bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

His Word Is Not Empty

“As the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

Thank you for joining us in prayer. Today Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking of the Fast) as Ramadan ends. These celebrations vary since Muslims originate from many different countries. However, some things, such as offering congregational Eid prayers and enjoying a feast with family and friends, are universal. 

We ask that you continue to pray for Muslims throughout the year. Here are some scriptures to pray:

Pray for the removal of spiritual blindness:

“The God of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

“This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” (Matthew 13:13)

Pray for signs and wonders:

“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:29-30)

“This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders, and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” (Hebrews 2:3-4)

Pray for salvation:

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

PRAYER POINT

People worldwide have been praying for the salvation of Muslims for the past 30 days. We know God has heard our prayers and is answering. Pray that now the Holy Spirit will breathe life on all that has been done, watering the seeds of prayer and sending believers across the path of Muslims to continue to speak the life of Christ and unveil the truth to their hearts, resulting in the salvation of multitudes of Muslims. We believe God to populate heaven as a result of our prayers. Thank you for your faithfulness!

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

10 Things the Qur’an Says About Christians

The Qur’an has much to say about Christians. 

  1. Christians believe in three gods and should be punished for their belief. Sura 5:73: “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the third of three.’ And there is not god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment. 
  1. Christians are deluded and should be destroyed. Sura 9:30: “The Jews say, ‘Ezra is the son of Allah’; and the Christians say, ‘The Messiah is the son of Allah.’ That is their statement from their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved [before them]. May Allah destroy them; how are they deluded?”
  1. Christians believe in idols and false gods. Sura 4:51: “Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in superstition and false objects of worship and say about the disbelievers, ‘These are better guided than the believers as to the way’”
  1. Christians are defiantly disobedient. Sura 5:59: “Say, ‘O People of the Scripture, do you resent us except [for the fact] that we have believed in Allah and what was revealed to us and what was revealed before and because most of you are defiantly disobedient’”
  1. Christians hid and overlooked their scriptures. Sura 5:15: “O People of the Scripture, there has come to you Our Messenger making clear to you much of what you used to conceal of the Scripture and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book.”
  1. Allah has stirred up hatred and animosity among Christians. Sura 5:14: “And from those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ We took their covenant; but they forgot a portion of that which they were reminded. So We caused among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is going to inform them about what they used to do.”
  1. Allah has cursed Christians. Sura 4:52: “Those [Christians and Jews] are the ones whom Allah has cursed; and he whom Allah curses – never will you find for him a helper.”
  1. Christians will burn in hell. Sura 5:72: “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, the son of Mary’ while the Messiah has said, ‘O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Indeed, he who associates others with Allah – Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge is the Fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers and helpers.”
  1. Muslims cannot be friends of Christians. Sura 5:51: “O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.”
  1. Christians must believe what Allah revealed to Muhammad or they are cursed. Sura 4:47: “O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Muhammad], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbath-breakers. And ever is the decree of Allah accomplished.”

PRAYER POINT:

Although most people believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God, Islam is the opposite of Christianity. As we are nearing the end of Ramadan for this year, we must see Muslims through the eyes of Jesus and continue all year to pray for their salvation. They will be lost eternally unless they realize that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. We remember that Jesus instructed Christians to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44). May God use our prayers to bring change to lives around the world for His glory!

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Night of Power

In the Bible, in Genesis 16:11, Ishmael was the first person named by the living God before he was even born. His name means “God hears.” Ishmael is mentioned several times throughout the Qur’an, and through the Islamic scripture, he is considered a messenger, prophet, and one preferred by God. The Qur’an upholds the Muslim belief that Ishmael, not Isaac, was Abraham’s ultimate heir.

Near the end of Ramadan’s 30 days is the “Night of Power” (Laylat Al Qadr), Muslims’ holiest night of the year. It commemorates the night that Muslims believe their Prophet Muhammad received the first revelations of the Qur’an, recorded in Sura 96. Most Islamic scholars believe it falls on one of the odd-numbered nights of Ramadan’s final ten days but is typically celebrated on the 27th day.

They believe that from sunset to dawn, during the whole Night of Power, groups of angels perform particular purposes and are only seen on this night. Some angels come down for worship or to grant the request of the believing Muslim. Other angels come down, bringing with them proclamations of the coming year.

Today many Muslims think this is a special night when God gives heed to their requests. They are open to dreams and visions as they seek guidance and revelation. Many Muslims pray all night, seeking a response to specific requests. One common belief is that angels will shower down Allah’s peace and blessings on all who remain awake during this “night of power.” According to the Qur’an, Allah either listens directly or via the angel Gabriel to the requests of Muslims concerning their fate.

