Friday, October 28, 2022

This issue has been mind-boggling to experts for centuries! It seems to me that we cannot consider the subject adequately or answer correctly unless we define:

• who God is,
• what it means to be a Christian or a Muslim, and
• what worship involves.

According to the Bible, God is love. He exists in three Persons, co-equal and co-eternal: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Further, God in his love became man and redeemed us at the cross.

Muslims reject those most basic biblical doctrines which are essential to true Christian faith. They believe that there is one God and that Muhammad is his apostle. They reject the doctrine of the Trinity as well as Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection.

Based on these differences in fundamental beliefs, it is not possible that Muslims and Christians worship the same God. Yet, the following concepts about God are common to the two groups: He is eternal, he is one, he is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and he is the Judge of all. However, while there are similarities between the two concepts of God, they are by no means the same. There is a big difference between similarity and sameness.

Prayer

Jesus Christ, the visible image of the invisible God, we worship you. You existed before anything that was created. You are supreme over all creation (Colossians 1:15). Thank you for the cross. You died to redeem us and save us from sin. You rose again to raise us up to belong to you and serve you.

I pray for Muslims; may they realize who you are, believe in you and accept you as their Lord and Savior. Open their spiritual eyes to see the importance of what you did for all of us. Help them know that you died for all of us to give us life—rich, satisfying life (John 10:10).

May they come to you in humility, faith and repentance to acknowledge you as Lord over all lords and King over all kings.

All glory and power to you for ever and ever! Amen (1 Peter 4:11).

Promise

I shall show myself great and holy and make myself known to many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD (Ezekiel 38:23, REB).

Friday, October 21, 2022

Many years ago, Kamil Aietany, a Lebanese Muslim, put his faith in Jesus. He ministered Christ to other Muslims with a clear mind and a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Kamil’s father was very upset because of his son’s conversion. The family and other Muslim acquaintances made plans to end his life to get rid of the one who had betrayed Islam. After a meal one day, Kamil became extremely ill and died within hours. The brothers who had led him to Christ suggested an autopsy, but their request was refused. They also wanted to bury him in a Christian cemetery, but his body was quickly removed, and Kamil was buried the same day he died in a Muslim cemetery.

It does not really matter where a Christian believer is buried. When Christ comes from heaven with a loud command, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet call of God, the dead in Christ will rise (1 Thessalonians 4:16). I believe that many Muslims who gave their lives to Christ and became his followers like Kamil will rise from Muslim cemeteries because they placed their faith in Jesus.

Prayer

Our Father, Maker, and Redeemer, we worship and adore you. I ask you to fill me with a passion for the lost as you did for Kamil. Help me bring Muslims to your Kingdom.

In the mighty name of Jesus, I ask you to break the fanatic spirit of Islam. Help many Muslims this week seek your face and receive freedom and forgiveness through Christ our Lord. May they place their faith and trust in you and give themselves totally to the Savior, no matter what it costs. Prepare them to answer their persecutors and abusers. Strengthen them as they experience the cruelty and brutality of the society and authorities. Be with those who will give their lives for your sake and for your glory.

When we meet Jesus in the clouds, what a surprise awaits us! We will see believers in Jesus come from Muslim graves in triumph, glory and splendor.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Promise

We believe that Jesus died and rose again; so too will God bring those who died as Christians to be with Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14, REB).

Friday, October 14, 2022

We are surrounded by systems and strongholds that oppose Christ the Lord and King. There are social, political, economic, and legal structures and schemes that try to disparage God.

We are not for or against a particular political system. We are Bible-believers, Christ-worshippers; and we come from all walks of life and backgrounds. We seek the glory of God and his alone. We align ourselves with his Word.

We should not harbor enmity or hatred toward anyone. Even if they oppose us, deride our faith, doubt our God, and insult our Savior and King, they are not our enemies. The real enemy is Satan who manipulates them. Our war is against Satan and his strongholds.

Such people are poor humans who need love and compassion from us and mercy and forgiveness from God. We do not depend on human methods or material weapons, because this is spiritual warfare against satanic powers. Rather, our method is prayer, and that is all.

Prayer

O Lord our God, may you be praised for ever and ever! Why do the nations rage? Why do the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against you and against your Anointed One (Psalm 2:1-2).

Help us arm ourselves with the weapons you gave us in your Word: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the readiness of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14-17).

He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord derides them.…at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Psalm 2:4; Philippians 2:10-11).

I pray in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

Promise

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:4, NIV).

Friday, October 7, 2022

When we hear news and see pictures of torture and mass killings of fellow human beings, we are reminded of man’s depravity. Cruelty runs amuck throughout the entire history of humankind.

Today, Muslims are often a part of such atrocities. Sometimes they are the predators, while at other times they are the victims. Certainly terrorist acts committed by Muslims far outnumber those acts committed against them. We are not here to point a finger of blame or determine guilt and innocence—rather we are praying for God’s mercy on all parties. Yes, we pray for both sufferers and oppressors.

Prayer

Lord, we bring to you with sadness and pain the brutalities and monstrous horrors that people inflict upon each other even in our day. Have mercy on us, O God. We do not deserve your kindness and compassion; but in your grace, intervene today in the affairs of our ravaged, cruel world.

Lord God, I pray against the powers that cause people to be brutal and merciless towards one another. Defeat Satan who is a murderer and an instigator of killing. Let Christ with his mercy and compassion rule over people’s hearts and minds. Change hearts by the power of your Holy Spirit. May people be delivered from the enemy’s oppression, darkness and servitude.

Help us to be merciful and kind as we deal with one another. May we guard each other’s dignity and right to life.

Promise

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy (Matthew 5:7).