A former Muslim says Christians and Muslims don't worship the same 'God'

Today, 1.6 billion Muslims trust their eternal destiny to a god that does not exist. Many of these same Muslims assume they worship the same God as Christians -- Emir Caner, a former Muslim

The thought never crossed my mind to even question whether or not Muslims and Christians believe in the same God until I came across an article in Decision Magazine written by former Muslim Emir Caner. Until now, I had only focused on belief in Jesus Christ, God's son, as the main differentiator between religions. Now I know that it also matters who other religions say God is. The God of the Bible is preeminent above all other gods and makes his position very clear:

I am the Lord, and there is no other. There is no God besides Me---Isaiah 45:5

Don't assume, as I once did, that Islam's "Allah" and the "God" of Christianity are one and the same. They're not. In a side-by-side comparison between the Islamic god and the God of the Bible, Caner points out these distinct differences:

• Allah is unknowable (surah 6:103), whereas God invites a personal relationship with you (John 17:3)
• Allah changes as he wills (surah 2:106), whereas God never changes (Malachi 3:6)
• Allah's love is conditional (surah 2:190), whereas God's love is unconditional (1 John 4:10)
• Allah does not forgive sinners (surah 4: 168-169), whereas God promises to always forgive our sins (1 John 1:19)
• Jesus was a prophet and did not die on the cross (surah 4:157-158), whereas Jesus is God's son who was crucified and raised from the dead (Acts 4:10-12)

These are only a few of the distinct doctrinal differences between Islam's god and Christianity's God, Caner points out:

With such confusion innate within Islamic teaching, it is incumbent on Christians to speak clearly about who God is. We must recognize that Islam is a complete repudiation of the essential tenets of Christianity, including the doctrine of God.

Growing up Muslim in Columbus, Ohio, Caner recalls how his father took him to the local Mosque. As a young boy, he lined up with other Muslims facing toward Mecca. Caner says that they would then bow in reverent unison declaring, "Allah Akbar (God is great)" to a god who never spoke back. Never once did Caner question his beliefs. Until one day his eight year old son broke with tradition and accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. This opened Caner's eyes. He recalls how his sadness turned to joy during a revival service at a Baptist church in Columbus:

For the first time in my life I heard God speak, and He simply said, "I love you, I died for you." Without doubt, I eagerly repented of my sin and placed my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God says,

You will know the truth and the truth will set you free -- John 8:32 

Islam and other religions will do everything possible to shield its followers from the truth about the God of the Bible, including forbidding contact with Christian believers and threatening death to followers who defect from the faith. Perhaps, what these other religions fear is that their followers will come to know the God of the Bible and be drawn away by his infinite love, mercy and forgiveness. No other god except the God of the Bible can make this claim:

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life -- John 3:16

And what's even more amazing, it carries a lifetime guaranteed that's available to anyone, even a former Muslim like Emir Caner.

A Christmas Day miracle: When death took a detour

"Miracle - A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency."  Webster's dictionary

I have always believed in miracles, and hoped for them in my life from time to time. Looking back I can think of a few divine interventions in answer to my prayers, but there is one that tops them all — the miracle I experienced in 2002 on Christmas Day.  I have never forgotten what the Lord did that day. I have vowed to re-post my story each Christmas so that some reader may find hope and comfort in knowing that God is with us to the very end. The following is a true account of my Christmas miracle.

By 2002, I had been caring for my mom for 22 years during her long battle with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). By far, our toughest battles came that year. MS had taken away my mom's ability to speak and made eating and swallowing difficult. At the same time, mom started having seizures that became life-threatening. As a result, she was hospitalized and given high doses of the drug phenobarbital to quell the seizure activity. We finally left the hospital after 12 days, just three days before Christmas.

Although mom couldn't speak, her eyes said she was glad to be back home. We both were. After making her comfortable in bed, I checked the newly inserted feeding tube in her abdomen, and left her room feeling a little exhausted. When I returned, I noticed that mom was staring intently  toward the window in her room paying no attention to the fact that I had reentered her room. This was not like her. I was standing at the side of her bed, calling her name, and she didn't even notice me. Instead, she continued to focus on the window at the foot of her bed. Oddly, she had the most radiant glow on her face like nothing I'd ever seen. It made me think that she was seeing something that my eyes could not see. So I stood there silently waiting until she finally turned to notice me. I asked no questions of her as I prepared to bed her for the night.

