Ramadan Day 26: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –Laylat al-Qadr
(Voice of the Persecuted) Laylat al-Qadr, the night of power – a night unlike any other.
WHAT IS LAYLAT AL-QADR?
Muslims believe that Allah sent the entire Quran down from the seventh heaven to the first heaven during Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power)…(click for more)
Muslims believe that Allah sent the entire Quran down from the seventh heaven to the first heaven during Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Power). Then the angel Gabriel progressively revealed it to Muhammad over 23 years, from 610-632 AD.
No one is completely sure which night this was. Most believe that the Quran was sent down during one of the last ten or so nights of Ramadan – the Muslim month of fasting. Many believe it was on the 27th night of Ramadan. Most Shia Muslims believe it was the 23rd night.
The authority for this belief is Surah 97 of the Quran, which is named “Power” (al-Qadr):
1We sent it down in the Night of Power. 2But how can you know what is the Night of Power? 3The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. 4In it, the angels and the Spirit are sent swarming down, by their Lord’s leave, attending to every command. 5Peace is it that Night, till the break of dawn.
WHY IS LAYLAT AL-QADR SIGNIFICANT?
The entire month of Ramadan is a time of special spiritual blessing, but the last ten days are considered the holiest nights of the year because Muslims believe the Quran was sent down then. …(click for more)
The entire month of Ramadan is a time of special spiritual blessing, but the last ten days are considered the holiest nights of the year because Muslims believe the Quran was sent down then.
Laylat al-Qadr is believed to be the night in which heaven is opened and God responds to prayer in a way unlike any other night of the year. Many believe, from Surah 97, that this one night is more spiritually blessed than a thousand months – 83 years – an entire lifetime!
Some Muslims believe that Allah sets in motion his good decrees for each year during Laylat al-Qadr, which can also be translated “The Night of Destiny.” An often-cited Hadith, a traditional saying of Muhammad, says: “Whoever establishes the prayers on Laylat al-Qadr out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven” (Bukhari 1.2.34).
Muslims believe that because an entire chapter of the Quran is devoted to this night, they must approach the night with great faith, zeal in prayer, and earnestness. Laylat al-Qadr is a celebration of the giving of the Quran.
WHAT DOES LAYLAT AL-QADR LOOK LIKE IN PRACTICE?
In many traditions, Muslim men spend additional time in prayer at the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan….(click for more)
In many traditions, Muslim men spend additional time in prayer at the mosque during the last ten nights of Ramadan. Women, too, seek to spend more time in prayer and meditation during this 10-day period. During Laylat al-Qadr, Muslims stay in the mosque all night, reading the Quran and praying. They also eat their pre-dawn breakfast the following morning in the mosque.
The first 20 days of Ramadan are seen as preparation for the final 10 days of fasting. Muslims should be the most zealous and most sincere during the final days of fasting, with Laylat al-Qadr being the pinnacle of blessing.
Iranian Shias also use Laylat al-Qadr to commemorate the death of Imam Ali, the fourth successor to Muhammad. They place a copy of the Quran on their heads while praying, as their way of honoring the Quran on this important night.
In many cultures, though, Laylat al-Qadr is mostly a big all-night party, in which people spend the night eating special foods, enjoying popular music, and spending time celebrating with thousands of others out on the streets.
PRAYER POINTS
Pray that ON THIS NIGHT:
- the true character of Jesus would be revealed in visions and dreams.
- Muslims would be delivered from the crushing burden of trying to earn God’s favor.
- God would demonstrate His love and power through signs, wonders, and miracles.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Ramadan Day 25: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –Ayatollah Khamenei
(Voice of the Persecuted) Ayatollah Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran.
WHO IS AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI?
Elected Iran’s supreme leader in June 1989 by the Assembly of Experts, Ayatollah Khamenei serves as the head of state and commander-in-chief of Iran’s armed forces.
His control of the Revolutionary Guard guarantees that the religious clerics have authority over the civil government. He thus has power over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, as well as the military and media.
Khamenei personally decides government policy in all significant matters and oversees his own financial empire.
AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI’S BACKGROUND
Ali Khamenei (b. 1939) grew up in a very poor, humble family, the son of a cleric in Mashhad, the holiest city in Iran.
He became a cleric at the age of 11 during the time of the secular-leaning Shah, Reza Pahlavi. He studied under the future Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Qom, and agreed with Khomeini’s teaching that religious leaders ought to control the government.
Ayatollah Khamenei married in 1964 and has six children: four sons and two daughters. He is a simple man who loves poetry and gardening. Everything about him is unremarkable.
From 1962, he joined Khomeini protesting against Shah Reza Pahlavi’s dictatorship, and he was jailed six times. He helped form the Islamic Republic Party.
After the secular revolution overthrew the Shah in 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile in Paris and forcibly set up an Islamic republic instead of a democratic government. Khamenei became part of the inner circle in the new republic.
AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI TODAY
Khamenei patiently served in the nominal role of President of Iran from 1981-89 and survived an assassination attempt in 1981. After Ayatollah Khomeini died, Khamenei was named the new Ayatollah and supreme leader of Iran in 1989 at the age of 49
Ayatollah Khamenei is now the second-longest serving Iranian leader of the last century, after Shah Pahlavi.
He became the most powerful man in Iran by gaining control of the National Guard and using armed force to impose his will and oppress and halt all protests. He brutally suppresses uprisings and ignores popular demands. His regime treats Christians harshly.
Khamenei’s paramount concern appears to be preserving his own power so as to ensure the survival of the Islamic theocracy, which he believes is based on principles of justice, independence, self-sufficiency, and piety.
It appears that Ayatollah Khamenei has become an even more merciless dictator than the dictator he helped overthrow.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for Ayatollah Khamenei to turn to Jesus amid failing health.
- Pray for revelations of Jesus and access to God’s Word for him and his entire family.
- Pray for his power and influence to be used to lead many to Jesus.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Ramadan Day 24: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –King Abdullah II
(Voice of the Persecuted) King Abdullah II, one of the most influential Muslims in the world.
WHO IS KING ABDULLAH?
Abdullah II has been the king of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan since February 1999. He succeeded his father, King Hussein, after unexpectedly being named Crown Prince just two weeks before King Hussein’s death.
Though a constitutional monarch, he retains wide executive and legislative powers as the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
KING ABDULLAH’S BACKGROUND
Abdullah ibn Hussein II, named after his great-grandfather, Abdullah I, the founder of modern Jordan, is the firstborn son of King Hussein and his British-born second wife, Muna al-Hussein.
Abdullah II was educated in Jordan, England, and the United States. He did his military education in the United Kingdom and began his military career upon returning home. He steadily moved up, regularly taking prestigious international training courses, until he became commander of the Jordanian Special Forces shortly before becoming king.
Abdullah married Rania Al-Yassin, a Kuwaiti-raised Palestinian, on June 10, 1993, and they have two sons and two daughters. Queen Rania is very active in humanitarian and educational causes and makes extensive use of social media. As of January 2020, she had 10.4 million Twitter followers!
KING ABDULLAH TODAY
King Abdullah II is considered to be one of the most influential Muslims in the world. He believes he is a 41st generation direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, and he is the head of the Hashemite Dynasty, the oldest ruling dynasty in the Muslim world.
In a region full of instability and discord, Jordan stands as a beacon of stability and reasonableness, largely due to the sensible policies of King Abdullah and his father before him. King Abdullah is deeply respected and admired within Jordan.
King Abdullah once said, “To me, the call to love is a call to concrete action. Our world needs to confront challenges to our shared humanity and values. They are the very ground of the coexistence and harmony our future depends on.”
He is a champion of moderate traditional Sunni Islam and maintains good relations with most countries, both local and international, including Israel. He permits Christian denominations to function and allows them to use church law for family matters rather than Sharia law, which governs every other aspect of Jordanians’ lives.
If any Muslim thinks he has confidence in the flesh, Jordan’s King Abdullah has more:
- A direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad Head of the Hashemite Dynasty.
- A Muslim of Muslims
- As to respect and admiration, unmatched
- As to wisdom, remarkable
He is one of the most influential Muslims in the world.
