30 Days of Prayer and Fasting Continues for FWB Missionaries

Today is day 13 of prayer and fasting for Free Will Baptist Missionaries and everyday the email updates have been very touching, but I wanted to share yesterday's prayer...

THEME III: PRAYING FOR GOD TO CALL MORE LABORERS

DAY 12: Responding to the Call 

When God has a task to do, He reaches down, taps one of His people on the shoulder, and asks, “How about you?” Throughout the ages, men and women of God have responded affirmatively to His calling.
Some people find themselves just a few miles from their birthplace, planting new churches; others are directed thousands of miles away, across the ocean, into areas that are often extremely resistant, sometimes violently so, to the spread of the gospel.
The common denominator in these directives is not the geographical or cultural context, but the Light being taken to those living in darkness.
A pastor visited us in Africa. After several days with the missionaries, he made this observation: “It takes a preacher to understand a preacher, and a teacher to understand a teacher, but I don’t know who can understand a missionary.”
I think maybe he was seeing something intriguingly unique about those who leave all, to give all. Our Free Will Baptist missionaries, both home and international, responded in the affirmative when God tapped them on the shoulder. They were willing to leave all, to give all. Each one needs your prayers on a daily basis.
Do you have a set of missionary prayer cards? Cards are a good way to look at a face as you pray for a missionary. You can also go online and see the different missionaries serving in North America (www.fwbnam.com) and around the world (www.fwbgo.com). Why don’t you set aside time to pray for our Free Will Baptist missionaries wherever they are serving?
Pray for commitment to fulfill His will as He leads. Pray those who have committed to missions work, both home and abroad, will continue faithfully shining the light of Christ.

Dominica and the Dominican Republic & OCC Prayer

This week will you pray with us for Dominica and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Sea?

Dominica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea. Its population is just over 72,000. It is a hurricane-prone, rugged, mountainous island. It has 3 languages. 16% of the population is Evangelical Christians, while 91% claims Christianity as their religion. Most are only nominally (by name only) Christian, but only a small number actively follow Christ. Pray these socially deprived people, especially the Carbi Indians, that live on an isolated reservation will find their true identity and fulfillment in Christ. They are among the last indigenous peoples in the Caribbean. Specifically, pray for Dominica as the team builds a strategy for their second year.

The Dominican Republic shares the eastern two-thirds an island with Haiti. It has 18 different people groups and only 9% are Evangelical Christians. A challenge has been retention of those converted and getting them active in a local church. Pray for retention and pray for Biblical ethics--in this society corruption, violent crime, and promiscuity are alarmingly widespread. Praise God that the number of Dominican missionaries are growing! Pray for the Dominican Republic teams as they rise to the challenge of reaching rural areas. Pray for them as they will be stretched physically, emotionally and financially as the work to reach places previously unreached with Operation Christmas Child.

OCC General Requests:

1. As we countdown to National Collection Week, we are praying and asking God to provide 10,200 Gospel Opportunities from NEA, 737,500 shoeboxes from the Mid-South Region (TN, AR, & KY), 8.6 million from the U.S., and 11 million worldwide.
2. As millions of souls of children and their families are at stake, we know and have seen firsthand how the enemy tries to impede the plans for shoeboxes to reach their final destination. From now until the end of National Collection Week, we ask that you join in and mobilize prayer for all our volunteers, drop-off locations, and logistics network. 

You can impact whole villages and communities by praying for children in over 150 countries and regions across the globe who are waiting to receive a shoebox gift.

"Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

Barbados, Belize, and OCC Prayer, Will you be the one?

This week will you join us in praying for Barbados and Belize? They are in the Caribbean Sea. Barbados has 10 different people groups and 20% are unreached. 34% of the population is Evangelical Christian! Belize is a Caribbean coastal enclave bordering Guatemala and Mexico. It has the world’s second-largest coral barrier reef. It has 14 different people groups and 7% are unreached. 19% are Evangelical Christians. HIV/AIDS is a serious threat to Belize with its 2.4% (and rising) infection rate, it is the highest in Central America. Pray for Barbados and Belize this week.

Specific requests are:
Barbados:

1. Pray for favor from the government for a successful exoneration for next year’s distribution season.

Belize:
1. Pray for God’s covering and blessing on those involved with the project.
2. Pray that leaders around the world will lead with integrity, humility, justice, and mercy.

