The Land of the Midnight Sun: Norway

The Land of the Midnight Sun: Norway

Map It Monday:

Today we place the map of Norway on our fridge.

Printable Map of Norway (and Scandinavia)

Our Prayer:

"Lord, Norway is a breathtakingly beautiful country that so many want to make their home.  We ask that all of Norway would see that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that all who believe in Him will have eternal life. Amen."

Stats and Facts Tuesday:

Please go and check out the Prayercast link for some great general and spiritual statistics.  It is a very informative link.  

Stats, Facts, and Prayer for Norway.

Our Prayer:

"Jesus, cause Norway to return to her first love in the one true God.  Have mercy on the Norwegian church and revive her again.  God we thank you that Norway is becoming a land of many different cultures and for its amazing participation in world missions.  Cause the Norwegian people to burn with love and fervor for You, Amen."

Walk in My Shoes Wednesday:

Today we will be praying for Norway's Prison Fellowship International Ministry.  If you are not familiar with Prison Fellowship, watch the link to Chuck Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship, tell you about the heart and purpose of this ministry.

Read about the New Life program that Norway's Prison Fellowship is implementing to help those who are about to be released be ready for reentry.  

Our Prayer:

"Jesus, even though Norway is a small in population, there are still prisoners who are in need of a Savior.  So Lord, we are asking that you come and strengthen the director and those faithful brothers and sisters who go into the prisons and share the good news of the gospel with over 1,000 inmates. God we ask for salvation, discipleship, and real change to come to those involved with this ministry.  Amen."

Take Action Thursday:

 Today, we are going to send an encouraging email form our family to Norway's director of Prison Fellowship.  We want him to know that we are upholding all of those involved with the ministry in prayer, and for the prisoners and their families as well. 

MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 75 Sentrum 

Skien, 3701 Norway

AFFILIATE DETAILS

Executive Director: Odd Arvid Stykket

Board Chairperson: Ingvald A. Viken

CONTACT INFORMATION

Phone: +(47) 474 54 900

Phone: +(47) 911 22 533

Email: post@pfn.no

Email: odd.arvid@stykket.no

Website: http://www.pfn.no

Our Prayer:

"Lord, please help those in prison in Norway to see that you have come to set the captives free.  Jesus provide for all of those who are volunteering faithfully with Prison Fellowship.  Please bathe the country of Norway in your Holy Spirit's power and give them all a desire to know you and to surrender all to You.  Amen."

The United Kingdom : Land of Hope and Glory

Land of Hope and Glory: United Kingdom

Map It Monday:

Today we place a map of the United Kingdom on our refrigerator.

Printable Map of Untied Kingdom.

Our Prayer:

"Lord, we ask that you would move upon the people of the United Kingdom.  Please come and give these people a hope that never fails and receive all the glory, Lord.  Amen."

Stats and Facts Tuesday:

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Geography

Area: 244,110 sq km

Two main islands: Britain and the northeast of Ireland. A union of four countries: England 103,400 sq km, Scotland 78,800 sq km, Wales 20,800 sq km, Northern Ireland 14,100 sq km. Also three small autonomous states that are dependencies of the British Crown: Isle of Man 588 sq km (in the Irish Sea); Channel Islands 194 sq km (Guernsey, Jersey).

Population: 62,129,818    Annual Growth: 0.54%

Capital: London

Urbanites: 90.1%

Official language: English; in Wales both English and Welsh. English is the primary language of 400 million in the world, as well as the major language of international communication for over 1.4 billion    

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	37,066,649	59.66	-0.8
Evangelicals	5,490,130	8.8	0.0

Challenges for Prayer

Immigration remains a massive challenge, but is also an utter necessity and an unavoidable reality. The seat of British Empire now draws many from the far reaches of its former domains – and beyond. There are an estimated 600,000 to 900,000 illegal immigrants in the UK. Fully 70% of net population growth in the next 25 years is anticipated to be from immigration; in some boroughs and towns more babies are born to immigrants than to citizens. Pray with an eye toward:

a) A core identity and purpose for Britain. Without a cultural centre or core set of values around which to build a multi-cultural society, disintegration and division will triumph. Pray for Britain to regain a sense of what makes it Britain; pray that these values would celebrate and reflect what God rejoices in.

b) Integration. Unwillingness or inability to adjust to life in the UK and lack of support and welcome for many immigrants all contribute to the creation of ethnic ghettoes.

c) Criminal and terrorist threats. Immigrants tend to suffer lower rates of employment and education, and higher rates of poverty and crime. They are much more vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers, crime lords and religious fanatics. The number of people who enter the UK with the intention of criminal or terrorist activity is of course unknown, but it is far too many nonetheless. Pray for all who intend to exploit, disrupt or destroy to be thwarted by the authorities.

d) Christian and mission impact. Immigration, a trend reviled by reactionaries, also brings great blessing to these shores. Christian immigrants have staved off even greater declines in mainline churches and brought new life to many recent movements. “Reverse mission” is an undeniable trend, with around 1,500 Christian missionaries coming into the UK from the Americas, Africa and Asia. Immigration has also brought many unevangelized peoples right onto the doorstep of gospel-oriented churches. Thank God for these twin blessings; pray that both might be fully utilized to see new churches planted, new peoples reached and Jesus glorified.

Brief Geography and History Page on UK for kids

Video of UK important landmarks

Our Prayer:

"Lord, we know that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.  We ask that the British people would call on Your name for wisdom, for direction, and for the saving grace of Jesus Christ to come and bring a new hope and renew their faith in You. Revive Your church again and bring into Your family all of the peoples of the world who are making the United Kingdom their home.  Amen."

