praying hands modern cafe | Wycliffe Associates | Advancing Bible Translation

This morning I read a verse for the third or fourth time this week. The Bible reading plan I’m using includes reading two or so chapters each day and the same two verses each day for a week. I’m reading through 1 Samuel now and one verse I’ve been reading each day is 2 Timothy 4:17. Today it seemed to be written just for me! I love it when this happens, and of course it doesn’t happen every day. I’m sure you’ve had this experience too. So here is the verse in the NIV.

But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength,
so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

I have been writing Prayer Watch and the 30-day Devotional for Wycliffe Associates for quite a long time now. And I can truly say that the Lord has stood by me and given me strength to proclaim the message—that is, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that is going around the world through Bible translation. Then, a couple of weeks ago I read these verses.

But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under the law,
to redeem those under the law,
that we might receive adoption to sonship. 
Because you are his sons,
God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts,
the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father”  
So you are no longer a slave,
but God’s child;
and since you are his child,
God has made you also an heir.

Galatians 4:4-5 (NIV)

This is the gospel, that God sent His son to redeem us. We were adopted to become God’s children and heirs with Jesus, God’s only begotten Son. Then God sent the Holy Spirit to us to live in us. What an awesome gift. And, you dear prayer partners and I, have the precious opportunity to pray for those who desperately need to hear of redemption. And then we help them translate God’s Word into their language so they can know the truth of the gospel and even share it with their communities.

So, let’s pray for those pleading for God’s Word in their language. They are asking for training and technology so they can give their people the gift of God’s Word in their own language.

  • Pray for the team reaching out to church communities encouraging them to consider translating the Bible for their own people groups who do not have Scripture in their language.

  • Pray for safety and open doors as these teams travel into some of the most difficult terrains and into areas dangerous to Christians.

  • Please ask God to be present during the translation training events so that the translators will be encouraged and strengthened to do the difficult work of translating the Bible into their own language.

  • Please pray for the teams training those who are creating the audio translations—teaching them how to make sound proof studios and using the right equipment for clear recording of the Scripture.

  • Please pray for the teams training the Deaf and Deaf-Blind to read Scripture using the new easy to learn SUN (Symbolic Universal Notation) language.

  • Pray that all the technology being used for Bible translation will work well and will be kept safe.

  • Pray for good internet connections so translated Scripture in the local language can be uploaded to the cloud storage for safe-keeping and preparation for printing.

  • Please pray for the discipleship teams helping language groups learn to teach Bible studies, teaching them to pray, and teaching how to use Scripture in music.

  • Pray that pastors and church leaders will use their mother-tongue to preach, read Scripture, pray and teach God’s Word to their congregations. And pray they will be eager to share the gospel with neighbor communities who speak the same language.

  • Pray that God will be glorified in all the results of Bible translation.

As Christmas draws near, I hope we will remember to pray for the lost family members and friends  who do not know Jesus, God’s Son, and that we will take the opportunity to share with them the gospel of Jesus. And I pray we will look forward to celebrating that sweet event—the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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