MaryBeth Hall – Page 36 – Targeted Global Prayer

Happy 3rd Birthday, TGP!

This picture hangs on my kitchen wall. It’s a page from a calendar of photographs of children from Peru, given to me Christmas of 2004. I don’t know who the boy is, but the look in his eyes stirs my soul. Children all over the world have that look in their eyes in a spiritual sense – hungry, wondering, hoping, not sure. I wish that I could walk up to each of them and tell them about Jesus. He’s the ultimate answer to their need. I wish I could give each of them a hug and a smile, look into their eyes, and tell them about the Bread of Life who loves them so very, very much.

The only way I know for one person to reach around the whole world is through prayer. In prayer, it is possible to make a difference in more places than our feet could ever travel in a lifetime. Jesus said to pray for the Lord of the Harvest to thrust out laborers into His harvestfield (Matt. 9:36-38). Each of us are working in our particular corner of that field, but we can pray for the whole field a piece at a time. Indeed, we must pray, for the Savior is worth knowing by every person, but “the night comes, when no man can work” (John 9:4).

Today marks three years since TGP’s first prayer post. I sincerely thank all of you who have prayed with us, from the first person who signed up to the most recent. The grand goal at the beginning was that TGP would have 1440 people praying a minute each day, because that would add up to a solid 24 hours worth of prayer every day for whatever the particular requests / location were. Though we are far from that goal, only the Lord knows how many cumulative hours of prayer have been offered on behalf of the peoples of the world coming to know Jesus. To God be the glory for this work to advance His kingdom! Occasionally, we hear about a specific answer to our prayers, and we trust that many more times, those visible answers will be waiting for us in heaven. Let us keep praying!

In 2016, five years before TGP started, I wrote a poem called “On Mission to Serve Jesus.” That was a phrase embroidered on a backpack given to me when I participated in a summer internship program helping a church plant in June of 1999. Wherever God has us today, we are disciples on the most important mission of all time – loving and serving Jesus. I’m putting a link to that poem here from my poetry blog, and I hope that it will be an encouragement to you:

https://poemsfortheking.blogspot.com/2016/02/on-mission-to-serve-jesus_7.html

For our prayer request today, please join me in praying that more pray-ers will join our team. If you think of people who might be interested, please tell them about Targeted Global Prayer. Any questions can be directed to targetedglobalprayer@gmail.com, or they can go to the website itself to find out more and sign up.

Thank you again for praying! “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

Artibonite River: North America

*https://www.britannica.com/place/Artibonite-River*

1. Haiti, through which most of the Artibonite River flows, has been the scene of political upheaval in recent days. Pray for innocent lives to be protected today, and for the Lord to bring a gang leader to a saving knowledge of Himself.

2. At 199 miles, the Artibonite River is the longest on the island of Hispaniola, and the second longest in the Caribbean. Pollution and deforestation have negatively impacted its water quality, though it is still used some for irrigation and production of hydroelectricity. Coming inland from the ocean, smaller boats can navigate the river for half its length. Pray for both a boat owner and someone involved in the hydroelectric industry to hear and respond in faith to the gospel.

3. Pray that today the Father will grant His peace to His Haitian children, giving them a strong sense that He will take care of them during this tumultuous time.

Revelation 22:1,17

Rio Grande: North America

1. A component of everything from songs to controversial current events, 1,896 mile long Rio Grande forms part of the border between the USA and Mexico. Pray for today to be “the day of salvation” for a person who regularly crosses the river.

2. Near the Rio Grande, the village of Pasa Lajitas has often been a high school mission trip destination. Pray that gospel seeds planted there in the 1990’s will continue to bear fruit.

3. Many large border towns on the Rio Grande are notorious for gang activity and drug trafficking. Pray that someone in bondage to these things will meet the Light of the World, and be transferred into His kingdom this week (Col. 1:13-14).

Revelation 22:1,17

Sunday Series: Asian Believers

Psalm 122:1

“I was glad when they said unto me,

Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

1. Pray for every member of Asian congregations to be serving the Lord in one way or another, that the body of Christ may function as its Lord intends.

2. In countries unfriendly toward the gospel, pray for the Father to grant protection to His children as they live and witness for Him, and provision of further discipleship resources and opportunities.

3. Pray for the behind the scenes workers who prepare the Communion elements to be blessed with a renewed sense of the Savior’s love for them.

Thank you for praying!

Saturday Morning Recap

Revelation 22:1,17

“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

1. Sunday Series: African Deacons

According to https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/, 19 of Africa’s 54 countries have very high or extreme levels of religious persecution. Pray for deacons in those countries to have the hand of God on their lives as they serve His church.

2. Lake Tiberias (aka Lake Kinneret, Sea of Galilee): Asia

Israel, Syria, and Jordan are countries around Lake Tiberias. Pray for someone from each of those nations to come to faith in Christ today.

