Friday, August 15, 2014

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya - Africa

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
Home > Aug 15: Libya

Aug 15: Libya


Libya

Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

Africa

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 1,775,500 sq km
Mostly Saharan desert; only a coastal Mediterranean strip, 2% of its land area, is arable.
Population: 6,545,619    Annual Growth: 2.02%
Capital: Tripoli
Urbanites: 77.9%
HDI Rank: 55 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 40 (70% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Arabic    Languages: 32 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Muslim
Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
Christians172,8042.642.8
Evangelicals19,6620.35.2
Muslim6,350,56097.02 

Challenges for Prayer

Libyan believers are increasing in numbers and faith and enjoy surprising freedom as a Christian community, but they still face many obstacles to fellowship, including fear of infiltrators. Libyans remain off-limits for evangelism, and approaches to them are risky for all involved. Continued state surveillance and family/social pressures are strong disincentives. Pray for greater religious freedom so that more might hear the gospel and be able to follow Jesus openly. Pray also for Libyan believers to stand firm in their faith and to find spiritually edifying relationships – including suitable marriage partners in a society where marriage is typically arranged with extended family.
Specific areas of ministry:
a) Broadcasting. Radio and satellite television provide two of the very few ways to evangelize Libyans. Three different shortwave-radio stations broadcast programmes to Libya: IBRA (over Radio Moscow), HCJB and Adventist World Radio, but only 4.5 hours/week are in Arabic. The widespread use of satellite dishes (in the majority of households) enables SAT-7 and other Christian satellite-television broadcasts to reach into homes. Pray for creative and effective programmes with the means to disciple responsive listeners, and pray for protection for those who respond.
b) Scripture. There is a great need for Bibles; there are far too few to go around. There are many materials in standard Arabic, but no Scriptures and almost no audio or video resources in Libyan Arabic. Pray that work on this may start so Libyans can read or hear the gospel in their heart language.
c) Internet. Access, though strictly censored in Libya, is becoming more available and open. Pray that Libyans may be drawn to Christian websites and attracted to the gospel. Many Christian-focused websites in Arabic are having a profound impact.
d) The visit of the OM ship built bridges between the global Christian community and Libya as well as provided much-needed books and literature for the Libyan public. Pray for further opportunities to connect Libya and her people to the wider Christian world.
     For an additional 3 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Libya.
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Genesis 14 NIV



Genesis 14 (New International Version)

Genesis 14

Abram Rescues Lot

1 At this time Amraphel king of Shinar, [a] Arioch king of Ellasar, Kedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim 2 went to war against Bera king of Sodom, Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these latter kings joined forces in the Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea [b] ). 4 For twelve years they had been subject to Kedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
5 In the fourteenth year, Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him went out and defeated the Rephaites in Ashteroth Karnaim, the Zuzites in Ham, the Emites in Shaveh Kiriathaim 6 and the Horites in the hill country of Seir, as far as El Paran near the desert. 7 Then they turned back and went to En Mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and they conquered the whole territory of the Amalekites, as well as the Amorites who were living in Hazazon Tamar.

8 Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) marched out and drew up their battle lines in the Valley of Siddim 9 against Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goiim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five. 10 Now the Valley of Siddim was full of tar pits, and when the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some of the men fell into them and the rest fled to the hills. 11 The four kings seized all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah and all their food; then they went away. 12 They also carried off Abram's nephew Lot and his possessions, since he was living in Sodom.

13 One who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother [c] of Eshcol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram. 14 When Abram heard that his relative had been taken captive, he called out the 318 trained men born in his household and went in pursuit as far as Dan. 15 During the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus. 16 He recovered all the goods and brought back his relative Lot and his possessions, together with the women and the other people.

17 After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).

18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem [d] brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, "Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator [e] of heaven and earth.

20 And blessed be [f] God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

21 The king of Sodom said to Abram, "Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself."

22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, "I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath 23 that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' 24 I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share."
 
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Romans 14 NIV



Romans 14 (New International Version, ©2010)

Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. 2 One person's faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. 6 Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister[a]? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat. 11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord,
'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"[b]

12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.

13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.
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