August 29 : Ready or Not, Here I Come. Glory to God! Thank you for praying for the group of local Gurung believers who are meeting weekly and sharing the Gospel with others. Last month, this Gurung Fellowship met at a river to baptize two new believers. One was formerly the priest for a local village – the one whom the villagers called to conduct their animistic rituals. Praise God for the strongholds that are being broken down. But that is not all! When the baptism was finished, one elderly woman said, “I need Jesus, and I need to be baptized too!” The women believers worked it out so that she would have dry clothes to wear afterwards by sharing their own articles of clothing. So right there, she asked Jesus into her heart, confessed Him as her Lord, and was baptized in a petticoat!

August 30 : A Refuge in Times of Trouble. Earlier this month, you were asked to pray for the approximately 400 million Muslims of the South Asian peoples affinity group, as they celebrate their holy month of Ramadan. For most of Pakistan’s Muslim population of over 160 million, this year’s Ramadan will be remembered, not as a time of seeking God’s favor and spending time with friends and family, but as a time of heart break and suffering. As floodwaters continue to ravage the land and displace millions of Pakistanis, it may seem to many that God has forgotten them. But God’s Word tells us, “He does not forget the cry of the afflicted” (Ps. 9:12, HCSB). Petition the Father on behalf of Pakistan’s Muslims who have been afflicted by the flooding, and ask Him to show Himself to the people as “a refuge in times of trouble” (Ps. 9:9, HCSB). Pray that the people will turn to Him for their needs and accept His provision for their physical and, most importantly, spiritual destitution. Like the psalmist, may countless Pakistani Muslims soon declare His praises and rejoice in His salvation (Ps. 9:14, HCSB).

August 31 : Reaching the Whole Man. Please pray that the Bangladesh government and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – in line with the recent positive political changes – will partner in designing development projects that will end decades of neglect toward the country’s Bihari Muslim minority. Education, skills training, health and income generation are areas where help is especially needed. Please pray that government health and education programs will become available to Biharis, that NGOs will be allowed to start development projects for the Bihari population, and that Christian organizations will be able to start projects for holistic development and spiritual outreach. BihariBride@pobox.com

September 1 : Hungering for the Truth. In a country where 330 million gods (idols) are worshipped, there are many people like T, a young man from a Hindu family, who has experienced oppression and bondage from evil spirits. Lately T has been exhibiting an unusual hunger for God’s Word and prayer. He recently has begun meeting with a Christian worker to hear Bible stories and study God’s Word. Pray that God will continue to open his heart and give him a clear understanding and the courage to choose to follow Christ. Pray that T’s other family members will understand what it means to be Christ’s disciple and begin to follow Him. Pray that Hindus throughout India will seek and find the living God who wants to set them free. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10, ESV).

September 2 : The Capital 5 at Work. An worker prayed for God to give him three national leaders in whom he could invest. God gave him five! Every Monday night, he meets with the “Capital 5” to share house church, outreach and discipleship principles with them. In a recent phone call, Pastor P told the worker, “This has been the happiest week of my life.” The pastor then shared how God’s Spirit had prompted him in several random acts of kindness. At one place, he was led to buy drinks for street cleaners, weeping as he gave them. At a checkpoint, he gave buns to a policeman. Not wanting the baker to think he was giving these as a bribe, he went back to explain why he had done this. Each of these acts led to opportunities to share Truth. Another leader, Brother N, went out with the worker’s son and a college student from the United States. They shared with a man who passed his number on to another man, who later called, wanting to know more. Brother N went to meet this national and that day, he and his whole family came to Christ! Praise God for the passion these “Capitol 5” leaders are demonstrating. Pray that they will continue in their boldness to make Christ known. Ask God to prepare them for persecution and keep them strong through it. Pray for the worker to have wisdom and discernment as he leads this group of “Timothy’s.” Praise God for what He’s doing in Sri Lanka!

September 3 : God-fearing Leaders Needed. Afzal Imam recently became the new mayor of Patna, the capital of India’s Bihar state, and Vinay Kumar became deputy mayor, according to news reports. Meanwhile, an election commission has asked officials in Bihar to speed up the issuing of voter identity cards so that voters will be prepared for the state assembly election coming up in the fall. Please pray by name for these men who will now lead the city of Patna’s government. Patna has a reported current population of approximately 1.86 million, and Bihar had nearly 83 million people at the time of the 2001 census. Please pray that God will bring into leadership positions within the state assembly those whom He has chosen. Pray specifically that elected officials in Patna and Bihar will lead the people with integrity according to Psalm 119:1-4. BihariBride@pobox.com

September 4 : Ready to Read. “We have just completed our second annual mass distribution for villages.” Approximately 50 villages were reached by six main workers. Someone once said that each tract is read four to six times by different people before it is put away. Please pray that people will be open to the message they read and contact the team of workers. Also pray that the workers will be ready and able to handle the response they receive. http://www.IsaMasih-Lucknow.org

• Pray that those who are still stranded by floodwaters in Pakistan will make it to safety. Ask that the Living God would provide for their every need.

