Tag Archives: Asia

February 23, 2016 · 12:08 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (2/23/2016)

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My wife and I stopped supporting Gospel For Asia about eight months ago. We were the sponsors of eleven Bridge of Hope Children and one missionary at the time. I even wrote an article, Why I No Longer Support Gospel For Asia, which still receives clicks every week.

Although we now support a smaller missionary ministry in Asia, I still pray for the eleven kids, the missionary, the Gospel For Asia leaders, and other people at the ministry almost every day.

Why?

The worst words I have ever heard occurred on the morning of July 8, 1994, after praying on my knees for hours. The Holy Spirit whispered, “Son, you have been deceived.”

If I could have, I would have chosen to be stoned to death rather than hearing those words. You see, I knew the agony and shame I would have to walk through because of my deception. And then, there were the numerous people I had let down. I needed to face all of them.

Even twenty-two years later, I still shiver when I remember that morning.

Now, I don’t claim to know the answers for Gospel For Asia in their present trials, but I do know this: I’ve been there. Maybe I was a small-potato painting contractor rather than a mega-million dollar ministry, but I know a little bit about what it feels like and — it’s horrendous.

The one thing I wanted at the time was prayer.

My prayer for today:

Lord, I lift up Gospel For Asia to Your throne of grace, asking You to pour out Your mercy and grace on this ministry to help them now in their time of need. Send Your light and truth into their midst and let the two lead the ministry in the days ahead. (Based on Hebrews 4:16 and Psalm 43:3)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

 

 Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

 

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February 2, 2016 · 11:28 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (2/2/2016)

The above little boy hopes for something better by crossing his fingers. Yet, his future will remain bleak and hopeless unless someone proclaims the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to him.

…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

But with 4.4 billion people and 85.4% of the world’s unevangelized people living in Asia, where will the laborers come from?

My prayer today:

Lord, the harvest is truly great, so I ask You, the Lord of the Harvest, to send out more laborers into the harvest fields of Asia. Bring the laborers from the north, south, east, and west. Call them out of the universities, colleges, tech industries, medical careers, and wherever into their divine destinies as laborers for You in Asia. (Based on Luke 10:2)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

 Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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January 19, 2016 · 2:51 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (1/19/2016)

BASECO Slum in Manilla https://markpedder.wordpress.com

BASECO Slum in Manilla
https://markpedder.wordpress.com

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothersor your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:12-14

There is no better way to invite the poor into your life than praying and fasting for the people of Asia.

My prayer for today:

Lord, I pray for Your hope to flood the prisons of North Korea so that the thousands of people held captive for their faith would see there are more for them than against them. (Based on 2 Kings 6:16)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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January 12, 2016 · 1:52 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (1/12/2016)

“For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have Me. (John 12:8)

Matthew, Mark, and John record the above words by Jesus during His last week of life. In John’s version, we learn that Lazarus’ sister Mary had poured a pound of expensive ointment over Jesus’ head and His feet. Judas Iscariot, who was the treasurer for Jesus’ ministry – and also a thief – was upset and asked, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”

Jesus intervened on Mary’s behalf, complimented her, and then spoke the above words about the poor.

Without doing some research, it almost seems Jesus’ words about the poor were callous and indifferent, but actually Jesus was referring to a verse in the Torah (first five books of the Bible).

For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore, I command you, “You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy, and to the poor, in your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11)

And by mentioning the first part of the verse in the Torah, Jesus was using a Jewish teaching technique to encourage His listeners to obey the commandment about helping the poor.

My prayer today:

Lord, help American believers to open wide our hands and purses to help our brothers, the needy, and poor in Asia.

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia.

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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January 5, 2016 · 4:13 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (1/5/2016)

BASECO Slum in Manila https://markpedder.wordpress.com

BASECO Slum in Manila
https://markpedder.wordpress.co

I’m a month away from being seventy years old. Both of my knees are mostly blown out from playing football in my youth. My energy level is certainly not breaking any records on the get-up-and-go charts. The dreams I felt the Lord gave me as a young Christian – almost thirty years ago – have not happened as yet…and maybe they won’t ever happen.

But who knows? I could live for twenty more years, ten more years, five years, or just one day, but no matter what, God has a day circled on His calendar for me —

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others… (2 Corinthians 5:10-11)

For the most part, I do my best to ask forgiveness for the things I’ve done, but this doesn’t bother me that much. It’s the things I haven’t done, and should have done, that frightens me.

So, do I like fasting?

No, not really that much.

But this one verse is like a laser burning a hole in my heart and pushing me forward each week —

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. (Hebrews 13:3)

Every person in Asia who does not know Jesus is a prisoner of the kingdom of darkness. This breaks the Lord’s heart and it better affect me in the same way.

My prayer for today:

Lord of the harvest, I pray that You would send out more laborers into the harvest fields of Asia. (Based on Luke 10:2)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia. 

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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November 10, 2015 · 11:01 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (11/10/2015)

What do you see when you look at the above photo?

Do you see a poor little girl walking through dirty water in a Manilla slum?

Or do you see Jesus?

Mother Teresa’s whole life was changed when the Lord asked her to go to the poor and dying people in the slums of Calcutta, India. He said that by helping the least of people, she would be ministering to Him.

“There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in – that we do it to God, to Christ, and that’s why we try to do it as beautifully as possible.” (Mother Teresa of Calcutta)

My prayer for today:

Lord, help us American Christians not to run aimlessly or shadow box in pretend fights, but help us to discipline ourselves so that we hear the cries of the poor and minister to You. (Based on 1 Corinthians 9:26-27)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 600 million people live in abject poverty in the slums of Asia. 

6. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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November 3, 2015 · 2:44 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (11/3/2015)

(The above photo shows a living area at the end of a narrow, short tunnel. It is the only entrance into the slum dwelling.)

Almost 600 million people live in slum conditions in Asia with poorly built houses, almost no basic services, and limited access to clean water. Life is horrible for these slum dwellers, but what’s even worse, 95% of them will die without ever knowing Jesus.

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:13-14)

My prayer today:

Lord, unleash an army of believers who will go into the slums of Asia, preaching the gospel to everyone there and baptizing those who believe. I pray also that signs will accompany these preachers so that demons will be cast out, the sick will be healed, and new believers will speak in tongues and prophesy. (Based on Mark 16:15-18)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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October 27, 2015 · 8:30 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (10/27/2015)

The first time I heard the term “religious nut” was in the 1950’s when my mom spit those words out of her mouth. It happened when we shopped at Meiners’ Grocery Store in Forreston, Illinois. Mom picked a few items off the shelves and carried them up to the checkout. Lillian Meiners, the cashier, attempted to talk about the Lord to Mom while totaling the purchases on the cash register. It was a one-sided conversation with Mom saying nothing.

“She’s a religious nut!” Mom proclaimed as we walked to our 1955 Pontiac, parked outside the door.

From that day forward, Lillian Meiners personified a religious nut to me. I would often see her and when I did, Mom’s words popped into my mind. Lillian never knew my true feelings about her. It was one of those inner character assassinations I never spoke aloud to anyone.

Lillian’s name was filed on a forgotten corner shelf of my mind until late 1985. It would still be there covered with layers of dust and cobwebs except for the question I asked the Lord one morning during prayer.

“Jesus, why did you save me?”

A clear voice whispered to my heart.

“Because of Lillian Meiners’ prayers for you.”

His words shocked me, but a few years later, I talked with her pastor, Rev. Orin Graff. He told me Lillian was a diligent prayer warrior for kids who attended Bible Camp.

The first saint I am going to hug upon my arrival in heaven will be Lillian Meiners. I want to thank her for faithfully praying for an agnostic who always thought she was a religious nut. We can have a good laugh about my ignorance and how Jesus set me straight.

(Excerpt from The Hunt for Larry Who by Larry Nevenhoven, 2014, Amazon eBook)

My prayers for today:

Lord, I ask that you raise up faithful prayer warriors that keep on praying for Asia, no matter what others think or what they themselves see, believing that You are just as influenced by a single voice as You are by a million.

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

 

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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October 20, 2015 · 10:12 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (10/20/2015)

The above photo was taken by Mark Pedder on December 25, 2008. Mark is a missionary to the slums of Manila and wrote about this scene:

It’s a family we know who are scavengers and they’re having their Christmas meal…

The father got permission to scavenge from a local fast food outlet’s bins for Christmas. So they have three big bags of rubbish which they’re going through and sharing the scraps of food with the kids. While I was there they opened up a styrofoam container with chicken bones and a part of a hamburger crust in it. It was given to their little girl because the boy got the last bit of chicken they found. Some of the food is being unwrapped from servettes, some is still in the packaging, sauce sachets are found and squeezed for that last drop of sauce, a plastic cup with the lid on it still has a mouth full of drink for someone. The family is not ashamed or shy, we know them and they just have to do this, it’s how they live.

But on the positive side, they were all having Christmas together and they actually had something special – three whole bags of rubbish. They really were happy. The kids were smiling and laughing, no one was arguing or fighting over the food, there was plenty for all of them.

If there was ever a picture or an event that really shows us what Christmas is about, this was it for me as I sat by a fire, in a muddy rubbish dump, with two adults and three kids having Christmas. What a world we live in. But in all honesty, I really felt special, they were happy I was there, not embarassed or ashamed in anyway – it was sad, but at the same time it was great. (Mark Pedder’s Weblog, December 25, 2008)

My prayer today:

Lord, I ask for You to open American believers’ ears to hear the cries of the poor in Asia so that in our times of need You will hear our cries for help. (Based on Proverbs 21:13)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

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October 13, 2015 · 9:47 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for Prisoners (10/13/2015)

Children's Church markpeddar.wordpress.com

Children’s Church
markpeddar.wordpress.com

Have you ever wondered if I always fast on Tuesdays and Thursdays or do I sometimes fake it? You know, write the article and then go out for a large pepperoni pizza at Papa Johns. Who would know, right? So, here’s my rule of thumb: if I don’t write an article, I didn’t fast that day. Simple enough, okay?

But all rules have exceptions…even this one. 

Today, I took my wife to breakfast at the Swing Inn Cafe in Old Town Temecula. There was no specific reason for doing so, except that it felt right according to my spirit. Fasting, like almost everything else, has to be backed by the Holy Spirit because the Spirit gives our efforts life whereas just following the letter of the law will always bring death.

Today, I prayed:

Lord, I come boldly to Your throne of grace asking for Your mercy and grace to fall upon the people of Asia in their time of need. (Based on Hebrews 4:16)

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for prisoners in Asia, according to Hebrews 13:3.

Why Asia?

1. 4.4 billion people live in Asia.

2.. 85.4% of world’s unevangelized people live in Asia. (Unevangelized means they may have heard the gospel but have no understanding on how to respond.)

3. The world’s three largest non-Christian religions – Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhists – are based in Asia.

4. Of the 37 countries of the world that are less than 10% Christian, 32 are in Asia. Of the 14 countries, that are less than 2% Christian, 12 are in Asia.

5. 85-90% of unreached people live in Asia. (Unreached means that they have never heard the name of Jesus.) (Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation)

 

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