Pray for me, Please?

Why, hello there! It appears as though internet does work here in the Amazon! Me and my partner, Jailson, arrived here in Santo Antônio do Içá at about midnight Saturday night/Sunday morning. Santo Antônio is a city of about 30,000 people. We're living here in the city until we get permission to move into one of the nearby communities. We've had a busy 5 days since we got here. Sunday we ran around town and preached at different churches. Monday we went fishing - we scored about 20 fish and 2 pretty bad thunderstorms in a little unstable wooden canoe. The highlight was catching Piranhas in the nets and then trying to pull them loose while, clearly, being careful that they don't leave their mark on your hand! Tuesday we went and visited our (potential) community. Pray that God opens doors there! It was so wonderful to sit down in the houses of some of the people there and make some chit-chat. Of course, while there my mind was running wild as I looked at each person thinking - "Could he be a church leader here in a year?" or "Could she be a missionary here in a year?" Pray for big things! Wednesday we helped one of the pastors here in town run some errands and what not. Then today, we made it back out to the community and had a wonderful time talking with two brothers who each were probably about 35 years old. We told them we would return there on Sunday and asked permission to do a little Bible Study with them. They accepted! So, this Sunday could be the start, or on a prayer of faith perhaps I should say will be the start, of God doing big things here!

So, having mentioned prayer, let me give some prayer requests! While reading through some of Paul's letters here recently I decided to note each time he said that he was praying something for someone or was asking for prayer for something. I decided that if Paul was praying something over the churches that he was planting, it wouldn't be a bad idea to pray them myself or if he was needing prayer in some area I'll be needing it too. Then I decided I'd pass them along so ya'll, also, could be praying for the same things. So, in order of Bible reference, here they are:

2 Corinthians 1:11 - You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

Ephesians 1:15-21 - For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 6:17-20 - ...and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Philipians 1:9-11 - And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Philipians 4:5-7 - Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 1:9-12 - And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 4:2-4 - 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, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 - We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:25 - Brothers, pray for us.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 - To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 - Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.

1 Timothy 2:1-2 - First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Philemon 1:4-6 - I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith that you have toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints, and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.

I know I already threw a lot out at ya'll, but one more text - and I apologize, it's a big one! In this text Paul does not explicitly say pray for me in this or that, but it is his departing words as he left the church leaders of Ephesus. Obviously not everything that he says would pertain to me. However, pray that I conduct my life in such a way as to be able to have the same mindset and say some of the same words that he says:

Acts 20:18-35 - You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish everyone with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'