The next morning the home-care nurse came by to check mom's vital signs. After she left, I bathed, dressed, and transferred mom to her wheelchair. She was a little weak but happy to be out of bed after the long hospital ordeal. We had lost some ground in our fight against MS during this latest hospital stay, but I told mother that we were not going to let MS get the better of us; we were in this fight to the end. Later that afternoon, sitting in her wheelchair, mom closed her eyes and slipped quietly into an unexpected coma. It was Christmas Eve.

I knew things didn't look good at that point, but I made the decision not to take her back to the hospital. She had made her wishes known in a Living Will and I was determined I would honor it. Going back to the hospital was not an option for us. It was mother's wish and mine that when death came, he would find her in her home. Even so, I held out hope that somehow mom would pull through as she had done in the past. I called for the home-care nurse, but she never came. Next, I called my older sister, and waited. During the long hours that I was alone with mom, I held her hand and talked to her. I believed that even in a coma, she could still hear me. Later that evening, my sister joined me in a bedside vigil for our mother. Together we watched, her knowing more than me, that imminent death was poised to take our mother from us. I remember talking about keeping mom hydrated and needing Pedialyte from the drugstore. My sister volunteered to go. It was after midnight when she left for the 24-hour pharmacy just a few blocks away. She was gone for an usually long time, which made me wonder if she was somewhere crying? I looked out the window.  It was snowing. I realized then it was Christmas Day.

Returning to mom's bedside,I continued gently stroking her arm and squeezing her hand. As I did this, I was startled by how ice cold she had suddenly become— like the life blood had drained from of her body. I checked to see if she was still breathing. She was, but just barely. Her breathing had become shallow and raspy like air escaping from a tire. I hurried to the other side of the bed to check her 1,000 ml drainage bag. By now, it should have been full from all the fluids she had been receiving through the feeding tube. Instead, it was empty except for reddish-brown residue in the bottom. My immediate thought was that her kidneys had shut down. For the first time during this whole ordeal, I allowed myself to entertain the real possibility that mom was slipping away— that death was imminent. I wasn't ready to let go, yet I didn't know what else to do. So, I cried out:

"Mom, it's Christmas. Please don't die on Christmas Day."

Suddenly, I got the urge to go to the bathroom. When I returned mom's bedside moments later, I took hold of her hand again. I noticed that something was different. Her hand, which was ice cold only moments ago, was noticeably warmer. My hands began to work their way around the rest of her— arms, legs,  feet, forehead—her whole body was now feverishly hot. I quickly hurried to the other side of the bed to check the drainage bag. To my surprise, the drainage bag that had only moments ago been empty was bursting beyond its capacity with pale, yellow urine. At that moment, I was struck with the stark realization that God was in the midst; had He heard my plea and had performed this miracle. God stopped death in its tracks.

Only God can make death take a detour. Knowing my mother, I imagine that there was some  negotiation between her and God that day just outside the gates of Heaven. I can picture her holding up one finger and saying to God, "Please Father God, let me go back for one more night?"  
And just like that HE granted her request.

Mom died the next day on December 26 that afternoon. My sister and I were together as mom breathed her last. This story could have ended there were it not for Jesus Christ, who came into this world so that we could have life. Because of Jesus, life doesn't end in the grave. Whoever believes in Jesus Christ has eternal life. I can't wait to see mother again I want to ask her what really happened on that fateful Christmas Day.

The soon return of Jesus Christ: Fact or fiction?

Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil

Easter, as celebrated by Christians the world over, marks the resurrection of Christ after his crucifixion on Good Friday. According to biblical accounts, after he was resurrected from the dead, Jesus ate, talked and met with his disciples. He was also seen by about 500 others during the 40-days before he ascended into heaven. But the story doesn't end there. The Bible foretells a second coming of Christ to earth at a future yet undetermined date. The Easter observance  serves to bring this prediction into even sharper focus at this time of the year.

Over the years, many people have claimed to know the exact date of Christ's return only to look foolish when their predictions proved wrong. This is not surprising since even Jesus himself doesn't know the exact date of his return, only God knows. Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matt 24:36-37). Nevertheless, there are still some people who try to trump the Creator by claiming to know the date of Christ's return.

