A new minister was walking with an older,more seasoned minister in the garden one day.
Feeling a bit insecure about what God had for him to do,he was asking the older preacher for some advice.
The older preacher walked up to a rosebush and handed the young preacher a rosebud and told him to open it without tearing off any petals.
The young preacher looked in disbelief at the older preacher and was trying to figure out what a rosebud could possibly have to do with his wanting to know the will of God for his life and ministry.
But because of his great respect for the older preacher, he proceeded to try to unfold the rose, while keeping every petal intact.
It wasn't long before he realized how impossible this was to do.
Noticing the younger preacher's inability to unfold the rosebud without tearing it,
the older preacher began to recite the following poem...
"It is only a tiny rosebud, a flower of God's design;But I cannot unfold the petals
with these clumsy hands of mine."
"The secret of unfolding flowers Is not known to such as I. GOD opens this flower so easily, but in my hands they die."
"If I cannot unfold a rosebud, this flower of God's design, then how can I have the wisdom To unfold this life of mine?"
"So I'll trust in God for leading each moment of my day. I will look to God for guidance in each step along the way."
"The path that lies before me,Only my Lord and Savior knows. I'll trust God to unfold the moments, just as He unfolds the rose."
Please share this poem with a friend if you enjoyed being reminded to let go.... and let God unfold your life. Have a Great Day!
*SUPPORTING PRO-LIFE, PRO-FAMILY, PRO-2nd AMENDMENT CANDIDATES. *SUPPORTING CANDIDATES TO STOP the RECKLESS OBAMA AGENDA.* *CANDIDATES that SUPPORTS SOUTHERN ILLINOIS VALUES* *FOR CANDIDATES RUNNING IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS MUST HAVE WORKED AND LIVED IN THE DISTRICT FOR NO LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.* *I REMEMBER ALLAN KEYS, I WORKED VERY HAD FOR HIM, BUT HE LOST BECAUSE OF THIS FACT.*
*REFORM WITH NEW LEADERSHIP*
*CONSERVATIVE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP*
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Celebrating Jesus Birthday by Steve Hope
Celebrating Jesus Birthday
The Reason For The Season
He left His throne, and heaven, His Home,
To bring light, the gift of life, to the blind.
By virgin birth, He entered the earth,
His mission, to redeem mankind.
Emmanuel... The Lamb of God,
Gave it All, at Calvary.
Nails through His hands, and through His feet,
His body broken, hanging, from a Tree.
The price of our sin, it had to be paid,
In the currency of His Blood.
The Roman spear, that pierced His side,
It drenched the ground, with its flood.
He died for all, who call His name,
He would have died, for just one, or two.
He gave His life, from His heart of Love,
He gave His ALL.
By: Steve Hope
Check Steve's Sites below
Amazing Grace**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/amazing-grace
Eternal Life**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/eternal-life
The Way Of The Cross**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/the-way-of-the-cross
The Reason Why**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/the-reason-why
The Reason For The Season
He left His throne, and heaven, His Home,
To bring light, the gift of life, to the blind.
By virgin birth, He entered the earth,
His mission, to redeem mankind.
Emmanuel... The Lamb of God,
Gave it All, at Calvary.
Nails through His hands, and through His feet,
His body broken, hanging, from a Tree.
The price of our sin, it had to be paid,
In the currency of His Blood.
The Roman spear, that pierced His side,
It drenched the ground, with its flood.
He died for all, who call His name,
He would have died, for just one, or two.
He gave His life, from His heart of Love,
He gave His ALL.
By: Steve Hope
Check Steve's Sites below
Amazing Grace**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/amazing-grace
Eternal Life**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/eternal-life
The Way Of The Cross**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/the-way-of-the-cross
The Reason Why**http://www.wouldjesusgothere.com/about-god/the-reason-why
Saturday, December 10, 2011
*SOME STILL SEEK TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY HIM*
*SOME STILL SEEK TO KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY HIM*
Matthew:2:1: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Matthew:2:2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew:2:3: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Matthew:2:4: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
Matthew:2:5: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
Matthew:2:6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Matthew:2:7: Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Matthew:2:8: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Matthew:2:9: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
Matthew:2:10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Matthew:2:11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew:2:12: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Matthew:2:13: And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Matthew:2:14: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Matthew:2:15: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Matthew:2:16: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Matthew:2:17: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
Matthew:2:18: In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
Matthew:2:19: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Matthew:2:20: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
Matthew:2:21: And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Matthew:2:22: But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Matthew:2:23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
THE WISE STILL SEEK HIM
John 10:10*says the Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy.*This is the work of the devil.*The devil is a taker, he tries to take every good thing that the Lord Jesus has given.*Take, Take, and Take.*
**Don't let Satan steal it from you. Satan will steal it from, he will kill you, and he will destroy you in hell with him and his little demons.**
John 10:10*also says that I [Jesus] has come to give life and give more abundantly.*This is the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.*Jesus is a giver, a giver of life.*He gave us salvation even when we didn't want it.*
**That gift is waiting on you right now, don't let Satan steal it from you. Satan will steal it from, he will kill you, and he will destroy you in hell with him and his little demons.*
WE WILL WIN BECAUSE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IS IN THE FIGHT ON OUR BEHALF
*THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE END TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD JESUS AND CHRISTMAS!*
*IN THE WHITE HOUSE WE NOW HAVE THE holiday tree, instead of a CHRISTmas Tree*
Matthew:2:1: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Matthew:2:2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Matthew:2:3: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Matthew:2:4: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
Matthew:2:5: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
Matthew:2:6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Matthew:2:7: Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Matthew:2:8: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Matthew:2:9: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
Matthew:2:10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Matthew:2:11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew:2:12: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Matthew:2:13: And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
Matthew:2:14: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
Matthew:2:15: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
Matthew:2:16: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
Matthew:2:17: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
Matthew:2:18: In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
Matthew:2:19: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Matthew:2:20: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.
Matthew:2:21: And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Matthew:2:22: But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:
Matthew:2:23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.
THE WISE STILL SEEK HIM
John 10:10*says the Satan comes to kill, steal, and destroy.*This is the work of the devil.*The devil is a taker, he tries to take every good thing that the Lord Jesus has given.*Take, Take, and Take.*
**Don't let Satan steal it from you. Satan will steal it from, he will kill you, and he will destroy you in hell with him and his little demons.**
John 10:10*also says that I [Jesus] has come to give life and give more abundantly.*This is the work of our Lord Jesus Christ.*Jesus is a giver, a giver of life.*He gave us salvation even when we didn't want it.*
**That gift is waiting on you right now, don't let Satan steal it from you. Satan will steal it from, he will kill you, and he will destroy you in hell with him and his little demons.*
WE WILL WIN BECAUSE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR IS IN THE FIGHT ON OUR BEHALF
*THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE END TO THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD JESUS AND CHRISTMAS!*
*IN THE WHITE HOUSE WE NOW HAVE THE holiday tree, instead of a CHRISTmas Tree*
Friday, December 2, 2011
ISLAMIZATION OF AMERICA
Islamization of America
by Daniel Pipes ( New York Post)
Prominent U.S. Muslims speak in support of the Islamization of America. The killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
"Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country," said President Bush shortly after Sept. 11, noting that they are "doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads." He later added that "there are millions of good Americans who practice the Muslim faith who love their country as much as I love the country, who salute the flag as strongly as I salute the flag."
