Friday, December 29, 2017

We have come to the end of the year. How have we used the fleeting time? What does the coming year hold for us? How will it unfold? Some of us will reach the end of our pilgrimage on earth and be called home. Others, however, will continue to have duties and responsibilities ahead of them.

Whether we finish our journey sooner or later, we need God’s grace to do well and end our pilgrimage worshipping at the throne of Christ.

Prayer

Glory and honor be to you, Almighty God, my loving Father! Blessed be your holy name. You have called me to follow Jesus as my Lord and Savior. What joy! What grace and mercy! What a privilege to finish this year as a child of the Kingdom, a servant of Christ—at peace with God, with people and with my conscience! You have carried me in your arms all along the way! Thank you.

When I finish my earthly pilgrimage, when the time comes for me to sign off and go to my eternal rest, I have one more request: Please, Lord, bring millions of people who still do not know you into your Kingdom. Through the power of the cross, free those oppressed by sin (Luke 4:18), rescue those who are perishing, and bring home the ones who are lost and wandering (Proverbs 24:11; Psalm 82:4). Open their spiritual eyes to see Jesus in his love and compassion. Help them put their trust in Christ, the Lord.

Equip your Church and give her the power to see the fulfillment of your plan of salvation for all people, including Muslims.

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13, NIV).

Amen.

Promise

As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; I will be satisfied with your likeness when I awake. … God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Psalm 17:15; Revelation 7:17, SAB).

Friday, December 22, 2017

One of the major cornerstones of biblical Christianity is the doctrine of the incarnation, that is, God became man. This is the miracle of miracles, the most majestic of all events! Yet Muslims absolutely reject it. They totally oppose the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ.

When Christians declare that Christ is God, Muslims misunderstand it to mean that Christians worship more than one God. To them, Jesus was only human and was a prophet like all other prophets.

Further, when followers of Christ say that Jesus is the Son of God, Muslims misunderstand that to mean that God, like humans, had relations with a woman and that Jesus is their son!

Prayer

Amazing love! How can it be, that the majestic God, Maker of heavens and earth and King of all the universe, should come in the form of a man, a slave, to be “Immanuel—God with us” to redeem us!

Father in heaven, grant Muslims a special measure of your grace to accept the wonderful truth that Jesus Christ is God become man. Help them realize that this does not degrade or humiliate you; rather, this is the pinnacle of majesty. It is ultimate love and compassion. It is utmost sacrifice.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Lord of all, you are rich, but you became poor for our sake. May this truth shine forth into the souls of many Muslims this week. May they embrace you in their hearts with joy and gladness. May the Child who was born in a manger, the Lion of Judah, be crowned King and Master over the House of Islam! In his precious name I pray. Amen.

Promise

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 1:14; 3:16, NIV).

Friday, December 15, 2017

We are involved in warfare, not against people of any religion, race or persuasion, but against evil forces and powers that control the dark realms of this world (Ephesians 6:12).

In this warfare, we do not use armaments and bombs to kill and destroy humans and buildings. Rather, our weapons are faith in God, complete dependence upon his eternal Word, empowerment by the Spirit of Truth, and prayer and intercession. These are the weapons that can demolish Satan’s power and defeat all demonic plans against the Kingdom of God.

When we pray, the Spirit of the Lord draws people to Jesus. As they receive his Word and decide to live for him, he empowers them to lead decent, holy lives. Every soul thus rescued is a blow to Satan and a victory for Christ our King.

Prayer

Lord of all and Master over all the universe, Messiah, King and Savior, we worship you. You alone are God. We pray that Muslims will come to you through the cross of Jesus. We also pray for ourselves. We are engaged in a fierce warfare and struggle against Satan, our adversary. Help us put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11-18).

Fill us with resolve and courage, and strengthen those among us who are tempted to quit in the heat of battle. Help us all to stand firm in the face of unrighteousness and defeat Satan, the world and self. Crown us with purity, holiness and victory that come only from you.

Teach us to love as you love and forgive as you forgive.

In the name that is above every name, the name of Jesus, amen.

Promise

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, NLT).

Friday, December 8, 2017

God has chosen us, believers in Christ, to be priests (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6). A priest is a mediator who speaks to God on humans’ behalf and brings them messages from God.

Just imagine what will happen when millions of Muslims come by faith to Christ and fulfill his good purpose in their lives! They too can become his priests, Christ’s representatives to teach people God’s commands and precepts. Accordingly, they can represent their own people in God’s presence and intercede for them.

Lofty hope? God is able to do abundantly far more than we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, you are our Advocate and Mediator in the presence of God. Blessed be your holy name. We rejoice in you. You sympathize with our weakness; you understand our troubles. Thank you.

We bring to you the many millions of Muslims who do not know you. They have no one to plead their cause at God’s throne. You love them. Send your Holy Spirit in a mighty sweep across Muslim lands to bring them in unprecedented large numbers into the Kingdom. Make them the salt of the earth and lights in this world to bring other Muslims to you.

May many Muslim believers in Christ fulfill their responsibilities as priests for their families, friends, tribes and towns. By faith we claim them as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that [they] may declare the praises of him who called [them] out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once [they] were not a people, but now [they] are the people of God” (1 Peter 2:9-10). Hallelujah, amen.

Promise

You will be called God’s priests and ministers of our God (Isaiah 61:6, SAB).