Prayer Focus for Guatemala – Sunday, November 27

guat-mmap-smGuatemala, Latin America: The future of evangelicalism is uncertain. While there has been great growth since the 1960s, especially among Pentecostals, much of this growth is superficial, impressive only in number. Discipleship is sorely lacking as a deep value in most evangelical churches. Syncretism is nearly as common in many evangelical churches – particularly among Amerindians – as it is in Catholicism. If serious efforts are not made to build disciples on a solid biblical foundation, the next couple of decades will see stagnation and possibly a disastrous decline in evangelicalism. Some claim this decline has been occurring for over 10 years, obscured only by strong growth in a few churches and zealous over-reporting in most others. Pray that this crucial issue of turning converts into disciples might be rightly addressed by evangelicals as the key to Guatemala’s spiritual future. For more information, go to www.operationworld.org.

Prayer Focus for Guam – Sunday, November 20

guam-mmap-smGuam, US Territory: Missionary outreach from Guam is beginning to occur. The churches have the capacity and desire to send missionaries to the Pacific nations, and the increasing influx of tourists from Japan, Korea and elsewhere makes for witnessing opportunities right at home. For more information, go to www.operationworld.org.

Matthew 13:44

Matthew 13:44

 

Jesus said, 44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Which Side Are You On?

Exodus 20:19

19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”

 

Proverbs 6:16-19

16 There are six things that the Lord hates,     seven that are an abomination to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue,     and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked plans,     feet that make haste to run to evil, 19 a false witness who breathes out lies,     and one who sows discord among brothers.

 

John 8:44

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

 

Romans 1:18-19

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

Thinking Biblically About Work, Money…

Thinking Biblically About Work, Money,

Private Ownership and Greed

 

Genesis 1:26-28

 

26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

27 So God created man in his own image,     in the image of God he created him;     male and female he created them.

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

 

Matthew 25:14-30

 

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 


 

Prayer Focus for Guadeloupe – Sunday, November 13

guad-mmap-sm 

Guadeloupe, Caribbean: Pray for Areas and peoples less reached with the gospel:

  1. a) The outlying islands are less evangelized – Marie Galante, Les Saintes and La Désirade. WT/Evangelical Church work on these islands. But island communities are closely knit, making it difficult for believers to break with tradition.

Those of Asian descent – most are Tamil in background, but also Chinese and Arab. Most Tamils are nominally Catholic, while retaining many of their Hindu beliefs. There is at least one Chinese congregation.

  1. c) Haitian immigrants are proving quite responsive to the gospel through the ministry of the Evangelical Baptist Mission.

 

For more information, go to www.operationworld.org.

Prayer Focus for Grenada – Sunday, November 6

gren-mmap-smGrenada, Caribbean: The Grenadian diaspora is large, numbering possibly twice as many as those living in the country. The weak economy is the major cause of emigration, exacerbating the challenges of urbanization and a listless, dissatisfied younger generation. For more information, go to www.operationworld.org.

 

You May Be More of a Thief Than You Think

You May Be More of a Thief Than You Think

 

Exodus 20:15

15 “You shall not steal.

 

Proverbs 20:23

23 Unequal weights are an abomination to the Lord,     and false scales are not good.

 

Romans 13:7

Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

 

Malachi 3:8-11

Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. 11 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.

 

Proverbs 28:8

Whoever multiplies his wealth by interest and profit     gathers it for him who is generous to the poor.

 

Proverbs 28:20

20 A faithful man will abound with blessings,     but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.

 

 

Luke 12:13-15

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”