"The Muslims"
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Recently, I sat and listened to a presentation of the work that has been done in Iraq. One of the most interesting aspects to me was the Muslim people. Did you know that five times a day they fall to their knees in prayer to Allah (their god)? No matter what they are doing, they stop and pray. Another thing that they do is that every sentence that they speak begins with an attribute to Allah, or it ends with an attribute to Allah, or both. I said to a friend of mine, "Wow, what zeal! Imagine if we could harness that kind of devotion in the Christian church." She responded, "They're forced to do that, or they'll be killed or persecuted." She knows these things because her husband is from Iran and he suffered persecution because he was not of the Muslim faith.
In this presentation we watched, we also saw confiscated Insurgent videos in which men were glorified and considered martyrs because they were suicide bombers. They would chant prayers to Allah as they prepared to blow up themselves and whatever their target was. They were heros. They gave all for their cause.
My friend said they also received money for their families for doing this and their families would be elevated in status because their relative was a martyr.
I was still amazed at the zeal and devotion of these people. I couldn't help but think, what if these people were to turn to the True God in Yeshua of Nazareth?
I know that not all Muslims are driven by such intense hatred. I think it's only certain sects. But, you have to sometimes wonder if Christians are serving a God of pure love, and love his our greatest commandment, shouldn't we be way more zealous than these people who are serving a god of hate? If the Muslims can fall to their knees five times a day for a god of hatred and fear, what should we be doing as Christians in thanksgiving, joy and love to the God we know exists (because we received His Spirit)? What if we were in the middle of a conversation, and suddenly we said, "Excuse me, there's someone I just have to go talk to!" Then we would hasten off to find a secret spot where we could just worship and praise the Lover of our souls.
I have to mention that the Muslims are actually the descendents of Abraham. Their history and customs can be traced back to Abraham. They are descended through Ishmael. Here are some prophecies concerning Ishmael that can be found in every Bible. This first one, the Angel of the Lord declared unto Ishmael's mother, Hagar, before Ishmael was born.
"Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand will be against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren." Genesis 16:11-12.
When God told Abraham that he was going to be a father again, Abraham fell on his face and laughed. He laughed because he was an hundred years old and Sarah (his wife) was ninety. And Abraham responded to God, "O that Ishmael might live before thee!" But, God assured Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son, but he also answered him concerning Ishmael. [You really should read the whole account of Abraham's life walking with God.]
"And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation." Genesis 17:20
All these things are true and have come to pass. But, Ishmael was born of a servant woman. He was born in bondage. And he's in bondage to this day (Galatians 4:25). The tribes of Ishmael are servants to a false god, a false religion, and many are ruled by hatred. Hatred is a hard task master. But should we hate the Muslims? No. We are to love our enemies. I'm often called to the 58th chapter of Isaiah, in which the people of God are called to fast. But not to fast for strife and debate, or to smite with the fist of wickedness [for example, the Crusades and the Inquisition -- did Yeshua, the Prince of Peace, ever tell us to go force people to become Christians?]. God calls us to fast to set those people free.
"Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?" Isaiah 58:6-7 [As I like to mention, please read the whole chapter for the entire prophecy.]
Those people are in bondage. We don't have to despise them for their ways. (Actually, I admire them for their zeal -- although their zeal is misdirected.) But, we can pray and fast for them to be delivered from the bonds of hatred and oppression. Then, you know what God will do? Read on ...
"Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shall cry and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose water fail not." Isaiah 58:8-11
In all, we should pray for the Muslims to be set free. And when we fast, let's fast and pray for all who are in bondage to be set free.
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