Security in Christ
"I give my sheep eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of my hand." John 10:28
TESTIMONY:
It was along ride out of the Gulf City where the tentmaker was living, to the home of Anisa, an Arab Muslim housewife. Not that she minded the drive or the time it would take, after all she was here to meet locals and reach them for Christ.
Anisa welcomed the two women with traditional, elaborate Arab
hospitality. As the first round of aromatic gahwa (coffee flavored with cardamom and saffron) was served, she began also to instruct them in the virtues of Islam, using the typical arguments and “persuasive words of man’s wisdom” which the locals learn from their Muslim leaders. After quite some time Anisa finally seemed to relax, having gotten these important things off her chest and into the foreigners’ ears. Allah favors the Muslim who leads infidels to Islam, and Anisa’a guests had been so polite and interested in what she had to say. Now an opportunity for the visitors to speak was open and they used it to share the Gospel, using the same friendly, conversational tone as she used when talking about a recipe or some other ordinary topic. When she came to the voluntary laying down of Christ’s own life as our Substitute, Anise’s eyes filled up with tears. She began to rub her temples and face, visibly affected by the Gospel’s “power of God unto salvation”. Trying to resume her Islamic arguments, which apparently hadn’t been as effective as she had hoped, she brought up the name of God. The temtmaker asked, “Oh, do you know His Name, too?” (Ninety-nine descriptive titles for God are given in the Qur’an, but His Name, given in Exodus 3:14, is not found there.) Anisa said, “Yes, His Name is ‘the Lord’.” The missionary replied, “Yes, that’s His title-- but do you know His Name?” Not sure where this
was leading, the Muslim hostess replied, “No.”
“Well,” the missionary continued, “the Name of God is Ahyah allathi Ahyah.” (I AM THAT I AM)
Anisa went silent. Motionless, her eyes were riveted on the Christian visitor’s face. Not knowing if Anisa was thinking about it or if she hadn’t understood, the Christian repeated the Name.
Still riveted, and without moving her gaze, Anisa began to murmur softly, “ismih...ismih...” (“His Name...His Name...”). God’s Spirit was confirming the Word she was hearing and the Christians sat still, in awe of His power to break through years of Islamic indoctrination so effortlessly. Anisa began to rub her face again, more earnestly, and took a deep breath, trying to resume the Islamic argument. Unable to gather her thoughts to do so, she weakly offered, “Oh, just read the Qur’an and see how good it is. Science, math and everything prove the Qur’an is
true...”. Suddenly a verse popped into the missionary’s mind, and she knew the Lord meant it for Anisa. She said, “Dear Anisa, it is written in the Holy Bible that ‘it is not with persuasive words of man’s wisdom that we speak to you, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.’ I can see that God is working in your heart...” Anisa leaned forward &
searched deeper into the missionary’s eyes, as if looking for some reason to doubt. But the guest kept steadily looking right back at her with quiet confidence & kindness. Struck by the verse from God’s word and apparently overwhelmed by what she was experiencing, the Muslim woman slumped back in the couch. Instead of denying or protesting, she confessed,
“quwwaat allah....quwwat allah...” (“the power of God....the power of God...”). It seemed as if God had given that verse to help Anisa realize and believe what she was experiencing. It certainly had that effect. At the end of the visit, she took both women by the wrists and urged them, “Don’t cut me off. You must visit me again!”
In Jesus’ day the people said of Him, “He speaks as one having authority and not as the scribes!” Jesus is still speaking, through His Word & His Body, with authority. Not as the scribes, or in this case, the Muslim leaders.
PETITION:
Please pray for F a local man who is earnestly seeking the truth and is being wooed to Christ... BUT ... his western wife of 5 years has just converted to Islam. Satan has upped his antics but we know that Jesus is the victor. Please pray that as his wife has submitted to the pressure of the family that the conversion is not of the heart and that together. Pray that F & D will be set free in Christ.
