Prayer for the Nations: February 14-22

Did you know that the U.S. has territory even further west than Hawaii? American Samoa (not to be confused with Samoa), located near Australia in the Pacific Ocean, is an unincorporated territory and has been since 1900. The status of an unincorporated territory allows this island all rights of a US citizen except the ability to vote in US elections. We can praise God that evangelical ministries are making an impact on this nation; however, we can be in prayer as cults (particularly Mormons) are on the rise. Also, with a higher economic status than its close island neighbors, materialism is a common fault of its people.

Here are a few quick facts for other nations I'll be praying for during the next few days:

Andorra (Europe)

• 90% of the population claims Catholic affiliation, yet there is great lacking of true faith.
• Evangelical growth is slow.
• Materialism plagues this country as a result of duty-free goods.

Angola (Africa)

• Suffers from a 40 year period of constant war (1962-2002) 
• widespread poverty
• many orphaned and abandoned children
• 2006 - child mortality rate was listed at 26%
• 2006 - children that suffered from malnutrition at 45%
• There is religious freedom, but Islam and Witchcraft are infiltrating the church.
• Angola is seeing great evangelical growth, but suffers from a lack of Christian leaders.

Anguilla (Caribbean - British Territory)

• Pray for spiritual strength in the midst of change.

Antigua & Barbuda (Caribbean)

• Strong feeling of complacency among the Christians. Pray for revival and an awakening of faith. 
• Strongholds of sin remain prominent even within the church: money laundering, drugs, violence, and gambling.

Argentina (South America)

• Argentina was one of the world's richest nations as of 1900; a succession of crises lead to massive economic destruction beginning in 1999. 
• wide gap between the rich and poor. 
• many slum dwellers, homeless, and street children
• crises have drawn Argentines back to God, yet many in the captial city of Buenos Aires have meaningful encounters with the gospel.
• Prison ministries are greatly impacting the jails in Argentina. 
• This nation has one of the world's largest Mormon populations.

Armenia (Asia)

• People are fearful due to an armed cease fire which still continues today (beginning in 1994)
• Armenia was the world's first Christian nation. 
• There has been growth in the number of believers since 1900.
• The traditional nature of the church keeps people from truly experiencing the living God through meaningful encounters.
• Bible reading is rare.
• Widespread poverty plagues the nation and unemployment is high - both results of a communist past.

Aruba (Caribbean)

• Evangelical presence is growing.
• The importation of "alien" theologies and prosperity preaching is effecting church unity around the island. 

Missions - Here & There

While there is ministry to be done right here in my hometown and yours, if you've never been on a mission trip, I would strongly recommend adding it to your bucket list. Actually, if you haven't ever even traveled outside of the USA {or your home country wherever in the world you may be reading this from} I would high suggest doing so as soon as possible! There is so much world to see, experience, and love on. There are so many people needing the Light of Christ spread to them, and you and I may be the only Jesus some will ever see.

As I continue to read about and pray for countries around the world, my heart breaks a little bit more each day for people I may never meet living in countries I may never visit. There is so much pain in this world - so much war, violence, and destruction; pain deeper that you or I may ever fully understand.

I see pain and heartache regularly in my students, and as their teacher, it is my desire to show them the love of Christ, even if the law forbids me to publicly speak His name. I pray for my students regularly, and I pray that my classroom be a safe place for them. Yet, even the pain I see in my students hardly compares to the pain on the news happening around the world.

Let me share with you some pain and concerns for pray from areas around the world I've been praying for this week.

The Pacific (Region)

• Despite New Zealand and Australia having some of the world's highest living standards - young people living in the pacific region (mainly on the surrounding islands) have little opportunity for education or meaningful employment unless they can travel to the "mainlands". 
• Island communities tend to be isolated from current and effective healthcare. 
• There is a decaying interest in the organized church. While secularism is rising in the form of Atheism, Islam, Mormonism, and Buddhism. 

