Area: 637,000 sq km
The mostly arid Horn of Africa east of Ethiopia and Kenya. Population: 9,358,602 Annual Growth: 2.30% Capital: Mogadishu Urbanites: 37.4%
Somaliland and Puntland.Somaliland in the northwest declared itself an independent republic in 1991. In great contrast to the chaos of the south, it has remained stable as a de facto separate state – thanks largely to clan structures left intact by the British and to a stronger infrastructure. Puntland in the northeast has self-governed since 1998, suffering only a small amount of civil strife. These two much safer and more stable regions have the potential to help restore the south. Despite the stability, there are almost no Christians in these northern regions. Pray that the peace of Somaliland would permeate southward, and that this peace would create openings for the gospel. The work of missions,always dangerous and hedged with restrictions, was forced to cease in 1972 when their institutions were nationalized by the new Marxist regime. The work of different missions between 1897 and 1974 saw several hundred turn to the Lord. Pray for workers to the Somalis to be called, committed and ready for when these defiantly closed doors open. For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Somalia.
Father, We pray the PEACE, PROTECTION, PROVISION, PURITY AND PRESENCE OF GOD for ______________ school -- over every administrator, teacher, student and the families associated with this school, in Jesus Name.
Area: 27,556 sq km
Six of the seven major volcanic islands of the Solomon Islands, also numerous smaller coral atolls. The seventh, Bougainville Island, is part of Papua New Guinea. The major island and island groups are Guadalcanal, Choiseul, New Georgia, Santa Isabel, Malaita, Makira/San Cristobal, Gela, Santa Cruz and the Russells. Population: 535,699 Annual Growth: 2.49% Capital: Honiara Urbanites: 18.6% HDI Rank: 135 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Official language: English. Trade language Solomons Pijin, spoken by more than half the population Languages: 71 All languages
Christian ministryduring and since the civil conflict has been a good testimony. Peacekeeping efforts by all churches, including the Melanesian Brotherhood (resulting in the martyrdom of seven of these Anglican brothers), and counselling to those traumatized have been much-needed blessings to the nation. The government, at the Church’s request, initiated a Truth and Reconciliation Commission – the Church has a great role to play in the issue of reconciliation. For an additional Answer to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
Ethnic diversity and fragmentationas well as geography render the Solomons a patchwork of tribes and political groups rather than a unified nation. This hinders not just national identity but also Christian ministry. Myriad languages and cultures necessitate a specific approach for each small tribal group, with resources and translation required. Neo-tribalism is expressed through denominationalism. Pray that Christianity might take root in each group in a relevant way, one that can help overcome division. Pray that God might knit these many islands and tribes together in the gospel. For an additional 5 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Solomon Islands.
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, this is what the Sovereign LORD says to the land of Israel: The end! The end has come upon the four corners of the land. 3 The end is now upon you and I will unleash my anger against you. I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. 4 I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will surely repay you for your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
5 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Disaster! An unheard-of [a] disaster is coming. 6 The end has come! The end has come! It has roused itself against you. It has come! 7 Doom has come upon you—you who dwell in the land. The time has come, the day is near; there is panic, not joy, upon the mountains. 8 I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. 9 I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will repay you in accordance with your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the LORD who strikes the blow.
10 "The day is here! It has come! Doom has burst forth, the rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed! 11 Violence has grown into [b] a rod to punish wickedness; none of the people will be left, none of that crowd—no wealth, nothing of value. 12 The time has come, the day has arrived. Let not the buyer rejoice nor the seller grieve, for wrath is upon the whole crowd. 13 The seller will not recover the land he has sold as long as both of them live, for the vision concerning the whole crowd will not be reversed. Because of their sins, not one of them will preserve his life. 14 Though they blow the trumpet and get everything ready, no one will go into battle, for my wrath is upon the whole crowd.
