Friday, November 25, 2022

An imam is a Muslim religious leader. He leads prayer in the mosque and performs other religious duties. An imam is also a community leader who gives counsel and direction to his people.

Jewish priests were among those who staunchly opposed Jesus and antagonized him. Would you expect that a large number of them would become believers in Jesus? Yet, according to the New Testament account, that is exactly what happened (Acts 6:7).

Let us believe together that through the mighty power of the Spirit of God, tens of thousands of Muslim imams will put their faith in Jesus Christ the Lord.

Prayer

Almighty God, my Heavenly Father, I come before you boldly because of the Lamb who died on the cross for me. I am forgiven because he shed his blood on my behalf. I bring to you the hundreds of thousands of imams around the world. They need the Lord of all in their lives. Only Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, can penetrate their hearts and bring them into the blessed Kingdom.

Reveal to them Christ in his glory and love, compassion and power. Help them realize he is the Master, the Lord, and the Redeemer of all.

I thank you for the imams who have already placed their faith in Christ the Lord. Help them grow continually in the love of God and the knowledge of Christ. Give them wisdom by your Spirit. Protect them and their families. Illumine their hearts and minds to know how to lead their congregations into the light of Christ. Teach them your Word. Help them depend on you.

Promise

Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you (Jeremiah 1:18-19, NIV).

In Qatar

Friday, November 18, 2022

Every four years the world community is swept up in the excitement of the soccer world cup games. Several nations send their top world-class players to participate and compete. All vie to get the world cup. Team after team is eliminated until the final winner gets the cup.

Normally the games run for a few weeks. This year the competition is scheduled to run from this week till the first week of December. Qatar won the bid to host this year’s games. This is the first time in history that the world cup games are held in a Muslim-majority country.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we bring to your attention the Emir (head of state) of Qatar, his family, and his government. Help them to crown Jesus as their Lord and Savior and walk in the fear of God. May their actions point to the glory of our Creator-Redeemer.

I pray for officials in various positions. May they heed the call of Christ, “Come to me… I will give you rest.” Help them undertake their duties with fairness, compassion, and honesty.

Bless all the players and team leaders who participate in the games. Help them turn their attention to God, seek to please him and give glory to Christ. Protect them from pride and arrogance.

Give Christians wisdom and boldness to speak the truth in love. Empower them with the Holy Spirit to make the most of every opportunity you give them to witness about Jesus and his love. Help Christian players realize that you are the source of their physical strength, stamina, and perseverance. May the winners always give you the glory. May the losers bring their pain and disappointment to you.

Promise

Come, see what the Lord has done, the astounding deeds he has wrought on earth (Psalm 46:8, REB).

Friday, November 11, 2022

Samuel, a tribal prince in Liberia in the late 1800s, was captured by an enemy tribe when he was about 14 and held for ransom. His tribe could not pay the required ransom, so his captors tied him to a tree, beat him, and tortured him.

One night he saw a bright flash of light and heard a voice tell him, “Run, Kaboo, run!” The ropes that tied him to the tree fell off, and, though weak from hunger and torture, he started running. His captors were terrified by the light and hid. Samuel followed the light to the jungle, where for weeks he walked at night and slept during the day. Finally, he found a coffee plantation where he got a job. A young man there befriended him and took him to a Christian mission meeting. The white missionary and her team welcomed him. He had never heard of Christ, the Bible or Christianity, but gladly learned about Jesus and became a Christian. The missionary taught him all she knew about the Holy Spirit, but he wanted more and asked her who had taught her those things. She answered, “Brother Stephen Merritt,” who lived in New York, a faraway land beyond the ocean.

Samuel then boarded a cargo ship to New York, although he had no money and no address for Brother Merritt. During the five months of hard work and constant prayer on board, he won the captain and many sailors to Christ. When he disembarked in New York, he asked the first man he met if he knew Stephen Merritt. In that city of two million people, the man knew Merritt and took Samuel to his workplace. Samuel would go on to inspire many to give their lives to Jesus.

Prayer

Lord God, I feel like Muslims are tied to a tree and are being tortured by the enemy of their soul. Only you, Lord God Almighty, can set them free. Break their fetters by the power of Christ. Shine your light onto their path to run to Jesus to rescue them and set them free.

Give Muslims the same hunger for the Holy Spirit that Samuel had. Help them to have simple, genuine faith in you to guide and lead them and hold them by the hand in their life journey.

For Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Promise

The LORD who appeared in the burning bush wants to give you the best the land can produce, and it will be a princely crown on Joseph’s head (Deuteronomy 33:16, CEV).

Friday, November 4, 2022

Shame is what a person feels when they are discovered doing something bad. When someone makes a mistake and is exposed, they become ashamed. So, shame is the lack of a covering for unacceptable behavior and actions.

For Muslims, shame is more serious and more demeaning than sin. If others find out about a person’s sin, the guilty party is considered punishable for the shame he or she caused rather than for the sin itself. Example: For people to notice that you lack honesty and integrity is more serious than your actual dishonesty!

In Islam, shame is also a dynamic way to force members of society to fall in line with the group’s behavioral norms and codes. Individuals are coerced into complying with what the group dictates.

Prayer

Lord God, I am reminded of how Adam and Eve were ashamed when they realized they were naked (Genesis 3:7). But you saw that which was more serious than their nudity—their disobedience. True, you provided them something to cover themselves with, but more importantly, you provided redemption from sin (Genesis 3:15).

I pray for Muslims to realize the seriousness of sin. Help them see that our hearts are sinful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9).

Reveal to them the wonderful gift of pardon and forgiveness in Christ, the only Lord and Savior. May they run to you repenting and believing. May they take pride in the cross and live a victorious life for Jesus.

I pray that you will make them completely holy and keep their entire spirit, soul and body blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). Amen.

Promise

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces (Psalm 34:5, NLT).