Dear Friend… Today I was motivated by this thought… prayer isn’t to remind God of what our problems are, but to remind our problems who God is!
Perhaps you’re faced with problems that are overwhelming… and you feel like your drowning under the pressure. Pause, then remind yourself that God is in control by acknowledging His greatness, His Word, and His promises. There are things that only God can do… we activate His involvement in our lives when we humble ourselves daily to pray, inviting Him to invade our problems and the issues we are facing. Prayer is that link that connects us with God supernaturally. Let’s believe that God will intervene in the situations below!
Rev. Dale R. Hiscock
Executive Director
MONDAY Pakistan - YOUTH EVANGELISM CONFERENCE
On April 12th a Muslim university student became embroiled in a debate over religion while on campus. The next day hundreds of Islamist students stormed his room accusing him of blasphemy. As a result he was beaten, shot and killed. Images of the horrendous lynching appearing on Facebook caused a media storm.
Since the attack Pakistan’s National Assembly passed a resolution condemning the lynching and resolving to insert ‘strong safeguards’ into the blasphemy law to prevent future abuse.
However, this has illustrated that the mere accusation of blasphemy can arouse huge anger and angst against the blasphemer whether they are guilty or not.
If this can happen to a Muslim, imagine how fierce the response would be if it was a Christian. Then on May 5th a court in Pakistan sentenced a Christian man to life imprisonment under the country’s blasphemy law for allegedly sending “blasphemous” text messages from his mobile phone all with having little to no evidence to corroborate the charges against him.
Despite this environment Bro. Hamid, our Pakistan Director wrote to share that they are planning a Young Adult Evangelism Conference on May 12–13. The purpose of this conference is to teach Pakistani Christian young people how to do evangelism in a safe and sensitive manner in a Muslim country. Then just days before the conference… we received an URGENT request for prayer from Pakistan… local police in the city where our EVANGELISM CONFERENCE FOR YOUNG ADULTS was to take place (May 12-13) ordered Pastor Hamid, our AsiaLink Director, to POSTPONE the conference due to SECURITY CONCERNS.
Within the last several years Al-Qaeda has become active in this central city in Pakistan. Just a year ago this month the leader of Al-Qaeda for Pakistan was killed along with a number of other terrorists in this city. Among those killed were two suicide bombers whose objective was to attack a local university. Imagine the damage they could do if able to attend a church service or gathering of Christians.
This delay has come as a real blow to our team and to the many who had travelled to the city to attend the conference. Police have now ordered our AsiaLink leadership to postpone the conference till June 23-24.
The threat of terrorism from Islamic extremists or from Islamic pressure is a constant… yet, our AsiaLink team press on with the ministry God has placed before them.
- PRAY that security concerns in this major Muslim city will diminish and that the conference will be able to take place in June.
- PRAY for the many disappointed people who travelled to attend that they will be able to rearrange their schedules to attend in June.
- PRAY that God would use this upcoming conference to touch and motivate the 200 young adults who will attend.
- PRAY for the special speaker and the finances that are URGENTLY needed to make this conference possible.
ASK God to protect those who will attend and that the conference location will be safe and secure for all! Also, pray that the speaker would be protected and used by God to inspire a new generation of young adults to reach their generation for Christ.
TUESDAY North Korea - Threatens to Use Children as Suicide Bombers
A chilling message from the North Korean Youth League warns that the ‘earth will break’ if it launches an attack. According to the latest reports, they are prepared to use the 5 million children in their Youth League to attack their enemies by strapping them with nuclear bombs.
The Youth League (Central Committee of the Kimilsungist-Kimjongilist Youth League) is a state sponsored agency that brainwashes children under the age of 15 and prepares them to be Communist soldiers. The Youth League is an extremely important tool for the Dictator Kim Jong-un. It is the only mass organization expressly mentioned in the charter of the Workers Party of Korea.
This latest threat of North Korea is more closely related to what children are being forced to do in ISIS. North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported a spokesman saying the youth were ‘keeping themselves fully combat ready to mercilessly wipe out with five million nuclear bombs the group of devils who are trying to bring nuclear disaster to the inviolable country.’ Using children as suicide bombers is one of the most desperate and evil threats that North Korea has ever publicly issued and shows how little value human life really has in the Communist nation.
