the 7th day of Ramadan. If you haven’t done so already, I urge you to register for daily prayer updates from 30-Days of Prayer.

1. Pray for the Kaili Unde, a small but not forgotten people in the province of Central Sulawesi in Indonesia:

• For an openness and a willingness to obey the Gospel (Rom. 1:5 and 16:26)
• That they can hear and see the Indonesian Christian radio and TV programs and thus find a way to Christ.
• That the power of darkness and enslavement to spirits be broken and their eyes opened, so that the Kaili Unde can be freed (Acts 10:38; 26:18).

2. Continue to intercede for Daud. He is now out of the hospital, but still under observation and medical care. He is sending and receiving SMS (text messages) that indicate his great appreciation for prayer, and openness to dialogue about Christ. May this time of illness be a turning point in his life where he calls on the name of Jesus for healing, physically and spiritually. May God’s presence be very real to him through Christian visitors, literature, dreams and visions.

3. Today, August 28 — in one of our creative areas with majority Neighbor population — our team members are beginning a series of seminars to enlighten and train Christian laity and pastors to be more effective at working among neighbors. The second seminar will occur in October. The plan is to go to every zone to increase the acceptance and understanding of new paradigms for neighbors among our established pastors as well as teach them new attitudes and methods. Through these, may God call, raise up and equip many new laborers for the harvest.

4. Pray for Luis, who wants God to take over his business so that he can be used as a servant of God’s people and help them. Luis also asks for God’s direction and provision in his relationships. May he find contentment first in his relationship with Christ, to be the man that God wants him to be, and be a light and witness to his neighbors.

5.  Next week, 2-4 September, several key broadcast organizations will be meeting in a creative location in Asia to discuss strategies and partnerships to more effectively reach Neighbors in Indonesia with relevant, contextualized methods and messages.  Pray for God’s wisdom to be with these 15-20 ministry leaders.

Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”

“And HE will be their peace.”
(Micah 4:2; 5:5)

This passage from the Prophet Micah is such a hopeful promise, even in the midst of very challenging times. Out of the context of warfare and exile, Micah introduces the promise of nations at peace, through the coming of Messiah. Today this is no longer just a future promise. It is a reality (and becoming more so) for many nations and people who accept Isa al Masih as their peace. So today, instead of focusing on all the situations of conflict, we want to rejoice and pray for situations where God is at work establishing his Kingdom of peace.

AND A REMINDER, tomorrow begins Ramadan (22 August – 20 September), so please register to receive your daily email prayer updates from 30-Days of Prayer. You can also receive daily Twitter updates. The important this is that you join the rest of us in praying each day (or as often as you can) for the needs of the Neighbor world, during this very important event for them.

1. Pray for our friend Daud. He is very close to the Kingdom. A real man of peace. He has been seeking truth, asking questions, reading Christian books, and requesting prayers. Right now, Daud is in the hospital, since last Tuesday. May this time of illness be a turning point in his life where he calls on the name of Jesus for healing, physically and spiritually. May God’s presence be very real to him through Christian visitors, literature, dreams and visions.

2. From friends in a creative ministry area, they send very good news of God’s work amongst Neighbors in their country. Please, please pray with them for the following items:

• They have now developed a leadership team who are involved in strategy, placement, and training. Pray for their planning meeting at the end of this month.
• Six people are involved in ongoing intensive training to better serve Neighbors. Three of them are already involved in active ministry, and the other three will be placed in strategic ministries by early next year. Pray for these and others who are dedicating themselves to serve.
• Pray for Mr. D as he has been assigned the role of shepherding each of these trainees through this process, evaluate their progress and help them with problems they are facing.
• One of these young men testified that he turned down an offer of a pastorate complete with a building, a parsonage, and a very nice wage in order to heed the call of God in his life. He talked to his parents and they have given him their blessing in this. This is a very sharp young man, who will become a valuable part of this neighbor ministry team. Pray that he will maintain his commitment and be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to endure all the challenging times ahead.
• All of these people will be learning skills they can use to support themselves, to create a personal identity in the places where they will go, and as a bridge to build relationships. Over the next 4 months they are to present a short list of possible skills that are appropriate for the areas where they will be living and working. Pray that God will direct and guide them to wisely select areas of work that He has uniquely gifted them to do.
• There are two additional students who have expressed a call to working with neighbors who will be entering the program next year. We are praying for more as we open the students eyes to this work.
• Additional seminars will begin on August 28th to enlighten and train laity and pastors to be more effective at working among neighbors. The second seminar will occur in October. The plan is to go to every zone to increase the acceptance and understanding of new paradigms for neighbors among our established pastors as well as teach them new attitudes and methods.

