Friday, September 30, 2016

The best translation of hudud is “boundaries or limitations”. In Islam, this refers to the limits of acceptable behavior. If you go beyond the limits, you are breaking the law and deserve punishment (Quran 2:187). Hudud crimes are those related to leaving Islam (apostasy), unlawful sex, killing, stealing and use of alcohol.

Punishment includes death by stoning or beheading, amputation of the right hand, imprisonment, flogging and fines. Such punishments are considered “debts” that need to be paid to God. Repentance does not exempt the “sinner” from receiving his due punishment.

The purpose of such penalties is to serve as a deterrent, to stop the “sinner” from repeating his sins, and to put fear in the hearts of others tempted to break Islamic laws!

Prayer

Almighty God, our Father, we stand in awe of your grace and mercy. We are all fallen humans and deserve only condemnation and death. Yet, in your compassion, you sent your only Son to die for us. Thank you for Calvary. Thank you for the cross. Jesus paid our debt and took our punishment.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.^[1]

Thank you for graciously bringing the Islamic teaching of hudud to my attention. I feel for Muslims; they do not know that the eternal Son sacrificed himself to set them free from judgment. Open their hearts to accept Jesus. Help them by your Spirit to repent and believe the Gospel (Mark 1:15).

Let them experience true freedom in Christ and live the life of joy he gives. In his name, I pray.

Promise

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19, NIV).

Footnotes

^[1] From the hymn, And Can It Be that I Should Gain, by Charles Wesley, 1707-1788.

Friday, September 23, 2016

The Minister of Finance in the government of Queen Candace of Ethiopia believed in God, who had revealed his Word to the prophets.

He went to Jerusalem to fulfill religious duties prescribed by his conscience and his limited understanding of God’s Word. When he was returning home, the Lord sent him Philip to counsel him and bring his faith to maturity through trusting and believing in Jesus Christ (read Acts 8:26-40).

Many people in the Muslim world are very thirsty spiritually. They go on pilgrimages and fulfill religious duties, attempting to please God. Let us pray that the Lord will send them light and revelation to bring them to the Kingdom of Christ, transform them to be his children and fill them with peace and joy.

Prayer

Lord God, you came down on Mount Sinai where you spoke to Moses and gave him your laws (Exodus 19). You spoke to Elijah on Mount Horeb and gave him courage and guidance (1 Kings 19:8-18). I pray that you will speak from Mount Calvary to Muslims today. May you bestow the grace of Jesus Christ on the followers of Muhammad!

Help me to be a “Philip” for a Muslim seeker this week. Use me as I am, limited in my understanding of Islam and Muslims, and flawed and weak. By the power of your Holy Spirit, help me to say words that come directly from you. Please speak through me to answer their questions. In my weakness, manifest your power. Keep me from being argumentative. Fill my heart with love and compassion, my mouth with words of grace, and my soul with courage.

As the Ethiopian official accepted your Word, help many Muslims to open their hearts to your message and accept Jesus as their only Lord and Savior. Grant them to declare, as that man did, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And just as the official went on his way rejoicing, may their hearts be full of your joy. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Promise

When you seek me, you will find me; if you search wholeheartedly, I shall let you find me (Jeremiah 29:13-14, REB).

Friday, September 16, 2016

When there was a serious lack of leaders among the men of Israel, God raised up Deborah! She was a prophetess and judge. The Lord prompted her to call Barak to lead Israel’s army to break off the yoke of their oppressors, but Barak was hesitant and refused to go unless Deborah went with him. So she herself took charge. She went into battle; and that day God gave Israel a decisive and historic victory over their enemies (Judges 4; and read the Song of Deborah in Judges 5).^[1]

Prayer

Lord God, our Maker, thank you for always reminding us that you made us humans male and female. What brilliance! We are indeed privileged to be your creatures.

Thank you for using Deborah. What a blessing she must have been to her husband and family.

You put your Spirit upon her and made her a mighty leader. You blessed her and used her to inspire the general of Israel’s armies with courage!

O Lord, we need women like Deborah for the Muslim world: spiritual leaders (4:4, 6, 7, 14), civil and political leaders (4:4; 5:14-15), wives (4:4) and mothers (5:7) full of courage and resolve (4:9; 5:7), and women of the Word (5:1-31). Instead of the false notion that women are second-rate creatures made solely for man’s pleasure and for producing babies, you, O Lord, made them to be your instruments of blessing, nurture, stability and strength for the family and society.

Yes, Lord, we pray that through women like Deborah, you will cause the earth to tremble, the mountains to shake and the heavens to pour down blessings upon Muslim peoples and nations (5:4-5). In Jesus’ name.

Promise

“Lord, those who love you are like the sun rising in strength” (Judges 5:31, SAB).

Footnotes

^[1] All the references on this page are from the book of Judges.

Friday, September 9, 2016

This is the time Muslims the world over celebrate Id al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice (other names are used in different areas). This celebration commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son (Ishmael, according to Islam) in obedience to God’s command. God provided a ram for Abraham to offer instead.

During this time, each family or group of families kills an animal, usually a sheep. Wherever Muslims are, whether in Mecca taking part in the hajj (pilgrimage) or anywhere else in the world, their religion requires that they slaughter an animal.

Prayer

Merciful and redeeming God, I ask you to open Muslims’ eyes during this season to see the Lamb you provided for the atonement of the sin of the world. May they open their hearts to Christ who was led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7), who died on the cross, and who rose again to set us free from sin and condemnation.

Help Muslims realize that Jesus agonized, suffered, and died for them so that they could have joy, peace, and life in him.

May they accept your provision to redeem them “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18,19). Let them hear his cry on the cross declaring, “It is finished.” Then they will see that it is pointless to try to gain God’s favor through the millions of sacrifices they slaughter during this season.

Compassionate Father, reveal to Muslims the Lamb who now sits upon the throne in heaven. Draw them by your love to join saints and angels in singing the heavenly chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12).

Promise

Where is the lamb for the burnt offering? . . . God himself will provide the lamb (Genesis 22:7-8, NIV). There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29, REB).