Tuesday, July 16, 2013

AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Islamic Republic of Iran - Asia

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
Home > Jul 16: Iran

Jul 16: Iran

Iran

Islamic Republic of Iran

Asia

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 1,648,196 sq km
Situated between the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south. A central desert ringed by mountains.
Population: 75,077,547    Annual Growth: 1.19%
Capital: Tehran
Urbanites: 69.5%
HDI Rank: 88 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 103 (90% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: Persian (Farsi; Dari and Tajik are major dialects); almost all Iranians speak some form of Persian as a mother tongue or second language    Languages: 79 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Muslim
Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
Christians384,8970.515.1
Evangelicals117,6780.219.6
Muslim74,054,49198.64 

Challenges for Prayer

Leadership training and development are absolutely vital if the burgeoning Church in Iran is to continue to grow and mature. The countless house churches need to see capable leaders trained, and these leaders in turn must be taught to train others as Iranian fellowships keep multiplying. Much training of Iranian Christian workers occurs abroad. Elam Ministries operates residential courses in the region and in Europe; much of their material has been filmed for wider distribution. There are growing numbers studying via correspondence courses, with one online Bible college in Persian having over 500 students. Short-term training courses are happening in several regions as well. Other Iranians study in English-language programmes. Pray for the development and distribution of programmes that will cultivate many passionate, capable and well-trained leaders for the underground Church in Iran.
Missions are not free to minister in the land, but some tentmaking opportunities arise and tourism is actively encouraged. Pray for the door to Iran to open in God’s perfect timing. Millions remain unevangelized. Pray also for agencies around the world to pray, plan and network together with Iranian believers in preparation for that day.
     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 Iran.
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Isaiah 33 (New International Version)





Isaiah 33

Distress and Help

1 Woe to you, O destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, O traitor, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed.
2 O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.

3 At the thunder of your voice, the peoples flee; when you rise up, the nations scatter.

4 Your plunder, O nations, is harvested as by young locusts; like a swarm of locusts men pounce on it.

5 The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.

6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. [a]

7 Look, their brave men cry aloud in the streets; the envoys of peace weep bitterly.

8 The highways are deserted, no travelers are on the roads. The treaty is broken, its witnesses [b] are despised, no one is respected.

9 The land mourns [c] and wastes away, Lebanon is ashamed and withers; Sharon is like the Arabah, and Bashan and Carmel drop their leaves.

10 "Now will I arise," says the LORD. "Now will I be exalted; now will I be lifted up.

11 You conceive chaff, you give birth to straw; your breath is a fire that consumes you.

12 The peoples will be burned as if to lime; like cut thornbushes they will be set ablaze."

13 You who are far away, hear what I have done; you who are near, acknowledge my power!

14 The sinners in Zion are terrified; trembling grips the godless: "Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?"

15 He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil-

16 this is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him.

17 Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar.

18 In your thoughts you will ponder the former terror: "Where is that chief officer? Where is the one who took the revenue? Where is the officer in charge of the towers?"

19 You will see those arrogant people no more, those people of an obscure speech, with their strange, incomprehensible tongue.

20 Look upon Zion, the city of our festivals; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a peaceful abode, a tent that will not be moved; its stakes will never be pulled up, nor any of its ropes broken.

21 There the LORD will be our Mighty One. It will be like a place of broad rivers and streams. No galley with oars will ride them, no mighty ship will sail them.

22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; it is he who will save us.

23 Your rigging hangs loose: The mast is not held secure, the sail is not spread. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided and even the lame will carry off plunder.

24 No one living in Zion will say, "I am ill"; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.
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Proverbs 16 (New International Version)





Proverbs 16

1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth should not betray justice.

11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

12 Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.

14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.

15 When a king's face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. [a]

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. [b]

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

26 The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

27 A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

29 A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.

30 He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
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Psalm 48 (New International Version)





Psalm 48

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah.

1 Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain.
2 It is beautiful in its loftiness, the joy of the whole earth. Like the utmost heights of Zaphon [a] is Mount Zion, the [b] city of the Great King.

3 God is in her citadels; he has shown himself to be her fortress.

4 When the kings joined forces, when they advanced together,

5 they saw her and were astounded; they fled in terror.