Afghanistan (Country - Asia)

• Afghanistan is one of the least reached countries in the world.
• The Afghan church is entirely "underground" with frequently changing meeting times and places for safety purposes against severe persecution. 
• The number of Afghan believers is increasing. Media has been a huge resource to get the gospel into the homes of the people.
• Afghanistan is tormented and far from recovery after thousands of years of war and conflict.
• Threats of violence still exist - land minds are still "hidden" throughout the nation.
• Highest portion of disabled population (mainly due to war).
• Afghanistan is the most dangerous place for a child to be born. 
• Highest maternal mortality rate in the world.
• 78% of people do not have access to clean water.
• Less than 15% of the population has electricity in their homes. 
• 90% of the world's opium-producing poppies are grown in Afghanistan.

Albania (Country - Europe)

• Albania is one of Europe's two poorest nations.
• Religious freedom began in 1998. Previously under Communist control no religion was allowed to exist.
• The church is maturing and the number of evangelicals has grown.
• The young people of the church are committed to the Great Commission. (A legacy of Islam opens the door for connecting with the Muslim world to spread the gospel more effectively.)
• Focus on holistic ministries to meet physical, emotional, and spiritual needs through missions.
• Despite growth, there is a hazy religious climate. Albania is still 70% Muslim. 
• There is an "if it works believe it" attitude.
• Many villages still lack an evangelical presence. 
• Criminal activities include drug, human, and weaponry trafficking.

Alegria (Country - Africa)

• Alegria has a high unemployment rate and a government that appears to accommodate militant Islamist groups.
• People are too familiar with violence and loss. 
• Democracy is written into the constitution of Alegria, but it is not upheld. 
• Abuse of human rights is a concern.
• Religious freedom is dwindling and persecution is intensifying.
• The government bans importing Bibles making media a vital resource for the spread of the gospel.
• Despite the ban on importing Bibles, Christian resources are growing. 
• Alegria church is growing, but there is a lack of properly trained Christian leaders.
• No ministry is devoted to children.
• Religious and social pressures force young Christian girls to marry Muslim men.
• 65-70% of the population of Alegria is under the age of 30, and this group makes up the greatest proportion of Christians in Alegria. 

Won't you join me in praying for peace and healing for our world. We live in a fallen world, and nothing will be perfect until the return of Christ; however, it is our duty as Christians to pray for our brothers and sisters living around the world. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Intercessory Prayer for Europe

Europe is the most secular and least religious continent in the world; yet the Christian world

 remains profoundly influenced by strong European Christian traditions and history.

Honestly, I've never taken much interest in the continent of Europe. My family hosted an exchange student my junior year of high school from Germany, and while I enjoyed hosting her and learning about her German traditions, I still don't get excited about traveling to Germany. My ancestors come from all over Europe, and still my heart is much more focused on South America and my Latino culture. If given the choice between traveling to Europe or Africa, most likely I'd choose Africa.I'm not sure the cause for my disinterest in Europe. I mean, I enjoy seeing pictures, the history, hearing about the culture and meeting European missionaries. Yet, nothing that has been said even slightly intrigues me enough to desire to travel to the continent of Europe. Perhaps I have something against white people, although I am one. Haha :)

The last few days Operation World focuses on intercessory prayer for the continent of Europe. Despite my lack of interest in this particular continent, I have enjoyed praying for my brothers and sisters living in the nations of Europe. Please join me in praying for the beloved people of  this historically rich continent.

• Answers to Prayer
• Religious freedom in a previously communist world.
• Evangelical growth and opportunity (although growth is slowly occurring) 
• Strong spiritual authenticity among young people despite a stagnant older generation
• Christian immigration is bringing the gospel to Europe
• Technology is being used as a great resource to bring Christ to the people
• Prayer Concerns
• Russia's re-asserted influence
• Europe continues in spiritual bleakness - giving way to instant gratification and secularism
• Faith is a personal matter and intolerance is given toward Christian absolutes (even government continues to vote for human rights and freedom to choose for oneself over God's commands)
• Decline in church attendance and loss of confidence in the Scriptures 

Mustard Seed Faith & Asia

{Translation}
Friend: Then I am going to be praying from now until the sun sets and rises again. Will "it" happen?
Me: I hope so. I will pray with the faith of a mustard seed, too. 

