IN THE NAME OF JESUS - OUR ADVOCATE

In The Name of Jesus – Our Advocate As an evening breeze cut through Pakistan’s monsoon humidity, Nabil pretended to wash his father’s car. Wiping it dry, Nabil spoke in hushed tones to his neighborhood friend and to his father, a pastor in Lahore. “I am able to send my children to school here in Pakistan,” says Nabil. “But I can't help thinking. What happens if my daughter becomes the next Rimsha, or my wife the next Aasiya? What good is school, if she will only graduate into prison?” The story of Rimsha, the little 14-year-old, who was arrested in Pakistan last year for allegedly possessing burnt pages from the Koran, planted on her by a Muslim conspirator, has shaken every Christian family in Pakistan. Although Rimsha’s case has gone through the court system, and she was found innocent, it follows on the heels of three other particularly devastating cases. Aasiya Bibi, after being falsely accused and arrested in June 2009, became the first woman in Pakistan sentenced to death under the blasphemy law. Aasiya has been languishing in a Pakistani prison in solitary confinement ever since, awaiting a court hearing on her appeal. Later that year, terrorists assassinated the Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and the Federal Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, and threatened the life of Sherry Rehman, the Pakistan Ambassador to the United States, because of their support of Aasiya. In a separate incident, on July 31, 2012, Jihadists poisoned several Christian nurses during their hospital duty hours for not observing Ramadan fasting while taking their meals. They ended up in intensive care. And, just two months ago, a shocking attack took place where a man was accused of muttering blasphemy during prayer. After his arrest a mob attacked the prison, took him, beat him to death, and chopped his body into pieces before burning it.  One With Them Ramadan starts today. As Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset tensions may run high due to the long periods of sunlight, averaging 14 hours each day. Many Pakistani Christians fear that Muslim extremists could start riots if they do not observe Ramadan, others my unjustly use the blasphemy law against them. Be One With Them today, as you pray in the name of Jesus, our advocate, for justice to prevail for His people in Pakistan and all around the world. Let’s also pray that this Ramadan is the start of great numbers coming to Christ. One With Them CHALLENGE If you have not done so already, register to receive the 30-day Ramadan Prayer Calendar at Open Doors USA. Click here. 2013.07.09

“And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous.” (1 John 2:1)