A man named Paul once had very similar reasons to boast:
- Circumcised on the eighth day
- Of the tribe of Benjamin
- A Hebrew of Hebrews
- As to the law, a Pharisee
- As to righteousness under the law, blameless
This was Paul’s response to these reasons:
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…. [I] count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…. that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:7-11)
Please read that again – and let your heart cry that prayer on behalf of King Abdullah. No one is beyond God’s love – or His power to save through Jesus Christ.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for King Abdullah to know the Truth and grow in wisdom.
- Pray for Jesus followers to be invited to the palace, impacting his life, family, and rule.
- Pray for King Abdullah to embrace Jesus as his Savior and lead many to do the same.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Pakistan: Muslims attack Protestant church in Sheikhupura
At least one wall destroyed and a cross broken. The culprits wanted to take back land already sold to the church. This is a case of reverse blasphemy. For Punjab lawmaker, the cross has value for Christianity and Islam. “Not only was the cross broken, but our hearts were crushed too,” said a local Christian. A group of Muslims attacked the Trinity Pentecostal Church in Hakeem Pura, Sheikhupura district, a few dozen kilometres from Lahore, Punjab. The building, built 22 years ago, was desecrated, a wall destroyed, a cross and other valuables broken. Read More
Ramadan Day 23: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –Jerusalem
(Voice of the Persecuted) Jerusalem, Islam’s third holiest site.
WHAT IS JERUSALEM LIKE?
Since King David’s conquest in 1000 BC, numerous empires have fought over this sacred, strategic city, including the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Ottomans, and British. Nestled atop gently sloping hills and surrounded by lush valleys, Jerusalem is the capital of the modern state of Israel, established in 1948.
It is a bustling city of just under one million people, about 64% of whom are Jewish, 34% Muslim, and 2% Christian. The city is divided into three sections: the walled-off Old City (including separate quarters for Jews, Armenians, Christians, and Muslims), West Jerusalem (mostly Jewish), and East Jerusalem (mostly Arab).
Fifteen different Christian denominations, some ancient, live side by side in Jerusalem. In addition, there are migrant workers from South Sudan, Eritrea, and the Philippines. History collides with the present day as ancient landmarks stand in view of sleek, modern office and apartment buildings.
WHY IS JERUSALEM SIGNIFICANT?
After WWI and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the British, who were governing the area, paved the way for the establishment of a home state for Jews who had been persecuted and scattered throughout the world. Tensions between Jews and Arabs flared from the start and continue to this day.
The city is significant to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. It is Islam’s third holiest city, after Mecca and Medina. In fact, it was towards Jerusalem that Muhammad first instructed his followers to pray (this later changed to Mecca). The al-Aqsa mosque sits on the Temple Mount along with the iconic Dome of the Rock, a golden-domed shrine built by Muslims in the 7th century to mark the rock from where Muhammad took his famous “night journey” to heaven (Quran 17:1).
Prayers said at al-Aqsa are believed to be worth 500 prayers said elsewhere. Quran commentaries note that the angel Israfil will stand on that rock and blow the trumpet on the day of judgment.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN JERUSALEM TODAY?
Arab Christians can sometimes feel caught in the middle of the conflict between Jews and Muslims in Israel, but many have a powerful witness through their humble service and ministries of reconciliation. Messianic Jews and Palestinian Christians are working together to help everyone in Israel. The Bible Society’s goal is to share “life and hope with people from all around the world, from Jerusalem on outward.”
Christians not only reach out to Muslims in Jerusalem, but also to Muslims in the West Bank and Gaza, where millions of people are destitute. Delivery of food and basic necessities accompany the proclamation of the Gospel among Muslims in need. God uses dreams and visions to draw people to himself in miraculous ways.
He also uses media ministries. Consider the example of one young man, a former Muslim student of Shari’a law, who first connected with Christians online. He was kidnapped by Hamas and brutally tortured for becoming a Christian. He stood firm, did not renounce Jesus, and continues to walk in faithfulness to his Lord!
