Has someone ever acted 'like an angel' to you? Now is the time to show your thanks for his or her angelic deed. Angels are God's ever present highly powerful helpers-mirroring their miraculous deeds is one of the best ways to serve God
It is good to be a blessing to others,especially those in need, as well as the ones who have helped you. Have you ever had a time in your life where God puts just the right people around to help,guide and love you through problems and pain? If you are saying 'yes' to this question, then it was an angelic act from God that enabled this help and support for you. I am asking you not to forget their angelic deed and reach out to these people, help and pray for them. God always wants us to be a helping hand, full of love and compassion for each other. Angelic deeds are what helps this earth to have foundation! Not only are you helping God you are helping yourself as well. Proverbs 11:25 says- Whoever brings blessings will be enriched,and one who waters will himself be watered
*May your walk with God be filled with blessings as you hold on tightly to His unchanging hand
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Knowing Jesus( Pt 2)
KNOWING JESUS THROUGH HIS WITNESSES
"The next day John was there again with two of his
disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,
'Look, the Lamb of God!' When the two disciples
heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked,
'What do you want?'
"They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where
are You staying?'
"'Come,' He replied, 'and you will see.' So they went
and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with
Him. It was about the tenth hour" (John 1:34-39).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
WITNESSES
A "witness" is one who tells what he sees and knows to be true. When he gives his report of the truth, he TESTIFIES or gives TESTIMONY. John the Baptizer was such a witness (John 1:7).
"I have seen," he said, "and I testify that this is the
Son of God" (John 1:34).
John, when he saw Jesus, told the people, "Look!" Thus they too became eyewitnesses. Two of John's followers wanted to know Jesus more fully. They were faced with the same problem that any ordinary person has. How does a common person come into the presence of a King?
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
COME AND SEE
Since these two were followers of John, they knew John's great respect for the coming King. John was their leader, yet even he was not worthy to carry the shoes of the King (Matthew 3:11). Now, John had pointed to JESUS as that King. How could two ordinary men get close to this King? How could they come to know the high, exalted One of whom John spoke? (After all, have you ever met your nation's highest ruler?)
When they spoke to Jesus, He invited them to come to His place! "Come," He said, "and you will see." The memory of that invitation was so bright that they remembered exactly when it took place - the tenth hour. (If counted in the Jewish way this was at 4:00 P.M., and evening was coming.) So they spent the rest of that day with Jesus. This King wanted to talk with them. More than that, He was willing to let them stay with Him!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
THE OPENNESS OF JESUS
The first lesson the two disciples learned from Jesus was His openness. They were free to KNOW Him personally. He welcomed them. They could see Him, talk with Him, and be close to Him.
John the Baptizer was right about the high honor owed to Jesus. Yet Jesus' greatness did not isolate Him from His people. In this, He was different from most kings. He made Himself poor in earthly things (2 Corinthians 8:9). Sometimes He had no proper place to sleep (Luke 9:58). He was among the ordinary people. He welcomed all, whether great or small. Even children felt very welcome.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him
touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw
this, He was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little
children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom
of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone
who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child
will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms,
put His hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:13-16).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
JESUS WAS COMPASSIONATE
Sinful people found Jesus friendly. He had no sin (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26). He taught them to "repent," to turn away from sin (Luke 13:3). Yet He made it very clear that He truly cared for them. He ate and drank with people known for their corrupt lives. He did the same for the government's tax officials, whom most people treated as enemies. Jesus became known as the "friend of tax-collectors and 'sinners' " (Luke 7:34). Jesus was among the people because of His concern and love for them. This explains why He spent so much time helping each one who came. He helped them, regardless of how great their problems. He helped them even when he was very busy with other important matters (Mark 1:21-34; 2:1-13; 5:21-43; 7:24-30; 10:46-52).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
TO BE WITH HIM
There is another important reason why Jesus worked so openly. The Christian faith would begin as a matter of public knowledge and public record. Since Jesus worked among the people, there were often many eyewitnesses to what He said and did. He had nothing to hide. As He said at His trial,
"I have spoken openly to the world...I said nothing in
secret. Why question Me? Ask those who heard Me. Surely
they know what I said" (John 18:20-21).
When the apostle Paul was later tried in a royal court, he said,
"The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak
freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped
his notice, because it was not done in a corner" (Acts 26:26).
In this Christianity is different from other faiths based on claims of hidden events, and personal ideas or feelings. Such faiths have no way to prove to others that they are true. From the beginning Christianity was a matter of public and historical record, and could be fully examined. Today one can still find out whether it is true or false. Indeed, it demands such study. Christians invite people to check for themselves, to examine the facts. "Come and you will see!"
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
THE APOSTLES KNOW JESUS
One of the two disciples who met Jesus on that memorable day was named Andrew (John 1:40-42). He was the brother of Simon Peter. Their partners in the fishing business were Zebedee's sons, James and John (Luke 5:7-10). Jesus chose these four, and eight others, to serve as His special messengers or APOSTLES (Luke 6:12-16). One of the main duties of the apostles was to be WITH Jesus.
"He appointed twelve -- designating them apostles - that
they might be with Him and that He might send them out to
preach" (Mark 3:14).
