Thu, Nov 1: Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s." – Matthew 22:21 Bakary and his family cast their vote for their new president last month. The days leading up to the election were exciting and tense. But Bakary himself was more concerned with the price of rice and how he was going to feed his family than the empty words of politicking. But the words he hears on the radio every day now, are those also just empty words? Pray that the Scripture radio spots and the radio broadcasts will fill the hearts of the MNK to know that God desires so much more than man, and that God’s words are always true.

Fri, Nov 2: My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long. – Psalm 71:8 Binta’s daughter, Tida, goes to the government school in town. One of her teachers is from Nigeria; she is different. She does not act like the other teachers. She dresses like them and she speaks like them, but she isn’t like them at all! She seems happy all the time. She is rarely upset. She never beats the children for disobedience. Pray for West African Christians who live and work among MNK to display the true Joy of the Lord.

Sat, Nov 3: Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you. – Joshua 3:9-10 How? How will I know that the Living God is here? Which words should I listen to? Lamin can’t get these words out of his head. He heard them on the radio yesterday, but doesn’t understand them. The Living God? Among us? Islam teaches that God is omnipresent, yet distant. Pray that Lamin will have an experience like the Ethiopian eunuch with a faithful servant, like Philip (Acts 8:26).

Sun, Nov 4: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. – 2 Corinthians 1:20 This is the point where many Muslims fall. They either don’t know or won’t acknowledge that every one of the promises made by God in Scripture has been fulfilled! Every one of them! Not a single one has He forgotten. Bakary saw this Scripture on a poster in the market. Now he wonders where can he find the promises God made and how they have been answered. Pray that believers and the Reading Rooms will be ready and available to point men like Bakary to the Truth found in Scripture.

Mon, Nov 5: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. – Psalm 119:105 Bakary’s wives have begun attending literacy classes taught in a nearby village. Every month a new poster is hung in the classroom, and at the end of the month, each participant is given a copy of it. In a 12-month period, these posters will progress from the sovereignty of God through salvation. Pray that these posters will be read often and that God’s Word will begin to light the path of those who read them.

Tue, Nov 6: What must we do to do the works God requires? – John 6:28 The men have asked the Toubob to answer this question. It is one that every religion in the world tries to answer. They are hoping to somehow confuse the issue of belief and focus on man’s accomplishments instead. MNKs are taught that the work they do on God’s behalf is what pleases God. With the fast month approaching, this is an important point. Pray that these men will clearly hear the answer and learn that God looks at our motives, not our works.

Wed, Nov 7: Jesus said, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." – John 6:29 The men sit scratching their heads. They are terribly confused; this was not the answer they were expecting. How can God’s work be to believe? They are missing the point. Satisfying God comes from whom we believe in, not what we do. To accomplish God’s work, we are to believe in Him, and the One whom He sent. Pray that believing will become more important in the MNK thought process than doing.

Thu, Nov 8: Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. – Proverbs 1:8 Kadi’s youngest son has just gone out to the bush for the circumcision rite. While Kadi doesn’t know exactly what the boys are taught, she knows what she was taught as a young girl, and can only imagine what the men say about women. Yet she heard the Toubob say that David’s son, the great King Solomon, admonished children to listen to and heed both parents. But that isn’t the MNK way. Pray that as the Word of God goes out, many MNKs will be confused in their hearts and truly struggle to find the Truth.

Fri, Nov 9: Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. – Proverbs 4:25 Tida’s teacher said this to one of the boys in her class yesterday while they were taking a test. Tida thought it must be a proverb from her homeland and said so to a friend. The teacher explained that indeed it was a proverb, but it came not from her homeland, but from God’s Word. Tida marveled at this woman’s memory; how did she learn that? Pray that all believers among the MNK will be faithful to share from God’s Word regularly! Pray that we, as God’s children, will KNOW His Word.

