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‘My hope is that men all over the place will be reading these books together so that we can get a buzz going online about what we’re learning. (We’ve already got a Facebook page.) You could even use The Manual in your prayer, accountability or small groups. The bottom line is that we want to see blokes everywhere get gripped and excited by the Bible.’
Out now: The Manual 1: Power, Pleasure, Poker and Pork Pies The Manual 2: Fighters, Keepers, Losers, Reapers Available November: The Manual books 3 and 4 By Carl Beech £4.99 each Also available in ebook/Kindle formats Order using the form or online at www.cwr.org.uk All prices exclude p&p
REVIVAL NEWS BANGLADESH: The kingdom of God is expanding, new churches are being established, people from various backgrounds are coming to know Jesus. Last year Every Home for Christ distributed around two million pieces of gospel literature, bringing many responses and the planting of new congregations of believers. Source: Every Home for Christ
MEXICO: The nation is ravaged by drug cartels, kidnappings and murder. Michoacan, one of the 31 states, is pervaded by fear, insecurity and hopelessness. In its fifth largest city, Zitacuaro, a team of Christian workers overcame the fear of being killed, like so many, on the streets by distributing 70,000 pieces of gospel literature over 42 days. They not only saw people turn to Christ but many delivered from serious gambling addiction. Source: Every Home for Christ
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PRAYERTRACK
SEP–DEC 2012
WELCOME TO PRAYER TRACK. Our daily guide is produced to help focus intercession on areas of the world where there is great spiritual need and opportunities to reveal the love of Jesus Christ. It is also aimed at helping you to pray for CWR’s ministry. Compiled by Eddie Tait
SEPTEMBER ‘I am the light of the world ...’ John 8:12
which are subjected to oppression, intimidation and restrictions. Pray for pastors and congregations facing this persecution.
Weekend 1–2 September
Wednesday 5 September
Pray for the provision of the necessary funding for CWR’s ministry to grow and continue at Pilgrim Hall. Pray for the renovations and every other provision to this established centre for Christian teaching and retreat. Also pray for CWR’s Insight seminar on bereavement at Waverley Abbey House this Saturday.
Cuba’s head of religious affairs declared last year that the government would not waver in its stance against the Church. Part of this stance recently has been the harassment of pastors, forcing their removal from their congregations or short-term incarceration in prisons with periods of solitary confinement, or even being placed with violent criminals. Pray for these pastors.
Monday 3 September For the first time in over 50 years, Cuba marked Good Friday with a public holiday, at the request of Pope Benedict following his visit to the country. The Communist authorities said they did this as a mark of respect to him. Pray for the loosening of official bonds on Christian activities in Cuba. Tuesday 4 September The Communist government has been against Cuba’s Christians since the 1959 revolution. Especial targets are growing churches,
PT Thursday 6 September
At Waverley Abbey House today, Andy Peck is leading a CWR seminar called Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts. Pray for participants as they absorb the teaching and hear what God is saying to them. Friday 7 September Magazine-style Bibles placed in the seat pockets of Mission Aviation Fellowship flights serving Arnhem Land, in the extreme north of Australia, are popular. Copies have Pilgrim Hall has been purchased, and now renovation of the established Christian centre is needed so that CWR’s training ministry can be developed. (1–2 September) PHOTO: CWR
either gone missing or passengers have asked to keep them. Pray for this novel approach to evangelism. Weekend 8–9 September This Saturday, CWR is holding a special event to celebrate 25 years of ministry at Waverley Abbey House. Pray for everyone who comes, as they walk through the house and spend time in the grounds – and for CEO Mick Brooks as he leads short times of worship and thanksgiving. Pray over this weekend for the ongoing life and ministry at Waverley and at Pilgrim Hall. Monday 10 September Since last year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the high suicide rate in the country has risen again. For 14 years running, suicides have exceeded 30,000. Pray for more Japanese to find hope and meaning for life in Christ. Also pray for many ministries finding new opportunities to share the gospel and offer aid. Tuesday 11 September Philip Greenslade is leading a CWR seminar at Waverley Abbey House today – Discovering More About God’s Story. Pray for those attending. Also pray for readers of the current issue of Cover to Cover Every Day, as they study the Minor Prophets, with notes by Ian Coffey. Wednesday 12 September For over 100 years, there have been attempts in Britain to legalise euthanasia, ‘the act or practice of putting painlessly to death,’ especially ‘in cases of incurable suffering’ (Chambers Dictionary). PAGE 13