Many Muslims have had supernatural encounters with Jesus Christ on this night and during the following weeks. Muslims also call this the “Night of Destiny.” It seems equally important among orthodox Muslims and in Folk Islam.

Muslims are encouraged to stay awake the entire night and pray for blessings and forgiveness. According to Abu Huraira translation of the Hadith, the prophet Muhammed declared that “whoever prays during the Night of Power with faith and hoping for its reward will have all his previous sins forgiven.” Many things a Muslim will endeavor to do on the Night of Power, include reciting and studying the Quran, making special requests from Allah, evaluating their own lives, and making plans for the next year.

For the past 1400 years, many Muslims have stayed up all night to prove their devotion to Allah through their prayers, even being proud of their religious accomplishments. Others, knowing in their hearts that they are incapable of really pleasing God by their own religious activity, will feel disappointed with themselves. Finally, significant numbers will be praying in desperation and genuinely seeking help from God and will have a dream or vision of Jesus.

Our God has not forgotten that He named Abraham’s son Ishmael, which means “God hears.” Today God hears the cries of Ishmael’s descendants who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Let us cry out that they will indeed be guided to the true right path – the path to peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER POINT

Father God, this is when Muslims seek their god on the Night of Power, called the Night of Destiny. We know the sons of Ishmael want to find You, the Living God, through our Lord Jesus, yet they don’t have that revelation. You named Abraham’s son Ishmael because his name declares that You hear him, and we believe You hear his descendants. As they are open to hearing, we declare they will listen to the voice of truth! Glorify Your Son Jesus in their lives and reveal His Lordship. We believe that this Ramadan 2023, more Muslims will turn to Christ than at any time in history. AMEN!

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Religion or Politics

The world’s population reached 8 billion people on November 15, 2022. Of those 8 billion people, Christianity and Islam are the two religions with the greatest number of followers worldwide. By mid-2023, it is projected there will be over 2.6 billion Christians (32.5%) and 2 billion Muslims (25%).

We have demonstrated some theological differences that make it clear that Christians and Muslims do not worship the same god. However, Islam is unique in the way it attempts to treat those who are not Muslims which makes Islam more than a religion; it also makes it a political system.

Religion is defined as “belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered to be divine.” Politics, however, can be defined as “the use of strategy or intrigue in obtaining power, control or status.” Religion is between a follower and their god. Politics is between men.

Once Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina, his message evolved from primarily religious to political and militaristic. In the first 13 years of Islam (the Mecca period), Islam averaged 11 to 12 converts per year; however, in the Medina period, Islam averaged around 10,000 new Muslims yearly. Dr. Bill Warner from Political Islam estimates based on the number of followers during the Mecca period as opposed to the Medina period of Muhammad’s life, Islam’s success as a religion during Muhammad’s lifetime was about 0.3%. Still, its success as a political system was 99.7%. If Islam had remained only a religion, it would not exist today.

The difference between the religion of Islam and the politics of Islam is found in its treatment of the “kafirs.” Kafir is translated from Arabic as “unbeliever”; however, the translation does not accurately confer the meaning.  Kafir refers to “people who reject Allah or deny or hide the truth revealed by Him. One who knowing what is true decides to forget the evidence, decides to sidetrack, deceive himself.” Kafir refers to all non-Muslims – Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, pagans, atheists, etc., and political Islam seeks to control non-Muslims.

There are some positive verses in the Qur’an about the kafirs, such as sura 109:6, “You to your religion and me to my religion.” Still, the overwhelming majority of verses (around 97%) about kafirs are quite negative. According to Islam, kafirs are ignorant (sura 6:111), disgraced (sura 37:18), cursed (sura 33:60-61), can be killed (sura 4:91),  raped (Ishaq 759), stolen from (Bukhari 5, 59, 537), crucified (sura 5:33), made war on (sura 9:29), and annihilated (sura 6:45). 64% of the Qur’an, 81% of the Sira, and 32% of the Hadith are about the kafir. Overall 60% of the Islamic texts deal with the kafir, which means the majority of Islam is political rather than religious.

PRAYER POINT

The Best Current News Ramadan Series is primarily to pray for Muslims to have their spiritual eyes opened and see and receive Jesus Christ as Lord. A secondary purpose is to inform Christians about the beliefs of Islam because 2/3 of people in the United States (and other Western nations) believe we all worship the same God. This is contrary to what is taught by God in His Holy Scriptures. Today, pray that Muslims will receive a revelation of Christ, and Christians will learn that the beliefs of Islam are the opposite of the Truth of God, giving them a burden to pray for and reach out to Muslims with the gospel of Christ.