15 "Outside is the sword, inside are plague and famine; those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. 16 All who survive and escape will be in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valleys, each because of his sins. 17 Every hand will go limp, and every knee will become as weak as water. 18 They will put on sackcloth and be clothed with terror. Their faces will be covered with shame and their heads will be shaved. 19 They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them in the day of the LORD's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin. 20 They were proud of their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their detestable idols and vile images. Therefore I will turn these into an unclean thing for them. 21 I will hand it all over as plunder to foreigners and as loot to the wicked of the earth, and they will defile it. 22 I will turn my face away from them, and they will desecrate my treasured place; robbers will enter it and desecrate it.
23 "Prepare chains, because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of violence. 24 I will bring the most wicked of the nations to take possession of their houses; I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. 25 When terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. 26 Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor. They will try to get a vision from the prophet; the teaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders. 27 The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will deal with them according to their conduct, and by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the LORD."
Area: 20,256 sq km
Alpine state adjoining Italy, Hungary, Croatia and Austria. Population: 2,024,912 Annual Growth: 0.24% Capital: Ljubljana Urbanites: 48% HDI Rank: 29 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Vital Christian resources are in short supply.With the dearth of local fellowships, availability of quality materials in Slovene is vital for both discipleship and evangelism. Pray for: a)Christian literature.Very few Christian books have been capably translated into this difficult language. Pray for more quality materials to be translated, and for Slovene authors to be raised up. b)The Slovenian Bible Society,as it works on newer and more accurate modern translations. Pray also for insight on how to engage the general population with the Bible. c)The new, modern translationof the works of Primoz Trubar, the Slovene Protestant reformer who wrote the first books in Slovene (a language he helped to synthesize). He is highly regarded, although few have read his works. Pray that the Catechism and others of his books may lead many to a right understanding of God. d)More means of engaging Slovenes with the gospel.EHChas blanketed the nation in the past with Christian literature. There is a definite need for other media, including radio, Christian bookshops, Christian magazines, newspapers and the like. Visions of Christian coffee shops, radio stations and Slovene Christian websites abound; pray for these dreams to become reality. Slovenia has had a Protestant witnesssince the Reformation, but there are still very few evangelical churches. Even these few lack teaching and leadership training, although two informal Bible training schools operate with help from outside professors. Pray for the following ministries: a)Church planting.A number of ministries work in Slovenia. Pray for faithfulness, fruitfulness and sensitivity on their part. b)Student work.IFES,CCCIand the Nazarenes are pioneering student witness in Ljubljana and elsewhere. Josiah Venture works with middle school and high school students in a variety of denominations and churches.CEFis training more Slovene leadership for its outreach to children through clubs and camps. c)Radio.Catholic radio is broadly listened to, and some local churches have programmes on local radio, but there is no regular national evangelical presence on radio or TV, except for a 15-minuteTWRshortwave broadcast.
For an additional 2 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Slovenia.
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 "Son of man, set your face against the mountains of Israel; prophesy against them 3 and say: 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places. 4 Your altars will be demolished and your incense altars will be smashed; and I will slay your people in front of your idols. 5 I will lay the dead bodies of the Israelites in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars. 6 Wherever you live, the towns will be laid waste and the high places demolished, so that your altars will be laid waste and devastated, your idols smashed and ruined, your incense altars broken down, and what you have made wiped out. 7 Your people will fall slain among you, and you will know that I am the LORD. 8 " 'But I will spare some, for some of you will escape the sword when you are scattered among the lands and nations. 9 Then in the nations where they have been carried captive, those who escape will remember me—how I have been grieved by their adulterous hearts, which have turned away from me, and by their eyes, which have lusted after their idols. They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices. 10 And they will know that I am the LORD; I did not threaten in vain to bring this calamity on them.
