Day 21: Muslims’ Faith Journey
Series: 30 Days of Prayer for Muslims and Christians – 2016 Ramadan
Presented in American Sign Language, no voice interpretation.
Link: http://vimeo.com/172131356

Written Transcript:

Muslims’ journey to being a follower of Christ is not straightforward or easy one. One researcher have heard stories from a thousand Muslim-background believers that there are certain markers (three are named here) along the way that regularly point Muslim seekers from all over the world in this direction.

Marker #1: The Qur’an

As Christians do with the Bible, Muslims have clung to the Qur’an as the core of their faith. They have memorized and treasured it, even though they often do not understand it. But this is changing. Before his death in 2005, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia sponsored the translation of the Qur’an into languages all over the world. Thinking it would advance Islam, Fahd doesn’t realize that it’s had the opposite effect.

As more Muslims began reading and memorizing the Qur’an in their own languages, they understood among many things that it had no plan of salvation, no assurance that if they were a good Muslim they would go to heaven. This is the beginning of Muslims’ search for salvation, which often ends up with their reading of the New Testament and surrendering his life to faith in Jesus Christ.

Marker #2: The stories of Muhammad

Muslims revere the Prophet Muhammad, but those who diligently study the Qur’an and the Hadiths (stories taken from the life of Muhammad), report contradictions with the common legend of a gracious and generous leader. They are disturbed by a prophet of God who would alter the divine revelation when it suited him, amass wealth at the expense of conquered foes, and spread his religion at the point of a sword. Such discomfort can be the first step on a journey to another way of believing.

Marker #3: Islam’s Violent History

The idea that Islam is a religion of peace is shattered by Muslims who live with the reality of war and violence every day. When we see outbreaks of Islamic violence reported, remember that most of the victims are Muslims, and many of these Muslims are rejecting that violence to follow the Prince of Peace.

– Pray for Muslims who are questioning their faith, that they will meet others who have walked that journey and found it led them to Christ.

– Pray for scholars and teachers to study Islam with honest, seeking hearts and courage to question.

– Pray for those Muslims who decide to follow Jesus, that they will find fellowship and peace within their new faith.

Source: www.30daysprayer.org

Day 20: Cambodia’s Western Cham
Series: 30 Days of Prayer for Muslims and Christians – 2016 Ramadan
Presented in American Sign Language, no voice interpretation.
Link: http://vimeo.com/172131355

Written Transcript:

The people of Cham can be found in almost every providence of Cambodia, generally where large river systems are located. Their roots trace back to the ancient Champa kingdom in present-day Vietnam. Due to conflict with the Vietnamese long ago, the Cham migrated west in large numbers to Cambodia and became the Western Cham with a current population of about 400,000.

Although the Cham by large do not know Jesus, many people are beginning to pray for the Cham people. Pray for this people group, especially for them to encounter and have a relationship with Jesus!

– Pray for few believers who are just beginning to grow in their faith.

– Pray for the ongoing translation of the Scriptures in their heart language.

– Pray for a movement of Cham people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Day 19: The Indonesian Merantau
Series: 30 Days of Prayer for Muslims and Christians – 2016 Ramadan
Presented in American Sign Language, no voice interpretation.
Link: http://vimeo.com/171972622

Written Transcript:

Among the rural class of people on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, the concept of merantau is popular. Merantau simply means “to wander about.”

This concept usually involves a young person, particularly a male, leaving home in his late teens or early 20s to wander for an indefinite period of time wherever he wants to go. As the person travels from rural areas to the city, he might be seeking his fame and fortune. He will take any jobs with the hope of a brighter future and looking for an “experience” in the form of both a job or profession and life in general.

The person is often unsure of what he is looking for, and is often more open and feels less social pressure from their family, friends and neighbors. As a result, it is easier and less risky to share the gospel with these young people outside their villages.

It is also possible for the reverse to take place. It is possible to send young Indonesian missionaries to new places and have them simply show up and explain to the local people that they are on a merantau. This is an acceptable way to get to know a new community and share the message of Jesus.