Being "with Him" meant that they could watch him closely in good times and bad, happy times and sad, crowded times and lonely. They could see how He met every new challenge and trial. Many people are afraid to let others get close. Why? Closeness reveals one's faults. Yet Jesus invited others to be near. By watching, listening and sharing in His life, the apostles could KNOW His true character. They could also learn how to become like Him. With the help of the Holy Spirit, they would carry on Jesus' work after He left. They would be the Spirit's way for others to come to know Jesus. Jesus made this clear in one of His prayers for the apostles.
"My prayer is not for them alone (the first disciples). I pray
also for those who will believe in Me through their message,
that all of them may be one..."(John 17:20-21).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
WITNESSES FOR CHRIST
How would people in later years believe in Christ?
"Through their message" (John 17:20).
That is, through the report of those first disciples, especially the apostles. ("Apostle" is like the word "ambassador." It means one who is sent with a special authority to pass on his leader's message.) Jesus gave to them the task of being witnesses, to testify to the truth about Him (Luke 24:48; Acts 10:39-41). Just before He sent them into the world, Jesus said,
"...You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
However, at the time when this was said (the first chapter of Acts), one of the twelve was missing. Judas had betrayed Jesus, and then had killed himself. Another had to be chosen to take his place. The importance of finding a real witness was shown by Simon Peter's words,
"Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have
been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out
among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when
Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a
witness with us of his resurrection" (Acts 1:21-22).
Yes, Jesus wanted the apostles to be "with Him" so that they could be true WITNESSES. They were in the best place to see and know the truth about Jesus. They were the kind of witnesses that any good court of law would welcome.
Jesus' witnesses were from ordinary positions in life. They had normal questions and doubts when they first heard about Jesus. Yet what they saw for themselves removed doubts and fears. The witnesses were many, coming from different backgrounds and interests. Like all witnesses, they stated their testimonies in different ways. Each spoke from his own viewpoint. When carefully compared these testimonies agree. There is nothing muddled or lacking. The apostles, and those closest to them, gave a full and clear report. They remained united, and true to this report, all of their lives. The collection of their reports and letters is called the New Testament.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
NOT FALSE
As the apostles spread the Good News about Jesus, they reminded the people that they were true witnesses. See the following verses.
Acts 2:32
Acts 3:15
Acts 4:33
Acts 5:32
Acts 10:39, 41
Acts 13:31
They were not ashamed to speak in the presence of others who had been there. When Peter re-told the facts about Jesus, he added,
"...as you yourselves know" (Acts 2:22).
Thousands in Jerusalem proved that they agreed with Peter (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14). From the very beginning, the rapid spread of Christianity showed how many found the testimony to be true. Peter's enemies did not show faults in his testimony. All they could do was to try to stop him by threats (Acts 4, 5,12). Peter later wrote,
"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told
you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16).
Peter said this when he knew he would soon be killed (2 Peter 1:14; John 21:17-19). What reward could there have been in dying for lies? If Peter was not telling the truth of what he saw, what did he think he could gain? The apostles did not become rich (Acts 3:6; 1 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 6:10). Instead of becoming famous they became infamous - they were hated by the world. They suffered great losses and hardships for their message (2 Corinthians 1:9; 6:1-10; 11:23-31). Paul wrote,
"It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at
the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the
arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe...
Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the
refuse of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:9,13).
No, the apostles received no reward from this world, but only shame and pain. Why then did they keep telling the same story? For the simplest and best reason: They KNEW it was true. They had SEEN it with their own eyes. Their lives matched the honesty of their report. When threatened, they had to reply, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
"The next day John was there again with two of his
disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said,
'Look, the Lamb of God!' When the two disciples
heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
"Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked,
'What do you want?'
"They said, 'Rabbi' (which means Teacher), 'where
are You staying?'
"'Come,' He replied, 'and you will see.' So they went
and saw where He was staying, and spent that day with
Him. It was about the tenth hour" (John 1:34-39).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
WITNESSES
A "witness" is one who tells what he sees and knows to be true. When he gives his report of the truth, he TESTIFIES or gives TESTIMONY. John the Baptizer was such a witness (John 1:7).
"I have seen," he said, "and I testify that this is the
Son of God" (John 1:34).
John, when he saw Jesus, told the people, "Look!" Thus they too became eyewitnesses. Two of John's followers wanted to know Jesus more fully. They were faced with the same problem that any ordinary person has. How does a common person come into the presence of a King?
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
COME AND SEE
Since these two were followers of John, they knew John's great respect for the coming King. John was their leader, yet even he was not worthy to carry the shoes of the King (Matthew 3:11). Now, John had pointed to JESUS as that King. How could two ordinary men get close to this King? How could they come to know the high, exalted One of whom John spoke? (After all, have you ever met your nation's highest ruler?)
When they spoke to Jesus, He invited them to come to His place! "Come," He said, "and you will see." The memory of that invitation was so bright that they remembered exactly when it took place - the tenth hour. (If counted in the Jewish way this was at 4:00 P.M., and evening was coming.) So they spent the rest of that day with Jesus. This King wanted to talk with them. More than that, He was willing to let them stay with Him!
