Prayer Powerlines: 2014 December Powerlines

December 2014
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” -Isaiah 9:6

1. LEADERS. The OMF International National Leadership Team is meeting December 2-5, 2014 to come together in prayer to strengthen team strategy and unity. Pray for our leaders to be led by the Holy Spirit as they commit their time, talents and responsibilities to the Lord.
2. STAFF SHORTAGE. Ask God to provide new staff or volunteers to help out at a short-staffed outreach in Myanmar. Workloads are being rearranged and schedules revised. Some programs may have to be cut or postponed if more help is not found soon.
3. WOMEN’S RADIO MINISTRY. Lift up an ongoing radio ministry in Cambodia , that it would continue to be fruitful in its ministry, especially among the illiterate. Pray also for a new radio program called “Lives of Women in the Word” planned for broadcast in 2015.
4. TUTORS NEEDED. Some children of workers in an area of rural East Asia are having a hard time as the number of students attending their schools has drastically increased, meaning that teachers have less time to help them. Pray for this team of workers to find tutors who can work regularly with these students.
5. MINORITY BIBLES. Pray for the distribution of 15,000 Bibles in the language of a minority people group in Southwest China, Thailand and Myanmar. Ask that these scriptures will be able to get to the many locations to which they have been planned to go.
6. PERSEVERE IN THE FAITH. Some Chinese Christians who return to China after believing overseas see their faith choked out by the pursuit of riches and the worries of this world. Pray against this by interceding for effective discipleship, preparation and follow-up of new believers who return to Mainland China.
7. SIGNS OF HOPE. In recent months, there have been hints that North Korean leaders are becoming more open to the outside world. Pray for this trend to continue and for leaders to hear the gospel and turn to the living God.
8. A THOUSAND LIVES. Pray for the provision of funds for the Hudson Taylor movie project, now titled “A Thousand Lives.” Money is needed for finding and working with a co-production company, as well as paying for legal, personnel and other costs.
9. HEARING THE STORY. A Japanese teenager attending a Catholic school recently told an OMF International worker that she does not really pay attention to the Bible stories at school. However, she then asked the worker to tell her one. Pray for the story told and gospel shared to take root in this girl’s heart.
10. PREGNANCY MINISTRY. A missionary in Japan is now expanding her pregnancy care and post-abortion support ministry to include providing adoption services. She is open to the possibility of an OMF International worker joining the work. Pray for God’s leading and provision as this ministry progresses.
11. SEEKERS’ STORIES. An elderly Japanese couple in their late 80s recently asked to be shown parts of the Bible that might be easy for “seekers” to understand. Pray for the Holy Spirit to use the verses read to bring about repentance and faith in Christ in this couple.
12. THE TRIUMPH OF JOHN AND BETTY STAM. Eighty years ago today, China Inland Mission missionaries John and Betty Stam were martyred in China. Their story, as told in books such as The Triumph of John and Betty Stam, inspired many believers to follow in their footsteps to the mission field. Pray for God to continue to use their story of faith and sacrifice to mobilize more people to go to East Asia on mission.
13. MALAY IN BRUNEI. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of the Malay in Brunei—from those in the royal family, to those who fill influential positions in government and all the way to the humble villagers and those who live in Kampong Ayer, an area of Brunei’s capital city.
14. DETERMINED TO PREACH. The head of a team of Vietnamese evangelists has survived torture and the threat of being killed in prison, but that has only reinforced his determination to get the gospel to ethnic groups who have never heard the message. Pray for God to continue to bless this team’s efforts at spreading the Good News in Vietnam.
15. READY TO GIVE AN ANSWER. During a recent trip to Altai City, Mongolia, a series of unexpected (and difficult) events led to the opportunity to minister to a badly injured man, his family and other patients at a hospital. Nearly 30 people either received Christ or rededicated their lives to him. Pray for a church to be established among these people, most of whom are nomads.
16. MISSIONAL BUSINESSES. Pray for wisdom on how to structure and register missional businesses in East Asia. Such work is one of the only viable means to be a long-term gospel witness in some communities. Ask God for sufficient funds and co-workers for these businesses.