PRAY that North Korea would be hampered in its push for nuclear arms and missiles. Pray that more North Koreans would encounter the truth of Christ as they are constantly bombarded with propaganda about the Kims and their god-like status.
PRAY for the safety of our food feeding program and for the safe delivery of Bibles into North Korea through our partners.
Wednesday Islamic World - RAMADAN CONSIDERED THE HOLIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR
Later this month on Saturday, May 27th, millions of Muslims around the world will begin their observance of Ramadan. Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is considered the holiest month of the year for Muslims. The observance of Ramadan is one of the 5 Pillars of the Islamic faith, which requires all Muslims who are physically able to fast each day of the month, from sunrise to sunset. This time of fasting from food, drink, and other physical needs is intended to purify the soul, practice self-restraint, and refocus one’s devotion to their god, Allah.
This is also a time when many Muslims increase their alms giving to the poor, which is another of the 5 Pillars of their faith. The evenings are spent enjoying time with family and community meals, engaging in prayer and spiritual reflection, and reading from the Quran.
The observance of Ramadan concludes on the evening of June 25th. As Muslims devote themselves to seeking God, we can pray that they will encounter Jesus in their dreams and even when they read the Quran.
Pray that they will realize that Jesus is more then just a prophet but the Son of God.
Pray that many Muslims will encounter Jesus during this time and come to faith.
Thursday Pakistan - CHRISTIAN GIRL KIDNAPPED AT GUNPOINT
A 14-year-old Pakistani Christian girl was kidnapped at gunpoint and her family was reportedly told that they will never see their daughter and sister again. Their nightmare began on April 15th around 3 a.m. when the family were awakened by the sounds of someone breaking into their home.
The parents recognized one of the robbers as one of their neighbours who had taken a liking to their daughter Maria. After entering the home, the men instructed Maria and her three younger sisters — ages 13, 12, 11 — along with their mother, to kneel on the floor while the gunman searched the house for valuables. While the robbery was taking place family members heard the voices of other men outside of their home asking, “have you got the girl yet?” Upon leaving, the men told Maria to leave with them, even though the mother objected and offered to go instead. “The family were told that they would not see Maria again and were warned not to tell the police of the kidnapping or they would be killed”.
The family believes Maria’s abduction was the primary reason for the early-morning raid. Despite the threats, the family did go to the local police but the police initially refused to register a report and investigate the incident. Maria’s mother stated “Every day I am without my daughter I feel like dying. These men will do terrible things with Maria, she is so alone and vulnerable”.
Every year 100 to 700 Christians girls are abducted, raped and forced into Islamic marriages in Pakistan. This statistic is only from those who have reported such kidnappings and is most likely much higher. Bibi, Maria’s mother said that she fears that she will be like “many other mothers who never see their daughter again. The thought of this is filling me with despair,” the mother said. “I have been praying for a miracle and plead with other Christians to pray for Maria.”
PRAY for a miracle for Maria that she will be set free.
PRAY that she will be protected and returned to her family.
ing to those in need. n.
Friday | India/Sri Lankia - New from AsiaLink Partners
During Easter in India, five churches across five different states experienced great persecution. The incidents included the disruption of worship services and prayer times; the arrest of pastors and their wives, as well as other church members; and in one of the cases, the violent beating of a pastor.
Remember these persecuted brothers and sisters in prayer, that they would know the faithfulness and protection of God.
Twenty years ago the region of Bihar in northern India was declared “the graveyard of the gospel”. Over the past six months, ten of our workers who lead different teams of evangelists report a total of 4,890 people making decisions to follow Christ.
Praise God for the revival that is breaking out in many areas and among many tribes and castes.
Saturday | North Korea - IMPRISONED PASTOR LIM
Keep praying for Canadian Pastor Lim who has been sentenced to life in prison! Ask God to strengthen him as he endures physical labour in prison. Pray for our ministry feeding children in NK as well as in providing Bibles for North Koreans!