Muslims are my / your / our Neighbors!
(Matthew 22:39)

Look around you. You don’t have to search very far. We have precious people all around us, in our communities, cities, schools, universities, work places, supermarkets…who follow the Islamic faith. And their numbers are growing. This fact should not concern us. No, in fact God is orchestrating something in our day to draw the nations to Himself. He is bringing our Muslim “cousins” to us. We no longer have to necessarily go abroad to them. They are right next door. They are our neighbors. God is doing this for a purpose — so that through His people, the nations will see His glory, goodness, grace, and love. He has always desired for His people to be “a light to the nations.”

Yet, sadly, it is estimated that 9 out of 10 Muslims do not know a single follower of Jesus.

How can they come to know Jesus (Isa al Masih) if the followers of Jesus refuse to befriend them? The call of Christ still goes out to all of us to “love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Matt. 22:39).” And that is exactly why we at PrayingNeighbor generally substitute the world “Muslim” with “Neighbor,” — to change our attitudes and perspectives, to break down stereotypes that cause fear, mistrust, even hatred. When you think of someone as a neighbor, you begin to see them and treat them differently. So during this upcoming season of Ramadan (August 22-September 20), we at PrayingNeighbor urge you to PRAY and OBEY in the following ways:

1. Log on and register at http://www.30-days.net to receive daily prayer updates for the Muslim world. If possible, find a local distributor of the 30 Days Prayer Booklet.

2. Pray Daily, using the 30-Days Prayer guide (either online or with the booklet).

3. Ask God to open your eyes to the Neighbors in your area, to sensitize you to their likes, interests, foods, culture, needs, and issues. Begin to read and learn about Islam from reputable, Christ-centered sources.

4. Ask God to give you a divine appointment with a man or woman (neighbor) of peace whom you can befriend, talk to, learn from, and share the love of Christ with. (Luke 10)

5. Ask God to show you ways that you can serve your neighbors with hospitality.

6. Consider FASTING yourself during Ramadan, even if just one meal a day. Take this time to identify with and pray for your Neighbors. And by all means, respect their desire to keep the fast. Encourage them. Ask them how you can pray for them during their fast. Ask them what they themselves are praying about and seeking from God during the fast.

Come!… join the millions of Christians around the world who have participated in this largest ongoing international prayer focus on the Muslim world.

August 22 to September 20, 2009, 18th Anniversary. Grab a booklet today

And again, Isaiah says,
“The Root of Jesse (Isa al Masih) will spring up,
one who will arise to rule over the nations;
the Gentiles (all nations) will hope in him.”
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with HOPE by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:12-13)

In a climate of fear, mistrust and animosity people often lack the sense of hope that anything can or ever will change. This lack of hope leads to a downward spiral of despair and desperation. It is precisely these places in our world where the Gospel of Hope is needed the most, and where the people of Hope need to be engaged. Today lets pray for those who are working as ambassadors of hope in challenging situations.

1. Praise God that our colleagues have been cleared to move this weekend to their new home and work in a major gateway city in Asia. Their transition had been delayed by recent ethnic violence in that city. However, God has opened the door for them to begin their new jobs this weekend. Pray that that through this couple’s words, deeds, lives, interactions and relationships they will convey (exemplify) the HOPE that is so lacking right now in that city. The dividing walls of hostility have already been broken (Eph. 2:13-17) — it’s just a matter of people’s eyes, hearts and minds being opened to this reality.