• Psalm 119:66 (HCSB) says, “Teach me good judgment and discernment, for I rely on Your commands.” Please pray that the Lord would give clear discernment to international and Pakistani Christians who must decide where and how to minister to survivors of the devastating floods in Pakistan and neighboring countries.

• Ask God to continue to prepare the hearts of those affected by the flooding to receive His message of hope and comfort.

• Please pray for the physical safety of those ministering to flood survivors and for the flood survivors as well. If even passable, roads are treacherous. Snakes are a problem. Waterborne diseases such as cholera are a concern. Pray also for relief workers to get rest when it is needed.

• Pray that the Pakistan government will grant international aid workers the visas needed to enter Pakistan to help with relief work among flood survivors.

• Pray that more Pakistani Christians will answer God’s call to show His light and His love to the people of Pakistan who are suffering through yet another tragedy.

–30–

August 22 : Seeking a “Man of Peace.” Last month, a worker took a national and two others with her to an area of Magar villages to look for a “man of peace” (Luke 10:6), share the Gospel, and see how many believers were in that area and possibly set up some church-planting trainings. They made some good contacts and were invited back to several places. Please pray for those who heard, asking that the Holy Spirit will continue to reveal the Truth to them. Pray that the worker will be able to return to the area soon to follow up and schedule more trips and future trainings.

August 23 : Holy Bracelets. “Brotherly love.” What image comes to your mind when you hear those words? Hindus in South Asia would probably be reminded of a Hindu festival called “Raksha Bandhan” (pronounced ROCK-shah BAHN-dahn). On Tuesday, August 24, Hindu sisters will observe this holiday by tying a holy “rakhi” (rock-kee) around their brothers’ wrists. This bracelet of silk with gold and silver threads and sequins represents the chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister. “Rakhi” means “bond of protection” and implies that the strong must protect the weak from all that is evil. Friends also can exchange rakhis as a request for harmonious relationships. In the past, Indian kings, queens and rulers would offer rakhis in hopes of securing peace among their kingdoms. As South Asian Hindus celebrate Raksha Bandhan this year, please pray that they will have the opportunity to hear about Jesus Christ, who gave His life so that they could experience the brotherhood of God’s family. Pray that they will understand that the only one who can truly protect them from evil is the One who overcame evil when He died on the cross, was buried, and was raised to life, giving us the victory.

August 24 :  Welcome Home. Thank you so much for your prayers for the national family. The Father has answered in wonderful ways. This couple, who moved back to their home village three months ago, made it safely. They were welcomed back by their families, which is a great answer to prayer. They were very anxious and nervous about seeing their parents and extended families again. The last time they saw them, their families would not even speak to them because of their decision to follow Christ. It seems now that the family members are more open to hearing about the Truth. Keep praying that the Truth will fall on listening ears and soft hearts. Pray that soon many families in North Pakistan will be worshipping the King together. http://www.prayforpak.com/

August 25 : Multiplication Needed. There are an estimated 35,000 towns and villages in Sindh, Pakistan, and each one needs at least one house church. Please pray for house churches to multiply and for others to start so that there might be a house church for every town and village. Pray for open doors for workers to minister there.

August 26 : Freedom from Bondage. “What lies in a man’s heart when he can get out of his car, open the driver-side door of the vehicle in front of him, and proceed to punch the driver and then go about his day? Disgusting, inexcusable, flabbergasting, maddening – sin. As I tried to process this act against our driver, I was thinking about how we should not be surprised when sinners act like sinners. Those of us who have been washed by the blood of the Lamb have the Holy Spirit to warn us when we begin the slippery slide into sin. Those without His Holy Spirit continue to harden their hearts and resist God, falling deeper and deeper into the clutches of the evil one. People need Christ – only then can a nation be changed and people’s hearts be turned towards Him. Psalm 14:2-3 says, ‘The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.’ Pray that the people of the city of Dhaka will receive freedom from the bondage of sin through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Ask God to change their hearts and their nation to be one that follows Him. Pray that many will one day experience a city with no more misery and dismay as they are welcomed to heaven by the Lamb of God, who died for them.”

August 27 : Sylhetti of UK. Please pray for the Sylhetti people (from Bangladesh) living in the United Kingdom to open their hearts to the Good News of Jesus Christ. There are approximately 350,000 Sylhettis living in the UK, with the highest concentration (150,000) living in the borough of Tower Hamlets. Please pray for the continued effort to encourage the remnant of churches in the area to join together in reaching this people group with the Gospel. “Finally, pray for us, brothers, that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1, HCSB).

August 28 : Students Seeking Truth. Give praise to God that His Spirit is working in the lives of R and H, whom you began praying for more than a year ago! These university students are continuing to hear and discuss the words of Jesus. In June, they visited a home Bible study attended by fellow South Asians. H asked the others why they follow Jesus, and heard their testimonies. Pray that the Father will keep drawing these young men to Jesus. They have expressed a desire to follow Him, but are hesitant because their families will react negatively. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will also work in the hearts of their parents and siblings, to bring all of them to the Savior.

