Pray Network Forum

Persecution (6)

PTAP: The Church in Arabia - Leaders

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on February 28, 2021 at 12:24
February Prayer Campaign - Pray for the church in the AP
We are continuing to pray for the forming of indigenous churches in the Arabian Peninsula (AP) as a PTAP community in February.
 
Week 4 – Leaders of the AP Church
 
“But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:25-28
Praise the Lord that communities of local believers from a Muslim background (MBBs) are gathering together in the Arabian Peninsula and local churches are being birthed. As these new churches form, leaders are needed to serve, guide, direct, teach, preach and encourage.
 
Pray for God to raise up AP church leaders who have the heart of a servant, and a passion to love and care for His people. Pray that the groups of MBBs will be able to recognize and submit to the leaders God has chosen.
 
Pray for AP church leaders to be completely surrendered to God and the authority of His Word. Pray that these leaders would rightly divide the Word and be able to communicate it to their congregations.
 
Pray for AP church leaders to be discerning of the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
 
Pray for AP church leaders to be people of biblical integrity: gentle, above reproach, self-controlled, honest, moral, trustworthy, not greedy, respectful, hardworking and teachable.
 
Pray for AP church leaders to have a deep understanding of the needs of the people they shepherd.
 
Pray for AP church leaders to have wisdom to help their congregations navigate through persecution, and to live vibrantly for Christ within the Muslim culture that surrounds them.
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THE SHOCKING BLESSING OF PERSECUTION

Posted by David Young on September 20, 2018 at 16:54

Some of the most hope filled verses in the Bible are found in the Beatitudes as Jesus began his ministry with The Sermon on the Mount. These words are quite as hopeful as the most powerful promises at the end of The Revelation.

For several reasons I want to look at the Beatitudes in reverse order. When we do this we see some things very clearly about them. When you plunge into the deep water first, you get a better idea of this pool's depth. I fear that many people who say they love the Beatitudes have only dabbled their toes in the shallow end. These teachings certainly do not reflect the ease and pleasure ethic that has saturated society in the West and to some extent the entire world. These words of Jesus come to their stinging conclusion in Matthew 5:10-12.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

These words are not an abrupt change from the rest of the Beatitudes or of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. They represent the heart of who Jesus was, of what He did, and of what He taught. Many years ago now I served for short time in Uganda. I had a friend there whose name was Onesimus Jonah Juma. As I was returning to the United States Onesimus went to serve in a very difficult place. We exchanged letters for some time. And he shared with me in those letters some of the difficulties he faced in the name of Jesus. At the end of one of his letters he wrote, “Remember, we serve a crucified Christ.”

To some extent, I'm going to have to take what Jesus said here on faith, because I am not going to easily understand the blessedness of persecution.

But there is sense in which the Holy Spirit at least gives us a glimpse, or maybe a taste, of goodness in this extreme.

The first facet of what Jesus tells us is The Possession of the Kingdom in Persecution.

This is not merely something we will enjoy when we get to heaven. Jesus says, “Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,” not, theirs will be the Kingdom. Even while you are being reviled, shamed, lied about, or tortured, you are proving that Jesus Christ is King! He is Lord in your life, and Lord of the universe. And there is great joy in that realization.

Next, in the midst of persecution we come to grips with the reality of God's Promises in Persecution.

Jesus tells us to rejoice because our reward will be great in Heaven. What you are paid for something makes a great difference in how you think about it. If you were employed to carry bricks at $0.50 an hour, you might be tempted to complain about the drudgery. But what if you had signed a contract to carry bricks for $1,000 a minute? We have assurance that whatever we suffer will by no means compare with the ultimate reward of faithfulness to God. The more you have to endure, the more assurance you can have of the glory that is yet to come.

Finally Jesus points out the Identity that is Affirmed in Persecution.

Jesus said this is how they treated the prophets who were before you. When you suffer for the name of Christ, you join an elite corp. You are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Elijah on Mount Carmel. You stand with Isaiah and Jeremiah, Daniel in the Lion's Den. You are identified by God as being among those who are most faithful to Him.

This is a very crucial promise for those living in our day. In the past few centuries most Christians in the West were not severely persecuted, although there was always a price to pay. That is not true if it ever was on the world scene. In many parts of the world people joyfully pay a terrible price for following Christ. In fact some misseologists have estimated that more people died for the name of Christ in the 20th century than in all 20 centuries since the cross. And few would dispute that more are paying the ultimate cost in the 21st century. And it is important for us to encourage our brothers and sisters, joining Jesus in assuring them, “Rejoice, for your reward is great in heaven.”

