Feb 10: Afghanistan

Join the Prayer Movement

click map to enlarge

click map to enlarge

click graph for key

Afghanistan

Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

Asia

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 652,225 sq km
Dry and mountainous but with fertile valleys. This strategic land has been fought over by rival foreign empires for nearly three thousand years.
Population: 29,117,489    Annual Growth: 3.51%
Capital: Kabul
Urbanites: 24.8%
HDI Rank: 181 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 76 (93% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Pashtu (used by 50% of population), Dari (Afghan Persian, used by 70%)    Languages: 41 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Muslim

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	14,559	0.05	14.6
Evangelicals	8,442	0.0	16.7
Muslim	29,074,395	99.85

Prayercast

Answer to Prayer

Christian media have been developed in many formats – audio/MP3, mobile phone memory, radio, video, literature and the Internet – for evangelism and discipleship. This is an area of real growth and excitement.
     For an additional 2 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

Challenge for Prayer

Recovery and rebuilding are occurring in many sectors of society. Among nationals, there is a real mix of optimism and pessimism as to whether genuine improvements can be made. Pray for the following issues:
a) Billions of dollars in foreign aid are being poured into the country – especially by the NATO countries, China and India. Over 1,500 NGOs are registered – only 350 of them are foreign. Inefficiency and corruption are very real threats, but the recent implementation of tighter government regulations has forced NGOs to be transparent and efficient with their funds and activities.
b) A new generation of Afghans with a different attitude. Sixty percent of Afghans are under the age of 20 and have known nothing but war; they long for opportunities in education and employment and some freedom of choice. Up to 4.5 million Afghans have returned after fleeing the country when it was under Taliban control. Many of them bring financial resources, international connections and an entrepreneurial spirit to help establish new businesses.
c) National security. Establishing well-trained, disciplined, Afghan-national military and police forces is vital. These institutions must build a reserve of trust with the people, but are themselves prone to corruption and infiltration by Taliban sympathizers.
d) Physical infrastructure was devastated by nearly 30 years of war. The reconstruction of roads, medical facilities, schools and other public service buildings is crucial for the nation’s future.
e) Human development is equally vital. The infant mortality rate, although very high, is dropping rapidly as health services improve. A record number of children are enrolled in school. Micro-enterprise initiatives are giving many opportunities to start small businesses, earn a respectable living and provide for others.
f) Christian involvement in aid and development. Since 1966, a number of Christian relief and development agencies have ministered to the blind, maimed, sick, deprived, illiterate and needy, in the name and Spirit of the Lord Jesus. Many Christians – most of them in humanitarian capacities – work to serve the people of Afghanistan. Practical demonstrations of Christian care and love impress many Afghans, breaking down prejudices and preparing hearts for the gospel. In addition to the tragedies of lives lost, enforced reductions of personnel and even withdrawal of entire organizations from the country caused a great loss of many effective workers. Pray for both courage in the face of adversity and wisdom to know how best to demonstrate Christ’s love to the Afghan people.
     For an additional 7 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 Afghanistan.

Proverbs 10 (with text - press on more info.)

Walter Hawkins - Thank You Lord (for all you've done)

Ten Ways To Love

1. Listen ~ Proverbs 18:13 (Complete Jewish Bible)

13To answer someone before hearing him out is both stupid and embarrassing.

2. Speak ~ James 1:19 (Complete Jewish Bible)

19Therefore, my dear brothers, let every person be quick to listen but slow to speak, slow to get angry;

3. Give ~ Proverbs 21:26 (Complete Jewish Bible)

26he covets greedily all day long; but a righteous person gives without holding back.

4.Pray ~ Colossians 1:9 (Complete Jewish Bible)

9Therefore, from the day we heard of it, we have not stopped praying for you, asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all the wisdom and understanding which the Spirit gives;

5. Answer ~ Proverbs 17:1 (Complete Jewish Bible)

1Better a dry piece of bread with calm than a house full of food but also full of strife.

6. Share ~ Ephesians 4:15 (Complete Jewish Bible)

15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in every respect grow up into him who is the head, the Messiah.