General International Prayer Requests:

1. Wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteer leadership team members.

2. Provision of resources to reach their God-sized goals for the current year.

OCC Mid-South Regional Prayer Request:
1. Pray for OCC events that are happening around our region.
2. Pray for good health and protection for all OCC volunteers and staff.
3. Continue to pray for all Collection and Relay Center Coordinators as they prepare for National Collection Week.
4. Pray for the Mid-South Goal of 737,500 Gospel Opportunities.
5. Please pray for the refugee crisis that is happening and for Samaritan’s Purse as we respond.

NEA OCC Requests:
1. Our 10,200 Gospel Opportunity Goal for this season!
2. For patience and wisdom during this collection season so that others may see Christ through our actions as we serve as year-around volunteers.
3. For us to be rooted and strengthened as we roll into collection season!

Did you know, in today’s world…
· 2.6 billion people lack basic sanitation?
· 1.8 billion are undernourished?
· 1.5 billion have no access to medical care?
· 1.4 billion live on less than $1.85 a day?

From a spiritual perspective, did you know…
· 2.6 billion people do not have religious freedom?
· Of the 6,468 languages spoken in the world today, 4,024 do not have a complete Bible translation?
· 22 countries absolutely forbid preaching the gospel?

Billions upon billions of people have little to no access to the saving gospel of Christ. Billions of men and women live in spiritual darkness without hope of light. Billions of boys and girls have never heard “Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Pray against the oppression and suppression of the gospel around the world. Ask God to help us see the lost with His eyes and feel an immense burden to share Truth with them.

Pray I will be the Light to this dark world as we pack and ship Gospel Opportunities around the world! Will you also be the one?

Al Denson sings:

"Oh sometimes it's hard to know, Who is right and what is wrong, And where are you supposed to stand, When the battle lines are drawn? There's a voice that is calling out,
For someone who's not afraid, To be a beacon in the night. To a world that's lost it's way.
There are still some battles, That I must fight from day to day, Yet the Lord provides the power, For me to stand and say, I will be the one, To answer to His call, I will stand,
When those around me fall, I will be the one, To take His light into a darkened world.
I will be the one!"

Will you be the one to answer to His call? 

Will you pray and be love on the move for Him today? 

Will you encourage someone to pack a shoebox today?

What does God desire from us?

These are not my own thoughts or words but they great not only for Free Will Baptist International Missions to consider but also for us in our daily lives...

"DAY 1: WHAT DOES GOD DESIRE FROM US? We sense we are on task at IM. Trust is up and we have great hope for the future. However, we also sense God has much more in store for Free Will Baptists than we are seeing at this time. We do not want to miss His greatest blessings by satisfying ourselves with His blessings. If we are going to know God’s best for us we must come before Him as His people and ask with specificity what He desires of us. If we are to know precisely what He wants us to know, several things must happen: We must humble ourselves before Him. We must ask Him to give us clear direction. We must discern what He desires of us. We must be committed to obeying His commands. We must obey. We must give Him the glory. With these thoughts in mind I would like to ask you to commit to 30 Days of Prayer and Fasting for the future of International Missions. I do not think for one second that Free Will Baptists or International Missions are dying. We have a task to do, and it remains before us until His return. Pray we will clearly know what God desires from us during this 30 days." I hope and pray I will always listen and obey the direction God has for the path of my life. I pray that I will clearly know what God desires of me and what His direction is for International Missions. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

It's Almost OCC Harvest Time!

Tractors, combines, grain trucks, dust, burning field stubble off...it's harvest time where I live! “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9 ESV)
I see lots of farmers in the fields and it is almost time for us to start harvesting the shoeboxes we have been praying for all year. We have collected items, listened to full-circle speakers, went to kick-off events and anticipated the harvest all year! Aren't you thankful we serve a Lord of the harvest? We should continue to rejoice over our anticipated collections and bathe these precious Gospel Opportunities in prayer. “Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress...they sow fields and plant vineyards and get a fruitful yield.” (Psalm 107:1, 28, 37 ESV). I can't wait to see our yield!

Prayer has a huge impact on our harvest efforts. From packing to distribution, the process of delivering Gospel opportunities through simple shoebox gifts to children around the globe is bathed in prayer. We are asking you to continue to pray for Operation Christmas Child as the year is quickly rolling on by. Pray for:

1. Packing parties that are starting to be planned by many churches and groups. Lift these up in prayer, that they will be successful and that they will hit their goals or even immeasurably more than expected by their year around collection efforts. 
2. Also pray for our leadership teams as they continue to make preparations for relay and collection centers. 
3. Pray for our world goal of 11 MILLION Gospel Opportunities - 11 million shoeboxes means at least 11 million children receive "The Greatest Gift" in their own language! 
   
