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Sunday, October 2, 2011
Blog Audience - 2011 Sep 25 19:00 – 2011 Oct 2 18:00
John 9 (with text - press on more info.)
John 9 (New International Version)
John 9
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked.
11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12 "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."
16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner perform such signs?" So they were divided.
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?"
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."
30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said,[a] "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
John 9
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means "Sent"). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they asked.
11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."
12 "Where is this man?" they asked him. "I don't know," he said.
The Pharisees Investigate the Healing
13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."
16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath." But others asked, "How can a sinner perform such signs?" So they were divided.
17 Then they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."
18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."
24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God by telling the truth," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."
25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?"
28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."
30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."
34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.
Spiritual Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."
38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.
39 Jesus said,[a] "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."
40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"
41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
Today We Join With Operation World in Praying for
Peru
Republic of Peru
Latin America
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 1,285,216 sq kmThree main zones: dry coastal plain in the west where most of the cities and industry are located, high Andean plateau which is more agricultural, and Amazon jungle in the east.
Population: 29,496,120 Annual Growth: 1.17%
Capital: Lima
Urbanites: 72%
HDI Rank: 78 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 106 (5% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Spanish, Quechua. Spanish-speakers 80.3%. Most Amerindians areSpanish-speaking or bilingual; 16.5% of the total population speak Quechua Languages: 93 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 28,154,047 | 95.45 | 1.2 |
| Evangelicals | 3,427,351 | 11.6 | 4.2 |
Answer to Prayer
Notable socio-political progress and economic growth after many lean and difficult years have accompanied the crippling of Maoist terror groups in Peru and the bringing to justice of abusive and corrupt politicians from previous regimes. For a nation subject to so much suffering, these are welcome and praiseworthy developments. For an additional 2 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
a) Political stability. A stable government, able to implement just and strong policies, is needed after decades of dictatorships, corruption and threats to the nation’s security (such as the Shining Path terrorists).
b) Economic progress. Peru has greatly improved in the past decade, but vast economic disparity and widespread poverty still hamper the nation. Further increases to the GDP and income are little improvement if they do not assist the neediest segments of society.
c) Social change. Many still suffer in the aftermath of the leftist terror groups and the death squads. Amerindian minority groups face gross racial injustice, and rapid urbanization has created a new underclass of poor migrants from rural areas. Pray for justice and righteousness for the downtrodden and oppressed.
For an additional 12 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
Peru remains a nation facing urgent challenges.Among them are:a) Political stability. A stable government, able to implement just and strong policies, is needed after decades of dictatorships, corruption and threats to the nation’s security (such as the Shining Path terrorists).
b) Economic progress. Peru has greatly improved in the past decade, but vast economic disparity and widespread poverty still hamper the nation. Further increases to the GDP and income are little improvement if they do not assist the neediest segments of society.
c) Social change. Many still suffer in the aftermath of the leftist terror groups and the death squads. Amerindian minority groups face gross racial injustice, and rapid urbanization has created a new underclass of poor migrants from rural areas. Pray for justice and righteousness for the downtrodden and oppressed.
For an additional 12 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 Peru.Psalm 33 (with text - press on more info.)
Psalm 33 (New International Version)
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
5 The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars [a] ; he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-
15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Today We Join With Operation World in Praying for
Paraguay
Republic of Paraguay
Latin America
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 406,752 sq kmLandlocked nation between Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. The Paraguay River divides the more fertile and developed east from the scrub forests, marshes and ranches of the sparsely populated Gran Chaco.
Population: 6,459,727 Annual Growth: 1.81%
Capital: Asuncion
Urbanites: 61.5%
HDI Rank: 101 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 39 (3% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Spanish, GuaranÃ. The latter is understood by almost 90% of the population Languages: 27 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 6,220,717 | 96.30 | 1.8 |
| Evangelicals | 393,263 | 6.1 | 3.1 |
Challenges for Prayer
Paraguay still suffers from the effects of two centuries of devastating wars and bad government. The nation’s progress has been hindered by the failure of its leaders to govern, through corruption or outright folly. Thankfully, there are politicians on the scene today who seem to be dedicated to changing that. Pray for them, that they might establish a legacy of uprightness and wisdom for the sake of Paraguay’s suffering people.The Roman Catholic Church has long dominated the spiritual and political life of Paraguay. Although it admirably opposes corruption and immorality, there is also much superstitious traditionalism, strong devotion to Mary and occult-related bondage to many pre-Christian deities and customs. These practices keep millions from liberty in the Lord Jesus and must be broken by prayer. The Church often actively opposes the work of evangelicals. Paraguay has never had a true spiritual awakening, and few of the Catholic Spanish-Guaranà majority have a living relationship with Christ.
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 Paraguay.Psalm 32
Psalm 32
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.[a] 1 Blessed is the onewhose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Footnotes:
- Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Today We Join With Operation World in Praying for
Papua New Guinea
Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Pacific
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 462,840 sq kmEastern half of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world, and many smaller islands in the north and east together make up the nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG). A land of high mountains, dense forests, lowland swamps, coral islands, torrential rainfall, many rivers and great biodiversity.
Population: 6,888,387 Annual Growth: 2.40%
Capital: Port Moresby
Urbanites: 13%
HDI Rank: 148 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 879 (0% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: English, Tok Pisin (Melanesian/English Creole) and Motu Languages: 830 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 6,601,830 | 95.84 | 2.4 |
| Evangelicals | 1,773,348 | 25.7 | 3.1 |
Answer to Prayer
Increased Christian influence in Parliament, a result of recent elections. While most members of Parliament confess Christianity, every indication reveals less than half are actively practicing; still, the prayer and pastoral presence is encouraging. For an additional 2 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
a) The sheer ethnic diversity and geographic isolation of most groups make attempts to mould a single national PNG identity monumentally complex. Tribal fighting and revenge killings have been ongoing for millennia. Pray for a means to establish both a peace that surpasses the mere absence of violence and an identity that transcends immediate ethnic ties.
b) Economic development is an uphill struggle. The vast wealth of natural resources is hard to access, and is plundered by rapacious foreign companies and their local collaborators, a rich elite. The majority of citizens (>75%) survive through subsistence farming. Corruption dissipates the bulk of foreign aid and a significant amount of the national expenditure meant to help locals.
c) Accelerating urbanization intensifies pressure on the job market, public utilities and health care, ethnic relations and social stability. Violent crime in cities is rising. Traditional structures of village life are not present in urban squatter camps, hence the accompanying social decay.
For an additional 11 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
The nation faces many crises just to prevent meltdown, never mind to oversee progress. Some groups and governments involved with PNG see an impending failed state and social chaos. Corruption is endemic and hampering progress. Pray for a government that will act with courage and foresight, moral integrity and wisdom.a) The sheer ethnic diversity and geographic isolation of most groups make attempts to mould a single national PNG identity monumentally complex. Tribal fighting and revenge killings have been ongoing for millennia. Pray for a means to establish both a peace that surpasses the mere absence of violence and an identity that transcends immediate ethnic ties.
b) Economic development is an uphill struggle. The vast wealth of natural resources is hard to access, and is plundered by rapacious foreign companies and their local collaborators, a rich elite. The majority of citizens (>75%) survive through subsistence farming. Corruption dissipates the bulk of foreign aid and a significant amount of the national expenditure meant to help locals.
c) Accelerating urbanization intensifies pressure on the job market, public utilities and health care, ethnic relations and social stability. Violent crime in cities is rising. Traditional structures of village life are not present in urban squatter camps, hence the accompanying social decay.
For an additional 11 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 Papua New Guinea.
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