Local commitment – Global impact

J. Herbert Kane summarizes the geographic expansion of the early church in this way: “The Book of Acts opens with 120 timid disciples meeting secretly in an upper room in Jerusalem for fear of their enemies. A generation later, when the Book of Acts closes, the gospel had been preached as far west as Rome; and there was a thriving Christian church in almost every city of significance in the Eastern part of the empire.” The hope of expanding the message of the Kingdom of God during those crucial years of the Pentecost fell in the hands of brave men and women.

It is clear to see how the partnering of followers of Christ, no matter the cost, at that crucial time in history served to unleash the power of the gospel to vast geographic boundaries.  This was done because hope overtook fear, giving birth to an unrelentless mission for Christ.They met secretly and they used every means possible to continue communications for encouragement, support, and the advancement of the mission at hand. Bold and relentless indeed.

When I think about “timid disciples meeting secretly in an upper room in Jerusalem for fear of their enemies,” I contrast it to the reality of today where it takes relentless emails, checking of schedules and putting aside of ego’s, towards initiatives to bring local churches, people, agencies and outreaches together for a mere discussion.  I can already hear the great murmur that each local church, agency and or outreach initiatives have busy schedules and already full agenda's. I can hear the voice of realism saying, yes this all sounds great, but it is not realistic. No one said it would be easy, but by labelling such partnerships as unattainable, we in fact are also telling God, the true orchestrator of such partnerships, that His power is limited.

The hope of the Great Commission depends on unity and collaboration. It was not to be an independent pursuit. The growing partnership of churches and outreaches develop a universal character of Christ’s church that would be more clearly exhibited. No time ever in history has it been easier to do so than now through internet, technology, limitless resources and modes of communication. We become comfortable with our excuses. 

Let me place the focus of my thoughts and emotions on the main issue:  In the globalized and highly integrated world we live in today, how we carry out local outreach agenda's have long lasting and powerfully effective global implications. Let me now be even more specific with respect to what fuels my mission: How we reach and build bridges with Muslims in our local communities have long lasting and powerfully effective global implications. What we do here, matters there. What we do here, effects there.

Here is another truth that I declare confidently and boldly: We can not logically, responsibly, or honestly have a discussion about the completion of the Great Commission without a conversation about reaching the Muslim world.  Without this conversation, we run into the danger of spiritual disillusionment and denial about the task that God has entrusted us with. 

The paradigm I dream of contains the idea of joint actions by churches, agencies and people that, when linked together, increases the effectiveness of both local and global evangelical efforts. The key word to this paradigm is “we.” The question that various Muslim outreaches need to asks is “What is our role in obeying the Great Commission?” There becomes an emotionally unified and focused partnership and ownership in building bridges with Muslims in our local communities.  This model of partnership assumes an interdependent perspective. Here is the true obstacle to this oversimplified and hopeful vision: Us.  Yet, I continue to think back to the fearful disciples huddled together secretly in an upper room for fear of their enemies.

I praise God that I am in Kansas City. The spirit of God is truly magnified here! The spirit of unity by followers of Christ is brilliant! I am so proud of the global Muslim outreaches we initiate. However, we must also recognize and focus initiatives on local  Muslim outreaches to address the fast growing Muslim populations at our doorsteps.  Once again, we must work with the reality that local Muslim outreaches have global implications.  What deeply excites me is that God is doing most of the work for us! He is bringing the Muslim world here! He is bringing them to us as our neighbour's, business owners, co -workers and classmates. We can no longer allow and accept the fact that there are so many Muslims integrated into our local communities and networks, yet go on living here in America for years without a single friendship with an American! Forget a single friendship with a Christian, I am speaking of a friendship with just any American. What a tragedy indeed.