Reaching people in Central European capitals – Vienna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Prague (Czech Republic) – is the focus of Every Home for Christ working with local churches. (19 September) PHOTO: sxc.hu
A recent report said ‘assisted suicide’ had a ‘strong case for legislation’. The government said it had no plans to change the law forbidding this. Pray that this stance will be maintained, and also for infanticide never to be legalised in any form. Thursday 13 September Reaching Teenagers is a CWR seminar being led by Andy Peck and Martin Saunders at Waverley Abbey House today. Pray that those who attend will be much encouraged and spurred on to see teenagers discover Christ’s love for them. Friday 14 September ‘Angels’ stand on the dangerous streets of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, placards held aloft in silent vigil: young people dressed in winged white robes with silver make-up on their faces. Members of a tiny evangelical church, theirs is a different method to all the failed marches for ending violence driven by drug trafficking. After each vigil, the ‘angels’ offer to pray with onlookers for an end to the killings, and for salvation. Lives have been changed. Pray for the ‘angels’ of Ciudad Juarez. Weekend 15–16 September A busy CWR weekend at Waverley Abbey House, with a Basic MBTI Understanding Yourself, Understanding Others seminar on Saturday, while Year 1 BA Counselling students have a residential weekend of study led by Irene Davies and team. Pray for these events. PAGE 14
Monday 17 September Christianity in Hungary goes back 1,000 years. Four hundred years ago 90 per cent of the people were Protestant. Today less than 3 per cent are evangelical believers. Pray for Hungary. Tuesday 18 September
PT Pastor Varga has the bold vision of planting 60 new churches in western Hungary in the next 10 years. Initiatives, including pointing people to Hungary’s Christian past and its relevance today, have been bearing fruit. Pray for this work, supported by European Christian Mission.
Wednesday 19 September
Working with local churches, Every Home for Christ is making a new push to reach people who live in the capitals of Central Europe – Vienna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary), Bratislava (Slovakia) and Prague (Czech Republic). Websites provoking thought about Christianity form an important part of this. Pray for this initiative. Thursday 20 September The Stormbreaker is a CWR DVD based on a recent issue of Every Day with Jesus. It has five 15-minute sessions and comes with a booklet of daily notes and group discussion starters. Pray for it to help many. Also pray for those attending the Bible in a Day seminar at Waverley Abbey House, led by Andy Peck.
Friday 21 September
Thursday 27 September
CWR has published Coffee with God, six months of devotional readings based on the Psalms, written by women in association with the Armed Forces Christian Union. Pray for this publication, that it will be a source of strength to women connected with the military, and many others. Also pray for Year 2 BA in Counselling students at Waverley Abbey House this weekend.
Two hundred church leaders have committed themselves to working together for the evangelisation of Wales. Pray for this initiative, coordinated by Waleswide, a network of evangelical churches.
Weekend 22–23 September There are many widows in Zimbabwe. They have lost husbands through violence, AIDS and other diseases. A lot have also lost children. Being a widow in Zimbabwean society carries a stigma. Pray for them and for the ministry of Hope for Africa, a WorldShare partner, which helps meet their practical needs as well as restoring self-worth. Monday 24 September There is widespread malnutrition among widows and orphans in Zimbabwe. Many across the country have starved to death. Pray for Hope for Africa as it seeks to provide life-saving help for more and more of these desperate people. Tuesday 25 September Taking former street boys and school drop-outs and helping them become disciples of Jesus Christ is the goal of the Honest Hands Home near Manila in the Philippines. Pray for this Action Ministries initiative. Wednesday 26 September ‘Help! I want to read the Bible’ is a free CWR seminar being led at Waverley Abbey House this evening by Andy Peck with Lynette Brooks. Pray that those who attend will find God opening up the Scriptures to them.