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for pilgrims to the Dome of the Rock to know Jesus as the Rock of their salvation.
- Pray for the love of Christ to soften hearts hardened by hatred, prejudice, and division.
- Pray for bold witnesses to courageously share the Gospel with Muslims across the city.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Alert! Prayer Vigil THIS AFTERNOON for Leah Sharibu
At 2019 Prayer Vigil in Washington D.C. for Leah Sharibu. Pictured: Gloria Puldu, Rebecca Sharibu (Leah’s mother), Lois Kanalos Founder of VOP – Photo: Voice of the Persecuted
(By Faith McDonnell) Today is Nigerian Christian teenager Leah Sharibu’s 17th birthday.
At 4PM Eastern time, you can join a prayer vigil for Leah sponsored by our friends at the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON) and the Leah Foundation. The information on how to join this zoom prayer vigil, here, is also in the links for both of these organizations:
To join the digital prayer vigil,
go to Zoom.com on May 14th at 4 pm (EST).
Meeting ID: 999 5251 1334
Password: May14
This is Leah’s third birthday in captivity. On February 19, 2018 her school was attacked by the Islamic jihadi terrorists, Boko Haram, along with 109 of her classmates. Only Leah is still in captivity. She refused to denounce her Lord Jesus and convert to Islam. So with Boko Haram she remains.
Leah’s situation is hauntingly similar to that of the April 14, 2014 abduction of the Chibok Girls, the 276 Nigerian schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State, also by Boko Haram. We must not forget neither Leah nor those Chibok girls that remain separated from their families somewhere.
Christians in Nigeria are suffering unbelievable persecution. Leah is just one example of a persecuted Nigerian believer in Jesus, but she is a perfect representation of what hundreds of thousands of Nigerians in the north and middle belt states of Nigeria endure every day, and by praying for her today, we will also be praying for all of Nigeria’s persecuted Christians.
The prayer vigil is the culmination of seven days of prayer. We missed the prayer points during those days, but here they are listed so you can add them to your prayers. The Leah Foundation lists actions and advocacy ideas in which you can participate, and ICON has pictures for each of these seven days of prayer:
Day 1: Pray for Leah Sharibu’s Safe Release
Day 2: Pray for Leah Sharibu’s Family
Day 3: Pray for the Defeat of Terrorism in Nigeria
Day 4: Pray for World Leaders to Call for Action in Nigeria
Day 5: Pray that Leah and her Family are Encouraged Today
Day 6: Pray for Other Girls in Captivity
And then today, Pray for Leah on Her Birthday
Please join us in honoring Leah, a courageous Christian young woman, on her birthday, and praying for her release. This prayer vigil will be a great encouragement and comfort to her parents, and all of the Christians in Nigeria who are facing unspeakable violence from Boko Haram and the Fulani jihadists. They will know that they are not forgotten. They know that God is with them, but please make sure they know that we are, as well.
Lois Kanalos, Voice of the Persecuted with Faith McDonnell, Institute on Religion and Democracy
Ramadan Day 21: Praying for Muslims to come to Christ –Istanbul
(Voice of the Persecuted) Istanbul, heartbeat of the Turkish World.
WHAT IS ISTANBUL LIKE?
Istanbul, a thriving ancient-modern city, has long been one of the largest cities in the world. Straddling Europe and Asia, Istanbul has a vast array of residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, industrial zones, and tourist areas. Its palaces, churches, and mosques draw millions of visitors each year.
In the center of Istanbul is the historic Byzantine city of Constantinople. This great city has been the capital of both Christian and Muslim empires. Hagia Sophia, the Christian Cathedral built in 537 AD, was the world’s largest cathedral for a thousand years! The sprawling, 500-year-old, covered Grand Bazaar is a labyrinth of thousands of shops where you can buy anything from spices, rugs, and pottery, to cell phones and computers.
Across the Galata Bridge from the historic district is Beyoğlu, a modern European district with international brand-name stores, expensive boutiques, coffee shops, and pedestrian streets rivaling those of Paris, London, and Rome. Istanbul is a bustling, cosmopolitan city boasting a mix of European and Asian influences.
