Friday, April 30, 2021

God poured out his grace on us and adopted us as his children. He wants us to love people, even those we do not know and those who show enmity toward us. Jesus told us to go into all the world, proclaim the gospel to the whole creation and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15). The Lord sees the bitter suffering of those who are lost. He hears the cries of those who are enslaved to sin (Exodus 3:7). He wants us to open our mouths and tell them the good news of his love and salvation.

Prayer

You know, Lord, that I am a sinner saved by your grace. You know that I was on my way to self-destruction and perdition. You reached down and plucked me out of the swamp of sin I was sinking in. You set my feet on the Rock. You changed my life. You started me on the right path.

But I know full well that you did all that to make me your child and to use me as a vessel of honor to help others experience your love and grace.

God in heaven, use me this week to lead a Muslim to the cross of Jesus. May I be your hand extended to reach out to the oppressed and lost and bring them to you. Speak through me a word of knowledge, a word of wisdom, a word of life and hope—by your Spirit.

Give me a passion to find the lost. Help me as I try to rescue those who are dragged away to death and save those being hauled off to execution (Proverbs 24:11).

All glory to you, my God, my Father. Amen.

Promise

God is able to accomplish far more than we might ask or imagine, according to his power at work in us (Ephesians 3:20, SAB).

Among Some Muslim Believers

Friday, April 23, 2021

Hamda was Muslim and lived in a country that was almost all Muslim. He put his faith in Christ. He was part of my theological education class. Yet, a problem kept nagging him: he could not trust fellow compatriots who had put their faith in Christ. He thought they were dishonest and had ulterior motives! He said he would never trust them. I spent so much time and energy praying with him and trying to convince him that the Holy Spirit who had changed his life had changed their lives too. No success.

This scenario is repeated time and again in many places. The enemy of our souls tries to plant fear and distrust in believers’ hearts so they avoid fellowship with other brothers and sisters. Some of this fear is caused by doubt as to whether the new believer is genuine or not. Plus, if a fellow convert turns their back on Christ, that causes disappointment and mistrust.

Yet, all this is not a reason to avoid fellowship with other believers or become distrusting of fellow converts.

Let us not forget that Jesus prayed for our unity, love, and fellowship together (Read John 17).

Prayer

Blessed are you, God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In your great mercy, and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, you have given us new birth into a living hope (1Peter 1:3-4). Thank you.

I ask that Muslims, too, may experience your great mercy and the power of resurrected life in Christ. May many of them this week enter into this new life.

Holy God, for those who are troubled by distrust and misgivings about fellow believers, I pray that you will take them to your inner sanctuary and reveal to them hidden defects in their own heart and attitude. May they see their own shortcomings. Then take them to the cross and cleanse them from all those flaws.

Help born-again believers from Islam love one another as you love us. May they realize that they need to be one in your beloved Son.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Promise

The LORD will answer when I call to him (Psalm 4:3, NLT).

Friday, April 16, 2021

The Sharif Study Bible seeks to help Muslims who come to Christ become grounded in the Word. It contains articles, notes, illustrations, maps, word studies and many other study helps. It does the following:

• Provides helpful cultural, historical and geographical information;
• Presents homiletical notes that help preachers and teachers;
• Challenges readers with applications and questions for a deeper life in Christ;
• Answers the questions Muslims ask as they are exposed to God’s eternal Word.

Work on the Sharif Study Bible has been in progress for some time, and we hope to publish it soon.

Prayer

Lord God our Heavenly Father, throughout history you spoke many times through the prophets. Finally, you spoke to us by your holy Son Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1). We thank you.

Your Word is vital to our lives as believers. So, we pray for the completion of the Sharif Study Bible. Help all who work on it to be sensitive to your Spirit, handle correctly the Word of God, and declare the truth of the Gospel with integrity.

When this volume is published, may it help all those who work with Muslims and enable them to declare your truth with power, simplicity and clarity. May it be a tool to bring millions of Muslims to the Kingdom of our Savior. Help Muslim believers in Christ understand and value your Word and find life, joy, and peace through it. Teach them to share your Word with others—”Share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared” (Nehemiah 8:10).

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Promise

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach the truth, to rebuke error, to correct wrong, and to guide to righteousness, so that a person who belongs to God will be prepared and equipped to do every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, SAB).

Friday, April 9, 2021

During this season, Muslims start the month-long fast called Ramadan. The Muslim calendar is based on the lunar year, which has only 354 days. So each year the month-long fast comes about 11 days earlier than in the previous year.

Muslims fast from dawn to sunset every day throughout this month. They abstain from food, drink, smoking, smelling nice aromas, and marital relations. Each day after sunset, they break the fast, usually with a feast. They are allowed to eat until dawn of the following day.

According to Islam, the Ramadan fast enables people to gain a right standing with God and an entry into paradise.

Some Muslims actually believe that during this month the devil is chained and cannot cause them harm, that the doors of heaven are open and the doors of hell are closed.

Prayer

O Lord Jesus, I pray with love and compassion in my heart for Muslims during this season of fasting.

You know, Lord, that most Muslims are sincere people. They are serious about their religion and beliefs. Help them realize that to approach you they have to go through Jesus and his sacrifice at Calvary. They cannot save themselves from sin by “pulling themselves up by their bootstraps”! They cannot lift themselves up to you by performing rituals and religious duties.

O God, help them discover that we are saved, not through works of righteousness, but only by faith through your undeserved favor.

I pray that you will reveal yourself to Muslims during this month as the Savior who has already accomplished all things. May they know that on the cross “it is finished.” Amen.

Promise

It is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life” (Galatians 3:11, NLT).

Friday, April 2, 2021

Today we remember Jesus’ crucifixion, the only means by which we have eternal life. Islam rejects Jesus’ death on the cross. The Quran states that he was never crucified, that he never died, and that instead, God took him to heaven alive. Muslims reason that God would not let Jesus, the good prophet, die such an ignominious death on a cross for sins that others committed.

Muslims do not see the seriousness of humans’ sinful nature, so they reject the need for redemption. For them the cross is foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).

Prayer

God Almighty, our loving Heavenly Father, we acknowledge you as our eternal Redeemer. We come humbly, awed by your love and Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary. What shame and pain he endured to save us from sin and doom! The Lamb of God died to give us life. Thank you.

My Muslim friends do not understand that Christ’s death on the cross was your supreme gift to sinful humans. Help them realize that they are sinners who need redemption. Show them the power of the cross that saves us from sin, transforms our lives from darkness to light, and rescues us from the kingdom of Satan to make us part of the Kingdom of God.

Convict them of their serious sin of rejecting the cross. May they believe your Word and accept the Gospel. I plead for Muslims that they will know that Jesus died to redeem them from their sins and rose to justify them. Remove the veil from their minds; open their eyes. Capture their hearts with your love.

All praise and glory to you, crucified and risen Christ, the First and the Last, the Living One who died and who is alive for ever and ever. Amen.

Promise

For the message of the cross is sheer nonsense to those who are lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18, SAB).