August 15 : Seeking Favor. “Our health-training team continues to receive a mixed reception in the Muslim village that we mentioned in our prayer request last month. Pray that this health team will have continued favor with the villagers as they seek to be Christ’s hands and feet. Pray that villagers will experience true love and compassion through the health team. Pray that this village will remain open to us, and that those who have been receptive to stories and testimonies of Jesus will soon respond to the truth. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct our next steps in this village.” 

August 16 :  Searching for Jesus. A unique form of ministry in parts of South Asia is the use of book rooms or stalls to sell Bibles and Christian literature. Those who are interested come and peruse the Bibles and other books and ask questions or have private discussions with those who run the store. A reading room is set up where people can come and read without having to face the stigma of bringing Christian literature back to their homes. In one book room in South Asia, a woman comes in every week with her face veiled and reads the Bible for several hours before returning home. These stalls have been used by the Holy Spirit to bring lasting fruit. Please pray for wisdom and provision for these stall owners. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead people to these reading rooms, and pray that word will spread about their existence. Please pray for more believers to be burdened with this work.

August 17 : God’s Spirit At Work. Give thanks to God for L, a Bihari woman who recently placed her faith wholly in Isa (Jesus). A relative introduced her into the circle of Bihari women, for whom you have been praying, who meet weekly for stories from Scripture and prayer. Together with her two children, she was attracted to the teaching and different spirit in the meeting. After listening carefully for several months, L started to ask the teacher more questions in private. Last month she was baptized. Please pray that L will continue to grow in her new relationship with the Lord. Pray also that she will know how and when to share with her husband and in-laws. BihariBride@pobox.com

August 18 : Sprouting Seeds or Choked Weeds. Remaining in the Word and letting it change their lives . . . this is the top need of the hour among the Deccani Muslims who have come to faith in recent times. Many rely on the visits of their discipler. Is their faith real? Is it the kind of faith that will wither and die when the cares of the world tempt them or when troubles come (see Mark 4)? Or will their faith produce fruit 30, 60 or 100 fold? The only way for these new believers to mature in Christ and for God to weed out sin from their lives is by daily receiving more from God’s Word and obeying it. Please pray that these recent believers from the Deccani Muslim communities will be grounded in their faith, pursuing Jesus more than other loves, and letting it trump their former traditions and beliefs.

August 19 : Desperate for Jesus. The Shaikh Marathi of Maharashtra, India, are devout Sunni Muslims living in the midst of Hindus. Their religious practices have deviated from Orthodox Islam into a mixture of Islamic and Hindu traditions. They struggle with despair and hopelessness. Pray with us for the Shaikh Marathi: “Holy Spirit of the living God, prepare the minds and hearts of the Shaikh Marathi so that as Truth is proclaimed to them, they will embrace Christ as Savior and Lord. We ask, Father, in the mighty Name of Jesus, that You remove and destroy the cultural, physical, emotional and spiritual barriers that stand in the way of the Shaikh Marathi hearing the Gospel. Overcome through Your Spirit their objections to hearing about and responding to Christ Jesus as the ultimate Prophet, Priest, King and Savior.” Pray that Indian Christians will “catch a vision” for sharing Christ with the Shaikh Marathi people and that, like Paul, they will be emboldened to share the Good News in the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of the Father’s Name and the advancement of His Kingdom on earth.

August 20 : The Word Goes Forth. South India is linguistically challenging, to say the least. Among Muslims, several languages are prevalent, including Urdu, Kannada, Tamil and Bangla. A national seminary student who is a Muslim-background believer from another state has gotten permission from a church in the United States to purchase 100 Bibles in his language to give to Muslims over the next two months. Please pray for M as he continues with school and tries to distribute these books to new believers and seekers during August. Ask God to give him the wisdom to know whom to provide with Bibles. Pray for God’s hand of protection on him as he boldly shares these books. Intercede for Muslims who will receive these precious Bibles in a language they can understand. Pray that they will read them and that the Holy Spirit will give them spiritual eyes and ears to take hold of the truth. Pray that M will be able to lead them to follow Jesus and form house churches. M’s wife has struggled with mental illness for more than 15 years. She is currently with her family, receiving treatment. Please pray for her healing and for assurance of her salvation. Intercede for their marriage while they are separated. Also pray that Satan will not be able to use this to discourage or distract M.

August 21 : Diaspora Needs Jesus. The terms “diaspora” and “cluster” have opposite meanings, but the South Asia Diaspora Cluster describes the 37 million South Asians living outside their “home countries.” They might be recent immigrants, struggling to learn the language and navigate the government system of their host country. Or they might be descendents of immigrants, who occasionally visit the home of their ancestors. In general, they strive to keep their language and culture alive through each generation. Much effort and wealth are poured into cultural and religious programs and buildings. Three major faiths are represented: Muslim, Hindu and Sikh. Please pray for those living in Southeast Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, who are taking the Gospel of Jesus to this South Asian diaspora. “. . . pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah” (Colossians 4:3, HCSB).