Day 12

ABANDONED DEVOTION:

Creative Praise:

In response to the following Scripture, sing a song of praise to Jesus, draw Him a picture, or write Him a poem.  

Praise God that “now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life.” (Romans 6:22-23)

3-Stage Bible Study:  Read the Q—Analyze the Verse—Write Your Response

What has God promised to do with your prayers?  List a few prayers God has answered for you.[i]

“And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14)

Prayer Journal Questions: Listen to the Lord as you meditate on the following verses. 

What are sins that God is showing you that need to be confessed in your life and in your generation? 

“He does not forget the cry of the humble.” (Psalm 9:12)

What are ways you can pray for and pursue revival on your campus? 

“When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.   And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house. When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying: ‘For He is good, for His mercy endures forever.’” (2 Chronicles 7:1-3)

GLOBAL PROCLAMATION:

Forgotten People Group: The Koreans of North Korea

Officially, the North Korean Constitution gives political power to the people. However, real political power belongs to the Communist Party. The constitution guarantees such rights as freedom of the press, religion, and speech; however, the 23.6 million Korean in North Korea have very little freedom in those areas. For instance, all radio and television broadcasts are strictly controlled by the Korean Central Broadcast Committee. All privately owned radios are “preset” to the government frequency. Current news is often withheld from the public, or even altered. The people often do not learn of news events until weeks, months, or even years after they occurred.

What Are Their Beliefs?
A mixture of Confucian thought, Buddhism, and shamanism (belief in an unseen world of gods, demons, and ancestral spirits) were previously dominant among the Korean, but have been officially repressed since 1945. The former North Korean ruler, Kim Il Sung, was held in high regard and worshipped by the Korean. He was presented as omniscient and omnipresent. The new regime under Kim Il Jong is as oppressive as the former. However, it is not yet known whether the people have to worship the new ruler.

Although religious freedom is technically guaranteed by the North Korean government, religious activity is strongly discouraged.

The Korean believe that deceased family members remain within the family circle, in spiritual form. For this reason, the most important concern of the family is to produce a male heir to carry on the family line. He is called on to perform ancestral rituals in the household and at the family grave site.

What Are Their Needs?
After severe flooding in North Korea, there has been an acute food shortage in many areas. Some people have even been forced to eat grass and roots to survive. They need to be introduced to the One who is able to supply all of their needs.

Politically, North Korea is one of the most highly controlled societies in the world. The government has officially decided against Christianity and the Gospel for the entire nation. The North Korean are in need of political and spiritual freedom.

Prayer Points

• Pray that laws in North Korea that restrict the preaching of the Gospel will be changed.
• Ask God to create an openness to Christianity within the hearts of the Korean.
• Pray that the doors of North Korea will soon be open to Christian missionaries.
• Pray that God will send His Spirit to convict the Korean of their need for the Savior.
• Ask the Lord to protect, strengthen, and encourage the small number of Koran Christians.
• Pray that God will give these believers opportunities to share the love of Jesus with their own people.
• Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that have kept the Korean bound for many generations.
• Ask God to raise up strong local churches among the Korean of North Korea by the year 2010.

Promise from Scripture:

“For thus says the Lord God: ‘Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.” Ezekiel 34:11-12

Generational Barrier:

Buying Fully Into the Abiding Lifestyle – Abiding in Christ is a prerequisite of those who seek to walk with God. The art of abiding takes time, energy, patience, waiting, aloneness and sacrifice and is such that it must be pursued with intentionality. Pray for the emerging generation to give themselves to the prayer closet as they wait upon Jesus and behold Him for who He is. (John 15:1-8)

Prayer Journaling Response:

Take a few moments to record thoughts, prayers, and any insight. Also, it is often helpful to record how the Lord led in prayer – Scriptures, mental pictures, or a word or thought. Practice not only praying but also listening to the Lord. As we understand how the Lord is leading us, we can more quickly tune into the Lord’s voice when we have major decisions facing us or in times when the Lord feels far from us.

Back to Prayer Guide