17. LAOS SPIRITUALITY. Religion in Laos is dominated by a mixture of Theravada Buddhism and animism. Idol and spirit worship is common. Pray that the people of Laos would see the futility of making merit and trying to appease the spirits and would find grace and freedom in Jesus Christ.
18. SYNCRETISM. Pray for the 80 people from four villages in the Philippines who attended a training on how to lead quality Bible studies independently. Avoiding syncretism was a major topic. Pray that these leaders would begin Bible studies that do not add to or subtract from God’s word (Revelation 22:18-19).
19. PERSONNEL NEEDS. The Philippines field has multiple personnel needs, one of which is a librarian with a master’s degree who can serve at a partner seminary for the next one to three years. Ask God to provide people for these crucial roles.
20. PURITY. In Bali, Indonesia, people believe that babies are pure until their feet touch the ground, where evil spirits reside, so they are carried for their first three months of life until the oton ceremony, where the child is celebrated as a whole person. Pray that Indonesians would see that purity of spirit comes through Christ alone.
21. MARRIAGE. Ask God to strengthen local believers in Southeast Asia who live in predominantly Muslim communities and are pressured to marry nonbelievers. Pray that they would either find a Christian spouse or would be committed to remaining single in obedience to the Lord.
22. GUEST HOME. Pray for Beth Bradley, who serves as the International Headquarters Guest Home Manager in Singapore. The guest home is one of her many responsibilities. Ask God to grant her energy and joy in her work and that those who stay at the guest home find it a refreshing home base where they receive physical and spiritual nourishment.
23. MOM’S GROUP. Lift up a group of moms in Taiwan who meet regularly to discuss marriage, church life and parenting. Many are Christians but need encouragement. Pray that they grow in the Lord and develop a heart to share the gospel with their non-Christian friends and family.
24. COUNSELORS. The working-class people of Taiwan need counselors as depression and mental disorders become more common. A local seminary is conducting a class on counseling the working class of Taiwan. Pray that the nine students enrolled would use their skills to be vehicles of healing to Taiwan’s working class, of whom less than 0.5 percent know Christ.
25. CHRISTMAS. Bring your heart before the Lord today with offerings of praise for his great gift, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Lift up the many nations whom God is calling to himself. Pray that the hearts of all peoples would one day praise his name.
26. REPENTANCE. A respected Christian leader in Thailand has exposed news that he had a secret affair over 10 years ago. The length of the affair is unknown. He has mentored many Thai church leaders over the years. Pray for his repentance and the restoration of the many broken relationships caused by his sin and secrecy.
27. TEACHING CHRISTIANITY. The principal of a Thai school accepted a Christian worker’s invitation for a short-term team to share songs, skits and activities with the children next year. He even agreed to let the workers teach Christianity. “Just make it fun for the kids,” he said. Pray for gospel seeds to take root at the school and in the principal’s heart.
28. FAST TRACK. Pray for a large positive response as OMF International mobilizers advocate for our Two-year Fast Track Program for College Seniors and Recent Graduates. There are currently 11 ministry placements available and space for up to 28 graduating seniors. May the Lord move among East Asia’s peoples through these students.
29. 2015 PLANNING. Preparations are well underway for OMF International’s 2015 anniversary, celebrating 150 years of the China Inland Mission/OMF International. Our ministry will be featured at many church mission conferences and special events. Pray for these events to be used to draw people closer to God as they learn and understand his heart for the world.
30. YEAR-END PROCESS. The finance team has begun the year-end closing process and preparation for the annual audit. Pray that all will run smoothly and that the finance team can take their eyes off the books and put them on Jesus during the Christmas season.
31. LOOKING BACK. Pause and thank God for the faithfulness, mercy, grace and love he has shown you this past year. As people around the world reflect on the past and look to the future, pray that East Asia’s peoples would renew their search for truth and in doing so, discover the outstretched arms of their Creator.

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