Friday, July 26, 2019

Nothing is like the joy of being in Christ’s presence, worshipping and praising him. Praise brings us closer to God. It lifts us up to higher levels of communion with our Maker and Savior. When we praise him, we enter into deeper spiritual experiences with him. When we praise God, others are drawn to Christ. Praise is a catalyst that opens up the way for miracles to happen.

Prayer

I pray for my Muslim friends to experience the inexpressible, glorious joy and peace that come only through faith in Christ. Lord God, do a miracle among Muslims this week. Open their hearts to praise the Lamb who was slain for the sin of the world and who now sits upon the throne of infinite majesty. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon them so that they will worship the One who is worthy to be adored, the true God, our Maker and Savior.

Blessed King of the Ages, help Muslims to behold the face of Jesus Christ. May they break forth into worship and praise, giving him glory, honor and power. May a new realization of your love for them bubble up in their hearts. May they experience holy exhilaration in your presence. May the joy of the Lord fill their beings. May their mouths be filled with praise and their tongues shout the glories of Christ.

Promise

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s (Psalms 103:1-5, NIV).

Friday, July 19, 2019

Islam claims that it is the final and ultimate revelation from God to man. It maintains that the Quran came to abrogate and annul all divine books that preceded it. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last messenger sent from God.

Islam sees the Christian Church as an affront to its system and Christian world missions as an outrageous, audacious attack against the best of all religions. Simply, Muslims view Christian evangelization as a fanatic plot against the progress of Islam to convert the world to the religion of Muhammad.

Prayer

Almighty God, you love Muslims and care for them. That is why I pray for the Islamic system to open up to accept the claims of Christ, the hope of man and the only Savior and Lord. In the name of Jesus, I bind satanic powers that hold sway over this system and hinder its people from accepting Christ as the only Redeemer from sin.

I pray for the guardians of the Islamic system and for its perpetuators—government and private agencies in charge of supporting and promoting religion, Islamic associations, missions agencies, religious endowments, and various hierarchies. May many representatives of these agencies believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and take him as their refuge and shelter.

Promise

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:4-5, NIV).

Friday, July 12, 2019

Islamic banks do business according to the guidelines of Islamic law (Sharia). That law does not allow for interest of any kind on loans. Further, investments are to be made only in goods considered permissible by Islam (halal). For example, they do not invest in alcohol or pork products or gambling.

Islamic banks have the same goal as all other banks: they want to make a profit. So, how do they do that? They change words used in the financial industry in order to avoid their religious prohibitions! Accordingly, instead of lending money and collecting interest on it, they “rent” the money and collect “rent” on it! Instead of collecting interest for credit card purchases, they collect “penalties” for not paying the full balance immediately!

When you plan to buy a home, you need a mortgage. If you go to an Islamic bank, the bank buys the house from the original owner and turns around and sells it to you at a profit. Then they let you pay the price in monthly installments!

Each Islamic bank has a board of Muslim scholars to make sure that transactions comply with the rules of religious law.

Prayer

O the depth of your riches and wisdom and knowledge, Lord God! How unsearchable are your judgments and how inscrutable your ways! (Romans 11:33).

You care for all peoples, tribes and nations. You know about the exponential growth of the Islamic financial industry around the world. You also know that fanatic fundamentalist beliefs initiated these banks, and that the incredible income from oil has nurtured and amplified their success.

I pray for the owners of these banks, for their employees and workers, for shareholders, investors and borrowers. Bless them by leading them to the knowledge of Christ the Lord and Redeemer of all humankind. May they confess Jesus as their Lord and King. Help them dedicate their lives and talents to the cause of the Gospel of grace and love.

I pray for the scholars on the Sharia boards of these banks. Bring them to Calvary to see Jesus who gave himself to save humans from sin. In his name I pray. Amen.

Promise

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil. Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones (Proverbs 3:7-8, NLT).

In Mecca

Friday, July 5, 2019

Embedded in the eastern wall of the Kaaba in Mecca is a black stone that is about ten inches across and twelve inches high in a silver frame. This black stone was worshipped by pre-Islamic Meccans for many generations. Muslims believe that it descended from heaven. It is very possibly a meteorite. In some cultures, the worship of meteorites was not unusual. It seems that the Ephesians in Paul’s time also believed that a meteorite (the goddess Artemis) had come to them from heaven (Acts 19:23-36).

When Muhammad conquered Mecca and took over the Kaaba, he destroyed all the stones and gods that his compatriots had been worshipping for centuries, except for the Black Stone which he kept.

Muslims believe that when the Black Stone came down from heaven it was white, but over time, it became black because it absorbed the sins of the pilgrims who touched it. Actually, this change is consistent with known meteorites, which are white, but change colors over time as they oxidize.

Today, as Muslim pilgrims go around the Kaaba, they try to touch or kiss the Black Stone if they are able to get close to it. This veneration borders on worship.

Prayer

Holy God, the only One worthy to be worshipped and adored, Muslims refuse to listen to your Word; they stubbornly follow their own ideas and attempt to touch a stone to receive remission of sins! They have not accepted God’s way to receive his approval, and they try to set up their own way to get it (Romans 10:3; Jeremiah 13:10).

I cry out to you; pour out your mercy on them this week. Forgive them for this heinous sin, and help them understand that they can receive forgiveness only through the cross of your Holy Son. Yes, only by the precious blood of Christ, the Lamb without blemish or defect, are we saved (I Peter 1:18-20).

Forgive Muslims for rejecting the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:20), to believe in a lifeless black stone. For them, Jesus is a “stumbling block, a rock of offense” (Isaiah 8:14), while they build their hopes on a legend.

May they come to Jesus to receive pardon, healing and wholeness. May they set their eyes on him alone, the source and goal of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). May they become living stones in your majestic edifice of believers. In Christ’s precious name. Amen.

Promise

The blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:7, NIV).