JONI: Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada and I have a surprise guest you will want to meet. Pastor Daniel is a Christian from Pakistan who has been based in the United States for the past ten years. Pastor Daniel has a ministry to the nations – as he puts it, but he is interested in people in Islamic nations giving the Good News to them. First, he ministered in the Chicago area working with the Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College and Trinity Universities and he is seeking to exhort all of us to have Christ’s heart for these lost people groups who are now located in large numbers in our own country and often in our own neighborhoods. Pastor Daniel thanks so much for coming today.
PASTOR: It is always a privilege to be with God’s people and talk about kingdom work.
JONI: Wonderful. That’s what we are interested in and especially as we are coming up on 9/11. It has been ten years since the tragic incident which brought down the World Trade Centers and of course plummeted us into a war against terrorism.
PASTOR: First of all, I am so thankful for this time which you give to me and just I want to tell all Christians around the world that Christ He gave his life for all nations and all other religion people they are included in that, but he also taught us that we will be persecuted for our faith and we have to see all these groups as harvest with the love of Jesus Christ and with the boldness of the Holy Spirit to go with the gospel so they may experience the love of God and which emptiness they may have in their soul spirit may be fulfilled with the message of the gospel with agape love.
JONI: Absolutely! And I am sure prayer helps open the way for that, doesn’t it?
PASTOR: Yes, you are right and as I teach different people I tell them what is the first step to reach nations? Pray! What is the second step? Pray! What is the third step? Pray! And then know about them, about their culture, about what they believe about Christ, and then go with the love of God and you will see many of them they are seeking spiritual truth. They are seeking answers which they have hidden in their self that only Christ can fulfill their heart desires – the gospel can fulfill. There is not any other philosophy or any other method which will fulfill their deep heart desires to know God.
JONI: Pastor Daniel, we take Wheels for the World into Arabic speaking nations and we deliver wheelchairs and we reach out to people with disabilities. Do you have any advice for us at Joni and Friends as we take the love of Christ overseas into Islamic nations?
PASTOR: This is a great way to meet their practical needs with the love of Christ. Many times people think they are useless; they are no more worthy, but when someone will go with the love of Christ and meet their needs and encourage them and pray with them, how many can come to Christ. So I think I will encourage you guys to continue to do that, maybe more partners come and we will be able to reach more countries, to more people with practical help. So I really appreciate what you all are doing in these Islamic countries. God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of boldness, so let’s move with a spirit of boldness to bring the gospel to them wherever they are. If we will not take the gospel to them, brothers and sisters, eternally they will die and this is not good for any souls. For this reason Christ commanded us to go and make disciples from all nations. This is a great opportunity. Let’s move with His love. Thank you and God bless.
JONI: Amen!
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