This is an exert from a conversation I had recently with a friend. The topic of conversation was pretty light, and actually the "it" we were praying for was that I would be able to be in Peru for a dear friend's Quinceanera (fifteen year old girls' birthday bash). It was doubtful that I would be there due to work and money, but we both honestly wished there were some way it could be made possible. However, me missing the birthday party wasn't all bad. We celebrated my mom's 49th birthday after a slight scare with heart failure in September last year, and a college friend made a surprise visit to Goshen this weekend. I missed the party, yes, but I didn't miss a beat of life by not being there.


After the conversation above with my dear friend, my prayer life was challenged. While we were slightly joking about the prayers we would offer up concerning a weekend trip to Peru, I felt challenged that my prayers overall should be more intense and grounded in true faith that God can and will make things happen {should it be HIS will of course}. Will you join me in praying with the faith of a mustard seed for Asia these next few days?

For the rest of the month, the Operation World prayer focus is set on Asia. Asia is the continent with the fastest growing evangelical population in all the world. Asia has seen dramatic changes since 1900, and I know that the Lord is not finished there yet. While Asia has more evangelical Christians than any other continent, still, 80% of the world's unreached and least reached people groups can be found in there, and Asians face the most intense religious persecution when compared to all other continents around the world. Asia is the only continent where Christianity is not the largest religion, and it is the continent that faces the most challenges for evangelism {despite having the largest evangelical Christian population}.

Here are some of the prayer concerns I have highlighted for this fragile continent that God is placing more and more on my heart:

• Praises to Note:
• The increased use of technology is advancing the spread of the gospel. 
• Remarkable church growth and increasing Muslim converts. 
• Increased numbers of Middle East Christians feel burdened to reach out to Muslims. 
• Public congregations present in parts of nearly all Asian countries. {Saudi Arabia and Maldives are the only Asian countries with no public congregations.}
• The impact of tentmaking missionaries throughout Asia {and the rest of the world} will produce a massive global impact.
• South Korea produces the 2nd most missionaries than any country in the world. {Only the U.S.A. produces more missionaries than South Korea.}
• India has more national missionaries than any other nation worldwide.
• Concerns for Prayer:
• The rise in prostitution and sex trafficking and AIDS due to a large gender gap created by selective abortions.
• Uneven economic growth {rich get richer and poor are left behind} leading to potential ecological disasters.
• Religious freedom - Only five or six Asian countries have genuine, deep-rooted cultures of religious freedom.
• "Underground" Christians.
• Persecution of Christians is great throughout Asia. Pray for boldness and wisdom over the lives of our Asian brothers and sister in Christ. Pray for safety and peace.
•  The spread of the gospel with love, boldness, humility, and wisdom.
• Unrest in the Middle East causing tensions worldwide. - Arab Spring
• Stable democratic governments to be set up in all nations.
• Israel - The Lord's chosen - is currently surrounded by hostile, radical Islamic groups, countries, and governments. Egypt has declared Israel its #1 enemy, and Muslims say a Holy War against Israel is imperative. Iran has continuously threatened to wipe Israel off the map. {See prophecy of Zechariah - Chapter 12}
• Situation at the Euphrates River - Syria, Iran, Iraq - is the most volatile situation on Earth in our present day. 

Join me for the next week in praying for the continent of Asia. Praise God for the awesome things HE is already causing to take place in the nations of Asia, and pray with faith the size of a mustard seed that God will handle the other situations facing this region. God has a plan for Asia, and through our prayers, I have faith that this world will be changed for the cause of Christ.