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Adoption of Children in Islam

On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria. This earthquake was followed by another almost as powerful, and over 10,000 aftershocks. The death toll from these earthquakes has now surpassed 50,000 people, and many children in the region are now orphans.

Many have applied to adopt these children; however, Turkey’s religious authority, the Diyanet, caused an uproar when they released a statement explaining that Islam does not fully recognize adoption and actually allows parents to marry their adopted children. The Diyanet promptly removed the statement from their website and said those criticizing them were taking its advice out of context. 

The concept of adoption in Islam is different from that in Western nations. The Qur’an repeatedly says that Muhammad is the perfect Muslim, so a Muslim should imitate Muhammad to practice Islam correctly. This is how the concept of adoption was established in Islam. 

In pre-Islamic Arabia, adoptions were similar to Western adoptions, with children taking on the name of the adoptive parents and receiving an inheritance from them. However, Muhammad rejected this procedure, so the Western concept of adoption does not exist in Islam. Instead, there is a system more akin to a foster care relationship in the West called “kafala.” In Western adoptions, the child becomes a full member of the family, taking on the adoptive family’s name. In Islam, the child retains his biological name.

The adoption example for Islam comes from the life of Mohammad. Zayd bin Hâritha (son of Hâritha) was captured in an inter-tribal raid and sold into slavery. Upon arrival in Mecca, he became a slave for Khadijah (Muhammad’s first wife.). She then gave him as a present to Muhammad when they were married. Zayd’s biological father and uncle later found him in Mecca and wanted to buy him out of slavery. Zayd confirmed to Muhammad that the men were his father and uncle, and they offered to pay any price to Muhammad in order to free the boy. However, Muhammad offered Zayd a choice to leave with them or stay with him.

Zayd chose to stay with Muhammad, so Muhammad freed him and adopted him as a son. His name became Zayd bin Muhammad (Zayd, son of Muhammad), and he was one of the first converts to Islam.

Years later, Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina. Zayd was married to a woman named Zainab and eventually divorced her. Later during a trance, Muhammad stated that he received a revelation that Allah wedded Zainab to Muhammad in heaven.

Muhammad married her, but this caused a problem for him since, in their culture, it was considered wrong to marry your son’s wife. Muhammad then stated he received a new revelation from Allah: Allah did not make your adopted sons your real sons. (Sura 33:4). From this point forward, an adopted son was no longer considered a full part of the family. Muhammad continued to say that Allah gave him permission to marry Zayd’s ex-wife (Sura 33:37). Zayd’s name once again became Zayd bin Hâritha.

Since Muhammad received the revelation that adopted sons are not real sons, even in the West today, Muslims cannot fully adopt children.

PRAYER POINT

For the Christian, Galatians 4:4-5 reveals that God has chosen to speak of us as adopted and being children by the new birth. God sees us now as joint heirs with Christ. For this reason, Christians see adopted children as their very own. Since this is a foreign concept in Islam, pray that God will override their traditions and make way for Muslim children without parents to be released and welcomed into godly homes where they can learn of and receive the truth of the gospel of Christ.

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Son or Slave?

As Christians, our adoption by God into His family is the most lavish of blessings and a demonstration of His love. “In love, He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Ephesians 1:5). As adopted children, we are given the full rights and privileges of sonship. We are delivered from the penalty of sin. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit guaranteeing our inheritance. And “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him, we cry, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15).

In contrast, Islam means total submission to the will of Allah. The Islamic Unity Society explains, “To totally submit to the Will of Allah is to succumb to that superior status of Allah’s Lordship and to obey as would an obedient slave his wise master.” Al-Islam proclaims, “Slavery is the key to sanctity. The title “slave” is the best of titles.” Muslim scholar, Nouman Ali Khan, explained it this way, “slavery to anyone other than Allah is humiliation, but slavery to Allah is an honor.”

Submitting to Allah includes five basic acts which are considered mandatory by Muslims. A list of these five acts or pillars as they are known in Islam are found in Sahih al-Bukhari: 

Allah’s Apostle said: Islam is based on (the following) five (principles): 

  1. To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle.
  2. To offer the (compulsory congregational) prayers dutifully and perfectly. 
  3. To pay Zakat. (i.e., obligatory charity) 
  4. To perform Hajj. (i.e., Pilgrimage to Mecca) 
  5. To observe fast during the month of Ramadan.

The first pillar is a confession of faith called the shahada. The confession, “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah” is to be declared in Arabic and must be said with conviction and an understanding of its meaning. The first part, “there is no god but Allah,” declares that only Allah can be worshipped and that Allah has no partner or son. The second part declares that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. It should be noted that you do not become a Muslim by simply pronouncing the words. The oral declaration is a reflection of the belief that is held in one’s heart.

