Do Everything In Love

In the book of Acts we read about a time when Paul found himself in Athens waiting for his partners. In Athens Paul quickly notices that there are all kinds of gods and their shrines scattered throughout the city. What is Paul’s conclusion? These are a very religious people. What does Paul say to the Athenians? “Wow, you guys are really religious!” (or something like that). Again, there’s no condemnation for the many gods or the religious confusion that existed there.

Then Paul actually points to one of the shrines and says, “Look, you are so religious that you even have a shrine for the ‘unknown god’, just in case you missed one.” And he continues, “I’m here to tell you today about this unknown God.”

Wait. Did Paul just use a part of the pagan religious environment of Athens to teach about what God was really like?

Our Neighbors have something they call the “99 Names of God.” Each of these names describes an attribute of God that we would mostly agree with. But here’s the thing; like Paul, we know one more name for God that our Neighbors do not yet know—the God who loved us so much that he sent Emmanuel, God with us, to forge a path to our cleansing, freedom, and salvation.

The early church grew, in spite of great persecution and troubles, because the Followers of the Way (as they were called) became synonymous with humility, service, fellowship, and love. And this thing called the church—with no buildings, no ordained pastors, no money, no respect, no political power, no tax-exempt status, no foreign donors, no real chance to survive apart from the work of the Holy Spirit and the name of Jesus Christ—grew and grew and grew.

Pray for more laborers to the Fulani and that God will touch and bring Fulani leaders and teachers to know Christ.

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[Adapted from “30 Days of Prayer for Busy Christians on the go…”]

Pray for Saudi’s in the oil towns of Dhahran, Jubail, Ras Tanura, Dammam, Al-Khobar, Hofuf, Abqaiq, Udhailiyah, and Shaybah (2 Cor 4:6)

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[Adapted from “30 Days of Prayer for Busy Christians on the go…”]

In Jesus’ day the “news about him spread all over Syria” (Matt 4:24).  May the Gospel be heard again all over Syria and may many come to faith in Christ.

[Adapted from “30 Days of Prayer for Busy Christians on the go…” available at http://www.30-days.net/reveal/wp-content/uploads/2010/30-Days_in_Brief_2010_A5.pdf]

The call to prayer comes early in the morning, calling Neighbors to prayer.  Pray that in the midst of many ‘voices’, Neighbors will hear the voice of God through the working of the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:18).

Here the call begins around 4 am, maybe earlier (I’ve got gotten up to look at the clock) and I’ve taken the opportunity to begin praying (from my bed, though perhaps I should think of at least kneeling beside my bed) and hoping that someday Isa will become the Great Hope of these wonderful people.

[Adapted from “30 Days of Prayer for Busy Christians on the go…” available at http://www.30-days.net/reveal/wp-content/uploads/2010/30-Days_in_Brief_2010_A5.pdf]

Be respectful and bold in our witness (1 Peter 3:15).

How many times has your wife told you to stop thinking about what you’re going to say next and listen to what she’s saying?  Too many time, for me.  Respects means making every attempt to listen and understand.  And when there is understanding there is compassion.  The other side of respect is bringing Truth into every interaction, every relationship, every opportunity we have…and bringing it with love, humility, and meaningful and appropriate communication.

Be prudent in our Google-sized world (Prov 17:27).

Be wise.  Everything you say has the potential to be heard around the world.  Are you really speaking Truth?  Are you speaking as Christ would speak?

Be loving towards all (Luke 10:27b).

Be loving towards all and in all circumstances (1 Cor 16:14).

[Adapted from “30 Days of Prayer for Busy Christians on the go…” available at http://www.30-days.net/reveal/wp-content/uploads/2010/30-Days_in_Brief_2010_A5.pdf]