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
THE OPENNESS OF JESUS
The first lesson the two disciples learned from Jesus was His openness. They were free to KNOW Him personally. He welcomed them. They could see Him, talk with Him, and be close to Him.
John the Baptizer was right about the high honor owed to Jesus. Yet Jesus' greatness did not isolate Him from His people. In this, He was different from most kings. He made Himself poor in earthly things (2 Corinthians 8:9). Sometimes He had no proper place to sleep (Luke 9:58). He was among the ordinary people. He welcomed all, whether great or small. Even children felt very welcome.
"People were bringing little children to Jesus to have Him
touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw
this, He was indignant. He said to them, 'Let the little
children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom
of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone
who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child
will never enter it.' And He took the children in His arms,
put His hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:13-16).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
JESUS WAS COMPASSIONATE
Sinful people found Jesus friendly. He had no sin (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26). He taught them to "repent," to turn away from sin (Luke 13:3). Yet He made it very clear that He truly cared for them. He ate and drank with people known for their corrupt lives. He did the same for the government's tax officials, whom most people treated as enemies. Jesus became known as the "friend of tax-collectors and 'sinners' " (Luke 7:34). Jesus was among the people because of His concern and love for them. This explains why He spent so much time helping each one who came. He helped them, regardless of how great their problems. He helped them even when he was very busy with other important matters (Mark 1:21-34; 2:1-13; 5:21-43; 7:24-30; 10:46-52).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
TO BE WITH HIM
There is another important reason why Jesus worked so openly. The Christian faith would begin as a matter of public knowledge and public record. Since Jesus worked among the people, there were often many eyewitnesses to what He said and did. He had nothing to hide. As He said at His trial,
"I have spoken openly to the world...I said nothing in
secret. Why question Me? Ask those who heard Me. Surely
they know what I said" (John 18:20-21).
When the apostle Paul was later tried in a royal court, he said,
"The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak
freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped
his notice, because it was not done in a corner" (Acts 26:26).
In this Christianity is different from other faiths based on claims of hidden events, and personal ideas or feelings. Such faiths have no way to prove to others that they are true. From the beginning Christianity was a matter of public and historical record, and could be fully examined. Today one can still find out whether it is true or false. Indeed, it demands such study. Christians invite people to check for themselves, to examine the facts. "Come and you will see!"
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
THE APOSTLES KNOW JESUS
One of the two disciples who met Jesus on that memorable day was named Andrew (John 1:40-42). He was the brother of Simon Peter. Their partners in the fishing business were Zebedee's sons, James and John (Luke 5:7-10). Jesus chose these four, and eight others, to serve as His special messengers or APOSTLES (Luke 6:12-16). One of the main duties of the apostles was to be WITH Jesus.
"He appointed twelve -- designating them apostles - that
they might be with Him and that He might send them out to
preach" (Mark 3:14).
Being "with Him" meant that they could watch him closely in good times and bad, happy times and sad, crowded times and lonely. They could see how He met every new challenge and trial. Many people are afraid to let others get close. Why? Closeness reveals one's faults. Yet Jesus invited others to be near. By watching, listening and sharing in His life, the apostles could KNOW His true character. They could also learn how to become like Him. With the help of the Holy Spirit, they would carry on Jesus' work after He left. They would be the Spirit's way for others to come to know Jesus. Jesus made this clear in one of His prayers for the apostles.
"My prayer is not for them alone (the first disciples). I pray
also for those who will believe in Me through their message,
that all of them may be one..."(John 17:20-21).
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
WITNESSES FOR CHRIST
How would people in later years believe in Christ?
"Through their message" (John 17:20).
That is, through the report of those first disciples, especially the apostles. ("Apostle" is like the word "ambassador." It means one who is sent with a special authority to pass on his leader's message.) Jesus gave to them the task of being witnesses, to testify to the truth about Him (Luke 24:48; Acts 10:39-41). Just before He sent them into the world, Jesus said,
"...You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
However, at the time when this was said (the first chapter of Acts), one of the twelve was missing. Judas had betrayed Jesus, and then had killed himself. Another had to be chosen to take his place. The importance of finding a real witness was shown by Simon Peter's words,
"Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have
been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out
among us, beginning from John's baptism to the time when
Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a
witness with us of his resurrection" (Acts 1:21-22).
Yes, Jesus wanted the apostles to be "with Him" so that they could be true WITNESSES. They were in the best place to see and know the truth about Jesus. They were the kind of witnesses that any good court of law would welcome.
Jesus' witnesses were from ordinary positions in life. They had normal questions and doubts when they first heard about Jesus. Yet what they saw for themselves removed doubts and fears. The witnesses were many, coming from different backgrounds and interests. Like all witnesses, they stated their testimonies in different ways. Each spoke from his own viewpoint. When carefully compared these testimonies agree. There is nothing muddled or lacking. The apostles, and those closest to them, gave a full and clear report. They remained united, and true to this report, all of their lives. The collection of their reports and letters is called the New Testament.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
NOT FALSE
As the apostles spread the Good News about Jesus, they reminded the people that they were true witnesses. See the following verses.