A more recent and perhaps the most widely publicized example is Christian radio broadcaster, Harold Camping. After suffering a minor stroke, Camping later apologized for his heresy. Likewise, doomsday predictors have made predictions through the years about when the world would come to an end, again only to be proven wrong. Whether you believe that the world will end or in Christ's return is irrelevant. Ultimately, what happens and when it happens rests solely with God, notwithstanding your belief in him or lack thereof. Like in Fantasy Football , there will be winners and losers when Jesus returns. But until then, you get to decide on which team you will end up.

                                        The Resurrection Will Not Wait*

You won't be able to sit at home, brothers and sisters. You won't be able to tune in to CNN, NBC, BBC or CBS. You won't be able to make a run to the store real quick, or finish baking a cake for the Sunday school picnic because the Resurrection will not wait.

Let me say that again in case you missed it, "THE RESURRECTION WILL NOT WAIT!" The Resurrection will not wait for you to go to the drive-thru at McDonald's for a breakfast sandwich to go. There will be no delay until Shaq and Kobe win another championship.

The Resurrection will not make its worldwide comeback on Broadway or bring in the New Millennium at Paris' Folies Bergere. The Resurrection will not be shown on OWN.

Nor will there be no Lifetime movie starring Matt Damon or Kevin Hart as Jesus. The Resurrection will not be rebroadcast on cable in three parts. Or "On Demand," tivoed, or DVR'd for viewing at a later date because the Resurrection will not wait.

When the Resurrection comes, you will not be able to sign up for a crash course in Bible. The fact that you watched "The Passion of the Christ" on DVD won't count as righteous living. Serving on the church Usher Board, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School is your reasonable service, but won't earn you bonus points for the trip home when the Resurrection comes.

When the Resurrection comes, it won't be enough to have that old time religion. You must be born-again. The fact that you've belonged to the same church for umpteen years won't matter. You must be born-again. What part of "all have sinned" don't you understand? You must be born again when the Resurrection comes.

Make no mistake, the Resurrection is coming. No man knows the hour, day or year when Jesus will appear. So keep your lamp burning bright 'cause it could be tonight. Keep watch at all times and pray 'cause it could be today. Think you've got plenty of time? Think again or you'll be left behind when the Resurrection comes.

Make no mistake, Jesus is coming back. With the voice of the archangel and trump of God, Jesus will call the faithful up from their graves. Next, the redeemed who remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the sky. Everyone singing worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, riches, wisdom and might; honor, glory and blessings.

Every eye will see it, everywhere. Every eye everywhere will see Jesus when the Resurrection comes. When the Resurrection comes, it will not wait, will NOT wait for you to get ready. When the Resurrection comes, it will be too late.

*Copyright Carolyn K. Erwin

Who wants to be a millionaire?

 

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

Like the popular American TV show, the answer to this question is... nearly everybody.  Who hasn’t had dreams of striking it rich some day?  Such dreams entice millions of Americans to spend an estimated $160 billion a year in casinos and on state lotteries.  Sadly, for the majority of gamblers who throw hard earned money at games of chance, their big payday never comes.  And as for the fortunate few who beat the “millions to 1 odds” to win mega jackpots, winning may change their life, but not always for the better.

Money is no guarantee of happiness.  In fact, the Bible warns against what it calls “the lure of riches,” which can blind you to the things in life that really matter. The story is told of a rich man who was so wealthy that he kept building bigger barns to hold all of his wealth. One day, while he was admiring his possessions, he remarked to himself, “Friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!” When God heard him, God said to the rich man, “You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?”

What profit is there in gaining the whole world if you lose your soul? In light of eternity, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God. God desires to have a personal relationship with you. He promises that if you put him first, he will supply everything else you need.

It’s a sure bet that no one will leave this life alive. Everyone living at this moment in time will one day face death. But it doesn’t have to end there. God’s gift to the world is eternal life (Romans 6:23). But you must be willing to turn your life over to Jesus and let him call all the shots. Salvation is not a gamble. It's a free gift from God to anyone who wants it. Through faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you can receive your free gift right now by praying this simple prayer:

 Dear God, I accept your gift of salvation through Jesus Christ as the pardon for my sins.  I have sinned against you and I am truly sorry. By faith, I ask Jesus to come into my heart and help me to live the rest of my life for you.

