Words of Encouragement For Every New Day

Praying for the nations: French Polynesia ~ 25 Jan 2025

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Background:
French Polynesia consists of five archipelagos -- the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, the Society Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago. The Marquesas were first settled around 200 B.C. and the Society Islands around A.D. 300. Raiatea in the Society Islands became a center for religion and culture. Exploration of the other islands emanated from Raiatea, and by 1000, there were small permanent settlements in all the island groups. Ferdinand MAGELLAN was the first European to see the islands of French Polynesia in 1520. In 1767, British explorer Samuel WALLIS was the first European to visit Tahiti, followed by French navigator Louis Antoine de BOUGAINVILLE in 1768 and British explorer James COOK in 1769. King POMARE I united Tahiti and surrounding islands into the Kingdom of Tahiti in 1788. Protestant missionaries arrived in 1797, and POMARE I’s successor converted in the 1810s, along with most Tahitians. In the 1830s, Queen POMARE IV refused to allow French Catholic missionaries to operate, leading France to declare a protectorate over Tahiti and fight the French-Tahitian War of the 1840s in an attempt to annex the islands.

In 1880, King POMARE V ceded Tahiti and its possessions to France, changing its status into a colony. France then claimed the Gambier Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago and by 1901 had incorporated all five island groups into its establishments in Oceania. A Tahitian nationalist movement formed in 1940, leading France to grant French citizenship to the islanders in 1946 and change it to an overseas territory. In 1957, the islands’ name was changed to French Polynesia, and the following year, 64% of voters chose to stay part of France when they approved a new constitution. Uninhabited Mururoa Atoll was established as a French nuclear test site in 1962, and tests were conducted between 1966 and 1992 (underground beginning in 1975). France also conducted tests at Fangataufa Atoll, including its last nuclear test in 1996.

France granted French Polynesia partial internal autonomy in 1977 and expanded autonomy in 1984. French Polynesia was converted into an overseas collectivity in 2003 and renamed an overseas territory in 2004. Pro-independence politicians won a surprise majority in local elections that same year, but in subsequent elections, they have been relegated to a vocal minority. In 2013, French Polynesia was relisted on the UN List of Non-Self-Governing Territories.

Natural Resources:
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Population:
303,540

Languages:
French (official) 73.5%, Tahitian 20.1%, Marquesan 2.6%, Austral languages 1.2%, Paumotu 1%, other 1.6% (2017 est.)

Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Median age:
35.3 years

Health risk:
NA

Education expenditure:
NA% of GDP

Literacy:
Total population: NA%

Environmental issues:
sea level rise; extreme weather events (cyclones, storms, and tsunamis producing floods, landslides, erosion, and reef damage); droughts; fresh water scarcity

Capital: Papeete (located on Tahiti)

Chief of state:
President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Eric SPITZ (since 23 September 2022)

Head of government:
President of French Polynesia Moetai BROTHERSON (since 12 May 2023)

Economic situation:
small, territorial-island tourism-based economy; large French financing; lower EU import duties; Pacific Islands Forum member; fairly resilient from COVID-19; oil-dependent infrastructure

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):
USD $5.65 billion (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate:
11.72% (NA% of population below poverty line)

Transnational issues:
None

Source: CIA, The World Factbook Prayers for French Polynesia

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY bread of life. The first and the last. The beginning and the end. You reign forever in French Polynesia. You alone govern and rule the earth. All authority is Yours and in Jesus name we pray for Your will to be done. Open the doors, Father. We pray that the world would always hunger and thirst for You. May we know what it means to never hunger and thirst again.

Lord, we pray that Your Word will be the firm and solid foundation on which all men will stand and live on. We pray that Your Word will come to life in French Polynesia. May Your children turn to You once again. May Your people live according to the Word of God and not waver upon it.

Father, You can use any nation; big or small. Today, we pray that You would use this nation to humble the biggest and most powerful. Your hand of glory reigns upon French Polynesia.

Lord, nothing is hidden from You. Bind the work of the enemy. We pray that You would raise up a mighty generation. A generation that lives for You and You alone. Father, may these leaders transform French Polynesia for Your glory.

God, You have promises for this island and people. Promises which You have made before this Island was ever formed. Your promises are yes and amen. May these promises be fulfilled today. Today, we pray for all of us who call You Father, let us not take God for granted. In Jesus name, amen.

Lord, Your word says that you use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and you chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). Today we praise your name always Lord. In Jesus name we know You are mighty and Your glory is going to shine, Amen.