Acts 2:32
Acts 3:15
Acts 4:33
Acts 5:32
Acts 10:39, 41
Acts 13:31
They were not ashamed to speak in the presence of others who had been there. When Peter re-told the facts about Jesus, he added,
"...as you yourselves know" (Acts 2:22).
Thousands in Jerusalem proved that they agreed with Peter (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14). From the very beginning, the rapid spread of Christianity showed how many found the testimony to be true. Peter's enemies did not show faults in his testimony. All they could do was to try to stop him by threats (Acts 4, 5,12). Peter later wrote,
"We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told
you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty" (2 Peter 1:16).
Peter said this when he knew he would soon be killed (2 Peter 1:14; John 21:17-19). What reward could there have been in dying for lies? If Peter was not telling the truth of what he saw, what did he think he could gain? The apostles did not become rich (Acts 3:6; 1 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 6:10). Instead of becoming famous they became infamous - they were hated by the world. They suffered great losses and hardships for their message (2 Corinthians 1:9; 6:1-10; 11:23-31). Paul wrote,
"It seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at
the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the
arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe...
Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the
refuse of the world" (1 Corinthians 4:9,13).
No, the apostles received no reward from this world, but only shame and pain. Why then did they keep telling the same story? For the simplest and best reason: They KNEW it was true. They had SEEN it with their own eyes. Their lives matched the honesty of their report. When threatened, they had to reply, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20).
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Healing Through Scripture (Pt.1)
I have many issues in my life that I have to and have,healed from. I talk to many people that seem so unhealthy and unhappy as they battle everything from satan to grave illnesses. I want to feel good and be enriched through the grace of God- I know you do to! I will start this series with a few things I know many of us,or loved ones might be dealing with. I encourage you to take these scriptures and pray-read them (taking the paragraphs and speak to God as a prayer). This is a powerful form of healing that connects us to God and heaven. We all need healing and no one is better at granting it unto you,than God!
1. Backsliding (Prov.4:23,Jer. 3:22,Hosea 14:4)
2. Depression (Isaisah 53:4-5, 61:3,51:1,Psalm 34:18,128:2,16:11,Jer. 31:13)
3. Fear (Det. 33:27,Isaisah 26:3,John 14:27)
4. Smoking,drugs,drinking (2 Cor. 7:1, Phil. 4:13,Psalm 27:1, Romans 8:35-38)
1. Backsliding (Prov.4:23,Jer. 3:22,Hosea 14:4)
2. Depression (Isaisah 53:4-5, 61:3,51:1,Psalm 34:18,128:2,16:11,Jer. 31:13)
3. Fear (Det. 33:27,Isaisah 26:3,John 14:27)
4. Smoking,drugs,drinking (2 Cor. 7:1, Phil. 4:13,Psalm 27:1, Romans 8:35-38)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
April Prayer Assignments
Nations are changed because of prayer. Individuals and families are healed and restored because of prayer. In spite of what we may hear in the daily news remember we serve a God who is continually moving behind the scenes to bring about His perfect will for creation. Let us “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”(Hebrews 10:23, NKJV)
Please remember to pray for the armed forces stationed all over the world and their families.
APRIL:
1-5: The United States of America: Pray this month for recovery from natural disasters of tornadoes, floods and storms across the country.
Pray throughout this year as we elect new leaders including the next President of the United States of America
Pray for revival in our churches, communities and marketplaces.
6: China; Hong Kong: There is a real need for people to reach out to the 25 million Muslim believers in China. The Communist Party has used a ‘one child’ policy to try and control the growing population. This policy has had devastating effect on society; hundreds of baby girls are abandoned and in some areas where young men outnumber women by up to 40% young women have been abducted, taken as slaves or raped. There are over 60 million members of the Chinese Communist Party who are the ‘top dogs’ of Chinese society. Officially they are not allowed to believe in God, but there are many who secretly believe in Jesus despite opposition.
Pray for a visitation of the redemptive love of Jesus Christ to this nation.
7: China, Macau: There are over 60 million members of the Chinese Communist Party who are the ‘top dogs’ of Chinese society. Officially they are not allowed to believe in God, but there are many who secretly believe in Jesus despite opposition.
The government has tried to make churches loyal to the Communist Party. Many leaders have compromised their faith in order to obey their rules; they aren’t allowed to pray for healings or tell people that Jesus is coming again!
Pray for the hand of God to touch every person on this continent so they can experience a living Saviour.
8-9: China, Taiwan: China has always treated Taiwan as a renegade province. When Taiwan has talked about becoming independent China has threatened military action.
Most of the population follows a Chinese religion which is a mix of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Many rural churches in Taiwan don’t have a pastor.
Pray that more Christians would be able to train and be released to serve these churches.
There are over a million young people in colleges or universities across Taiwan.
Pray that during this critical time in their lives they would explore what Christianity really means and meet with the living God.
10-11: Columbia: There is a growing number of Christians in Colombia. This is a miraculous sign of God’s faithfulness and protection because Christians are often targets of violence by drug cartels and guerrillas.
Bellavista Prison is a maximum security prison in city of Medellin. It is home to some of Colombia’s most hardened and violent criminals; the murder rate inside the prison used to be as high as one per day! Many prisoners are hearing about God and becoming Christians. In a place that was called “hell on earth” prisoners are praying round the clock, the murder rate has dramatically fallen and inmates are being trained in their very own Bible school!
