“The real surprise is that Afghanistan is not already on the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list,” Todd Nettleton of The Voice of the Martyrs USA says.

“I don’t think anyone looks at Afghanistan says, ‘Oh, yeah, they’re making progress on religious freedom.’”

Notably, “this (USCIRF list) runs about a year behind,” Nettleton clarifies, and “last year they could say, ‘Well, the Taliban just took over.’ But I hope this year that Afghanistan will be added to the CPC list.”

Support Christians in Afghanistan through VOM USA.

India is another recommendation worth following. On Tuesday, India’s External Affairs Ministry spokesperson rejected the USCIRF report and its criticisms.

“India is very concerned about this. There are multiple stories in the Indian press; it gets a lot of attention,” Nettleton says.

(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

The State Department uses USCIRF recommendations to make CPC designations, often leading to sanctions. Will India’s push-back be enough to sway decision-makers in the State Department? Only time will tell.

Nettleton says State Department officials evaluate the issue from multiple angles before making a final decision. “It’s like, ‘We’ve got to protect our trade relationships; how much can we afford to offend these countries?’” he explains.

“We have a lot of trade with India, [and] we want India to help us counter the influence of China.”

Today on the U.S. National Day of Prayer, ask the Lord to strengthen and encourage persecuted Christians worldwide. Pray for wisdom for U.S. government officials as they make foreign affairs decisions based on USCIRF information.

“It’s a surprise every year when the State Department doesn’t put India on the CPC list because we know it’s getting worse. We know more and more Christians are facing persecution; other religious minorities are facing persecution,” Nettleton says.

Header image courtesy of…

However, Barry*, the international prayer leader with Global Disciples, says they hold a high-level view of prayer and its impact.

“We believe at Global Disciples that prayer often precedes and lays the foundation for God to work in lives and communities and even nations.”

Putting Words to Action

Global Disciples seeks to reach the least-reached around the world with the Gospel. They have over 1,600 programs and directors leading church planting movements among the least-reached.

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples)

Additionally, Barry explains, “We ask all of them to work at developing a prayer team. So we potentially have…about [1,600] prayer teams internationally that are being encouraged and equipped and developed and are praying. That’s a pretty amazing network.”

The ministry also has eight regional prayer leaders who advance on prayer initiatives in their regions around the world.

“We have one regional prayer leader who is focused specifically on developing teams in restricted access regions. That’s something we are just getting off the ground and so that’s pretty exciting too. They are going to be focused on areas in the Middle East and North Africa and in Asia where it’s particularly restricted for missionaries or others to go in,” Barry says.

“We also send teams into groundbreaking areas [and] least-reached areas ahead of our programming. We also try to have an on-site prayer team at all of the training events and things that we do.”

First Line of Defense

Sending prayer teams ahead of ministry initiatives means prayer is literally Global Disciples’ first line of defense.

Barry says they saw the power of prayer firsthand when a Global Disciples team recently held a gathering event in a high-crisis region.

“There was lots of violence, lots of rampant gunshots, and it was a really difficult area for people to gather. There was a lot of uncertainty about what would happen, but they decided to hold the event anyway.

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples via Facebook)

“So there was a team that went in ahead of time to pray and they sent me an email basically saying that during that week, there were no gunshots. The whole region was quiet — totally, almost unexpectedly — and they had no issues with any of the people arriving there safely. While the event was happening, there was only one person who became sick and they prayed for them and they were healed and able to fulfill their responsibilities.

“[It was] just an amazing way that our on-site team was able to really quiet the area through prayer and through God’s work.”

Barry also heard another powerful story from a woman in a least-reached village in Asia. She and her three children suffered from illnesses and demon possession. Then a prayer team with Global Disciples visited her village and met her. The team prayed for her family, but nothing happened.

“She just was weeping as she told the story. [The prayer team] left and went back…and decided that they were going to pray and fast and then eventually go back. So they prayed and they fasted. They went back to this house and surrounded it with the whole team. Then a few of them went in again and prayed over this family.

“This time, God healed this family, and the oldest son in that family is now the pastor of the first church that’s planted in that village.”

