30-Days of Prayer for the Muslim World | www.30-days.net » persecution http://www.30-days.net What Christians should know about Islamic background, history and culture. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:11:00 +0000 en hourly 1 God’s Message By Radio – Testimony http://www.30-days.net/testimony/gods-message-by-radio-testimony/ http://www.30-days.net/testimony/gods-message-by-radio-testimony/#comments Mon, 16 May 2011 00:04:05 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1075

Following-up radio listeners in the Middle East

Testimony: I am involved in Christian radio broadcasting to many Muslim countries. Sometimes the audience has the possibility to SMS, phone or write to ask for literature. However, mail packages containing Bibles are often stopped by the religious security authorities in various countries. Recently I phoned two people in remote areas of my country where I was not legally allowed to travel. I invited these two listeners to come to me instead so we wouldn’t be watched.

The meeting with the first person was very short. He was glad to have found me. He took a Bible, however, he was also very nervous and said goodbye almost immediately. We agreed that he will contact me again if he needs additional literature or has questions.

The second person came under the protection of darkness after a four hour bike ride. He spoke enthusiastically about the radio broadcasts. He said that he wanted to study the Christian faith deeply (and honestly it seemed to me), so I gave him not only a Bible and study materials, but also the Jesus Film and other Gospel films. We agreed to stay in touch. A few months after our initial meeting, I met again with the second man. He asked for more books written by believers and videos. I was able to give him these things plus testimonies of Muslims who had encountered the Messiah. Unfortunately we had no time for a personal conversation. Is he a believer or still a seeker? I was unable to find out … this time.

Prayer Starters:

  • May the Holy Spirit guide during telephone conversations and meetings with interested radio listeners. Pray for divine rendezvous (Acts 8:26-31).
  • Pray that interested listeners, despite the watchful eyes of authorities, can receive Bibles, DVDs and other helpful material.
  • Pray with your family for the family members of seekers who could be opposed to listening to Gospel radio and receiving Bible materials.

In Memory of Sergi

Sergi became a follower of Jesus while in prison near Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 2002. Upon release from prison he raised up a small group of disciples in an area of Tajikistan with a population of 200,000 but no known believers. The local secret police threatened him and asked him to leave. Local Muslim leaders also threatened him and demanded that he leave. He stayed.

One evening in 2005 while worshiping with his wife and two other believers, armed men arrived and shot him through the window. While the other three lay on the floor and escaped unharmed, Sergi’s body was shot many times. Sergi died worshiping Jesus. He had been a follower of Jesus for three years.

The young men responsible for Sergi’s death were arrested and are now in prison where other believers proclaim and demonstrate the love of Jesus to them. Pray with the brothers in prison that these who were willing to kill for their religion will become followers of Jesus and learn to forgive and love their enemies.

Video: Words of Hope

Radio in East Africa from Words of Hope on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/testimony/gods-message-by-radio-testimony/feed/ 5 Secret Believers … http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/secret-believers/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/secret-believers/#comments Mon, 25 Oct 2010 01:46:37 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=1007 The real cost of following Jesus

For a former Muslim, becoming a believer in the Messiah is more than simply changing religion. In leaving Islam, the person has left his identity. The consequences of this choice are terrible: new believers are often rejected by other Muslims, and their family, and sometimes they are forced to divorce and they lose their children. They can lose their inheritance, their employment, their lodging, sometimes they receive death threats and some are actually killed. In many cases they are obliged to live their new faith in secret because of the fear of persecution. They become real “secret believers.” Many are isolated, and it is very difficult for them to persevere in their faith. The new believer needs a new identity.

In Islamic countries new believers in the Messiah from a Muslim background can experience very dramatic situations. According to Islamic law, the sharia, it is forbidden for a Muslim to change religion. In Saudi Arabia, Iran, the Maldive Islands, Afghanistan and Yemen people can be subject to the death penalty if it is discovered that they have changed religion. However, death threats do not always come from governments. In Afghanistan and generally in the countries of the former Soviet Union, the family of a new believer will sometimes try to save their honour by shedding blood (it is considered shameful for the family for someone to leave Islam and become a member of another faith). In Somalia Islamic fundamentalists will hunt down new believers to put them to death. For more information see the web site: Secret Believers (opens in a new window).

Prayer Starters:

  • Pray for the secret believers who are even now facing the possibility of death. May God protect them.
  • Pray for their families that they also may be attracted to the light of Christ. Pray that there would be a change of mentality so that Muslims can accept believers in the Messiah as honourable members of society.
  • Pray that the situation of the secret believers would be better known and that believers all over the world could give them help.
  • Explain to your children about the freedom you have and ask them to pray for a secret person.

Testimony of a secret believer:

Even after coming to faith in Jesus in our passport it is always written that we are Muslims because it is legally forbidden to modify it. One is supposed to present it everywhere. I am very happy that my husband did not lose his job when his employer learned that he had become a follower of Jesus.

Video: Secret Believers

The Persecuted Church from Nudge Media on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/secret-believers/feed/ 10 Our Attitudes: Unbelief, Belief and Love in any circumstance? http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/our-attitudes/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/our-attitudes/#comments Fri, 15 Oct 2010 05:45:33 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/?p=997 Unbelief, Belief and Love

Scriptures to meditate and proclaim in prayer: Mt. 19:26, Jeremiah 32:27, Romans 12:1-2

It is often said that Muslims are hard to reach with the Gospel. For religious, cultural and spiritual reasons this is often true. However it is not impossible. The Bible tells us that nothing is impossible for God (Mt. 19:26). Do I agree with God that nothing is too hard for Him?

