DAY 158
Faith in the Midst of a Pandemic
A series of daily reflections for people of faith
by Rev. Robert Bayley, Interim Pastor
Patuxent Presbyterian Church, California, Maryland
pastorrobert@paxpres.org
Week Twenty-three Wednesday 19 August 2020
Madagascar
World Prayer Focus
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world located off the southeast coast of Africa with a government that has been plagued by corruption and an economy that places the country as the 11th poorest in the world with a majority of the population living on an average income of $1.00 a day. While Christianity is the identifiable religion for a little over half the population, many are members of churches that are sterile, where the life-giving Gospel is not preached, and where syncretism engaging folk religious practices and beliefs is common. Growth is being seen primarily in the Pentecostal and charismatic churches whose witness is marred by frequent church splits based on leadership personalities, as is common in mainline Africa as well.
Prayer Concerns
+ Pray for the churches easily split by leadership competition, for servant hearts in all involved.
+ Pray that God will raise up as well as send quality balanced Bible and discipleship teachers.
+ Pray for the Muslim minority where little effort is being directed to reach them for Christ that
God will raise up organizations and individuals to focus on their conversion to Christ.
+ Pray for more Christian workers willing to live with and address multiple social needs linked to
poverty yet keeping a clear Gospel witness in place when the tendency is to focus on needs.
+ Pray for Bible translators laboring to get God’s Word into the languages of 10 people groups.
+ Pray for a strengthening and growth in Christian radio ministries, especially to rural areas.
+ Pray for a Holy Spirit initiated revival in the traditional and mainline churches.
Jesus’ Prayer Request each Wednesday:
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest,
therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38.
For the full country profile and prayer needs for Madagascar go to operationworld.org.
Reflective question: Will you pray each day for these prayer needs in Madagascar?
Reflective Scripture: 2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord … is not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
Reflective hymn:
“The Vision of a Dying World” – Anne Ortlund (1923-20130
The vision of a dying world is vast before our eyes,
We feel the heartbeat of its need, we hear its feeble cries:
Lord Jesus Christ, revive Thy church in this, her crucial hour!
Lord Jesus Christ, awake Thy church with Spirit given pow’r.
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