South of the Border: Mexico
Map It Monday
Today we place a map of Mexico on our refrigerator to begin our week
of prayer for our first country south of the border.
Our Prayer:
“Lord
Jesus, we turn our eyes and hearts to the country of Mexico. We ask that You would come in power to a
nation that is so rich in its heritage and its attraction to all things
spiritual. For we know that you will not
turn away from anyone who calls on the name of the Lord. For
God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him
shall not perish but have eternal life. Amen.”
Stats and Facts Tuesday
Population: 110,645,154
Official language: Spanish; the world’s largest
Spanish-speaking nation
Christian: 95.03% Evangelical: 8.3%
Topical Geography: Latin America’s third largest country. Wide range of topography and
rainfall ranging from arid northern plateau, central volcanic plateau and the
southern mountains and rain forests. Only 10% of the country is arable.
Prayer Challenges:
For 300 years the Catholic Church dominated Mexico. Most Mexicans are
culturally Catholic but not practicing; only 10% are regular churchgoers. Many
others blend elements of Amerindian spiritism, including gods and goddesses,
into folk Catholicism. Pray for renewal to spread and deepen by the Holy
Spirit’s power, and for the polluting influences of ancient gods and the
spirit-world to be broken among those with Christo-pagan beliefs and practices.
Evangelicals have grown, even amid some opposition in certain areas.
Growth is in both international denominations and in vigorous newer indigenous
movements. Pray that the momentum might be maintained. The highest
concentrations of evangelicals are in large cities, in northern states
bordering the USA and in southern states where there is a higher proportion of
Amerindian peoples. Returnees from the USA are influential in bringing
evangelical Christianity back with them. Many Mexicans seek a spirituality
beyond what they see as empty religious traditions. Pray for this growth to be
sustained in both numbers and spiritual depth. (Operation World)
Our Prayer:
Walk In My Shoes Wednesday
UIM Ministries reaches out
to the indigenous people of Mexico located in the Sierra Madre mountain
range. These people are isolated from
much of the world and have many basic needs such as clean water and healthy
food. UIM is an aviation ministry that
partners with other missions, such as Wycliffe Bible Translators, to help these
people groups in Mexico. Please pray for
their all-important work, in particular to the Huichol people of Mexico.
Our Prayer:
“Please Lord, send the resources and men and women that these precious people in the Sierra Madre Mountains need. Give them the message of good news in the gospel so that they have hope and a new reason for living. Send godly doctors, translators, and pastors to help these people groups. Let them see many generation that follow after You, Lord. Amen.”
Take Action Thursday
Today we
are going to pray for the people of Mexico, in particular the Huichol people,
UIM ministries, and the people who live in the Sierra Madre Mountain
Range. We will be using Romans 10:8-17
as we pray.
Our Prayer:
But what
does it say? “The word is near
you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we
proclaim); because, ifyou confess
with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe
in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved. For
with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses
and is saved. For the Scripture
says, “Everyone who believes in
him will not be put to shame.” For
there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call
on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.”
How
then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to
believe in him of whom they have
never heard?And how are they to hear without
someone preaching? And how are
they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those
who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has
believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing
through the word of Christ.
Because
the gospel is such sweet news to those who are perishing, we might try our hand
at this Mexican desert and meditate on the sweet, good news of Jesus Christ for
Mexico while we bake and eat it. Mexican Apple Enchiladas
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