6 Trembling seized them there, pain like that of a woman in labor.

7 You destroyed them like ships of Tarshish shattered by an east wind.

8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD Almighty, in the city of our God: God makes her secure forever. Selah

9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love.

10 Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness.

11 Mount Zion rejoices, the villages of Judah are glad because of your judgments.

12 Walk about Zion, go around her, count her towers,

13 consider well her ramparts, view her citadels, that you may tell of them to the next generation.

14 For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end.
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Monday, July 15, 2013

Isaiah 32 (New International Version)



Isaiah 32 (New International Version)

Isaiah 32

The Kingdom of Righteousness

1 See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
2 Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

3 Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.

4 The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.

5 No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

6 For the fool speaks folly, his mind is busy with evil: He practices ungodliness and spreads error concerning the LORD; the hungry he leaves empty and from the thirsty he withholds water.

7 The scoundrel's methods are wicked, he makes up evil schemes to destroy the poor with lies, even when the plea of the needy is just.

8 But the noble man makes noble plans, and by noble deeds he stands.

The Women of Jerusalem

9 You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!
10 In little more than a year you who feel secure will tremble; the grape harvest will fail, and the harvest of fruit will not come.

11 Tremble, you complacent women; shudder, you daughters who feel secure! Strip off your clothes, put sackcloth around your waists.

12 Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vines

13 and for the land of my people, a land overgrown with thorns and briers— yes, mourn for all houses of merriment and for this city of revelry.

14 The fortress will be abandoned, the noisy city deserted; citadel and watchtower will become a wasteland forever, the delight of donkeys, a pasture for flocks,

15 till the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest.

16 Justice will dwell in the desert and righteousness live in the fertile field.

17 The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

18 My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest.

19 Though hail flattens the forest and the city is leveled completely,

20 how blessed you will be, sowing your seed by every stream, and letting your cattle and donkeys range free.
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Proverbs 15 (New International Version)





Proverbs 15

1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

2 The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

3 The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

5 A fool spurns his father's discipline, but whoever heeds correction shows prudence.

6 The house of the righteous contains great treasure, but the income of the wicked brings them trouble.

7 The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.

8 The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

9 The LORD detests the way of the wicked but he loves those who pursue righteousness.

10 Stern discipline awaits him who leaves the path; he who hates correction will die.

11 Death and Destruction [a] lie open before the LORD— how much more the hearts of men!

12 A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

14 The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.

15 All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.

17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred.

18 A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.

19 The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.

20 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

21 Folly delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight course.

22 Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.

23 A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!

24 The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep him from going down to the grave. [b]

25 The LORD tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact.

26 The LORD detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him.

27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live.

28 The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

29 The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

31 He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.

32 He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding.

33 The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, [c] and humility comes before honor.
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Psalm 47 (New International Version



)

Psalm 47

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
2 How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!

3 He subdued nations under us, peoples under our feet.

4 He chose our inheritance for us, the pride of Jacob, whom he loved. Selah

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy, the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm [a] of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings [b] of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted.
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    AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Islamic Republic of Iran - Asia

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

    Jul 15: Iran

    Iran

    Islamic Republic of Iran

    Asia

    See Prayer Information

    Geography

    Area: 1,648,196 sq km
    Situated between the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south. A central desert ringed by mountains.
    Population: 75,077,547    Annual Growth: 1.19%
    Capital: Tehran
    Urbanites: 69.5%
    HDI Rank: 88 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

    Peoples

    Peoples: 103 (90% unreached) All peoples
    Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

    Official language: Persian (Farsi; Dari and Tajik are major dialects); almost all Iranians speak some form of Persian as a mother tongue or second language    Languages: 79 All languages

    Religion

    Largest Religion: Muslim
    Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
    Christians384,8970.515.1
    Evangelicals117,6780.219.6
    Muslim74,054,49198.64 