These soothing words were clearly appropriate for a moment of tension and mounting bias against Muslims living in the United States. And it is absolutely true that the number of militant Islamic operatives with plans to carry out terrorist attacks on the United States is a tiny proportion of the Muslim population as a whole.
Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country. But the situation is more complex than the president would have it. The Muslim population is not like any other, for it harbors a substantial body -- one many times larger than the agents of Osama bin Laden -- who have worrisome aspirations for the United States.
Although not responsible for the atrocities in September, these people share important goals with the suicide hijackers: Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country.
However bizarre this goal, the killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
ISLAMIZATION AGENDA
The ambition to take over the United States is hardly a new one. The first Islamic missionaries from abroad arrived in the 1920s and unblushingly declared, "Our plan is, we are going to conquer America." Such hopes have become commonplace in recent years.
Some examples:
Omar Abdel Rahman -- the blind sheikh later convicted of planning a "day of rage" by blowing up New York buildings and architecture -- in 1991 called on Muslims to "conquer the land of the infidels."
A native-born American who converted to Islam and helped fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, then proclaimed that "it is the duty of all Muslims to complete the march of jihad [holy war] until we reach America and liberate her."
Isma'il Al-Faruqi, the first academic theorist of a United States-made-fundamentalist-Muslim, argued in 1983 that "Nothing could be greater than this youthful, vigorous, and rich continent [of North America] turning away from its past evil and marching forward under the banner of Allahu Akbar [God is great]."
Siraj Wahaj, the first imam to deliver a Muslim prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives, holds that if Muslims unite, they could elect their own leader as president; "take my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."
Zaid Shakir, formerly the Muslim chaplain at Yale University, believes the Koran "pushes us in the exact opposite direction as the forces at work in the American political spectrum," and from this argues that Muslims cannot accept the legitimacy of the existing order.
Masudul Alam Choudhury, a Canadian professor of business, matter-of-factly advocates the "Islamization agenda in North America."
Ahmad Nawfal, a Jordanian who spoke often at American rallies a few years ago, says that if fundamentalist Muslims stand up, "it will be very easy for us to preside over this world once again."
The existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted.
Shamim A. Siddiqi wrote a book on establishing "Islamic rule" in the United States, with the goal of Muslims creating "a strong lobby in Washington for the promotion of Islam in this country as well as elsewhere in the world." Some organizations also express a hope that one day Muslims will take over in the United States. The International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia, aims for nothing less than "the Islamization of the humanities and the social sciences."
Just one month after the Sept. 11 atrocities, a delegate at the American Muslim Alliance convention, held in San Jose, announced: "By the year 2020, we should have an American Muslim president of the United States."
While there is no reason to suppose that the aspiration to replace the Constitution with Islamic law will succeed, the fact that this represents a not-insignificant body of opinion has major implications.
It means that the existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted. It now needs to be fought for.
by Daniel Pipes ( New York Post)
Prominent U.S. Muslims speak in support of the Islamization of America. The killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
"Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country," said President Bush shortly after Sept. 11, noting that they are "doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads." He later added that "there are millions of good Americans who practice the Muslim faith who love their country as much as I love the country, who salute the flag as strongly as I salute the flag."
These soothing words were clearly appropriate for a moment of tension and mounting bias against Muslims living in the United States. And it is absolutely true that the number of militant Islamic operatives with plans to carry out terrorist attacks on the United States is a tiny proportion of the Muslim population as a whole.
Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country. But the situation is more complex than the president would have it. The Muslim population is not like any other, for it harbors a substantial body -- one many times larger than the agents of Osama bin Laden -- who have worrisome aspirations for the United States.
Although not responsible for the atrocities in September, these people share important goals with the suicide hijackers: Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country.
However bizarre this goal, the killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.
ISLAMIZATION AGENDA
The ambition to take over the United States is hardly a new one. The first Islamic missionaries from abroad arrived in the 1920s and unblushingly declared, "Our plan is, we are going to conquer America." Such hopes have become commonplace in recent years.
Some examples:
Omar Abdel Rahman -- the blind sheikh later convicted of planning a "day of rage" by blowing up New York buildings and architecture -- in 1991 called on Muslims to "conquer the land of the infidels."
A native-born American who converted to Islam and helped fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, then proclaimed that "it is the duty of all Muslims to complete the march of jihad [holy war] until we reach America and liberate her."
Isma'il Al-Faruqi, the first academic theorist of a United States-made-fundamentalist-Muslim, argued in 1983 that "Nothing could be greater than this youthful, vigorous, and rich continent [of North America] turning away from its past evil and marching forward under the banner of Allahu Akbar [God is great]."
Siraj Wahaj, the first imam to deliver a Muslim prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives, holds that if Muslims unite, they could elect their own leader as president; "take my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."
Zaid Shakir, formerly the Muslim chaplain at Yale University, believes the Koran "pushes us in the exact opposite direction as the forces at work in the American political spectrum," and from this argues that Muslims cannot accept the legitimacy of the existing order.
Masudul Alam Choudhury, a Canadian professor of business, matter-of-factly advocates the "Islamization agenda in North America."
Ahmad Nawfal, a Jordanian who spoke often at American rallies a few years ago, says that if fundamentalist Muslims stand up, "it will be very easy for us to preside over this world once again."
The existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted.
Shamim A. Siddiqi wrote a book on establishing "Islamic rule" in the United States, with the goal of Muslims creating "a strong lobby in Washington for the promotion of Islam in this country as well as elsewhere in the world." Some organizations also express a hope that one day Muslims will take over in the United States. The International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia, aims for nothing less than "the Islamization of the humanities and the social sciences."
Just one month after the Sept. 11 atrocities, a delegate at the American Muslim Alliance convention, held in San Jose, announced: "By the year 2020, we should have an American Muslim president of the United States."
While there is no reason to suppose that the aspiration to replace the Constitution with Islamic law will succeed, the fact that this represents a not-insignificant body of opinion has major implications.
