2014 Idaho Falls Prayer Guide

for Saeed, Naghmeh, Rebekka, and Jacob Abedini

Saeed

1. Pray that he would be encouraged in His Father’s love and justice, in His Savior’s sacrifice and triumph, and in His Comforter’s healing and power.  Pray that he would be enveloped in the tri-fold ministry of our unstoppable Triune God.
2. Pray that Saeed would be filled with peace from our sovereign God, who is the Alpha and Omega.
3. Pray that he would encounter continual assurance from the promises of God’s Word.  The apostle Paul asked for the parchments to be brought to him (II Tim. 4:13).  May phrases of Scripture come to Saeed as songs in the night.
4. Pray that the believers in Karaj can be flooded with Bible literature and that phrases of the Scriptures can be smuggled into the prisons of the city, especially to Saeed’s prison.  May “the word of the Lord run swiftly and be glorified” (II Thess. 3:1).
5. Pray for his protection and deliverance from the wicked (Psalm 7:1-2).
6. Pray for Saeed’s steadfast faith in Christ, endurance under persecution, and love for his enemies (See Christ’s Sermon on the Mount).
7. Pray that he would weekly, daily, experientially know the provision of his good Shepherd in Psalm 23.
8. As what took place in Evin prison, please pray that God will use Saeed’s witness in Rajai Shahr.  He is the man marked as the unique Christian among all the other prisoners and prison administration.
9. Pray that among the radical, imprisoned Sunni militants (ISIS), that there would be some who would be captured mind, heart, and soul by the Jesus in Saeed.  There is a better way – freedom, forgiveness, and love.
10.  Pray that among the Baha’i prisoners, that there would be some who would see through Saeed’s words and works that Jesus is truly God.  God in the flesh.  God their Savior.
11. Pray for the story of God’s redemption to open and transform the hearts of murderers.
12.  In the midst of whatever Saeed might see or experience:  psychological torture, rape, floggings, and death threats, that he would be able to endure to the end.  May he be able “speak the gospel of God in much agony” (I Thess. 2:2).
13.  When our Idaho brother, Saeed, is shackled to his bed and beaten mercilessly with batons, pray that God will sustain and heal the bruises and internal bleeding.
14.  Pray for Saeed’s persecutors.  As the gospel of Jesus infiltrated Caesar’s household (Philippians 4:22), may the gospel infiltrate the homes of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.
15.  In the midst of the stench of sweat, filth, and urine, pray that Saeed will smell the Rose of Sharon.
16.  Among lice-infested garbage, pray that Saeed can taste some good food and be nourished in body and soul.
17.  Pray that he will be comforted that God will take of his parents, his wife, and his children.
18.  Pray that Saeed will know his testimony for Jesus Christ is not in vain.
19.  Pray that God will raise up countless others like Saeed in the country of Iran.
20.  Pray for his release from prison.

Naghmeh

1. Pray for Naghmeh’s encouragement to continually “know the hope of Christ’s calling, the riches of His glory, and the exceeding greatness of His power” on her behalf (Ephesians 1:18-19).
2. Pray that Naghmeh will be strengthened regularly over how Saeed’s chains in Christ bring “furtherance of the gospel” and confidence to other brothers and sisters to more boldly “speak the word without fear” (Philippians 1:12-14).
3. Pray that God would fill Naghmeh with love in the face of hatred, patience in affliction, and comfort in loneliness.
4. Pray for the peace of God to guard all the borders of Naghmeh’s heart (Philippians 4:6).
5. Pray for wisdom and grace in Naghmeh’s ministry to her children, her close friends, and her home church family in Boise.
6. May the influence of Naghmeh’s gentleness ripple outward to all, knowing that the Lord is at hand (Philippians 4:5).
7. Pray that the Lord would grant Naghmeh protection in her busy schedule of activities, events, and speaking engagements.
8. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give her exactly the words to share in order to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ.
9. Pray that God will give her the loving loyalty of Ruth, the sensibility of Abigail, the courage of Esther, and the endurance of Mary.
10. Like Phoebe (Romans 16:1), Naghmeh is “a servant of the church”, having assisted believers in both Iran and America.  May she find constant reception and provision from the body of Christ.

Rebekka and Jacob

1. Please pray for God’s protection over their hearts.
2. Pray that they will find joy and delight in their school activities.
3. Pray that they would never diminish in their child-like faith and love toward Jesus and that they would only grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Pray that they would be assured over and over again of God’s future plans of peace.
4. As they grow older, please pray that the promise of God, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”, will deepen in their hearts so that they might be able to declare, “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear.  What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
5. Pray that they will be able to see their earthly daddy’s face again and feel his arms around them.