11 " 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Strike your hands together and stamp your feet and cry out "Alas!" because of all the wicked and detestable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine and plague. 12 He that is far away will die of the plague, and he that is near will fall by the sword, and he that survives and is spared will die of famine. So will I spend my wrath upon them. 13 And they will know that I am the LORD, when their people lie slain among their idols around their altars, on every high hill and on all the mountaintops, under every spreading tree and every leafy oak—places where they offered fragrant incense to all their idols. 14 And I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land a desolate waste from the desert to Diblah [a] —wherever they live. Then they will know that I am the LORD.' "
1 Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.
2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden, but provocation by a fool is heavier than both.
4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?
5 Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.
7 He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.
8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who strays from his home.
9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one's friend springs from his earnest counsel.
10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you— better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart; then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.
12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger; hold it in pledge if he does it for a wayward woman.
14 If a man loudly blesses his neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse.
15 A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.
17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
18 He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.
19 As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.
20 Death and Destruction [a] are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man.
21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives.
22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar, grinding him like grain with a pestle, you will not remove his folly from him.
23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing, and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats' milk to feed you and your family and to nourish your servant girls.
1 LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? 2 He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart
3 and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman,
4 who despises a vile man but honors those who fear the LORD, who keeps his oath even when it hurts,
5 who lends his money without usury and does not accept a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.
Area: 49,035 sq km
Landlocked central European state, ranging from fertile Danube shores to the Tatra Mountains. Population: 5,411,640 Annual Growth: 0.10% Capital: Bratislava Urbanites: 56.8% HDI Rank: 42 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Evangelical denominations are few and small.The growth of recent years has slowed, but there is a new desire to reach out and be more active in church planting. The difficulty in registering as a religious organization complicates church life for smaller denominations. To recapture vitality, each congregation must understand what being the Church actually means. Pray for the quality of spiritual life and for fervour in evangelical churches. Another huge challenge to the Church is the growth of Jehovah’s Witnesses – their attendance outstrips that of Protestant evangelicals. Vision for the future must be recaptured.Previous church planting initiatives have waned, but there are new ideas via the Slovak Evangelical Alliance, Natural Church Development and others. Discipleship, evangelism and church multiplication – on the grassroots level – are essential for the gospel to reach the entire nation. Many desire to see churches in every city and town, but to achieve this, thousands of new congregations must be planted. Pray for this ambitious desire to be achieved. For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Slovakia.
1 "Now, son of man, take a sharp sword and use it as a barber's razor to shave your head and your beard. Then take a set of scales and divide up the hair. 2 When the days of your siege come to an end, burn a third of the hair with fire inside the city. Take a third and strike it with the sword all around the city. And scatter a third to the wind. For I will pursue them with drawn sword. 3 But take a few strands of hair and tuck them away in the folds of your garment. 4 Again, take a few of these and throw them into the fire and burn them up. A fire will spread from there to the whole house of Israel.
5 "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: This is Jerusalem, which I have set in the center of the nations, with countries all around her. 6 Yet in her wickedness she has rebelled against my laws and decrees more than the nations and countries around her. She has rejected my laws and has not followed my decrees.
7 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: You have been more unruly than the nations around you and have not followed my decrees or kept my laws. You have not even [a] conformed to the standards of the nations around you.
8 "Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will inflict punishment on you in the sight of the nations. 9 Because of all your detestable idols, I will do to you what I have never done before and will never do again. 10 Therefore in your midst fathers will eat their children, and children will eat their fathers. I will inflict punishment on you and will scatter all your survivors to the winds. 11 Therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your vile images and detestable practices, I myself will withdraw my favor; I will not look on you with pity or spare you. 12 A third of your people will die of the plague or perish by famine inside you; a third will fall by the sword outside your walls; and a third I will scatter to the winds and pursue with drawn sword.
13 "Then my anger will cease and my wrath against them will subside, and I will be avenged. And when I have spent my wrath upon them, they will know that I the LORD have spoken in my zeal.