Friday 28 September Career Changes and Choices is a CWR seminar being held at Waverley Abbey House today. Pray for the teaching by Stephen and Ros Derges to help those attending to make the right decisions. Also pray for the Women’s Weekend at Waverley, called In His Presence, led by Lynn Penson and Ros Derges. Weekend 29–30 September A National Day of Prayer and Worship is being held at Wembley Stadium this Saturday, supported by many of the UK’s Christian organisations. Pray with the UK Church for national transformation.
OCTOBER ‘… the word of God is living and active.’ Hebrews 4:12
Monday 1 October Beautiful Swaziland is called home by some 1.3 million people. But darkness hovers over their lives: 26 per cent of adults are HIV positive and 63 per cent of the population live below the poverty line. Pray for Swaziland, especially for Christian ministries working among suffering people. Tuesday 2 October Through the Samaritan’s Purse HOPE (Holistic Outreach Partnership Empowerment Programme), over 60 churches are making an impact on Swaziland’s future. The programme involves growing crops to feed orphans, start businesses to provide income for widows and pool savings to give HIV and AIDS
sufferers access to life-saving medicine. Pray for this work. Wednesday 3 October CWR has published a new book by Jeff Lucas. Called I Was Just Wandering, its humorous and poignant short chapters recount tales and escapades of living and travelling. Pray that it will minister to and encourage many. Thursday 4 October Operation Mobilisation workers in Bosnia know that aid work and giving gospel literature combine to change lives. One man they gave firewood and literature to a few years ago can be found on the streets distributing Scripture portions – wanting people to find the answers and hope that changed his life. Pray for this ministry.
PT Friday 5 October
Operation Mobilisation spreads the gospel in creative ways. Recently OM started an Arts School of Mission in Italy which combines theoretical training, Bible studies and practical outreach to equip participants with life-long skills to share their faith. Pray for this training to change lives. Weekend 6–7 October ‘David – the man after God’s own heart’ is the focus of CWR’s latest Bible Discovery Weekend
at Waverley Abbey House, led by Philip Greenslade. Pray that participants will be able to apply insights from this teaching to their lives. Also pray for those attending Saturday’s Insight day on Depression. Monday 8 October The lady was renounced as a traitor by her family in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan because she had become a Christian. Today she is ministering to Asian peoples in the UK. Pray for her and other Asian missionaries to their own peoples. Tuesday 9 October CWR and London School of Theology students are studying at Waverley today until Thursday on the Joint Venture MA in Integrative Psychotherapy, led by Janet Penny. Pray for them, and also for students on the opening week of the Year 4 BA Counselling. Pray for Owen Ashley, who has taken over the leadership of Year 4. Wednesday 10 October People are driven from their homes due to war, persecution or famine. The UN estimates there are 84 million of them from countries like Iraq, Somalia and Sudan. Pray for Christian ministries like Bible Society working among desperate and broken people. The Samaritan’s Purse HOPE (Holistic Outreach Partnership Empowerment Programme) points to a brighter future for people in Swaziland. (1–2 October) PHOTO: Samaritan’s Purse
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Refugees are eager to accept the Scriptures Bible Society offers them. (10–11 October) PHOTO: The Bible Society
Thursday 11 October
Tuesday 16 October
Bible Society makes the Scriptures available to people in transit camps and holding centres around the world. Bibles placed regularly in the Athens Refugee Centre are quickly taken. Those who take a copy are often seen with tears in their eyes, realising that they have God’s lifechanging message in their hands. Pray for this work.
