Prayers for United Kingdom: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - December 6

Today we wrap up our prayer focus for United Kingdom by making quick side trips to Wales and Scotland, both with rich Christian heritages. Please read pages 859-860 and then watch and pray with these videos which will teach you much about these areas of the U.K.

http://youtu.be/KRRoNvnZNIw   
http://youtu.be/LqrIhr6MJXs

Prayers for United Kingdom: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - December 5

Today we continue praying for the United Kingdom. Please review pages 850-860, focusing on p. 858-859 (Northern Ireland), then watch this video to focus our attention on Northern Ireland today.

http://youtu.be/runlHW4h_po

Prayers for United Kingdom: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - December 4

For the next three days we pray for a nation that has played an indescribable role in the development of the world as we know it. 100 years ago, it was said that the sun never set on the British Empire. While that empire has broken down into various independent nations, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, plus the Isle of Man and Channel Islands) still plays an incredible role on the world stage. It's still a destination point for many immigrants in the world who wish to make a better life for themselves. And, it remains influential over millions of adherents in the Anglican community. Please read pages 850-860 to learn more about this influential nation, then watch the video below for specific prayers over England.

http://youtu.be/3DPn3SsbKAs

Prayers for Ukraine: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - December 2

Today we continue to pray for Ukraine, the "Bible Belt" of the former Soviet regime. God is working mightily to give spiritual vision and growth in this land, called the Antioch of the Slavic world for its missions impact! Please review pages 844-847.

My prayer for today: Oh Lord, we thank You for raising up Ukraine to be a sending country. Thank You for calling the church there to love missions and to set a great tone for the rest of Europe. We pray, Lord, for the church in Ukraine to shine righteousness, justice, and compassion into the circumstances facing Ukraine. We pray for the traditional churches to be governed by spiritual life and truth, not by power-politics, and for unity to develop across all spiritual lines within the church. We pray against competition and for spiritual fervor and a working together that will greatly enhance the gospel message. We ask for a generous spirit on the church so that there can be less reliance on outside dollars. Lord, continue to work in Ukraine for Your glory, in Jesus' name, amen.

Prayers for Ukraine: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - December 1

Welcome to the final leg of our year-long journey! We have one month remaining. What a blessing that God has given us the privilege of getting to know His world so much better this year. The changes in the world in the past few decades mean that the maps look quite different than most of us studied in school. One of the things God seems to be doing is breaking things down so the church can focus on those individual people groups. Few regions of the world have broken down more than the former Soviet Union. Today and tomorrow, we focus on one of the countries that used to be tucked under that monolithic nation but today exults in its own identity. Please read pages 844-847, then watch this video to learn about Ukraine.

http://youtu.be/MDbe8DOb12Y

Prayers for Switzerland: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - November 13

Switzerland, perhaps most famous in modern days for its neutrality, has a growing number of evangelical believers who are anything but neutral about the Gospel! While there is much need for prayer because secularism and false belief systems grow, there is also much to be encouraged about. Please read pages 799-803 and then watch this video to join in prayer for Switzerland. 700 years ago it made a covenant to be a country that fears and follows the Lord. Let's pray He restores them to the fullness of that covenant in this generation!

http://youtu.be/j6vrc9BegnU

Prayers for Sweden: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - November 12

Today we pray for Sweden, one of many European countries with a Christian background that now is considered "post-Christian" and has a high degree of secularization. Please read pages 795-798 and then watch this video to join in prayer for Sweden.

http://youtu.be/RB3CjM-mYVU

Praying for Spain: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - November 3

Today we continue to pray for Spain. With so many unreached cities and some major potential blocs for outreach, the church in Spain needs great wisdom to proceed. Scripture assumes a missional church; let's pray today for the church in Spain to take up that challenge with wisdom and discernment!

My prayer for today: Lord, we pray for the church in Spain. We pray for You to raise up visionaries who, like Paul, discern Your specific call to those who are pleading for someone to "come and help". We pray that as the church goes, You would lead them to seekers who are ready to hear the Gospel. We pray that missionaries from the churches in Spain will have the chance to proclaim the Gospel to entire households, and that the church in Spain would be a continual source of prayer and encouragement for those who are going. We pray the church will see the need to support such people, who go out for the sake of the Name, and see themselves as fellow workers with the truth. In Jesus' name, amen. 