If you said this prayer from your heart, your odds of winning at life have just increased. God has accepted you into his family. Contact a Christian ministry in your area or online for the next step toward your new life in Christ.

The Greatest Love of All

I remember when I first heard the song, "The Greatest Love of All" sung by one of the most gifted singers of all time, the late Whitney Houston. I embraced the words of that song like it was a personal anthem. The song was written by Philadelphia native Linda Creed in 1977. It talks about strength and courage in the face of struggle. At the time she wrote it, Creed was battling breast cancer that eventually took her life. She was 36. In all the recent tributes and talk about Houston's musical legacy, this song is often mentioned among her greatest. But I wonder if it really deserves the praise it receives.  

Every body's searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to

I never found anyone to fulfill my needs

A lonely place to be

 So I learned to depend on me

I decided long ago never to walk in any one's shadow

If I fail, if I succeed

At least I'll live as I believe

No matter what they take from me

They can't take away my dignity

The song ends with this refrain,

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

Is the greatest love of all

Technically speaking, it's a beautifully crafted song. However, my problem is with the message that it conveys. This song encourages you to think more highly of yourself than you should, and also, only of yourself.  It invites you to be selfish and self-centered to the exclusion of all others. Isn't that what's wrong with the culture today? We have become more selfish and self-centered. Whitney Houston lived these lyrics to the hilt and it killed her. I, too, took those lyrics to heart 35 years ago and it nearly killed me.  The difference is, in the midst of my madness I found Jesus, the greatest lover of them all, who died for my sins to save my soul. God's love pulled me back from the brink of destruction. His love is the greatest love of all.

Nowhere is love illustrated, demonstrated and celebrated more than in the holy Bible. There we read about God's love for the world, for mankind, for us individually, and for the church. And we learn what true, genuine, unconditional love is. This kind of love is lacking in the world, and in so much of our lives today. You won't find it in a Valentine card, flowers or a box of candy. These things are nice to give and to get. Romantic love is temporary (here today, gone tomorrow), but God's love is eternal (everlasting). So sad that in her brief, tumultuous life, Whitney Houston never found anyone or anything to fulfill her needs ---not Bobby Brown, not drugs, not alcohol, not fame, not fortune. That empty place in our hearts can only be filled by Jesus Christ. Salvation is a process whereby your life changes over time as you allow the Holy Spirit to produce his fruit in you. None of us is perfected yet. We all have flaws that we wish we didn't have. And some of us still sin even after accepting Christ. But our God, by His grace, mercy and love, still offers us the opportunity to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. Now if that isn't the greatest love of all, I don't know what is.

Note: Read this article on love based on Rom 12:9-13. Go to  http://bible.org/seriespage/what-thing-called-love-romans-129-13

Jesus and The Electric Slide

"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."  Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:22-23


If Jesus were still alive today, do you think he would do the Electric Slide if it meant saving another soul?  From what I've read about Jesus, I think he would and here's why. First of all, Jesus was very relational. He cared more about people than he did tradition. In fact, he often broke with the traditions of the religious leaders of his day to reach out those persons he wanted to heal and set free. Sinners were not welcome in the religious institutions of that day. They were often found outside the temple gate begging for alms. 

But Jesus changed all that by taking the Gospel to them. Jesus earned "street cred" by eating with sinners and associating with men and women whose reputations were considered unwholesome. In fact, Jesus made his reputation by doing some of his best known miracles among social outcasts, namely lepers, cripples, thieves and demon-possessed. I believe if the Electric Slide had been around in Jesus' day, he would have found a way to re-purpose it and use it to attract people to the Gospel. 1 Samuel 16:7 says that " the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 

Those who criticize others for dancing in church are looking on the outward appearance. They lack the spiritual discernment to see beyond the physical realm. Dancing in church is not an evil as long as the purpose is to glorify God. 2 Samuel 6:14 says King David, a man after God's heart, "danced before the Lord with all his might." And as David danced, God was looking at his heart, and was so pleased by David's worship that he made mention of it in the Bible. If the Bible were still being written today, I wonder how many Sunday church services would be worthy of mention? 

Jesus set the example for the Church. To be relevant today, the Church must relate to where people are --- spiritually as well as physically. Jesus did not sit in the temple and wait for sinners to come to him; he went after them, often undertaking exhaustive, cross country trips in the process. Some religious folk have a hard time with this concept because they think there's something sacred about stained glass windows and polished pews. Far from it. All that it means is that the world can't see in and the Church can't see out. Far too many "Church folk" are reluctant to leave their pew to "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them [sinners] to come in, that my [God's] house may be filled" Luke 14:22-24.

