Most teaching positions in schools across the Arabian Peninsula are filled with expats from all over the world. As head counts are being considered and new hires are being made for the 2019-2020 school year, pray that God would bring in a wave of believers to work as teachers and administrators of schools in the Arabian Peninsula. Pray that the Father would use this sphere of influence to have profound Kingdom impact in this region.
workers (7)
Sohar is the largest city in the north of Oman.
History records that the Bishop of Sohar was one of the delegates at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. At this council, the deity of Jesus Christ was affirmed.
In the past, Sohar served as a port and the capital of Oman. With one of the largest ports in the country now, the Omani government is investing in this area to strengthen the economy by looking to other industries besides oil. Copper has been mined here for years and there is a growing steel and aluminum industry. Any development brings jobs, expatriates, larger malls, hospitals and universities. This is all part of Sohar's growth.
Many Omanis love to claim that Sinbad the Sailor was born here. But other cities claim him as well.
Prayer points:
- Pray that as Sohar grows in importance, the gospel would also grow and spread throughout the whole city (Col 1:6).
- Pray that God would build his church in Sohar among the Omani people and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matt 16:18). Pray that there would be a church just like in the days of the Bishop of Sohar.
- Pray that with more expats coming to Sohar, pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send more workers.
A former student came into a professor's office with his cousin, who is currently finishing a course with this professor. He said he had visited the expatriate church and liked it. He asked the professor if he knew about this church, and this led to a conversation about worship in music and a brief sharing of the Gospel. On another occasion, this professor mentioned in class that there was an event years ago in university that changed his life. A student asked about this event when she visited him for office hours. This was another well-received opportunity for the Gospel. Pray that God will be able to finish the work He has begun in these students hearts!
A group of Christian workers gathered to pray and intercede for the Arabian Peninsula. Join these workers as they sit before God in silence, listen, and ask God to give insights into what to pray.
"Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). This verse reminds us how Jesus came to live out obedience unto death on earth. Pray for the Holy Spirit to guide believers in the Arabian Peninsula. Pray that He leads His people to do the will of the Father, so that His people learn obedience, just as Christ did.
Sitting on the northeast coast of Saudi Arabia, Jubail is one of the largest industrial cities in the Middle East. From 1975 until current day, Jubail has seen rapid expansion and an influx of petrochemical workers. Although many internationals come to work in this city, Jubail remains predominantly Saudi (73%) thus making it an effective ministry city.
 |
Prayer Points
- With the concentration of Saudi citizens in this area, pray that the Lord would send out Christian workers to this city who are willing to connect with the people of Jubail on a personal level bringing the Gospel in their conversations.
- Pray that the local church would not only thrive in their passion for Jesus but that it would be brought out to the marketplace and proclaimed to those living in this city.
- With Western influence entering this region, pray that the Gospel would also enter this region through YouTube, Facebook, television and radio. Pray that follow up and deep discipleship would occur.
View & pray along with this video:
Dhaid is an oasis town in the UAE. It is what a typical city might look like in the United Arab Emirates if oil wealth had not radically changed the country. This city does not boast any massive skyscrapers like its neighbors Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but is a desert city with some agriculture and many date palms.
Throughout history, the nomadic Bedouin tribes would pass through Dhaid because there was fresh drinking water and beautiful oases. Desert cities like this need life-giving water. Because of city growth and the expansion of agriculture, much of the ground water is drying up.
In the past, this was a political center for certain Bedouin tribes. The Kitbi tribe is prominent in Dhaid. This is the tribe of Fatima Mubarak al-Kitbi, the "Mother of the Emirates," the third wife of the founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed.
The city is expanding and more industry is being developed here. However, some of the locals are still Bedouin in their thinking and like to be in the desert with their camels.
Prayer Points:
- Pray that the Lord of the Harvest, Jesus Christ, will send workers into Dhaid and the surrounding area to be witnesses for Him.
- Jesus Christ is the living water and the bread of life. Pray that Emiratis in Dhaid will come to Him as the giver of living water and eternal life and be satisfied in Him alone.
- Pray that the Kitbi tribe would come to know the Lord Jesus and use its influence to lead others into His Kingdom. Pray that they would be known as an Emirati tribe that follows Jesus Christ!
A very sweet and intelligent mother of three young children has received a copy of the Word with eagerness to explore what it says. Pray that she will read with hunger and understanding and her eyes will be opened to the truth.
Pray that the veil over the eyes of locals would be removed and that they would see the truth for what it is. Many miraculous healings are happening among the locals, but it goes nowhere because they are blinded to the truth behind the miracle! Pray that these miracles will lead to salvation in Jesus!
Pray for Sammy, a woman who received pray for her back and was healed. Pray for an open door of friendship with the one who prayed for her and that she will hear and receive the truth.
Amy heard the Good News but was rather uncomfortable with it, even after she received healing from the Lord. Ask that the barriers in her heart will come down, that she will be given great understanding and will surrender to the Lord with joy.
When Sarah shared her deep loneliness with her believing neighbors, they prayed for her. She told them she felt much lighter and peaceful, acknowledging that it was a result of their prayers. Ask for an open door to share the good news with her, that her heart will continue to soften and that she will accept it.
There are many foreign, believing workers in the AP (Pakistanis, Filipinos, Indians, etc.) Pray that their love and testimony of Jesus will impact the hearts of the locals. Many of them are servants in the homes of locals and could have a major impact on entire families. Ask that they will be strengthened to stand firm in their own commitment and be given open doors to share.
Pray that more people will have dreams and visions of Jesus. Many turn to him after experiencing such an encounter with Him, so ask for more of it! And pray that those people who have had dreams/visions will seek out people of faith in Jesus to give them more information.
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)