Prayer for Spain: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - November 2

Paul planned to visit Spain (Romans 15:24). We don't have a biblical record that tells us he ever had that opportunity, but in recent years a liberated Spain has seen significant evangelical growth. Please learn about this country on pages 764-769. Today and tomorrow we'll add our prayers to those Paul surely prayed centuries ago for this country!

My prayer for today: Lord, we rejoice in the liberty Spain has and in the growth of evangelicals through immigration. We thank You for the gospel Filadelphia movement among the gypsies and praise You that You have been very much at work in Spain in recent years. We pray for the church's role in meeting the deep needs of modern Spain. With so many areas of darkness accepted as normal, and the church often rejected as irrelevant, believers in Spain face an uphill battle. We pray for them to exemplify Christ in all they do, remaining above reproach and always being prepared to have an answer for the hope that is within them. We  pray, Lord, that people will ASK! Lord, we ask You to empower them through their faith to diligently pursue moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and above all, love. You make it clear Lord, that this diligent pursuit is a surefire path to being useful and fruitful to know You and make You known - and we pray that as the church in Spain follows this path, they will see many opportunities to do just that! We ask this in the precious name of Jesus, amen.

Prayers for Slovenia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 27

Today we pray for a strategic country that has experienced profound positive economic change after centuries of outside rule and most recently communist control. Please learn about Slovenia on pages 749-751.

My prayer for today: Lord, we lift up Slovenia to You. We ask You to bring an awakening in the churches to draw many nominal believers into a deeply personal faith in You. We pray for unity among the few evangelical churches. We pray for Slovenians to understand the Biblical principles of giving to support their local churches and send missionaries. We pray for ample Christian resources and full translation of Scriptures. We pray for faithfulness, fruitfulness,and sensitivity on the part of church planters. Bring a deeper awareness of the positive role Christians can have as salt and light in a society. In Jesus' name, amen.

Prayers for Slovakia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 26

As we pray for Slovakia today, we'll zero in on a country with a Christian heritage that needs a new move of of the Holy Spirit. Please read pages 747-749.

My prayer for today: Oh Lord, how thankful we are for the Christian heritage of Slovakia. We thank You for this strong foundation and for the changes that have come to bring economic reforms in this land. We pray for new life in Your Holy Spirit. we pray for many to seek Your hope and truth in the midst of high suicide and depression rates. Lord, show them what a difference You can make in their lives as well as their days! We pray for the church to meet the challenge of cults and for the evangelical denominations as they reach out in church planting. We pray for sound Biblical training and wise foreign missions collaborations. We pray Slovaks will catch the vision to evangelize not only their land, but the world. In Jesus' name, amen.

Prayers for Serbia and Kosovo: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 23

Any study of modern geopolitics must include an awareness of balkanization - and Serbia and Kosovo are two of the countries at the heart of the region that gave us that terminology. According to Wikipedia, balkanization refers to the process of fragmentation or division of a region or state into smaller regions or states that are often hostile or non-cooperative with each other. You can easily see why the peace and unity of Christ is needed in this region of the world. Please read about Serbia and Kosovo on pages 734-737.

My prayer for today: Oh Lord, You are our peace. You have torn down all the dividing walls we humans set up. I lift Serbia up to You today. We pray for healing and transformation within Serbia. Help Serbian Christians find their identity in You and lead others to a full identity in You. We pray for the multi-cultural evangelical churches to recommit to unity in the body and to be a catalyst for good. We pray for new life within the Serbian Orthodox church and revival for the protestant churches. We pray for leadership training and wisdom for ministry. For Kosovo, Lord, we pray for the hatreds to be resolved and for true peace with Serbia to come. We pray for a growing economy and against exploitation. We pray that the way Christian treat Kosovars will be an exemplary testimony to Your love and grace and truth and peace. We pray for a growing unity among believers and continued growth in spiritual maturity. Bring wisdom and guidance to those working in this land. In Jesus' name, amen.

Prayer for Samoa, San Marino, and Sao Tome & Principe

Today's prayer focus covers islands on three continents! Let's ask God to lift us up in the Spirit (like Phillip or Ezekiel) so we can truly see His heart for each of these tiny lands that He loves. Please read pages 724-727 about Samoa, San Marino, and Sao Tome and Principe.