Elections were recently held in our country. Thank God that they were peaceful and pray for those elected that they will truly serve the people. Pray for the president, that he will come in contact with those who follow the Savior and will be influenced by them.
Please pray for the expatriate church here. They have gone through a major crisis and there is a lot of hurt amongst all involved. Pray for God's healing touch on all involved. Pray for reconciliation and God's help as people seek to sort out their differences. Pray for all to be willing to humble themselves.
Samantha continues to grow by leaps and bounds in her faith. We have been so encouraged by a gift and enthusiasm for teaching that seems to be emerging. However, as she has been stepping out in this gift, spiritual attack has followed. She has beautifully weathered several very difficult tests so far. Truly nothing can snatch her out of Jesus’ hand! (John
10:28) Please pray for her that her faith would be increasingly strengthened through each trial, and that God would protect her from the evil one.
PRAISE & THANKSGIVING:
Thanks for praying for Salman and his family. Things with his house are moving along, and he has a more restful work schedule during Ramadan. He keeps hoping for an overseas job, however, to “solve” all his problems. Pray he’ll find strength and contentment in Christ every day.
<+>< + ><+>
Please THANK the Lord for the second release in a month of the sender of these from the hospital today and pray for a recovery of maximum health & functioning for the Lord's work, as well as provision for his family. (Phlp. 2:25ff)
* AP = Arabian Peninsula
+ MBB = Muslim Backround Believer
<>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Praying Thru the Arabian Peninsula
www.pray-ap.info
USA #: 800-376-5876 (Eastern Time)
Encouraging & equipping believers & churches everywhere to pray with a heart filled with the "Seed-of-Laughter" for heirs of the woman who met the that "God-Sees-and-Hears-Me" so that biblical church planting movements will spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond for the
Lord's glory.
====
To learn how you can support this & other work in the Middle East, visit: http://www.srginc.org
Or write MertH.: ptap@srginc.org
Or: PTAP
c/o Strategic Resource Group
P.O. Box 1809
Easton, MD 21601
USA
TESTIMONY:
It was along ride out of the Gulf City where the tentmaker was living, to the home of Anisa, an Arab Muslim housewife. Not that she minded the drive or the time it would take, after all she was here to meet locals and reach them for Christ.
Anisa welcomed the two women with traditional, elaborate Arab
hospitality. As the first round of aromatic gahwa (coffee flavored with cardamom and saffron) was served, she began also to instruct them in the virtues of Islam, using the typical arguments and “persuasive words of man’s wisdom” which the locals learn from their Muslim leaders. After quite some time Anisa finally seemed to relax, having gotten these important things off her chest and into the foreigners’ ears. Allah favors the Muslim who leads infidels to Islam, and Anisa’a guests had been so polite and interested in what she had to say. Now an opportunity for the visitors to speak was open and they used it to share the Gospel, using the same friendly, conversational tone as she used when talking about a recipe or some other ordinary topic. When she came to the voluntary laying down of Christ’s own life as our Substitute, Anise’s eyes filled up with tears. She began to rub her temples and face, visibly affected by the Gospel’s “power of God unto salvation”. Trying to resume her Islamic arguments, which apparently hadn’t been as effective as she had hoped, she brought up the name of God. The temtmaker asked, “Oh, do you know His Name, too?” (Ninety-nine descriptive titles for God are given in the Qur’an, but His Name, given in Exodus 3:14, is not found there.) Anisa said, “Yes, His Name is ‘the Lord’.” The missionary replied, “Yes, that’s His title-- but do you know His Name?” Not sure where this
was leading, the Muslim hostess replied, “No.”
“Well,” the missionary continued, “the Name of God is Ahyah allathi Ahyah.” (I AM THAT I AM)
Anisa went silent. Motionless, her eyes were riveted on the Christian visitor’s face. Not knowing if Anisa was thinking about it or if she hadn’t understood, the Christian repeated the Name.
