MNPN Pray without Ceasing #
22 February 2010

 The         Church        






 

(John 13:34, 35; 1 Cor 12:14-26)

1. churches, leaders and believers will cease to compete with one another, because comparison for no good purpose gives way to rivalry, envy and jealousy
2. each person be faithful and obedient with what God has given him/her
3. love in action: all believers will deliberately choose a lifestyle against our natural bent for self-centeredness
   • willing to share God's love with fellow brothers and sisters, walk with each other, hand in hand; let all that we do be done in love, that others will know that we are God's people by our sincere love for one another, and that His name be magnified.

Government Transformation

1. Pray for the political leaders, federal government and the state governments:
   • men and women of truth who hate dishonest gain be the leaders and in position of influence, serving with a sincere heart, having wisdom to discern good and bad counsels
   • cease to play racial cards and exploit religious sentiment
2. Pray for the federal government to be consistent and impartial in its implementation of national policies

   • "The Barisan Nasional federal government yesterday urged why states in the Malay peninsula are not entitled to oil royalty, but was silent about its decision to resume paying the 5 per cent cash payment direct to oil-rich Terengganu," reported Malaysian Insider (22/2/10, http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/53923-oil-royalty-fight-puts-bn-in-a-fix-over-terengganu-payments-)
   • "International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed explained that the Kelantan government was only entitled to compassionate payments and not oil royalty because the state’s right to oil and gas offshore was up to three nautical miles from the coast," reported Bernama (http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=11940)
3. Pray for the judiciary & judges: there will be no partiality and perversion of justice

Drought

1. Pray for the public to be vigilant, responsible and civic conscious
2. Pray for the fire departments to be well equipped, alert and efficient
   • water levels in Johor and Sabah dams are below the normal levels due to drought, it could turn critical if there is no rainfall (http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/22/nation/5719565&sec=nation).
   • According to the Meteorological Department, the conditions in the peninsula and Sabah are highly conducive to bush fires. The rakyat are urged not to conduct any form of open burning and activities that could cause the spread of forest or bush fires. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/2/22/nation/5719562&sec=nation

1. Pray for the wellbeing of the Felda settlers, that the government will immediately work to ease their plight
2. Pray that the government will be sincere and effective in its plans to alleviate poverty 
   • Felda (Federal Land Development Authority) is a government agency set up in 1956. Felda schemes were originally designed as co-operatives, aiming to reduce the poverty among the rural Malay poor by resettling them into the newly developed areas. Felda is currently the world's largest plantation operator. 
   • Anak, an NGO body, representing second and third generations of Felda settlers, claimed that Felda's original goal was perverted. With the passing of Group Settlement Act 1960, "the agency took a turn away from poverty alleviation towards profit optimisation."Up to 80% of land originally cleared and cultivated by settlers ending up under the ownership of Felda Plantations, Anak said. As a result, the scheme has become "one that increased debt burden on settlers and blighted the prospect of their children and grandchildren of ever getting out of the poverty trap." Anak called for the Act to be abolished (21/2/10, http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/124777).