WHY IS ISTANBUL SIGNIFICANT?
Istanbul’s nearly 2,800-year history has huge significance. Founded as Byzantium in 660 BC, it became the capital of the Greek Christian Byzantine empire in 330 AD, when Emperor Constantine renamed it Constantinople.
After its fall to the Turkish Ottoman forces in 1453, its name changed again to Istanbul. It was the seat of the Ottoman Empire for nearly six centuries. At the empire’s height, the Turks ruled much of southern Europe, North Africa, and West Asia. Istanbul remained the capital of the Ottoman empire until the creation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923, when the capital was moved to Ankara.
Today Istanbul is the economic, industrial, educational, religious and cultural center of Turkey. With two-thirds of its 15 million people living on the European side, Istanbul is the largest city in Europe. Turkish Airlines, based in Istanbul, serves more countries than any other airline in the world.
Istanbul is home to most of the non-Sunni religious minorities – including some 135,000 Orthodox Christians of different sects, as well as some Catholics and Protestants.
WHAT IS GOD DOING IN ISTANBUL TODAY?
Christian minorities experience persecution in Turkey. These officially-recognized Christians suffer personal attacks as well as Islamist attacks on their church buildings and official confiscation of church properties.
Though there is a growing evangelical movement to Christ in Turkey, with a few dozen house churches across the country, there have yet to be any major breakthroughs.
A small evangelical seminary in Istanbul trains lay people and pastors across the country. A few evangelical churches of Turkish believers have been officially registered. More than 500,000 of the 3.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey are in Istanbul.
This presents new ministry opportunities since Syrian Muslim refugees are often open to the gospel. In Lebanon and Jordan, the presence of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees has led to revival in many Protestant churches. Let us pray that churches in Istanbul will be transformed as they minister to Syrian refugees in their midst.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for a hunger for Truth to lead people to study the Injil (New Testament) as families and communities.
- Pray for the city’s small body of believers to courageously share the love of Jesus.
- Pray for an unprecedented movement of Turks to Christ in Istanbul that spreads to the nation.
- Pray for a hunger for Truth to lead people to study the Injil (New Testament) as families and communities.
- Pray for the city’s small body of believers to courageously share the love of Jesus.
- Pray for an unprecedented movement of Turks to Christ in Istanbul that spreads to the nation.
- Pray that the Lord will show Himself to those who don’t know Him.
- Pray for the protection worshipers in house and other churches.
We continue to pray for the persecuted:
- Leah Sharibu and Alice, both held captive by the Boko Haram.
- For Pastor Wanh Yi from China, who has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for sharing boldly the love of God.
- For Anita, a Christian convert recently sentenced to 10 years in prison for sharing the Gospel in Iran.
- For Pakistani Christians and other minorities who are facing discrimination and persecution during the coronavirus crisis. Muslims are denying Christians relief food packages because of their faith in Christ.
“Our prayers do have an impact on the things of eternity and the souls of men and women to find truth in him who is the Living Word. Please join us on the prayer conference call to lift prayers up together. As ever, I remain your brother and prayer partner in our Lord Jesus. Meet you on the call!
If you are unable to participate on the call, or cannot join us on a particular evening, you can still use the prayer points and pray in your personal prayer closet. The only thing I would urge you is, please do it. Whether you pray privately, in a group, or on our call, please pray for a great harvest of souls during this time of Ramadan.” – Blaine Scogin, Founder of Persecution Watch and former Prayer Director of Voice of the Persecuted.
As Blaine Scogin did each year, the team will continue to host nightly calls during Ramadan. We will be following along with the Prayercast Team’s platform in praying for Muslims for the next 30 days, which began on April 24. Please sign up here to receive the daily video and prayer points from Prayercast which we will cover on the nightly prayer conference calls. If you have yet to do so, it’s not to late. Dear brothers and sisters, we challenge you to join us on the conference call to pray with us during these 30 nights of prayer for the persecuted, the harvest, and for Muslims to come out of the dark, receive the truth and follow Jesus.
