Isaiah 58:9~14 Our Role/Our Task/Our Life
Isaiah 58: 9Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here am I.
“If you do away with
the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the
hungry and
satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs
in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a
well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never
fail. 12Your
people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken
Walls, Restorer
of Streets with Dwellings.
We
are called to be people of reconciliation.
Our role is to be peacemakers. We
are instructed to bring the Good News to the Nations.
Some
feel: “How can I do that? I live in Tokorozawa and my role is to provide
for my family? How does the Lord expect
me to go into all the world and preach the Gospel?”
Good
question. The answer is also a good
answer. He does not expect you to go and
tell the whole wide world about His Love.
He expects all of us to Pray. Not
all can go. Some are called as
missionaries and I trust there are some here today that will be going because
of that call. But all of us are called
to pray and that is why GDOP had been started over 14 years ago in South
Africa. To pray for the Nations.
Today,
we will be directing you to pray for some countries around the world. We will be praying for the Church around the
world. We will be praying for Japan. We will be praying for the Church in Eastern
Japan. Praying for the local outreaches
into the temporary housing. For the
children of Tohoku. Praying for the
Senior citizens of Tohoku. Praying for
the families that are still traumatized. Why?
Because,
as Gospel proclaimers, this is our pleasure…not work, not out of obligation,
not our of fear or for what we will get out of this but for the Glory of the
Lord. A selfless act of obedience. We will become Repairers of Broken Walls---in
relationships, in communities, in Churches.
We will become restorers of streets with dwellings. Our prayers will be used by the Spirit of the
Lord to BLESS the people of this world, both internationally and locally with
the joy of God.
Here
is some of their stories…some who are doing just that by repairing broken
walls…
JAPAN
Pastor Ichio
Kishinami serves with Miyagi Mission Network among tsunami victims. He listens
to victim's stories, gathers them together and teaches them how to pray to
Jesus.
The seeds for
church planting are phenomenal. Pastor Kishinami has now established over 33
Christ-following groups—some are already full house chapels. Most all of these
groups are made up of people who have no Christian background. And so people
are coming to Christ in unprecedented numbers for Japan.
PRAY
• Continue to pray
for the safety of the citizens and leaders.
• Pray for HOPE to
be understood as only coming from Jesus.
• Ask God to
intervene on behalf of believers in Japan.
Pray for peace to
be restored and that the Repairer of Broken Walls will be repaired and
that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
North
Korea #1
For the eleventh
year running, this is the most difficult place on earth to be a Christian. One
of the remaining Communist states, it is vehemently opposed to religion of any
kind. Christians are classified as hostile and face arrest, detention, torture,
even public execution. There is a system
of labor camps including the renowned prison No. 15, which reportedly houses
6,000 Christians alone. But despite severe oppression, there is a growing
underground church movement of an estimated 400,000 Christians.
How you can pray:
Leader: Kim Jong-Un
Government: Communist
Dictatorship Main Religion:
Atheism/traditional
Population: 20
Million (400,000 Christians)
PRAY
• For real
political and economic change under the leadership of Kim Jong-Un
• Spies have
reportedly been sent to China to expose networks. Ask God to protect refugees
and those
helping them
• Give thanks that
Open Doors is able to deliver emergency aid into the country.
• Continue to pray
for the safety of the students and leaders. Ask God to intervene on behalf of
believers in North Korea.
Pray for peace to
be restored and that the Repairer of Broken Walls will be repaired and
that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
Sudan
#12
Although Islamic
law has not yet been fully implemented, the government and society try to
squeeze Christians in all spheres of life and the level of violence has
escalated. Christians face growing threats and persecution from Muslim
communities and Islamist government officials, yet the number of believers is
rising. The independence of South Sudan means future instability for Sudan, with
a huge loss of revenue. Christians are afraid the religious and ethnic
cleansing will continue, particularly along the border with South Sudan.
How you can pray:
Leader: President Omar
al-Bashir
Government: Republic Main Religion: Islam
Population: 34.2
Million (few Christians)
PRAY
• Praise the Lord
that the number of Muslim Background Believers in Sudan is rising.
• For Christians
in the disputed border regions, where churches and schools have been attacked.
• Give thanks that
Open Doors has been able to offer humanitarian assistance as well as
discipleship and outreach training.
• Continue to pray
for the safety of the students and leaders. Ask God to intervene on behalf of
believers in Sudan.
Pray for peace to
be restored and that the Repairer of Broken Walls will be repaired and
that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
Maldives
#6
This is the only
country in the world which requires all citizens to be Muslim. Conversion to
another faith is prohibited by law and converts face extreme pressure from
family and society – often having to leave the country. The authorities exert
extensive control on the people to correct any deviation from Islam. There are
no church gatherings or buildings. Religion is moving towards Deobandi (Sunni)
Islam (Taliban) – the religion of the Taliban, whose mission is to cleanse
Islam of all other influences. There are very few indigenous believers.
