Friday, March 29, 2019

Lilias Trotter was born in London in 1853 to a wealthy family. When she was a young woman, God called her to go as a missionary to non-Christian lands. Because of poor health, she did not qualify to be a missionary with any sending agency. So, she decided to go as an independent missionary, using her own funds. At age 34, she and two other women traveled to Algiers, the capital of Algeria. She recalls: “Three of us stood there, looking at our battlefield, none of us fit to pass a doctor [a doctor’s exam] for any [mission], not knowing a soul in the place, or a sentence of Arabic or a clue for beginning work on untouched ground; we only knew we had to come. Truly if God needed weakness, He had it!”^[1]

For more than 40 years she labored, sacrificed, learned Arabic, evangelized Muslims, started churches and became the head of the mission there. She was buried in Algiers.

Prayer

Lord Christ, King of kings and Lord of lords, you are mighty in power, your love is infinite. Thank you for the legacy of Lilias Trotter and many others like her whom you have called to go to Muslims with the message of redemption, love and joy. No sacrifice we make will match your sacrifice for us on the cross.

Lord, the harvest is white in Muslim lands, the crop is plentiful, the fruit is ripe, but the workers are few. We ask you, Lord of the harvest, to send out workers to gather in the fruit (Matthew 9:37-38).

Even if some people are considered unqualified, you can empower them with your Holy Spirit as you did with Lilias. Your grace is sufficient for us; it is all we need. Your power works best when we are weak. We pray that you will raise up men and women who will go to untouched ground, unevangelized fields, to bring home the sheaves.

We give you thanks and praise your glorious name, knowing that you hear our prayer. Amen.

Promise

The name of Jacob’s God will protect you. He will send you help from his sanctuary, and support from his holy mountain. He will look with favour on all your offerings and will accept all your sacrifices (Psalm 20:1-3, SAB).

Footnotes

^[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilias_Trotter

Friday, March 22, 2019

There are about 40 to 60 million Muslims in China. The range is wide because no definite census has been taken for some time. The highest concentration of Chinese Muslim population is found in the northwest part of the country that borders the Central Asian Republics, all of which are Muslim.

While China has seen tens of millions of its citizens come to Christ in the past few decades, the Muslim population remains virtually untouched by this move of the Spirit. Only a few scattered individual Muslims have placed their faith in Christ. There are no known churches comprised of Muslim-background believers. Muslims, along with Tibetans, are the least-reached people in China.

Prayer

I fall to my knees and pray to you, Father, Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from your glorious, unlimited resources you will empower the Chinese church with inner strength by your Spirit (Ephesians 3:14-16). We do believe that “A Christianized China is poised to change the face not just of Christendom worldwide, but potentially of the world of Islam.”^[1]

Thank you for the “Back to Jerusalem” movement^[2] and their vision to go to various nations to evangelize Muslims. May they also bring their Muslim neighbors to you! Deliver your children in China from reticence and fear. Ignite their faith that the followers of Muhammad can be brought to the Kingdom by the power of your Holy Spirit. Yes, help Chinese believers bring Muslims to Christ.

Give the Chinese church the vision and the ability to translate and publish the Bible in all languages that Chinese Muslims speak.

I pray for workers. Call, prepare, anoint and send workers to the Uyghur, Hui, Dongxiang, Salar, and Utsat. Nor will we forget the Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Afghans, and Pakistanis among the Chinese. 

Lord, help Muslims in China to see and feel the difference in the lives of Jesus’ followers. May they become eager to know Christ and be filled with his presence. May they experience the power of Jesus living in them. In his precious name I pray, amen.

Promise

I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank (Isaiah 44:3-4, REB).

Footnotes

^[1] David Aikman, Jesus in Beijing, p. 13.
^[2] See the Prayer about Back to Jerusalem

Friday, March 15, 2019

At God’s command and without any fighting at all, the king of Israel led his troops to a great victory against their enemies. They carried off plunder of livestock, clothes, equipment and valuable things. Afterwards they gathered in the valley to bless the Lord for his help. They called their gathering place the Valley of Baracah, which means Valley of Blessing (read the story in 2 Chronicles 20:20-26).

Let us make our prayer this week a special encounter with Almighty God our Maker and Savior, asking him to turn Muslim societies into Valleys of blessing!

Prayer

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, in whose presence angels cover their faces and feet, and before whom they worship, I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ your son, my Lord. Send out your light and your truth to guide me as I walk in your ways. Give me the love and perseverance to intercede for people who are away from you and are lost in sin.

I pray that you will transform Muslims in many towns and cities around the world into Christ-worshipping, Holy Spirit-filled people. I pray also that their religious and political leaders will become part of your miraculous work. May those communities each be called “Valley of Blessing.”

I pray that you will include in your Kingdom Muslim converts from all walks of life: government officials, company executives, simple people, rich people, poor people, young and old, educated and uneducated. Establish your Church among Muslims.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ (Ephesians 1:3, NLT). Amen.

Promise

I have heard your prayer (2 Kings 19:20, NLT).

Friday, March 8, 2019

The underground church in China is persecuted and abused even today. Yet, it has a desire to take the Gospel to the whole world. Leaders of that church believe that just as the Gospel originally came out of Jerusalem and went to the West and from there to China, now the Chinese need to take it back to Jerusalem through Central Asia along the Silk Road.

Their goal is to bring multitudes of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists to Christ. The movement lists more than 50 countries in Asia and Africa as its geographic target to plant churches. Their dream is to train and send 100,000 missionaries to the rest of the world.

Prayer

O Christ, Head of the Church and her Redeemer and Master, we thank you for the courage of the leaders and members of the house churches in China. We are grateful for such holy audacity and boldness! Thank you, Lord, for helping them to see and understand your plans and purposes for the lost.

I pray for these brave and daring brothers and sisters; help them to continue to draw strength and wisdom from you. As they themselves have experienced persecution, may they in turn be well-equipped to minister to the Muslims who come to Christ and suffer persecution.

Use them as agents of transformation in many nations and societies. Help them to be culturally sensitive as they move from their familiar customs at home to face a world with cultural traits and traditions that are strange to them. Help them to adapt gracefully and be effective messengers of the King of kings.

Grant them unity and love. In your name, by your Spirit, for your glory, amen.

Promise

In that day deaf people will hear words read from a book, and blind people will see through the gloom and darkness. …Those in error will then believe the truth, and those who constantly complain will accept instruction (Isaiah 29:18, 24, NLT).