Neighbor Prayer Update

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

“Why do the nations rage…?”
(Acts 4, Psalm 2)

When Peter and John prayed this prayer, in Acts 4, they were quoting the Psalmist.    In both cases (Psalms and Acts), the people of God find themselves in tumultuous times, undergoing persecution.   And in both cases, they resort to PRAYER…allowing us a glimpse of how God responds to the turmoil of nations:   1.) His desire is for the nations to be His treasured possession, living under His rule, experiencing His peace;  2.) His desire is for His people to remain boldly committed to the task of proclaiming and living according to the Kingdom values of love and peace.   Let us too pray, in the midst of all the world’s unrest, that God’s people will continue to to “speak (God’s) word with great boldness.…(and that God would) stretch out (His) hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of (His) holy servant Jesus.”

1.  Pray for peace and reconciliation in the city of Urumqi, in China’s far-west Xinjiang region.   This has been a week of violence caused by ethnic tensions between the Uyghurs and members of China’s Han majority.  Hundreds were killed and wounded, with many others imprisoned.   May believers (from both sides) in this region be effective peacemakers, actively displaying the power of Christ’s love.

2.  Lift up believers in Iran, in the midst of recent political unrest, that they remain focused on their responsibilities as Kingdom citizens.  May they be used as instruments to draw their frustrated, disillusioned countrymen into God’s Kingdom.

3.  Praise God for the current peaceful elections in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim majority nation.    Pray for the newly elected leaders that they will be used by God to lead this nation with righteousness and justice, ensuring a climate where believers can boldly express their faith and disciple others to follow Christ.

4.  Praise God also for recent positive reports from workers in a creative area.

• “This month, in 4 different locations, neighbors are turning to the Lord, 4-6 in each place.  Some have just been baptized, some have recently decided to take that step.  Please pray for these new believers.”
• “A neighboring young man, “Mark,” who gives religious teaching to children, is viewed as a blossoming leader in his religious community.  But he is also showing openness to salvation by faith in Christ.”

5.  Pray for Ann and her friend M as they begin to spend more time together discussing faith issues.   M has recently confided in Ann that her boys need some better religious teaching, since they have begun to lie and steal.   M has asked if Ann would lead her boys in a Bible study!   Just today, Ann gave her an appropriate Bible for the boys.  Praise God for this open door.  May God grant wisdom to Ann and her family as they instruct these young boys in God’s Word, and may the boys have a hunger to learn.

(The words of Isaiah:)

I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted,
and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Above him were seraphs…and they were calling to one another:
“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook
and the temple was filled with smoke.
“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips,
and I live among a people of unclean lips,
and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

Every morning on my way to work, I pass two large mosques. Today, as I passed and saw people entering for their ritual prayers (salat), I was struck by the thought of Isaiah, the Old Testament priest and prophet. Isaiah was a devout, religious man, entering the temple in his day (entering the “Holy of Holies” as a high priest no less). Isaiah was probably not expecting an encounter with the Lord that day…perhaps he was just doing his religious duty…going through the motions…. But God had other plans. God showed up unexpectedly with a powerful vision that changed Isaiah’s life, launched his prophetic ministry and impacted the course of human history. So, as I passed by the mosques today I cried out to God for an unexpected outpouring of His presence upon the Imams (spiritual leaders) and worshipers that they too might see the Lord “high and lifted up” and come to a realization that they (like all of us) are “people with unclean lips” in need of a Savior….That all their “righteousness” (religious rituals and routines) are as rags….and they be struck with a sense of spiritual discontent that will drive them to seek the Lord and call on the name of the One prophesied about in the Book of Isaiah. Let’s pray together for this kind of powerful visitation of God’s Spirit on neighbors all around the world .

1. Intercede for neighbors who are praying today at the Al Raudhah and Darussalam mosques in my city. Then find out the names of the mosques in your own community and pray for the people gathering there. Also ask God to open up doors for you to visit your nearest mosque and get to know your neighbors there.