Sat, Nov 10: Every good and perfect gift is from above. – James 1:17 One of Binta’s best friends, Fanta, is at the hospital with her only son. He is 10 years old and very ill. He gets like this every year. Fanta says it is God’s will. That is man’s lot in life, to suffer, to have pain; the more pain, the greater the reward at death. Yet, Binta has been listening to the radio and has heard that God is good. If God is good, how can he send evil to a family? Confusion reigns in her mind. Pray that Binta and other MNK women will know that God is Sovereign, Good, Faithful and Just; in Him is found no evil

Sun, Nov 11: For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. – 2 Chronicles 16:9 Bakary’s childhood friend, Lamin, called himself a Christian for many years. But now it seems he has distanced himself from that group. Bakary hopes he is repenting, returning to Islam. But Lamin is only confused, hurting, having a crisis of faith. And unfortunately he believes he is completely alone. Pray for many like Lamin who become discouraged; pray they will be able to hold to the truths they know to be true; pray for them to have faith like a mustard seed; pray that Lamin will hear this and be encouraged.

Mon, Nov 12: If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. – 1 John 4:20 The boys witnessed a terrible fight yesterday between two men in a field; one was accusing the other of stealing his peanuts. When the physical fight was over, the boys thought that was the end of it, but they heard insults and threats and warnings and hate going back and forth for a long time. Later that night, Bakary explained that there would be bad blood between these now for years. Both called the name of God. Both declared they were in the right and God would repay the evil. Pray that this truth from 1 John will permeate human society, not just among the MNK. Love and hate cannot inhabit the same space.

Tue, Nov 13: Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight. – Deuteronomy 6:18 Today Tida’s teacher once again amazed her class with a proverb. At least that’s what they thought it was. But, again, she told them it was a teaching of God. Though confused, the children were afraid to ask her any questions in class. It’s never a problem to discuss Islam in school, but you open yourself to ridicule and persecution if you ask about Christianity. Tida saw her best friend talking with the teacher in hushed tones after class. How can you know what is right in God’s sight? Pray that the schools will be filled with teachers whose loving presence will be like a magnet for children to the Truth.

Wed, Nov 14: Test everything. Hold on to the good. – 1 Thessalonians 5:21 MNKs are not taught independent thought. They are not taught problem solving techniques. From childhood, a westerner is taught to figure out why something isn’t working and how to make it work. But in this society, fixing something might make you look better than someone else or at least different. If it was good enough for our ancestors, it is good enough for us. Pray that the MNK will truly look at their religious beliefs and seek the truth; pray for this communal society to understand their individual role before God.

Thu, Nov 15: Do not follow other gods. – Deuteronomy 6:14 The children are getting ready for their nightly Islamic classes around the bonfire. Here, they sit and are taught how to say the rote prayers. It is here the elders tell them the stories of the prophets, as taught by Islam. It is here they are taught that Christians worship three gods (God, Jesus, Mary), not just one. It is here they learn that Islam is the only true religion. Pray that the children will learn that many of the tenants of Islam have their origins in the worship of the One True God, but over the years have become perverted by man.

Fri, Nov 16: Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me. – Prov 1:28 Today is the first day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. For the next 28-30 days, Muslims worldwide will not eat or drink during daylight hours. Pray that the MNK will open their hearts to find the One they are seeking; pray that the Evil One will no longer bind their eyes and ears.

Sat, Nov 17: Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. – Jeremiah 33:3 Every night during Ramadan, entire villages and neighborhoods gather together for special prayers; in other words, they go to "church" every night! Men sit inside the mosque, while women and children gather outside. But they cannot conceive of a God who would choose to interact with mankind! Pray for MNK men, women and children to seek after the God who created the heavens and the earth in a plan to wondrous to fully comprehend.

Sun, Nov 18: If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer. – Matthew 21:22 During Ramadan, even the women do a lot of praying. Yet these words spoken by Jesus are very confusing to Fatou, Binta and Kadi. Even Mohammed didn’t make that claim. As they walk home from their literacy class, they begin discussing what they know of Jesus, the magical things he did as an infant, etc. How could Jesus say that? Is there a different magical charm they should buy? Pray that MNK women will come to truly believe in the One True God, and that their belief will be the result of an unwavering faith.

Mon, Nov 19: Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. – Isaiah 55:8 Bakary ponders this as he eats his breakfast before sunrise. What does that mean? Call on him while he is near? God is never near. And how can you find God? Non-Muslims have such blasphemous ideas of knowing God. Pray for Bakary that the Word of God will invade his mind, that he will see it in the market place, that he will hear it on the radio.

