Thursday, 20^th August, 2026

Bible Reading:  2 Corinthians 11: 23–28, Acts 15:26

Memory Verse: Men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 15:26 (YLT)

A missionary is a person that promotes his faith, usually by traveling to a foreign location. There, he/she carries out evangelism, and/or provides humanitarian services like education and healthcare. We mustn’t forget the labours of men like David Livingstone (1813–1873), a Scottish medical missionary who dedicated his life to mapping the continent and fighting the Arab slave trade, and Anthony Norris Groves (1795–1853), a pioneer of faith missions and modern missionary work in the Muslim world. He left a lucrative dentistry practice in England for missions in Baghdad and India. 

Missionary work looks exciting from the outside—new countries, new cultures, and lives being changed. But behind the scenes, many missionaries are fighting battles most people never see.

Some struggle with loneliness. Imagine being in a country where you don’t understand the language. You can’t easily express yourself, joke, or even explain your feelings. Many missionaries go weeks or months without deep conversation.

Others face financial pressure. A missionary in a rural part of Africa may depend on irregular donations. Some months, they don’t know how rent or food will be covered.

There are also cultural struggles. A missionary in Asia might spend years learning how to communicate the gospel in a way that makes sense to people with completely different beliefs. Sometimes, despite their best efforts, they see little visible fruit.

Then there is persecution. In certain regions, missionaries risk arrest, rejection, or even violence. A pastor in the Middle East might secretly gather believers at night because open worship could cost them their freedom or their lives.

Even families are affected. Missionary children often move frequently, lose friendships, and grow up between cultures, sometimes feeling like they don’t fully belong anywhere.

Yet, in all this, they continue. Why? Because they are convinced that the message they carry is worth the cost.

Their lives remind us that serving God is not always convenient, but it is always meaningful.

Now to You: In what ways are you involved in evangelical/mission work in your neighbourhood and around the world? We are only remembered for the problems we solve.

Quote:  Missionaries don’t just carry the gospel. They carry sacrifice, tears, and unwavering faith.

Prophetic Decree: Every assault of hell against missionaries and mission shall backfire, in Jesus name. 

Prayer Focus

1. Pray for missionaries facing loneliness that God will comfort them.

2. Pray for missionaries lacking financial support.

3. Pray for missionaries for boldness and protection in hostile regions.

4. Pray for missionaries that their families, especially their children will be stable and live in peace.

5. Ask God how you can support missionary work through prayer, giving, or going.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Habakkuk 1-3