2. Praise God for answered prayers! Our colleagues who have relocated to a key gateway city to work with neighbors, just sent us an exciting update: “We arrived in the city early this week. A few days ago we met with the head of the school where we were applying for teaching positions. Within a few minutes we realized that the administration was offering us both part-time contracts. The school will provide our visas and work permits! We are rejoicing that this schedule will allow us time and energy for developing meaningful and long-lasting friendships.” Please continue to lift up this precious couple and their new friends, colleagues and students. May the Lord grant them many disciples in this city of three million.

3. Praise God for these recent reports from Jesus Film teams in a creative access area, and pray for the growth of these new believers:

• TEAM A – Praise the Lord, this month a young mother accepted Christ after watching the JF. Pray for her. Her husband is not a believer and she is frightened to tell him. Her husband works in a neighboring country and comes home infrequently.
• TEAM B – We have a new team showing the JF in the new area. There has been a lot of interest and we have showed the film to a lot of people. At this point the people have just shown interest–so far no one has accepted Christ. Pray for us as we continue to show the film in this area.
• TEAM C – This month a young man accepted Christ as we have been discipling him. He has expressed his desire to be baptized which in our context is a very significant public statement of faith. He is coming from a village that is most made up of followers of the majority religion here.

4. Rejoice with a young couple serving amongst neighbors in another creative are. This week they started meetings at their home. Several of their pre-believing friends have expressed interest in the Gospel and they are eager to come. They expect to have 5-7 friends at their first meeting, with several more saying they want to come in the future. This couple is so excited to finally feel like we can begin to reach out and expand on the friendships they have made. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

5. Pray for Rooz and his son Rady. They were recently given a Christian book, a Manga Messiah comic book, a Bible and a Jesus Film DVD, and have shown great interest in knowing more about Isa al Masih. They met with a believing friend this week and told him, “we still have so many questions,” and requested for future meetings. Intercede for Rooz’s spiritual hunger to increase, and also ask the Lord to provide a new job for Rooz, and for complete recovery for his wife who has been suffering from cancer.

6. From this week’s Intercede Magazine, please pray…

• …for NBBs (Neighbor Background Believers) across the Islmc world. Pray they would find fellowship and opportunity
  for discipleship, despite what are often the most extreme and dangerous circumstances
• …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 NBBs in Libya. Several news reports recently described four NBBs tortured by Libyan police as apostates. May these four and their fellow believers respond as the apostles, “rejoicing because they have been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” And may they too, “Day after day, in the market place and from house to house, never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.”

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”
(Proverbs 22:6)

Going to Madrasah

On my way to work this morning I saw a precious neighbor woman walking hand in hand with her three beautiful children, all dressed in their cultural outfits….on the way to their local madrasah (a school where they teach both Islamic religious studies and the typical reading, writing & arithmetic). I was both blessed and burdened. Blessed by the vitality, joy and hope found in youth. Burdened by the fact that these kids, like millions of others, do not have access to the truth of Isa al Masih — the one who calls all children to “come unto me.” May our prayers this week be focused on the needs of Neighbor children around the world.

1. Pray for our workers moving this Summer to a key gateway city to work as teachers. Pray that all of their paper work, visas, housing be worked out without any hassles. Ask God to give them great relationships with the children and youth that they’ll be teaching, and with their families…that through these relationships, they might be able to share the love of Jesus.

2. Pray for A & T as they continue to meet with neighbor boys in their community on Saturdays to coach soccer. May these sports-based relationships build trust with the families so that the Gospel can be shared. Pray that the boys and their parents will be curious to ask questions about God, and that A & T will have wisdom to know how to respond.

3. Ask the Lord of the Harvest to raise up more Christian educators to meet the rising demand for teachers in neighbor countries. Places like Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Bhutan are openly inviting English, Math, Science and Computer teachers to come. Doors are wide open. Opportunities are great. If you are a teacher or know of teachers, encourage them to write to “praying neighbor” for more information about these opportunities.

4. Val and Kel are tutoring Malay children in English and Math. Their students and parents are beginning to ask questions about Val & Kel’s religious beliefs. They have had opportunit to share clearly with these families about who Jesus really is. Pray that hearts will be open to truth.

