As I write this, two major earthquakes have occurred near the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. I regularly pray for missionaries who serve on Sumatra, one of the most difficult places to make Christ known. Yet, these faithful follow¬ers of Christ do so with great diligence and commitment.

This is what God has impressed on me this week: I believe He wants me to encourage you to be generous and prayerful about the needs of the world.

My Bible reading today has been in Revelation, specifically chapters 4-7. These chapters show us what is happening in heaven. Two passages really stand out to me. The first is Revelation 6:9 where John the Apostle is allowed to see under the altar “the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.” What a glorious picture of faithfulness! I thank God for those who have been faithful unto death.

The second passage that has impressed me is Revelation 7:9-10. This passage describes worship in heaven. “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ ”

I want to ask you to take up a regular time to pray that people from every nation, tribe, people, and language may know our great God of love. Please have a prayer time for specific missionaries in specific places, and please use your resources to help take the Gospel to the world.

We are emphasizing two specific areas this month where you can help others know Christ.

Today, we are privileged to have representatives of the Gideons with us. These men seek to distribute God’s Word as widely as possible around the world. Please help them provide Bibles in our country and worldwide. All of the money you give for the Gideons today will be used to provide Bibles.

This is also the time when Southern Baptists emphasize mission efforts to our own country through the Annie Armstrong Offering for North American missions. Would you make a generous offering, knowing that the money that you give will help plant new churches in our own country?

You will be blessed as you pray and provide for the spiritual needs of the world.