In some cities the number of evangelical Christians has multiplied by twenty times in the last 10 years. This sort of growth can be threatening to whatever group is in control of the area. Many church leaders are targets of violence and many have been martyred. Many Christian leaders have left the country.
Pray that those who have stayed would be given strength and protection.
12: Comoros: The Comoro Islands lie off the east African coast between Mozambique and the island of Madagascar. The Comores declared themselves independent from France in 1975. One island, Mayotte, decided to stay with France, but the rest of the islands still claim Mayotte as part of their territory. Frequent military takeovers and times of violence trouble the islands – tension exists on the two smaller islands who want to be separate.
Almost the entire population of the Comores is Muslim, with 780 mosques but no official churches. Although many people are disillusioned with Islamic society telling people about Christianity is absolutely forbidden.
Pray that the few Christians on the island would still find opportunities to share their faith.
Mayotte also has a Muslim majority, but mosque attendance is low and there is complete freedom for Christians to meet openly and tell others about Jesus.
Pray for revival to cover these Islands and a rich harvest results.
13: Congo: Under communist rule, all young people were brainwashed against religion, churches were closed and missionaries forced to leave the country. Since 1992 freedom of religion has been restored.
Missionaries have greater freedom to be resident in the country and are seeing successes in the capital and port towns.
Pray for the lasting peace that the Congo desperately needs.
The civil war has stopped many missionaries from returning to the Congo.
Pray that more will able to return in safety to support struggling churches and reach people who haven’t heard about Jesus.
14-15: Congo-DRC: The Democratic Republic of Congo, (formerly Zaire), is the size of Western Europe and rich in minerals, oil and fertile land. The DRC should be a wealthy country. Instead it is one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world; where even the desperately needed aid agencies fear to tread.
Pray for PEACE.
At least 30 and maybe as many as 147 language translations of the Bible are still needed.
There is a growing Muslim population and still a large number of people of tribal beliefs
Pray for them.
16: Cook Islands: The Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau and Pitcairn are all officially or unofficially related to New Zealand. There has been a strong Christian influence on the islands for 150 years and lots of people go to church but many of the smaller islands don't have any evangelistic Christians.
Pray for new spiritual life on these islands.
17: Costa Rica: The country’s economy depends heavily on exporting basic produce like coffee and bananas. 20% of the population lives in deep poverty. The majority of Costa Ricans have grown up in a Catholic society, but most do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Some Catholics, however, do have a personal and living faith in God.
Pray that many more Costa Ricans in the Catholic Church will be impacted by the gospel and give their lives to God.
Pray for bible-believing churches to be established amongst all Amerindian tribes.
Pray that these churches would encourage indigenous leaders and express the unique languages and cultures of each tribe.
18: Cote d’Ivoire: The number of evangelical Christians has nearly doubled since 1990 – there are now over 700 churches in the capital Abidjan. Worshipping spirits and objects has a strong hold in Cote d’Ivoire and gets mixed up in the churches as well.
Pray that Christians would break free from spirit worship and find greater freedom in Jesus.
The urban population is exploding, doubling every 10 years, with every people group from Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso living in the capital.
Pray for the resources and vision to see new disciples and churches grow.
19: Croatia: Croatia lies on the Adriatic coastline to the west of Yugoslavia. Religion and ethnicity are really closely linked for Orthodox Serbs, Muslim Bosnians and Catholic Croats.
Pray for spiritual breakthrough, so that people’s ‘religion’ would not be a barrier for them seeking Jesus.
Pray for the growing number of Christian students in colleges and universities.
20: Cuba: Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cuban economy has struggled to keep much of the population out of poverty.
During the ‘90s there has been rapid church growth and many churches are filled with young people despite the fact that Cuba’s communist ideals have opposed Christianity for 40 years.
For many years Christians faced imprisonment and discrimination under Communist rule. In the last ten years this persecution has really reduced (although it has not stopped completely).
Pray for complete freedom for Christians in Cuba.
21: Cyprus: The Greek Cypriot majority (77% of the population) are mainly Christian, while the Turkish minority in the north are Muslim. Although both groups are free to meet and worship, any evangelism is closely monitored.
There is a small group of about 20 new Christians in the Muslim north.
Pray that this group will be able to witness to their friends and families and grow!
22: Czech Republic: In recent polls 50% of the population described themselves as atheists.
Pray for the leadership of the Catholic and Protestant churches in the Czech Republic. The average age for Catholic priests is 69!
Pray that God can equip a new generation of spiritual leaders for this nation.
Many young people are really searching for answers
Pray that Christians would be motivated and excited about sharing their faith.
23: Denmark: Denmark is the most southerly country in Scandinavia - it is made up of the Jutland peninsula and more than 400 islands. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are still part of Denmark, but govern themselves independently. Denmark also leads the world in providing financial help to poorer countries – contributing 1% of its national income (that’s ten times as much as the USA)
90% of the population belongs to a church – but less than 4% regularly go along. The good news is that half the population prays to God!
Pray that Jesus would be real to people and transform their lives as they pray.