14 "I will make you a ruin and a reproach among the nations around you, in the sight of all who pass by. 15 You will be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and an object of horror to the nations around you when I inflict punishment on you in anger and in wrath and with stinging rebuke. I the LORD have spoken. 16 When I shoot at you with my deadly and destructive arrows of famine, I will shoot to destroy you. I will bring more and more famine upon you and cut off your supply of food. 17 I will send famine and wild beasts against you, and they will leave you childless. Plague and bloodshed will sweep through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I the LORD have spoken."
1 The fool [a] says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.
3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
4 Will evildoers never learn— those who devour my people as men eat bread and who do not call on the LORD ?
5 There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous.
6 You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!
Area: 699 sq km
One larger and 54 smaller islands off the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia; strategically located for communications and trade. Singapore is Asia’s cleanest and greenest city. Population: 4,836,691 Annual Growth: 2.54% Capital: Singapore Urbanites: 100% HDI Rank: 23 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
The responsiveness of the educated continues to be a strong trend.The perception of Christianity as a progressive belief system, coupled with the positive influence of mission schools and effective campus ministries, draw many of Singapore’s educated to the faith. Nearly one-third of English-speaking Chinese university graduates are Christian. As a result, believers have a strong impact on Singaporean society, with great potential for tentmaking missionary service. For an additional 3 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
The increase of the Church’s size and impactbrings challenges. Pray for the following concerns: a)Coping with affluence.There is the threat that believers mistake riches for spirituality and trade discipleship for wealth management. Many young Christians become inactive once they marry and become enmeshed in the materialistic “rat race” for the “five Cs”: career, cash, car, club and condo. b)Spiritual prideis a constant temptation for such an influential, affluent Church. The same traits of sophistication and success that draw much of cosmopolitan Singapore to Christianity could be the very things that cripple and undermine it. The poor and working classes (heartlanders) are significantly under-reached and marginalized. Pray for urgent correction to this imbalance. Pray for transformed lives inside and out – for humility, continued brokenness and greater dependence on God. c)Fear of control and intimidationin a closely governed and multi-religious society. Legislation against overt proselytism exists, but the only force preventing effective outreach is the Church’s own unfounded fears. Pray that Christians would know how to maintain inter-religious harmony without compromising on evangelism. For an additional 6 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Singapore.
The Loss of One Soul: This is a discussion about how much it will hurt God to turn his creation away at the white throne judgment and how you can keep that from happing to you.
1 "Now, son of man, take a clay tablet, put it in front of you and draw the city of Jerusalem on it. 2 Then lay siege to it: Erect siege works against it, build a ramp up to it, set up camps against it and put battering rams around it. 3 Then take an iron pan, place it as an iron wall between you and the city and turn your face toward it. It will be under siege, and you shall besiege it. This will be a sign to the house of Israel.
4 "Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the house of Israel upon yourself. [a] You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side. 5 I have assigned you the same number of days as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel.
6 "After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year. 7 Turn your face toward the siege of Jerusalem and with bared arm prophesy against her. 8 I will tie you up with ropes so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have finished the days of your siege.
9 "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side. 10 Weigh out twenty shekels [b] of food to eat each day and eat it at set times. 11 Also measure out a sixth of a hin [c] of water and drink it at set times. 12 Eat the food as you would a barley cake; bake it in the sight of the people, using human excrement for fuel." 13 The LORD said, "In this way the people of Israel will eat defiled food among the nations where I will drive them."
14 Then I said, "Not so, Sovereign LORD! I have never defiled myself. From my youth until now I have never eaten anything found dead or torn by wild animals. No unclean meat has ever entered my mouth."
15 "Very well," he said, "I will let you bake your bread over cow manure instead of human excrement."
16 He then said to me: "Son of man, I will cut off the supply of food in Jerusalem. The people will eat rationed food in anxiety and drink rationed water in despair, 17 for food and water will be scarce. They will be appalled at the sight of each other and will waste away because of [d] their sin.
1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah: 2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep, so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.
