Please pray for believers in Northern Nigeria – Christian students Killed by Boko Haram

Peanut Gallery: Warning – the news report from Nigeria is graphic and disturbing.

Northern Nigeria: “Mubi town fell victim to a terrorist attack on 2 October 2012 when suspected members of Boko Haram entered the town at around 10pm and started to kill indiscriminately. The victims were mostly students from the three educational institutions based in the town. The death toll was put at 25 initially, however, the number is said to be closer to 45.”

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

PRAYER: Lord, in our relatively safe homes, it is difficult for us to wrap our minds around the tragedy that has occurred yet again in Nigeria. We pray for those who have lost loved ones in this night of terror. Comfort them as only You can do. And break the power of fear that has been cast over them that they might have the courage to meet the challenges of each new day. And protect them, Lord. Where the government has been uncaring or impotent or even part of the violence, change their hearts to stand for justice. And may all know that it is You who has brought about justice in this place. Amen

FULL STORY BELOW –

Christians Targeted in Nigeria’s University Killings, Students Say

The gunmen who killed at least 46 people in Nigeria’s northwestern town of Mubi on Monday (Oct. 1) first asked them if they were Christians before shooting or knifing them, according to students who escaped the carnage.

Two students from the off-campus housing site in the Mubi suburb of Wuro Fatuje, Adamawa state, where the massacre took place, told Morning Star News that the assailants were ethnic Hausa Muslims who shouted “Allahu Akbar [Allah is greater]” as they shot or stabbed hostel residents. One of the students said the assailants also torched a church building in nearby Tudun Wada the same night.

The students speculated that non-Christian victims among the dead were killed by mistake or suspected of collaborating with security agency raids in Mubi last month that resulted in the round-up of 156 members of Islamic extremist group Boko Haram and the death of one of its leaders.

The gunmen invaded the off-campus housing site serving three Mubi schools Continue reading “Please pray for believers in Northern Nigeria – Christian students Killed by Boko Haram” →

Speak out for Rimsha Masih today! – Open Doors

Speak out for Rimsha Masih today! – Open Doors

On August 17th, Rimsha Masih, a young Christian girl with learning disabilities, was arrested on charges of ‘blasphemy’ in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Rimsha was accused of burning pages of the Quran, a serious crime under Pakistan’s infamous blasphemy laws. After an initial court appearance, Rimsha was held in detention for about 3 weeks before being granted bail and released.

Morning Prayer: Stand for What is Right

STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT – Open Doors

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.” Matthew 5:10-11)

Jesus assures his followers there is blessing in suffering for what is right. This blessing may take the form of inner peace and joy. This is the meaning of the word translated “blessed” or “happy” in Jesus’ teaching called the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12).

The New Testament writer, James, indicates that pressures are blessings in disguise and should be responded to with joyfulness (James 1:2-3). The Message paraphrase translates the verses this way, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.”

Helen Berhane was severely persecuted in Eritrea’s prison system because she would not deny her faith. No matter what they did, she refused to give in.

She explains, “I told the chief, ‘I cannot abandon my faith. If you puncture a sack of grain, the only thing that pours out is the type of grain that was in the sack. It is the same with me. I can only say what is inside me; everything that is in my heart must come out of my mouth…The more you punish me, the stronger I will be. If you keep hammering on a nail’s head it just becomes harder to pull out of the wall…’

I could not understand how they expected me to stop believing; it was impossible for me. In fact, the guards were making their own situation worse, because people began to ask what was so special about this religion that Christians refused to give it up, and they also believed. Our suffering became a glory for our faith…I am convinced that the number of Christians has doubled or tripled since they closed the churches. So perhaps God is using this terrible situation for his glory.”

RESPONSE – Today I will stand for what is right, because I know Jesus will be glorified, and I will receive a blessing.

PRAYER – God give strength and courage to me and to those around the world being pressured to deny their faith today. I ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen

ERITREA (Open Doors) – All evangelical churches were closed following the government’s ban on all religious groups other than Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran or Islamic in 2002. Anyone discovered to be an evangelical is tortured and forced to revert to the registered denominations. If they don’t, they are held in military camps without trial. Around 1500 are believed to be imprisoned; at least five died in 2011. Others were released so they wouldn’t die in custody. In 2011 there was a renewed crackdown on house churches; at least 23 believers were imprisoned.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS) A daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks

Please pray for believers in Malaysia

September 14 | Malaysia – Please pray for the Christian workers in Malaysia who have dedicated themselves to nurturing Muslim-background believers. They are isolated from one another and seldom receive encouragement. Pray that their strength and passion for the ministry will be renewed.

