day nine of the fast

Day nine of the fast.

They repay me evil for good
      and leave my soul forlorn.
 Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
      and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
      I went about mourning
      as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
       as though weeping for my mother. (Psalm 35:12)

Today we pray for Asia (that the Lord will continue to give us breakthrough in this strategic region of the world).

This is one of the toughest and yet one of the most productive areas of the world. sections of Asia are having phenomenal moves of God with thousands of converts. Yet it is also home to the greatest earthly enemies of the kingdom of God: the Muslims.

Nowhere else on earth is there such widespread government sanctioned oppression and persecution of God’s people than there is in Asia.

The religion of Islam is a violent religion that allows no deviation from the faith. If there is, the Koran (in their minds, and in the scripture they consider holy) gives them permission to kill, torture, rape, mutilate anyone who does so. Whole villages are destroyed if suspected Christian. Churches are burned down with worshipers inside.

There really is no way that tolerance and love can grow except in a Christian nation. Christians do not bomb or kill. They allow freedom.

We pray that the move of God continue over the Islamic nations, and that it extend to those who are persecuting, that they see what is right and good and holy.

It is hard not to hate such people, especially in the world after 9/11. They wish nothing more than our subjugation and enslavement to their ideas. When we have seen what they are capable of and what they will attempt, it is more normal to desire the extinction of such rabid people.

But God loves them too. And he wants them to come to him. he does not desire their extinction. He desires their presence at his banquet table. He wants them to come to him and love him.

Allah is a false god, one of anger and bitterness and revenge. His people are motivated both for a desire for revenge and a desire for sexual domination. You can see that both in the way they oppress their women and in the way they have a heavenly reward of a harem of virgins.

Yhwh God is the only real God and Jesus is his only Son. His people are motivated by love and concern for others, by a life of joy and peace, by concern for others.

Father, today we pray for these who would destroy us. We ask for a move over the Asian countries that they may see the light and recognize what is real and true and holy. May they find what they are looking for – the presence of God in their lives – and may they realize the love he has for others. Touch them and bless them with your presence and the presence of you holy Son. I praise you. Amen.