Join the Movement

There are several ways you can be part of this Gospel-based prayer movement. You can pick a people group or country and pray with boldness for their people to seek the face of Jesus. Pray for Christians going into least-reached regions to find favor and a platform to share the Gospel.

(Photo courtesy of Global Disciples)

You can also join Global Disciples in prayer and fasting on the first Friday of every month. Several of their team members set their alarms for either 9:38 or 10:02 as a reminder to pray. The times represent Matthew 9:38 and Luke 10:2.

Finally, Global Disciples has several prayer resources available at their website here!

“We have a 7 Day Family Prayer Guide on there, which is a really good resource for families,” Barry says. “It talks about different people groups, a little bit about the Muslim world, the Hindu world, the Buddhist world, and so forth, and just can educate families on how to pray into the work of reaching everyone with the Gospel. There’s also a 40 Day Prayer Guide for the least-reached, so you can access those through the website.”

Today, as we recognize the National Day of Prayer, please join MNN and Global Disciples in praying for God’s name to be made great in least-reached communities around the world.

“I think the foundations that are being laid in prayer right now are going to open the way for some pretty powerful things that God is going to do in the world in this generation.”

*First name only for security purposes.

And yet, says the National Day of Prayer (NDOP) Task Force, atheists and anti-religion lobbyists are constantly attacking the United States' Judeo-Christian foundation.

Today, on the National Day of Prayer, millions are uniting in direct opposition to these attacks. According to the NDOP Task Force, today's event will be the largest prayer day on record. Individuals are being asked to pray, petition, and be a voice of reason.

To learn more about the National Day of Prayer or to find an event in your community, click here.

During last year's elections, the sanctity of human life, preservation of marriage, defense of Israel, and religious freedoms became a center point of criticism and attack. Many were unaware of a new aggressive, socialistic agenda sweeping across the land, says the NDOP Task Force.

"Abraham Lincoln, quoting from the biblical passage of Mark 3:24, boldly stated that 'a house (nation) divided against itself cannot stand,'" says John Bornschein, Vice Chairman of the NDOP Task Force.

But eyes are being opened, and the NDOP Task Force says their outcry is significant. The Task Force designated "Pray for America" as today's theme and chose Matthew 12:21 as this year's Scripture: "In His name the nations will put their hope."

Pastor Greg Laurie, the group's 2013 Honorary Chairman, wrote a special prayer to be simultaneously read throughout the country at noon (EDT).

The NDOP Task Force says this reading will trigger a huge wave of prayer, flowing from one coast to another, acknowledging God's dominion over circumstances and illustrating the unity of His people.

Join believers throughout the United States in praying for this nation. Pray that the Lord will move through the petitions of His people.

While the United States was founded under God, are its people under God? Dr. Joe Stowell, President of Cornerstone University, says they've fallen away. "Our society has really been willing to throw God under the bus; either that, or just totally ignore Him, His values, and His systems of living and patterns of morality that bring health and peace to any nation."

Stowell says most in the United States would say, "No, we're probably not under God." But Stowell says if the U.S. is to return, it has to start with Christians. "If we as Christians and the church in America can get back to prayer, which really excites me, it's big reminder to all of us. Bringing our nation under God begins with bringing myself under God, and then bringing the church under God."

Stowell also says Christians need to stop throwing rocks at the unsaved. "If they could see in my life, and in the life of the church in America, winsomeness, health, peace, and joy, there would be something that would cause them to say, 'What do you have that I don't have?'" Instead, says Stowell, "They see a church that's long on mad and short on mercy — long on consternation and short on compassion."

According to Stowell, the message is this: the people of the United States won't return to God unless we lead them back.

Wayne Pederson, President of HCJB Global, says for their ministry, it's not just a national day of prayer. "For us it's a global day of prayer as we take this occasion to pray for the cause of global evangelism. Jesus commanded us to love God with all of our heart, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. And who is our neighbor? Our neighbor is the person around the world who hasn't heard the name of Christ."

Pederson says prayer unites believers, which is a key to evangelism. "Like the early church in the first century, people were attracted to the unity in the church; our prayer is that people around the world would be attracted to Christ by the unity of His followers."