The complete shahada does not appear in the Qur’an. It is actually found in Sura 9:31 and in Sura 33:40. As soon as a baby is born into a Muslim family, these words are whispered into his ears, and if possible, a Muslim is encouraged to repeat the words as he is dying.

The idea of Allah having a son is blasphemy in Islam, so it stands to reason that the thought of the God of the Bible granting sonship to Christians is outlandish to Muslims.

PRAYER POINT:

As a child of God, our relationship with the Lord is not characterized by a fear of losing our relationship; we have been bought with a price! We enjoy a personal relationship as sons and daughters. For Muslims, being a slave of Allah means they obey out of fear of punishment and passively do what they are told. As a slave, they do not have a personal relationship with Allah. 

We pray, “Father God, remove the blindness of Muslims by opening their eyes and giving them hunger and longing for a relationship with the True and Living God. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, bring many Muslims during this Ramadan season into Your heavenly kingdom.”

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Salvation

In Acts 4, Peter and John were arrested and brought before the high priest and other leaders for preaching about Jesus and his resurrection after healing a man who had been lame since birth. Despite being threatened and ordered not to speak about Jesus, Peter boldly claimed, “It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed…Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:10;12).

Romans 10:9-10 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation.” 

The Bible tells us that God desires that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4) and that salvation is a gift. We cannot earn it. (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is clear that salvation comes only through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Qur’an states, “And if Allah had willed, He could have made you [of] one religion, but He causes to stray whom He wills and guides whom He wills” (Sura 16:93).

Muslims do not believe Jesus died on the cross, so they do not believe in the resurrection. They believe Allah took Jesus to paradise. “Jesus son of Mary, Allah’s messenger’ they slew him not nor crucified him, but it appeared so unto them…But Allah took him up unto Himself” (Sura 4:157-158). The Islamic version of Jesus returns to the earth, but his purpose is to establish Islam as the only religion in the world. Many Muslims believe this means that Jesus will punish Christians and Jews for not accepting Muhammad as the prophet of Allah (Al-Bukhari Volume 3, Hadith 425).

Islam is a religion of works. “And those whose scales are heavy [with good deeds] – it is they who are the successful. But those whose scales are light – those are the ones who have lost their souls, [being] in hell, abiding eternally” (sura 23:102–103). Muslims believe two recording angels record all of a person’s good deeds and intentions throughout their lives. 

Islam has no Savior. Allah is said to have brought his laws to men, and Muslims, by keeping those laws, must satisfy Allah’s requirements and win Allah’s approval. A Muslim does not know whether he will go to paradise or hell. The arbitrary will of Allah makes the decision, and no one can predict what that decision will be.

PRAYER POINT

Continue to pray that during this holy week that multitudes will be presented with the truth of the gospel and, for the first time, have the courage to receive Jesus! A recent video was shared by a Christian broadcaster who was discussing with a Muslim man the difference between Jesus and Allah, and the Christian told the man to look up particular scriptures where Jesus told of His love for mankind and that He (John 14:1-3) was preparing a place for each person, all the Muslim needed to do was receive the free gift of Christ. As the Muslim man read the scripture, the love of Christ visibly touched his heart, and he immediately responded and received Jesus into his heart.

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Core Message

The Bible states, “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:2-4). 

The sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is the core message of Christianity. In Islam, however, Muslims do not believe Jesus was crucified. The Qur’an says, “And [for] their saying, ‘Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah.’ And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but [another] was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain” (Sura 4:157).

There are several explanations of the crucifixion of Christ in Islam. These include:

  1. People saw an illusion of Jesus being crucified, but the event never happened.
  2. Someone else was substituted for Jesus. Islam teaches that Jesus was a prophet, but that Jesus did not die on the cross, because Muslims do not believe a prophet of Islam can be killed in such a terrible way as crucifixion. Many Muslims believe Judas or Simon of Cyrene actually died on the cross, not Jesus.
  3. Jesus was crucified, but did not die, he fainted. 

The Biblical account of Jesus’ death is clear. Jesus said that he would be killed (Matthew 16:21; 20:17-19, 20:28). Each of the gospels describe the crucifixion (Matthew 27:34-35; Mark 15:22-24; Luke 23:32-33; John 16:19-20). In addition, the crucifixion and death of Jesus are spoken of throughout the New Testament (Acts 2:23-24; Romans 5:6; 1 Corinthians 1:23; Hebrews 2:9; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). 

Since Islam denies the crucifixion of Christ, they also deny the resurrection of Christ. 