It means that the existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted. It now needs to be fought for.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
WORLD RELIGIONS - 1- ISLAM
World Religions - 1 Islam http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/world-religions--1-islam-chris-surber-sermon-on-grace-128533.asp?Page=5
World Religions - 1 Islam
Chris Surber 192 Chris Surber sermons
Topic: #2 of 12 for Sermons on Grace
Scripture: Galatians 2:17-2:21
Sermon Series: What About Islam
Denomination: Congregational
Date Added: November 2008
Audience: General Adults (31 - 49)
Keywords: none (Suggest a Keyword)
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A Christian’s Guide To World Religions Part-1
“What About Islam?” Galatians 2:17-21
Introduction
A missionary in India spoke near a fountain on the subject, “Jesus, the Water of Life.” A Muslim interrupted, “Your religion is like this little stream of water, but Islam is like a great ocean!” “Yes,” said the missionary, “but there is this difference: When men drink ocean water they die of thirst. When they drink the water of life which Christ gives, they live forever!” The stream is small, but it can satisfy your thirst. Jesus Christ came into the world as a little baby that He might show that no one is so little or so insignificant that the great God will not come to dwell within him.
Transition
This morning we will embark on a three part journey, exploring the three most prominent world religions, other than the largest faith; Christianity. This week we celebrate veteran’s day and since we have many American troops serving overseas in what are predominately Muslim areas, it seems appropriate that we begin with the religion that Muhammad founded; Islam.
In the following two weeks we will discuss the next two largest world religions; Hinduism and Buddhism. My focus will be providing a basic understanding of the history, major beliefs, and holy writings of each of these three religions and then to provide a concise comparison of them with Christianity. Then I will ask the simplest of questions of each of them: “What think ye of Christ.” (Mathew 22:42)
You see, unlike the droves of spiritual teachers of this postmodern era, I am compelled toward a high view of the uniqueness of the Cross of Jesus Christ and therefore a high view of the uniqueness and authority of the Christian faith in regard to all matters pertaining to faith in and worship of Jehovah El Elyon (Genesis 14:22), The LORD, the Most High GOD.
Mortimer Jerome Adler, the American Philosopher, once wrote that, “Christianity is the only world religion that is evangelical in the sense of sharing good news with others. Islam converts by force; Buddhism, without the benefit of a theology; Hinduism doesn’t even try.” It my deepest and strongest desire, in the following three weeks before we enter the Advent, Christmas, season, to show the uniqueness of the gift that we have been given in Christ by comparing and contrasting the pure religion of Jesus Christ with these three false, vain, empty religions.
In so doing, I trust that we may all have a renewed sense of awe at the advent of Messiah, Jesus Christ. Let me say in advance that this will not be an exhaustive treatment of the history or practices of Islam. Such a treatment would require a lengthy series of sermons. We’ll be doing a bit of a “fly by,” skimming the tree tops to get a sense of the nature of the forest.
Exposition
Background. Islam dates from time of the last ten years of the life its founder, Muhammad Ibne Abdullah, or simply the prophet Muhammad. He was born at or around 570 A.D. in the city of Mecca, which is now located in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was orphaned early in his life and tradition says that he was raised by his grandfather and then his uncle, Abu Talib. Muhammad was a poor man until he married a wealthy widow named Khadija. At about the age of 40, Muhammad is said to have begun to see visions and receive revelations.
It was at this time that Muhammad began preaching
publicly against the multiplicity of idols which were worshiped at Mecca’s central shrine, the Ka’ba. Muhammad believed, or at least reported, that he has received his visions from Allah, through the angel Gabriel. For his monotheistic beliefs he was an enemy to many, not the least of which were the merchants whose wealth stemmed from the sale of goods and idols to pilgrims traveling to the Ka’ba to worship their gods.
Muhammad and his many followers were forced to leave Mecca to what became known as Medina for a time. From that time it took Muhammad, only ten years to build his band of followers into a strong army which conquered nearly all of central and western Arabia. Muhammad, who had been previously cast out of Mecca, returned less than a decade later and made it his capital.
Muhammad was clearly a great military leader. He also considered himself to be the prophet of Allah, and as such, he founded Islam, which he taught was a return to the pure worship of the one true God of Abraham. Muhammad believed that was a descendant of the son born of Hagar to Abraham, when Abraham disobeyed God’s command to wait for a child to be born of his aging wife, Sarah.
This connection is crucial to understanding the Islamic religion. The Ka’ba, which was the central shrine of Arabs in Mecca, Muhammad believed to have been built by Abraham as a place of worship to God. Muhammad considered Abraham to be his father and thus, the religion he founded was to be, not so much a new thing, but a return to the worship of the one true God of his father.
It is important to note, however, that the name given to god by Muhammad, Allah, does not find its roots in the true worship of Abraham, but in pagan traditions. “Allah corresponded to the Babylonian god Baal, and Arabs knew of him long before Mohammed worshipped him as the supreme. Allah was the god of the local Qurish tribe of whom was Mohammed’s tribe before he invented Islam to lead his people out of their polytheism.
Allah was known as the Moon God, of which he had 3 daughters who were viewed as intercessors for the people into Allah. Mohammed drove the other idols away; he made one God now the only god and he was its messenger. Mohammed used the name Allah, which was of a specific idol without ever distinguishing it from the idol the Meccans were already worshipping… These names show the devotion of Mohammed’s pagan roots, and also prove that Allah was part of a polytheistic system of worship before Allah was made the supreme and only god from the other God’s. The crescent moon was the symbol of the moon God Allah and is used as a symbol of Islam today.” (www.answers-islam.org)
God had already preserved His written word through the nation of Israel, through Abraham’s son Isaac. He had already fulfilled the promises made to Abraham through His son, Jesus Christ.
Islam did not arise until the Church was more than six hundred years in existence. Muhammad’s interest in establishing Islam seems to be almost entirely driven by a desire for power and a desire to unify that power around a central ideal or religion.
In driving out the other pagan gods, the pantheon of more than 360 gods worshipped in the region of Mecca, and unifying people around just one of those gods, Allah, the moon god, he effectively unified his power by merging his political power, which had won by the sword, and his religious power where he had claimed to be the prophet of the only god worthy of affection.
Writings. The primary sources of knowledge of Islam for a Muslim are the Qur’an and the Hadith. The Qur’an is the central source for Muslims. It is considered to be Allah’s final revelation to humanity and is said to have been revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel over a period of 26 years. The Hadith are a collection of oral traditions surrounding the sayings and teachings of the prophet Muhammad. Both are widely accepted among Muslims.
Practices. To our western minds, I think it does a disservice to refer to Islam as merely the religion of much of the world.
That is because in the west we tend to view our religious convictions as a major, even central, part of our life. But in Islam, the teachings of Muhammad dominate all areas of personal and social life.
In a country where the pure Islamic faith is present, you find that it dominates the legal system through what is known as Sharia law. The term means “way” or “path to the water source”. Sharia is the legal framework for all that goes on in a Muslim society. It offers strict guidelines for politics, economics, family, banking, sexuality, hygiene, and social issues.
Under Sharia law women are treated as second class citizens with little or absolutely not voice whatsoever. The Islamic worldview is based on upholding the five pillars of Islam. For a Muslim, God has not provided a savior; there is no shed blood of Calvary for them. In their view, they are working hard every day to perhaps earn the opportunity for eternal life and favor from God.