A Women’s Autumn Day is being held at Waverley Abbey House. Pray for this latest CWR event in the ministry to women.
Friday 12 October The current issue of CWR’s Life Every Day by Jeff Lucas is helping readers get to grips with a most important subject: ‘Your Church Needs You’. Pray that it will increase the effectiveness of churches’ ministries. Also pray for Year 1 BA Counselling students studying at Waverley Abbey House this weekend. Weekend 13–14 October CWR has published two more 30-day devotional books in the New Every Day series, written for older people by Rita McLaughlan. Pray for readers to be much encouraged. Also pray for those attending the Counselling Training Enquirers’ Morning this Saturday at Waverley Abbey House. Monday 15 October The Alpha course, in which people find out about Christianity, has a long story of success around the world. In Moldova recently, Eurovangelism found that people on the courses accepted the invitation to receive Christ several weeks in a row. Pray for ongoing spiritual fruit in that needy land. PAGE 16 16 PAGE
Wednesday 17 October Coalición Argentina Deportiva is a network of volunteers helping to spread the gospel through sport in Argentina. This ministry is helped by Latin Link missionaries. Pray for it. Pray also for much spiritual fruit to come as a result of the CWR Prayer Evening at Waverley Abbey House, led by Canon Andrew White.
PT Thursday 18 October
Developing Christian Identity, the first of a CWR two-part course in pastoral care, is being held at Waverley Abbey House today. Pray for those attending as they receive teaching from Andy Peck, Philip Greenslade, Lynn Penson and team. Also pray for Year 2 BA Counselling students coming to Waverley tomorrow for the weekend. Friday 19 October
Communist-ruled Laos, South-east Asia, has an abysmal human rights record, particularly for its appalling prison conditions and systematic use of torture. Christians in this poor, landlocked nation are undergoing intense persecution. Pray for Laos. Weekend 20–21 October This Saturday sees CWR’s first seminar at Pilgrim Hall – The Small Group Leader’s Toolbox, led by
Andy Peck. Pray for this seminar to be a fruitful launch of CWR’s ministry there.
departments. Pray, too, for the trustees, who are responsible for giving the final approval.
Monday 22 October
Weekend 27–28 October
50 Jammiest Bible Stories and 50 Barmiest Bible Stories are two new CWR books written by Andy Robb – welcome additions to a popular children’s series. Pray for them to help readers follow Jesus. Also pray for Year 3 BA Counselling students in their opening week, studying at Waverley Abbey House until Friday, and for year leader Irene Davis and team.
This Saturday CWR is holding a seminar at Waverley Abbey House called Personality and Spirituality. Pray for those attending and for Lynn Penson as she leads them.
Tuesday 23 October In Timbuktu, Mali, there is a district called Belt of Misery. Families living there are so poor that they often cannot afford even basic essentials. Pray for Elijah House, supported by TNT and WorldShare, where over 60 children aged from 5 to 18 receive meals, clothing, medical care, and are registered in public school. Weekly Bible classes are also held. Wednesday 24 October CWR is holding a seminar for teachers at Waverley Abbey House entitled Depression and Anxiety – Helping Teenagers with Hidden Problems. Pray for those attending as they receive insights from Chris Ledger. Thursday 25 October Church planters in Macedonia live and work in an impoverished and difficult mission field. Those supported by Eurovangelism are seeing God using them to bring light and hope to this ancient land. Pray for them. Friday 26 October CWR’s finance team are working on the 2013 budget. Pray for them in this vital task, which runs into November, as they review the requirements of the various
Monday 29 October The aim of a foreign military presence in Afghanistan is to free the country from Taliban control. The government has brought some level of liberation, but the conflict has continued. Life is very difficult for converts to Christianity. Pray for true freedom to come to Afghanistan. Tuesday 30 October Small groups of Christians meet underground in Afghanistan. Pray for their protection and wisdom in witnessing to their Saviour. Wednesday 31 October Hopes rose for a relaxation of harsh rule in Burma following the elections this year. Pray for an end to the horrific human rights violations against minority groups, especially the mainly Christian Karen, in a civil war government forces have waged for over 60 years.
