USA (MNN) — It's estimated that there are more than 1.3 billion Muslims around the world. Unfortunately, many of them will never hear about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Youth with a Mission wants to change that with the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus.
YWAM's Paul Filidis is coordinating the printing of the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Guide in North America. "The pray focus always coincides with Ramadan, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. And Ramadan is the annual month of fasting where they fast from sun up to sun down. This year, the 30 days of Ramadan occurs actually from September 1 to 30."
The prayer guide is now in its 17th year, and this year's prayer guide is similar to other years. "We have 30 pages that introduce some aspect of Islam or the Islamic community around the world, to try to bring a focus and try to educate the reader about some part of the Islamic world. Then it ends up in several prayer points that are related to that day's subject."
Each day takes you around the world so you can pray more effectively for the Islamic world. Filidis says this is doing more than providing education. H says it's "expanding our ability to love. As you pray for people, you get God's perspective, God's heart, and it's hard not to have a certain love for them that transcends the headlines."
Filidis says some of the stories of Muslim coming to Christ must be prayer-related. "We constantly hear about Muslims becoming Christians or showing interest through dreams and visions when they run into Christians, saying they want a Bible: 'We want to know more about it.' So, going by some of these stories and feedback, we trust that prayer does make a difference."
For the third year in a row, Mission Network News is making the prayer guides available right here. For a gift of any amount, we'll send you a copy while supplies last.
MNN's Anchor and Executive Director Greg Yoder says, "I believe whole-heartedly that the only way to reach the Muslim world is through a concerted prayer effort. That's why we're getting behind this effort. So many Christians won't witness to Muslims because they don't know anything about them. This could be the first step in gaining that understanding."
Filidis says it's evidenced by those participating. "The amount of feedback I have received from people going through it are subsequently feeling confident to befriend a Muslim student or Muslim neighbor."
Thousands of people speaking more than 30 languages in countries around the world will be participating.
To get your copy of the 2008 30 Days Muslim Prayer Guide, click here.