You may ask, how can building bridges of friendship and love with Muslims in the local level have global implications to Muslim evangelism? I would like to highlight two main points here.  We know that one of the greatest obstacles to bringing the gospel to a foreign culture is that the gospel message is introduced as a “foreign hope.” A foreign message. There exists a cultural separation in which the gospel message must pass over. When a Muslim person in America comes to know the Lord and accepts the invitation to God’s Kingdom, they in essence become that needed cultural bridge to take over the message of salvation to their culture.  The fantastic and powerful result is that the Muslim background believer is not only planted back into their home country, community and networks, but they also take the gospel message back with them.  The gospel MUST flow naturally, genuinely, and gradually within the natural networks and hearts of the Muslim community trying to be reached.  The gospel message is rooted from within, rather than imposed from the outside, penetrating deep into the fabric of that society; flowing naturally.

The second way that the local level outreach has global implications is that through the various Muslim networks and people that we build relations with here in our local American communities, we gain access to enter into the various networks, communities, homes and hearts in the global Muslim world. Our relationships with Muslims and Muslim outlets here in KC, allow us to be accepted without hostility and suspicion to various Muslim outlets around the world.  Through such networks built on relationships, we enter the Muslim world as friends and not imposters.

Revelations 7:9 is a gorgeous and breathtaking picture that resonates deep into my heart and mind and serves as my fuel for reaching Muslims.  When I dream about that image where the multitude of every tongue, nation, language and tribe look up at the throne of God in worship, declaring His glory, I regain focus on what my fight is  all about. I regain strength and perspective. I fight…. I believe that God wants all of His children to fight for the Muslim people that God loves, to be included in that crowd, in that multitude, giving all praise and glory to Him.  I will continue to fight to have our Muslim brothers and sisters there with us, in that crowd, worshipping and praising. Writer Robert E. Coleman said, evangelism is not an optional accessory to our Christian life, rather it is a matter of obligation as Christ’s ambassadors. I passionately believe that in that fold of obligation also sits firmly the obligation to reach the Muslim world.  This is my passion.

For this passion to come alive and be unleashed, I dream of the unity of local Muslim outreaches to unite in partnership for a truly global effort. Maybe I am naive. Maybe I am just a dreamer. But for now, it is what fuels me until God tells me otherwise. Once again, the thoughts of my mind and heart go back to, “120 timid disciples meeting secretly in an upper room in Jerusalem for fear of their enemies.”

 Only a small portion of the Christian world cannot carry the burden of 2.1 billion people. I do not propose that we all drop everything and become missionaries overseas in the Muslim world, nor do I advocate that we all become fully engaged within a local Muslim outreach. God did not give all of us that specific calling. However, what I do say is that we are all obligated as followers of Christ to share His love with Muslims that God has placed in our communities as neighbour's, business owners, co workers and classmates. When you reach out to your Muslim convenience store owner, that is your ministry and that is your commitment to this obligation and fight.

The result is that we each in a personal, individual and community level start to take on a very small portion of that 2.1 billion burden.

Mere random thoughts........

"He emptied Himself.... He humbled Himself..." Jesus showed the ultimate form of sacrifice and service. I ask myself with undeceiving honesty, do I truly humble myself through sacrifice and service?

 

"It is good for me, Lord, that Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn Thy righteous judgements, and may cast away all haughtiness of heart and all presumption." - Thomas a Kempis

 

God has blessed me immensely by using His faithful children as instruments of blessing upon me. Since I come from a culture that stands proud for giving rather than receiving, accepting such blessings has not been easy. The force of my culture places pride in the way, drowning out the spirit's voice that this is a gift from God. This in turn leads me to feel a sense of shame rather than to give glory to God for His continued protection and faithfulness. However, I cling to the reminder that Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death for me. He threw away the powers of His status and independence. The Son of God asked a Samaritan woman for water. The King of Kings lived in other people's homes and on other people's money because He had none of His own.  Our God had to be lent a boat, borrowed a donkey, and even being buried in a borrowed tomb.  I stand ashamed in the face of God's great sacrifice and service when I allow myself to look at God's blessings with cultural pride. 
 