PRAYER POINT

We enter this holy week by recognizing the death and burial of Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead on Sunday morning. As Christians, we celebrate all our Lord Jesus has done for us. Pray for the Muslim community; that they will desire to see and understand what His death on the cross truly means. Ask God to bring people across their path to share the gospel of Christ or have them tune in to a video, a story, or something that will give them the actual truth of what has happened because of the cross of Christ, opening their eyes and hearts to the One who is Truth.

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Contradictory Accounts

The Bible and the Qur’an offer contradictory accounts of Jesus, beginning with the narrative of Jesus’ birth. 

The birth of Jesus is a story that most Christians are quite familiar with – Caesar Augustus had issued a decree that a census should be taken, so Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem to be counted. While in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She placed him in a manger because there were no rooms available. Shepherds in the fields nearby were visited by an angel who announced that a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, had been born. The angel told the shepherds they would find the baby in a manger. Then a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God. After the angels left, the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found the baby, just as the angel said (Luke 2:1-18). 

The Qur’an offers quite a different story about Jesus’ birth. In the Qur’an, Mary gives birth to Jesus under a palm tree. While in labor, she grabs the palm tree wishing she could die. However, Allah provides a stream of water under her feet where she can get a drink, and she is told to shake the palm tree’s trunk so she will have ripe fresh dates. (Sura 19:23-25). 

After she gives birth, she carries the baby back to her people, who question her about the child. She has been commanded to take a vow of silence, so rather than answering, she points at the child. Then the infant Jesus says, “Lo! I am the slave of Allah. He hath given me the Scripture and hath appointed me a Prophet…And lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path” (Sura 19:30; 36).

Jesus in the Qur’an identifies himself as Allah’s servant, which contradicts the Biblical account of God sending His Son. The most likely source for the Qur’an’s version is from apocryphal writings. The New Testament Apocrypha is a collection of writings that are, for the most part, either about or pseudonymously attributed to New Testament figures. These writings have never been viewed as canonical by any of the major branches of Christianity, nor is there any reason t believe that the traditions they record have any historical validity. The story about the palm tree is quite similar to an account in the Gospel of Pseudo Matthew. 

For a Muslim, Jesus is merely a prophet of Islam, pointing to their final prophet, Muhammad. To believe that Jesus Christ is God is “shirk;”it is blasphemy. The Bible says in 1 John 2:22-23, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

PRAYER POINT

The Lord Jesus said in Scripture in John 6:44-45, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who had heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”

As we enter “Holy Week,” and as Muslims seek their god during Ramadan, pray that Father God will draw Muslims, convict them of sin, and receive the revelation of His truth of receiving salvation through Jesus Christ. 

bestcurrentnews 2023 Ramadan Prayer

Love

One significant difference between the Qur’an and the Bible is how the texts view and reveal love. 

One of the most familiar passages to Christians, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. The word “loved” in this verse comes from the Greek word “agapao” which means “unconditional love, love by choice and by an act of the will.” 

In the Bible, God’s love has nothing to do with obeying laws or performing rituals. God’s agape love for the world is a sacrificial love available to all because, as the Bible says, “God is love.”

Allah’s love falls into two distinct categories in the Qur’an, negative and positive. In some passages, the Qur’an talks about man’s love of things, such as life and wealth. Other love references are about human love, including man’s love for Allah. 

The Qur’an tells us that Allah loves

  •     Those who do good
  •     The pure and clean
  •     Those who are righteous
  •     The just
  •     Those who trust Allah
  •     Those who love Allah and follow Muhammad
  •     Those who fight in Allah’s cause

But the Qur’an also says Allah does not love

  •     Transgressors
  •     The corrupt
  •     Unbelievers (anyone not a Muslim)
  •     Wrongdoers
  •     Wasters
  •     Boasters
  •     The treacherous
  •     Those given to crime and evil speaking

As Christians, we know that “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” His love is extended to all. 

The Islamic god does not love non-Muslims. His love is only for good, righteous, and just Muslims. It is a love completely conditional on obedience to his laws, even for Muslims.

PRAYER POINT

Former Muslim Mosab Hassan Yousef is a Palestinian who worked undercover for Israel’s internal security service Shin Bet from 1997 to 2007. He received Jesus Christ as Lord after he was in Jerusalem, and a Christian showed him the red letters of Jesus in the Bible where He said, “Love your enemies.” He had never heard that; he only had heard of killing your enemies. Those words penetrated his heart, and he began searching for truth. 

Pray for Muslims today that Holy Spirit will reveal truths to them simply yet profoundly, causing them to search for the true love of God through Jesus Christ.