4. Pray for the USA goal of 8.6 Million - that's right, our sending country is responsible for 8.6 of the 11 Million!!! 
5. Pray for our Mid-South goal (Arkansas, Kentucky, & Tennessee) have set a goal of 737,000 to do our part! 
6. Our Northeast Arkansas OCC Team has set a goal of 10,200 for this season! The church I attend has set a goal of 200. If we each have a goal we are striving to achieve it with God's help we can do so much for His honor & glory! 
7. Pray for the processing centers: I'm excited to announce that the Processing Center (PC) Prayer Walk Ministry that was introduced in 2014 will return this 2015 processing season. Prayer Walks will ensure that each facility and the shoeboxes processed are covered in prayer as the gifts are prepared to leave the facilities on their way to the waiting arms of children! While we all aren't able to go to PC and pray in 2 hour shifts, we can pray by ourselves or with the prayer warriors where we live. As we prepare for this upcoming processing season, we look forward to the wondrous ways in which God will bless the work of our hands and do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine! 
8. Last, Give thanks to God for our partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) for the past 5 years to encourage churches to pack shoeboxes through the “Shoebox Challenge.” In 2014, OCC and HFE challenged local churches once again to participate and earn complimentary park tickets to be used in the 2015 season. Overall, some 2,550 churches that took part in the challenge generating 748,141 shoebox gifts. This represented an increase of 109% from the previous year! We are pleased to announce the Shoebox Challenge will continue in 2015, with the goal of 1 million shoeboxes. The 3 parks that participate are: Silver Dollar City Branson, MO, New Port Aquarium Newport, KY, and Dollywood Pigeon Forge, TN.

As I think of all there is to do with collections it can seem a little stressful and overwhelming but Kristian Stanfill's singing "Always" comes to my mind:
"My foes are many, they rise against me, but I will hold my ground. I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way, my help is on the way. Troubles surround me, chaos abounding. My soul will rest in You. I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm. My help is on the way, my help is on the way. Oh, my God, He will not delay. My refuge and strength always. I will not fear, His promise is true. My God will come through always, always. I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord....My refuge and strength always, always!"

Aren't you thankful We can rest knowing Help is on the way and that we serve an On Time God who is our Refuge and Strength ALWAYS! Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us”

Have and blessed rest of the week & keep praying for OCC,
Jennifer

Sin Separates!

We have been studying Genesis in Sunday School for the past month and one thing that keeps popping in my mind is...Sin separates! It separated Adam and Eve from God walking with them in the cool of the the day and from living in Eden. It separated Jonah from the people of Nineveh to the point of him being in the belly of a giant fish. It separated the whole world from Noah and his family when earth was flooded. My D6 Forward Sunday School teacher's book made some great points this past week:

"One of sins's consequences is isolation. It pulls us away from God and others. It causes us to withdraw because of guilt, shame, and fear of being found out or called out. Sin is a deception that tries to make us think we can lead successful, godly lives on our own, in our own time, and in our own way. However, this lie only separates us from those who love us and who want what is best for us."

Sin hinders relationships with others and with our Holy God. It leads us to lie, deny, and make excuses. Sin can lead to more sin and that causes separation. Are you feeling separated from friends or loved ones? Do you have unconfessed sin that is separating you? Are your friends or family living in unconfessed sin and it's causing separation? If so, repent or pray for your family to repent, daily until they do. Being tempted isn't a sin, it's when we give in to that temptation that sin occurs. To resist, we must follow Christ's example and overcome it with The Word of God. Pray for strength, literally run away from sin if you have to, say no and allow your Christian friends and family to hold you accountable instead of separating yourself from them. Temptation presents us with a choice: will we obey God or succumb to Satan's trickery? As soon as we leave God out of our plans, we place ourselves above Him, thinking we know best, and that's exactly what Satan wants us to do. People usually choose wrong things because they are convinced that those wrong things are good for them. Our own sins don't usually appear ugly to us, and "pleasant or fun sins" are the hardest to avoid. One of the realities of sin is that its effects spreads. Eve sinned and then brought Adam down into sin. We do the same sometimes. When we do wrong, we try to remove our guilt by involving someone else. We need to recognize and confess our sins before we are tempted to pollute and bring others down around us. The effects of sin makes us feel guilty and embarrassed and so sometimes we run from God and those that love us and hold us accountable instead of repenting. A guilty conscience is a warning signal from God placed inside of us through the Holy Spirit to bring us to repentance. The worst thing we can do is get rid of our guilty feelings without eliminating the cause of those feelings. Then we are getting comfortable with the sin, instead of repenting. That is like taking pain pills instead of fixing what's causing the pain. Guilt can make us aware we need to repent and seek forgiveness so we can correct wrongdoings and get back in fellowship with God and those we love. So is sin separating you today? Jesus is the definitive solution to our sin! He paid the price for our forgiveness, we just need to sincerely ask.

