Morning Reading: John 5.1-9 NLT

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

“I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!

John 5.1-9 NLT

Please pray for Libyan believers

September 1-2 | Libya – Thank the Lord for new believers. Pray for them, as they are under a lot of pressure right away. Also pray for the seasoned believers, that they will stay strong in the Lord and will be shepherds for the new believers.

At least 30,000 Libyans died in he civil war which ousted Muammar Gaddafi and sectarian violence continues today – click here.

Wikipedia gives an overview of religion in Libya – click here.

Other than the majority of Sunni Muslims, there are also small foreign communities of Christians. Coptic Orthodox Christianity, which is the Christian Church of Egypt, is the largest and most historical Christian denomination in Libya. There are over 60,000 Egyptian Copts in Libya, as they comprise over 1% of the population.[208] There are an estimated 40,000 Roman Catholics in Libya who are served by two Bishops, one in Tripoli (serving the Italian community) and one in Benghazi (serving the Maltese community). There is also a small Anglican community, made up mostly of African immigrant workers in Tripoli; it is part of the Anglican Diocese of Egypt.

Open Doors describes the current plight of Christians in Libya here –

Under Gaddafi’s despotic rule, the situation for Christians was already extremely harsh. The secret police restricted church activities and evangelism was criminalised. But after the civil war that led to Gaddafi’s death, the future could be even worse for the church. Because of the unrest, 75 per cent of expat Christians left the country and it is not clear how many remain. The National Transitional Council is expected to implement Sharia and make Libya an even more Islamic state than before. Under their supervision the Saint George’s Church was ransacked when they took control of Tripoli.

Christians in Libya face a dangerous and uncertain future – click here for more detailed prayer concerns.

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to
reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Tim. 2:2)

Morning Reading: John 4.39-42 NLT

Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
John 4.39-42 NLT

Pray for Tunisian people

August 31 | Tunisia – Reem (not her real name) and her sister have both met Jesus in a vision. This encounter gave them a deep desire to learn more about Him. They have just received a Bible.

Pray that the precious words of Jesus will come alive to them and that they will surrender their lives to Him, being the firstfruits of an even greater harvest in their family.

Wikipedia describes life for the 23,5000 Christians in Tunisia –

“Since the revolution of 2011, religious violence has increased in Tunisia, primarily consisting of Muslim attacks on Christians and members of other non-Muslim groups. Tunisian journalists and human rights activists were harassed and faced surveillance and imprisonment under harsh conditions. Others were dismissed from their jobs or denied their right to communicate and move freely. The authorities had also prevented the emergence of an independent judiciary, further compounding the problem. Islamist groups have also violently repressed artistic expression that is viewed to be hostile to Islam.”

Tunisia (population 10.6 million) is the smallest country in North Africa with a fascinating history. The self-immolation of a frusrtated Tunisian street vendor was the catalyst that ushered in the “Arab Spring.” For more information, click here.

Open Doors describes expands on the prayer needs of believers in Tunisia – click here.

“I have no greater joy than to hear my children are walking in the truth.” (3 John 1:4)

Morning Reading: John 4.35-38 NLT

Jesus explained:”… You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
John 4.35-38 NLT