2. Pray for the victims and family members of last week’s Jakarta bombings. One of the suicide bombers is believed to have been a 16-17 year old. Pray for his family members and friends too that they will be awakened to the lack of hope that causes a young person to take his life in such a senseless act. Pray too for the church in Indonesia to respond to this tragedy with love, forgiveness and compassion.

3. Lift up a young couple serving in a key location in Indonesia. They will soon be returning to their place of service after attending a recent funeral for a family member. May they return to their host community with a clear testimony of the hope they have in Christ, even in the midst of death. (I Thess. 4:13-14; 2 Thess. 2:16)

4. Ann was not able to meet M last week for their first bible study because M was ill. M’s family has struggled alot in recent months with various types of illnesses. M’s mother K has been especially sick with complications from cancer. All of this is taking it’s toll on the family’s finances and spirits. Pray that Ann is able to encourage M and her family that there is hope in Christ. May M and her family be open to and find an anchor in the “root of Jesse.”

5. From this month’s “Intercede Magazine”, please pray ….

• …for six Egyptian Christians arrested during Ramadan of 2008 for opening their cafe. They have been sentenced to three years in prison. During their time in prison, may they find hope in Christ and be exemplary witnesses for Christ. May the righteousness, joy and peace of Christ be evident in their lives.
• …for continued protections for Christians in Kazakhstan. A highly restrictive religious law was rejected by the Constitutional Council. May believers be prepared in season and out, to share the reason for the hope they have in Christ, regardless of government laws.
• …for an ease of religious restrictions in Sudan. A non-profit aid group was expelled from Darfur after thousands of Bibles were discovered in its office. Pray also that believers would be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” as they attempt to live their faith.

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ
and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
not counting men’s sins against them.
And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,
as though God were making his appeal through us.
We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
(2 Corinthians 5)

As Jesus so plainly stated in the Gospels, the world is in great need of peacemakers. Men and women who speak the truth in LOVE…not to win arguments but to develop redemptive relationships.

With unrest, distrust, animosity, accusation so commonplace around the world (in Pakistan, XinJiang, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Palestine, North Korea, Sudan, Mindanao, etc, etc) we need to plead with God to raise up ambassadors of reconciliation. And we need to do everything we can, where we are, to be agents of grace and peace.

1. Pray for those who are currently involved in relation-building, redemptive dialogues amongst neighbors. (To learn more about this method, continue reading at the end of the blog after the prayer requests).

• Last week Ann gave M her first Bible, which she graciously received. Today, Ann is meeting with M for lunch to begin a Bible study with her. Pray that Ann has wisdom to know what Scripture to share with M. Pray that Ann is hungry, open and receptive to the Word of Truth.
• Pray for D as he teaches a monthly course on Christian-Neighbor engagement in a Neighbor-majority nation. For the next five months they will be comparing the two religions, to set the stage for inter-religious dialogue with Neighbor friends.
• Lift up D this Sunday July 19, as he speaks at a mosque in his city. His ustad (Neighbor religious teacher) friend and D will discuss what Christianity and Islam have in common. This will hopefully be the first of many such dialogues in D’s city.
• Pray for a couple who were scheduled to move this week to a major gateway city in Asia, to work amongst the large Neighbor population in that city. They had secured employment, visas, housing and were ready to go….but violence broke out in that city two weeks ago and the situation there remains very delicate. So for now the couple is waiting and seeking God’s timing. During this period of waiting, may God continue to work in the lives of the men and women of peace in that city, whom this couple has already developed relationships with.

2. One of our key couples in Indonesia, who have worked hard to build great relationships with Neighbors in their community, have been hit with a recent death in their family. Pray for them as they travel in the next few weeks to attend her father’s funeral and comfort family members. May this tragedy allow them an open door to express the hope of eternal life when they return to their community.