My prayer for today: Lord, we thank You for the presence of the church in Samoa in each village, but we pray for the strength of the church. We pray for revival and unity among the churches. We pray for the churches to meet practical needs and keep themselves unstained from the world. We pray for a Biblical faith that will safeguard against Mormonism or any other false system of belief. We pray for the churches to send missionaries and be revived by experiencing the power of the Gospel where Christ has not been named. For San Marino, Lord, we pray for those who are believers in name only to have a life-changing encounter with Jesus. We pray for evangelicals to take the opportunity to exercise religious freedom by sharing the Gospel. For Sao Tome and Principe, Lord, we pray for the Holy spirit to convict where there is syncretism and ancestor worship, and for the sovereignty of Jesus to be clearly shown. We pray for locally led, culturally relevant congregations with effective leadership to emerge. Be magnified in all these lands, Lord, in Jesus' name, amen. 

Praying for Russia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 16

Today we conclude our prayers for Russia with a focus on the Urals Federal District, the Siberian Federal District, and the Far Eastern Federal District. Please read pages 717-718.

My prayer for today: Lord, I lift up these final regions of Russia to You. Though the people group names are unfamiliar on my tongue, they will be written in Your book of the peoples. We pray the words of Psalm 87:6-7 over these people groups:

The Lord will write in the register of the peoples:

“This one was born in Zion.”       Selah

As they make music they will sing,

“All my fountains are in you.” 

Lord, send missionaries to those You are calling out from among these people groups - the Bashkirs, Tatars, Chuvash, Udmurt, Mari, Mordvinians, Khanty, Mansi, Nenets, Kmoi, Buryat, Khakas, Tuvans. We pray You will write these people groups in the register of people groups and these individuals would say with joy "All my fountains are in You" as they find You fully sufficient. Lord, we anticipate worshipping around the throne with these precious people! In Jesus' name, amen. 

Praying for Russia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 15

Today we continue to pray for some of the Geopolitical districts of Russia. Please read about the Northwestern Federal District and the Volga Federal District on pages 715-716.

My prayer for today: Lord, we pray for the Gospel to go forth in this district. We pray for the completion of the Bible in North Karelian and for wise approaches to reach these indigenous peoples. We thank You for the faithfulness of the pastor who translated the Bible into Komi; we pray that the people would treasure this and live out its words. We pray for the region of Kaliningrad Oblast to enjoy the richness of the Gospel, and for missions agencies in the Nenets region to have a heart to cooperate. We pray against confusion and for unity. For Volga, Lord, we pray for those ministering to the Tatars. We pray for special wisdom as Islam also advances in this region. We pray for opportunities for Udmurts to worship, pray and study in their own language, and for Scripture to exist in every language within this district. We ask for You to show these precious people that You have not forgotten them. In Jesus' precious name, amen.

Praying for Russia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 14

Today we continue to pray for Russia, focusing on the Geo-ethnic Regions of the Russian Federation. These are regions that are ethnically distinct and occasionally sources of violence due to ethnic conflict. Please read about the first, the Southern Federal District, on pages 712-715.

My prayer for today: Lord, we hear of the conflicts in the Caucasus and they seem so far away, so distant from our daily lives. Yet for the people in this region, they are just one more struggle in a challenging life. We pray, Lord, for peace. We pray for sufficient food, clothing, and employment for the people in this region. We pray for purpose that will replace violence. We pray for a fair solution to the problems and wisdom, restraint, and moderation to prevail. We pray for the radical Islamist plans to be thwarted and for the region to experience religious freedom. We pray especially for the church in Dagestan, struggling for survival amidst violent extremist groups and caught in the middle of Muslim-on-Muslim violence. We pray for North Ossetia to exemplify righteousness and justice so that people can see the practical impact of light and truth. Guard and protect your servants as they seek to live out Your Word in this challenging place. In Jesus' name, amen.

Praying for Russia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 13

Since we are praying for Russia for 5 days, I thought it would be helpful to break it down. It's nice to spend this much time in a country; we can really get down into the forest and look at some individual trees. For today, please review pages 705-712 (overview, Answers to Prayer, and Challenges for Prayer). Tomorrow we'll start drilling down on some specific areas within Russia. Today's prayer comes from one who is serving in Russia and has a strong heart for the country.

Acts 2:11: ...(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God IN OUR OWN TONGUES!
 
We have worked over the past 10 years trying to reach to some of the indigenous groups of
Russia, especially the groups that belong to the Samoyedic and Fenno-Ugric peoples in Russia.
(These are related to the Finnish and Hungarian people.)