    Challenges for Prayer

    The Iranian Diaspora is around four million. Most have found refuge in the USA, Canada, Western Europe, Turkey, Gulf States and other lands – where they can be evangelized. Western countries are making it harder for Iranians to immigrate. Pray for:
    a) Diaspora churches. There are probably about 800 Persian-speaking Iranian churches and house fellowships, totalling around 200,000 people. Unity is frequently a challenge. Yet these diaspora Christians are highly active and generous regarding ministry into Iran and among other Iranians abroad; their contribution in this regard is crucial.
    b) Ministries reaching out to the diaspora, providing not only evangelism tools and outreach but also church planting, discipleship and leadership training, so that Iranians living abroad will be reached and hopefully then reach other Iranians. Christian refugees fleeing from persecution are also assisted. Many diaspora Christians visit Iran and powerfully minister to their countrymen. Significant ministries include Elam Ministries, 222 Ministries, Persian World Outreach, Iran Alive Ministries and Iranian Christians International.
    Young people are particularly responsive to the gospel. With nearly two-thirds of the population under age 30, with disillusionment at an all-time high and with frustrated desires for freedom, there is a unique window of opportunity to impact this generation with the liberating good news about Jesus. Political, economic and social frustrations are often expressed in resentment against the regime and in increasing hedonism and materialism. Pray that the unmet longings of their hearts might be fulfilled as they meet Christ. Already, much of the underground church is made up of this younger generation.
         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
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    Sunday, July 14, 2013

    AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Islamic Republic of Iran - Asia

    Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
    Home > Jul 14: Iran

    Jul 14: Iran

    Iran

    Islamic Republic of Iran

    Asia

    See Prayer Information

    Geography

    Area: 1,648,196 sq km
    Situated between the Caspian Sea to the north and the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman to the south. A central desert ringed by mountains.
    Population: 75,077,547    Annual Growth: 1.19%
    Capital: Tehran
    Urbanites: 69.5%
    HDI Rank: 88 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

    Peoples

    Peoples: 103 (90% unreached) All peoples
    Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

    Official language: Persian (Farsi; Dari and Tajik are major dialects); almost all Iranians speak some form of Persian as a mother tongue or second language    Languages: 79 All languages

    Religion

    Largest Religion: Muslim
    Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
    Christians384,8970.515.1
    Evangelicals117,6780.219.6
    Muslim74,054,49198.64 

    Challenges for Prayer

    The majority of the wider Christian community are Christian Armenians with a smaller number of Assyrians and Chaldeans. They are cultural and linguistic islands isolated in a Muslim sea. While they live in relative peace, their fear of persecution and of job and educational discrimination, as well as their desire to offer their families a more stable and promising future, drive many to emigrate, denuding Iran of the richness of communities that predate Islam by centuries. Pray for a work of the Holy Spirit in these often-nominal churches, that Jesus might shine through their lives and that they might have a burden for their Muslim neighbours.
    Evangelical churches before the revolution were generally small and struggling, and they contained very few Muslim-background believers. The traumatic changes and suffering that followed the revolution gave churches a brief period of renewal, outreach, literature distribution and many conversions. Barriers among denominations broke down. The hostility of the regime toward evangelicals caused much greater interest in Christianity among Persians – Presbyterians and Assemblies of God, especially, grew as a result. Intimidation, infiltration and martyrdom of several church leaders, and pressure from the government to not welcome Muslims into services, have caused many churches to adopt house church models. Most churches that meet publicly now tow the government line and do not overtly evangelize Muslims. Pray for:
    a) Adequate income for Christians who face poverty both from general economic decline and from religious discrimination in the workplace. Emigration is a solution for pressured Christians, but their vital witness in needy Iran is then lost. Pray that believers may break through this economic pressure and resist the temptation to leave.
    b) Courage and fortitude such that their persecutors are won for Christ. While Armenians and Assyrians are discriminated against, Muslim-background believers are actively persecuted. Pray also for greater freedom for churches to minister, as they long to do.
    c) Protection and deliverance for all MBBs. The large majority meet secretly in small house groups. There is always a danger that such meetings could be discovered and those involved punished, especially the leaders. A decentralized cell structure and the use of techniques honed by the underground party-circuit help house groups avoid detection and arrest.
    d) Churches outside of Tehran often face more intimidation as fundamentalist forces exercise more control in less-urban areas. Many towns and villages lack any churches at all. However, this is changing due to the increasing influence of the Internet and satellite TV as well as the enthusiasm of young Iranian Christians to evangelize their countrymen. House church movements are spreading throughout the country.
         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 Iran.
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    Spurgeon - The Secret of Power in Prayer (Part 2 of 5)


    Spurgeon - The Secret of Power in Prayer (Part 2 of 5)

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    Isaiah 31 NIV




    Isaiah 31

    Woe to Those Who Rely on Egypt

    1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.
    2 Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked, against those who help evildoers.