In Christ,
Voice of the Persecuted and the Persecution Watch Prayer Team
Nightly call schedule through Ramadan
From any location on your phone
Time:
9:00 PM Eastern
8:00 PM Central
7:00 PM Mountain
6:00 PM Pacific
Call in number: 712 775-7035
Access Code: 281207#
Recommended: For those who may be subject to added charges for conference calls. Please download the app, it’s free!
MOBILE APP: Free Conference Call HD also provides a quick and easy way for you to dial into conference calls without having to remember the dial-in credentials. Save all of your conference call dial-in numbers and access codes using this free app. With the Free Conference Call HD you can instantly dial into a conference call via 3G/4G data network and or regular mobile carrier. Google Play link or App Store – iTunes
What is Persecution Watch?
Persecution Watch is a U.S. national prayer conference call ministry that prays specifically for the global Persecuted Church. For over a decade, Blaine Scogin led this national network of believers who faithfully pray for the persecuted and the global harvest for the Kingdom of God. The group meets via a free call-in service every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday night at 9pm Eastern (please check your time zone). Blaine also served as Prayer Director for Voice of the Persecuted and our missions became one. The prayer mission of Persecution Watch is an important part of our own. With the passing of Blaine into glory on December 26, 2019, Voice of the Persecuted is committed to continue the prayer conference call for the persecuted along with our dedicated prayer warrior team.
On occasion, persecuted brothers and sisters have been invited on the call to share the trials they’re facing. The team serves to encourage them by washing their feet in Spirit led prayer. Time is often reserved for those on the call to ask questions. We believe this helps to gain a better understanding of the situation that persecuted Christians endure in their specific nations. Q&A also helps us to focus our prayers based on their current needs.
Persecution Watch also hosts callers who want to pray united from other nations. If your heart is perplexed by the sufferings of our persecuted brothers and sisters, you no longer need to pray alone. We welcome all who desire to pray for the persecuted church and consider it a joy to pray together with you. If you’re new to the call and can’t find your voice, listen in and pray silently or on mute. We are grateful and thank the Lord for bringing us all together to pray in agreement for our persecuted family in Christ. We can all be prayer warriors on this call!
NOTE: Persecution Watch has a new email address for the prayer team and those who would like to receive urgent prayer requests, weekly call prayer points and notification of special prayer events and special guest speakers. Please fill out the form below to be included in our new distribution list to receive this important information. Since the passing of Brother Blaine Scogin, we thank you for your patience as we have transitioned into this new season. We are grateful for your prayers and to the Lord for guiding us as we continue the Persecution Watch prayer call mission.
Note to Voice of the Persecuted (VOP) readers: The Persecution Watch prayer team is also the prayer team of Voice of the Persecuted. SIGN UP today.
Christian Mother, Mother-in-Law Shot in North Central Nigeria
Plateau state, Nigeria. (Uwe Dedering, Wikipedia)
Nigeria (Morning Star News) – Lami David was in her kitchen preparing dinner for her family in north-central Nigeria on Thursday evening (May 7) when two Muslim Fulani herdsmen broke into her home and shot her and her mother-in-law, sources said.
The 32-year-old mother of four had her 2-year-old wrapped on her back in her home in predominantly Christian Nkietohu village, Plateau state, when she heard the first shots in the room where her mother-in-law, 60-year-old Elizabeth (Lisa) Nchu, was resting, according to community leader Josiah Zongo.
Her mother-in-law was shot in the shoulder, and David was then shot in her chest and legs, Zongo said.
“The woman was shot with her baby on her back – the child was not hurt as well as other children were not,” Zongo told Morning Star News. “The woman was found lying in a pool of blood behind the house where she’d tried to run away from the gunmen. She fell down because of the shot. She was also heard saying it was the Fulani herdsmen who came from Rafin Bauna village, a nearby Hausa/Fulani community.”
Her husband, who was in his room with the other three children at the time of the attack, escaped, Zongo said. The family was sheltering in their home at 7:45 p.m. due to a curfew to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“The gunmen also followed the man as he ran for his life but could not get him,” he said.
