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This article was originally published in Edition (8) of Prayer Magazine, Oct-Dec 2006. From the comfort of our familiar surroundings it’s often easy to detach ourselves from events that are going on in other nations thousands of miles away. It’s even more difficult to muster interest in conflict situations we don’t understand. The media often portrays only part of the story. Today around the world there are very difficult scenarios being played out that involve outright war, political wrestling of nations, and the UN trying to help nations in which people are starving because of drought and famine etc. Dictators are living lives of luxury while in some of their nations ethnic cleansing is normal, innocent victims are being evicted and homes destroyed, because they are not from the ‘correct cultural background’. We now live in a world of irony is the west has the resources to put right much of what’s wrong, but often does not desire to help. In recent years we have seen Music Superstars like Bono become the un-elected voice of the needy, challenging the core of the West’s belief system, and reminding us all that ‘people are dying out there’. Islam is growing in strength, unfortunately though militant fundamentalism has also been allowed to grow and increase in influence from within Islam itself over the last 20 to 30 years. The corruption of the wealthy Gulf States and the support of the West for the State of Israel have been major factors stimulating its growth. It would be fair to say that the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are seen by many Muslims as 21st Century Crusades of the ‘Christian West’ against Muslim nations. It is hard for us in the West to understand how or why they think this way but history is taught and interpreted in a very different way if you are brought up in a Muslim nation. So how do we pray for Muslims in a world like this? The simple answer is with love, not treating people as the enemy but treating ordinary people as friends. Can we reach out in acts of kindness and consideration to the people around us that society now suggests we should be suspicious of? Today only 2% of missionary activity and financial resources are focused on the area with the greatest need of the gospel. Is there any surprise that few have responded? Interestingly within Islam there is massive disillusionment, particularly among the youth. They can see the politico-religious system in Iran and what is happening between Sunni and Shia’a Muslims in Iraq. More recently what has been going on in Darfur has come to light. On public display around the world there is a veneer of a unified and strong religion but in reality Islam is made up of millions of people who simply find themselves growing up in Muslim countries, and who don’t necessarily follow the militant aspects of the religion, which makes for a huge opportunity for the Gospel of Christ to be shared and received allowing millions of people to flood into the Kingdom. In recent years we have seen great efforts by Christian broadcasters to make sure their network coverage extends to cover Muslim nations, and they are already reporting large numbers of people turning to Christ. Can we believe for more? Will we dare to rise up and pray and take action to demonstrate the love of God and preach the message of salvation to Muslims all over the world? In this edition of the magazine, our Prayer focus is the Nation of Algeria. Take time over the next few weeks, to bring this nation to the Lord in Prayer and ask the Lord to begin to burden peoples hearts for this nation. Algeria. The Algerian Government has just passed a law which effectively bans Christian meetings in homes and the production and distribution of Christian literature. Here are 2 extracts which will become law on the 1st August. OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE ALGERIAN REPUBLIC NUMBER 12 Aouel Safar 1427 1st March 2006 Art. 7. - Collective exercise of religious worship takes place exclusively in structures intended for this purpose, open to the public and identifiable from the exterior. Art. 11. - Imprisonment from two years to five years and a fine from 500.000 DA to 1.000.000 DA for whomever: makes, stores, or distributes printed documents or audiovisual productions or by any other aid or means, which has as its goal to shake the faith of a Muslim. Algeria has a population of about 33,000,000 of which about 5,000,000 are Berbers. The largest Berber tribe by far is known as Kabyle and most churches are in their area. An estimate is that there are now between 15,000 and 20,000 believers in about 60-80 churches. The few churches outside the Kabele area are also largely made up of Kabyle, who have migrated to other parts of Algeria. We have been in contact with believers inside Algeria they are not intimidated by the new law and they intend to continue to preach the gospel boldly and stand up for religious liberty including the right of a Muslim to convert to Christianity.
So don’t give up as you now have information on a Nation that perhaps you didn’t have before. Prayer is a partnership with God, we Pray and He moves amongst the nations. Let’s continue to believe that the Message of the Love of Christ will spread to every Nation, tribe and tongue, and who knows perhaps the poor, needy, homeless and oppressed will see the love and peace that we so often take for granted. 3P Ministries 3P Ministries brings together three agencies (DAWN International Network, Interprayer and HMK, Switzerland) with a track record in church planting, prayer and helping the persecuted church. The three 'P's are Planting, Prayer and Persecution. The work of 3P ministries is mainly focused in North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South East Asia - areas where billions of people have yet to hear and receive the gospel and lack churches within their own communities.
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