How you can pray:
Leader: President Mohammed Waheed Hassan
Government: Republic Main Religion:
Islam
Population: 320,000 (few Christians)
PRAY
• For the handful
of secret believers to grow in the love of God.
• For young people
who seek education outside the islands. Pray that they will receive the gospel
and return to share it with their communities.
• That the
translation of the New Testament into the Dhivehi language would be completed.
• Continue to pray
for the safety of the students and leaders. Ask God to intervene on behalf of
believers in Maldives.
Pray for peace to
be restored and that the Repairer of Broken Walls will be repaired and
that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
Colombia
#46
Leader: President Juan
Manuel Santos
Government: Republic Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Population: 47.5 million (44.5 million Christians)
Government: Republic Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholicism)
Population: 47.5 million (44.5 million Christians)
Under the current
president, there has been a resurgence of armed groups, who specifically target
Christians because they know the Christian faith is not compatible with their
values. Two pastors were killed in 2012 and about 300 indigenous persecuted
Christians displaced from their homes. Pagan indigenous populations receive
material support from rebel military organizations to persecute local
Christians. These territories have become a safe haven for the rebel’s drug
trafficking activities. Drug cartels and illegal armed groups continue to
operate with impunity. Many children—esp
from Pastor’s homes, have been targeted for kidnapping. The parents are sometimes shot in front of
them, or after a long time away from the parents, the children have been
brainwashed to become killers as well.
One such boy—after he had killed his first person when he was only 7,
has now become a pastor and is the pastor of his own parents.
PRAY:
· Thank God that Christians in Colombia are willing to stand up and be a
witness in social and political activities
· For indigenous converts, who are often denied access to basic social
services, equal participation in decision-making, and risk being tortured or
displaced
· For Open Doors’ Children’s Center, which provides a safe place for
Christian children targeted by the rebel armed groups of Colombia.
· Continue to pray for the safety of the students and leaders. Ask God
to intervene on behalf of believers in Colombia.
Pray for peace to be restored and that the Repairer of Broken
Walls will be repaired and that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
India #33
Leader: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Government: Federal Republic Religion: Hinduism
Population: 1.2 billion (71 million Christians)
Government: Federal Republic Religion: Hinduism
Population: 1.2 billion (71 million Christians)
Religious
militants are one of the most prominent attackers of the Christian minority,
claiming that every Indian has to be Hindu. ‘Anti-conversion laws’ have been
adopted in several states and are frequently used as a pretext to disrupt
church services and to harass and accuse Christians. Permission to build or
renovate a church building is almost impossible and church activities can be
perceived as ‘hurting religious feelings’ and ‘disturbing peace and order’. The
caste system, which is deeply rooted in society, makes outreach extremely difficult.
PRAY:
· For Christians attending Open Doors’ ‘Standing Strong through the
Storm’ seminars to strengthen them in the face of persecution
· For converts from Hindu or Muslim backgrounds, who face exclusion by
friends and family
· Praise God that, despite the troubles, the Indian church is growing.
· Continue to pray for the safety of the students and leaders. Ask God
to intervene on behalf of believers in India.
Pray for peace to be restored and that the Repairer of Broken
Walls will be repaired and that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
Myanmar
(Burma) #32
Leader: President
Thein Sein Government: Transition to parliamentary democracy
Religion: BuddhismPopulation: 54.5 million (4.6 million Christians)
The transition to
democracy has had no positive impact for the Christian minority, yet. Being
Burmese is equated with being Buddhist and the state runs schools that are used
to introduce young people to Buddhism. Violence against the Christians of the
Kachin tribe is rampant – at least 10 Christians were reported to have been
killed last year. Converts are hassled by family and the local community; they
are treated as second-class citizens, widely perceived as connected with the
West.
PRAY:
· For wisdom for church leaders as their churches are monitored
· For persecuted Christians caught in the crossfire between Muslims and
Buddhists in Arakan state, to be instruments of God’s peace
· Continue to pray for the safety of the students and leaders. Ask God
to intervene on behalf of believers in Myanmar.
Pray for peace to be restored and that the Repairer of Broken
Walls will be repaired and that the Streets with Dwellings will be Restored.
Isa 53:
13“If
you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My holy
day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, 14then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance
of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
The Lord is seeking a People who will worship Him in spirit and in
truth. He longs for a People who will
honor His Name. Those who keep
themselves Holy as He is Holy. A People
who will delight in His Presence. Those
who keep the Sabbath Holy. Those who
will not be going their own way and not doing as they please or who speak idle
words…those are the ones who will find their JOY in the Lord. Are you that kind of a person? He is calling all of us to delight in Him. “For
the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
愛CCS’s Worship Team
Closing Prayer by Rev. Oshikubo
