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In The Name of Jesus – Almighty
Afghanistan, throughout its long history,
has been the crossroads of many civilizations. Those, who have traveled
its roads and mountain passes brought to this land-locked nation their
beliefs and traditions. Christianity had once been a major influence in
Afghan society. Unfortunately, over the years, the presence and memory
of Christianity has slowly and systemically been removed from its
history.
Today, not a single official church building
remains outside diplomatic walls and foreign military bases. The
handful of Christians that does exist in Afghanistan meet secretly in
private homes; and at great risk to themselves.
Afghanis are considered Muslim at birth; so
all Afghan Christians were former Muslims. They face discrimination from
their family and community, Muslim clergy and local authorities if
their faith in Jesus is discovered. Using any means possible to make
them recant their new faith, they are treated in a hostile manner,
including beatings, threats of death, starvation and imprisonment.
Said Musa was once such “secret” believer.
Charged with the crime of apostasy (leaving Islam), he languished in
prison, awaiting execution. Beaten and abused, Musa prayed and wrote
letters from his prison cell.
In a February 2011 letter, Musa, an amputee
and a father of six, said that representatives of embassies in Kabul
visited him and offered him asylum. But after the representatives left,
he was taken to another room, where Afghani officials tried to convince
him to recant his faith. They promised to release him within 24 hours if
he would do so. He refused and was sent back to his cell. “I told them I
cannot follow Islam,” he wrote in his letter. “I am Jesus Christ’s
servant. They pushed me much and much. I refused their demands.”
After intense diplomatic pressure, Musa’s prayers were answered and he was released. In all he spent almost nine months in prison because of his faith in Jesus. Several months after his release, he was allowed to leave Afghanistan with his wife and six children. The family now lives in a small apartment in an undisclosed country.
One With Them
Please be One With Them, praying in the name of Jesus, the Almighty, for Afghani Christians who are alone and without fellowship, asking for courage and perseverance to endure during Ramadan. Also pray for the church to grow despite difficulties, and for more opportunities to spread the gospel message via satellite TV and other means.
One With Them CHALLENGE
Learn more about being a Christian in Afghanistan, ranked number 3 on the Open Doors World Watch List of Christian persecution.
Download the 30-day Ramadan Prayer Guide.
2013.07.11
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Thursday, July 11, 2013
IN THE NAME OF JESUS - ALMIGHTY
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
In The Name of Jesus – The Alpha and Omega
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In The Name of Jesus – The Alpha and Omega
Saudi Arabia ranks as the second most
difficult place to be a Christian on the Open Doors 2013 World Watch
List. Due to the oppressive government, and persecution that is evident
through society, the country ranks second only to the totalitarian
regime of North Korea. Christ died for all, but many Saudi people do not
know Christ – yet!
Today, in Mecca, the holiest Islamic city,
the crowds are massive. The faithful have arrived to participate in a
Hajj. For many, this is a once-in-a-lifetime journey. The Hajj, or
pilgrimage, is part of the Five Pillars of Islam. All Muslims, if able,
must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Those,
who have and then return back to their homeland, are highly revered in
their local communities. Many Muslims see the Hajj as the highlight of
their life and believe that it will wash all their sins away. But, there
are testimonies from Muslims, who have gone on pilgrimage, with an
upright desire to obey God… instead God gave them a vision, telling them
that they need Jesus.
Brother Andrew, founder of Open Doors,
coined this phrase, using the acronym ISLAM, "I Sincerely Love All
Muslims.” It is a great reminder that Christ called us to love and share
his gospel with all people. That He came and took on the sins of all
people, in order to make a way to reconcile with Himself.
One With Them
Today, as millions of Muslims faithfully perform the rituals – seeking forgiveness and inspiration – God is at work behind the scenes, softening their hearts, drawing them to Himself. Be One With Them in praying for Christians in Saudi Arabia. Pray that God would grant them His wisdom in knowing when, how and with whom to share the gospel with. And for Muslims, who are blinded and cannot see the truth; pray for God, the Alpha and Omega, to give them sight to recognize Jesus as their Savior.
