Hello there, friend. Whether you’re new to the faith—or have been walking with the Lord for decades—here’s a truth you need to remember: True hope is found in Christ alone. 

You’ve probably heard, read, and even sung that truth many times. Maybe, after singing it for the hundredth time on Sundays, it’s lost some of its impact. Let this be a short but important reminder that, no matter where you are, no matter what you’ve done, no matter how far away from God you might feel at the moment: You can find true hope in Christ alone. And he’s “near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). Draw near. Call on him. He’ll answer.

In today’s edition:

• How to pray for South Sudan

• How George Muller decided to not-fundraise (and why)

• How to pray for Muslims after Hajj

🇸🇸 May God provide for their every need—physical and spiritual

The Details: Today, South Sudan faces conflict due to political instability, a refugee crisis, food insecurity, and poverty. 

South Sudan is a spiritually diverse nation. About 60% of the country identifies as Christian. On the other hand, about 33% of the population adheres to indigenous or animist religions, and about 6% are Muslims.

The Takeaways: For the safety of the South Sudanese, pray that God would bring peace and political stability to the country. Pray that the South Sudanese may know the true, everlasting peace that is only found in Christ. With widespread poverty and hunger, pray that God would provide for their physical needs. Lastly, pray that believers may show the love of Christ to their neighbors and that more may come to know Jesus as the true Savior.

🤲🏽 The work of prayer

Do you see prayer as a vital part of the work you do on a daily basis? If not, I’d really love to encourage you to change the way you view prayer – and work – based on the example of George Muller.

George Muller of Bristol is one of my favorite biographies of all time, and I’d highly recommend you read this account of his life. He was born in 1805 and died in 1898, and over the course of his life, he pastored one church for 66 years, traveled to 42 countries, and read the Bible over 200 times.

Yet Muller is most well-known specifically for his care for orphans. Amidst the Industrial Revolution, England (where Muller pastored) was experiencing a massive orphan crisis with thousands upon thousands of children on the streets, destitute and abandoned, most of whom were homeless and driven into forced labor in prison-like conditions. Over the course of six decades, Muller built 5 large orphan houses and provided care for over 10,000 orphans. And this care for orphans didn’t stop with him. His work inspired others in such a way that by the end of Muller’s life, tens of thousands more orphans were being cared for across England.

But what may be most remarkable about Muller’s care for orphans is his approach to prayer. Muller made a decision early on in this ministry to never share information about the financial needs of the orphanages. Instead, he and the ministry staff would simply devote themselves to prayer, and they would trust God to provide everything the orphans needed. 

And that’s exactly what God did. Muller’s biography contains countless stories of workers praying for needs to be met and God answering just in time. Picture the children sitting down for a meal with no milk for the staff to serve them. They prayed, and moments later, a milk truck broke down outside the orphanage. The driver came into the orphanage and asked, “Can you all use this milk before it spoils?” They gladly accepted the milk, the orphans were fed, and the faith of all was strengthened.

That leads to one of my favorite quotes in the entire biography, specifically when Muller describes why he started these orphanages. Pay attention closely to what he wrote:

Did you catch that? Muller said that the primary reason he started this ministry to orphans was not to care for orphans! Now obviously Muller cared for orphans, but his primary aim was to establish a ministry that would show the church—and a watching world—that God is faithful to hear and answer prayer.

None of the above means that it is wrong to make particular needs known to others (instead of only praying). Scripture doesn’t necessitate that we avoid such work (or similar work) to achieve desired ends. But Scripture does call us to see prayer as work. And God does call us to set up our lives, families, and any other work we do in such a way that it is clear that we are completely dependent on him (and prayer to him) for anything good we might desire. And when we devote ourselves to prayer in our lives, families, and any other work we do, we can be confident that “God is faithful still,” and he will hear and answer our prayers.

—David Platt

🇸🇦 Our works can’t save us. Christ alone can.

Earlier this month, about two million Muslims travelled to Mecca, Saudi Arabia—Islam’s holy city—during Hajj. Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, requiring every adult Muslim to make the journey at least once in his or her lifetime. The five-day pilgrimage involves prayers, long treks by foot, and animal sacrifices. Ultimately, Hajj is considered one of the highest acts of devotion to Allah as Muslims are seeking his favor.

How to Pray: Pray that God will reveal himself and the truth of the gospel to the millions of Muslims who made the pilgrimage. Pray that Muslims may know that salvation doesn’t come through works but through Christ alone. Also, pray that the small population of Christians in Saudi Arabia may have the boldness to witness and for their safety as they do so. 

📍 Attention Worthy

• When you think about the future—whether in the short-term or long-term—do you become anxious? Here are two ways the hope of heaven battles your anxiety.

• Looking for good books on the topic of missions? Here are some great suggestions. 

• You may not be on the front lines of getting the gospel to the hardest to reach places, but you can get an idea of what this might look like by watching Tim Keesee’s Dispatches from the Front documentaries. Try a sample. 

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS:

Selah Lipsey, Steven Morales, Jairo Namnún, David Platt, Camille Suazo

MAKE JESUS KNOWN EVERYWHERE!