David was shot three times, and because of the critical nature of her injuries was receiving treatment at Bingham University Teaching Hospital (Jankwano), in Jos; Nchu was being treated at Enos Hospital, Miango, Bassa County, sources said.
The Roman Catholic family belongs to the area’s Church of Immaculate Conception, local resident Patience Moses said. She said David’s other children are ages 12, 8 and 5.
When herdsmen come in small numbers they are increasingly targeting one or two homes, she said.
“The herdsmen usually attack a house they first see as they emerge from surrounding bushes,” Moses told Morning Star News. “If they’re few, they attack one or two houses and then retreat, but if they’re a large group, the herdsmen proceed to attack an entire village.”
The attack in Nkietohu village comes on the heels of similar attacks in Miango and Kwall Districts of Bassa County by Muslim Fulani herdsmen using guerrilla tactics on Christian communities.
In the past three months, armed Fulani herdsmen and bandits have targeted Christian communities in what appears to be “well-planned and calculated efforts geared towards exterminating them,” said Tom Chiahemen, spokesman for advocacy group the Christian Rights Agenda (CRA), in a press statement.
“In the last few years, no fewer than 60 villages and communities have been displaced in Plateau state, taken over and renamed by Fulani herdsmen with such impunity,” Chiahemen said.
‘Genocide’
The Christian communities have been left defenseless as there seems to have been no genuine effort by authorities to protect them, end the killings and return seized lands to them, Chiahemen said.
“The CRA is worried by the seeming silence of Nigeria’s President, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces has not only failed to protect the Christian communities but has remained silent over these killings,” he said. “To date, no Fulani herdsmen have been arrested and prosecuted over the killings, a development that has helped to embolden them.”
Leaders of the CRA are concerned that the assailants have intensified attacks in recent weeks during the lockdown and restriction of movement due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Chiahemen said.
The CRA called on the international community, especially the United Nations, European Union, the governments of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and the International Criminal Court “to take note of the ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria.”
Chiahemen said the pattern, mode and intensity of the massacre in Nigeria is reminiscence of the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
“The CRA is worried about the failure of the Nigerian government to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of these killings over the years, which has emboldened them the more,” he said. “Consequently, the CRA will liaise with the affected communities to, among other things, institute actions at the International Criminal Court against the Nigerian government for war crimes.”
CRA records show that between 2016 and 2019, there were 358 attacks on Christians resulting in 561 deaths, 210 injuries, 4,720 houses burnt, 2892 farms destroyed and 123 cattle rustled, he said.
From Jan. 1, to April 19, 22 Christian communities were attacked a total of 33 times, resulting in 40 deaths, 15 persons hospitalized with injuries, 1,105 rooms with property burnt, 104 farms destroyed and 67 food storage barns destroyed, according to the CRA.
A human rights attorney’s letter to the governor of Plateau state earlier this month also decried recent attacks.
“Parts of Bokkos, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Mangu and Bassa Local Government Areas are now ruled by fear rather than by law,” Redzie D. Jugo of law firm Black Palms Consult wrote in the letter, a copy of which was sent to Morning Star News. “Children are caught in crossfires; pregnant women are killed with their unborn babies never knowing the joy of suckling. For these people, their version of peace has a semblance of bloody order and violent decorum.”
Since Jan. 1 in an area of the predominantly Christian, ethnic Irigwe, Jugo wrote, 45 people have been killed and 15 injured, with 1,434 rooms, 104 farms and 67 barns destroyed.
“For some reason the lockdown has been favorable to the attackers,” Jugo wrote. “The dead are not just statistics; Sir, the killings and destruction have to stop, and we need to see leadership in this regard.”
Four Christian men were gunned down on an open stretch of road in the Irigwe Chiefdom on May 3 between Kwall village and Miango, he noted.
“Four enterprising, promising, young Christians, Chohu Gado, 27; Tanta Abba, 27; Friday Musa, 25; and Emmanuel Kure, 22, were gunned down in what many described as a staccato of automatic gunfire,” he wrote.
Nigeria ranked 12th on Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List of countries where Christians suffer the most persecution but second in the number of Christians killed for their faith, behind Pakistan.