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Website

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Ramadan Prayers (Week 4): Pray for the Persecuted Church of the Arabian Peninsula

Posted by Merton J. Hershberger on June 5, 2018 at 9:00
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints." Colossians 1:24 - 26
Fatima Al-Mutairi was a woman from Saudi Arabia who was killed by her brother in 2008 for being a follower of Christ. Her case was widely publicized at the time. Although death is the exception and not the rule, the cost of turning away from Islam to Christ is enormous. Many have lost their families, friends, communities, jobs, reputations, and freedom. They have been imprisoned and killed in honor killings as in the case of Fatima. Jesus even predicted this (Matthew 10:21-22). Since the Arabian Peninsula is the very heartland of Islam, persecution is a reality.
Fatima's Story (See the Video at the end)
Writings by Fatima Al-Mutairi before her execution: Read Here
Watch the testimony of a believer from Bahrain. She persecuted Christians and later became the persecuted.
Arabian Dawn
I persecuted people - Bahrain
Prayer:
O God of all comfort, we pray for our dear brothers and sisters who are currently being persecuted in the AP because of their faith in you. Comfort them in all of their afflictions. May they abundantly share in your comfort as they share in your sufferings (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). O Father of mercies, have mercy upon them and cause them to rejoice in their sufferings and fill up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of the church in the AP. And we pray specifically for the family of Fatima Al-Mutairi, that you would convict them of their sins, that they would repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15). Bring them into your kingdom. Do not let them go until they surrender their lives to you. Make the word of God fully known to them, O Lord. They have done great evil, but you are a God of forgiveness. Forgive them and reconcile them to yourself through Christ your Son! Amen.
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PTAP's Vision
"To see the global church praying for the Arabian Peninsula so that the gospel and churches will be planted for every indigenous people in the Arabian Peninsula"
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PrayNetwork Spotlight: International Christian Concern

Posted by Andrew R. Wheeler on November 21, 2015 at 14:26

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We continue our spotlight on the Persecuted Church this week with International Christian Concern (www.persecution.org).  Like Voice of the Martyrs, ICC emphasizes awareness and advocacy on behalf of the persecuted.  ICC specializes in up-to-date news from around the world related to Christian persecution, and is a great source of information for prayer.

Each organization devoted to the persecuted church has a sightly different focus.  ICC's website summarizes their focus this way:

Christ promised his disciples that they would face persecution in the world. He also called the church to be a voice for the voiceless and a defender of the afflicted. We accomplish this by working in three areas: Advocacy, Awareness, & Assistance.

ICC's unique contribution to ministry to the persecuted church is their emphasis on constantly updated news stories.  The home page divides persecution-related news items into three major geographical areas: Far East, Islamic World, and Asia/Others.  Five recent news items in each area are featured, with links to read the full stories.  For a way to keep up to date on persecution-related news, ICC may be the best source on the Web.

ICC has perhaps the most organized advocacy arm of the major persecuted-church ministries.  The advocacy page on their website (http://www.persecution.org/advocacy/) explains the role of advocacy in ministry to the persecuted, provides information about advocacy efforts undertaken by ICC, and offers many opportunities for the individual to advocate for the persecuted church.

Like Voice of the Martyrs, ICC carries out a number of programs to assist the persecuted church around the world, and offers many opportunities for the individual to get involved, through donating, volunteering, etc.  ICC perhaps focuses even more on offering volunteer and even internship and employment opportunities.

ICC offers a number of ways to stay informed and pray for the persecuted church, including  a weekly prayer e-mail, a bi-monthly newsletter, and updated news stories and press releases.  If praying through current events is a focus for your prayer life, International Christian Concern is the place you'll want to go.

 

PrayNetwork.org Spotlight by Andrew Wheeler.

See Andrew's website at www.togetherinprayer.net

 

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THIRTY ONE DAYS OF PRAYER AND THE WORD:JANUARY 1-31, 2015 THEME: "ABIDE"

Posted by Bernie Lutchman on January 13, 2015 at 6:51

DAY THIRTEEN

VERSE:

"These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world....John 16:33

 PRAYER:

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Father, oh Most Merciful and Compassionate God, Your children in far away lands are united in one thing - their love for Christ. This Love compels them to stand strong as their persecutors in the lands of the pagan religions of the Middle East, Asia, the Far East and the atheist countries of socialism oppress them. Lord our spiritual hearts and minds grieve for our brothers and sisters who are in constant tribulation and trials, sometimes by literal fire, but You are removing the dross now even as we pray.

