Approximately 1.3 billion Muslims live in every region and most countries of the world. While the Middle East is the birthplace of Islam and an important center of Islamic influence, the largest Muslim populations are found in Central, South and Southeast Asia. There are an estimated 5 million Muslims in the United States. Muslims bear witness that God is one and that Muhammad is His final prophet. They consider Jesus as one of God’s greatest prophets, but they do not accept Him as divine or as man’s Redeemer and Lord. Muslims do not understand or accept God’s ultimate expression of His love shown in Christ’s life, death and resurrection. They focus on God’s holiness, justice and power. They strive to earn His favor and entry into heaven through obedience to Islamic law, good deeds and acts of self-sacrificing devotion. Muslims live within a protective wall of laws, traditions and relationships that separates them from God’s love. Your prayers take His love beyond the wall.

June 30, 2009

MUSLIMS: PRAYING BEYOND THE WALL. The Sangil people of the Philippines are an impoverished Muslim people group who live along the seashores of the Philippines’ southern islands. Fishing and hillside farming are their major occupations. Infant mortality and malnutrition are high. Most Sangil have never had the opportunity to go to school. Give thanks that God is calling the Sangil to Himself. After their salvation, some Sangil believers have been very effective evangelists, enthusiastically sharing the hope they found in Christ with others, regardless of the consequences. Pray for open doors and open hearts among the Sangil. Pray for believers in the Philippines to reach out to their Muslim neighbors in love. Ask God to meet both their physical and their spiritual needs and to raise up the Sangil as His witnesses to other, more closed and isolated Muslim tribes.

June 29, 2009

MUSLIMS: PRAYING BEYOND THE WALL. In Europe, Islam is the second-largest religion after Christianity and daily it is growing stronger through the immigration of Muslims and the population boom among those already settled there. Reaching European Muslim with the gospel is becoming more difficult as Islam grows stronger. Pray for the Holy Spirit to plant within the hearts and spirits of Muslims a longing to know God personally. Pray for them to hear, see and read the Bible and its stories. Pray for believers in Europe to personally accept God’s great commission as their divine orders to actively, persistently share the hope they have found in Christ with the Muslims in their community. Pray for the Muslim population of Europe to turn to Christ and find in Him hope, peace and a bright, eternal future with God.