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• MIRACULOUSLY HEALED MUSLIM LAYS DOWN LIFE FOR CHRIST
• LEADERS IN INDIA GATHER TO ADDRESS CORRUPTION
• IRANIAN YOUTH OPEN TO THE GOSPEL
• CAMPAIGN AIMS TO PUT PRAYER BACK IN TO U.S.A. SCHOOLS
• GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS SEEK TO STOP PROMOTION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN CLASSROOMS
• INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH
• CHINA EMBRACING THE GOSPEL IN EVER INCREASING NUMBERS

MIRACULOUSLY HEALED MUSLIM LAYS DOWN LIFE FOR CHRIST

The blisters were growing beyond an inch in diameter, spreading from the side of his face, down his neck and onto his shoulder. His ear was so deformed it was hanging down to his shoulder. And the thermometer reading screamed 107.6. He was .4 degrees from death.It was October 1987 when he was diagnosed with what Canada’s Toronto General Hospital called the worst case of shingles in the hospital’s history. There was no cure. His first million dollars in business profits could offer him little hope now. At age 34, Muslim businessman Nasir Siddiki lay on his deathbed. Doctors were ready to report his death come morning.

Now 24 years later, Siddiki recalls the night he cried out to Muhammad-and the only answer was silence. In the midst of silence and fear, Siddiki remembered the numerous healing stories of the prophet Jesus. “In desperation I cried out, ‘God if you’re real, don’t let me die.'” When it seemed as though the night couldn’t get any darker, a light entered the hospital room. “It was the outline of a person. I couldn’t see the facial features because there was so much light shining from this person,”describes Siddiki. “This person spoke without opening their mouth … He said, ‘I am the God of the Christians.’ and He said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.'”

Hailing from the line of Ismael, Muslims recognize Abraham as the father, but do not recognize the line of Isaac. When the figure spoke, claiming to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Siddiki was able to identify the glow. “It was Jesus Christ,” affirms Siddiki, undoubtedly. Siddiki has a photo showing the intensity of the shingles he endured. He has clearly been healed. The differences are evident. The blisters are gone. His ear is perfectly formed. His complexion is olive, smooth and scar-less. His hair has greyed. But there is more. The most significant difference is not physical, yet it is exceptionally visible. Siddiki is now a Christian.

His new heart in Christ is obvious through his glowing smile and his gracious words. It is clear that this man, who had followed seven generations of Sunni Muslims, beginning with Abu Siddiq, Muhammad’s closest friend and Islam’s first Caliph, has been made new by the healing power of Jesus Christ.   Doctors searched for the answer as to why this man with a battered immune system had inch-wide blisters that, overnight, entered a remissive state. “I tried to tell them His name was Jesus but of course they didn’t believe me. The big question I had is, ‘Is this Jesus really the Son of God the way the Christians claim or is He just a prophet the way I was brought up all my life?'”

Siddiki was released from the hospital the next day. The following morning another miracle occurred – one Siddiki says proves the deep love and mercy of Jesus Christ. “I remember Sunday morning I woke up at 6 o’clock in the morning, walked over to the television – I don’t know why I did that – turned on the television and right on the screen it said, ‘Is Jesus the Son of God?’ Coincidence? I don’t think so … Alone in my living room … in front of the television set in tears I asked Jesus to be the Lord of my life … The fact that He would heal a Muslim on a Friday and save him on a Sunday talks about how great His love and His mercy is.”

“He does love the Muslims and He did die for the Muslims,” Siddiki continues. “God so loved the world and that includes everybody and Jesus died for everybody.” Siddiki looks to his personal testimony to find hope for those involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within the Middle East. He says those in battle are blinded, they are being misguided, and they are being deceived. Siddiki himself spent 34 years in a blind state, walked an ungodly path and was continually deceived by world views. Yet, God sought Siddiki to be a worker in His field. And he says God is seeking outmore labourers. “The Muslim nations are his harvest. These are people Jesus died for.”

Siddiki feels Christians are called to help in the current situation in the Middle East. “We need to love all Muslims,” he adds. “They really are good people, they just are misled. They are just deceived. We have the greatest weapon on planet earth and the universe – it’s called the weapon of love. The Bible says love actually never fails and that’s an incredible statement that means that love has to win in every situation. “We don’t win Muslims by debating with them,… none of that will win Muslims over to Christ,”Siddiki explains. “But we will win them with the love of Jesus. When they persecute us and we respond with love they have a very difficult time understanding that response.