 Lord, even as they cry out in their pain and suffering, even as they plead for mercy and some human decency from the hoards of hell, let loose for over 1400 years now by those who follow moon gods, 300 millions non-existent idol "gods" or no god, You constantly hear their cries around Your Throne. You hear them because their pleadings and prayers have come before You rising as bowls of incense, as our High Priest Jesus intercedes for them and us.

 We pray for Your saints persecuted in Nigeria as their schools and villages are burned down, and the world stays silent in the face of this evil. We pray for Christians in the old Bible lands of Nineveh (Mosul), Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and others in between the land of the Levant, that You deal with those who abuse Your people, in Your own way, in Your own time. We pray for those in the lands of India where You sent the Apostle Thomas and the millions there are told to convert to the hinduism and its idolatry or else. We pray for our brethren in China, whose millions now outnumber the godless and evil communist party in power there for over 60 years. 

 May their tears become like a river of life to those of us in the west who pray for them who pray for their courage and boldness to hold up in the face of this rampaging evil. Lord, on behalf of these tribulation saints, we claim Your promise and Your exhortation, Lord Jesus that You have not only overcome the world, the god of this world, the systems of this world and the persecutors of this world who are unknowingly storing up wrath for themselves, but You give freely to those who seek favor, courage, mercy, love, hope, conviction and faith. We pray this day for all of that, from the Throne of Grace to those being constantly refined in the fire and for those of us, who have it within our power to pray and help, and yet stay silent or worse. We pray and ask and bow down before Your Throne, in Jesus' Strong and Mighty Name, amen.

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THIRTY ONE DAYS OF PRAYER AND THE WORD:JANUARY 1-31, 2015 THEME: "ABIDE"

Posted by Bernie Lutchman on January 12, 2015 at 7:30

DAYS 1-11 ARE HERE

DAY TWELVE:
VERSE:
As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him....(1 John 2:27)
PRAYER:
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Most gracious, kind merciful Heavenly Father, Who gives all things to all all people, we thank You for the special"chrisma" (gift of anointing) You have given Your anointed and those upon whom You have placed a special calling to reach, teach, preach and outreach to a lost and dying world. These are those who are truly called by Your Name, those who have been reborn and brought into the Kingdom of Your Son. 
Because You have given us Your Spirit, we cannot be deceived by the god of this world and even if distracted, we shall soon learn the errors of our ways. There are some things which bible colleges, Sunday School teachers and preachers cannot teach and that is how to listen to You, how to respond to You and how to obey the promptings and directions which Your Holy Spirit, Who is our true friend in the Faith imparts and inputes into us. He infuses more oil and blessing daily from our first calling on our lives and the Truth can only be found in Him.
 
So most compassionate, gracious and long-suffering God, we lift up on this special day of recognition of Your anointing on the lives of your true followers, those who take this Word across the globe. We lift up Your missionaries who abide and rest more on You for their moment by moment nourishment, guidance, protection and direction than the rest of us. Lord, not only are Your true missionaries, i.e., those whom You have actually sent out to dangerous and seemingly unproductive lands, not only are they solely dependent on You, but sometimes they lose courage in the face of evil persecution as seen with Your servants the Burnhams when Martin was killed by islamic guerrillas in the Philippines in 2002. Lord as the flesh told Gracia, his dear wife to see revenge, Your Grace and Your Love encouraged her to show love, mercy and compassion. Because of that, she "learned to fly again" and won many more souls to Christ, a testimony for us not to give up and even in the pain and suffering in her own family, to see the bigger picture of the Love You have, which put Christ on the Cross.

Father, we also pray for those of us who are missionaries in our own "Jerusalem"- namely outside our own front doors. May we never tire of the hard work that it is to reach on and teach and care for the lost when their hearts are so hard and they literally hate You, while professing to love and know You at Christmas and Easter time. Father, we pray for those of us that we persevere, never give in, never give up and in fact live up to the standards and the call with which You have have called. We do this because Your Call is True, Your Word is True, Your Love is True and Your Promises are Yes and Amen....and we believe it, because of Jesus Christ, our soon coming Lord and Savior, in His Name, amen.
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