Pray for Kuwait Community » ramadan

Beginning of Ramadan

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:35:43 +0000

Today is the first day of Ramadan!

The Night of Power

James — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 22:25:19 +0000

About The Night of Power

Depending on their location on the earth, some Muslims will spend much of tonight or tomorrow night in prayer. This event commemorates Mohammed’s first revelation of the Qur’an in a cave near Mecca in 610 AD. Muslims call it the Night of Power. Many Muslims are more open to supernatural events at this moment during Ramadan.

Many Muslims believe that many of their prayer requests are granted at this time. Some believe in angelic activity, others in miracles and visions. Knowing this, it is a good moment for Christians to pray believing that God will act in the lives of seeking Muslims. Only God knows how important this could be for the salvation of many.

Prayer Starters:

* Lord, may Your compassion flow in our hearts for Muslims during this night. Lord, You are a father to the fatherless. You are near to those who are lowly and contrite in heart (Isaiah 51:17, 57:17 and 66:2).
* Lord, may You break down all thoughts of self-righteousness through religious activity among Muslims who participate in the Night of Power. May You move them toward true humility before You (Daniel 4:37).
* May all glory be Yours because of Your loving character and for all You have done. Lord, may You be acting during the Night of Power so that people may have a revelation of Jesus, the Messiah.
* Lord, remember those who are genuinely seeking Your help this night. May You give them the help they need in such a way that they will understand that it comes to them through the Messiah, Jesus (Psalm 34:18, Zechariah 9:9).

The Power of Convergence!

Central Asia Update – Persecution on the rise

James — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:07:42 +0000

The vast area called Central Asia is home for more than 100 million people. In the 1990s hundreds of believers made their way to Central Asia in order to live there and proclaim the Gospel in the region. However, in recent years most governments in the region have started to persecute believers. The majority of foreign believers who sought to proclaim Christ have been expelled from one country after another.

In 2008 Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan voted laws which significantly restrain religious liberty. Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan had already become very oppressive for individuals and whole communities of believers. Proclaiming the Good News, changing religion, spiritual education for children, holding meetings and creating new communities have been made illegal or have been severely restricted. One believer who knows the region well says that “the young assemblies of believers which have developed in the last 20 years will suffer but they have deep roots. They will survive!” We still need to pray. Probably 90%+ of people in the region have never heard the Good News of the Kingdom.

Prayer Starters:

* Lord, you have said, “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)
Lord, may you be proclaimed to all in the region (Matthew 24:14).
* Lord, strengthen your people (2 Corinthians 12:9). Many are in prison or will be in prison for their faith in the coming years (Hebrews 13:3; Acts 16:23-25).

Beliefs in the Spirit World

James — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 22:05:18 +0000

Muslims worldwide are often afraid of evil coming from the spirit world. This fear is a source of profound unspoken anxiety for many. Islam has a complex and multifaceted set of beliefs about the invisible forces at work around us. Theses beliefs also vary greatly from one region and one people to another. Muslims not only believe in the existence of angels but also in Jinn (Djinn), who also populate this world.

Jinn, Muslims believe, are very similar to humans: they have their own social organisation and activities, yet they can also change their appearance and become visible or invisible at will. Most Muslim theologians believe that Shaitan (Satan, also called Iblis) belongs to the Jinn. These beings were supposedly created just before the creation of mankind. They do both good and evil. The term “Jinn” is related to the English word “genie” known through Arabian folk stories.

Prayer Starters:

* Jesus is the true Lord of the world. All authority has been given to Him. Pray that Muslims would experience Jesus’ saving ability to deliver them from the powers of darkness. May believers be more able to help Muslims in this realm.
* Pray for Muslims you know and others using the following texts: Matthew 8:16, 10:1 and Acts 5:16, 8:17.

Complete article: http://www.30-days.net/islam/muslims-spirit-world/ Add your comments.

Pray for Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco

James — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:41:04 +0000

Out of the 78 million people in the three nations of Northwest Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco), possibly only 50,000 are native believers in the Messiah.

Prayer Starters:

* Algeria: population: 33.8 million: Algerian believers are under increased supervision and have experienced the beginnings of significant governmental persecution. They have been courageous and generally continue to affirm their faith. Trying to convert a Muslim either through education, health, social, culture or financial means can bring sentencing up to five years in jail with a maximum fine of $7,000. Pray along the lines of Acts 4:29-31.

* Tunisia: population 10.5 million: Tunisia has the appearance of being a Muslim country, however the number of committed Muslims is limited. The vast majority of Tunisians are pursuing their dreams of having a better lifestyle. Tunisians need to reflect more on the meaning and the brevity of life. Tunisian believers number less than 1,000. Pray using Mt. 6:24-34.

* Morocco: population 33.8 million: A very small number of Moroccan believers exist (possibly only a few thousand). Their numbers are slowly increasing, but knowledge of the Gospel in Morocco is very limited. Believers have suffered significant threats and mistreatment. Pray along the lines of Isaiah 40:9-11; 52:7. Pray for King Mohammed VI and the royal family. Hassan, the Crown Prince, is six years old.

The Cross

James — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:34:03 +0000

Most Muslims believe that death by crucifixion was not a worthy death for a good prophet like Jesus. Based on the Qur’anic passages, the majority of Muslims in our day say that Jesus never went to the cross.

