Wealth (4)

 
Children are a gift from the Lord and parents want the best for their children. Thankfully, the wealth of the oil-rich countries in the Arabian Peninsula has helped children not to be in want. Unfortunately, it has also created a generation of boys and girls who struggle with health issues due to unhealthy fast foods and a sedentary lifestyle. Childhood obesity and diabetes are on the rise at an alarming rate. In contrast, children in Yemen are starving because of the effects of civil war. "Save the Children" reports that about 130 children could easily die each day from starvation and illness.
More information on the children of the Arabian Peninsula can be found in the link at the bottom of this blog.
and in this video:
Prayer:
Dear Lord, we pray for the children in the AP who are suffering because of the excesses in their lives. We pray that they will get the help they need to be physically disciplined with exercise and healthy eating. We especially pray for the children of Yemen who desperately need food and medicine. Oh God, have mercy on them! Even more importantly, we pray that those with excess and those who have nothing will hear about your great love for them. May they hear the Gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ and embrace the forgiveness of sins and the eternal life which you offer.
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A person who was healed physically after a believer had prayed for him is studying the Word with a believer. This person has also invited a friend to join him in the study. Praise the Lord for this healing and pray that hearts may be open, given spiritual understanding, and come to faith as they study the Word with the believer. Pray also for protection and wisdom over the believer.

Give praise that after much resistance to spiritual conversations, a local lady is suddenly showing interest in hearing more about the truth. Please ask the Lord to continue to soften her heart, take away fear, and draw her into His Kingdom. Ask too that believers will persevere in sharing even when met with resistance time and again.

Please pray that those who have had dreams or visions of Jesus Christ would not be fearful or dismissive but would experience great joy and a desire to know more. Ask God to connect them with believers who can help answer their questions and guide them to the way of salvation and relationship with Jesus Christ.

Many adherents to Islam live with an attitude of simply accepting the culture, traditions, and religion without question. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will stir their hearts and minds with questions and dissatisfaction and set them on a journey to find true the Peace.

The relative affluence of the Gulf, as does affluence anywhere, can cause a sense of entitlement as well as a lack of awareness of the needs of the less privileged. Pray for humble hearts that will receive the great love offered by our Heavenly Father and in turn bring radical change in the culture.

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PTAP: Qatar, Quest, Fulfillment

We so often see with earthly eyes and not spiritual, and need reminding that the recent Middle East turmoil surrounding Qatar is both geo-political and in the heavens. 

Due to the wealth of the nation, daily lives of residents and locals seem unchanged. The supermarket shelves have been refilled after an initial panic, water and electricity continue, and the minor inconveniences include finding flights that don't go through certain airports.  Locals are hanging Qatari flags on their homes; massive flags are everywhere.  Bumper stickers and t-shirts with the ruler's image and praise appeared overnight. Public rhetoric says, "We're so rich and nice we can outlast your siege and bickering".  The stickers say, with a handsome image, "God, our nation, our leader" and "You have the world, we have our leader".

However, in private, the ripples of uncertainty have begun to fan out.  Companies are finding that components are stuck at the border or in nearby ports, delaying or deferring activity.  In some sectors, there's talk of downsizing the workforce. Milk from Saudi Arabia has been replaced by Turkish. Vegetables have come in from Iran, subtly agitating the sea of political and religious alliances.  Egyptians who form the middle management are reluctant to leave for summer holidays in fear they won't be able to return.  Others are looking for jobs in "more stable" countries, talking of trying to emigrate, and even trying to claim asylum from here.  There is even mention, with tones of unlikeliness, of what happens if someone inadvertently throws the first stone.

Believers have not seen a new openness to talking about eternal realities with local friends. However, the increased conversation gives opportunity for the bold to state convictions that God rules in the heavens and on earth.  And there is always an open door to ask questions regarding the political situation - What's really behind this?  What do you think?  Where is your hope and trust?  From there, it is only a step to sharing where our own faith is grounded. Pray for the believers to have boldness and opportunity to bring in the harvest. 

For several years, M has continued a friendship with his former professor.  Recently at M's house, they talked about how Old Testament themes reappear in the New Testament, such as salvation through Moses and Joshua, being fulfilled in a spiritual sense through Jesus, etc. Pray that M will seek to verify the truth that is found in Jesus.

PTAP on the PrayerMate App

PTAP is now on the PrayerMate app which you can download for free on iOS or Android.  Check it out under the "World Mission" category.  Just another way to help us pray for the AP and many other regions of the world!   See here for more info:  http://praynow4.org/arabianpeninsula

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Ramadan Prayer
As Muslims pray and fast during Ramadan, we pray for them.
June 26, 2016
 
United Arab Emirates
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith 
and pierced themselves with many griefs."
- 1 Timothy 6:10 (NIV)
 
Materialism blinds people from seeing their spiritual and emotional neediness. 
Arabs have a heritage of being fatherless in that Abraham, the father of Ishmael, sent his son away (Genesis 21:9-14).  Pray for restoration of fellowship with the Father of the fatherless (Psalm 68:5), that Emiratis would see their neediness and ask questions, and that the Father would reveal eternal truth. 
 
Pray for the leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to have wisdom and tolerance, allowing citizens to change their faith. Pray for the government to be able to keep the country safe from insurgent/terrorist groups and provide policies that encourage young people to be motivated to work hard for the good of their country. Pray for the UAE's relationships with other countries in the region, like Iran (tension over disputed islands). Pray for further disillusionment with Islam and rejection of the radical groups that would lead to discovery of the Truth that will set them free! 
Pray for unity, not uniformity, among the expat churches in the UAE. Pray the churches will partner together for the sake of the gospel. Pray for the Lord to send mature and capable leaders to disciple the many international believers who come to faith in the UAE and for solid Bible teaching. Pray for the churches to share their faith with locals so that indigenous fellowships of believers will arise in the cities and villages of the UAE. 
Pray Christian workers will be not be distracted by the materialism, comforts and amenities in the UAE. Pray for Christians serving intentionally in the UAE to be people of prayer, asking God to move miraculously in this land. Pray Christians will seek and find new avenues and opportunities to engage with locals as the country changes politically, economically and culturally.
Source: Christians in the UAE
 
Bless the leaders of the UAE as they seek to understand how to protect their own land from Daesh (IS) and other forms of militant Islam.
Bless the government of UAE because they allow expatriates to worship freely in many locations across the country.
Bless the very few Believers of Jesus from the UAE with a great desire to know and worship Him.
Father, bless them with the ability to love You, to walk in Your ways and to follow Your laws and commands. (Prayer based on Deuteronomy 30:16, the Holy Bible)
Source: WIN International Network
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