Prayer Journal
Monday, May 29, 2000
Today is Memorial Day.
Pray for Missions and Missionaries today.
As the church music ended, and everyone prepared to leave church for home, the pastor asked a lady to come down front and stand with him. The missionary wife told the congregation, "It is with mixed feelings that I let you know dear Church family, that my husband, my children and I will be returning to the mission field, specifically Kenya."
Phillip and Sandy Wilson have been missionaries for approximately 17yrs, having served primarily in Nigeria. They've been attending Ellendale Baptist Church while stateside where Phillip has been recovering from back surgery. The couple has pondered since their return to the U.S. whether, in fact, they should return to the mission field or stay stateside.
As is the case with any missionary family with children, the entire family pays the price to serve in a foreign country. Their teenage children, Jordan and Lendy, have become somewhat acclimated to their U.S. school and friends. Leaving the comfort of this environment will require firm resolution on their part as well as their parents.
In speaking this morning with an old friend who knows the Wilson family, I was told more about the circumstances and concerns. I couldn't stop thinking about the sacrifice this family would pay and the "risks" that every missionary family takes for the cause of Christ.
Today the Holy Spirit has refreshed my conviction to pray each day for missionaries regardless of any other prayer focus. I'm convinced the lives and testimony of missionaries around the world depend on it and my duty should not be set aside for the cause of any other need. I'm convinced the successful propagation of the gospel depends on the prayer of the saints and the work of the missionary.
"Today by Your strength, Father, I commit to, not only pray for missionaries more devoutly, but to also prepare the way for others to do the same by listing a missionary prayer focus on the Tower Daily Prayer Journal. I pray this not too presumptuous, but rather in faith I state my resolute desire to be more fully committed to praying for these choice servants."
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought, to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor 10:3-5)
"You are Jehovah Nissi - we march under Your banner, by Your leading, against Your enemy and by Your strength. The battle is Yours, Lord! Equip us with Your weapons." WebServant
(1) Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society
(2) The images used herein were obtained from the Learning Company's ClickArt Christian Graphics Deluxe product, (c)1999 The Learning Company, Inc and its subsidiaries, 88 Roland Way, Novato, CA 94945 USA. All Rights Reserved.