The first pillar is Shahadah. It is professing the oneness of Allah and accepting Prophet Muhammad as his messenger to humanity. As a profession of this faith, they would say, in Arabic, “I testify that there is only one god Allah and that Muhammad (Peace Be Unto His Name) is his messenger.”
The second pillar of Islam is Salat. This requires a Muslim to pray five times a day at specific times. The third pillar is Zakaat. This is alms-giving which is required from all who are able to do so.
Sawm, the fourth pillar, is ritual fasting during the 9th month of the Islamic year, the season of Ramadan. Muslims have to abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month. They are also to be especially mindful of other sins.
The last pillar is the Haji. The Haji is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca. Every able Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they can afford it.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, following only Christianity. It boasts 1.5 billion adherents, which Christianity, the largest world religion, boast 2.1 billion followers. Islam is most prevalent in the northern half of Africa, the Middle East, and it is in India and Russia to a lesser degree.
Islam is on the rise, though. In the west a more moderate form of Islam seems to be taking root in academic circles, in large cities such as Chicago and elsewhere. I am blessed to have a friend in Bishop E.C. Okoye of Nigeria, Africa.
From his first hand accounts in Nigeria, I have learned why it is that Islam is on the rise today. He tells me that in Nigeria and elsewhere, the reason Islam grows is because they are very proactive in their missionary efforts.
Islam in Africa receives support from Islamic leaders in oil-rich Islamic nations for the building of schools, roads, and hospitals. When you are poor and Islam built the school you attend and the hospital that cares for you it is easy to trust in Allah.
I am not of the school of thought that says that Islam is a peaceful religion which has been perverted by a few extremists. The evidence is to the contrary. Islam is a religion of works which was created by a warlord. Muhammad conquered territories and then rallied the conquered peoples around one central religion, which, do not forget, he created. Islam is a religion bathed in bloodshed.
There are moderate Muslims, especially in the United States, to be sure, but I want to speak plainly to this issue, Islam is not another way of worshipping the one true God. It is not a similarly peaceful religion. It is a religion of working to earn Allah’s favor and of evangelism by the sword.
Jerry Rassamni, a former Muslim extremist who converted to Christ, wrote the book “From Jihad to Jesus.” He writes, “In Islam, the world is traditionally divided into two camps. Those are Dar Al Islam (literally house of Islam or submission) meaning House of Peace, and Dar Al Harb (House of War).
Although the exact definitions of these terms vary widely, a traditional definition is as follows: Countries that are under Muslim rule are grouped in the House of Peace, whereas countries that are not are grouped under House of War. Muslim fundamentalists have Islamic world domination in mind.
They are on a jihad until the whole world confesses the Islamic creed which is featured on the Saudi Arabian flag. The Wahabis are the dominant Islamic sect in Saudi Arabia. Their war cry was: “kill the infidels.” The national flag of Saudi Arabia, the religious center of Islam has the words, “La Illaha Illa Allah” (There is no god by Allah).
Beneath those words, is the key to making that happen – a [depiction of a] sword.”
Conclusion
I am compelled by a straightforward study of the Scriptures, that there are not many paths leading toward the same God, no, there is a clear stream of life proceeding from one source, God, the one true God of Israel, in Jesus Christ. Our hope is not build on so much shifting sand, but on the very word of God.
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:5-6 NET) It is by God’s grace alone that men are saved. All of our efforts, all of our works, are like filthy rags in the sight of God.
Islam is not the good news of Jesus Christ dying for the sins of the world. In Islam there is no savior, only the shackles of working to earn mercy. In Christ God has revealed His loving nature; grace.
We are told to lay down the sword and pick up the Cross! We are told to let go of our earthly treasure and power and follow after the Master of Mercy! In Christ, God did what we could not do for ourselves. In Islam, I am left to my devices, working to earn the mercy of Allah. Islam, therefore, fails the litmus test of salvation which I proposed earlier in this sermon; “What think ye of Christ?”
In Islam Jesus is merely a wise prophet and there is no savior but one’s own works.
But that isn’t enough. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. If He was not then he is a blasphemer, not a prophet. And if He is the Son of God then He is Saviour.
Where Christianity offers hope, Islam only offers enslavement to the law. Where Christianity offers peace with God through Jesus Christ, Islam only offers war within me as I strive to please God and war with others; as I am commanded not, as in Christ, to share the truth in love and service, I am told to convert the infidel by whatever means necessary, including the sword.
We need not concern ourselves with the five pillars in an effort to please God; it has already been done for us, in Jesus Christ. Be reminded today, child of God, that in Christ alone is found the grace of God. We don’t have to wear shackles of guilt and shame; working to please God. We are freed from our chains by grace in order that God, working in us, might bring glory to Himself.
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/world-religions--1-islam-chris-surber-sermon-on-grace-128533.asp?Page=1
http://desperadojack95.blogspot.com/
http://revjacksparrow.blogspot.com/
World Religions - 1 Islam
Chris Surber 192 Chris Surber sermons
Topic: #2 of 12 for Sermons on Grace
Scripture: Galatians 2:17-2:21
Sermon Series: What About Islam
Denomination: Congregational
Date Added: November 2008
Audience: General Adults (31 - 49)
Keywords: none (Suggest a Keyword)
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A Christian’s Guide To World Religions Part-1
“What About Islam?” Galatians 2:17-21
Introduction
A missionary in India spoke near a fountain on the subject, “Jesus, the Water of Life.” A Muslim interrupted, “Your religion is like this little stream of water, but Islam is like a great ocean!” “Yes,” said the missionary, “but there is this difference: When men drink ocean water they die of thirst. When they drink the water of life which Christ gives, they live forever!” The stream is small, but it can satisfy your thirst. Jesus Christ came into the world as a little baby that He might show that no one is so little or so insignificant that the great God will not come to dwell within him.
Transition
This morning we will embark on a three part journey, exploring the three most prominent world religions, other than the largest faith; Christianity. This week we celebrate veteran’s day and since we have many American troops serving overseas in what are predominately Muslim areas, it seems appropriate that we begin with the religion that Muhammad founded; Islam.
In the following two weeks we will discuss the next two largest world religions; Hinduism and Buddhism. My focus will be providing a basic understanding of the history, major beliefs, and holy writings of each of these three religions and then to provide a concise comparison of them with Christianity. Then I will ask the simplest of questions of each of them: “What think ye of Christ.” (Mathew 22:42)
You see, unlike the droves of spiritual teachers of this postmodern era, I am compelled toward a high view of the uniqueness of the Cross of Jesus Christ and therefore a high view of the uniqueness and authority of the Christian faith in regard to all matters pertaining to faith in and worship of Jehovah El Elyon (Genesis 14:22), The LORD, the Most High GOD.
