Category Archives: Jesus

Jesus

Muslim dreams of a cross

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By Zeenat, Morocco

In 2011, I wanted to learn Russian so I went to a website to register for online learning. On that website, I found an advertisement that was a link to click on to know God’s plan for your life. I clicked the button, filled out the form and received a downloadable version of Matthew’s Gospel. At that time, I became distracted with other things and forgot about it.

A month later, my internet service stopped working. In that moment, I remembered what I had downloaded and began reading Matthew. When I came to the section about the sermon on the mountain, I began to have lots of questions.

My beliefs about Christianity were entirely based on what I had been taught as a Muslim. I thought that Christians believed everything (drinking, sex, etc) was permissible at all times. I did not realize that Christians believe that Jesus was God in human form, truly the Messiah. Continue reading Muslim dreams of a cross →

Jesus

The Jesus movement spreads through persecution

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It is not through planning and strategy, but through persecution that the Jesus movement spreads through the book of Acts.

Many think that persecution destroys the Church, but in both the past and the present God has used persecution and disasters to spread hope and salvation through the Church. Many people of different background come to the Christian faith because they experience love, forgiveness, and mercy.

The first church found new courage in view of God’s greatness. Through Psalm 2 they realized: headwinds are normal. Therefore, they do not ask for the headwind to stop, but rather that they do not allow themselves to be frightened and continue to tell without hesitation about the fact that Jesus overcame death. God’s answer to their request is to give them a new fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus

God of Abraham

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Abraham is often seen as the father of the monotheistic religions. His way of believing is a model for all people.

Only when we understand how Abraham experienced God, can we evaluate whether we believe in Abraham’s God or we are following our own image of God.

Abraham is described as the first Muslim in sura 2:132. In John 8:39 the Jews say: “Our father is Abraham.” Jews, Christians and Muslims all see Abraham as a model of faith. But Abraham did not start three religions.

When we say we believe in the God of Abraham, we must first see what kind of God Abraham believed in and what are the characteristics of his belief.

Jesus says in John 8:39: “If you were Abraham’s children, then you would do what Abraham did.”

Jesus

Jesus as a bridge between Islam and Christianity

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The Islamic theologian Mouhanad Khorchide told domradio:

Jesus serves as a bridge between Islam and Christianity.

In the Koran, Jesus is valued much more strongly, is much more central, than Mohammed himself. Very few people know that.

Jesus is referred to in the Koran as the Word of God, Spirit of God. The miracles of Jesus are also described in the Koran.

So I think: Muslims should also honor this day. When I say that one congratulates one another or even celebrates Christmas, it doesn’t mean that Muslims become Christians, but they remind us of this appreciation.

In contrast to Khorchide, it should also be noted: In the Koran, Jesus is referred as “the son of Mary”, as the Arabic name ʿĪsā ibn Maryam shows. To difference oneself from the term “Son of God”.Isa is a prophet in the Koran and Jesus the Son of God in the New Testament.

Mt 16:16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Mt 27.43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’

Lk 22.70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.”

Jn 10:36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?

 

Jesus

Praying with Zacharias (Part 7)

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Luke 1,78-79: “Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, a wonderful picture. In your love you visit us as the light of the world to show us the way out of darkness and to guide us on the path of peace.

Isaiah said in chapter 9.2: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9: 2). This is Christmas Divine light comes into our world.

Jesus says in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Thank you, Jesus, for leaving the glory to show us the way to Heavenly Father. Thank you that we can celebrate Christmas, the great beginning of your search for the people who have lost touch with you. We want to accept your saving offer and ask you to come into our life and it will be light in us. Amen.

Mary Christmas to you all.

Jesus

Praying with the Praise of Zechariah (Part 6)

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Luke 1: 74-75: “To rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

Prayer: Heavenly Father, there is something special that we love you and not have to be afraid of you. Because you loved us first, so we can trust you.

It says here that you rescued us from the hands of the enemy. You have released us from the hand of the enemy, the devil. But we are still in a world in which some things scare us. But you promised us your peace in the midst of trouble. The angels praised you before the shepherds with the words: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).

And Jesus said: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

That is why we want to serve you without fear, because you are our peace in the midst of all fear in this world.

Jesus

Praying with the Hymn of Zechariah (Part 5)

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Luke 1: 72-73: To show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, the oath he swore to our father Abraham.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, you keep what you promise. You promised Abraham in Genesis 12: 3: “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” This promise is fulfilled in Jesus, a descendant of Abraham.

Paul writes in Ephesians 1:3: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”

Thank you for keeping your word. So we can lives on your promises. You promised: Whoever invites Jesus into his life and lets himself be changed by the Holy Spirit, you will complete his life, as Paul says in Philippians 1: 6: “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Thank you for your mercy on our lives. We live on your mercy and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Jesus

Praying with the Praise of Zacharias (Part 4)

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Luke 1:71: He saved us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, sometimes it seems like you are not saving us from the hands of the enemy. I think of all the persecuted Christians. Or the people who died as martyrs. At the same time, however, Jesus also says in Matthew 10:28: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

The real enemy are those who destroy our soul, our personality. And suddenly we notice that this can happen to us too, even if we are not being persecuted outwardly. The real enemy is where our trust in God is destroyed.

For this there is again the promise of Jesus in John 10:29: ” My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”.

Lord, you save us from all the people who hate us and want to destroy us. And if we get in the position that people harass and persecute us, then you are there and help us when we trust in you. That is how the martyrs experienced it. This is what countless Christians who are persecuted today experience. In such situations you always give the strength to love people who are driven by hate, so that we can forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.

We want to ask you for this strength from you so that we can say: “He saved us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.”