One With Them
Learn more about being a Christian in Saudi Arabia, ranked number 2 on the Open Doors World Watch List of Christian persecution.
2013.07.10
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Tuesday, July 9, 2013
30 DAYS OF PRAYER DURING RAMADHAN
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30 Days Of Prayer During Ramadan
When at a loss for words, many have found
that by simply saying the names of Jesus, they can experience His power,
peace and presence. And this Ramadan, you can do just that.
Open Doors is offering free prayer resources
that encourage Christians worldwide to pray daily one of the names of
Jesus found in scripture. Each day as you boldly pray, saying His Holy
Name, may Christians worldwide also be filled with His peace and
presence, and may many more, who are seeking the Truth, find Jesus!
The following is from a blog posted last summer by a Christian leader in Egypt:
“With the back-drop of Ramadan brings a
special cultural and religious atmosphere for Muslims in several ways.
It’s a month of celebration of one of Islam’s most important pillars of
belief. More food is consumed in this month than any other month of the
year. From the time they break their fast each evening to the time they
start the fast at dawn the next day, some Muslims keep eating and
drinking almost all night. This is called “iftar.”
"The religious atmosphere among Muslims rises dramatically, more than any other month of the year. This is a holy month for Islam, so they are promised to gain favor from Allah when they do good works, hoping that some of the bad things they have done during the past year will be erased. Many Muslims distribute free grocery packages or hold street-side free iftar tables for passersby to sit down and eat if they are unable to reach home in time to break for the evening fast. And of course, Ramadan is also a special month when Muslims want to try to win ‘infidels’ back to Islam. They try to convert their Christian neighbors, colleagues and friends, which causes a lot of tension among Egypt’s Christians. These Christians must remain respectful but firm against their Muslim acquaintances’ conversion efforts without falling into heated arguments. “My heart is broken for the millions of Muslims here in Egypt and around the world, who are seeking peace with God this month. They try so hard to do good works in an effort to somehow earn His favor and forgiveness. It brings tears to my eyes that most of my countrymen do not know that Jesus died and rose from the dead to freely give them, through simple faith, the peace with God they so long to have.”
One With Them
Be One With Them today by signing up to receive the Open Doors 30-day Ramadan prayer calendar and quick reference guide on Islam. In addition, for the next 30 days, the One With Them stories will coincide with the Open Doors Ramadan Prayer calendar.
(Note: Depending on the time zone and when
the new day begins; in some parts of the world, Ramadan begins on July 8
to August 7.)
2013.07.08
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IN THE NAME OF JESUS - OUR ADVOCATE
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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
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Sunday, July 7, 2013
Lessons From The Church In Philippi – Part Two
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Lessons From The Church In Philippi – Part One
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Lessons From The Church In Philippi – Part One
At the
end of May, Open Doors’ workers visited Christians in the Nuba Mountain
region of Sudan. The purpose was to attend a graduation ceremony of
theological training and present a short version of the Standing Strong
Through the Storm seminar. Group discussions centered on the realities
of suffering and persecution, and Paul’s encouragement to the church in
Philippi. Sharing included concerns on how to prepare the church and
leadership for the different scenarios that could potentially play out
in Nuba.
The Nuba
people group is made up of more than 90 small tribes. Although sections
of the people in western Nuba practice Islam, there’s a strong
Christian presence and a vibrant church in eastern Nuba. The Nuba are a
resilient people who fought alongside the South for independence. When
the border between North and South was drafted by the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (CPA), Nuba’s lot fell with the North. As a result, the
people of Nuba found themselves in the Muslim-dominated “North” Sudan.
In a war for power, the Sudanese government
launched aerial attacks, dropping at least 60 bombs each day. The
indiscriminate bombing of villages, burning of meager food supplies,
scattering of people and preventing of farmers to sow, caused immense
suffering.