3. From the current issue of Intercede:

• for a Ghanian who is currently imprisoned in Libya. He’d been sentenced in 2001 to 25 years for importing Bibles. May he be a true ambassador of Christ, whether he remains in prison or is released. May many inmates and guards come to know Christ through his life and testimony.
• for increasing numbers of Neighbors to hunger for spiritual truth and the possibility of knowing God personally, being assured of salvation, and having sins forgiven.
• for Christians in Indonesia that they will continue to be Kingdom citizens and peacemakers, in spite of local governments attempts to pass Sharia-inspired laws. Pray for a spirit of boldness, grace and love in the midst of opposition.

******************

Here are some FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) about dialogue, and one person’s expert opinion of how dialogue should work:

1. What is Christian-Neighbor dialogue?

It is a means of relating to Neighbors based on understanding and discovery rather than preaching and debate. A monologue is one way communication, usually expressed by a sermon or presentation, usually unsolicited.

For religions hostile to Christianity, monologues seldom get an audience. Dialogue, on the other hand, creates a level playing field that reflects the globalisation and transparency of our age.

2. Why should we do this?

Due to the big gap of mutual suspicion between Christianity and Islam, some Christians who feel God’s heart for the nations, have come to realise a need for creating common ground with Neighbors that would lead to genuine friendships.

This is sometimes done through sports, social action or any other avenue of engagement that opens the door for dialogue. But for those who have natural friendships (or have created intentional contacts) with Neighbor intellectuals and religious leaders, dialogue on religious doctrine or theology can be a preferred common ground.

3. How does it work?

It starts with an organised attempt to listen and understand where each other is coming from – our worldviews and our religious differences. As we do this over a period of time, God breaks down prejudices and we become friends. Strong friendships carry the weight of the gospel – who Jesus is and what He has done.

4. How can you help?

• Using your imagination, you can PRAY for those involved in relation-building activities and dialogues with neighbors.
• You can open your eyes and ears to opportunities for relationship with neighbors in your own community (at the store, at school, in the office, next door, on the playing field, at the gym, etc, etc). Be intentional. Be prayerful. Be a student of God’s word. Then Start with your common interests, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your conversations. You are not out to win a debate, but to win a true friend.

Other resources on Christian-Neighbor Dialogue:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2009/spring/ministrylessonsfromamuslim.html?start=1

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 )

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Isaiah 40:28-29

Though my body, mind, emotions and spirit may often grow weary….I never grow tired of this passage in Isaiah 40. It’s encouraging to know that even when I may not be as faithful or perfect in my performance, God is always perfect and always faithful. As you have noticed, PrayingNeighbor has been fairly inactive lately, due to some technical problems with the blog site, and due to my inability to update the content. But we are back on track now. I thank God that in spite of our absence on the internet, He has continued to prompt YOU to faithfully pray for neighbors around you and neighbor ministries around the world. May God increase our powers today to intercede for others. I invite your comments and requests in the weeks to come.

TODAY’S REQUESTS:

1. Colleagues in a creative access nation continue to make plans and preparations for their move to a key gateway city in August. They continue to visit there regularly for language study and relationship-building. Pray that God will open all the doors they need and provide for their work visas, employment opportunities, housing, and above all men & women of peace who will become followers of Jesus and disciple makers amongst their own people.

Serving Noodles with Love

2. Sam, a new MBB in Indonesia was encouraged by his mentoring pastor to attend a missions training event focused on reaching people from his former faith. After the training, this layman consulted with his mentor about his burden to reach his people. Together they developed a strategy utilizing his unique cooking skills and background. Sam  has intentionally relocated to a community of neighbors to open a street corner noodle stand. His special noodle recipe has become a favorite amongst his new neighbors. Pray for Sam that through warm food and friendly service he may be able introduce his regular customers to the Bread and Water of Life.