Is our attitude one of love?

Faith is important but do I also love Muslims? What is my most profound reaction when I meet them, when I see them on television? How would I react if a man in Muslim clothing came to my church? How would I react if a new believer from a Muslim background wanted to marry into my family? Would I be willing to give a thousand dollars so someone could proclaim the Gospel among Muslims? Would I be willing to sit and eat with a Muslim in a crowded restaurant? Have I been involved in criticizing them without knowing them? Am I fearful of Muslims? Is my main attitude toward them one of mistrust? Am I able to do as Jesus says, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”? Is this my desire, is this my goal?

Prayer Starters:

Be honest with God. Pray as He directs you. (Use the scriptures cited above.) If it seems appropriate, pray for yourself and / or other believers around the world who may also be struggling with their attitudes, ideas and actions toward Muslims.  Scriptures: Mt. 19:26, Jeremiah 32:27, Romans 12:1-2

A believer’s testimony

and some significant questions about Islam and Muslims

The author of the following paragraph loves Muslims very much.

“I want you to know that I have personally survived two attempts by Muslim extremist crowds to lynch me. Once in 1986 because I was a Westerner and once because of my witness concerning Jesus Christ in 1989. I have received more death threats from Muslim extremists than I can count. I have been arrested, I have had my home searched and my Bibles have been confiscated. The police have interrogated me about my faith and witness. I have close friends who have been tortured. I think I can honestly say that I have earned the right to say that I am not naïve about Muslim extremism. But I want to ask: What does our Christian faith say about the attitude we should have as believers toward Islam and Muslims in the world today?”

“I have received more

death threats from Muslim

extremists than I can count.”

Images we have

Joseph, the author of the previous paragraph, asks other questions: What image springs to the mind of most Christians when they think about Muslims? The Twin towers? Osama bin Laden? Are we called to defend “Christian civilisation” or are we willing to lay down our lives in love for Muslims and share with them the Good News of Jesus? Are we interested in self preservation or self-giving for the Gospel? Joseph believes that the Christian faith is primarily costly discipleship to Jesus Christ the Crucified. What do we believe? (See 1 Peter 3:15, Mark 8:34-35, Mt. 5:39 and 44.)*

In the words of Floyd McClung, there is a life-giving way to think and act concerning Islam and Muslims:

Radical Prayer – Pray with love and faith for Muslims to experience the mercy and grace of God.
Persevering Faith – Believe God to raise up committed, trained believers to take God’s message to Muslims and establish new groups of believers.
Extreme Sacrifice – The militancy of Muslims is best responded to by sacrificial love and a willingness to suffer and even die to make Jesus known.

Rather than responding in fear or disdain toward Muslims, McClung believes we should respond in the opposite spirit, in an attitude of Christ-like love. The “30 Days” movement shares this belief.

* Taken from the book “From Seed to Fruit,” pages 318-323. Published by William Carey Library, Pasadena, CA 2008.

Video: DanStevers.com

Consumer Worship from DanStevers.com on Vimeo.

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]]> http://www.30-days.net/islam/issues/our-attitudes/feed/ 13 When witnessing to Muslims… Opposition will come http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/opposition/ http://www.30-days.net/islam/howto/opposition/#comments Wed, 30 Jun 2010 10:26:39 +0000 TDI http://www.30-days.net/reveal/opposition/ When you witness to Muslims they will probably raise objections which form the basis of their conviction that the Christian faith is unacceptable for them. Christians need to know about these objections and be prepared to deal with them correctly.

Common problems:

1. The Bible.

Muslims believe that the Bible has been altered and corrupted. They will deny its authority because they see it as not being authentic.

2. The Trinity.

Muslims believe the Holy Trinity implies a belief in three gods. Many Muslims believe that the Christian Trinity is made up of the Father, Mary (the virgin) and the Son (Jesus).

3. The divinity of Jesus.

They believe it is blasphemy to affirm the divinity of Jesus and to give Him the title “Son of God”. Many believe this implies that God had sexual relations with Mary and that a son was born physically through this relationship. (This idea is also unacceptable for Christians.)

4. The cross.

Muslims believe it is impossible that God would allow His prophet Jesus to die on the cross. For Muslims, the cross is scandalous and foolish. One should not speak of the cross without speaking of the resurrection. Christ was victorious over sin, death and the devil.

5. Knowing God.

Muslims believe that God is the God of Abraham, but also that God will not allow people to draw near to Himself or know Him in the Christian sense.

6. Christians are deceived.

Muslims often believe that Christians are deceived and that they have an obligation to lead them to the truth of Islam. For many Muslims, the word “Christian” signifies materialism, a lack of spirituality and moral failure. Because of this they reject many things that come from Western society and which they consider perverted. For Muslims, alcohol consumption, pornography, a liberal lifestyle and a lack of religious practice are sure signs of the failure of Western countries. Muslims associate Christianity with Western culture.

On the other hand, many Muslims do not practice their own religion. They find themselves torn between Islam and Western culture. The relationships between Muslims and Westerners are often very tense. Each has attitudes of suspicion, rejection and feelings of injustice toward the other. In many situations this leads to hatred.

The differences between the two cultures are the cause of many problems and misunderstandings. May God cause Christians to become people who make peace (Matt 5:9).

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