Like man, culture was rooted in creation as a beautiful reflection of God's mighty works. Yet, like man, culture is drowning in sin.  I am not interested in becoming nor reflecting the many layers of the Christian "culture." For these layers are man made, adding on to the core of who Jesus really is and what He asks us to be and do.  Am I living for the Christian culture or am I living for Christ? Am I seeking to please Man or God? Has God's mission become "our" self-seeking mission? As I tear away the layers of culture that have been placed on both Jesus and I, I am left bare in the garden with my God- left to ask a simple question - Am I obeying you Lord? The tragedy is that we often seek the knowledge of faith without the obedience of faith. What good is the knowledge of faith without obedience to act it out? A tragedy indeed.

 

Has the loudness of people and even my own voice drowned out God's instructions about what I am to do for His mission? Have I allowed people, my own self-seeking ambitions, this world and even Christianity to distort Jesus? I want to be naked in the presence of God - bare in truth and identity. How do I truly know I am walking in the will of God? His word, light and fragrance will lead me and draw me to HIM - not the mission, but to HIM because HE is the mission. I will know in my silent moments of deep honesty and prayer. I will know when I wrap myself with the word of God. I will know when I feel Godly peace and joy as I "live" out my faith.

 

Maybe I need to just shut up and stop asking so many questions. Yet, I feel that it is God who is challenging me with them - answering my prayer to truly know Him, His mission and how He wants to use me.  Books, Christians, Ministry leaders and even the church serve as resources for spiritual direction - true. However, I would rather have clarity from God Himself and His word - the true authority and the only truth.

 

 

Hello all!

I have not put up a new post for a while now!! Fortunately for good reasons. I have been busy with ministry work and travelling, but I look forward to getting back to my blog therapy. I have much to share with you and all the amazing things that our Lord has been doing in my life. His faithfulness surpasses my understanding. He is so good! I am hungry for more of Him!

My blog post will be up soon my friends!! Talk to you then!

I have had the amazing opportunity to begin my public speaking and teaching sessions. It thrills me to share my story and to speak about the topics that both ignite my heart and sits as a burden upon it. My passion is to articulate the urgency of the Gospel, and how this moment in history is one that see's the gospel message transforming people and places at an astonishing pace. Christianity is now truly a global faith, and with it comes great blessings and many obstacles. Satan's counterfeit kingdom is hard at work in the world because God's redemptive plan is in full force. Let's look at the state of the world not through the eyes of the world and flesh, but through God's eyes. By doing so, we see how the Great Commission is pulsing with energy. In the midst of chaos and violence, there is great hope. My prayer to you is to be active in your faith. It is not enough to merely follow Christ with words, but rather He commands us to OBEY Him through actions. We are not merely His followers, we are His disciples.

I would like to quote an email my ministry received: " Whenever God's Spirit works powerfully to roll back the darkness by extending the Kingdom, you can always count on the darkness pushing back...."

Blessings!

Speaking to Chinese pastors and missionaries from China being trained to reach out to Muslims as part of the Back to Jerusalem Movement. The spirit of God was magnified in that room. It thrilled me to see the Chinese ignited to reach out to Muslims.

Speaking to the kids in Nashville about growing up Muslim and how to reach out to their Muslim neighbors and friends.  It was so exicting to see such young kids wanting to learn how to rech out to their Muslim friends. These kids represent the hope of the Gospel in the next generation.

Oasis Conference 2012 Panel

 

Isaiah 66:18 HIS GLORY WILL BE REVEALED INDEED!

The World and the Word in Me

 “Not only do we know God through Jesus Christ, we only know ourselves through Jesus Christ.” Blaise Pascal

I have been on the mission of finding myself in the world. 

I have stopped.