Pray for immigrant communities in Denmark – a small but significant part of society. Many of them are Arabic or Turkish Muslims.
Pray for opportunities for them to hear about Jesus.
24: Djibouti: Sandwiched between Ethiopia and Eritrea to the north and Somalia to the south, Djibouti has a strategic location – as a handy port to get to the Middle East. The country’s economy depends heavily on its port and on foreign help. Although officially an Islamic state, other religions are given freedom to worship. There are many Christians amongst the Ethiopian refugees living in Djibouti.
Pray that that would have enormous faith to see others come to know God.
There are a few Afar and Somali Christians – many of them are jobless and cannot read or write.
Pray that these small communities would not feel isolated but would be encouraged and grow.
25: Dominica: Dominica is located between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Windward Islands. Colonized first by the French, Dominica came under British rule in 1759.
Pray for church leaders in Dominica - because the country is quite poor, many have to take on a second job to support themselves.
25: Dominican Rep: The Dominican Republic is the largest tourist destination in the Caribbean. It is the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola; shared with Haiti. Thirty years of repressive dictatorship ended in 1961 but civil war continued for a further five years. Recent governments have been corrupt and haven't managed to make life any better for Haitian immigrants who are the lowest of the low.
The Dominican Republic has depended on its sugar cane crops for over 500 years. Although it has made some rich it is also the reason why so many slaves were brought here against their will. Today Haitian immigrants are still exploited and poorly paid.
The number of bible-believing Christians and churches is growing!
Pray for a fairer wage for these workers and for fairer trade from richer countries who buy the sugar.
Many church leaders leave the Dominican Republic to work abroad in Puerto Rico of the United States, because it can be tough to live and work here.
Pray that the right people will be called with a heart to serve in the poorest areas that have the greatest need.
26: Ecuador: Ecuador is lies on the Pacific on the west of Latin America. It also includes the tiny Galapagos Islands, which are home to 6,000 people, thousands of sea turtles and one church (with two members!). Oil is big business in Ecuador. The discovery of oil has meant more money for a few people, but the poor have become poorer and the destruction to the Amazon rainforest has been massive. 40% of the people in Ecuador are Quichua (native Amerindians). In the 1960s only 120 of the Quichua were Christians, but since then thousands have turned to Jesus. In some areas nearly 50% of the Quichua are bible-believing Christians. This kind of growth is a modern day miracle!
Pray that the church would be able to reach out to the children and young people in Ecuador.
Most of the people in Ecuador live near the big cities of Quito and Guayaquil. Over a million people live in horrendous conditions in the city slums built on polluted marshes. Unfortunately very few Christians have a vision to work with these people.
Pray that people would be called and equipped to go to the slums and live with the people there to show them how much God loves them.
27-29: Egypt: Egypt is well known for its pyramids, Pharaohs and the Nile. It is a country that has barely changed for hundreds of years and at the same time it is rushing ahead to become westernized.
The Church in Egypt has survived for nearly 2,000 years, despite times of discrimination and severe persecution! Praise God for his faithfulness in Egypt.
Egyptian Christians could play a unique role in reaching other Muslim lands in the Middle East.
Pray for vision and resources that would equip people for this strategic challenge.
There have been Coptic Christians in Egypt for over a thousand years and it is by far one of the biggest groups of Christians anywhere in the Middle East.
Pray that Coptic Christians today would be filled with the Holy Spirit and have a strong relationship with God.
30: El Salvador: Since signing a peace deal in 1992 both sides are now in government, but they face huge challenges. 80% of the population lives in poverty while the rest are extremely wealthy. During the civil war loads of people became Christians. 22% of the population are now committed Christians.
Pray that leaders can find enough money and training to equip new leaders as the church grows.
The civil war has scarred El Salvador. Years of hate, violence, suspicion and devastation continue to affect society.
Pray that through peace, forgiveness and reconciliation El Salvador can build a fairer society for everyone.
Over 350,000 children were abandoned during the war.
Pray that they would be cared for and supported as they cope with trauma and loss.
Please remember to pray for the armed forces stationed all over the world and their families.
APRIL:
1-5: The United States of America: Pray this month for recovery from natural disasters of tornadoes, floods and storms across the country.
Pray throughout this year as we elect new leaders including the next President of the United States of America
Pray for revival in our churches, communities and marketplaces.
6: China; Hong Kong: There is a real need for people to reach out to the 25 million Muslim believers in China. The Communist Party has used a ‘one child’ policy to try and control the growing population. This policy has had devastating effect on society; hundreds of baby girls are abandoned and in some areas where young men outnumber women by up to 40% young women have been abducted, taken as slaves or raped. There are over 60 million members of the Chinese Communist Party who are the ‘top dogs’ of Chinese society. Officially they are not allowed to believe in God, but there are many who secretly believe in Jesus despite opposition.
Pray for a visitation of the redemptive love of Jesus Christ to this nation.
7: China, Macau: There are over 60 million members of the Chinese Communist Party who are the ‘top dogs’ of Chinese society. Officially they are not allowed to believe in God, but there are many who secretly believe in Jesus despite opposition.
