West Bengal

I just found out today that there was a bombing in West Bengal yesterday 300 miles north of Calcutta. This hits close to home as I spent some time in Calcutta and surrounding areas this summer. Seeing the spiritual conditions there makes it very saddening to hear that the 6 people who died were mostly likely not believers. There were 50 injured, 28 of them are seriously injured. It wouldn't surprise me if several of those 28 end up dying as well. These people were simply civilians, nobody "special" according to society, and killed by their own people, a liberation group trying to get what they want. While this was a physical act, I don't doubt that the enemy is at work in it as well. Please, please join in prayer for the people in West Bengal. There is Kingdom work going on there and it is among some of the most unreached areas in India. Pray for the believers to seek guidance from the One who has the ultimate victory as to how to fight this physically and spiritually. Pray for the families of those who died. My heart is so broken and I'm not even sure of specific prayer requests to ask of you, but please seek the Lord and intercede for West Bengal. If I hear anything more or think of some more specific requests, I will post an update. Be blessed Warriors.

Serving the King of all kings...

International Day of Prayer

Today was the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church. I have been waiting for this day to get here so I could post some prayer requests. Somehow the dates this weekend and the dates for the Day of prayer didn't connect. I'm really bummed that I missed it. I know that you and I can still pray for the persecuted church, but I really wanted to be a part of a massive prayer with believers around the world. Anyhow, I'm not going to NOT pray, and I wanted to challenge and encourage you to pray as well. I got this email from some missionary friends of mine. I hope that you will take some time to pray for Uncle Z, as well as other believers who are imprisoned, killed, tortured and other things we can't even begin to imagine. Here is just a little bit of information about Uncle Z to maybe help you pray.

"Uncle Z was one of the leaders we hosted in Egypt during meetings with Arab Christians about the Chinese vision in the spring of 2004. Z is the one who Anne chased up Mt. Sinai to ask him to walk another way. He was so happy to be at the mountain that he began to run straight up a slippery slope (with his business shoes on) instead of taking the path people took. He was also the one who carried a tie up to the top so he could put it on in honor of God. He was determined to hear God speak.

Uncle Z, as almost all of the Chinese sisters and brothers who came with us to the Middle East, had struggled and spent many years in prison. We recently received this email: 'On December 1, 2004 Uncle Z was arrested. Since then, we have all prayed for him many times and talked and wondered what could be done. On June 29 of this year, Uncle Z was sentenced to 7 ½ years in prison. It appears that all diplomatic channels that the USA could use to ask for his release are now closed.'”

They then asked for some specific ways to take some action for Uncle Z. Writing letters, getting your church/sunday school classes to commit to pray. If you feel led to be a part of this, let me know and I'll get you more information.

Thanks for waiting :)

My apologies for disappearing for a little while. I'll be honest and tell you that I've been struggling a bit spiritually. I have been distracted and not very consistent in praying for these needs myself. I didn't feel that I could type up this information and prayer requests, asking people to pray, when I myself was not praying. The Lord is working on me and I'm ready to fight again. I pray that you've continued praying for the lost in this world and that you'll rejoin me now with some new requests. Again, I'd love to read your comments about how God is working in you as you pray for the lost of this world, personal requests, or answers to prayer. It's nice to know you're not fighting alone. That's why I ask/encourage you to comment. Thank you for even stopping by and taking the time to lift up the nations to Christ. Be blessed my friends. Don't forget to put on the armor (Ephesians 6)!

North Korea
There is a big struggle econonmically with provisions for the military in the attempts to become a nuclear power. There has also been a severe famine for a while and it does not look to be ending soon. (Do you think some of that could be spiritual?)

Religion
~The majority (64.31%) in North Korea are non-religious. Traditioal ethnic religion is next in line with 16%. Christianity is last on the list with only 1.69% of the population
~"All religions have been harshly repressed. Many thousands of Christians have been murdered since the Korean War - in 1953 there were about 300,000 Christians, reduced to a few thousand today."

Challenges for Prayer
~Idol worship
~The persecution of the church/Boldness, strength, safety for the believers there. As I was praying for this today, I was convicted of my prayers. I was praying that believers would be bold and not run, but remain in the strength of the Lord; and then it hit how simply and easily I pray that prayer while I'm here in America and went to church this morning with no threat of being caught and killed. Please as you pray for this request, really ask the Lord to show you how exactly to pray. That we would understand His heart and the believers in North Korea would truly be encouraged.
~Because of the repression of religion, the majority has never heard the name of Jesus.
~Means of witness are pretty limited right now. South Korean Christians have been praying and preparing, waiting for the land to be open to the gospel, so pray that this will happen very soon! Korea is very open to business men and they are able to get into the country very easily. There could be some very strategic moves for believers in this way. Some Non-Government Organizations have had the opporunity to run an aggricultural training program through an independent church!

God is working in ways in North Korea that are beyond our comprehension. Intercede with me for the people in this country. Pray that the light of the gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ would shine on them and pierce the lies that the gods of this age have blinded them with. (2 Cor. 4:4)

All information and quotes came from Operation World.