7. Enjoy ~ Philippians 2:14 (Complete Jewish Bible)

14Do everything without kvetching or arguing,

8. Trust ~ 1 Corinthians 13:7 (Complete Jewish Bible)

7Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures.

9. Forgive ~ Colossians 3:13 (Complete Jewish Bible)

13Bear with one another; if anyone has a complaint against someone else, forgive him. Indeed, just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must forgive.

10. Promise ~ Proverbs 13:12 (Complete Jewish Bible)

12Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

Song of Solomon 2 (with text - press on more info.)

Song of Solomon 2 (New International Version)

Song of Solomon 2

Beloved [a]

1 I am a rose [b] of Sharon, a lily of the valleys.
Lover

2 Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens.
Beloved

3 Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.
4 He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love.

5 Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.

6 His left arm is under my head, and his right arm embraces me.

7 Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.

8 Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.

9 My lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice.

10 My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me.

11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."

Lover

14 My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
15 Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

Beloved

16 My lover is mine and I am his; he browses among the lilies.
17 Until the day breaks and the shadows flee, turn, my lover, and be like a gazelle or like a young stag on the rugged hills.

Four Blasts (Sounds)

The Narrow Gate

Matthew 7:13-14 (Complete Jewish Bible)

13"Go in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it;14but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Jesus Culture - Dance

Jesus Culture - Dance

I'm after Your heart
Why should I be still when the worship starts Lord
I'm so in love with You
What can man do, can't hold me back anymore

You spin over me
And You are please when I spend myself on You
I'm gonna let go
Really worship letting my dance come forth

Dance! Dance!
Let the Spirit move you!
Dance! Dance!
Holy Spirit in you!

We Have Overcome - Hosanna! Music HM027 (Virgil Meares)

Psalm 7 (with text - press on more info.)

Psalm 7 (New International Version)

Psalm 7

A shiggaion[a] of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjamite.

1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me,
2 or they will tear me like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

3 O LORD my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands-

4 if I have done evil to him who is at peace with me or without cause have robbed my foe-

5 then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. Selah

6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake, my God; decree justice.

7 Let the assembled peoples gather around you. Rule over them from on high;

8 let the LORD judge the peoples. Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.

9 O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.

10 My shield [b] is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.

11 God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.

12 If he does not relent, he [c] will sharpen his sword; he will bend and string his bow.

13 He has prepared his deadly weapons; he makes ready his flaming arrows.

14 He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment.

15 He who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made.

16 The trouble he causes recoils on himself; his violence comes down on his own head.

17 I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

ICEJ Report - Episode 1 | ICEJ USA

ICEJ Report - Episode 1 | ICEJ USA

Jonathan Welton with Sid Roth - See in the Spirit

I Thank God - Rhema Marvanne - 8 Yr old Gospel singer - Original song.

His Grace is all I need.

2 Corinthians 12:1-11 (The Message)

1You've forced me to talk this way, and I do it against my better judgment. But now that we're at it, I may as well bring up the matter of visions and revelations that God gave me.2For instance, I know a man who, fourteen years ago, was seized by Christ and swept in ecstasy to the heights of heaven. I really don't know if this took place in the body or out of it; only God knows.3I also know that this man was hijacked into paradise - again, whether in or out of the body, I don't know; God knows. There he heard the unspeakable spoken, but was forbidden to tell what he heard.45This is the man I want to talk about. But about myself, I'm not saying another word apart from the humiliations.6If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I'd still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I'll spare you. I don't want anyone imagining me as anything other than the fool you'd encounter if you saw me on the street or heard me talk.7Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty!8At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that,9and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.10Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size - abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.11Well, now I've done it! I've made a complete fool of myself by going on like this. But it's not all my fault; you put me up to it. You should have been doing this for me, sticking up for me and commending me instead of making me do it for myself. You know from personal experience that even if I'm a nobody, a nothing, I wasn't second-rate compared to those big-shot apostles you're so taken with

Proverbs 9 (with text - press on more info.)

The Potter's Hand -- Darlene Zschech lyrics

IT IS YOU with lyrics

Refiner's Fire - Brian Doerksen

Psalm 6 (with text - press on more info.)