I have stated before that in the process of coming to the Lord, I had in essence developed an identity crisis. I was Mariya, the culturally Muslim Afghan girl at home with my family and friends, while serving Christ away from their sight. There was a very clear and distinct line that separated these two identities between culture and faith. In my seeking mind, Christ could not be found where I came from, nor could He be worshiped there. Since being in Kansas City, these two worlds have been reconciled. I did not find Christ outside my Afghan Muslim culture, He was always there. My culture and my faith collided in the most beautiful and thrilling way that finally allowed me to be free in Christ.  But this is not my God given identity. My outlook has changed. 

What is this new insight? Culture, family, opinions of others, experiences, and even looking within myself have shaped me in relation to who I am in the world and to the world, but it is not my God given identity. All these are drenched in sin, including what is within me, for “I have no good apart from you.” (Psalm 16:2) By looking only at God, and building my knowledge of HIM and who HE is, He becomes a reflection of who I am becoming in His eyes.

Why is this understanding crucial in my mission with the Lord? Only when we find our true identity in God can we by God’s grace fulfill God’s plan for us. If Christ said that we have to lose ourselves (to the world) to find ourselves (In Him), then why was I looking for myself in the world!!?? 

In Harley Talman's article “Be Like” and “Remain Like," he explained “Remain Like” to mean for believers to “remain in the condition in which he was called.” New believers and churches are to be encouraged to “remain within their own original social and cultural environments, instead of adopting another.”  This was an understanding that I only came to know since moving to Kansas City, and it was this misconception that contributed to my so-called “identity crisis” as a new believer. I understand this issue of “remain like” as pleasing to the Lord, since He desires people from all tongues, nations, and cultures to worship Him in a vibrant way! This magnifies His glory, therefore, when Western missionaries enforce “their” Western worldview of Christianity upon new community of believers, they are in fact robbing God of His glory!

However, even after knowing this, here is my new point of revelation. Although we must stay within the cultural-social context that “we each have been called to,” we must also remember that our God given identity is ONLY attained and understood by increasing our knowledge and obedience to Him!! Culture is rooted in creation and embedded within the fabric of each of our identities, but at the end of the day, regardless of the fact that we have different cultural-social frameworks, our hearts in Christ are all the same, unified in Him, towards one God, one kingdom, for His glory. Even though we come from completely different circumstances and multitudes of variables that shape each one of us, we are still walking and living within and for the SAME image of Christ. He is the same to you, to me and to all of His seeking children.

Because culture is constantly shifting and changing, and because of this constant change, we truly can not have a grasp of who we are and what we will become. In essence, we are always chasing after an identity that is attached to a rapidly changing world and culture. However, by resting in Christ you are given assurance since Christ is the same, then, now and forever.  

The compromise of the Word and the World in shaping and nurturing our God given identities is this: Theologian John Stott calls it “dual listening.” He says that we “stand between the Word and the world with consequent obligation to listen to both. We listen to the Word in order to discover even more of the riches of Christ. And we listen to the world in order to discover which of Christ’s riches are needed most and how to present them in their best light.” When it comes to the task of shaping identity, dual listening is a necessity. We must know our world in order to bring the light of the Word to bear on it. Remember the words of Paul, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" Romans 12:2

 C.S Lewis said it so perfectly: “Your real, new self (which is Christ's and also yours, and yours just because it is His) will not come as long as you are looking for it. It will come when you are looking for Him. Does that sound strange? .....The principle runs through all life from top to bottom, Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it. .......Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.” - C.S Lewis

 The relentless pursuit of finding oneself in the world is an unattainable task that keeps our eyes on the world and not at the heart of God and His Word. I have stopped searching for who I am in the world, but the same search continues, but now IN God.  I can only be found in Him. That identity however is not just simply given! Rather, we must pursue it! How do you do that? Through an everlasting pursuit of God; a desperate hunger to grow in the knowledge of Him. 

