Prayer Focus 2017 - December
Friday (1st) – Partnerships:
Publishing meetings were held as a part of the Asian Leaders’ conference (see previous day’s point) and we were very thankful to have representatives from Christian Focus, Riggins International Rights Services and Copenhagen Publishing attending. It is our hope that there will be many projects in the future for CLC in Asia with these partners. Pray that each country will take advantage of these opportunities and that good partnership, and contract prices for each title, will be established. Please pray for God’s guidance on selecting titles and also for collaboration between CLC countries.
The Weekend (2nd/3rd) – Publishing:
CLC Philippines recently co-published, with Copenhagen Publishing, two Children’s Bibles. Please pray that many parents and children will buy and appreciate these Bibles and that the stock in our warehouse will soon move out. These Bibles make good gifts to give at Christmas time. Please also pray for the Christian Focus and Riggins titles that we are considering for publication.
Monday (4th) – Benin:
At the time of writing, our CLC Benin team has already been waiting for many months for the arrival of a shipment of books. Please pray that these books would soon arrive and be cleared through customs so that our customers can have a good choice of books to buy and benefit from.
Tuesday (5th) – Benin:
Please continue to pray for the bookshop in Cotonou. Benin is known as the home of the voodoo religion. Please pray for the continued spiritual protection of our workers and for the growth of the ministry. May our bookshop continue to shine the Light of Christ which dispels darkness. (John 1:5).
Wednesday (6th) – Kenya:
The CLC Kenyan team has just received news that it owes a large amount in taxes. Please pray for them as they are in the process of gathering evidence of taxes paid in the previous years to contest this claim. Please pray for the political situation in Kenya which, at the time of writing, is still unresolved following the August General Election and the subsequent legal challenge over the results. Please also pray for funding for new computers desperately needed to improve their service.
Thursday (7th) – Côte d’Ivoire:
We own two apartments in Abidjan, one of which we have been trying to sell for some time to pay off our debts. We may finally have a buyer, so please pray! The tenant in our other apartment has not been faithfully paying their rent, and we have had to take legal action. Please pray for a quick resolution. Thank you!
Friday (8th) – Burkina Faso:
The past months have been challenging, as we have sought to relaunch the ministry in Burkina Faso after a difficult period. We now have a small team of two, Luc and Gérard, and they are working hard to make CLC’s whereabouts known again after a decline in customers due to two major relocations of the bookshop in less than three years. They are thankful for the support and encouragement of the French West Africa Director and the International Office, also for logistical and financial aid from CLC France and other CLC countries. Please pray for our two determined workers, that the LORD will keep them in health and strength, especially as they seek opportunities to do book tables in addition to serving in the shop.
The Weekend (9th/10th) – Burkina Faso:
Please pray especially for an encouraging flow of fresh stock and good sales, so that the ministry can really ‘pick up’ again and fulfil its purpose in Burkina Faso. Also for Luc, that the LORD will give him wisdom as he takes the lead so that all the financial commitments will be met on time for a healthy future.
Monday (11th) – Spain:
Praise the Lord for recent news from CLC Spain regarding website sales. Over the space of just 20 minutes, they received website orders for books worth 850 Euros. This is encouraging for the team and it came after significant online orders for both CLC Portugal and CLC Italy earlier in the same week.
Tuesday (5th) – Belarus:
As this year marks 500 years since the publishing of the Belarussian Bible there have been many celebrations held around the country. One such event was held at the ‘Ice Palace’ in Brest, a secular venue which seats around 3,000 people. Nick Vujicic (author of the inspirational book Life Without Limits) was the main speaker and our CLC Belarus team were there with a book table. There was originally some opposition to having a Christian bookshop operating in this venue but praise God that Lina Pinkevich, the CLC National Director, already had all the permissions and paperwork in place for CLC to be there!
Wednesday (6th) – United States:
In September, CLC author Jill Briscoe spoke at this year’s IF: Gathering, a women’s leadership event held in Dallas, Texas. Let’s pray for the group of influential leaders and their ministries and also that the Lord will continue to highlight Jill’s writing to an even larger audience.
Thursday (7th) – Colombia:
Praise God for the Thompson Bible Seminars which were held in Colombia’s La Dorada prison in August. This Bible training was offered to both the prisoners and the Christian leaders working there. May the seeds planted in this challenging environment continue to grow and bear much fruit. Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity!