Psalm 6 (New International Version)

Psalm 6

For the director of music. With stringed instruments. According to sheminith.[a]

A psalm of David.

1O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

3 My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long?

4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.

5 No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave [b] ?

6 I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes.

8 Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.

9 The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

10 All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace.

Feb 08: Pacific, The Church in the Pacific, Trends to Watch - Pacific

Pacific, The Church in the Pacific, Trends to Watch - Pacific

Join the Prayer Movement

click graph for key

Pacific

World

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 8,515,800 sq km
6.3% of the world’s land surface. There are 25,000 islands scattered over 88 million sq km of ocean; this is larger than the combined areas of Africa, Asia and Europe. It comprises one continent (Australia), two large land masses (New Zealand and Papua New Guinea [PNG]) and 26 smaller island states and territories. The smallest territories are grouped with related states in the country section: Christmas Is, Cocos Is, Norfolk Is with Australia; Johnston Is, Midway Is, Wake Is with Guam; Niue, Pitcairn Is and Tokelau with Cook Islands.
Population: 35,838,336    Annual Growth: 1.30%
Urbanites: 70%

Peoples

    Languages: 1,250

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	26,526,812	74.02	0.0
Evangelicals	6,382,078	17.8	1.7

Answer to Prayer

The strength of Christianity in the Pacific. The Pacific was one of the first areas to be evangelized in the modern Protestant missionary era. By the end of the 19th Century, most of the Pacific region had become Christian through the sacrificial labours of early LMS, Methodist, Anglican and Pacific Islander missionaries. Missionary casualties were high through disease, violent death and cannibalism, but great people movements brought whole peoples and islands to Christianity.
     For an additional Answer to 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 Pacific.

Join the Prayer Movement

The Church in the Pacific

Pacific

See Prayer Information

Challenge for Prayer

The disparity in culture, class and incomebetween most churches in New Zealand and Australia and most immigrant peoples is a barrier to effective ministry. If churches want to be relevant and have an impact on these burgeoning populations and on the future of the Pacific region, they must step out of their comfort zones and learn to minister cross-culturally and in contexts of economic need. For social and economic justice to truly be rooted in Pacific society, the Church must be at the heart of the process.
     For an additional 6 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 The Church in the Pacific.

Join the Prayer Movement

Trends to Watch - Pacific

Pacific

See Prayer Information

Challenge for Prayer

Increasing investment, involvement and immigration from Pacific Rim nations will profoundly shape the Pacific’s future. China in particular but also Japan, Korea and Taiwan have significant stakes in the natural, material and human resources of the Pacific islands, stakes that will most likely grow in scale and influence.
     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 Trends to Watch - Pacific.

Demand that President Obama Defend Israel from Iranian Attacks

Demand that President Obama Defend Israel from Iranian Attacks:

'via Blog this'

Always Faithful (Prophetic Song)

Proverbs 8 (with text - press on more info.)

Give Thanks

Where do I find Love?

1 John 4:12

Amplified Bible (AMP)

¹² No man has at any time [yet] seen God. But if we love one another, God abides (lives and remains) in us and His love (that love which is essentially His) is brought to completion (to its full maturity, runs its full course, is perfected) in us!

Amazing Love (I'm So Amazed) by Hillsong

Song of Solomon 1 (with text - press on more info.)

Lifehouse - By Your Side

Lifehouse - Storm

Lyrics:

how long have I
been in this storm
so overwhelmed by the ocean's shapeless form
water's getting harder to tread
with these waves crashing over my head

if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I'd see you
the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright
and everything will be alright

I know you didn't
bring me out here to drown
so why am I 10 feet under and upside down
barely surviving has become my purpose
cause I'm so used to living underneath the surface

if I could just see you
everything will be alright
if I see you
the storminess will turn to light

and I will walk on water
and you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright

and I will walk on water
you will catch me if I fall
and I will get lost into your eyes
and everything will be alright
I know everything is alright
everything's alright

Broken - Lifehouse (with lyrics)

Israel and New Breed-Again I Say Rejoice

Psalm 5 (with text - press on more info.)

Psalm 5 (New International Version)

Psalm 5

For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.
2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.

5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.

6 You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple.

8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies— make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.

10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.