3. Lift up a key couple (and their two children) serving in Indonesia as they pray about relocating to another strategic city to mentor CP leaders. They will also be teaching short module courses at one of our schools. May the Lord provide for them the right place to live, men and women of peace to disciple, students who are eager to learn and serve, and ease of transition to their new location.

4. Please pray for pastor Al of Asian Center for Missions. He and a team are preparing for a ministry trip to a creative access area to reach out to minister to an unreached people group. He and his family are seeking God’s additional provisions for their trip.

5. Pray for Jay as he begins his level 2 missions training under Asian Center for Mission. His program starts in May and will last for 6 months.

6. Pastor Guy of Frontiers is mobilizing a team to minister to a UPG in Southern Thailand.

7. Jun is currently volunteering at Frontiers. May God grant him the provisions and open the door of his heart for understanding neighbor ministry.

8. Pray for Ron and his development team at 30 Days of Prayer (http://www.30-days.net) as they work with a new Spanish translator to complete their 30-Days prayer material in Spanish by next week! Their current Spanish translator was recently sidelined by illness.

From this week’s Intercede Magazine:

• …for Christian workers ministering to North African neighbors in France and Spain.
• …for Neighbors in Germany. Islamic influence in the country continues to increase: The largest mosque in Germany is now
  open in Cologne. Pray that German Christians will reach out with Christ’s love.
• …for the people of Kyrgyzstan.Their parliament recently passed a restrictive religion law, and if the president signs it, a
  church will need a minimum of 200 members to register. Pray for freedom of worship….and for believers to think of creative ways to gather and worship regardless of government laws…in homes, coffee shops or street corners.

Often times our prayer lives and our intercession can grow dry, repetitive, even lifeless. That’s why we are told to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions.” One of the best ways to pray in the Spirit — to pray according to God’s will — is to use God’s word as a guide for our praying. A friend recently sent the following prayer guide which has been very helpful as I pray for my neighbors.

I encourage you to once again, fresh and new, get out your intercessory prayer list of the people and nations that you are praying for and use the following Scriptures to intercede for them.

And this week, especially remember the Palestinian (Hamas) / Israeli (Gaza) conflict. It has begun to have a ripple effect in some other Neighbor countries. May God’s people all around the world rise up in these desperate times and be peacemakers and ambassadors of reconciliation.

Praying Scripture for Unreached People

What was Jesus’ purpose in coming?
· Luke 19:10 “…For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
· Matthew 20:28 “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life–a ransom for many.”
· John 6:38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
· John 10:10 “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance.”
· John 12:46 “I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me would not remain in darkness.”

AS YOU PRAY, INSERT THE NAMES OF PEOPLE AND NATIONS AS THEY COME TO MIND:

• Ask God to draw them to Himself. (John 6:44) “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
• Ask God to convict them of their sin (John 16:8) “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;”
• Ask God to open their spiritual eyes (2 Corinthians 4:4) “in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
• Ask God to set them free from spiritual bondage (2 Timothy 2:25-26) “with gentleness correcting thosewho are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”
• Ask God to give them opportunities to hear the word of Christ and faith to believe in Him (Romans 10:17) “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
• Ask God to help them believe (Acts 16:30-31) …and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
• Ask God to give them the gift of faith and the willingness to accept that gift. (Eph 2:8) For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift…
• Ask God to send a witness in their life (Matthew 9:38) “Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
• Ask God for ways to connect with them (1 Corinthians 9:22) “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.”
• Ask God for opportunities to witness to them (Colossians 4:3) “praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;”
• Ask God for boldness to witness to them (Eph 6:19) “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence,”
• Ask that we would share the gospel fully in words, deeds, miracles and Spirit’s power. (Rom 15:18-19) “Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my words and my deeds among them. They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ.”