The government has tried to make churches loyal to the Communist Party. Many leaders have compromised their faith in order to obey their rules; they aren’t allowed to pray for healings or tell people that Jesus is coming again!
Pray for the hand of God to touch every person on this continent so they can experience a living Saviour.
8-9: China, Taiwan: China has always treated Taiwan as a renegade province. When Taiwan has talked about becoming independent China has threatened military action.
Most of the population follows a Chinese religion which is a mix of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. Many rural churches in Taiwan don’t have a pastor.
Pray that more Christians would be able to train and be released to serve these churches.
There are over a million young people in colleges or universities across Taiwan.
Pray that during this critical time in their lives they would explore what Christianity really means and meet with the living God.
10-11: Columbia: There is a growing number of Christians in Colombia. This is a miraculous sign of God’s faithfulness and protection because Christians are often targets of violence by drug cartels and guerrillas.
Bellavista Prison is a maximum security prison in city of Medellin. It is home to some of Colombia’s most hardened and violent criminals; the murder rate inside the prison used to be as high as one per day! Many prisoners are hearing about God and becoming Christians. In a place that was called “hell on earth” prisoners are praying round the clock, the murder rate has dramatically fallen and inmates are being trained in their very own Bible school!
In some cities the number of evangelical Christians has multiplied by twenty times in the last 10 years. This sort of growth can be threatening to whatever group is in control of the area. Many church leaders are targets of violence and many have been martyred. Many Christian leaders have left the country.
Pray that those who have stayed would be given strength and protection.
12: Comoros: The Comoro Islands lie off the east African coast between Mozambique and the island of Madagascar. The Comores declared themselves independent from France in 1975. One island, Mayotte, decided to stay with France, but the rest of the islands still claim Mayotte as part of their territory. Frequent military takeovers and times of violence trouble the islands – tension exists on the two smaller islands who want to be separate.
Almost the entire population of the Comores is Muslim, with 780 mosques but no official churches. Although many people are disillusioned with Islamic society telling people about Christianity is absolutely forbidden.
Pray that the few Christians on the island would still find opportunities to share their faith.
Mayotte also has a Muslim majority, but mosque attendance is low and there is complete freedom for Christians to meet openly and tell others about Jesus.
Pray for revival to cover these Islands and a rich harvest results.
13: Congo: Under communist rule, all young people were brainwashed against religion, churches were closed and missionaries forced to leave the country. Since 1992 freedom of religion has been restored.
Missionaries have greater freedom to be resident in the country and are seeing successes in the capital and port towns.
Pray for the lasting peace that the Congo desperately needs.
The civil war has stopped many missionaries from returning to the Congo.
Pray that more will able to return in safety to support struggling churches and reach people who haven’t heard about Jesus.
14-15: Congo-DRC: The Democratic Republic of Congo, (formerly Zaire), is the size of Western Europe and rich in minerals, oil and fertile land. The DRC should be a wealthy country. Instead it is one of the poorest and most dangerous countries in the world; where even the desperately needed aid agencies fear to tread.
Pray for PEACE.
At least 30 and maybe as many as 147 language translations of the Bible are still needed.
There is a growing Muslim population and still a large number of people of tribal beliefs
Pray for them.
16: Cook Islands: The Cook Islands , Niue, Tokelau and Pitcairn are all officially or unofficially related to New Zealand. There has been a strong Christian influence on the islands for 150 years and lots of people go to church but many of the smaller islands don't have any evangelistic Christians.
Pray for new spiritual life on these islands.
17: Costa Rica: The country’s economy depends heavily on exporting basic produce like coffee and bananas. 20% of the population lives in deep poverty. The majority of Costa Ricans have grown up in a Catholic society, but most do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Some Catholics, however, do have a personal and living faith in God.
Pray that many more Costa Ricans in the Catholic Church will be impacted by the gospel and give their lives to God.
Pray for bible-believing churches to be established amongst all Amerindian tribes.
Pray that these churches would encourage indigenous leaders and express the unique languages and cultures of each tribe.
18: Cote d’Ivoire: The number of evangelical Christians has nearly doubled since 1990 – there are now over 700 churches in the capital Abidjan. Worshipping spirits and objects has a strong hold in Cote d’Ivoire and gets mixed up in the churches as well.
Pray that Christians would break free from spirit worship and find greater freedom in Jesus.
The urban population is exploding, doubling every 10 years, with every people group from Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso living in the capital.
Pray for the resources and vision to see new disciples and churches grow.
19: Croatia: Croatia lies on the Adriatic coastline to the west of Yugoslavia. Religion and ethnicity are really closely linked for Orthodox Serbs, Muslim Bosnians and Catholic Croats.
Pray for spiritual breakthrough, so that people’s ‘religion’ would not be a barrier for them seeking Jesus.
Pray for the growing number of Christian students in colleges and universities.
20: Cuba: Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cuban economy has struggled to keep much of the population out of poverty.
During the ‘90s there has been rapid church growth and many churches are filled with young people despite the fact that Cuba’s communist ideals have opposed Christianity for 40 years.
For many years Christians faced imprisonment and discrimination under Communist rule. In the last ten years this persecution has really reduced (although it has not stopped completely).