‘How can we persecute you and you love us?’ And that’s what will break down the barriers and the walls.”   Though Christian love will win in every situation, Siddiki says prayer will have dominant influence, for prayer literally gives God legal entry into any situation. “The Muslims,   the terrorists have been blinded by the god of this world … they don’t really see the truth. And so the first thing we need to do is to pray for those scales to come down. Three times the apostle Paul prayed for wisdom for other people. So we pray for wisdom for those in leadership in these Islamic nations, that they will make the right choice.

Source: Charisma News

LEADERS IN INDIA GATHER TO ADDRESS CORRUPTION

On September 2, 2011, Christian leaders from across India gathered together in Bangalore in a historical meeting to discuss the issue of corruption, particularly in the church. Named “Operation Nehemiah”, the meeting aimed to”bring together concerned Christian leaders in India to deliberate on the issue of corruption and to create a united movement with a vision to make the Indian Church corruption-free.” In attendance were about sixty leaders from the religious and business worlds representing the wide spectrum of Christian faith traditions in India .

There were about 55 different churches and para-church organisations represented mostly from evangelical , Pentecostal   and other protestant backgrounds. Also representing the Catholic and Orthodox churches were several Archbishops and Bishops. The Lausanne Movement provided support and partnered in this endeavour. The meeting took place in the midst of a national debate in India over corruption. While corruption is not new to political life in India, recent scams have raised the level of civil society awareness and anger about corruption. Massive public protests and a national campaign against corruption have shaken India in the last few months.

There is a deep desire in the nation to free itself from this cancer. Operation Nehemiah responds to a belief that the church in India should be leading the way in this fight against corruption. Unfortunately, the church is seriously affected by corrupt leaders and practices. There is a large gap between our Lord’s vision of the church as salt and light and the reality of the church in India. Operation Nehemiah was designed as an immersive hands-on workshop aimed at generating catalytic projects to deal with corruption. Two speakers set the context for the event: Dr. Manfred Kohl and Bishop Efraim Tendero, national director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches.

Dr. Kohl stressed that the priority was renewal within the church. Bishop Tendero outlined what is meant for the church to be “salt and light” in society. After the speakers, there was a time of corporate confession led by L.T. Jeyachandran, Asia Pacific executive director for Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. This was followed by a series of small group sessions in which participants discussed problems of corruption in the church and concrete remedies that could be taken. Each small group was challenged to come up with a specific project with short-term deliverables.

Many proposed initiatives emerged concerning financial management of faith-based institutions, facilitating the reporting of corrupt behaviour in faith-based institutions and dealing with reconciliation. Organisers hope that transformation of the Church in India, flowing through to the whole nation can be achieved by, first, rediscovering and applying the biblical principles of servant leadership and stewardship and, secondly, by increasing awareness through advocacy, education, and interaction with Kingdom leaders from all spheres of life.”

Source: Lausanne Movement

IRANIAN YOUTH OPEN TO THE GOSPEL

A significant number of younger Iranians are dissatisfied with the status quo and are searching for answers to the issues they face. As a result, many are coming to Christ. Many young Iranians dream of leaving the country due to the current economic situation with the lack of employment prospects.They have nothing to look forward to and just want to leave. Ramin (not his real name), a Christian leader, is working with young people in Iran. He says: “I don’t feel that the challenges they face are vastly different to those elsewhere in the world. Iranian youth have the same questions about faith, relationships and life. The main difference is that many dream of leaving the country.

Often the best form of communication with this age group is via social media, CD’s and DVD’s. “Sometimes it is a challenge for youth to access websites to find information. Some of them are filtered. We help the youth to find different sites by mentioning them on Facebook” Ramin said. In addition to youth, Iranians in general are thirsty for the Gospel. “They want to know God and are hungry for Him and His Word,” says Nader (not his real name), another Iranian Christian leader. “Iranians are coming to Christ through personal evangelism and satellite TV; also through answering questions of individual non-Christian persons on a personal basis.