Mortimer Jerome Adler, the American Philosopher, once wrote that, “Christianity is the only world religion that is evangelical in the sense of sharing good news with others. Islam converts by force; Buddhism, without the benefit of a theology; Hinduism doesn’t even try.” It my deepest and strongest desire, in the following three weeks before we enter the Advent, Christmas, season, to show the uniqueness of the gift that we have been given in Christ by comparing and contrasting the pure religion of Jesus Christ with these three false, vain, empty religions.
In so doing, I trust that we may all have a renewed sense of awe at the advent of Messiah, Jesus Christ. Let me say in advance that this will not be an exhaustive treatment of the history or practices of Islam. Such a treatment would require a lengthy series of sermons. We’ll be doing a bit of a “fly by,” skimming the tree tops to get a sense of the nature of the forest.
Exposition
Background. Islam dates from time of the last ten years of the life its founder, Muhammad Ibne Abdullah, or simply the prophet Muhammad. He was born at or around 570 A.D. in the city of Mecca, which is now located in Saudi Arabia. Muhammad was orphaned early in his life and tradition says that he was raised by his grandfather and then his uncle, Abu Talib. Muhammad was a poor man until he married a wealthy widow named Khadija. At about the age of 40, Muhammad is said to have begun to see visions and receive revelations.
It was at this time that Muhammad began preaching
publicly against the multiplicity of idols which were worshiped at Mecca’s central shrine, the Ka’ba. Muhammad believed, or at least reported, that he has received his visions from Allah, through the angel Gabriel. For his monotheistic beliefs he was an enemy to many, not the least of which were the merchants whose wealth stemmed from the sale of goods and idols to pilgrims traveling to the Ka’ba to worship their gods.
Muhammad and his many followers were forced to leave Mecca to what became known as Medina for a time. From that time it took Muhammad, only ten years to build his band of followers into a strong army which conquered nearly all of central and western Arabia. Muhammad, who had been previously cast out of Mecca, returned less than a decade later and made it his capital.
Muhammad was clearly a great military leader. He also considered himself to be the prophet of Allah, and as such, he founded Islam, which he taught was a return to the pure worship of the one true God of Abraham. Muhammad believed that was a descendant of the son born of Hagar to Abraham, when Abraham disobeyed God’s command to wait for a child to be born of his aging wife, Sarah.
This connection is crucial to understanding the Islamic religion. The Ka’ba, which was the central shrine of Arabs in Mecca, Muhammad believed to have been built by Abraham as a place of worship to God. Muhammad considered Abraham to be his father and thus, the religion he founded was to be, not so much a new thing, but a return to the worship of the one true God of his father.
It is important to note, however, that the name given to god by Muhammad, Allah, does not find its roots in the true worship of Abraham, but in pagan traditions. “Allah corresponded to the Babylonian god Baal, and Arabs knew of him long before Mohammed worshipped him as the supreme. Allah was the god of the local Qurish tribe of whom was Mohammed’s tribe before he invented Islam to lead his people out of their polytheism.
Allah was known as the Moon God, of which he had 3 daughters who were viewed as intercessors for the people into Allah. Mohammed drove the other idols away; he made one God now the only god and he was its messenger. Mohammed used the name Allah, which was of a specific idol without ever distinguishing it from the idol the Meccans were already worshipping… These names show the devotion of Mohammed’s pagan roots, and also prove that Allah was part of a polytheistic system of worship before Allah was made the supreme and only god from the other God’s. The crescent moon was the symbol of the moon God Allah and is used as a symbol of Islam today.” (www.answers-islam.org)
God had already preserved His written word through the nation of Israel, through Abraham’s son Isaac. He had already fulfilled the promises made to Abraham through His son, Jesus Christ.
Islam did not arise until the Church was more than six hundred years in existence. Muhammad’s interest in establishing Islam seems to be almost entirely driven by a desire for power and a desire to unify that power around a central ideal or religion.
In driving out the other pagan gods, the pantheon of more than 360 gods worshipped in the region of Mecca, and unifying people around just one of those gods, Allah, the moon god, he effectively unified his power by merging his political power, which had won by the sword, and his religious power where he had claimed to be the prophet of the only god worthy of affection.
Writings. The primary sources of knowledge of Islam for a Muslim are the Qur’an and the Hadith. The Qur’an is the central source for Muslims. It is considered to be Allah’s final revelation to humanity and is said to have been revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gabriel over a period of 26 years. The Hadith are a collection of oral traditions surrounding the sayings and teachings of the prophet Muhammad. Both are widely accepted among Muslims.
Practices. To our western minds, I think it does a disservice to refer to Islam as merely the religion of much of the world.
That is because in the west we tend to view our religious convictions as a major, even central, part of our life. But in Islam, the teachings of Muhammad dominate all areas of personal and social life.
In a country where the pure Islamic faith is present, you find that it dominates the legal system through what is known as Sharia law. The term means “way” or “path to the water source”. Sharia is the legal framework for all that goes on in a Muslim society. It offers strict guidelines for politics, economics, family, banking, sexuality, hygiene, and social issues.
Under Sharia law women are treated as second class citizens with little or absolutely not voice whatsoever. The Islamic worldview is based on upholding the five pillars of Islam. For a Muslim, God has not provided a savior; there is no shed blood of Calvary for them. In their view, they are working hard every day to perhaps earn the opportunity for eternal life and favor from God.
The first pillar is Shahadah. It is professing the oneness of Allah and accepting Prophet Muhammad as his messenger to humanity. As a profession of this faith, they would say, in Arabic, “I testify that there is only one god Allah and that Muhammad (Peace Be Unto His Name) is his messenger.”
The second pillar of Islam is Salat. This requires a Muslim to pray five times a day at specific times. The third pillar is Zakaat. This is alms-giving which is required from all who are able to do so.
Sawm, the fourth pillar, is ritual fasting during the 9th month of the Islamic year, the season of Ramadan. Muslims have to abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month. They are also to be especially mindful of other sins.
The last pillar is the Haji. The Haji is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca. Every able Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they can afford it.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, following only Christianity. It boasts 1.5 billion adherents, which Christianity, the largest world religion, boast 2.1 billion followers. Islam is most prevalent in the northern half of Africa, the Middle East, and it is in India and Russia to a lesser degree.
Islam is on the rise, though. In the west a more moderate form of Islam seems to be taking root in academic circles, in large cities such as Chicago and elsewhere. I am blessed to have a friend in Bishop E.C. Okoye of Nigeria, Africa.
From his first hand accounts in Nigeria, I have learned why it is that Islam is on the rise today. He tells me that in Nigeria and elsewhere, the reason Islam grows is because they are very proactive in their missionary efforts.
Islam in Africa receives support from Islamic leaders in oil-rich Islamic nations for the building of schools, roads, and hospitals. When you are poor and Islam built the school you attend and the hospital that cares for you it is easy to trust in Allah.
