Neighbor Prayer Update

“We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities!”

When Walt Kelly penned this now famous quote, he probably wasn’t thinking in terms of Kingdom opportunities, but the idea certainly reflects the positive (“I can do all things through Christ”) spirit found in Scripture. We are faced with many seemingly impossible crisis situations in our world today, from the troubled economy to tragic natural disasters to increasing turmoil in the Middle East. But through PRAYER, Almighty God invites us to see every problem as an open door of opportunity for God to work — as only God can work. So as you intercede today for the following requests for Neighbors, be encouraged by God’s Word:

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)

“…a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.” (1 Cor. 16:9)

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” (Colossians 4:3)

“See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” (Rev. 3:8)

• Pray for the Jesus Film team in community “B”. Praise God they already have a good contact, a Nazarene Bible College alumni, in this area from when they showed the JF several years ago. However, the challenge (opportunity) is that they are located right next to a religious school of the majority religion! Pray for them that God will open a door for them to shart a new post in this area this year. Especially pray for the one family there who is already being discipled intensively, that they may be instrumental in planting the church in this area.
• Praise the Lord that our team members have received renewal of their multiple entry visas to continue working in their creative access country. This will allow them to work in a strategic gateway city up to 30 days at a time as they prepare to move their permanently in August. From January 15-24 they will be in that city to continue language study and take more steps toward their August move. May their language skills continue to improve as they develop deeper relationships with local neighbors.
• Pray for Steve who is teaching this week in the Western part of his country. He’ll be returning to his home and family on the Monday (19th). Ask God for a successful time of teaching and fellowship at the first district assembly ever to be held in this place.
• Remember the situation in Israel and Palestine as these event have repercussions in other neighbor countries. May believers in each of these troubled areas be strengthened to live according to Christ’s teaching from the “Good Samaritan” story and the Sermon on the Mount–love your enemy, pray for those that persecute you, and BE a neighbor to those you meet along lifes path. [Interesting note--the Samaritans lived in and around what is now Palestine].
• Lift up Pat and his work amongst neighbors in Mindanao and in South Asia:
  1. For favor with the potential donors of the construction of the computer literacy centers in Isla Verde and
  Tukanalepau.
  2. For discernment for our upcoming Pakistani trip to follow up on the pastors and church workers of the 13
  Pakistani Christian Churches we trained during the end of 2008. Seven of the thirteen Churches are actively sharing
  the love of Christ with their neighbors. Our medical outreach will bring about 200 people per church with whom they can pray with, offer the Gospel to and follow-up on once we leave.
• From this week’s Intercede Magazine…
  • for the Church in Kazakhstan. Pastors are still being fined for leading unregistered churches. The fines are severe, often
    many times the minimum monthly wage. May these hindrances become opportunities for believers to trust in God’s provision alone.
  • for government leaders in Qatar.They have recently given Christians permission for a second “church” to be built.
  • for MBBs in Iran.The government crackdown on MBBs continues unabated.