Friday (8th) – United States:
In September, we had major sales increases in both of stores due to the positive response to our Big Bible Sale. Our Cedarbrook branch more than doubled their Bible sales from the same week one year ago and the Moorestown team had a 70% + increase in Bible sales. What a blessing that so many Bibles are now getting in the hands of people in our communities.
The Weekend (9th/10th) – Bolivia:
It was decided earlier this year that CLC Bolivia needed to move their bookshop to a smaller, more economic property in order to lower their expenses. Praise God that in early September that move took place! Not only has this move helped the team financially, it has also placed them in a new area of the city that is very strategic for their ministry. Thank you, Father, for your continued provision!
Monday (18th) – This Christmas Season:
Please remember all our teams around the world this week as they are hopefully very busy in our shops and warehouses making sure that customers are able to get the gifts they need for their loved ones this Christmas. Please pray for good health and stamina. Please also pray that even amidst what seems like complete chaos at times, Jesus’ love and light will shine through to those visiting or passing by our shops. Thank you.
Tuesday (19th) – Korea:
CLC Korea still requires qualified workers who are enthusiastic about CLC’s ministry. Please pray God will help them find the right people. They also require a new forklift truck, which is very expensive. Please pray that they find the funding quickly as it is not a piece of equipment they can go without for long.
Wednesday (20th) – Barbados:
The CLC Barbados team ask for prayer for the funding to fix their roof, which is leaking badly, and for two new computers. Please also pray for our workers, Jeff, Grace, Emmerson and Marion and their families. National Director Wilbert Charles also asks for urgent prayer for his family, especially for his nephew, Kacey. In August, Kacey’s lungs collapsed so he had to be hospitalised. Please pray for his health and his salvation.
Thursday (21st) – Waiting on the Lord:
At the time of writing, Amanda Lutes (formerly with CLC in the UK and now back in her home country of Canada) is still awaiting her USA visa to join Gerardo Scalante in the new branch of CLC IO at the CLC USA headquarters. It has now been a year since this process began. Please pray that God’s will is done and that we will soon have an answer!
Friday (22nd) – CLC Publications:
Since we are now publishing in 22 languages around the world, please pray that our teams will select the right titles to meet the needs of their local people. Pray too that the church will be built up by what we publish, and that our books will help people come to know Jesus, be reconciled to God and mature in their faith. Pray also that the Lord will provide needed funds for various countries to grow their publishing departments.
The Weekend (23rd/24th) – Colombia:
Colombia has a very large Catholic community and, in September, Pope Francis visited our country. Many evangelical Christians took this opportunity to give their friends and family, who do not know Jesus, Christ-centred books. Please pray that these books will continue to light the way to them having a personal faith and relationship with Jesus.
Monday (25th) – Happy Christmas!
Dear Lord, let our hearts be lifted in praise this season for the wonderful gift of Jesus and the joy He brings to each of our lives. May we each receive the gift of faith, the blessing of hope and the peace of His love this Christmas and always. Please help us all to find time to ‘be still and know that You are Lord’ during this Christmas break and renew us for the year ahead. Amen
Tuesday (26th) – Colombia:
Praise God! While attending the Spanish International Book Fair, Expolit, in Miami during August, CLC Colombia was voted Distributor of the Year! What a blessing for the team to receive recognition for a job well done. Please continue to pray for all the new contacts they made at the event and that they will continue to offer quick and quality service on all their orders.
Wednesday (27th) – Chile:
Please pray for a new worker (or another strategy) for CLC Chile to replace our brother, Roberto Molinet, has been running the mobile ministry in southern Chile. After many years of service, he has made real advances in the community, and we would like our ministry there to continue.
Thursday (28th) – Bolivia:
Please continue to pray that new and loyal customers will find us at our recently relocated bookshop and that we will find better ways to make ourselves known in this neighbourhood. We continue to give all the Glory to God for each new day and opportunity He sends our way.
Friday (29th) – Mexico:
Please pray that God will continue to provide the means for us to fulfil all of our financial obligations. As a young team we are trying to reinvest what we can into the ministry to make it sustainable but, as yet, we must be very careful with our spending and savings. We also ask for God to strengthen our team and help us to reach out to the people of Mexico so that they may develop a more intimate relationship with Jesus through our resources.
The Weekend (30th/31st) – Colombia:
In October, CLC Colombia held their Booksellers’ Conference. At this annual event, the attendees often share that the training from publishers was a real blessing and that the fellowship was extremely encouraging. Many leave the conference renewed to continue fulfilling the mission of extending the Gospel in every region of the country, through the written page.
Please pray that all our teams around the world will remain passionate about this purpose in 2018!