Tue, Nov 20: And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. – Acts 2:21 Kadi heard this verse in her literacy class. She calls on the name of Alla every day; yet, Islam does not teach assurance of anything, except that God may or may not accept you. She wonders who this applies to…is it really everyone? What an interesting religion this must be if you have assurance of salvation. Why would you continue to serve God if your place in paradise was guaranteed? Pray that Kadi and other MNKs will know that our joy of service comes from love and faith in a Just and Living God, not in fear of His wrath.

Wed, Nov 21: I will proclaim the name of the Lord. – Deuteronomy 32:3 Standing in the mosque, shoulder to shoulder with his Muslim brothers, Lamin believes he is proclaiming the name of the Lord. He is reciting what he has heard from childhood, but now, in his old age, he wonders… He believes there is a God, but his mind will not allow him to conceptualize a personal relationship with him. Pray that as Muslims worldwide stand together, that of one voice, they will truly proclaim the name of the Lord and come to know Him.

Thu, Nov 22: O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you. – Psalm 63:1 As our MNK friends fast, join us in praying that they will truly seek after God. They do not seek the True face of God; rather, they seek the one who can supply their physical wishes, not necessarily their spiritual needs.

Fri, Nov 23: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. – Deuteronomy 6:5 As Lamin begins washing his feet, his hands, his head, his eyes, his ears, and his mouth, he remembers what the Toubab told him about loving God. Respect? Yes. Fear? Yes. Obey? Yes. Proclaim? Yes. But love? Of the 99 names for God in Islam, love is not one of them. Pray for MNKs during this fast month that they will yearn for the relationship with their Creator that was lost in the Garden of Eden, and that they would learn about True Love.

Sat, Nov 24: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. – Matthew 4:4 As Fatou walked home from town last night, she passed some people working in their field who had their radio on. She stopped to listen to the news, and heard these words spoken at the end of the news. She wanted to hurry home to break fast with her family, but was so struck by what she heard that she walked very slowly, thinking it over and over. How can you hear a word from God? Pray for Fatou and other MNK women to hold to the truths they are hearing daily on the radio.

Sun, Nov 25: O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts? – Jeremiah 4:14 As Jeremiah wept over Jerusalem, so those of us who work among the MNK weep. God longs to fellowship with them, just as he longs to fellowship with every living human being. Pray that each of us will wash the evil from our hearts and turn to God in true repentance and fellowship.

Mon, Nov 26: Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. – Matthew 4:23 Jesus was a good man. According to the Qur’an, he was a great prophet who did miraculous things. He was sinless. But he was not the son of God. Pray that as the teachings of Jesus are announced over the radio that MNK will believe; pray that they will believe not just the parts of the Bible that they like, but the whole thing.

Tue, Nov 27: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God. – Matthew 5:3 How can anyone who is poor, in spirit or otherwise, be blessed by God? It is obvious that God is NOT blessing that person or he wouldn’t be poor. And how can any human have the kingdom of God? Sali thinks on these things as she lays down for her afternoon rest. Pray for God’s Spirit to reveal Himself to her as she sleeps!

Wed, Nov 28: Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – Matthew 5:4 Fatou was awakened in the middle of the night by wailing from the next compound over. A young mother has died; they say she "had fever". It is very difficult to determine the exact cause of death in this part of the world. The woman was not physically strong, having given birth only a month or so before fast month, but she was keeping fast anyway. But the husband cannot be comforted. How can mourning bring blessings? He is sad, but his sadness gives way to fear. Where is his wife now? Pray that the MNK will see that physical death, though sad, is but a natural process; it is our eternal separation from God that we should fear.

Thu, Nov 29: Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5 Meek! What does that mean, meek? Does that mean weak? Binta’s son, Ibrima, just finished helping with the circumcision rites with the younger boys. He spent many hours talking about how to be a MNK man, how to be strong, how to never be considered weak. And now he hears that those who are meek will inherit the earth? How can you inherit what doesn’t belong to your father? Oh, those non-Muslims have some very confused ideas. Pray for Ibrima to be able to listen with ears and a mind not controlled by human thinking.

Fri, Nov 30: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. – Matthew 5:6 "Well if this is true, then I am greatly blessed today!" thinks Lamin. He has been keeping the fast every year since he was 8. The hunger isn’t so bad; you get used to that. But, oh, the thirst! Those Christians don’t know what they are talking about; after all, when do they fast? Pray for every MNK to seek after God the way each of us seeks after food and water; pray that our souls will truly yearn to know God.

 

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