NOVEMBER ‘Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow-prisoners, and those who are ill-treated as if you yourselves were suffering.’ Hebrews 13:3
Thursday 1 November The Church in Sri Lanka is suffering. Though the nation’s constitution has freedom of religion written into it, Christians and their church buildings – mainly in rural areas – are targets of Buddhist extremists,
and also face pressure from Hindu and Muslim extremists. Christians face discrimination in employment and other areas. Pray for them. Friday 2 November The 26-year civil war between the Tamils and majority Sinhalese – who control the government – ended in 2009. Many churches and Christians’ homes were damaged and destroyed, leaving believers in desperate need. There is a struggle with local authorities to rebuild churches in traditional Christian areas. Pray about this. Weekend 3–4 November CWR is holding a seminar at Waverley Abbey House this Saturday, led by Beverley Shepherd, entitled Christians @ Work. Pray for it, and also for the CWR and London School of Theology students at Waverley until Sunday on the Joint Venture Certificate in Christian Counselling. The Joint Venture Diploma students will be at Pilgrim Hall until this Sunday, their first time there. Pray for them, and for the staff looking after them.
PT Monday 5 November
In Eritrea many Christians are believed to be incarcerated in prisons in the most terrible of conditions, including underground pits and metal shipping containers. They are beaten, tortured and forced to do hard labour. Pray for them. Tuesday 6 November Christians in Eritrea are regarded as enemies of the state because allegiance to God comes first. There are only four registered Christian groups, and members of non-registered groups are heavily harassed. Pray for the Church to grow in the midst of all this. Wednesday 7 November Many Christians try to flee from Eritrea to safety in Israel. The
arduous trek across the Sinai desert has cost some their lives; others have been captured by nomads, fallen into the hands of traffickers, imprisoned, raped, beaten, tortured and even made slaves. Pray for those who have fallen into the wrong hands. Thursday 8 November The Annual General Meeting of the Christian Suppliers’ Group, of which CWR is a member, meets today. Pray that the Lord will guide all business and decisions. Also pray for the Preachers’ Workshop CWR is holding at Waverley Abbey House today, led by Andy Peck. Friday 9 November Jesus’ teaching involved asking many questions to provoke, confront and activate people in their search for understanding. This is the theme of the November/ December issue of CWR’s Life Every Day Bible-reading notes. Pray for readers. Also pray for counselling students at Waverley Abbey House today taking the MBTI Basic seminar Understanding Yourself, Understanding Others, and for tomorrow’s deeper level seminar. Weekend 10–11 November The London Olympics are over, but pray for God to continue to work in the hearts of many people who were contacted during it through Christian gospel initiatives including More Than Gold. Pray for those challenged by reading Bibles placed by Gideons in the many hotels and other types of accommodation. Monday 12 November Life is hard for so many people in Bangladesh. Floods, cyclones, tornadoes and other natural disasters, including earthquakes, sweep away livelihoods. Pray for Mission Aviation Fellowship flights PAGE 17
supporting relief and development partners helping to rebuild lives following Alla, a severe cyclonic storm in May 2009, which affected over two million people. Tuesday 13 November Mission Aviation Fellowship operates an amphibian aircraft in Bangladesh in flying relief and development workers to help people in self-sustaining livelihoods, agriculture and education. Because the plane is able to take off and land on both land and water, it also makes lifesaving emergency medical flights and supports mobile clinics and floating hospitals. Pray for this practical witness to God’s love. Wednesday 14 November Every Home for Christ is another international ministry in helping the people of Bangladesh. Pray for EHC’s schools for some 1,200 children; sewing classes for women and rickshaw-making enterprise programme for men to earn money to provide food and other necessities for their families; and church planting by pioneer evangelists. Thursday 15 November Pray for those in school leadership who are attending a two-day CWR seminar at Waverley Abbey House, led by Max Coates and Coleen Jackson, called The Constant Leader. Also pray for those at Waverley for the Developing Christian Identity course and for Year 2 BA Counselling students coming to Waverley tomorrow for the weekend. Friday 16 November CLC (Christian Literature Crusade) staff members are dedicated to providing Bibles and books for Christian communities and general public. Pray for CLC’s mobile ministries, church and conference bookstalls, book fairs and other PAGE 18 18 PAGE
opportunities to share the Word of life around the world. Weekend 17–18 November WorldShare partner Casa del Alfarero is ministering to elderly people in small communities around a huge rubbish dump in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where many scavenge to survive. Pray for CdA’s work, including providing bags of staple food and putting on Christian discipleship meetings. Monday 19 November Today sees the start of a three-day Bible study course on the book of Revelation. Pray for those attending as they are led by Philip Greenslade. Also pray for the Introduction to Biblical Care and Counselling five-day course starting today at Pilgrim Hall.