    3 But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, he who helps will stumble, he who is helped will fall; both will perish together.

    4 This is what the LORD says to me: "As a lion growls, a great lion over his prey— and though a whole band of shepherds is called together against him, he is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor— so the LORD Almighty will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.

    5 Like birds hovering overhead, the LORD Almighty will shield Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver it, he will 'pass over' it and will rescue it."

    6 Return to him you have so greatly revolted against, O Israelites. 7 For in that day every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold your sinful hands have made.

    8 "Assyria will fall by a sword that is not of man; a sword, not of mortals, will devour them. They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor.

    9 Their stronghold will fall because of terror; at sight of the battle standard their commanders will panic," declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion, whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
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    "Be still, and know that I am God;



    Psalm 46

    For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to "alamoth." A song.

    1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. "Selah" 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. 6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah" 8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire. 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. "Selah"


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    Saturday, July 13, 2013

    AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for Indonesia, [West] Papua (Irian Jaya) - Asia

    Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
    Home > Jul 13: Indonesia, [West] Papua (Irian Jaya)

    Jul 13: Indonesia, [West] Papua (Irian Jaya)

    Indonesia, [West] Papua (Irian Jaya)

    Indonesia

    Republic of Indonesia

    Asia

    See Prayer Information

    Geography

    Area: 1,919,317 sq km
    The Republic’s 17,500 islands (6,000 inhabited) stretch over 9.5 million sq km of the Indian/Pacific Oceans, with 33 provinces, 5 of which have special status. Includes the world’s second-largest rain forest and vast coral reefs.
    Population: 232,516,771    Annual Growth: 1.19%
    Capital: Jakarta
    Urbanites: 53.7%
    HDI Rank: 111 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

    Peoples

    Peoples: 784 (26% unreached) All peoples
    Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

    Official language: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). Its increasing use is unifying the nation and lessening the importance of smaller languages to the younger generation    Languages: 722 All languages

    Religion

    Largest Religion: Muslim
    Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
    Christians36,853,90815.851.6
    Evangelicals13,010,7515.62.8
    Muslim186,734,21980.31 

    Challenge for Prayer

    A spiritual conflict rages for Indonesia. Ancient and strong occult powers seek to oppose the influence of the gospel, while modern Muslim stratagems seek to eliminate Christianity and remove the presence of the good news. Pray specifically for the binding of these powers and for continued growth of the Church in the midst of intense opposition and growing persecution.
         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 Indonesia.

    [West] Papua (Irian Jaya)

    Indonesia

    See Prayer Information

    Challenge for Prayer

    The untold catastrophes of ecology and demography threaten West Papua’s stability, viability and very future. Pray against:
    a) The large-scale ethnic displacement happening to the indigenous peoples. The national government is facilitating the mass migration of Javanese Muslims to this more spacious region to ease the population pressure in Java and to Islamize this most Christian of Indonesia’s provinces. The army has committed heavy-handed violence against the indigenous Papuans, mostly in remote areas. The Javanese immigrants often regard the indigenous Melanesian Christians with contempt; this can be seen in the economic and employment disparity between the two groups. Pray for this oppression to end. Pray that the plight of the West Papuan peoples might be made known to the world so that other governments and international bodies might force this injustice to end.
    b) The over-exploitation of precious natural resources. Corrupt forces conspire to harvest huge stretches of pristine old-growth forests, taking the profits for themselves; the provincial government and native peoples rarely benefit at all. The greed of China and the West for such wood only fuels the predation. Pray that unsustainable logging would be ended and that profits for sustainable logging would go to the people who have occupied the land for centuries.
         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 [West] Papua (Irian Jaya).
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    Isaiah 30 (New International Version)



    Isaiah 30 (New International Version)

    Isaiah 30

    Woe to the Obstinate Nation

    1 "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;
    2 who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge.

    3 But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will bring you disgrace.

    4 Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,

    5 everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace."

    6 An oracle concerning the animals of the Negev: Through a land of hardship and distress, of lions and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes, the envoys carry their riches on donkeys' backs, their treasures on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation,

    7 to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless. Therefore I call her Rahab the Do-Nothing.