What would happen if the Church broke with tradition every now and again, and fired up a bar-be-cue pit on the back lot, blasted some uptempo praise tunes from the church speakers and just had a good ole time in the Lord? I say, turn up the volume and let's dance. Who knows, it just might shake up the neighborhood and attract some lost soul passing by to Christ. 

Jeopardy!

Jeopardy is a popular television game show that rewards contestants when they guess the right question for a given answer. I used to be a Jeopardy fanatic. For years, I played along from the comfort of my living room, often guessing more right "questions" than I did wrong. I used to brag that if I ever got a chance to play for real, I could become Jeopardy champ and win a lot of money doing it. Then one day, I heard that the Jeopardy tryouts were coming to my hometown. This was my chance to go to Hollywood I told myself. So I signed up and reported for my big day.

The room was filled with a hundred other Jeopardy wannabees like me--BRAINIACS all. The tryouts were a process of elimination to determine who would ultimately get a chance to appear on the "real" show. The rules were read, and the game began. All I can say is, it was brutal. The answers were more difficult than any I'd ever had to face on the TV version. I didn't have a clue as to what the questions were. But neither did most of my competition. After about an hour when the cerebral dust had settled, one guy was left standing; and he only made it into the "second" round. I was deflated. It took a long time before I ever watched an episode of Jeopardy again.


Which brings me to the reason for this blog. Its about questions of a different sort. Did you know that there will be questions to answer in heaven? The bible tells us that everyone will have to give an account of himself or herself to God for the deeds done while in the body (Rom 14:12, Heb 4:13, 1 Peter 4:5). There's no escaping it. Like in a courtroom, every one of us will stand before God, the righteous judge, to be questioned by Him about what we did with our lives. And what you say, as well as not having anything to say, could very well put you in jeopardy.


If I had been able to get a hold of those Jeopardy answers in advance, I would have been better prepared to give the right questions. Unlike Jeopardy, God has given us the answers in advance, as well as, a lifetime to prepare. And not only that, He gave us a sinless role model in Jesus Christ to pattern our lives after; an infallible study guide, the Holy Bible, to help us clean up our lives; and a patient teacher, the Holy Spirit, to direct us. So, "[We] have everything we need for life and godliness," (2 Peter 1:3). How about it? Will you have the right answers when your turn comes before the righteous Judge? That's the question. What's your answer? Post a comment to share your thoughts.

Drawing from the well within

I've seen a few dotting the landscape mostly rural communities, but I can't really say that I have ever drank from one---a well, that is. As a city dweller, I'm so used to getting water from a protected, chlorinated supply that is conveniently piped into my home. So glad I don't have to go outside in all kinds of weather to drop a bucket down a hole in the ground. As for which is better--well vs tap-- I've heard that well water tastes better; and may even be better for you. But regardless of where it comes from no one would argue that water is essential to life. Makes me wonder if that's what God had that in mind when he created the seas first and had them cover two-thirds of the earth's surface. And even though he created man from the dust, our bodies are composed of 60 per cent water; some organs, like the brain, are as much as 90 per cent water.

Besides being a necessity for life, water can kill. People have drowned in it. Whole communities like New Orleans, La. and Johnstown, Pa. have been flooded by it. Wars have been fought over it (water rights). The BP oil disaster demonstrated how reckless pollution of our waters can devastate both human and animal species. Our dependence on water for survival is universal for human and animal kind alike. Even if we journey into outer space to explore other life forms, the first thing that astronauts look for is whether there is a sustainable water source on the planet.

Jesus often used water as a metaphor for spiritual things. The Holy Spirit is often referred to as "living water" freely given to those who ask (John 4:10). The Bible speaks of water to illustrate the purifying effect of God's Word in making us holy "by the washing of water through the word (Eph 5:26). By contrast, a church that doesn't preach the Word of God, and a people that won't heed and obey God's Word are a dirty bunch---carnal and undisciplined. Who complains of thirst, and then, when a glass of water is set before him, just stares at it?  In the same way, Jesus offers sinners "living water" but to enjoy its benefits, we must come to the source and drink freely. Are you thirsty?