Sin will take us farther than we want to go, keep us longer than we want to stay, and cost us more than we want to pay! We can't prevent temptation from coming, but we can cling to knowing that there is a way of escape. Sin may be crouching at the door but we can always choose to do right.

Genesis 4:7 says "if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

What triggers me to sin? What triggers you to sin?...anger, jealousy, greed, boredom, envy, hatred? It's desire is you and me, we must overcome it! Ask God for strength to overcome temptations today. Gods greatest desire is a restored relationship with us. 

1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

1 John 2:16-17 “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

Don't allow sin to separate you today...cling to the promise that God is faithful to not let you be tempted beyond what you can withstand with Christ's Strength and Power!

OCC Prayer, Slovakia, & Pastor Saeed

This week will you pray for Slovakia.  It is a locked central European state south of Poland. Only 1% of the over 5 million population is Evangelical Christian.  There are 20 different people groups that speak 13 different languages.  

1.    Pray that the ministry partners will understand the Operation Christmas Child vision.  

2.    Pray that mission agencies and local churches cooperate to the best effect, with joy and humility. 

3.    Pray for those reaching out to them, for love that will overcome all barriers and stereotypes.

WORLD REQUESTS:

1.    Pray for Pastor Saeed Abedine.  It's been nearly three years since Pastor Saeed, an American citizen, was imprisoned in Iran for his faith in Jesus Christ. His wife Nagmeh, who lives in the U.S. with their two young children, is calling for Christians worldwide to join her in a prayer vigil at noon on September 26—the third anniversary of his imprisonment.  Pastor Saeed has been repeatedly beaten and denied medical care, yet he continues to be a beacon for the Gospel among his fellow prisoners. Please pray for his health and that he will be released soon.  Please remember Pastor Saeed, his family, and persecuted believers around the globe. We can be assured that our God hears the prayers of His people: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

REGIONAL REQUESTS:

1.    Pray for wisdom to recruit, select and lead new and/or transitioning volunteers. 

2.    Pray for provision of resources to reach God-sided goals for the current year!  Our Mid-south shoebox goal is 737,500 boxes.   

3.    Pray for the Collection and Relay Center Coordinators as they prepare for collection week. 

4.    Pray for Media relations volunteers that they will find favor with newspapers, TV, and radio. 

5.    Pray for Church and Community relations volunteers as they share about OCC.  

6.    Pray for the Full-Circle Tours as they continue.

SHOEBOX SIMULCAST PRAYERS September 22 @ 6:30pm, 24 @6:30pm, and 25th @11:30am.  Our Shoebox Simulcast series is THIS WEEK! We would love each of you to BATHE these three simulcasts in prayer. We want you, our prayer army, to mobilize and build a wall of protection around these simulcasts set for TODAY, the 24th and 25th.

We hope to reach a very big audience to get people inspired to advocate for our shoebox recipients and cast the vision for The Greatest Journey. We believe the enemy hates this and will do anything possible to stop this ministry from moving forward. We ask you to pray and pray specifically over these three dates and times listed above. We ask you to spend devoted time asking God to do great and mighty things through these simulcasts to get more people packing shoeboxes!

You can pray specifically seven ways:

1.    That technology will work excellently for each of the simulcasts. That all people who want to join in will not be hindered or frustrated by using Skype. That our staff will have no issues with our systems, our programs, or our sound. That all participating can hear clearly and fully and see their screen to follow along.

2.    That people will make a concerted effort to join in and be fully attentive. That no hindrance or scheme will keep those intended from being available to participate.

3.    That our OCC Connect volunteers will be better equipped, well-versed, and encouraged by new updates and concrete their knowledge in the basics of OCC.

4.    That our project leaders would learn new ways to implement OCC in their churches, community groups, and prayer groups. That they would be inspired to reach even more children and advocate more passionately for the children of the world.

5.    That individuals who have packed boxes will be encouraged to go deeper with OCC and learn more about how to get further involved.

6.    That church leaders and staff would truly grasp the depth of this project and the worldwide disciple-making movement that it is.

7.    For our goal of 737,000 shoeboxes to come from TN, AR, and KY in these next few months. We ask for God to do it and to do it marvelously! “For you are great and do marvelous deeds; You alone are God!” Psalm 86:10 NIV