Hajj Day 1 - November 4, 2011

Ihram - Sacred Act #1
There are six different places to enter Mecca for Ihram (ritual cleansing), so it is at the Miqat, "a stated place," where Muslims actually enter into the Hajj. After performing this ritual, the pilgrims will wear white cloths, wrapped around them, a sign showing that all pilgrims are equal in Islam, kings and servants are all dressed alike. More crucial than wearing the white clothing, Ihram is the state of sacred purity the Muslim faithful must enter before conducting the Hajj.

From the Miqat entry point, most pilgrims head to the Kaaba in the Grand Mosque. As they enter Mecca, they will shout the Talbiyah, a Muslim prayer."Here I am at Thy service O Lord, here I am. Here I am at Thy service and Thou hast no partners*. Thine alone is All Praise and All Bounty, and Thine alone is The Sovereignty. Thou hast no partners*. 

"After the Kaaba visit, the pilgrims will walk to a tent city called Mina, continuing to quote the Talbiyah prayer. They must spend the night in prayer and meditation.

Key Scriptures

They will call on me, and I will answer them. I will say, you are my people and they will say, The Lord is our God. Zechariah 13:9b 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14

Going before the Father

• Purification rituals may cleanse the body, but they don't cleanse the heart. Only Jesus can cleanse our hearts and we can only do that through repentance. Pray that the Holy Spirit would issue a call to genuine repentance that seeking hearts hear and respond to.
• Thank Jesus that it is through His blood sins can be forgiven and pray that Muslims would understand that He is the only way to the Father. John 1:29, Hebrews 1:3, Acts 10:43
• Ask the Lord to bring to memory Scripture verses they may have heard over the TV or radio or internet about the white robes God provides for those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Revelation 7:9). Pray they may understand and desire to be clothed with Christ's righteousness.
• Two to three million people come together from all over the world for the Hajj. Pray for physical safety (protection from stampedes and disease - like the "Mecca flu").

The Kaaba contains a black stone believed to have been given to Abraham by the angel Gabriel**, according to some sources. Others say the stone was simply part of the original structure of the Kaaba. 

In pre-Islamic times, the Kaaba was an object of pilgrimage, housing idols, jahiliyyah (the age of ignorance) and, according to Islamic tradition, was cleansed by Muhammad of idols and then dedicated to the worship of the one God.

What does the Bible say?

*     It would be in statements like these that Muslims would not allow room for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 10:21-23, Galatians 4:6

**   There is nothing in the Bible about Abraham receiving this stone.

The Hajj, 11/4-11/7

Prayer Update

Wonderful answer to prayer from our workers in Tunisia!!

Election
Update                                                              

Thank you for
praying for the first ever free elections here in our North African country on
October 23.   God heard the prayers of the many and answered.
The day of the elections, the process went smoothly and peacefully.  All
over the country people lined up outside schools and other public buildings
waiting their turn to freely vote for the person they individually chose.

The Islamic
party many were worried about did fairly win the majority of the seats in the
constitutional assembly.  They will be forming a new coalition government
that should be announced within the next few days to a week. Realizing fear
about their leadership has spread, they have made great attempts to calm the concerns
of the general population by publicly re-emphasizing their moderacy, and their
desire not to change the freedoms of women or the nonreligious law system of
the country.   There have been pockets of protests and disputes in
several places in the country, but overall the atmosphere is peaceful and
calm.  For months we have seen an increase in armed policemen around our
city, but have not felt our safety threatened in any way since the
elections.  Incredible how "strange" becomes the "norm"
after a while.  It is not unusual to now drive down the street to the
supermarket and pass a police officer with an uzi machine gun in his hands.

Though this new
Islamic leadership professes to remain moderate, we are wondering what longer
term changes will happen in the country.  We might see a completely
different country 10 years from now.  This re-emphasizes to us the reality
that we have an open window of opportunity in this country now that might not be
here in a decade.  But wow, what God can do in a country in a
decade!!!  Amen!

Pray for Tunisian Elections

Join us as we pray for Tunisia this Sunday, 23 October

This Sunday, October 23, Tunisians will go to the polls to elect a 217 person constituent assembly that will be tasked with writing a new constitution for the country within a year. Just as Tunisia led the Arab world in overthrowing its dictator, it continues to lead in moving toward a new political system. While Tunisians feel justifiably proud in their political progress, there is nevertheless considerable tension and pessimism in the lead-up to this symbolic election.


Please pray:

• For peaceful and calm elections
• For the security at voting stations
• For the right persons to be selected as much is at stake for the political climate in the country
• For voters to make the right decisions as most of the voters are still uncertain who to vote for.

Update Regarding Syria:

Thank you for praying for Syria during this time of unrest. The situation is getting worse and it is unclear how it will develop in the coming months.

One friend writes, “During the past four months, I have traveled to Syria several times. People are confused and afraid by all that is taking place, especially by the government’s actions as they try to stop the demonstrations. Despite the forcefulness of the secret police and the army, the demonstrations continue particularly in poorer communities. Twice, I have gone to demonstrations to listen to what the protesters are saying. Initially, they sought freedom and a good life; however, as time continues, they are more in favor of the fall of the president’s dictatorship. I have heard that fighting has broken out among the Alawite and Sunni in different cities. Despite the many difficulties within the country, I am pleased to see believers reach out to the community by providing food for them. As you may know, many people have been out of work for months and are unable to feed their families. The families, who we’ve helped, have heard the Message. They are thankful for what the church is doing for them and genuinely want to help others. It is very unclear what the future holds for Syria, so I ask that you please keep this situation in your prayers.”

Please pray with us for Syria, for its people, for a peaceful resolution, for the believers there and that in the midst of it all the Gospel would go forth and the church grow.

REGISTRATION GRANTED TO ALGERIA'S CHURCHES

For the first time in 20 years, the Protestant Church of Algeria (EPA) has been given government permission to officially register its congregations throughout the country. The decision came 3 months after the governor and police commissioner in the province of Béjaia ordered 7 EPA churches to close for "exercising religious worship other than Islam without authorization." Similar orders had been issued in the past, enforcing a 2006 law prohibiting Christians from religious practices that conflict with the government's interpretation of Sharia (Islamic law). In spite of such opposition, the Algerian Church has grown from just a handful of national believers two decades ago to an estimated 80,000. (Religion Today)

Prayer for Egypt

Due to the very tragic events which happened on Sunday night, 9th of October in Cairo (24 Christians have been killed and over 200 people injured during demonstrations which started peacefully), the Pope Shenouda made a call of prayer to all Coptic Christians around the world starting from Tuesday the 11th of October. His call is to encourage anyone to pray and fast during 3 days for our country.

With this message we would like to kindly ask you to join us, according to your possibilities and capacities, during the 3 days of fasting and prayers for our land which needs so much your intercession. Let's stand with our brothers and sisters who are passing by a terrible tragedy, sorrow, fear and incredible challenges we have not seen or heard of since the revolution.

Together, let's cry to our heavenly Father so that the situation in our area may change and that the leadership may recognize the existence of the Christians and the rights of 15 million Christians in Egypt. In the media, in the social aspect, there is a total ignorance of the Christians and their rights.

This afternoon, thousands of people were at the funerals which took place in the large cathedral in El Embassyia, Cairo. A great sadness and sorrow was on the entire attendance.

Thank you for your precious intercession and receive our sincere blessings.
Fiends in Egypt