Jesus is the Star of Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

On this second week of Advent, may we all be reminded of, continue to pray, work and live for the continued fulfillment of the ancient promise given to Abraham so long ago in Genesis 12:2,3 – “…you will be a blessing…. and ALL peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

1. These past weeks have been marked by renewed violence and terrorism in places like Mumbai, India and Jos, Nigeria remind us that we must “fight the battle for a broken world on our knees,” until the Prince of Peace rules in the hearts of men and women. May true followers of Christ in places of unrest “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with their God.”

2. Rejoice with our Sealands team that Mr. S just came to knowledge of truth one week ago! Pray for the student who is mentoring him in the way of Christ. Ask God to give Mr. S an increasing hunger for and delight in God’s Word as he reads his first Bible!

3. Riris’s family lives by their neighbor Mr. B. Mr. B is a well-known and sought-after religious figure in his neighborhood. However, in recent days Mr. B. has been stepping out of his house to listen to preaching and the Sunday School stories. Pray that hunger for God’s truth will grow, that Riris’s family will have opportunity to share this truth with him in person, and that the Holy Spirit will draw Mr. B to the Savior.

4. We thank God for providing opportunity for eight student ministers to become a blessing to their neighbors. Pray that these weekly contacts and relationship building opportunities will produce fruit. Pray that these students will continue to be welcomed and trusting open friendships will grow.

5. Following are some great testimonials from Jesus Film team leaders who serve in various Neighbor communities. Praise God for his mighty works amongst these precious people and pray for an explosion of church planting movements amongst them.

• “One of our teams with a pastor on the team had the opportunity to teach Christian, religion at the middle school. It was decided that he would show the JF as his method, of teaching. Normally only the Christian students come, but they had invited some of their neighbor friends and so there were several non-Christian middle school students watched, the film. FIVE students accepted Jesus! Pray that we will find a good way to disciple these kids.
• “This past month, a new family moved into our neighborhood. As our culture dictates, this new family made the rounds coming to each of their neighbor’s homes to introduce themselves. They came to our house too and it just so happened that when they came, we were showing the Jesus film and so they stayed and watched it. We did not feel it was the right time to talk to them that day, but the next day one of their children came back to our house to ask us more about the Jesus that they saw on the film at our house. Pray for us that God will open the doors for us to be able to witness to them about Jesus.”
• “During the recent month of fasting, as usual, many people returned to their home villlages. These returning people represent a new group of people that we can reach with the JF and although we thought beforehoand that this would be difficult to do, it turned out not to be so and we were able to reach a number of these returnees with the gospel!”
• “Even though this month is the fasting month, we were able to continue to show the JF and a good number accepted Christ and we are discipling them. One of these has already talked to us asking when the next baptism service will be.”

6. Recent reports from a colleague serving in a Neighbor majority region confirm that thousands of Neighbors in that area are coming to Christ! In fact five entire communities have decided to corporately follow Isa al Masih! But these decisions come at a great price. In the past year at least eight new pastors have been martyred for their faith in Christ. Pray that our new brothers and sisters in Christ will be firmly rooted in their faith in spite of persecution.

7. Continue to lift up our partners at “30-Days of Prayer.” Their latest email update says — “Thank you for your commitment to pray during our latest prayer effort in September. Besides the e-mail and web prayer effort about 300,000 prayer booklets for adults and children were produced and distributed this past year in over 25 languages. We believe that this effort was a significant step toward bringing many many Neighbors into the Kingdom of God. We encourage you to continue to pray throughout the year. The recent Mumbai attacks certainly show us that the need for prayer has not ceased! Millions of Neighbors still have not heard the Gospel. Many of them are very frustrated and are asking questions about their own faith.” Please pray for their 30 Days of Prayer 2009 efforts. The dates for the 2009 prayer project are from August 22nd to September 20th.

• Pray for wisdom as editorial decisions are being made at the present time so that the prayer materials for adults will be available to the coordinators and translators around the world in mid January. Materials for children will probably follow soon after that.