Take time to pray today and every day.

Much prayer is needed.

From government disintegrations in the Middle East, to natural disasters in Asia, there is much to be covered in intercession this year. Join with us today.

Pray for many countries in disarray in the Middle East. Pray for peaceful endings to rebellions in Syria, Libya and surrounding countries. Pray that believers would remain strong and would continue to show Christ's love in the midst of all-out war.

Pray for the citizens of Japan to cling to Christ in this difficult time. Pray for American and Japanese aid workers to not grow weary of serving others and serving the Lord. Pray that this indeed would be a spark for revival in the Japanese church.

Pray for believers who have been made vulnerable by the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden's assassination puts many Christians in Muslim-dominated regions at risk of retaliatory attacks due to the association many Muslims have with Christianity and the West. Pray that believers would be safe and would be bold as many Muslims continue to come to the Lord.

Pray for the forgotten Christians of Burma. Pray that especially in the aftermath of a terrible earthquake, believers' needs would be met. Pray that God would continue to break barriers in that country.

Pray for believers in the United State, who are constantly up against all sorts of lies from the enemy. Pray that American Christians would not waver in their faith, would not give into temptation to water down the Gospel, and would be proactive in taking the Truth to the ends of the earth, as well as to their backyards.

Numerous ministries will be participating in the National Day of Prayer. Join world-renowned evangelist Luis Palau today from 8:30 to 11:30 PST to pray for evangelistic efforts worldwide. Tune in here.

Other ministries, including Biblica, will also be participating. Go to our "Mission Groups" page to visit other ministries that may have specific prayer requests.

The appeals case follows after U.S. District Judge Barbara
Crabb declared the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional back in April 2010. The court's
decision is now being reviewed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh
Circuit.

According to the Family Research Council, the brief filed
does not go far enough to defend the NDP, failing to cite key cases, which
would require Judge Crabb's decision to be overruled.

In accordance with this inadequate brief, Family Research
Council and The Liberty Institute announced they will be filing a motion for
argument to ensure the NDP remains a national event.

This weak defense by the Justice of Defense comes as no
surprise in light of President Obama's religious rights jargon of recent
months. Since November 2009, in his speeches at a Ft. Hood memorial service, Obama
has been using the phrase "freedom to worship," instead of "freedom
of religion."

While freedom of religion allows for one to practice the
religion of their choosing in public spaces, "freedom to worship" refers
to acts of religion and faith practiced in private and behind closed doors.

Therefore, his phrasing chips away at the U.S. Constitution and
the freedoms it allows. Yet, the appeals court has yet to pass a ruling in
favor of the NDP, while the Family Research Council maintains the NDP is not unconstitutional.

In response, the Faith and Freedom Institute has sent a
letter to the President, petitioning him to change his incorrect and misleading
phrase "freedom to worship."

You can view the letter at faithandfreedominstitute.com and
add your voice to this request by contacting your Congressman.

The amicus brief is a brief submitted by someone, not a
party to the case, who volunteers information to help the court decide the
matter at hand. In this case, Liberty Institute submitted the brief,
representing Dr. James Dobson, the Family Research Council (FRC), Focus on the
Family Action (Citizenlink), the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU), Let
Freedom Ring, and Liberty Council, among others.

The Justice Department filed an appeal to preserve the
National Day of Prayer after Judge Barbara Crabb ruled back in April that it
was a violation of the First Amendment.

Kelly Shackelford, president/CEO of Liberty Institute, called
Crabb's ruling an attack on America's heritage and an attempt "to undo 200 years of American history," according to PR Newswire.

Since the inception of the United States, Americans have had the
freedom to practice their preferred religion  and to gather for prayer when they
wish. If Crabb's case is not repealed, the foundation of this freedom would be
shaken.

Pray that the court will rule in favor of the National Day of Prayer
and the Justice Department, retaining this national observance day and
religious freedom in the U.S.

You can view the brief submitted by Liberty Institute at tinyurl.com/2837gj5.

Among those petitioning God is evangelist Sammy Tippit of Sammy Tippit Ministries. In his prayer, he urged God to send a spirit of revival across the country and for America to return to the foundation of faith on which it was established.

