5 Minutes Monday: Baduy

We are in December, the last month of this year 2014! Thinking of our journey, I only can say that we could go through each challenge of life this year is all because so many people stand with us in prayers. We pray. You pray. God listens. God answers in His way and will, to reveal who He really is and His glory to us.

I would like to encourage you all, keep praying. Do not stop. Just simply because… He listens…

Today, let’s bow down before His throne and lift up the people of Baduy.

The Baduy or Kanekes are a traditional Sunda community who live in Lebak Regency of Banten Province. “Baduy” may have been a name given to them by Dutch researchers. It is also possible that the name Baduy comes from the name of the Baduy River and Baduy Mountain in the northern part of their territory. The group prefers to call themselves the Kanekes people, which comes from the name of the land where they live. They live at the foot of the Kendeng Mountain in Kanekes Village, Leuwidamar District, Lebak Regency, about 40 km from Rangkasbitung city. They speak a dialect of the Sundanese language. (source Joshua Project)

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There are about 25,000 people live in this area. They are one of the least-reached and indigenous people groups in Indonesia who completely do not have God’s word in their language and even no one go to reach out to them. They are one of the closed people groups.

Pray that God will make ways to reach out to them and send His churches to go bringing the Good News to them that will set them free to worship the Living God!

Thanks for praying today!

5 Minutes Monday: P.U.S.H.

P.U.S.H. = Pray Until Something Happens.

I believe that you have heard, or read this abbreviation on any social media or blog posts. Many people use this term to encourage people to keep praying. Jesus is a perfect example of an intercessor. He teaches us how to pray in Matthew 9. He reminds us to pray in private for that’s what God sees in private, He will rewards him. Jesus evens reminds us that we have to pray according to God’s will and in His name, then the Father will answer for the Father knows what’s the best for His children.

There are many guides and books written regarding PRAY and HOW TO PRAY.

But after we read all of these, do we pray? what do we pray for?

Today I would like to encourage you, my friends, to come to the Father with all who you are. He sees your hearts and knows your needs even before you ask Him. He wants to have relationship with you through prayer time. He wants to hear you talking to Him, as His children.

I have 2 prayer points today that I would like to share with you. First, please take 5 minutes to pray for the people of Lampung Abung:

The Lampung Abung are a large group with a social structure that is strong and somewhat separate from other Lampung peoples. The Lampung Abung are made up of three groups: Abung, Seputih and Menggala or Tulang Bawang. Menggala has its own cultural structure called the Megow Pak Tulang Bawang (the Four Clans of Tulang Bawang). The Abung and the Seputih make up a larger group called the Abung Siwow Megow (Nine Clans of Abung). The Lampung Abung live in the regencies of North Lampung, East Lampung, Central Lampung and Tulang Bawang. The Abung are the only group among the Lampung peoples who speak the language Lampung Nyo. There are several registers (levels) of language used for special situations, such as cultural ceremonies. Most of the Abung can also speak Indonesian. Some of them can also use the languages of non-Sumatran peoples who have moved into the area, like Javanese and Sundanese. (source: Joshua Project)

The population of this people group is about 193,000 people. They are least-reached people group in the country and they do not have any Scriptures in their language. Please pray for these needs of God’s word to be available for the Lampung Abung people. And ask God to send His Church to reach out to them.

Second, I would like to invite you all to join all people in the whole word to pray together tomorrow, on November 11. It is Wycliffe World Day of Prayer. Plan to join all of us in all over the world to pray.

And would you please pray today for tomorrow when God’s people get together, He’ll be there, listen to our petitions and answers them to reveal His glory to all nations! Pray also for all of us, who will be praying that God will bless and encourage each of us to see there is hope in Christ Jesus.

Wycliffe’s World Day of Prayer is a global celebration of:

Thanksgiving— as we remember who God is and how He has done the seemingly impossible…again and again.

Joy— as we recognize how God continues to open doors and hearts to accomplish His mission.

Dependence— as we acknowledge that all that we have and are is because of God.

God is sovereign and almighty, yet He has invited us to participate with Him in his mission. Prayer is an essential facet of that participation and keeps us rooted in our relationship with Him.

There is a long tradition of Wycliffe staff and colleagues from partner organizations and churches praying together on behalf of Bible translation. Every day, around the world, people are praying for the Bible translation movements, for the impact of God’s Word on individuals and communities, and for language communities who don’t yet have His Word. But one day a year, November 11, we make a special effort to come together in prayer, united in hearts and minds in all our diverse contexts and locations.

CLICK HERE to learn about the history of this day and how you can participate, including ideas for devotions and videos.