Pray for complete freedom for Christians in Cuba.
21: Cyprus: The Greek Cypriot majority (77% of the population) are mainly Christian, while the Turkish minority in the north are Muslim. Although both groups are free to meet and worship, any evangelism is closely monitored.
There is a small group of about 20 new Christians in the Muslim north.
Pray that this group will be able to witness to their friends and families and grow!
22: Czech Republic: In recent polls 50% of the population described themselves as atheists.
Pray for the leadership of the Catholic and Protestant churches in the Czech Republic. The average age for Catholic priests is 69!
Pray that God can equip a new generation of spiritual leaders for this nation.
Many young people are really searching for answers
Pray that Christians would be motivated and excited about sharing their faith.
23: Denmark: Denmark is the most southerly country in Scandinavia - it is made up of the Jutland peninsula and more than 400 islands. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are still part of Denmark, but govern themselves independently. Denmark also leads the world in providing financial help to poorer countries – contributing 1% of its national income (that’s ten times as much as the USA)
90% of the population belongs to a church – but less than 4% regularly go along. The good news is that half the population prays to God!
Pray that Jesus would be real to people and transform their lives as they pray.
Pray for immigrant communities in Denmark – a small but significant part of society. Many of them are Arabic or Turkish Muslims.
Pray for opportunities for them to hear about Jesus.
24: Djibouti: Sandwiched between Ethiopia and Eritrea to the north and Somalia to the south, Djibouti has a strategic location – as a handy port to get to the Middle East. The country’s economy depends heavily on its port and on foreign help. Although officially an Islamic state, other religions are given freedom to worship. There are many Christians amongst the Ethiopian refugees living in Djibouti.
Pray that that would have enormous faith to see others come to know God.
There are a few Afar and Somali Christians – many of them are jobless and cannot read or write.
Pray that these small communities would not feel isolated but would be encouraged and grow.
25: Dominica: Dominica is located between Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Windward Islands. Colonized first by the French, Dominica came under British rule in 1759.
Pray for church leaders in Dominica - because the country is quite poor, many have to take on a second job to support themselves.
25: Dominican Rep: The Dominican Republic is the largest tourist destination in the Caribbean. It is the eastern part of the island of Hispaniola; shared with Haiti. Thirty years of repressive dictatorship ended in 1961 but civil war continued for a further five years. Recent governments have been corrupt and haven't managed to make life any better for Haitian immigrants who are the lowest of the low.
The Dominican Republic has depended on its sugar cane crops for over 500 years. Although it has made some rich it is also the reason why so many slaves were brought here against their will. Today Haitian immigrants are still exploited and poorly paid.
The number of bible-believing Christians and churches is growing!
Pray for a fairer wage for these workers and for fairer trade from richer countries who buy the sugar.
Many church leaders leave the Dominican Republic to work abroad in Puerto Rico of the United States, because it can be tough to live and work here.
Pray that the right people will be called with a heart to serve in the poorest areas that have the greatest need.
26: Ecuador: Ecuador is lies on the Pacific on the west of Latin America. It also includes the tiny Galapagos Islands, which are home to 6,000 people, thousands of sea turtles and one church (with two members!). Oil is big business in Ecuador. The discovery of oil has meant more money for a few people, but the poor have become poorer and the destruction to the Amazon rainforest has been massive. 40% of the people in Ecuador are Quichua (native Amerindians). In the 1960s only 120 of the Quichua were Christians, but since then thousands have turned to Jesus. In some areas nearly 50% of the Quichua are bible-believing Christians. This kind of growth is a modern day miracle!
Pray that the church would be able to reach out to the children and young people in Ecuador.
Most of the people in Ecuador live near the big cities of Quito and Guayaquil. Over a million people live in horrendous conditions in the city slums built on polluted marshes. Unfortunately very few Christians have a vision to work with these people.
Pray that people would be called and equipped to go to the slums and live with the people there to show them how much God loves them.
27-29: Egypt: Egypt is well known for its pyramids, Pharaohs and the Nile. It is a country that has barely changed for hundreds of years and at the same time it is rushing ahead to become westernized.
The Church in Egypt has survived for nearly 2,000 years, despite times of discrimination and severe persecution! Praise God for his faithfulness in Egypt.
Egyptian Christians could play a unique role in reaching other Muslim lands in the Middle East.
Pray for vision and resources that would equip people for this strategic challenge.
There have been Coptic Christians in Egypt for over a thousand years and it is by far one of the biggest groups of Christians anywhere in the Middle East.
Pray that Coptic Christians today would be filled with the Holy Spirit and have a strong relationship with God.
30: El Salvador: Since signing a peace deal in 1992 both sides are now in government, but they face huge challenges. 80% of the population lives in poverty while the rest are extremely wealthy. During the civil war loads of people became Christians. 22% of the population are now committed Christians.
Pray that leaders can find enough money and training to equip new leaders as the church grows.
The civil war has scarred El Salvador. Years of hate, violence, suspicion and devastation continue to affect society.
Pray that through peace, forgiveness and reconciliation El Salvador can build a fairer society for everyone.
Over 350,000 children were abandoned during the war.
Pray that they would be cared for and supported as they cope with trauma and loss.
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