Malaysia (Wikipedia) is a federal constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia. It consists of thirteen states and three federal territories and has a total landmass of 329,847 square kilometres (127,350 sq mi) separated by the South China Sea into two similarly sized regions, Peninsular Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo. Land borders are shared with Thailand, Indonesia, and Brunei, and maritime borders exist with Singapore, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The capital city is Kuala Lumpur, while Putrajaya is the seat of the federal government. In 2010 the population exceeded 27.5 million, with over 20 million living on the Peninsula… of which approximately 2.6 million are Christians.

Christianity has established itself in some communities, especially in “East Malaysia”. It is not tied to any specific ethnic group.

Religion in Malaysia (Wikipedia) – Religion often follows ethnic lines, with most Muslims being Malays. The code of Islam enforced is “Sunni”. Islam was introduced by traders, becoming firmly established in the 15th century. The government promotes a moderate form of Islam known as Islam Hadhari. Any teaching which deviates from the official Sunni code is illegal, and no other forms of Islam are allowed. The country has both civil and Sharia courts, with all Muslims having to follow Shariah laws. These are enforced by the government and police forces.

Relations between different religious groups are generally quite tolerant. Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Deepavali have been declared national holidays alongside Islamic holidays. Various groups have been set up to try to promote religious understanding among the different groups, with religious harmony seen as a priority by Malaysian politicians. However, it is illegal to convert Muslims to other religions, and disputes have arisen over the use of the word “Allah” for God in religions other than Islam. Restrictions on religious freedom exist, especially for Muslims, who are often not allowed to legally convert to other religions, and are forced into rehabilitation camps if they attempt to.

Open Doors describes the difficulty facing believers –

The government has banned the use of the Malay language Bible and other Christian books because it deems their contents to be detrimental to public peace. There are a few Christian workers in Malaysia dedicated in reaching out to local believers. Expatriate Christian workers have declined in numbers due to visa restrictions.

Please pray that they will learn to cast their cares on Jesus and enter His rest every day.

But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed. (2 Tim. 4:17)

Please pray for believers in Yemen

Peanut Gallery: Current events in Yemen further jeopardize the lives of the few hundred believers from a Muslim background in this country of 24.8 million. Open Doors describes the flight of Christian ex patriots after the “Arab Spring” riots – click here.

Islam is the state religion and source of legislation. The few hundred Christians from a Muslim background meet secretly as they face persecution from authorities, family and extremist Islamic groups. In the north, no church buildings are allowed. There is some religious freedom for foreigners but evangelism is prohibited. There are four official churches in Aden for the several thousands of Christian expats and refugees living in the country but large numbers have left as a result of the Arab Spring riots.

But that was a year ago… before current events. Please pray for believers’ safety, protection and peace.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4.6-7 NLT

Turmoil Spreads to U.S. Embassy in Yemen

SANA, Yemen — Turmoil in the Arab world linked to a contentious video denigrating the Prophet Muhammad spread on Thursday to Yemen, where hundreds of protesters stormed the United States Embassy, two days after assailants killed the American ambassador in Libya and crowds tried to overrun the embassy compound in Cairo.

News reports also spoke of a separate protest in Tehran, where around 500 Iranians chanting “Death to America” tried to converge on the Swiss Embassy, which handles United States interests in the absence of formal diplomatic relations with Washington. Hundreds of police officers held the crowds back from the diplomatic compound, which Swiss officials had evacuated as a precaution, Agence France-Presse said.

For a third straight day, protesters scuffled with police in Cairo, news reports said, while in Iraq, a militant Shiite group, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, once known for its violent attacks on Americans and other Westerners, said the video “will put all American interests in danger.”

In Sana, witnesses said Yemeni security forces had tried to disperse a crowd at the fortified embassy compound in the east of Sana, the capital. But protesters broke through an outer perimeter protecting the embassy, clambering over a high wall and setting fire to a building.

They were forced to retreat after trying to plunder furniture and computers, the witnesses said. Continue reading “Please pray for believers in Yemen” →