Still riveted, and without moving her gaze, Anisa began to murmur softly, “ismih...ismih...” (“His Name...His Name...”). God’s Spirit was confirming the Word she was hearing and the Christians sat still, in awe of His power to break through years of Islamic indoctrination so effortlessly. Anisa began to rub her face again, more earnestly, and took a deep breath, trying to resume the Islamic argument. Unable to gather her thoughts to do so, she weakly offered, “Oh, just read the Qur’an and see how good it is. Science, math and everything prove the Qur’an is
true...”. Suddenly a verse popped into the missionary’s mind, and she knew the Lord meant it for Anisa. She said, “Dear Anisa, it is written in the Holy Bible that ‘it is not with persuasive words of man’s wisdom that we speak to you, but in the power of the Holy Spirit.’ I can see that God is working in your heart...” Anisa leaned forward &
searched deeper into the missionary’s eyes, as if looking for some reason to doubt. But the guest kept steadily looking right back at her with quiet confidence & kindness. Struck by the verse from God’s word and apparently overwhelmed by what she was experiencing, the Muslim woman slumped back in the couch. Instead of denying or protesting, she confessed,
“quwwaat allah....quwwat allah...” (“the power of God....the power of God...”). It seemed as if God had given that verse to help Anisa realize and believe what she was experiencing. It certainly had that effect. At the end of the visit, she took both women by the wrists and urged them, “Don’t cut me off. You must visit me again!”
In Jesus’ day the people said of Him, “He speaks as one having authority and not as the scribes!” Jesus is still speaking, through His Word & His Body, with authority. Not as the scribes, or in this case, the Muslim leaders.
PETITION:
Please pray for F a local man who is earnestly seeking the truth and is being wooed to Christ... BUT ... his western wife of 5 years has just converted to Islam. Satan has upped his antics but we know that Jesus is the victor. Please pray that as his wife has submitted to the pressure of the family that the conversion is not of the heart and that together. Pray that F & D will be set free in Christ.
Elections were recently held in our country. Thank God that they were peaceful and pray for those elected that they will truly serve the people. Pray for the president, that he will come in contact with those who follow the Savior and will be influenced by them.
Please pray for the expatriate church here. They have gone through a major crisis and there is a lot of hurt amongst all involved. Pray for God's healing touch on all involved. Pray for reconciliation and God's help as people seek to sort out their differences. Pray for all to be willing to humble themselves.
Samantha continues to grow by leaps and bounds in her faith. We have been so encouraged by a gift and enthusiasm for teaching that seems to be emerging. However, as she has been stepping out in this gift, spiritual attack has followed. She has beautifully weathered several very difficult tests so far. Truly nothing can snatch her out of Jesus’ hand! (John
10:28) Please pray for her that her faith would be increasingly strengthened through each trial, and that God would protect her from the evil one.
PRAISE & THANKSGIVING:
Thanks for praying for Salman and his family. Things with his house are moving along, and he has a more restful work schedule during Ramadan. He keeps hoping for an overseas job, however, to “solve” all his problems. Pray he’ll find strength and contentment in Christ every day.
<+>< + ><+>
Please THANK the Lord for the second release in a month of the sender of these from the hospital today and pray for a recovery of maximum health & functioning for the Lord's work, as well as provision for his family. (Phlp. 2:25ff)
* AP = Arabian Peninsula
+ MBB = Muslim Backround Believer
<>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Praying Thru the Arabian Peninsula
www.pray-ap.info
USA #: 800-376-5876 (Eastern Time)
Encouraging & equipping believers & churches everywhere to pray with a heart filled with the "Seed-of-Laughter" for heirs of the woman who met the that "God-Sees-and-Hears-Me" so that biblical church planting movements will spread throughout the Arabian Peninsula and beyond for the
Lord's glory.
====
To learn how you can support this & other work in the Middle East, visit: http://www.srginc.org
Or write MertH.: ptap@srginc.org
Or: PTAP
c/o Strategic Resource Group
P.O. Box 1809
Easton, MD 21601
USA
