fanning the flame of missions through praying for the nations
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.”
— Psalm 67:1–2
I begin almost every day by communing with GOD — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. I spend time listening to him by reading his word, and I spend time talking with him through prayer in the Spirit. It’s a simple, life-changing practice of obedience and relationship.
When some of our dear friends who are part of our community group gathered recently in the parsonage where we live to watch Secret Church, I was reminded once again of the vital need for part of my prayer life to be filled with conversations with our Father about the unreached peoples of the world, and the need for them to hear his word, to receive the Good News, and follow Jesus. I was convicted that I pray for too little for those who have never heard of my King, Savior, and Messiah.
And so, when they made a plug during that event for a new prayer resource, I jumped at the chance to grab hold of something that could fan the mission-prayer flame in my life and time of communion.
Just click this image to purchase
Each day is just four to five pages, and consists of
a Scripture text to read,
a brief commentary on that bit of the Biblical story,
an overview of the country for the day — for example, today was “The Gospel in Vietnam”,
a section called “Frequently Asked Questions” in relationship to that country, with answers each day to the following questions:
What religion or belief system shapes everyday life in this country?
What does following Jesus look like for believers here?
How likely is it that someone in this country has heard the good news of Jesus?
Are there local churches where people can openly learn about following Jesus?
What are the greatest barriers to the Good News spreading in this country today?
and, finally, a section that guides your prayer.
Every day, I take a picture with my iPhone of the prayer page (see the image below) so that I have it with me throughout the day, easily accessible. This way, I’m not just beginning my day talking with our Father about the unreached people of the world, instead, my day is often saturated with missions.
After all, isn’t this why we’re here?
So that the world may know?
Throughout my life I have consistently found that what I pray for is what I care about. My desire and passion for that thing or person grows, my heart draws near, my mind filled with it.
So if you’d like to fan the flame of mission in your life,
I can’t think of a better way than praying for the nations.
And this book can help.