DON’T FORGET TO SETUP YOUR REMINDER OR MARK YOUR CALENDAR TO PRAY: NOVEMBER 11!

5 Minutes Monday: Kikim People

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The Kikim people group live in the Eastern Kikim, Central Kikim, Western Kikim, Tebing Tinggi and Lahat districts in the Lahat regency in South Sumatra province. The Kikim are generally the only people group in the Eastern, Central and Western Kikim districts but there are a few areas with a small number of Javanese as well. In Tebing Tinggi, the Kikim live alongside the Lintang people, Javanese, Sundanese and Saling (Lembak) people. In Lahat, the Kikim live alongside the Lematan people, Javanese and Sundanese. The Kikim can easily understand the Lintang Empat Lawang, Besemah and Semendo dialects, but do not understand the Saling or Lembak dialects. One characteristic of the Kikim dialect is the word ‘lede’, which means “no.” The Kikim are also able to understand the Lematang, Ogan, Enim, Palembang and Belide dialects, among others. However, the Kikim are not able to understand the Komering, Ranau, Daya, Kayu Agung and Aji dialects. (Source: Joshua Project)

Please set aside 5 minutes today to pray for 86,000 people of Kikim. They are least-reached people group. So far they have audio recording of Bible Stories and Jesus Film. Pray for that God’s word will be available for them to read in their heart language. Pray for God is preparing their hearts and sending them His messengers to share the Good News with them.

THANK YOU for praying today!

5 Minutes Monday: Pray In Private

There are many ways we can pray to our Father in heaven. We can pray in a group, or we also can pray in private. What does come in your mind when you read or hear this, “Pray in private?”

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“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Matthew 6:5-8, NLT)

The scripture says that when we want to pray, it is the best way to talk to the Father in heave in private place. To pray is a communication with the Father personally. When we have a close relationship with someone, we rather spend special time with them and have some private time with them to share what’s in our hearts. Just like when we pray to our Father in heaven. It is a special private time to talk with Him and share what’s in our hearts with Him.

And YES He knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him. But as His children and He is our Father, asking a request is a way of communication and building relationship. As parents, my husband and I know what our daughters need before they ask for it. But sometimes, we also need to know from them what they need. We want them to communicate with us what’s in their hearts and minds, what they need or want. And it is the beauty of relationship.

Today, as you come to the Father with thanksgiving, would you also spend 5 extra minutes to pray for the people of Daya?

They live in the Barisan Mountains in the southern part of South Sumatra province. They speak a dialect of the Lampung Api language. Although the Daya can understand Lampung Pesisir and Komering, they do not identify ethnically with the Komering. Instead they identify with the Lampung Pesisir and Ranau people who live to their South. The Daya are spread throughout the two subdistricts of Simpang and Muara Dua in South Ogan Komering Ulu regency in South Sumatra. (source: Joshua Project. Click on that link to read more about Daya people).

source: Joshua Project

source: Joshua Project

There are about 85,000 people of Daya live without hearing the Good News. They do not have 1 single word of God in their heart language, Lampung Api.

Please pray for them that God will make a way for them to have access to His Good News for them in language they understand the best in their hearts.

Please pray God will send his messengers to share the Good New with them, to share His love for them, to make His name known among this people of Daya.

Thank you for praying!

5 Minutes Monday: Pray with Thanksgiving

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Prayer with thanksgiving.

We pray with thanksgiving because we know who our God is and what He is able to do.

We pray with thanksgiving because we knowing that he is always there with us.

We pray with thanksgiving because we know He listens and answers us according to His will.

And today would you spend your 5 minutes to pray for the people of Aji?

Here’s a little bit about this people group:

Source: Joshua Project

Source: Joshua Project

The Aji are a small community who live in a mountainous area of South Sumatra. They are often called the Haji people because according to a folktale they are descendants of a “Haji” (a person who has completed the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca). The Aji live in 14 villages. Eleven of the villages are clustered together in the Muara Dua District of southern Ogan Komering Ulu Regency (OKU): Sukarami, Tanjung Raya, Kuripan, Peninggiran, Surabaya, Sukarena, Karang Pendeta, Kota Agung, Pulau Panggung, Pirikan, Telanay and Sukabumi. In addition, there are three Aji villages located outside of the Muara Dua District cluster: Lubar Village in the Simpang District of southern OKU, Rantau Panjang Village in another area of Muara Dua and Palas Haji Village in the Palas District of southern Lampung Regency. (source: Joshua Project)

source: Joshua Project

source: Joshua Project

Thank you so much for praying for God’s presence be there among the people of Aji. Thank you for praying that God will make a way for these people to access in His word in language they understand best in their hearts.