Ramin adds: “Those who appear to be devout Muslims are eager to learn about Jesus and especially the concept of grace, which is alien to them. Muslims often convert when they understand grace and the love of God. Muslims are open to the Gospel and find that the love of God is so new to their understanding that once they hear about it, and experience it, they want to know more. “For those who become Believers, their main challenges come from family, not the authorities, as they are fearful of what the repercussions could be for the wider family. They need to be careful, and sometimes they do suffer at the hands of relatives or are arrested if they become too outspoken.”

Source: Open Doors USA

CAMPAIGN AIMS TO PUT PRAYER BACK IN TO U.S.A. SCHOOLS

It’s “Bring Back the Bible and Christian Prayer in Schools Month” and Steven Andrew, president of USA Christian Ministries, is working to make it a year-round reality. “Our children need God back in schools,” says Andrew, who is calling Christians nationwide to bring the Bible and prayer back into public schools. Andrew’s effort is part of a broader campaign among pastors, teachers and parents to bring up America’s children in the training and admonition of the Lord according to Ephesians 6:4. With millions of school children praying that God will be allowed back onto campus at See You at the Pole events across the country, Andrew is expecting a breakthrough.

History supports God in schools. The Bible was the first textbook in public schools. Children prayed Christian prayers in school for 355 years until 1962, Andrew notes. In fact, he calls separation of church and state a lie, arguing that it’s not what our Founding Fathers practiced or intended and it’s not constitutional. “Blessings and freedom come by obeying God. We have seen the difference between God’s blessings for obedience and His judgments for disobedience. Test scores, morality and the economy improve with Christian education,” Andrew says. “Why should the 80% Christian majority pay for public schools if Jesus and our Founding Fathers’ Christian faith isn’t taught?”

Source: Charisma News

GRASSROOTS ACTIVISTS SEEK TO STOP PROMOTION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN CLASSROOMS

A new law mandating California public schools teach about the contributions of homosexual and lesbian people across all subject matters has spawned a petition drive for its repeal. A coalition of conservative groups state-wide is gathering signatures, hoping to get the required 504,760 they need by Sept. 30 to put the issue on a referendum in the June 2012 elections. The deadline to count and certify the signatures is Oct. 12. Should they fail – or should the voters choose not to pass the referendum – the law will take effect in January, forcing teachers to point out the supposed sexual identity or gender expression of individuals, whether or not it’s relevant to the topic at hand.

If enough signatures are certified, the law will be stayed until voters have had their say in June. “Schools are already crunched to cover the academic basics – we have a crisis with graduation rates in this country,” noted Education Analyst Candi Cushman. “It just seems like we are bringing adult identity politics into schools and weighing our history books down with political correctness when it’s unnecessary and actually sends the wrong message to kids. Benjamin Franklin is in history books because he demonstrated that lightning was electricity – not because of his sexuality.”

Source: Citizenlink

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH

There is such immense power in unity, that when the people of God are unified in Him, it enables the world to believe that Jesus was sent from God!   There are many ways that we can pursue this unity with our brothers and sisters who live under persecution, and prayer, is one of the most powerful!   In prayer we engage our heart with the heart of God, and with those we pray for. Every year Christians around the world unite in prayer for persecuted Christians in the International Days of Prayer ( IDOP ). Thisyear in Australia IDOP will take place between Sunday 6th to Sunday 13th November.

This year’s theme, ‘WITHSTAND’ is to stand with our brothers and sisters living under persecution, and through prayer withstand the powers of darkness. More information about IDOP 2011 and FREE IDOP Resources such as a video clip for showing in Churches, individual Country prayer sheets and IDOP WITHSTAND posters are available for download from the Open Doors Australia website at  http://www.opendoors.org.au/   If you would prefer to receive IDOP resources by mail please contact the Open Doors office on 02 9451.2999 Thank you for standing with and praying for the Persecuted Church.

Source: Open Doors

CHINA EMBRACING THE GOSPEL IN EVER INCREASING NUMBERS

Further reports are emerging of the explosive growth of Christianity in China. Christianity is “sweeping the country, swamping churches and posing a challenge to the atheist ruling Communist Party.” It is driving citizens to be more politically assertive, emboldening them to push for more freedoms. Intellectuals disillusioned by the 1989 crackdown on dissidents at Tiananmen Square are reportedly placing their loyalty in faith, not politics. Rev. Jin Mingri, a former Communist Party member and founder of Zion Church, said “It may take time before our intention is understood, trusted, and even respected by the authorities, but we must press on and be prepared to pay the price.”

Source: Chicago Tribune

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