PT Tuesday 20 November
Brazil’s Javari River Valley covers seven major rivers and is home to probably the largest number of isolated and untouched people groups in the world. Pray for mission groups to reach them with wise initiatives to help them spiritually and medically. Wednesday 21 November
Enslavement to alcoholism and fear of the spirits is rife among people groups in the Uaupes area of northern Brazil. Pray for them to know the freedom Jesus gives. Thursday 22 November Increasing numbers of strong indigenous churches have been reaching out beyond their cultural boundaries to share the good news with some of the 150 ethnic groups in Brazil. Pray for a spiritual harvest. Friday 23 November Published by CWR this month are two more devotionals in The Manual series for men. Pray for them to
help men in their spiritual walk. Also pray for Year 3 BA Counselling students at Waverley Abbey House this weekend, and for the Insight day on Depression at Pilgrim Hall tomorrow.
Weekend 8–9 December
Real faith to replace nominalism is one of the needs in the Falkland Islands. (24–25 November)
Topz is CWR’s popular Bible study guide for children aged 7–11. Pray that readers will be strengthened in their desire to follow Jesus in the days, months and years ahead. Also pray for Year 2 BA Counselling students at Waverley for their last weekend of study for the year.
PHOTO: Ray Beer
Weekend 24–25 November This year is the thirtieth since the conflict over the Falkland Islands. Pray for the inhabitants and members of the British forces currently serving on the windswept yet spectacular islands. There is a need in particular for an upsurge of real faith in Christ among nominal local believers. Also pray about the political wrangling between the UK and Argentina over the Falklands. Monday 26 November There are some 2,000 soldiers from Fiji serving in Britain’s Armed Forces. Christianity, as one of them put it, ‘is the main backbone of our culture and from an early age Christian values were drilled into our lives’. Pray for the witness of Christian Fijian servicemen. Tuesday 27 November Fiji’s Indians are the largest non-Christian population in the Pacific, with fewer than three per cent of them claiming allegiance to Christ. Pray for the work of the gospel in this people group. Wednesday 28 November Many Christians have been killed in Syria during the fighting between President Assad’s soldiers and the Free Syrian Army. The Christian community has also suffered much harassment, including kidnappings. Pray for the suffering Church of Syria. Thursday 29 November Readers of CWR’s Inspiring Women Every Day are coming to the end of studies on ‘The heart of Isaiah’ and move on in December to look at
Monday 10 December ‘David: The shepherd king’. Pray for this publication to continue to inspire and build up women in their faith. Friday 30 November A CWR Insight day is being held at Waverley Abbey House, led by Heather and Ian Churchill, on How to Help Couples with Troubled Marriages. Pray for those who attend. Also pray for Year 1 BA Counselling students studying at Waverley this weekend.