Walk In My Shoes Wednesday:

Today we will pray for Parliament, the governing body of the United Kingdom - kind of like our Congress.  We will be praying along with the Evangelical Alliance in England for the members of Parliament.  Please see the following links to understand more about how to pray for the government leaders of the United Kingdom.

Evangelical Alliance: Prayer for Parliament

Common Prayers prayed in Parliament

Our Prayer:

"Jesus, men love power.  The temptation to rule for personal and political gain is very strong.  We pray that you would grant the men and women of Parliament the grace to humble themselves, seek Your face, and to love godly wisdom.  Give the church in the United Kingdom the endurance and long suffering to pray faithfully for their leaders.  Amen."

Take Action Thursday:

Today we will be having our own English inspired tea time.  We will be praying for the United Kingdom during our tea.  Traditionally, afternoon tea is served from 3-5pm. We will also be making cards to take to our dear English friend Ms. Rosemary, who has regaled us with stories of the Blitz in London and her work with the USO during the WWII years.  We hope to bring her some of our English tea.  Enjoy your tea time today and pray for the people of the United Kingdom.  

How do you make an English cup of tea?

Yummy Eats to go along with your British Tea

Our Prayer:

"Lord, You have said, taste and see that the Lord is good.  We want the British people to taste and see the gospel and see that it is indeed good news!  Jesus, come and save the English people, Amen."

Ireland: The Emerald Isle

Ireland: The Emerald Isle

Map it Monday:

Today, we place a map of Ireland on our refrigerator as we pray for the people of this beautiful and historic country.

Printable Map of Ireland

More Ireland Printables

Our Prayer:

"Oh Father of  all Grace, we ask that You make the wondrous gospel of grace known to all of the Irish people.  May they know that You sent Your only Son to die on a cross so that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Amen." 

Stats and Facts Tuesday:

Geography

Area: 70,285 sq km

Comprises 80% of the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland is a constituent part of the United Kingdom.

Population: 4,589,002    Annual Growth: 1.85%

Capital: Dublin

Urbanites: 62%

Official language: Irish, English. Irish spoken as a first language by less than 4% of the population; 40% of the Irish population can speak Irish

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	4,209,033	91.72	1.4
Evangelicals	71,080	1.5	3.3

Challenges for Prayer

The Catholic Church was, for centuries, the preserver and defender of the Irish. Catalyzed by secularism, the rapid onset of modernity and a series of high-profile scandals and cover-ups in the priesthood, the nation is rapidly losing the deep Catholic sensibilities that once tied it together. Once an exporter of trained priests, the Catholic Church today ordains few. Weekly church attendance, once 85% nationally, is now less than 50%, and as low as 5% in parts of Dublin – and there are more non-religious Irish than ever before. Despite this, there is a vibrant charismatic renewal movement within the Catholic Church and unprecedented collaboration with other expressions of the Christian faith. Pray for the Irish nation to rediscover its ancient heritage of deep and profound faith in Christ.

The sex abuse scandals that rocked the Catholic Church devastated the nation’s confidence in what was once a deeply trusted institution. Possibly the only things more damaging than this tragic and sinful abuse are the cover-ups and collusion that occurred after these incidents came to the knowledge of Church leaders. Ireland’s Catholic faith was already on a downward trajectory; these scandals may have thrust it into a death spiral. Pray that true repentance, forgiveness and, where possible, restoration might occur on the part of those involved, and that this may lead to purification and redemption of Catholicism in Ireland. (taken from Operation World)

A Brief History of Ireland

 Our Prayer

"Lord, you invaded Ireland with the gospel many many years ago.  We are asking that you revive the church and raise up many more to take the life giving truth of the gospel to the people of the Emerald Isle once again.  Show us how to pray for a people that is so rich in beauty and in promise.  May they experience a deep gospel saturated heritage once more.  Amen."

Prayer Video for Ireland

Walk in My Shoes Wednesday:

Today we will be praying for World Harvest Mission's work in Ireland.  This missions organization has been working with the people of Ireland for over 30 years.  And because Ireland has the smallest percentage of evangelical Christians of any English speaking country in the world, this is a very significant work. Read more about their mission to Ireland here:

World Harvest Mission: Ireland

First Presbyterian church plant begun in the Republic of Ireland in the last 100 years: 

Our Prayer:

"Raise up workers for the harvest fields of Ireland!  Give Your people a desire to go and share the good news of Jesus' work on the cross to the unchurched people of Ireland, oh Lord. God give the Irish church Your courage to proclaim the gospel and give the people of Ireland a hunger and a thirst for righteousness.  Give the men and women that work with World Harvest Mission in Ireland longsuffering and patience as they sow the gospel seed in the Irish soil.  Amen." 

Take Action Thursday:

Today we will sing an old but familiar Irish hymn, "Be Thou My Vision" together.  As we sing, we will be praying the words of the hymn for the country of Ireland.  

We will also be watching a brief presentation on who St. Patrick really was.

Who was St. Patrick?

Our Prayer:

"Lord, turn the nation of Ireland upside down again with the gospel that sets people free from sin and death.  We ask that You open the eyes and ears of the Irish people to receive the good news of Jesus Christ.  Give the people of Ireland a heart that follows after Christ alone.  We pray that You would be their vision and that they would see You as the Ruler of all, Amen."