Psalm 33:11-12 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

James 1:12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Haggai 2:6-7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty.

Deuteronomy 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

Deuteronomy 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Father, as your word says is Acts 5:38-39, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

The plans of God cannot be stopped, in Your Holy name we thank you and praise You. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Isaiah 51:4 Listen to Me My people, hear Me, My nation: The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, My salvation is on the way, and My arm will bring justice to the nations.

Words of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 25 Jan 2025

Common Sense - only one God

This is common sense; only one God has the power to save. Only one God gave us life, died for us on the cross, and conquered sin, satan, and death. Therefore, there is only one God that we fear. However, why is it so complicated to put all our faith, trust, and hope in this God?

Acts 4:12 (ESV) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The world is foolish. The world and man can do everything it can to twist the Word of God but they will fail. We cannot run away from common sense. We cannot alter what is fact. Man can form and create alternatives to our God; however, once again, only one God has the power to save.

Matthew 10:28 (ESV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I do not know about you, but it is time to put our faith, trust, and hope in the one who has the power to destroy both soul and body in hell. I do not know about you, but it is common sense and not complicated to see that there is only one God. No matter how hard men can try to copy the Bible or form their own religion, nothing can compete.

© 2025 Lee Shaun Tzen

Praying for the nations: France ~ 24 Jan 2025

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Background:
France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. It plays an influential global role as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, NATO, the G-7, the G-20, the EU, and other multilateral organizations. France rejoined NATO's integrated military command structure in 2009, reversing then President Charles DE GAULLE's 1966 decision to withdraw French forces from NATO. Since 1958, it has constructed a hybrid presidential-parliamentary governing system resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier, more purely parliamentary administrations. In recent decades, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common currency, the euro, in January 1999. In the early 21st century, five French overseas entities -- French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Reunion -- became French regions and were made part of France proper.

Natural Resources:
metropolitan France: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum, timber, arable land, fish
French Guiana: gold deposits, petroleum, kaolin, niobium, tantalum, clay

Population:
68,374,591

Languages:
French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9% (2021 est.)

note: France maintains a tradition of secularism and has not officially collected data on religious affiliation since the 1872 national census, which complicates assessments of France's religious composition; an 1872 law prohibiting state authorities from collecting data on individuals' ethnicity or religious beliefs was reaffirmed by a 1978 law emphasizing the prohibition of the collection or exploitation of personal data revealing an individual's race, ethnicity, or political, philosophical, or religious opinions; a 1905 law codified France's separation of church and state

Median age:
42.6 years

Health risk:
NA

Education expenditure:
5.5% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy:
Total population: NA%

Environmental issues:
some forest damage from acid rain; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution from urban wastes, agricultural runoff

Capital: Paris

Chief of state:
President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017)

Head of government:
Prime Minister Gabriel ATTAL (since 9 January 2024)

Economic situation:
high-income, advanced and diversified EU economy and euro user; strong tourism, aircraft manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and industrial sectors; strong US partner; ongoing pension reform protests and civil unrest; transitioning to a green economy via "France 2030" strategy

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):
USD $3.764 trillion (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.32% (15.6% of population below poverty line)

Transnational issues:
metropolitan France: transshipment point for South American co***ne, Southwest Asian he**in, and European synthetics;

French Guiana: small amount of ma*****na grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe;

Martinique: transshipment point for co***ne and ma*****na bound for the US and Europe

Source: CIA, The World Factbook Prayers for France

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY bread of life. The first and the last. The beginning and the end. You reign forever in France. You alone govern and rule the earth. All authority is Yours and in Jesus name we pray for Your will to be done. Open the doors, Father. We pray that the world would always hunger and thirst for You. May we know what it means to never hunger and thirst again.

Father, we pray that Your name will be glorified, praised, and worshiped forever. We pray that the Word of God will be the firm and solid foundation of France. May the Bible come to life once again. We pray that the hearts of men would turn to You.

Father as this nation continues to mature and develop, we can see how Your children are turning away from You. We pray against the work of the enemy. We pray that Your children will be able to see and discern what is of You and what is not.

Lord, we pray that You would be the firm and solid foundation of France. Raise up righteous men and women who stand firm upon the Word of God. Righteous leaders who will not tolerate the corruption of the Word of God, the abuse of women and children, and injustice.

