Daily Prayer Notes

Lutheran Brethren International Mission December 2015 P.O. Box 655 Fergus Falls, MN 56538-0655 Matthew Rogness, Director [email protected] Gaylan & Joy Mathiesen, Editors

1st CHAD 1 Corinthians 5,6 5th JAPAN 1 Corinthians 11:2-34 Let us praise God with Paul and Pray that the Lord will give Teresa for the open door and Dean and Linda Bengtson many formal invitation by a chief of one opportunities to share the message of the Arab villages they have been of Christ's birth with their visiting, to come and make their neighbors in Ishinomaki. Pray that home in his village. God would soften the hearts of

nd neighbors to hear and believe the 2 TAIWAN 1 Corinthians 7 good news of God's Son.

Pray for the salvation of Mr. L th who recently lost his job and has 6 CHAD 1 Corinthians 12 been coming to church. Pray that as Rains arrived too late and now Ethan and Sandy Christofferson the heavy, late rains are destroying and others from Enlin LBC reach the crops even further. Famine is out to him, God would give him a likely to be widespread. Pray for hunger for God’s Word and prepare the church in Chad, that they will his heart for the gospel. respond in compassion to the many around them who are left hungry. 3rd CHAD 1 Corinthians 8,9 th Pray for good health for 7 FRANCE 1 Corinthians 13 Nathanael and Carrie and their Pray for Jeremy, Sallee, Olivia children. Pray that they will be and Abigail who are about halfway lights for Christ in a community through their study time in France. divided by local political conflict. Pray for language acquisition and Pray for peace, that they might find for new friends, especially during ways to speak God's Word to all this holiday season away from sides. family. 4th N. AMERICA 1 Cor. 10:1-11:1 8th TAIWAN 1 Corinthians 14 The Christmas season in New Pray for Ethan Christofferson York City offers opportunities to as he speaks at the Hakka Mission invite members of the UN Seminary chapel service tomorrow. community to learn about Christ. Pray also for the students in their Pray for diplomats and family ongoing preparations for future members who attend events with ministry in Hakka congregations. Heidi Jensen. Pray that the Holy Spirit would draw many to saving 9th N. AMERICA 1 Cor. 15:1-34 grace in the Christ of Christmas. Pray for Joel, Liz and Tim as they travel this month to Washington. Pray for safe travels,

Internet Note: You can access the Daily Prayer Notes online at www.lbim.org. good times with extended family 15th CHAD Psalm 33 and good visits with supporters. Happy birthday to Liz today. We continue to thank God for the work of Steve and Stella at the 10th EAST ASIA 1 Cor. 15:35-58 Lutheran Welcome Center. Pray for them in this final year of their time On Dec. 10-20 a team from as managers of the center. Happy New Zealand is in East Asia giving birthday to Steve today. presentations to college students about New Zealand life and culture. 16th N. AMERICA Psalm 34 Pray that as they share the sacred and secular customs connected to Dan is often traveling to Christmas, that their hope in Christ churches to share the vision of the will come through to the students. CLB to work among unreached people groups in Chad. Pray for 11th TAIWAN 1 Corinthians 16 receptive churches that will gain a passion for reaching the unreached. Pray for the Victory Hakka Fellowship as it hosts an evening of 17th JAPAN Psalm 35 Christmas music tomorrow. May those who attend the service be Pray for Pastor Koki and impacted by the message that the Keiko Zeniya and their family at Savior came to earth for them. Minami Yoshinari Church in Sendai. Pray that God would give 12th FRANCE Psalm 30 strength for Pastor Zeniya’s church and seminary responsibilities. Pray for Danny and Mandy and their boys as Mandy finishes her 18th TAIWAN Psalm 36 French studies and they fly to Chad later this month. Pray as they once Victory Lutheran Brethren again say goodbye to friends. Church in Hsinchu will have their Happy birthday to Mandy today. Christmas outreach tomorrow and Bau Shan Victory Church will have th 13th JAPAN Psalm 31 theirs on December 20 . Pray for a clear proclamation of the gospel. Roger and Sue Olson ask prayer for Mari, who last February 19th JAPAN Psalm 37:1-20 returned to Japan from Seattle. Mari wrote that she received Dean and Linda Bengtson baptism last month even though her write that House of Hope will mother was against it. Pray that sponsor a Gospel Christmas God will use Mari to help her Concert at the community center family and friends to also know with 40-50 members of the 1000 Christ as Savior. voice "Japan Mass Choir." Pray that many will attend and come to 14th TAIWAN Psalm 32 know the hope found in Christ. Pray for Mike and Delores 20th CHAD Psalm 37:21-40 Kittelson in their work among the Hakka people. May the Holy Spirit Pray for Paul and Teresa as use their musical gifts to bring the they continue their language love of Jesus to all those whom learning in preparation for living in they befriend. a village. Pray as God readies the hearts of these people.

The Scripture readings are on a “read through the Bible in 3 years” schedule! 21st TAIWAN Psalm 38 December 27-31. Pray for them as they interact with those attending Ethan & Sandy Christofferson this student missions conference. will be moving to a new location in the near future. Pray for efforts to 27th UKRAINE 2 Cor. 1:12-22 find a suitable house that will open up new ministry opportunities. This nation bridges east and west, Roman Catholic and 22nd JAPAN Psalm 39 Orthodox. Mass demonstrations forced new elections and greater Pray for Dean and Linda freedoms, but political rivalries left Bengtson as they host a Christmas the people divided. Pray for Candlelight Concert tomorrow with spiritual renewal and reconciliation. Mika and Hidemasa Takana. Pray that many will come and hear about 28th CHAD 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:17 the Christ of Christmas. Joel and Marybeth will be 23rd EAST ASIA Psalm 40:1-10 leaving on the 30th for their first visit to Chad as our pastoral care Joel and Liz ask prayer for couple. Pray for them as they friends and colleagues who find develop relationships with the openness to talk about Christ at missionaries and minister to them Christmas: for teachers as they from God’s Word. have parties and events for their students, for those in business 29th TAIWAN 2 Cor. 3:1-4:6 through their work and with their employees and customers. Several older seekers at Enlin LBC have been baptized in the past 24th N. AMERICA Psalm 40:11-17 year. Pray for Ethan and Sandy Christofferson and the Christians Pray for Marcos as he continues as they seek to disciple these new in the translation work for the believers and help them see Jesus unreached people he and his family in every part of their lives. worked among and that this would be instrumental in turning their 30th JAPAN 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10 hearts to the one true God. Pray for Dean and Linda 25th WORLD Psalm 41 Bengtson as they celebrate New Year’s with neighbors. Pray for Let us celebrate the miracle of hearts to be open to hearing about God taking human flesh through the God of peace, especially for his Son Jesus Christ, and achieving many who still struggle with the our salvation. Pray for the Spirit of aftermath of the tsunami. God to move mightily in church celebrations around the world. 31st WORLD 2 Cor. 5:11-6:10 26th CHAD 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 We thank God for his blessings this past year and for the privilege Dan Venberg and David of joining him in his mission in Veum, President of Lutheran many places. Let us pray, in the Brethren Seminary, will be coming year, for the gospel to attending Urbana 15, which is advance in the darkest places. being held in St. Louis, MO,

The Scripture readings are on a “read through the Bible in 3 years” schedule!