I am not of the school of thought that says that Islam is a peaceful religion which has been perverted by a few extremists. The evidence is to the contrary. Islam is a religion of works which was created by a warlord. Muhammad conquered territories and then rallied the conquered peoples around one central religion, which, do not forget, he created. Islam is a religion bathed in bloodshed.
There are moderate Muslims, especially in the United States, to be sure, but I want to speak plainly to this issue, Islam is not another way of worshipping the one true God. It is not a similarly peaceful religion. It is a religion of working to earn Allah’s favor and of evangelism by the sword.
Jerry Rassamni, a former Muslim extremist who converted to Christ, wrote the book “From Jihad to Jesus.” He writes, “In Islam, the world is traditionally divided into two camps. Those are Dar Al Islam (literally house of Islam or submission) meaning House of Peace, and Dar Al Harb (House of War).
Although the exact definitions of these terms vary widely, a traditional definition is as follows: Countries that are under Muslim rule are grouped in the House of Peace, whereas countries that are not are grouped under House of War. Muslim fundamentalists have Islamic world domination in mind.
They are on a jihad until the whole world confesses the Islamic creed which is featured on the Saudi Arabian flag. The Wahabis are the dominant Islamic sect in Saudi Arabia. Their war cry was: “kill the infidels.” The national flag of Saudi Arabia, the religious center of Islam has the words, “La Illaha Illa Allah” (There is no god by Allah).
Beneath those words, is the key to making that happen – a [depiction of a] sword.”
Conclusion
I am compelled by a straightforward study of the Scriptures, that there are not many paths leading toward the same God, no, there is a clear stream of life proceeding from one source, God, the one true God of Israel, in Jesus Christ. Our hope is not build on so much shifting sand, but on the very word of God.
Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:5-6 NET) It is by God’s grace alone that men are saved. All of our efforts, all of our works, are like filthy rags in the sight of God.
Islam is not the good news of Jesus Christ dying for the sins of the world. In Islam there is no savior, only the shackles of working to earn mercy. In Christ God has revealed His loving nature; grace.
We are told to lay down the sword and pick up the Cross! We are told to let go of our earthly treasure and power and follow after the Master of Mercy! In Christ, God did what we could not do for ourselves. In Islam, I am left to my devices, working to earn the mercy of Allah. Islam, therefore, fails the litmus test of salvation which I proposed earlier in this sermon; “What think ye of Christ?”
In Islam Jesus is merely a wise prophet and there is no savior but one’s own works.
But that isn’t enough. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. If He was not then he is a blasphemer, not a prophet. And if He is the Son of God then He is Saviour.
Where Christianity offers hope, Islam only offers enslavement to the law. Where Christianity offers peace with God through Jesus Christ, Islam only offers war within me as I strive to please God and war with others; as I am commanded not, as in Christ, to share the truth in love and service, I am told to convert the infidel by whatever means necessary, including the sword.
We need not concern ourselves with the five pillars in an effort to please God; it has already been done for us, in Jesus Christ. Be reminded today, child of God, that in Christ alone is found the grace of God. We don’t have to wear shackles of guilt and shame; working to please God. We are freed from our chains by grace in order that God, working in us, might bring glory to Himself.
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/world-religions--1-islam-chris-surber-sermon-on-grace-128533.asp?Page=1
http://desperadojack95.blogspot.com/
http://revjacksparrow.blogspot.com/
Thursday, November 3, 2011
SALVATION PRAYER
Salvation Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to You in the Name of Jesus.
You said in Your Word,"...if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, Thou Shalt Be Saved" (Romans 10:9).
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification.
Your Word says,"...with the Heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" ( Rom. 10:10).
I do believe with my heart, and I now confess with my mouth Jesus as my Lord. Therefore, I am saved!
Thank You, Lord!
If you have prayed this prayer sincerely from your heart, then the Bible says you are now saved! To grow in your new Christian life, it is important to study the Bible and to pray every day to your Heavenly Father. You also need to belong to a good, Bible-based church where you can be taught the Word of God.
Welcome to the family of God!
*Pastor Jack*
Dear Heavenly Father,
I come to You in the Name of Jesus.
You said in Your Word,"...if thou shall confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, Thou Shalt Be Saved" (Romans 10:9).
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification.
Your Word says,"...with the Heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" ( Rom. 10:10).
I do believe with my heart, and I now confess with my mouth Jesus as my Lord. Therefore, I am saved!
Thank You, Lord!
If you have prayed this prayer sincerely from your heart, then the Bible says you are now saved! To grow in your new Christian life, it is important to study the Bible and to pray every day to your Heavenly Father. You also need to belong to a good, Bible-based church where you can be taught the Word of God.
Welcome to the family of God!
*Pastor Jack*
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
***THE WORD IS TRUE AND FULL OF POWER***
*THE WORD IS TRUE AND CONTAINS THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT*
But He answered and said, "It is written,'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4)
Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases. (Psalms 103:3)
He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction s. (Psalms 107:20)
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them. 31. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.(Matthew 15:30 & 37)
Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteous-by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying , "According to your [YOUR] faith [YOUR FAITH] let it be to you." (Matthew 9:29)
*HIS WORD IS THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH*
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1John 4:4)
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight, And this is His commandments; that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in Him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
(1 John 3:22-24)
But He answered and said, "It is written,'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:4)
Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases. (Psalms 103:3)
He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction s. (Psalms 107:20)
Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others, and they laid them down at Jesus' feet, and He healed them. 31. So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.(Matthew 15:30 & 37)
Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteous-by whose stripes you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38)
Then Jesus touched their eyes, saying , "According to your [YOUR] faith [YOUR FAITH] let it be to you." (Matthew 9:29)
*HIS WORD IS THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH*
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. (Matthew 9:35)
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1John 4:4)
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight, And this is His commandments; that we should believe on the Name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in Him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
(1 John 3:22-24)
Friday, October 14, 2011
STILL LEARNING FROM THE MASTER: GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT
STILL LEARNING FROM THE MASTER: GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT: GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT God will honor persistent, believing prayer from all believers & especially for those who are involved in sharing...
STILL LEARNING FROM THE MASTER: GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT
STILL LEARNING FROM THE MASTER: GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT: GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT God will honor persistent, believing prayer from all believers & especially for those who are involved in sharing...
GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT
GOD WILL HONOR PERSISTENT
God will honor persistent, believing prayer from all believers & especially for those who are involved in sharing the gospel.
As Christians stand ready to resist Satan, we must occupy ourselves with believing prayer. We must pray constantly & for other believers, especially as we seek to share the gospel with the lost.
Christians often have difficulty resisting evil in our lives. We must do our part, but simply trying to renew our will power. Only the power of God can help us overcome evil & the temptation of Satan. Make a firm commitment to live in the strength of God for your every need.
God's people have always been faced with vile forces. If we stand on God's promises, we can make a positive difference in our world.