You have a mighty purpose and calling for this nation and its people. Father, shake the very foundations. Convict the hearts of men. Remove all that is not of you. Nothing is hidden from You and You will not be mocked. May righteousness be exalted. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Lord, Your word says that you use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and you chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). Today we praise your name always Lord. In Jesus name we know You are mighty and Your glory is going to shine, Amen.

Psalm 33:11-12 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

James 1:12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Haggai 2:6-7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty.

Deuteronomy 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

Deuteronomy 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Father, as your word says is Acts 5:38-39, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

The plans of God cannot be stopped, in Your Holy name we thank you and praise You. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Isaiah 51:4 Listen to Me My people, hear Me, My nation: The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, My salvation is on the way, and My arm will bring justice to the nations.

Words of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 24 Jan 2025

Common Sense - chop down the tree

It is my prayer that we would have the common sense, wisdom, and knowledge to know how important it is to chop down, cut off, and remove the things in life that God wants us to. Has God warned us through His Word? Have we failed to obey just like King Nebuchadnezzar? I pray that we would be that generation who will not need multiple warnings, signs, wonders, and miracles in order to chop and cut out what needs to be removed. Let us be that generation with common sense.

Daniel 4:13-15 (ESV) “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth.

God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a dream for a reason. The dream revealed his pride, arrogance, and inability to honour God. However, despite God’s warning and even sending Daniel to interpret the dream, King Nebuchadnezzar failed to change, cut off what needed to be chopped off, and honour God.

Today are we just like King Nebuchadnezzar? I believe that there are things in this world that need to be chopped off. I believe that if we have common sense, we will easily see how this world mocks God, twists the Word of God, and is trying to rewrite the laws of God that cannot be altered. It is time we chop down the tree.

© 2025 Lee Shaun Tzen

Praying for the nations: Finland ~ 23 Jan 2025

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Background:
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of Russia after 1809. It gained complete independence in 1917. During World War II, Finland successfully defended its independence through cooperation with Germany and resisted subsequent invasions by the Soviet Union, albeit with some loss of territory. During the next half-century, Finland transformed from a farm/forest economy to a diversified modern industrial economy; per-capita income is among the highest in Western Europe. A member of the EU since 1995, Finland was the only Nordic state to join the euro single currency at its initiation in January 1999. In the 21st century, the key features of Finland's modern welfare state are high-quality education, promotion of equality, and a national social welfare system, although the system is currently facing the challenges of an aging population and the fluctuations of an export-driven economy. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Finland opted to join NATO; it became the organization's 31st member in April 2023.

Natural Resources:
timber, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, chromite, nickel, gold, silver, limestone

Population:
5,626,414

Languages:
Finnish (official) 85.9%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.7%, other 7.2% (2022 est.)

Religions:
Lutheran 66.6%, Greek Orthodox 1.1%, other 1.7%, none 30.6% (2022 est.)

Demographic profile:
Finland has a relatively high fertility rate for Europe at about 1.75 children per woman in 2023. Finnish women have high labor force participation rates, and their educational attainment is higher than that of Finnish men. Finland’s family policy, like other Nordic countries, puts an emphasis on reconciling work and family life. Both parents can stay at home with an earnings-based allowance until the baby is about 11 months old. Finland also has a publicly subsidized childcare system. Alternatively, parents can choose to take care of a small child through home care leave with a flat allowance rate. These benefits have encouraged fathers to do a greater share of housework and childcare, although women still perform the lion’s share of domestic work. In other instances, women have reduced the burden of household work by outsourcing domestic chores, rather than men taking on more of the responsibilities. Finland has high family size ideals compared to other European countries, and childlessness and one-child families are not favored. The proportion of couples having at least three children has been growing since the 1970s.

Finland has historically been a country of emigration. In the 20th century, Finns emigrated largely in two waves. Before World War II, the majority of Finns went to North America, and after World War II most went to Sweden, where industrialization was generating much-needed jobs that offered higher salaries and a better standard of living. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Finnish returnees (mainly from Sweden) began to outnumber Finnish emigrants. Also arriving in Finland between April 1990 and 2010, were Ingrian Finns – descendants of ethnic Finns who settled near St. Petersburg, Russia, in the 17th century – who immigrated to Finland under the Right of Return Law. In addition, the country has absorbed immigrants from Russia, Estonia, the former Yugoslavia, and Sweden for a variety of reasons, most commonly for marriage and family reunification. Finland has also accepted refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia, Iraq, China, and Thailand.