3. Black Sea: Europe & Asia

Just yesterday, TGP team members prayed for people living around the Black Sea. Also yesterday, a Russian missile attack on the Black Sea’s port city Odesa killed 21 Ukrainians, and injured 75 more. Pray for those injured, and the family members of the ones killed, to know Jesus, and the hope that only He can bring in dark situations.

Thank you for praying!

Black Sea: Europe & Asia

The Black Sea is a very interesting body of water. It has two distinct layers: the top 10% is freshwater, while the lower 90% is salt water, with almost no oxygen mixed in. The condition of this lower layer is conducive to the preservation of once living things and even ancient shipwrecks; a 2,400 year old Greek sunken ship was found there.

Ten of Europe’s largest rivers flow into the Black Sea, whose drainage basin is two-thirds the size of Europe. The Black Sea has been in the news frequently during the past two years due to the current Russian-Ukrainian War. It is very important in facilitating commerce and trade.

1. “Red and yellow, black and white – they are precious in His sight…” So goes a line from the song “Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World.” Interestingly, there are also world seas named for each of those colors. Pray for the children of the world living around each of those seas to hear that Jesus loves them. Pray for Christians to go tell them this good news, and disciple the children who believe it.

2. The two pictures above were originally part of one panoramic view of the Black Sea’s coastline near Inceburun. Pray for each member of the family in the second picture to trust Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

3. The Greeks once called the Black Sea the “Inhospitable Sea,” due to both storms / navigational challenges, and hostile tribes along the coastline. However, after successful colonization, it was renamed the “Hospitable Sea.” Pray for the Christians who live in the drainage basin of the Black Sea to yield today to the Holy Spirit’s work in their hearts, that He may continue to transform their lives into the image of Christ, thus making them more and more hospitable to the reign of their Father.

Revelation 22:1,17

Lake Tiberias (aka Lake Kinneret, Sea of Galilee): Asia

1. Israel, Syria, and Jordan are countries around Lake Tiberias. Pray for someone from each of those nations to come to faith in Christ today.

2. In addition to being Israel’s largest lake, Lake Tiberias is also the world’s lowest freshwater lake. It is fed from both the Jordan River and underground springs. As in Biblical times, fishing and agriculture continue to be important in the area today. Pray for a modern fisherman to be caught by the Great Fisher of Men.

3. Tiberias is a town on the west of the lake with about 45,000 residents. Pray for Biblical churches to be established in Tiberias that will remain until the Lord returns.

Revelation 22:1,17

Sunday Series: African Deacons

Psalm 122:1

“I was glad when they said unto me,

Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

1. The continent of Africa contains 54 nations, 1,000 official languages, and 15% of the world’s population (https://moafrikatours.com/how-many-countries-are-in-africa). Pray for today’s African deacons to be “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom,” as were the first deacons, described in Acts 6:3.

2. According to https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/persecution/countries/, 19 of those 54 countries have very high or extreme levels of religious persecution. Pray for deacons in those countries to have the hand of God on their lives as they serve His church.

3. Pray for African deacons to have opportunities to further grow in their understanding of God’s word, and be successful in the discipleship of their children.

Thank you for praying!

Saturday Morning Recap

Revelation 22:1,17

1. Amazon River: South America

Pray that this year the gospel will reach 3 of the 100 tribes who have not interacted with the modern world.

2. Congo (Zaire) River: Africa

Pray for many African Pygmies to be “accepted in the Beloved.”

3. Your Choice: Please pray for a request you remember from the other locations featured this week:

Mississippi River: North America

Lake Vostok: Antarctica

Lake Toba (Indonesia): Asia

South American Church Musicians

Thank you for praying!

Lake Vostok: Antarctica

Lake Vostok is 2.5 miles under Antarctica’s surface, and may contain layers of both fresh and salt water. Russian scientists at Vostok Station drilled for 20 years before reaching the lake in 2012.

1. About 30 Russian scientists live in Vostok Station in Antarctica’s summer, but only 15 during winter months. Pray for a Christian to be in the next group transferring in, and that at least 2 other people will trust Christ during his/her tenure at Vostok Station.

2. It is commonly thought that Lake Vostok has been buried for 14 million years. Pray for a team member in Russia who receives and interprets data regarding the lake to genuinely consider the truth in relation to how the lake’s history is dated. Pray that this consideration will be the first step in turning to the light of truth as revealed in the Word of God.

3. Vostok Lake lies beneath the Pole of Cold, where earth’s coldest naturally occurring temperature was recorded. However, geothermal heating keeps the lake’s water liquid. Pray for Christians around the world who face a spiritually cold climate to themselves remain warm-hearted to the things of God. This can occur because of the Spirit’s work below the surface.

Revelation 22:1,17