Qatar, Arabian Peninsula
Day 14 - July 1, 2015
As Muslims are praying and fasting during Ramadan, we pray for them.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one- I in them and you in me-so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Christians in the Arabian Peninsula are asking us to pray John 13:34-35 & John 17:22-23 over Qatar.
Qatar is a relatively politically stable country. But what we do see is a struggle to maintain its cultural and especially its religious values amidst ongoing and aggressive modernization and development. Pray that the government's response, which can often be influenced heavily by Islamic fundamentalists, will be driven by the desire to embrace that which is honoring to God-respecting and protecting the rights of especially the majority expat workers through the observation of international labor laws and basic human rights.
We praise God that Qatar has granted property for the building of churches and places of worship. But the reality is that there is simply not enough space on the compounds to accommodate the large number of Christ followers. Pray that the government will grant permission for groups to meet outside of the compounds in places like restaurants, hotels, etc. Please pray for the various fellowships, that God would bring increasing unity among them. Pray that God would use the existing fellowships to meet the growing needs of the very poor migrant communities, especially in the labor camps, and that they would be bold to proclaim the Gospel to these people.
An ongoing struggle continues to be unity and community among the Christian workers in Qatar. Several years ago, the government cracked down on Christian workers, resulting in a few getting deported and causing the community to fragment and become fearful. Most recently, one of our workers was temporarily detained. Since then, this particular couple has been under very obvious scrutiny resulting in many of the other workers cutting off ties with them. As you can understand, they are feeling very lonely and discouraged. Pray for God to break the spirit of fear and that He may rebuild the trust and unity of the workers so that they can begin to work in concerted effort again. Pray that the workers would even be willing to come together to pray and fellowship together. Pray that God would grant the different fellowships a united heart to impact Qatar with the Gospel. Source: Christian leader in the Arabian Peninsula
Qatar makes the news because of World Cup Football, their airlines, and their financial support of Daesh (ISIS), al-Qaeda and other violent Islamic groups. After the killing of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, Egypt criticized Qatar for their funding of such an organization. Pray that Qatar will stop any and all funding of radical Islamic groups. Pray that the grip that this form of Islamic terrorism has on them will be removed and be replaced with freedom in Christ. Pray for the very few Qatari believers in Jesus to grow in their faith and their love of God (The Bible, Ephesians 3:14-21). Source: The 10/40 Window Prayer Points for Every Nation (April 2015)
