Good morning, Lord

Psalm 27

13 I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

Good morning, Lord, thank you for the promise that we will see the land of the living, that we will see your goodness and your glory, in absolute holiness and purity and power and splendor. Please help us live with an eternal perspective, please help us share your love with those who so desperately need to hear.

Lord, we pray for the persecuted church in Afghanistan, (where “…anyone who acknowledges faith in Christ experiences intense persecution, including death. Persecution normally comes from family members and neighbors, while police and government officials turn a blind eye.”) We pray for those who are coming to Christ in Afghanistan, we know the cost is high in this country, we pray for these brothers and sisters, we pray the persecution would be used by you for good, so that other members of their families will come to salvation and come to believe. Please help us support and encourage those who pay a great price for their citizenship in your kingdom.

We pray for the unreached people of the day, the Banjar of Indonesia, (4,129,000 souls, among whom “…there may not be a single follower of Jesus”, who have no Bible in their language, who are largely devout Muslims but also “proudly trace their origins to a legendary Hindu kingdom, the Negara Dipa.”) Lord, where do we begin to pray for a people group like the Banjar? They are shrouded in darkness, with very little Christian resources available to hear the truth, where do we begin to pray? Do we ask for Bibles, then workers? Do we pray for workers first and then pray they will translate the Bible to their native tongue? Do we pray and ask you to pour out your spirit in visions and dreams on this people? What do you want us to do about this unreached people group and the other 6,954 unreached people groups in this world today? Please give us wisdom, please give us strength, please give us perseverance to reach these people groups. How sad to think of all the millions who live and die their lives in this world and never hear there is a redeemer, never hear the glorious good news, never know salvation is even possible, let alone available for the asking.

We pray for Ozark Christian College, please help them lead well, please help them challenge and shape the minds and hearts of those who you have called to go to school at OCC, please help them steward the blessings of the future leaders they are charged with educating.

(Special Needs)

David and Marjorie Hinkle, Marjorie’s older sister, Mary Pritz, passed away. Lord, thank you for the testimony of Mary’s life, and that she is home with you, we pray for all she left behind who will miss her presence in this life, thank you that we know you are comforting them right now, that you are bringing healing and hope to their lives, thank you that we can trust you even through the death of our beloved family members. Thank you for hope that is much, much greater than the challenges of life and death in this world.

(Prayer List)

Mary Cook: Please pray for my sister, Betty Oliver – she is in terrible pain but doctors cannot find the cause; pray her pain will be easier and doctors will find the cause. Praise – after our car accident in December, both Chloe and I are ok and financial needs working out.

Matt & Angie Crosser: Kevin is home! Please pray that he will be able to stay home; continued prayer for Jeanne Crosser (Matt’s mom), still at Forest Hills.

Marjorie Culver: Brian & Sandy Culver (my son and daughter-in-law) – Sandy has Huntington’s disease

Max & Amy Davis: Amy with congestive heart issues; Max in a lot of pain from recent falls

Terry DeShazer: Arthella Stice – dementia; Clarence Davis – knee surgery

Billy Joe Dick (brother of friend of Debby Sumpter): Diagnosed with liver cancer

Charles Dossey: Please pray for my sister with stress problems and my brother-in-law with cancer.

Keith Easter: Brother, Dan, is at home now and still recovering from a stroke

Ingrid Ewing: Continued prayer for Chris – he goes to court on Jan. 10th; pray for a good outcome.

Lord, we thank you for moving in the lives of these people, thank you for the many mysterious and marvelous ways you work in our lives. We thank you that Chloe and Mary are doing well after the accident and that their finances are working out. We thank you that Kevin is home, we pray Jeanne would be home soon as well. We pray Brian and Sandy and Marjorie feel your presence working in Sandy’s battle with Huntington’s, we pray for strength for Max and Amy, please help them feel you are near and working in their lives and bodies as well. We pray for Terry and his ministry to Arthella and Clarence, we pray for a healing miracle in Arthella’s mind, we pray Clarence would recover completely from the knee surgery. We pray for Charles and Keith and the ministry opportunities they have to their families, please bless them in their efforts to bring peace and hope and encouragement. We pray Chris’ trial went well, we pray the outcome will help Chris find you working in his life for his good and your glory.

We pray all these things in your name, Jesus, Amen.