Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: bob@morningstar.com (Bob Sutterfield) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Why do the nations rage? Message-ID: Date: 24 Jan 91 08:22:54 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Morning Star Technologies Lines: 56 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu A missionary friend sent these thoughts on Friday, 11 January: With the current situation in the Middle East, many of us are praying, as perhaps, never before for that area of the world. We're praying for peace (or at least the prevention of war), for leaders (especially George Bush and Saddam Hussein), and for the safety and well-being of soldiers and armies deployed in the Arabian desert. But are we praying for God's agenda? I pose you a question to consider prayerfully before the Lord: in your prayers for the Middle East, are you praying as a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, or as a citizen of the United States of America (or the United Kingdom or Canada, or Australia, New Zealand, etc.)? Consider Joshua 6:13,14: (New International Version) "Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, 'Are you for us or for our enemies?' 'Neither,' he replied, 'but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.' then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, 'What message does my Lord have for his servant?'" Note the implied question in the response to Joshua's question: "Whose side are YOU on?" Do we really believe God is on our side, or are we trying to make sure we're on his side? As terrible as war is, on the scale of eternity, is war really the worst thing that could happen? Consider the following: as a result of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, there has been a dramatic increase in the openness to the Gospel by Afghans. Brother Andrew's organization also reports of Muslim Afghans submitting their lives to Christ as a result of the witness of _Christian soldiers in the Red Army!_ In a similar manner, there have been more conversions of Muslims in Iran in the 10 years since the Islamic revolution there, than the previous century before! Therefore, in your praying, add these requests to bring before God: 1) That God will use these current events as a means of breaking down the walls that prevent the peoples of Iraq and Kuwait from hearing, understanding, and believing the Gospel. Pray for the penetration of Iraq and Kuwait. 2) For the national and expatriate believers who are still in both Kuwait and Iraq. Pray for strength and boldness to proclaim the Gospel as never before in these lands. 3) For Christian soldiers in the foreign armies, that they be able to share their faith, as did the Soviets in Afghanistan, but that God will use this time as a "short-term missions exposure trip", mobilizing hundreds of new missionaries to the Muslim world. (Remember that after World War II, there was a large quantity of new missionaries sent out: many of them who had served as soldiers, returning as missionaries. For example, Mission Aviation Fellowship began as a group of former military pilots who had served in the South Pacific.)