It is commonly thought that He was taken up into heaven without dying and that someone else died on the cross in His place. There are several variations on this theory, but many Muslims say that Judas, the disciple, was actually crucified instead of Jesus. Supposedly he was made to look like Jesus and was crucified as a punishment from God because of his betrayal. Other Muslims believe that Jesus was crucified but He survived and died later or that He survived, then was elevated to heaven and did not die at all.

Prayer Starters:

* Believers in Jesus need to explain Christ’s death and resurrection simply and with much care. Muslims need to understand why the Messiah needed to die and how His resurrection brings us new life.
* Pray especially that Jesus would be increasingly revealed to Muslims as the victorious one who has overcome our sin and guilt, bondage to evil spirits and the horrors of death to bring us salvation. Pray for Muslims in your region, country and elsewhere according to Luke 24:19-26 and Acts 3:13-16.
* Perhaps you can cut a cross out of material with your kids and encourage them to remember to pray for Muslims today.

In Remembrance

James — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:11:16 +0000

How Christ is Honoured by His Followers in Other Cultures

Friday night. Jasmine has just arrived from her workplace in the city. Gracious, sincere village neighbours greet Jasmine warmly at the home of her daughter and son-in-law. They take their places in a circle on the tikar, a floor mat of woven reeds. Someone reaches to the top shelf of a closet and takes down a stack of photocopied, large-font Scripture portions.

Jasmine readies her reading glasses and settles herself in a cross-legged position on the tikar. Afterwards everyone in the circle prays for the others and for their nation. These prayers are different from ritual prayers in Arabic — Jasmine says emphatically — for they are offered in the name of THE MESSIAH, THEIR SAVIOUR…

This regular gathering is an example of communities of faith in Jesus the Messiah that are springing up throughout Indonesia. These gatherings may look different from what we see in our own cultural settings, but Jesus is being made known; He is being honoured!

Prayer Starters:

* Around the world Muslims who have encountered the Messiah have to find culturally appropriate ways to worship. Some have adopted worship styles and attitudes from other cultures while adapting it to their needs. Others have developed unique cultural expressions of their faith. Pray for former Muslims to find ways to come together culturally yet still on a biblical bases.
* Pray for former Muslims in your city, region, and country, that the beauty of local cultural expressions may be manifest in worship (songs, preaching and teaching styles and new ways of living which bring worship into the heart of daily life).

Divisions in Culture and Religion

James — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:04:32 +0000

While the religious differences between Christians and Muslims are significant, sometimes cultural differences can be even greater sources of misunderstanding and mistrust. Different perspectives can also be opportunities to learn from each other. Cultural differences may inhibit or enhance our ability to proclaim Christ, as well as a Muslim’s ability to receive our message.

In recent years many Muslims have cited the book “The Gospel of Barnabas” (available on the web) in order to show that Jesus was a good Muslim. Jesus is portrayed in the book as a prophet who prays, speaks and acts exactly like traditional Muslims.

An interesting distortion is that Satan is portrayed as the one to claim Jesus as God. The author of the “Gospel of Barnabas” has rewritten the Biblical Gospel to make it agree with the Qur’an. The aim of the book is to try to convince people that Jesus was a Muslim and predict the coming of Muhammad. It is a direct distortion of the Bible.

Prayer Starters:

* Pray for those witnessing to Muslims to understand the cultural differences as well as the religious differences.
* The Gospel is cross-cultural – pray that this truth be believed and acted upon by Christian workers.
* May God give Muslims insights into the errors of the Gospel of Barnabas.
* Meditate on these texts in prayer: Matthew 5:43-48, Hebrews 1:5-8.

Healing Needed

James — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:40:49 +0000

It is clear in the Gospels that Jesus healed many people. Some of these healings are so spectacular that whole towns were in awe of God. Other healings are less obvious, and Jesus Himself commanded certain people not to speak of their healing publicly. May God raise up multitudes of believers in the Muslim world to be used by God in healing. It is not so much that spectacular healings or big name ministries are needed; Praying for the sick and expecting healing should be fairly normal for believers.

Prayer Requests:

Meditate on these texts and proclaim them in prayer: Matthew 10:1 and 8; Luke 9:2; 10:9
Thank God for the many healings which have been reported from the Muslim world. This has been a positive witness for the Gospel. Pray for an abundance of faith (James 5:14-15).
Health workers are needed especially in Africa and Asia.

Secret believers… The real cost of following Jesus

James — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 23:30:26 +0000

For a former Muslim, becoming a believer in the Messiah is more than simply changing religion. In leaving Islam, the person has left his identity. The consequences of this choice are terrible: new believers are often rejected by other Muslims, and their family, and sometimes they are forced to divorce and they lose their children.

They can lose their inheritance, their employment, their lodging, sometimes they receive death threats and some are actually killed. In many cases they are obliged to live their new faith in secret because of the fear of persecution. They become real “secret believers.” Many are isolated, and it is very difficult for them to persevere in their faith. The new believer needs a new identity.

Prayer Starters:

* Pray for the secret believers who are even now facing the possibility of death. May God protect them.
* Pray for their families that they also may be attracted to the light of Christ. Pray that there would be a change of mentality so that Muslims can accept believers in the Messiah as honourable members of society.
* Pray that the situation of the secret believers would be better known and that believers all over the world could give them help.
* Explain to your children about the freedom you have and ask them to pray for a secret person.