    8 Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.

    9 These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.

    10 They say to the seers, "See no more visions!" and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions.

    11 Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!"

    12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit,

    13 this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.

    14 It will break in pieces like pottery, shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern."

    15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.

    16 You said, 'No, we will flee on horses.' Therefore you will flee! You said, 'We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore your pursuers will be swift!

    17 A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you will all flee away, till you are left like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill."

    18 Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

    19 O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. 20 Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. 21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." 22 Then you will defile your idols overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold; you will throw them away like a menstrual cloth and say to them, "Away with you!"

    23 He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. In that day your cattle will graze in broad meadows. 24 The oxen and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder and mash, spread out with fork and shovel. 25 In the day of great slaughter, when the towers fall, streams of water will flow on every high mountain and every lofty hill. 26 The moon will shine like the sun, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds he inflicted.

    27 See, the Name of the LORD comes from afar, with burning anger and dense clouds of smoke; his lips are full of wrath, and his tongue is a consuming fire.

    28 His breath is like a rushing torrent, rising up to the neck. He shakes the nations in the sieve of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit that leads them astray.

    For more text press: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?...
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    Proverbs 13 (New International Version)





    Proverbs 13

    1 A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

    2 From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things, but the unfaithful have a craving for violence.

    3 He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.

    4 The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.

    5 The righteous hate what is false, but the wicked bring shame and disgrace.

    6 Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

    7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

    8 A man's riches may ransom his life, but a poor man hears no threat.

    9 The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.

    10 Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.

    11 Dishonest money dwindles away, but he who gathers money little by little makes it grow.

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

    13 He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded.

    14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

    15 Good understanding wins favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard. [a]

    16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge, but a fool exposes his folly.

    17 A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

    18 He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored.

    19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.

    20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.

    21 Misfortune pursues the sinner, but prosperity is the reward of the righteous.

    22 A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous.

    23 A poor man's field may produce abundant food, but injustice sweeps it away.

    24 He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him.

    25 The righteous eat to their hearts' content, but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.
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    Psalm 46 (New International Version)




    Psalm 46

    For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. [a]

    1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
    2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

    3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah

    4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells.

    5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

    6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

    7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

    8 Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.

    9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields [b] with fire.

    10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

    11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
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    Friday, July 12, 2013

    Isaiah 29 (New International Version)





    Isaiah 29

    Woe to David's City

    1 Woe to you, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David settled! Add year to year and let your cycle of festivals go on.
    2 Yet I will besiege Ariel; she will mourn and lament, she will be to me like an altar hearth. [a]

    3 I will encamp against you all around; I will encircle you with towers and set up my siege works against you.

    4 Brought low, you will speak from the ground; your speech will mumble out of the dust. Your voice will come ghostlike from the earth; out of the dust your speech will whisper.

    5 But your many enemies will become like fine dust, the ruthless hordes like blown chaff. Suddenly, in an instant,

    6 the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.

    7 Then the hordes of all the nations that fight against Ariel, that attack her and her fortress and besiege her, will be as it is with a dream, with a vision in the night-

    8 as when a hungry man dreams that he is eating, but he awakens, and his hunger remains; as when a thirsty man dreams that he is drinking, but he awakens faint, with his thirst unquenched. So will it be with the hordes of all the nations that fight against Mount Zion.

    9 Be stunned and amazed, blind yourselves and be sightless; be drunk, but not from wine, stagger, but not from beer.

    10 The LORD has brought over you a deep sleep: He has sealed your eyes (the prophets); he has covered your heads (the seers).

    11 For you this whole vision is nothing but words sealed in a scroll. And if you give the scroll to someone who can read, and say to him, "Read this, please," he will answer, "I can't; it is sealed." 12 Or if you give the scroll to someone who cannot read, and say, "Read this, please," he will answer, "I don't know how to read."

    13 The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. [b]

    14 Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish."

    15 Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, "Who sees us? Who will know?"

    16 You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"?

    17 In a very short time, will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest?

    18 In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

    19 Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

    20 The ruthless will vanish, the mockers will disappear, and all who have an eye for evil will be cut down-

    21 those who with a word make a man out to be guilty, who ensnare the defender in court and with false testimony deprive the innocent of justice.