Join Tippit in his prayer: "Father, I just come to You, and I pray for our country, from people in slum areas to the people in wealthy areas. I pray for our political leaders, our church leaders, for everyday, ordinary people. I pray that we would once again humble ourselves and turn to You. Oh God, I pray that You would move among us, that You would send that great revival that is needed in this country, that You would change our institutions, You would change our culture. Father, bring us back to those things that have made us great in the past. Bring us back to our faith and trust in You. I pray, Father, that Jesus would once again be magnified in this country, as Lord and Savior. And I thank You that You're going to do that. In Jesus' Name, Amen."

Add your prayers to the millions being lifted up today. Visit the National Day of Prayer Web site for specific issues to pray for and locations for prayer near you.

However, do not let today be the only day you are intentional about prayer. Consider praying for the many needs of Sammy Tippit Ministries by clicking here to learn more.

The idea for the law establishing the National Day of Prayer came in 1952, at the end of Billy Graham's six-week Washington, D.C. revival.

Rev. Graham had been invited by House Speaker Sam Rayburn to conclude his series of messages by leading a worship service on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. Speaking there to a crowd that observers claimed was bigger than for most inaugurations, Billy Graham said, "What a thrilling, glorious thing it would be to see the leaders of our country today kneeling before Almighty God in prayer. What a thrill would sweep this country. What renewed hope and courage would grip Americans at this hour of peril."

The very next day, Representative Percy Priest introduced the bill which established a National Day of Prayer, noting that the country had been "challenged yesterday by the suggestion made on the east steps of the Capitol by Billy Graham that the Congress call on the President for the proclamation of a day of prayer."

This year, Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, is the honorary chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. The year's theme is "Prayer: For such a time as this."

This year, for the first time, there will be a National Day of Prayer observance on the steps of the U.S. Capitol. On May 6, 2010, beginning at 11:30 a.m. when the Bible Reading Marathon concludes, and continuing until 1:00 p.m., there will be a Solemn Assembly of Prayer.

Don't expect music or speeches, and don't bring any banners or signs.

For such a time as this, the prayer time on the Capitol steps will have no pomp, just prayer. No protest, just prayer. No personalities, just prayer. No party division, just prayer. Communion will be offered at the end of the time of prayer. That's what we all need right now, for such a time as this.

On April 15, Judge Barbara Crabb ruled that the day violated the First Amendment because it supported the establishment of a national religion.

However, evangelist Sammy Tippit of Sammy Tippit Ministries said, "The National Day of Prayer is a proclamation by the president of the United States to encourage people to pray. It does not say that any one has to pray, or pray according to a certain religion or religious group."

People who observe the day do so out of free choice, and Crabb's ruling has many wondering: since when has free participation been unconstitutional?

Atheists, agnostics and religious advocates have all joined the debate. Religious individuals do not want their rights taken away, and atheists and agnostics oppose the day, mostly because they think the country could be spending their money on something else, according John Bornschein, executive director of the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

Dayton Mayor Gary Leitzell said in the Dayton Daily News, "I don't observe the day, but I think for a lot of people prayer can be powerful and therapeutic. I think it's an individual decision to pray or not. It's not like the government is mandating everyone [to] go out and pray."

Since George Washington, U.S. presidents have made this proclamation, just as Barack Obama plans to do next week.

With this appeal in process, Tippit said even if it does not go through, Christians should remember, "Hope for this country does not lie in the White House but in the church house."

If nothing else, this ruling has put prayer on the national agenda, as well as reminded Christians just how important it is.

Tippit said, "I think that the Christian church needs to sit down and take a hard look at where we are and what we've done … and what kind of ground we've lost in recent years. It seems as though in our country we're moving backward in relationship to what prayer means to this country and what prayer means to our lives."

If this happens, it could even spark a revival: "We need to mobilize ourselves in our business places, in our churches, in our communities, to pray and seek the face of God. And if we are forbidden to do that, we just continue on," Tippit said.

Visit the Sammy Tippit Ministries Web site to learn more about their ministry and what they are doing to spark revival across the U.S. and the world.