By the end of 2012, around 57,000 Nuba
civilians made the arduous journey on foot to South Sudan. Thousands of
others opted to stay, including mothers who were forced to find ways to
feed their children and the elderly left in their care. During this
time, at least 80-percent of the population survived on one meal a day
that often consisted of roots or leaves. Existing on foods with little
nutritional value, many died of malnutrition and starvation.
Feeling forgotten not only by the
international community but by the Christian community, the Nuba people
welcomed the training session and encouragement offered by Open Doors.
During group discussions students diligently jotted down key lessons
learned from the Church in Philippi. Tomorrow, we continue sharing of
the lessons learned.
One With Them
Scripture tells us in Acts 15:36-41 that Paul’s second missionary journey actually began with a disagreement with his partner, Barnabas. God used this disagreement to double the efforts to spread the Good News, sending Barnabas and John Mark in one direction, and Paul and Silas in another – a direction that led to Philippi. Paul’s writings from the Philippian jail are among the most jubilant, joyful, and optimistic Scripture in the Bible. Thankful that God opened doors for a training session where believers could come alongside the suffering Nuba people. Join in prayer – One With Them – today, for these believers.
2013.07.06
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Isolated And Alone
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Isolated And Alone
Cameroon
is a beautiful and diverse country in Africa located on the border of
Nigeria. After being divided by the French and British during World War
I, Cameroon finally claimed her independence in the 1960's. While the
economy in the larger cities in Northern Cameroon is seemingly
successful, the welfare of the natives in the smaller villages is
desolate and isolated. Islam is the primary religion in this area and
Christians are persecuted by Boko Haram members regularly. It is common
for Boko Haram members to cross the border from Nigeria into Cameroon
and cause havoc. The only authority in the area is the local Muslim
Chief. Many of Christ followers today are Muslim Background Believers
(MBB), which makes them an even greater target from family, friends and
the government. Seeing how there is no church in the area, the
believers' decision to follow Christ is met with great hostility.
Marian, a believer in North Cameroon, lives
in a small, isolated village. Just days before Open Doors visited the
area, her husband, along with two other men, were deliberately attacked
by Boko Haram members. Marian became a widow that day.
Prior to the tragedy, groups of converts
would meet in secret, and always at a different location. But, after the
attack, Marian was completely cut off from Christian contact. Kept
behind a curtain, away from everyone, she spent her days eating,
sleeping and breathing in absolute solitude until it became clear that
she was not pregnant. Any child born after the customary observation
would be labeled illegitimate.
Since released, Marian now endures
psychological pressure from other women in the village who accuse her of
being stubborn. They taunt her by saying, "If you and your husband
stayed Muslims he would be alive today." Marian has 12 children and the
loss of their father has had a great impact on them as well.
One With Them
Please be One With Them today as you join in this prayer for Marian and other Christians in North Cameroon:
"Heavenly Father, thank You for Your
mercies, fresh and new each day. Thank You for the gift of Your Son.
Thank You for giving all believers Your very own Spirit to reside in us,
to comfort us, to guide and direct us. Father, You created all, You
know all, and You have seen all. No one knows the situation in North
Cameroon like You, Father. We are comforted that You also know what
tomorrow, and every tomorrow thereafter, will bring. Please sustain the
faith of Marian and all Your Cameroon children in the face of their
present difficulties and continue to shine the light of the Gospel in
this remote area. May they remain strong and effective witnesses for
Christ. Shine Your light so that many may be liberated from the yoke of
tradition and ignorance. I lift up these prayers in Jesus’ name. Amen."
One With Them CHALLENGE
Marian’s story of a husband martyred for Christ, and now alone with no visible means of supporting her children, is repeated again and again in countries where Christians are persecuted. One of the Open Doors ministries is to provide entrepreneurial skills training so that these widows can support their families. Please prayerfully consider supporting this ministry today at the Open Doors website. Click here.
2013.07.05
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