    22 Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, says to the house of Jacob: "No longer will Jacob be ashamed; no longer will their faces grow pale.

    23 When they see among them their children, the work of my hands, they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

    24 Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction."
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    Proverbs 12 (New International Version)





    Proverbs 12

    1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.

    2 A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man.

    3 A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

    4 A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

    5 The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

    6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the speech of the upright rescues them.

    7 Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.

    8 A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised.

    9 Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.

    10 A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

    11 He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment.

    12 The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes.

    13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a righteous man escapes trouble.

    14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

    15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.

    16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

    17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.

    18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

    19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

    20 There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.

    21 No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.

    22 The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in men who are truthful.

    23 A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.

    24 Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor.

    25 An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.

    26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, [a] but the way of the wicked leads them astray.

    27 The lazy man does not roast [b] his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions.

    28 In the way of righteousness there is life; along that path is immortality.
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    AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Republic of Indonesia, Maluku - Asia

    Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)
    Home > Jul 12: Indonesia, Maluku

    Jul 12: Indonesia, Maluku

    Indonesia, Maluku

    Indonesia

    Republic of Indonesia

    Asia

    See Prayer Information

    Geography

    Area: 1,919,317 sq km
    The Republic’s 17,500 islands (6,000 inhabited) stretch over 9.5 million sq km of the Indian/Pacific Oceans, with 33 provinces, 5 of which have special status. Includes the world’s second-largest rain forest and vast coral reefs.
    Population: 232,516,771    Annual Growth: 1.19%
    Capital: Jakarta
    Urbanites: 53.7%
    HDI Rank: 111 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

    Peoples

    Peoples: 784 (26% unreached) All peoples
    Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

    Official language: Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). Its increasing use is unifying the nation and lessening the importance of smaller languages to the younger generation    Languages: 722 All languages

    Religion

    Largest Religion: Muslim
    Religion               Pop %Ann Gr
    Christians36,853,90815.851.6
    Evangelicals13,010,7515.62.8
    Muslim186,734,21980.31 

    Challenge for Prayer

    The mass displacement of people within, and out from, Indonesia is massive and has many causes.
    a) The Transmigration Scheme was one of the world’s largest planned resettlements of people ever organized. Vast areas of virgin territory in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua were opened for migrants from overpopulated Java and Bali. Over eight million were relocated. These new settlements have been difficult for the newcomers and have caused notable violent clashes between migrants and locals. Yet, among these migrants, there is an openness to the gospel.
    b) Natural disasters – earthquakes, tsunamis and flooding – since 2001 have killed close to 200,000 and rendered millions homeless or displaced. Sumatra is the hardest hit. Indonesia lies in a geologically volatile region, which, combined with high populations and poor infrastructure, make future tragedies inevitable. Pray that Christians, both national and expatriate, may use these disasters as opportunities to demonstrate the compassion of Christ.
    c) Victims of communal violence and religious persecution, most notably Christians from Maluku and central Sulawesi. They total more than 500,000 and must deal with profound personal loss, bitter trauma and the loss of their ancestral homelands.
    d) Migrant workers from Indonesia to other nations, numbering 400,000 legal migrants and many more illegal ones. While there are highly educated and skilled migrants among them, many workers provide mostly unskilled domestic labour; they number over 80% female. Though their remittances garner for them the title of “foreign-exchange heroines”, they often are paid poorly and are subject to abuse. Their lonely and often difficult situations open them up to loving witness by Christians.
         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 Indonesia.

    Maluku

    Indonesia

    See Prayer Information

    Challenge for Prayer

    The Maluku Protestant Church, founded in 1605, is Asia’s oldest Protestant denomination. Nominalism has compromised the witness of the Church, while the proportion of Muslims has grown through immigration, conversion of Maluku peoples and most notably the enforced flight of Christians to other regions. Other denominations entered Maluku and see modest growth, despite the upheaval and persecution of recent years. The arrangement of separate villages for Christians and Muslims allows peace to prosper somewhat, but believers know this is not a long-term solution for effective witness and outreach. Pray for healing for the many who suffered great trauma and loss. Pray also for their ability to lovingly witness to their Muslim neighbours, even to their former persecutors.
         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 Maluku.
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