DECEMBER ‘I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”’ Psalm 91:2
Weekend 1–2 December Earlier this year the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia announced it was ‘necessary to destroy all churches’ in the Arabian Peninsula. While churches have always been banned in Saudi Arabia, some exist in countries such as Kuwait and there are sizeable expatriate Christian communities in the region. Pray for the Church there. Monday 3 December Operation Mobilisation’s Ships Ministry impacts over a million people a year with the gospel. Pray for the teams on Logos Hope, as the vessel travels the world supplying literature, helping people in need, motivating Christians, running courses – and sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
Tuesday 4 December CWR is holding a Women’s Christmas Celebration at Pilgrim Hall, with Abby Guinness as the guest speaker. Pray for those who attend to be blessed, refreshed and ministered to.
The Church in Nepal has experienced sustained growth over several decades. This body of believers has come through many trials and suffering. Pray for God to work mightily in this Himalayan kingdom in the coming days.
Wednesday 5 December
Tuesday 11 December
Today’s ocean-going merchant ships are far more comfortable to sail in than those of the past, but life for crews is still pretty tough. Pray for the distribution of gospel literature among them, especially SGM Lifewords publications through the Lighthouse Seafarers Mission at London’s Tilbury Docks to sailors from countries like the Philippines, China, India and Eastern Europe.
Despite the rise of the Church in Nepal, 348 of the 373 distinct people groups have yet to be reached with the gospel. This amounts to 93.3 per cent of the 30.4 million people who live there. Pray for Scripture portion distribution and training of evangelists.
PT Thursday 6 December Andy Peck is leading a CWR seminar at Waverley Abbey House today called The Life and Times of Jesus. Pray for those attending to be strengthened in their faith. Friday 7 December Many churches, individual Christians and Christian organisations are involved at this time of year in Operation Christmas Child, started by Samaritan’s Purse some years ago. Through it children and needy families around the world receive toys and other gifts. Christian literature is also included. Pray for Operation Christmas Child and similar initiatives.
Wednesday 12 December It is reckoned that every family in Nepal has at least one member working abroad. Most go to India, but they can be found in over 100 nations, where they are more open to the gospel. Pray for them. Thursday 13 December Andy Peck, Philip Greenslade, Lynn Penson and team are leading the last of the year’s two-part CWR Developing Christian Identity, at Waverley Abbey House. Pray for those attending to apply the teaching to their lives as the Lord leads. Friday 14 December Year 4 BA Counselling students come to Pilgrim Hall today for their last weekend of the year’s teaching from Owen Ashley and team. Pray for them, and for all BA students PAGE 19
on the 2012–13 courses to be encouraged in their studies.
The London 2013 Festival aims to tell people all over the capital who Jesus really is and the importance of knowing Him. (28–30 December)
Weekend 15–16 December Cyprus is a divided country. The north calls itself the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the south the Republic of Cyprus, which claims the whole island and is recognised as such internationally. Virtually all Christians are in the ROC, although evangelical churches in this Greek territory are few. There is freedom of religion in the ROC and the Muslim majority TRNC, but proselytism is carefully watched. Pray for Cyprus. Monday 17 December Praise God for all that He does through CWR’s dated Bible publications! Ask Him to bless readers of all the current issues and encourage them to walk closer with Him in the coming days. Tuesday 18 December An appropriate CWR publication for this time of the year is The Time is Now, an Advent book by Amy Orr-Ewing. Pray for the readers as they use it to gain deeper understanding of the first coming of Jesus. Wednesday 19 December Cameroon poses a big challenge for the spreading of the good news. It is one of Africa’s most ethnically and linguistically complex nations, with 286 people groups and many more sub-groups and dialects. Pray for Cameroon. Thursday 20 December The number of evangelicals in Cameroon has grown encouragingly since the year 2000. Many professional, military, police and political leaders have found Christ, and their influence has increased the nation’s stability. On the downside, nominalism in the churches is bigger than in most of Africa. Pray for revival. PAGE 20 20 PAGE
Friday 21 December
Thursday 27 December
Many people in Cameroon worship ancestral gods as well as attending church meetings. Pray for the work of CABTAL (the Cameroonian Association of Bible Translation and Literacy) in producing the Scriptures in mother tongues to set people free.