Russia is a land of many different people groups. The majority are Russians, but there are over 100 different people groups in Russia. During the Soviet (communist) times, they were not allowed to speak their own languages, but had to speak Russian. Since the fall of the communist power there is still much pressure not to speak your mother tongue, if any Russians are around.
These people groups' beliefs vary greatly. Some are animistic some are Russian orthodox and some are Muslims. Unfortunately, it seems to be mainly only the Muslim people groups, who have the courage to speak their own languages.

- Lord I ask that many people will GO and tell about Jesus to the Russians and the different people groups within Russia.
- Lord I ask that many Russians and the different people groups within Russia will have the courage to ask your forgiveness of their sins and the courage to walk your narrow path.
- Lord I ask that the Russians and the different people groups within Russia will be discipled in Jesus.
- Lord I ask that the Bible will be translated into the different people groups within Russia. Lord I also ask that you will give wisdom and help the Bible translators. And that the Bibles and Christian material in their own languages will spread and be used.
-Lord let there be prayer, Bible study, Christian songs and worship in the different people groups languages within Russia.
- Lord I ask that the Christians in Russia (including all the different people groups) by their daily living will transform the suffering in their area into a place of love, justice and peace.
- Lord I ask that the Christian parents in Russia (including all the different people groups) will be an example of faith for their children. Lord I also ask that you will protect the Christian families and let the Christian families be a place of nurture and love.
- Lord I ask that the Christian Russians and the different people groups within Russia may find the courage to say yes to what you God ask of them.

My prayer for today: Oh Lord, how can we thank You for bringing about the miracle of the fall of the Iron Curtain? The openness of the former Soviet bloc to the Gospel is one of the miracles of the 20th century, and we praise You for the responsiveness of the people. We thank You for the growth of evangelicals, the development of networks and theological education, and the church planting vision. It's exciting to see a church that was once in survival mode to be truly passionate for kingdom advance now that the door is open. But Lord, it's hard to tell how long that door will be open. We pray for Russia's leadership to continue to see the need to pursue freedom and liberty instead of creeping oppression. We pray for the church to have wisdom with practical ministries and for You to call many Christians into vocational ministry as teachers, doctors, counselors, and even politicians. We pray for the Orthodox church to see the benefit of newer churches, and for Biblical renewal to happen within the Orthodox tradition. We pray for Christian leaders to learn Biblical leadership patterns instead of following the authoritarian style of their culture. We pray for You to equip the church in every way for Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.

Praying for Russia: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 12

Today we begin 5 days of focused prayers on a country that was at the heart of the former Soviet Union. Russia today still is recovering from that difficult era, and Russians throughout Eastern Europe often remain despised for the sins of their fathers. There are many strongholds in Russia, and much prayer is needed. Please read pages 705-718, then watch this video and join in prayer today.

http://youtu.be/nsSUmlWyHBk

Praying for Romania: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 11

Today we continue to pray for Romania. Please review pages 700-704.

My prayer for today: Lord, when I think of Romania I think of the desperate needs I've heard about from those who've been there - not primarily physical needs, but the spiritual needs reflected in suicide, depression, and oppression by the dominant religious tradition against believers from different backgrounds. We pray for evangelicals in Romania who are persecuted. Guide them to respond in love and let Your grace, not fear, dominate. We pray against nominalism and legalism; break through with the power of Your Holy Spirit. Equip the church to be the church through practical ministry, love, holiness, discipleship, and prayer. We pray for leaders that can exemplify wholeness in all areas of their lives, setting an example for the churches. Be glorified in Romania, in Jesus' name, amen.

Prayers for Romania: A 365 Day Global Prayer Journey - October 10

Today we begin 2 days of prayer for Romania. Please read pages 700-704, then share with this Romanian believer in praying God's heart for his country.


Romania is a country that has been open to all kinds of spiritual influences both good and bad since 1989 when communism fell. We see now that people are open but a lot of Christians are fearful and very timid in their testimony to the greatness of Jesus. There is a spirit of fear that blocks people in being brave proclaiming and demonstrating the Gospel to those around them. I think this may be one of the deep roots of the lack of abundant fruit in Romania.

Another one is the legalism that permeates both the Orthodox church as well as many evangelical churches. This stems out of moral performance and that is birthed by a prideful spirit.

Pray also that the Person of Jesus would be more dear and precious to Christians than their own reputation with other people.

"Father I pray for boldness for all of my Romanian brothers and sisters in Jesus, who are followers of yours, that we would be able to overcome a spirit of fear by the power of the Holy Spirit and that we would courageously proclaim and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus and make His Name known among many people in Romania. May you help us overcome a spirit of legalism by a deeper understanding and experience of Your grace!"