Prayer for the world can sometimes be a daunting task.  It seems like there are so many countries, needs, and people groups out there.  One can get so caught up in the extent of the needs that it can overshadow any attempt at prayer for the world at all!  When I sit down to pray for the world, I often start small.  As you pray, God will grow your heart and you will desire to seek new ways to pray for the peoples of the world. 

 To start small think of THUMB, The Four Opens, and Missions in Five.

THUMB is an acronym to help remember and pray through the five major people group categories.

T–stands for Tribes. 

H–stands for Hindu. 

U–stands for China. (flip the C on its end to make a U)

M–stands for Muslim. 

B–stands for Bhuddists.

The Four Opens is four requests for God to open up the peoples of the world toward him through the gospel.

1. Open Doors…to spread the gospel.  “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ.” (Colossians 4:2-3).
2. Open Minds…to recieve the gospel.  “In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
3. Open Hearts…to embrace the gospel.  “For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
4. Open Heavens…to reveal the gospel.  “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.” (Isaiah 45:8).

Missions In Five

Pray through these five verses that summarize what God has promised, what he is doing now, and what will be in the future.  Claim his promises!!

1. “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”” (Genesis 12:1-3).
2. “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you! (Psalm 67:1-3).
3. “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:18-20).
4. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14).
5. “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”” (Revelation 7:9-10).

For some good Bible studies on Missions click  HERE