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Tell Me The Truth!

January 03, 2012 | Be Inspired, Pray Up A Storm

Arif*, from Saudi Arabia, recently contacted us with several questions that were puzzling him.

“I have many questions that I want you to answer frankly and transparently:

-       Is the Messiah, God, or the son of God?
-       Does God need a son?
-       Who is the Holy Spirit? What is his role?”

So, how would you answer Arif’s concerns?

Media and Ministry

Through media, we have the extraordinary opportunity to share the good news with people in environments hostile to the gospel. But our workers need your prayerful support.

Ask the Holy Spirit to open Arif’s eyes and plant the seed of faith in his enquiring heart.

Pray for all our Arab World Media workers who correspond with seekers like Arif on a weekly basis. May they patiently answer questions, and journey with those longing to discover Jesus Christ.

Intercede for the people of Saudi Arabia. May many in that land come to know Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life.

‘Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ…pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.’ The Apostle Paul, Colossians 4:3-4

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I Found Rest In Christ

December 08, 2011 | Be Inspired

I wanted to hear their story.

When I visited some British friends in a Moroccan city, I met a Moroccan Christian couple and asked them to share their journey to faith.

The husband had become a Christian because he had seen such a change in his brother after he had come to Christ. The wife was extremely opposed to this and tore up her husband’s Bible. She even put the phone down on any Christians who tried to contact her husband.

She began to reflect on how her husband had changed dramatically. After a while, she also became a Christian.

I then asked the couple what had changed in their lives since they had come to know Christ. They both replied that there was ‘rest’ in Christianity which they had never found in Islam.

In the gospels, Jesus declared, ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11:28

This couple have experienced that Jesus wonderfully keeps his promise.

(Library image is used for illustrative purposes only and doesn’t represent people mentioned in this article)

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Egypt’s Broken Dreams

November 21, 2011 | Keep Informed

There was hope for real change.

Hopeful Egyptian protestor

Muslims and Christians marched side-by-side during demonstrations in Tahrir Square earlier this year. Egyptians cried out together for freedom from tyranny and more open government.

Members from a nearby church waded into the Square to pray, sing and preach. A Muslim journalist apologised to the Christians for his inflammatory articles.

Was this a new day of Muslim-Christian harmony in Egypt? Would sectarian tension begin to fade after decades of unrest?

Ongoing Attacks

Sadly, isolated attacks on Egyptian churches have continued.

On 9 October a group of Christians marched through Cairo to protest the burning of an Aswan church. Some onlookers threw stones at them and others attacked. When the protesters retaliated, the army intervened and attacked the marchers using live ammunition. According to reports, 26 died and over 200 were injured. A further 34 are being detained for being allegedly involved in the violence, according to Middle East Concern.

“This was the most violent and open attack…for a long time,” lamented an Egyptian Christian. Another feared that “the dream of a civil society may never come true.”

Further Violence

Further violence has erupted this weekend as 20 Egyptians died in relation to escalating protests against the military government. At least 1700 have been injured in other fighting across the country.

More than 100 diplomats have signed a statement condemning the way that protesters have been treated, according to reports. The document also calls for a full handover to a civilian government by the middle of 2012.

Egypt’s Future

Elections are being held this week, but protesters fear that the military is intent on cementing its position rather than handing over power.

Let us continue to pray for real change for all Egyptians. May the nation’s future benefit both Christian and Muslim alike.

‘The LORD Almighty will bless them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people.”‘ Isaiah 19:25

By Christine M

(Image is used for illustrative purposes only)

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Why Muslims Go To Mecca

November 04, 2011 | Pray Up A Storm

Millions of Muslims have left for the Hajj. But what is their hope? Many travel to fulfill religious ritual for themselves or others, while some long to return after four days with their conscience cleansed.

See video of Muslims on Hajj (5mins 30) - created by Praying Through the Arabian Peninsula network

Moved with compassion

The Bible tells us that Jesus left the glories of heaven to save us from our sin. There is no need for people to make a pilgrimage to become clean in God’s sight.

Chris, a Pioneers worker in the Gulf shares his prayer burden with us:

‘As these people created by God for the purpose of knowing and glorifying Him are still blinded, pray that during this Hajj season God will heal their eyes in order for them to recognise Jesus as Saviour.’

Bible verse

‘The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.’ Matthew 4:16

For more on the Hajj

Praying Through the Arabian Peninsula

Arab World Media

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What Can God Do In A Day?

October 31, 2011 | Be Inspired, Resources

: an extract from AWM’s latest magazine

Ponder on Acts chapter two. At nine in the morning, 120 followers of the rejected Rabbi were heckled as drunkards. By nine that evening, there was a 3000-strong community devoted to the risen Christ.

Despite opposition, the Church was born on the Day of Pentecost. The Spirit defied both stubborn Jewish leaders and the ruling Roman Empire. His power was unstoppable and His call irresistible.

The Sovereign Lord is still drawing people to Himself from unlikely places. In Saudi Arabia, we hear of national believers growing in both number and boldness. In Morocco we are encouraged by the increasing number of people turning to Christ despite the expulsions of more than 130 Christian workers last year.

Regardless of politics or conflict, we can continue to believe that the Church will flourish in our day among Muslims of the Arab world.

As a discerning Jewish council member once stated in the early days of the expanding Church community, ‘If God is behind this, then no will be able to stop it’ (Acts 5:39).

NB. This article has been adapted from the November 2011 issue of awmlink, AWM’s free quarterly magazine.

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Gadaffi, Libya And The Church

October 21, 2011 | Keep Informed, Resources

‘This man needs your prayers.’

: Muammar Gadaffi 1942-2011

Bryan Knell wrote those words 22 years ago in AWM’s publication Frontline about Muammar Gadaffi.

This week, we learned that ‘this man’ Gadaffi was killed. Gory images abound of the utter demise of this once self-styled invincible leader.

Gadaffi may have been influenced by Christians. He was educated at Sandhurst, a military college in Buckinghamshire. Did he attend chapel services? Perhaps he heard something of God’s love for him.

Terry Waite gave Gadaffi a Bible in the 1980s. Did he read it? Did God speak to him in the drainage pipe where he was hiding in Sirte?

We do not know. For Gadaffi, it is now too late. Yet, we continue to pray for Libya, the country that Gadaffi ruled for 42 years.

Libya’s Church has struggled

The Church is expanding across the north of Africa. Every country has seen hundreds and even thousands of Arab Muslims coming to Christ – except Libya.

Libya has the smallest number of national believers in all of North Africa. Some estimate a few dozen Libyans who serve Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

Meanwhile, to the east in Egypt, millions of Coptic Christians and thousands of evangelicals worship God, alongside hundreds of Christians from a Muslim background.

Just west of Libya, Tunisia has hundreds of national believers. Morocco has thousands of believers as does Algeria.

Yet Libya lags behind. May the jaw dropping events this year serve to strengthen the Church in Libya. There are reports of individual Libyans coming to Christ already.

Libya still needs our prayers.

Can Hope Be Found in Libya? from Arab World Media (includes prayer points)

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Articles

Tell Me The Truth!

Media and Ministry

I Found Rest In Christ

Egypt’s Broken Dreams

Why Muslims Go To Mecca

What Can God Do In A Day?

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Gadaffi, Libya And The Church

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