Torch Trust helps churches provide for the needs of blind and partially sighted people. Pray for more churches to use these resources to help those in their congregations who have sight difficulties.
Weekend 22–23 December With Christmas being the focus of outreach activities and Sunday church services, pray for many people to discover the true meaning of this time of celebration.
PT Monday 24 December
On this Christmas Eve, pray for those you know who are lonely, sick or bereaved – that the light of Jesus’ love will shine into their hearts. Tuesday 25 December
As we celebrate the first coming of Jesus to this earth, pray for Christian brothers and sisters who are unable to mark Christmas Day openly. Especially pray for the Lord to visit believers in a special way in places such as the brutal labour camps of North Korea and underground prisons in Eritrea. Wednesday 26 December Torch Trust is a ministry to blind and partially sighted people. CWR is one of its publishing partners, with Every Day with Jesus in audio format being very popular with blind subscribers. Torch also has CWR titles in its lending library in braille, giant print and audio. Pray for this ministry.
Friday 28 December Building on the work of More Than Gold at the Olympic Games this past summer, London churches now plan to hold a year of activity and training, culminating in public meetings at a major venue to present the good news of Jesus in the capital, led by Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse. Pray for this initiative, called the London 2013 Festival. Weekend 29–30 December The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse are partnering the London 2013 Festival, the initiative by Christian leaders to tell people all over the capital about who Jesus really is and the importance of knowing Him. Pray for preparations, which include evangelistic training for Christians, encouraging church leaders in focused mission and development of programmes to meet Londoners’ social and practical needs. Monday 31 December Thank the Lord for all He has done through CWR’s ministry in this past 12 months, and pray that He will use the work even more for His glory in 2013.
REVIVAL REVIEW
Revival: The Weight of Glory Revival has been defined in a myriad different ways. Selwyn Hughes, for example, insisted that ‘revival’ is essentially different from ‘renewal’. The latter, a New Testament word, is also found as a verb in the Old Testament (Hab. 3:2), but revival is found only as a verb in the Old Testament (Psa. 85:6); it is not a New Testament word at all, although of course the whole idea of revival permeates the New Testament’s thinking and teaching. Selwyn viewed renewal as being restricted to the Church, while revival, in his perception, affects the Church and society at large. In this emphasis he is in agreement with the following definition of revival by Dr R.T. Kendall: ‘… a sovereign outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the church that leads to the church being revived, conversions of the unsaved and an awakening of the community outside the church.’ In addition, Dr Kendall has suggested, in a number of different sources, that there are two other defining aspects of revival. First, an unveiling of God’s glory. The Hebrew word for glory, kabod, means heaviness and weightiness, whereas the Greek word for glory, doxa, means praise. An apt illustration of God’s glory being revealed is found in Exodus 3, where God reveals His name to Moses as a prelude to the deliverance of the Israelites from
their crushing servitude in Egypt. Another equally pertinent illustration is located in Isaiah 6 where, at a time of grave national crisis (the death of King Uzziah), the prophet saw the Lord ‘on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple’ (v.1). Second, a sharpened awareness of God’s presence. This was clearly something Isaiah was aware of in the incident quoted above. The only appropriate reaction is eloquently expressed in Isaiah’s own words, ‘For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty’ (6:5). An unveiling of God’s glory and a heightened sense of His presence have characterised revival (the Hebrew word for which, t’chiyah, means resurrection) since Pentecost, but two qualifications are appropriate in this context. One: revival is not a phenomenon to be analysed theologically in the hope of identifying the key principles so that they can be reproduced through our own efforts. Two: in revival the Holy Spirit restores our heart-passion for Jesus. This promise (see John 7:37) is not intended for those who are longing (thirsty) for head knowledge but for those who are thirsty (longing) to experience Him. Am I? Are you? John Peters PAGE 21