5. From this week’s Intercede Magazine….please pray:

• …for the Church in Azerbaijan. Pressure from the government is continuing. May believers be strong, courageous, forgiving and respectful…winning people to Christ by their love.
• …for new believers in Morocco. The numbers are not substantiated, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is definitely reaching neighbors in Morocco. May they be rooted and grounded in the faith, and LIVE Godly lives amongst their families and friends.
• …for the tense situation in neighbor areas of the Philippines, especially in Mindanao. The past 40 years of violence has seen thousands of deaths. May believers gain a new burden to reach out to their neighbors with love and compassion.

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.

But Nineveh (name your city) has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people (what’s your population) who cannot tell their right hand from their left…
Should I not be concerned about that great city?” (Jonah 4:11)

“….seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.
Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7)

An inspirational song by Chris Tomlin, “God of this City” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmC44K0xQLE&feature=relate) expresses well God’s desire for the cities. Every day millions of unreached people continue to migrate to the cities to escape war, poverty and despair….to seek employment, education and hope. We need to join God in praying for and working in the vast urban harvest fields.

Consider some of these amazing statistics from the Asia-Pacific Region:

• Asia has 10 of the world’s 20 largest cities…. (1/3rd of the world’s largest 100 cities).
• By 2030, Asia’s urban population will double, rising to 2.6 billion.
• Over 100 cities on the Asia-Pacific region with more than 1 million people…with less than 3% Christian population

1. Today lets focus our prayers on one of these major gateway cities (“Urbania”) in a creative access nation, and other cities to which GOD directs YOUR attention.

• “Urbania” has 2,081,834 people.
• 24.7% are “Neighbors” and less than 1% are believers.
• Reaching this city with the love of Christ is the key to unlocking many other surrounding cities and nations.
• Pray for one of our colleagues who is preparing to permanently move to “Urbania” in 2009. Below are some excerpts from recent correspondence:
  • Praise God, I have recently experienced a major step forward in language learning. Fluency is still a dream , but the Lord is helping me to converse more and more in short sentences. I called my language teacher to ask about the health of her mother. We started in her heart language and continued longer than ever before! I am rejoicing.
  • I had ten days in the northwest recently. I struggled with great culture shock for a couple of days. Then, following meals with many friends from three different people groups, I started to settle in.
  • We are rejoicing that we truly felt at home before we left Urbania the last time.
  • Continue to lift us up as we seek employment and visas. We have deep heartfelt peace when we consider these and many other issues.

Seeking refuge.

2. Also pray for the Rohingya people…. According to a recent Reuters report, “The Rohingyas, a Muslim minority fleeing oppression and hardship in Buddhist-dominated Myanmar, have been called one of the most persecuted people on earth. But they have seldom hit the headlines — until recently, that is. More than 500 Rohingyas are feared to have drowned since early December after being towed out to sea by the Thai military and abandoned in rickety boats.” The Joshua Projects lists the total Rohingya population at 895,000 people — ALL Neighbors.

• May God raise up some compassionate Christian organizations, individuals, churches to adopt these precious people and care for their immediate needs.
• May God provide (through His people) safe haven, medical care, employment opportunities for the Rohingya.
• May the surrounding governments of Thailand, Indonesia and Myanmar look upon these people with compassion and open their doors to them.
• Protection for those who are still lost at sea.
• During this time of crisis – starvation, thirst, unemployment, isolation, persecution, lostness — may the Rohingya people be drawn to Isa al Masih and cry out to Him from the depths of their despair.

3. From this month’s issue of “Intercede Magazine” — please pray…..

• …for an Indonesian pastor threatened with death by radicals. His small congregation has been forced to stop meeting in his home.
• …for seven Christians arrested in Yemenand charged with promoting Christianity and distributing Bibles.
• …for MBBs in Somalia and Kenya.They face death and threats of violence as they testify about Jesus.
• IN EACH CASE of persecution, may God grant grace, strength and endurance to those being persecuted AND the capacity to love and forgive their persecuting neighbors….and through their Christlike responses, may their neigbbors be won to Christ.