 Matthew 17:20 - He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

Hollywood vs The Foundation of America

Operation World - Prayer Guide to Every Nation lists "The Americas" as the prayer focus for the next couple of days. The beginning of the year includes prayer for each continent/region before turning the prayer focus toward specific countries. I had to giggle a bit when I noticed that North and South America are grouped together as one continent or region. You see, in Peru, schools teach only five continents - America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. There is no difference between North and South America, and apparently Antarctica doesn't matter because people don't actually live there.

In previous arguments with Peruvian friends, I have backed down because forcing a distinguishable difference between N. and S. America always turns me into appearing superior since I'm from the USA - the land of wealth and prosperity in their minds. It doesn't make sense to them that Mexico is part of N. America even though truly it's people and culture relate more closely to that of S. America. As you can imagine, I no longer argue for 7 continents, I've learned to just nod my head and smile.

As I read through Operation World this week, I like that they break one continent - The Americas -  into three regions rather than two continents. The three regions of the Americas are: North America (USA, Canada, and Greenland), The Caribbean (the islands of the Atlantic and Gulf), and Latin America (Mexico, South America, and all of the smaller countries in between). It makes a lot more sense this way as opposed to our traditional way of creating two continents - one of which includes part of Latin America. I never know if those smaller countries (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, etc.) and the islands of the Caribbean belong with the North or the South anyways. 

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Last evening as I read a few pages on prayer for the Americas, there were a few sentences that stuck out to me.

Pray that godly North Americans might continue to engage with the

 needs of the world in a humble, passionate, and informed way. 

Hollywood's portrayal of American life is a perversion of the values

 that made the USA a great nation.

As I read these two sentences, my mind began to wander to all of the corrupt situations surrounding me - not just via Hollywood but through all kind of media. Music, video games, movies, tv shows, news sources, and even conversations with those nearby all tend to demonstrate morals and values that go against the dreams and desires of our founding fathers. 

In GOD we TRUST!

It's written on our money, it's plastered on the walls of some government buildings, and it some cases it has been used in public speeches. However, do we truly believe it? Is our trust really in GOD or do we trust in the government to fix our problems and keep us safe? Maybe the bigger question is: Does our government truly trust in God, or do they rely on man or other forms of false hope when making decisions that effect each one of us? I have an overwhelming sense of disappointment that we've turned our backs on GOD when it comes to government, and He is left out of many discussions and decisions that take place in Washington, DC. 

I don't think it's appropriate that we continue to ask GOD to bless America when the only time many Americans run to Him occurs during times of extreme heartache and attack. Instead, we should be praying for America to bless God by turning to Him and relying on His guidance as our ancestors have done in the past. 

Rights come from GOD, not government.

This Founding Principle is actually embedded in our Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Again, we as Americans are forcing our government to vote on issues that are clearly stated in the Bible as right or wrong. Our government was created to make and enforce laws to protect the people, not to decide correct moral codes for humanity. Let's look at the biggest {moral} issues facing us currently: abortion and gay marriage. It is not one's right to decide that gay marriage is legal or that abortion is a woman's choice. Those are not rights God has given us; instead, He has clearly stated in His word {the Bible} that both of those are sin. {See the verses below.}

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It disappoints me to think how far man has fallen from the beginning of time - beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden over 2000 years ago. Then I think how far America has fallen since it's beginnings 200+ years ago, and my heart breaks for humanity. I am, however, overjoyed that God forgives, His grace covers me and all my filthiness, and His mercy makes me a new creation. He can do the same for you, and I firmly believe that if Christians would unite together in prayer and action, we will see the world, too, change for the better. 

IN GOD I TRUST!!!

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Verses on Homosexuality

Genesis 2:24/Ephesians 5:31 - For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.

Leviticus 20:13 - If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

Romans 1:26-27 - Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 7:2 - But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband.

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Verses on Abortion

Psalm 139:13-18 - For you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

Psalm 22:9-10 - Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 - Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you..."

Job 31:15 - Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?