– Pray for Indonesians on a merantau, that those wandering aimlessly would wander right into the Kingdom of God.

– Pray that Christians, particularly businessmen, would see these young men as potential people they can invest in, both for a business experience and for the Kingdom of God.

– Pray for the release of young enthusiastic missionaries to go on a merantau to tough unreached areas to see God’s Kingdom established in areas where at this time there is no witness of the gospel!

Source: www.30daysprayer.org

Day 18: The Indo-Malaysia Region
Series: 30 Days of Prayer for Muslims and Christians – 2016 Ramadan
Presented in American Sign Language, no voice interpretation.
Link: http://vimeo.com/171138659

Written Transcript:

The countries of Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines, and Indonesia’s sprawling chain of more than 17,000 islands. Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world with a population of 250 million, 87 percent of whom are Muslims.

For a long time before Christianity and Islam arrived in the area, the Indo-Malaysia people spent centuries engaged in animism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. Today, the same ancient religions continue to blend with the region’s societies and cultures.

Indonesia experienced the first modern movement of Muslims to Christ in 1870, then in 1967-71 with the largest turning of Muslims to Christ in history, as over two million Muslims were baptized into Christian churches. Today, many Muslims in Indo-Malaysia are responding to a simple five-step approach to sharing the Christian faith.

Based on Jesus’ discourse with the Samaritan woman in John 4, the steps are as follows:

1) Get connected with a Muslim. Most Muslims in the region never hear the gospel because they don’t know any Christians.

2) Welcome a God conversation. In this region, Muslims love to talk about God. Ask your new Muslim friend, “What do you do in your religion to please God?” – it is a great starter for a conversation about spiritual things.

3) Explore the results of our efforts to please God – they often lead to questions about assurance of salvation. Many Muslims accept that we cannot know the will of God or have any confidence that He will save us.

4) Focus on the heart of the gospel message and the narrative of Jesus’ death for our eternal life.

5) Invite your friend to receive salvation through Jesus.

This simple approach to sharing the message of Jesus is easy for new believers to follow. As a result, Christianity is spreading throughout Indo-Malaysia. Thousands have accepted Christ as their Savior as a result and are now following Christ as His disciples.

– Pray that effective gospel methods such as satellite television, the Jesus movie, personal Christian witness, and simple evangelism tools will continue to spread the gospel across Indo-Malaysia.

– Pray that the believers will remain strong in the faith when the persecution that always accompanies the emerging movements in Indo-Malaysia comes.

– Pray for Indo-Malaysia’s more than 280 million lost Muslims in 282 different people groups, many of whom have yet to receive any Christian witness.

Source: www.30daysprayer.org

Day 17: Bihar, India
Series: 30 Days of Prayer for Muslims and Christians – 2016 Ramadan
Presented in American Sign Language, no voice interpretation.
Link: http://vimeo.com/171138664

Written Transcript:

In Baisi, India, there are about 10,000 inhabitants yet remains one of the most difficult places for Christianity to take root. The population is almost entirely Muslim with some Hindi influence. The closest Christian church is located in Purnia, a city about 25 miles away.

Baisi is a town locally famous for being a stronghold of Islam; young men from all over the region gather there to be trained in the ways of Islam. The state of Bihar has about 100 million people living in villages, and a few decades ago, it has earned a nickname as “the graveyard of missions” because no ministry seems able to take root and grow. Only 0.05 percent of Bihar inhabitants are Christians, which rivals regions such as Somalia and Afghanistan for the lowest overall percentage in the world.

Only little has been done to reach the 17-20 million Muslims in this state. Many people in this area are still waiting to hear the good news about Jesus. When someone in the future from the area ask where the Christians or churches are, what will be the reply?

– Pray that the Lord of the harvest would raise up workers in Baisi and throughout Bihar.

– Pray that the Spirit of God and the Word of God would draw Muslim leaders and whole family groups throughout Bihar to Jesus.

– Pray that Isaiah 55:11 will come to pass in Bihar: “… It is the same with my word. I send it out and it always produce fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”

Source: www.30daysprayer.org