8. From this week’s Intercede Magazine, please pray:

• …for Neighbors in Jordan. Pray that the Lord would continue to use MBBs to reach their own communities with the love of Christ.
• …for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be heard by Neighbors in Guinea Bissau.
• …for Neighbors in Senegalto have the opportunity to read the Serere translation of the Bible. 1.2 million Sengalese speak Serere. The translation (which has been ongoing for 30 years) is now complete!

For the message of the cross
is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God.
When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom
as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For God was pleased to have all his
fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether
things on earth or things in heaven,
by making peace through his blood,
shed on the cross.
For I resolved to know nothing
while I was with you except
Jesus Christ and him crucified.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,
and not only for ours but also
for the sins of the whole world.
( 1 Corinthians 1:17-19; 2:1-3; Colossians 1:19-21; 1 John 2:2 )

From the classic devotional guide “My Utmost for His Highest,” author Oswald Chambers often addresses the centrality of the cross. In today’s devotional he writes: “The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.”

As we pray today for our neighbors, let us not forget the need for everyone of us (including our neighbors) to come to the CROSSroad of acknowledging our personal sinfulness, our need for a saviour, and the acceptance of Christ’s work on the cross as the only means to forgiveness and salvation. And let us continually pray for sensitivity, wisdom and creativity in lovingly presenting this truth and offering this hope to our neighbors.

1. This next week marks the celebration of the American “Thanksgiving Holiday.” Pray that believing US expats who are living abroad in neighbor communities, AND those at home who live in proximity to neighbors, will see this holiday as an opportunity to extend hospitality and invite neighbors into their homes, so that neighbors can see, taste and experience through this cultural holiday that Christians are thankful, praying, generous people who have a personal relationship with the Father.

2. Please keep interceding for our Iranian friend Massoud. A colleague recently met with him and gave him a Bible in his mother tongue (Persian). Massoud accepted the Bible with great appreciation and vowed to read it from cover to cover. We also learned that his wife Sahar is also very open to the Gospel. Pray that God’s word penetrates their hearts and minds, leading them to a decision to follow Christ.

3. A coworker and her son began last week to meet every Saturday with some Malay boys in their community to offer football (soccer) training. Pray that this continues to open the door for redemptive relationship and dialogues with their family…. that they will be lead to the crossroads of choosing Christ as the only way, truth and life.

4. Lift up the “MSV” network as they continue to develop partnerships aimed at reaching the 13 unreached people groups of Mindanao, (Southern) Philippines. They are doing this mainly through mobilizing the Filipino church to equip, train and send workers amongst these people groups to serve them. Pray for our communications team in Manila as we help this network through the development of media resources.

5. We were recently made aware of several Filipino believers who are finding employment in places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Pray that as they go, they would see this as not just chance to earn money, but as Kingdom opportunities to boldly live as followers of Christ and share their faith in word and deed. Pray that our church will find better ways to equip them for these missional roles.

6. This request comes from one of our Jesus Film teams in the Sealands:  “Greetings in Jesus name. We are still in critical situation in our two main cities as far as peace in concerned due to the threat posed by the ___  group that they can attack anytime. Because of this, we cannot yet hold big screen film showings. However we thank God that we can still do a home video showing. The Word of God continues to spread in spite of the hardship that we have experienced. Indeed God is faithful and just. There are still people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior even during this trying times.”

• Please continue to pray for peace and unity in ______ that in due time we can once again freely pursue the big screen film showings. Pray for our protection and guidance in the Jesus Film ministry here and our outreach Bible studies in both of the church planting areas in these cities.
• The Word of God in Psalm 34:2-3 declares: “Let all who are discouraged take heart, let us praise the Lord together and exalt His name.”

7. Adapted from this week’s Intercede Magazine….please pray:

• …for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach Neighbors in Senegal, as Christians deliver food in famine-stricken areas.
• …for government leaders in Qatar. Pray that Qatar might be a small, but effective window for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach Neighbors.
• …for Alawite neighbors in Syria. Pray that through Christian witness, dreams, and visions, Alawites would receive a true revelation of Jesus Christ.