God does not make frivolous promises. When He promises His people something, He means it. Have you ever been afraid to accept one of God's promises? Fear is a common factor in hindering us from following God's leadership in our lives. God expects His people to take His promises seriously even in the face of difficult circumstances. Some Christians mistakenly believe that following God will guarantee a trouble free & a pain-free life.
We need to be careful that the promises we hold on to are promises God has made to us.
The way of Faith in only Three
Steps
1. Know what God has promised.
2. Ask Him to do what He promised to do.
3. Act like He has done what He promised to do.
These are the three steps of faith to receive anything God has promised, or any blessing Christ has provided.
Knowledge of the promise comes first. Prayer comes next, with praise, comes last.
When you have a clear knowledge of God's promise to you, & have asked Him to fulfill it, then He expects you o begin to do, by faith, the things which you could not do without His help. Your actions & praise prove the reality of your faith, & God confirms His word & fulfills His promise.
Rise above your doubts & fears. Prove your faith by your actions. Claim your liberty from Satan's prison of sickness. Walk out of that prison of bondage, confessing God's promise as the basis for your freedom.
Only Believe
To the father of the lunatic son, Jesus said, if you can believe, all things are possible to them that believe.(Mark 9:23). If you will only believe, you will be healed right now where you are.
Rebuke & resist the enemy that has interfered with your health, & claim your healing.
Pray Like This:
Heavenly Father, I thank You that You have made known these truths to me. I thank You that Christ has borne my diseases & my weak-nesses for me. I thank You that I do not need to bear them, since Christ took them in my place. I am so glad to know the truth, that Satan is to blame for my sickness & that You have not placed them on me; that You want me to be well & strong so that I can glorify You & serve You. I thank You for the knowledge that I have legal rights & authority over all devils.
Now, Father, I come according to Your Word, expecting You o fulfill Your promise made to me: I am the Lord who heals you. I ask You to do it now, in Jesus' name, according to Your Word.
I rebuke the enemy that has caused my suffering. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I command the life of of my sickness to leave, & every symptom to be destroyed by the power of God.
Father, I thank You that You have heard my prayer & granted the answer now. I claim healing now, according to Your promise. I thank You that
the source of my sickness is destroyed, & that according to Jesus' promise, I shall recover. In Jesus' Name I have prayed, & I know my petition is heard & granted.
Amen!
Hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised.(Hebrews 10:23)
Allow the devil to hear nothing from your lips but the confession of God's Word. If Satan suggests that God has not heard & answered you, resist him steadfast in the faith, & he will flee from you.
(James 4:7; 1Peter 5:9). He is a liar.(John 8:44). God's Word is true. God watches over it to perform it for you.(Jeremiah 1:12; Ezekiel 12:25). Begin doing the things which you could not do before. Do them in Jesus' Name, claiming the healing which He has provided, & for which you have asked.
What God has done for others. He is doing right now in you through the power of His Word that is now planted in you.
God will honor persistent, believing prayer from all believers & especially for those who are involved in sharing the gospel.
As Christians stand ready to resist Satan, we must occupy ourselves with believing prayer. We must pray constantly & for other believers, especially as we seek to share the gospel with the lost.
Christians often have difficulty resisting evil in our lives. We must do our part, but simply trying to renew our will power. Only the power of God can help us overcome evil & the temptation of Satan. Make a firm commitment to live in the strength of God for your every need.
God's people have always been faced with vile forces. If we stand on God's promises, we can make a positive difference in our world.
God does not make frivolous promises. When He promises His people something, He means it. Have you ever been afraid to accept one of God's promises? Fear is a common factor in hindering us from following God's leadership in our lives. God expects His people to take His promises seriously even in the face of difficult circumstances. Some Christians mistakenly believe that following God will guarantee a trouble free & a pain-free life.
We need to be careful that the promises we hold on to are promises God has made to us.
The way of Faith in only Three
Steps
1. Know what God has promised.
2. Ask Him to do what He promised to do.
3. Act like He has done what He promised to do.
These are the three steps of faith to receive anything God has promised, or any blessing Christ has provided.
Knowledge of the promise comes first. Prayer comes next, with praise, comes last.
When you have a clear knowledge of God's promise to you, & have asked Him to fulfill it, then He expects you o begin to do, by faith, the things which you could not do without His help. Your actions & praise prove the reality of your faith, & God confirms His word & fulfills His promise.
Rise above your doubts & fears. Prove your faith by your actions. Claim your liberty from Satan's prison of sickness. Walk out of that prison of bondage, confessing God's promise as the basis for your freedom.
Only Believe
To the father of the lunatic son, Jesus said, if you can believe, all things are possible to them that believe.(Mark 9:23). If you will only believe, you will be healed right now where you are.
Rebuke & resist the enemy that has interfered with your health, & claim your healing.
Pray Like This:
Heavenly Father, I thank You that You have made known these truths to me. I thank You that Christ has borne my diseases & my weak-nesses for me. I thank You that I do not need to bear them, since Christ took them in my place. I am so glad to know the truth, that Satan is to blame for my sickness & that You have not placed them on me; that You want me to be well & strong so that I can glorify You & serve You. I thank You for the knowledge that I have legal rights & authority over all devils.
Now, Father, I come according to Your Word, expecting You o fulfill Your promise made to me: I am the Lord who heals you. I ask You to do it now, in Jesus' name, according to Your Word.
I rebuke the enemy that has caused my suffering. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I command the life of of my sickness to leave, & every symptom to be destroyed by the power of God.
Father, I thank You that You have heard my prayer & granted the answer now. I claim healing now, according to Your promise. I thank You that
the source of my sickness is destroyed, & that according to Jesus' promise, I shall recover. In Jesus' Name I have prayed, & I know my petition is heard & granted.
Amen!
Hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised.(Hebrews 10:23)
Allow the devil to hear nothing from your lips but the confession of God's Word. If Satan suggests that God has not heard & answered you, resist him steadfast in the faith, & he will flee from you.
(James 4:7; 1Peter 5:9). He is a liar.(John 8:44). God's Word is true. God watches over it to perform it for you.(Jeremiah 1:12; Ezekiel 12:25). Begin doing the things which you could not do before. Do them in Jesus' Name, claiming the healing which He has provided, & for which you have asked.
What God has done for others. He is doing right now in you through the power of His Word that is now planted in you.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Our Two Natures
Our Two Natures
Each born-again person possesses two natures. The first called "the flesh," it's the sinful nature that we receive at our natural birth. This nature is unchanging in its enmity to God, & incapable of pleasing God. (Romans 8:7-9). It's the origin of our evil desires, & responds to every temptation if we allow it to do so. (James 1:13-15) This nature will never go away, it remains our whole lifetime on earth.
Our second nature, is called our "Divine nature," received when we accepted Christ as our Savior & Lord. (2 Peter 1:3; Romans 8:9) This new nature is incapable of sin & leads us to think, say & do those things that are pleasing to God. (Gal. 5:16-26. We have been made partakers of the "Divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).