Median age:
43.3 years

Health risk:
NA

Education expenditure:
5.9% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy:
Total population: NA%

Environmental issues:
limited air pollution in urban centers; some water pollution from industrial wastes, agricultural chemicals; habitat loss threatens wildlife populations

Capital: Helsinki

Chief of state:
President Alexander STUBB (since 1 March 2024)

Head of government:
Prime Minister Petteri ORPO (since 20 June 2023)

Economic situation:
high-income, export-based EU and eurozone economy; major timber, metals, engineering, telecom, and electronics industries; emerging from recession triggered by inflation, weak consumer and export demand, and lower private investment; labor market reform plan to address structural rigidities

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):
USD $321.126 billion (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate:
7.16% (12.2% of population below poverty line)

Transnational issues:
NA

Source: CIA, The World Factbook Prayers for Finland

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY bread of life. The first and the last. The beginning and the end. You reign forever in Finland. You alone govern and rule the earth. All authority is Yours and in Jesus name we pray for Your will to be done. Open the doors, Father. We pray that the world would always hunger and thirst for You. May we know what it means to never hunger and thirst again.

Thank You Lord for the nation of Finland. A nation that You are going to use. We pray that Your people would live according to the Word of God and stand by it. We pray that Your people will fear the Lord alone.

Father, nothing is hidden from You. Bind the work of the enemy. Remove all that is not of You and restore this nation according to Your Word. We pray that the Word of God will come to life right now in every soul.

We pray that You would raise up righteous leaders in this nation. A righteous generation that will not waver upon the Bible. A righteous generation that will lead and govern according to You Word, will, and purpose.

Father, we pray that Finland will be a lighthouse. A nation that will guide the darkest of nations and souls to You. We thank You for nations like Finland that are the salt and light of the world.

Father, we fervently pray for Finland, that You will use Your people in ways that will leave a lasting impact. Restore Europe through this nation. May the hearts of Your children turn to You once again. We thank you, we honour you, and we praise Your name always. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Lord, Your word says that you use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and you chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). Today we praise your name always Lord. In Jesus name we know You are mighty and Your glory is going to shine, Amen.

Psalm 33:11-12 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

James 1:12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Haggai 2:6-7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty.

Deuteronomy 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

Deuteronomy 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Father, as your word says is Acts 5:38-39, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

The plans of God cannot be stopped, in Your Holy name we thank you and praise You. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Isaiah 51:4 Listen to Me My people, hear Me, My nation: The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, My salvation is on the way, and My arm will bring justice to the nations.

Words of Encouragement for Every New Day ~ 23 Jan 2025

Common Sense - relying on God

It is common sense that life will not be smooth sailing. Therefore, we must have the ability to endure hardships, pain, suffering, sin, and temptations. Through all of life’s struggles, it is the ones who are able to depend on God and cling to God’s Word that are able to overcome it all. Not in their own strength! But in God.

Romans 5:3-5 (ESV) Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

I believe that when we lack common sense, it is easy to give up. It is very easy to compare our lives to others. It is also very easy to look back in the past and say, I should and could have. Life is about perseverance. Life is about enduring through all the suffering, pain, and struggles, knowing that it produces the things in life that matters to God.

Suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. If we have common sense, now is the time to use it. Has suffering produced endurance in our life? On the other hand, has suffering caused us to turn away from God? Has suffering caused us to get angry at God? If suffering in life has never led us to produce endurance how than could we ever develop character and hope?

© 2025 Lee Shaun Tzen

Praying for the nations: Fiji ~ 22 Jan 2025

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Background:
Austronesians settled Fiji around 1000 B.C., followed by successive waves of Melanesians starting around the first century A.D. Fijians traded with Polynesian groups in Samoa and Tonga, and by about 900, much of Fiji was in the Tu’i Tongan Empire’s sphere of influence. The Tongan influence declined significantly by 1200, while Melanesian seafarers continued to periodically arrive in Fiji, further mixing Melanesian and Polynesian cultural traditions. The first European spotted Fiji in 1643 and by the 1800s, European merchants, missionaries, traders, and whalers frequented the islands. Rival kings and chiefs competed for power, at times aided by Europeans, and in 1865, Seru Epen*sa CAKOBAU united many groups into the Confederacy of Independent Kingdoms of Viti. The arrangement proved weak, however, and in 1871 CAKOBAU formed the Kingdom of Fiji in an attempt to centralize power. Fearing a hostile takeover by a foreign power as the kingdom’s economy began to falter, CAKOBAU ceded Fiji to the UK in 1874.

