Daily Topic for November 08, 2006
As a people, Israel neglected her responsibility to bless all the families of the earth with the knowledge of the one, true King. God had planned for this nation to be gloriously different, but Israel chose instead the mediocrity of similarity. Though Samuel grieved at the request for a king, God consented, and Israel soon became like the other nations in character as well as in possession of an earthly king. When we today disobey or neglect the clear commands of Scripture, including the command to disciple all nations, we scorn our calling as children of the King. When we obey, heaven rejoices!
Father, we want to be obedient to Your call so that we might experience Your life and power and so that the nations will receive knowledge of the Savior.
Arabs have settled in Northern Africa since AD 680, bringing Islam to this part of the world. These Arabs maintained their language and culture, dominating and sometimes intermarrying with Berbers, the original inhabitants of North Africa.
Today most Algerian Arabs are farmers who are busy growing crops and raising poultry, goats and sheep. Most of them live in small towns and courtyard villages with portable tents, supporting their seasonal wanderings.
The people there speak Jazair, or Arabian Arabic, which is spoken and revered as the true “Islamic” tongue though others mix their Arabic with Berber words. According to “Operation World,” about three-fourths of Algeria is considered Arab, so their population is somewhere around 28 million. Almost all of them consider themselves Sunni Muslims, though rural Algerians tend to maintain folk superstitions and are more open to evangelism than those in the cities. Civil unrest has isolated Algeria from contact with the outside world. Yet evangelism has increased and many Berbers and some Arabs have found new life in Christ. Prayer and faithful apostles make the difference.
Learn more at joshuaproject.netPray that the hearts and minds of those disillusioned by Islam will be reached with the gospel. Pray that Arabs in Algeria will have ears to hear the gospel and receive it with gladness, grace and saving revelation.-JC
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