In every believer dwells these two natures, one sinful & one incapable of sin that always pleasing to God. (Gal. 5:17) It all depends on the believer on which one will in control.
(Romans 6:6; 6:11; 8:12; 13:14; Col. 3:5.)
Our new nature, must be encouraged & strengthened by feeding on the Word of God. Communing with God in prayer, obeying God's will & by separating oneself from all known sin.
This is what we call "walking in the spirit". This is how the Christian keeps us from the lust of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16)
An Indian Chief & friend of my said this to me a long time ago, & this was what he said: " I have two dog's inside of me, one of them is a very mean dog & one that is a very good dog. The one that I feed is the one that will rule the day.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16) In Psalms 19:7 it is said "the law of the Lord is perfect.
The Bible is
1.Perfect in its origination
2.Perfect in its communication
3.Perfect in its revelation
4.Perfect in its preservation
When people decide to follow Jesus Christ, they experience an “extreme makeover” because they invite the Holy Spirit to change their thoughts, actions, and attitudes. Galatians 6:15b says, “What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.”
The walk of faith should be a radical conversion process, where believers are being molded into the image of Christ. Learn how to bring God’s trans-formative power into your life and into the lives of new believers.
Warriors For Christ
01/02/86
Each born-again person possesses two natures. The first called "the flesh," it's the sinful nature that we receive at our natural birth. This nature is unchanging in its enmity to God, & incapable of pleasing God. (Romans 8:7-9). It's the origin of our evil desires, & responds to every temptation if we allow it to do so. (James 1:13-15) This nature will never go away, it remains our whole lifetime on earth.
Our second nature, is called our "Divine nature," received when we accepted Christ as our Savior & Lord. (2 Peter 1:3; Romans 8:9) This new nature is incapable of sin & leads us to think, say & do those things that are pleasing to God. (Gal. 5:16-26. We have been made partakers of the "Divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4).
In every believer dwells these two natures, one sinful & one incapable of sin that always pleasing to God. (Gal. 5:17) It all depends on the believer on which one will in control.
(Romans 6:6; 6:11; 8:12; 13:14; Col. 3:5.)
Our new nature, must be encouraged & strengthened by feeding on the Word of God. Communing with God in prayer, obeying God's will & by separating oneself from all known sin.
This is what we call "walking in the spirit". This is how the Christian keeps us from the lust of the flesh. (Gal. 5:16)
An Indian Chief & friend of my said this to me a long time ago, & this was what he said: " I have two dog's inside of me, one of them is a very mean dog & one that is a very good dog. The one that I feed is the one that will rule the day.
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, & is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." (2 Timothy 3:16) In Psalms 19:7 it is said "the law of the Lord is perfect.
The Bible is
1.Perfect in its origination
2.Perfect in its communication
3.Perfect in its revelation
4.Perfect in its preservation
When people decide to follow Jesus Christ, they experience an “extreme makeover” because they invite the Holy Spirit to change their thoughts, actions, and attitudes. Galatians 6:15b says, “What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.”
The walk of faith should be a radical conversion process, where believers are being molded into the image of Christ. Learn how to bring God’s trans-formative power into your life and into the lives of new believers.
Warriors For Christ
01/02/86
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND LACK OF FAITH
Never in the history of the world has it been more important for the Christian Warriors to know the truth of the Word of God & the authority we possess in Jesus Christ.
"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
[ Hosea 4:6]
Luke 10:19-"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents & scorpions, & over all the power of the enemy, & nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[ Luke 10:19]
Mark 16:17 & 18-"And these signs will follow those who believe; In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18."They will take up serpents; & if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, & they will recover."
[ Mark 16:17 & 18 ]
(Matthew 12:28)
If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
(Matthew 12:36 & 37)
I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37. For by your words you will be acquitted, & by your words you will be condemned."
Biblical Truth
A church is to be a community of caring Christians.
Matthew 18:18-20
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. 19. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there among them."
John 14:12-14-"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; & greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
13. "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
14,"If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it."[John 14:12-14]
"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
[ Hosea 4:6]
Luke 10:19-"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents & scorpions, & over all the power of the enemy, & nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[ Luke 10:19]
Mark 16:17 & 18-"And these signs will follow those who believe; In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18."They will take up serpents; & if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, & they will recover."
[ Mark 16:17 & 18 ]
(Matthew 12:28)
If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
(Matthew 12:36 & 37)
I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37. For by your words you will be acquitted, & by your words you will be condemned."
Biblical Truth
A church is to be a community of caring Christians.
Matthew 18:18-20
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. 19. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there among them."
John 14:12-14-"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; & greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
13. "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
14,"If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it."[John 14:12-14]
FREEDOM FROM ADDICTION
FREEDOM FROM ADDICTION
My Dear Child:
I desire to see you free in every area of life. The enemy has whispered his lies into your ears telling you, if you really loved God, you would not do this or that any more. That if you would try harder you could get free from our sin.
My child, everything that you could ever need was bought & paid for by Jesus with His own blood, however, if you don't know this or if you don't know how to access it, it will do you no good. My child Satan has had you in chains for so long that you can't see that Jesus has already removed them & you don't even know it until you hear from the Holy Spirit.
My child you must first understand that your deliverance, like your salvation, was completed on the cross. You must see yourself set free as My child.
As you meditate more & more on your freedom & who you are in Christ. I am with you in Spirit always, I will never leave or for shake you. When those old desires return you, you must ask for My strength for deliverance. If you do stumble this does not mean that you are not delivered. Just ask for forgiveness & then continue to walk in Christ. The more you resist the enemy the less you will have to deal with the flesh & the stronger you will become.
Galatians 5:1
John 8:44, John 8:31 & 32
Galatians 3:13 & 14
Colossians 1:13
Isaiah 61:1-3
My Dear Child:
I desire to see you free in every area of life. The enemy has whispered his lies into your ears telling you, if you really loved God, you would not do this or that any more. That if you would try harder you could get free from our sin.
My child, everything that you could ever need was bought & paid for by Jesus with His own blood, however, if you don't know this or if you don't know how to access it, it will do you no good. My child Satan has had you in chains for so long that you can't see that Jesus has already removed them & you don't even know it until you hear from the Holy Spirit.
My child you must first understand that your deliverance, like your salvation, was completed on the cross. You must see yourself set free as My child.
As you meditate more & more on your freedom & who you are in Christ. I am with you in Spirit always, I will never leave or for shake you. When those old desires return you, you must ask for My strength for deliverance. If you do stumble this does not mean that you are not delivered. Just ask for forgiveness & then continue to walk in Christ. The more you resist the enemy the less you will have to deal with the flesh & the stronger you will become.
Galatians 5:1
John 8:44, John 8:31 & 32
Galatians 3:13 & 14
Colossians 1:13
Isaiah 61:1-3
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