The first British governor set up a plantation-style economy and brought in more than 60,000 Indians as indentured laborers, most of whom chose to stay in Fiji rather than return to India when their contracts expired. In the early 1900s, society was divided along ethnic lines, with iTaukei (indigenous Fijians), Europeans, and Indo-Fijians living in separate areas and maintaining their own languages and traditions. ITaukei fears of an Indo-Fijian takeover of government delayed independence through the 1960s; Fiji achieved independence in 1970 with agreements to allocate parliamentary seats by ethnic groups. After two coups in 1987, a new constitution in 1990 cemented iTaukei control of politics, leading thousands of Indo-Fijians to leave. A reformed constitution in 1997 was more equitable and led to the election of an Indo-Fijian prime minister in 1999, who was ousted in a coup the following year. In 2005, the new prime minister put forward a bill that would grant pardons to the coup perpetrators, leading Josaia Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA to launch a coup in 2006. BAINIMARAMA appointed himself prime minister in 2007 and retained the position after elections in 2014 and 2018 that international observers deemed credible. BAINIMARAMA's party lost control of the prime minister position after elections in 2022 with former opposition leader Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA winning the office by a narrow margin.

Natural Resources:
timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower

Population:
951,611

Languages:
English (official), iTaukei (official), Fiji Hindi (official)

Religions:
Protestant 55.4% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.9%, Anglican 0.8%, other 10.4%), Hindu 27.9%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other or unspecified 0.3%, none 0.7% (2007 census)

Median age:
31.6 years

Health risk:
NA

Education expenditure:
5.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy:
99.1%

Environmental issues:
the widespread practice of waste incineration is a major contributor to air pollution in the country, as are vehicle emissions in urban areas; deforestation and soil erosion are significant problems; a contributory factor to erosion is clearing of land by bush burning, a widespread practie that threatens biodiversity

Capital: Suva (on Viti Levu)

Chief of state:
President Ratu Wiliame KATONIVERE (since 12 November 2021)

Head of government:
Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamamada RABUKA (since 24 December 2022)

Economic situation:
upper-middle income, tourism-based Pacific island economy; susceptible to ocean rises; key energy and infrastructure investments; post-pandemic tourism resurgence; improved debt standing; limited workforce

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity):
US $12.699 billion (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate:
4.33% (24.1% of population below poverty line)

Transnational issues:
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts to eliminate trafficking compared with the previous reporting period, therefore Fiji was downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List

Source: CIA, The World Factbook Prayers for Fiji

John 6:35 “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty.”

Lord Jesus, You are the ONLY bread of life. The first and the last. The beginning and the end. You reign forever in Fiji. You alone govern and rule the earth. All authority is Yours and in Jesus name we pray for Your will to be done. Open the doors, Father. We pray that the world would always hunger and thirst for You. May we know what it means to never hunger and thirst again.

Father, we pray that Your Word would come to life in the nation of Fiji. We pray that Your children would turn to You, trust in You, and be founded upon Your living Word. We pray that Your children would fear You alone.

Lord, You have poured Your blessings upon this nation. We pray that You would continue to bless Fiji. However, as this nation grows economically, we pray that Fiji will also grow spiritually in their devotion to You; the one true living God.

Lord, You see everything. Nothing is hidden from You. Bind the work of the enemy. Remove all that is not of You. We pray that Your people would know and discern all that is of You and all that is not.

We that You that You are raising up a mighty generation of righteous leaders. Men and women who will not tolerate the corruption of the Word of God. Men and women who live according to the Word of God and who will not waver.

Father, You are in control, and we thank You for Your guiding hand that never fails to protect Your people. God we praise You and glorify You always. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Lord, Your word says that you use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and you chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). Today we praise your name always Lord. In Jesus name we know You are mighty and Your glory is going to shine, Amen.

Psalm 33:11-12 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.

Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

James 1:12, Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Haggai 2:6-7 "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 7 I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty.

Deuteronomy 26:18 And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands.

Deuteronomy 28:13 The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.

Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Father, as your word says is Acts 5:38-39, “Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”

The plans of God cannot be stopped, in Your Holy name we thank you and praise You. In Jesus name we pray, amen.

Isaiah 51:4 Listen to Me My people, hear Me, My nation: The law will go out from Me; My justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, My salvation is on the way, and My arm will bring justice to the nations.