October 2011

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Each year, millions of Muslims make their way to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to take part in the annual Hajj, a pilgrimage and one of the five 'pillars' of Islam. This year, the Hajj is due to take place between 4-9 November. The exact date is determined by the sighting of the waxing crescent moon.

Chris, a Pioneer in the Gulf, has this to say...

Hajj time is coming. This is the pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims have to make once in their lifetime, if they can afford it and if health allows. There are a lot of rituals that have to be performed each day and Mecca gets very overcrowded during the Hajj. On the Eid al Adha (The Feast of the Sacrifice) they slaughter a sheep or send money to the poor. This is to remind them of the time that Abraham offered his son as a sacrifice but then God sent a ram to be offered instead. [Yes, this story is in the Qur'an too!]

Many see the Hajj as the highlight of their life and believe that it will wash all their sins away. We hear, from time to time, testimonies of people who went on Hajj and had a vision of Jesus.

Pray that during the Hajj many Muslims would have a vision of Jesus and know the truth - that He is the only way. Pray also for those serving among Muslims to have opportunities to share about the Lamb of God who took our place as the sacrifice. He alone can wash away our sins.

Friday 21 October 2011

Sunday is a highly significant day for Tunisia. The people will be voting for a committee who will write the country's new constitution. Much prayer is needed since there are some 95 parties/individuals to choose from. Here's what a Pioneers worker had to say about it...

For the first time in decades, politics are openly discussed in cafes, buses, hairdressers and shops. Discussions can get heated but people usually part as friends, savouring the freedom they have to choose and to be different from everyone else. This year, they can vote and NOT be followed home by secret police because they did not vote for the President. There are campaigns on television and Facebook explaining how voting will be done in an orderly fashion, and in secret. Very appropriate as Facebook played such a major role in the revolution here!

There are however some sobering aspects to this process: the parties are mainly either extreme right (though they might carry the title 'moderate') i.e. Islamist, or they tend to favour secularisation of Tunisia. The leading party in the south is of the first persuasion – many long for the security and clear rules of a Muslim state, forgetting the restraints that Sharia law brings to society, and women in particular. Whatever people might think now of the previous two dictators, it cannot be denied that they were progressive thinkers and brought about much change, especially where women and people with special needs were concerned. Much of that progress could be lost.

So please pray! The 23rd of October will be another historic day for this country. Please stand with the people of Tunisia as they choose.

Monday 10 October 2011

This weekend, riots have taken place in Egypt and protesters have reportedly been fired upon in Syria. It is clear that the Arab Spring - if we can indeed call it that - is far from over!

Could you spare five or ten minutes today, to seek the Lord and pray for the Arab world? Could you encourage others to pray - your family, friends, church or home group?

Here's some points for prayer...

Pray for Christian minorities in nations like Egypt and Syria. In Egypt, there are signs of disunity between some - not all - Muslim and Christian communities. Individuals have experienced intimidation on the streets and there is little protection without the police to enforce law and order. In Syria, Christians fear the same if President Assad goes.

Pray that every Arab nation would have a fair government that respects and responds to the views and demands of its people. Lift up interim leaders (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya) and pray for upcoming elections (Tunisia, Egypt).

Pray that the outside world would respond wisely to what it sees. Intervention may not be the best answer, especially in countries where we cannot know for certain what is going on and why. May the world be discerning and only act with force where absolutely necessary.

Pray that through all of this unrest, uncertainty and painful change, many would have the opportunity to know Christ, call Him Saviour and be filled with hope and joy.

Tuesday 4 October 2011

From the Middle East, a young believer from a Muslim background writes:

I have sincerely received Jesus Christ as my Saviour but I have not found anyone to help me. I have been asking God for a long time to send someone to me. I tried to go to church here to declare my faith, but the political situation makes that impossible. I don’t know any Christian to whom I could declare my faith in private. I have been praying for a long time and today I was surprised to find your site. I feel that God has sent you to give me the help I need. I am waiting for your reply – here is my email address.

Pray for this man to get the support he needs from our team, dedicated to answering the many messages we receive each week from seekers and believers in the Arab world. Pray that someone would be able to meet up and share fellowship with him in person and soon.

Lift up others who will be in the same position as this man - wanting so much to declare their faith but not knowing how. May the Lord use Maarifa.org and other web-based ministries to help build and strengthen His Church.