One of the primary ways God is drawing Muslims to Himself is through simple Bible studies that highlight passages of scripture from Creation through the Resurrection. The Waha app contains many story sets that have been translated into dozens of languages. Throughout the 30 days we will pray through these story sets that reveal Jesus, the Word made flesh.
As you read these familiar passages, prayerfully imagine what it would be like to read them for the first time – to see the wisdom, power, beauty, and authority of God and to be drawn to trust in Christ and yield your allegiance to Him.
The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
God intentionally sent John to prepare the way for the public ministry of Jesus. John’s call to repentance awakened hearts to their need for forgiveness and readied people to receive the Messiah.
It was also the Father’s will that Jesus submit to baptism, not because He needed repentance, but to reveal His humility and model His obedience. At that moment, God made Jesus’ identity clear to John: He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the Son of God sent from heaven.
John exemplifies a person called by God for a specific purpose. He submits to God’s direction and is used to proclaim repentance and obedience through baptism.
This passage also reveals the universal problem of sin; a problem that no person can resolve on their own. Many in the surrounding region responded by recognizing their need for repentance and taking action, submitting themselves to the call of God.
One of the Qur’anic verses that many Muslims memorize and often quote says, “He [God] neither begets nor is born.” From their earliest education they are taught to deny that Jesus is the Son of God.
Miriam, an elderly lady, put her faith in Jesus and simple step by simple step began to follow Him. She had no idea what He had in store for the day of her baptism. She had read about Jesus’ baptism and His promise to baptize with the Holy Spirit. She didn’t know that she would go into the water legally blind and that she would emerge from the water with her eyesight fully restored. Even better, this miraculous healing emboldened her to share her faith with her children and grandchildren.
Pray for God to move miraculously in the lives of Muslim people. Pray that the stories of His provision would reach the ears of those ready to come to Him.
Isaiah 40:3-5 is the Old Testament passage echoed in Mark 1. It describes a wilderness responding to God’s call, making way for the Lord to move. We pray for the reality of these promises in this place:
In the spiritual wilderness of this place, O God, prepare the way for your Messiah.
We ask you to make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Provide clear paths for people to come to know You. We pray for copies of Scripture to be accessible and distributable in this place.
We pray for every valley of fear, despair, doubt, and hopelessness that hinders people from seeking Christ to be lifted up.
We pray for every mountain and hill of false religion, persecution, spiritual pacts and bonds, and work of the enemy to be made low.
May the glory of the Lord be revealed and all flesh of this land see it together.