Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1st Corinthians 13
FEEDBACK
As we immerse ourselves in a time of prayer and fasting, please let us know the great things God is doing during the 30 Days of Prayer in your life or in your local church. Send your praise reports and updates to lmarshall@upci.org.
MINISTRY
MINISTRY: Richard and Pamela Smoak (Tanzania/Burundi), Gary and June Sones (Spain), Mokhles and Terry Sedra (Egypt), J.R. and Janet Black (Spanish Caribbean/ABC Islands), Bennie and Pat Blunt (Tonga/Samoa/American Samoa), Louis and Martha Johnson (Ethiopia/Rwanda), Richard and Patricia Porter (Swaziland)
A.I.M. - Associates in Missions: Marilyn Alvarez - Colombia (SAM), Trecina Anderson - Spain (EME)
FULL-TIME EVANGELIST: Kyle Q. Cain - Wichita Falls, TX, Christopher A. Calk - Houston, TX, Maxine M. Cammenga - Rosepine, LA
BIBLE SCHOOLS: Northeast Christian College, Indiana Bible College
WNOP'S PERSONAL REQUESTS
To minister to the needs of others through prayer, click here to pray over WNOP's personal prayer list.
STATE FOCUS - Texas
The state focus this week is Texas. Please pray for Governor Rick Perry and Senators Kay B. Hutchison and John Cornyn. Pray for all district officials, home missionaries and pastors.
WORLD NEEDS
Fox News Egypt - An Egyptian father and his 15 year old daughter never pray twice at the same church, never stay longer than a month in any one apartment. They are constantly under threat, always on the run because they converted to Christianity in a largely Muslim country. They tell their story out of fear and desperation. Born Muslims they chose to convert to the Christian Church after both claim they had religious visions. The father says "Muslims try to kill us, and will kill us if they find us."
Several religious fatwas have been issued for "spilling his blood" after he asked an Egyptian Court to legally recognize his conversion, so he can one day be buried as a Christian and so his daughter won't be forced into a marriage by her Muslim mother. The court ruled a legal conversion to Christianity would threaten public order. His lawyer told us it's a dangerous double standard because in Egypt a Christian can convert to the Muslim faith in a week, but a Muslim cannot convert to the Christian faith.
Ten percent of Egypt is Christian, largely the Coptic Christians who increasingly say they face daunting discrimination and even death. Religious tensions are running high in Egypt.
On January 6th, the Coptic Christmas eve, three Muslim men sprayed gunfire at a Church in Upper Egypt killing six Christians and wounding up to a dozen more. Christians rioted the next day and the area is still closed to outsiders including the press. Human rights activist Hussein Bahjet say's Egypt has the potential to become like Lebanon because of growing sectarian violence. "Civil strife that could engulf the country" Bahjet says.
The U.S. State Department reports respect of religious freedom in Egypt is declining, Christians are denied Government jobs, Priests are threatened and harassed, Christians are increasingly attacks in what State describes as "a climate of impunity that encourages violence." In some cases authorities turn a blind eye to attacks on Christians, in other cases there is evidence police sparked the attacks.
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has been largely silent about the problem, but this week he spoke out saying Egyptians must up-root "fanaticism and sectarianism, which threatens the unit of our nation."
The daughter has been pulled out of school. She has only a blue jean jacket to stay warm and little food to eat. Her father says he can't stay in Egypt anymore. He and his daughter are in such grave
danger that they are constantly on the move.
Egypt is number 20 on the Open Doors World Watch List. Please pray for the Christians in Egypt. Pray that they will be safe and that the religious tensions will decrease.
30 DAYS OF PRAYER - PRAISE REPORTS
We have just completed our commitment, and have experienced a wonderful breakthrough in the Spirit of God church-wide. 3 have received the Holy Ghost this month, and 11 was baptized.Looking forward to a tremendous 2010 in Jesus!
Pastor Raymond Woodson, Vancouver UPC, Vancouver, WA
During our January time of prayer and fasting a special offering was taken for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. One lady in our church felt impressed to give a certain amount in the offering even though she lives on meager fare and didn't really have extra to give. Following the Spirit's prompting she did give the offering. The following week she was in line to pay for her groceries, and a complete stranger came up and paid for them! She also received a large tip on her waitressing job that week. God blessed her as she blessed others.
Sis. Wanda Fielder, Portage, IN
PRAYER FOR THE NATIONS - PSALM 2:8
"Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession." NIV
Below are the nations we are focusing on this week.
Turkey
Turkey:
Population:
76,805,524
Religion: Muslim 99.8% (mostly Sunni), other 0.2% (mostly Christians and Jews)
Government Type: republican parliamentary democracy
Prayer Point:Pray that the barriers and prejudices against Christianity can be broken down. To be a Turk is to be a Muslim, so people who decide to follow Jesus are threatened, intimidated and can be rejected by their families. There is a deep-seatedhostility towards Christians, who are identified with foreign invaders who invaded the Turkish empire during the crusades. Pray that these misconceptions would be shattered by the truth and love of Jesus.
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan:
Population: 4,884,887
Religion: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%
Government Type: defines itself as a secular democracy and a presidential republic; in actuality displays authoritarian presidential rule, with power concentrated within the executive branch
Prayer Point:Persecution against Christians is on the increase with leaders getting beaten up and any foreign Christians being forced to leave the country. Pray that Christians would stand firm in what they believe and speak out against injustice.
Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos Islands: Population: 22,942
Religion: Baptist 40%, Anglican 18%, Methodist 16%, Church of God 12%, other 14%
Government Type: n/a
Prayer Point:There are growing numbers of illegal immigrants in the islands. Pray that Christians would welcome them with love and have opportunities to tell them about God.
Tuvalu
Tuvalu:
Population: 12,373
Religion: Church of Tuvalu (Congregationalist) 97%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.4%, Baha'i 1%, other 0.6%
Government Type: constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy
Prayer Point:Pray the people to become tired of religious traditions and seek a true relationship with Jesus.
PRAYER QUOTE
Who rises from prayer a better man, his prayer is answered. - George Meredith
PRAYING THROUGH THE NEWSPAPER
"Talk about our responsibility as Christians to pray for our world. Take a newspaper and read through some of the headlines on the front page. Where applicable, point out the areas where we have missionaries and the situations that may be affecting them." more
SUMMONS TO SACRIFICE
Make plans now to attend WNOP's International Prayer Gathering. Summons To Sacrifice 2010 will be held June 10-12, 2010 in St. Louis, MO at the Airport Renaissance Hotel.
Online registration is now open. Take advantage of the 15% discount for registering early.
World Network of Prayer and Kids Prayer are now on Facebook. We will be posting pictures, urgent prayer needs, and prayer helps. Search for us and become a fan on the World Network of Prayer page and the World Network of Prayer Kids page.
