In a few weeks Nancy and I will be going to India. I know many of you pray for us when we are there, and we are extremely grateful. But we need you to start praying now as well. Last year there was a group of people willing to pray every day. I sent special updates and prayer requests, things I didn’t or couldn’t send to my whole mailing list. The faithful praying of these people is what made our time there safe and successful. We are in need of those willing to be part of this again this coming year. You will receive a special email concerning specific requests to pray for and also a short devotional about issues related to prayer. The first four blogs will contain principles I have written to help with spiritual warfare praying. Others will be about various topics concerning prayer. Let me know if you would like to be on this email list and be part of this special group committed to regular pray for this trip to Israel. Please pray for us and the Christians in India.
One of my favorite passages about prayer is Colossians 1:9-14. In it Paul explains what he requests for the believers in Colossae. It is an excellent pattern for us to follow today. His prayer is that they “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” Please pray for Pastor Moses, Nancy and myself to have this as we plan and prepare for the upcoming conferences. Pray for the pastors in India to have this as well. Pray God will give us this now and while we are ministering in India as well.
Paul prays for this for them so they will live a holy life and bear fruit in all they do as they grow in the knowledge of God and are strengthened by His power. Pray we, too, would be “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might.” Pastor Moses and I are growing older, and the enemy steps up his work against us each year in response to the help this brings to God’s kingdom of love and light as well as the damage that is done to Satan’s kingdom of evil and darkness. Bringing light into places of darkness is serious business and brings great opposition.
As you pray for us, use your Bible and read and apply each phrase of Colossians 1:9-14 in prayer for us, for the pastors in India and for yourselves and your church leaders as well. Of great encouragement to me is the knowledge that many faithful Indian Christians and churches pray daily for us. Let’s remember them as well.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” –Romans 12:12
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” –Philippians 4:6
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” –Colossians 4:2
“Pray continually” -1 Thessalonians 5:17
SPECIAL PRAYER REQUEST: My new book, “Studying the Bible,” has been translated and printed. It’s partner, “Preaching and Teaching the Bible,” is almost finished being translated and still needs to be printed. It is over a month behind schedule and going slowly. I really need it for the conferences in January. Pray it would be completed, that anything trying to hold it up would be removed. Last year’s book wasn’t finished until months after I left India and that was a great disappointment for all. Pray that wouldn’t be the case again in 2017. Thanks!