4 Remove the dross from the silver, and out comes material for [a] the silversmith;
5 remove the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established through righteousness.
6 Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men;
7 it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman. What you have seen with your eyes
8 do not bring [b] hastily to court, for what will you do in the end if your neighbor puts you to shame?
9 If you argue your case with a neighbor, do not betray another man's confidence,
10 or he who hears it may shame you and you will never lose your bad reputation.
11 A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man's rebuke to a listening ear.
13 Like the coolness of snow at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the spirit of his masters.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.
15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.
16 If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house— too much of you, and he will hate you.
18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow is the man who gives false testimony against his neighbor.
19 Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar poured on soda, is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.
23 As a north wind brings rain, so a sly tongue brings angry looks.
24 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
25 Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to seek one's own honor.
28 Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.
Area: 71,740 sq km
Small coastal state between Guinea and Liberia. Population: 5,835,664 Annual Growth: 2.70% Capital: Freetown Urbanites: 38.4% HDI Rank: 180 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 31 (39% unreached) All peoples Unreached Peoples Prayer Card Official language: English. Trade language Krio (Creole), spoken by 10% of the population as first language and 90% as second Languages: 26 All languages
Christian ministries are actively involvedin rebuilding the country. Most organizations are engaged in holistic ministry to meet the spiritual, physical and psychological/emotional needs of the people. This approach is most appropriate and sees notable fruit on all levels. For an additional Answer to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
Sierra Leone remains a land of suffering.The people are still mired in desperate poverty, most surviving on less than a dollar a day. It has ranked as the world’s poorest country for most of the last 10 years. With the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world and widespread disease (malaria, HIV, others), life expectancy is age 47 and not rising. Much work remains to ease the suffering of these who have already endured so much. Pray for more attention from the worldwide community – especially from Christians – to address these needs. For an additional 10 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
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The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Sierra Leone.
1 And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel." 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.
3 Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
4 He then said to me: "Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel- 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house."
10 And he said to me, "Son of man, listen carefully and take to heart all the words I speak to you. 11 Go now to your countrymen in exile and speak to them. Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says,' whether they listen or fail to listen."
12 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me a loud rumbling sound—May the glory of the LORD be praised in his dwelling place!- 13 the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against each other and the sound of the wheels beside them, a loud rumbling sound. 14 The Spirit then lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me. 15 I came to the exiles who lived at Tel Abib near the Kebar River. And there, where they were living, I sat among them for seven days-overwhelmed.
Warning to Israel
16 At the end of seven days the word of the LORD came to me: 17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself. 20 "Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 21 But if you do warn the righteous man not to sin and he does not sin, he will surely live because he took warning, and you will have saved yourself."
22 The hand of the LORD was upon me there, and he said to me, "Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you." 23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.
24 Then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet. He spoke to me and said: "Go, shut yourself inside your house. 25 And you, son of man, they will tie with ropes; you will be bound so that you cannot go out among the people. 26 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house. 27 But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says.' Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.
1 Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.
3 By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
5 A wise man has great power, and a man of knowledge increases strength;
6 for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.
7 Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the assembly at the gate he has nothing to say.
8 He who plots evil will be known as a schemer.
9 The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.
10 If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!
11 Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12 If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?
13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good; honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.
15 Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against a righteous man's house, do not raid his dwelling place;
16 for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.
17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him.
19 Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.
21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son, and do not join with the rebellious,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction upon them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? Further Sayings of the Wise
23 These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:
24 Whoever says to the guilty, "You are innocent"— peoples will curse him and nations denounce him.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Finish your outdoor work and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.
28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, or use your lips to deceive.
29 Do not say, "I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did."
30 I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgment;
31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest-
34 and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.
For the director of music. According to sheminith . A psalm of David. [a]
1 Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. 2 Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception.
3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue
4 that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips [b] —who is our master?"
5 "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them."
6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.
7 O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever.
8 The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.