We seek the will of God in our lives. Interesting enough, I now also believe that this pursuit of finding our identities in relation to our knowledge of God IS in actuality, our will!!! Each of our tasks may be different, but our purpose is the same. Maybe, God's will for each one of us is not about "what," but "who." Who we are and who we become in Christ. Thinking back to the spiritual development of the disciples, it is clear to see how their identities transformed in the most powerful of ways. We are first presented in the Bible with dis-believing disciples with identities very much attached to the world. The knowledge of Christ, His teachings and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we see their God given identities come to life, empowering them, and transforming them in radical ways, even to the point of death. God's will therefore for each of the disciples was not merely about "what" they would do to advance the gospel, but an emphasis about "who" they would become.  "Who" they became as obedient and faithful followers of Christ was the power that fueled the advance of the Great Commission. Remember that God was entrusting a few select men to carry His message of salvation to the world!!!

Christian disciples are sent men and women - sent out in the same work of world evangelism to which the Lord was sent, and for which He gave His life. Evangelism is not an optional accessory to our life. It is the heartbeat of all that we are called to be and do. It is the commission of the Church which gives meaning to all else that is undertaken in the Name of Christ. With this purpose clearly in focus, everything which is done and said has the glorious fulfillment in God's redemptive purpose - Robert E. Coleman

Could not have said it any better!

VIDEO:

 http://www.frontiersusa.org/site/PageNavigator/about/about_unengaged_vs_unreached

We know our life is shifting.

There is a reason for every season. Corny, but true. Often times, as we move from one phase of life to the next, we transition, bringing along family and friends to experience and share in it. You are never truly alone. There are always familiarities that accompany us along the way. But, there are those rare moments in life when it is a solo journey and there is a "lack" of transition. Rather, there is a clear and distinct line that separates "then" and "now." God does not give us time to comfortably prepare, He just says, GO! 

On August 2nd, I celebrated my birthday. As I blew out my candle, I looked around the room filled with faces that I did not know two months prior. Not one. Not one of these people existed in the paradigm of my life, yet they stood encouraging me, loving me, believing in me, and celebrating with me. This was the family in Christ that I was desperately crying out for. This was God's thunderous response to my prayer. There could not have been greater clarity of His faithfulness.

Be it sharp or smooth, the transitions of our lives keep coming, if we like it or not. With each phase of change comes loss: loss of circumstances, relationships, safety, and predictability. With each phase of change comes gain: gain of circumstances, relationships, safety, but this time hope. By choice or by circumstance, life changes us, digging deep within us with self reflection and self honesty that challenge our values and holds us accountable for the choices of our lives. Is this what it means to be in the truth of our pain, when the veil between the world lost and the world hoped for is lifted for a moment...? Take a deep breath. This is a sacred moment between you and the Almighty. I have learned not to squeeze grief or force tears, for I wait for the opportunity to experience something that is natural within me, when my Spirit has something to say. I cherish those moments because the grief and the tears do not comfort my self pity, ego or flesh, but rather it is an honest moment when I  know that my Spirit is grieving with me.

"Let the dead bury their own..." He said, “Anyone who puts his hand to the plow and looks back, isn’t fit for the Kingdom of God.” I often think that as Christians, we are not to move straight forward, but upward forward (does that make sense?): But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call....." Philippians 3:13-4

I am given the free gift of new possibilities. I have not earned this. It is given to me through the grace and mercy of God because He continues to have more hope in me than I have in myself. His voice whispers that there is beauty around the corner, but He needs to shatter my worldview before I can come face to face with the promised beauty. He needs to strengthen my perspective, positioning me in different angles in order to open my heart and mind to truth. I remind myself that 'possibilities' means ANY possibility, not only a life of bliss. I remind myself that Christ followed the path of obedience, knowingly to His 'possibility', which was death on the cross.

This past Wednesday evening, I was at my church attending the Spanish service. I shared with some friends about the new wonderful potential opportunities that God had placed before me, guiding me towards His will. I shared my opportunities with great excitement, joy and hope. But as the service began, I went into my own world, paying little attention to Pastor Jeff Adams preaching. I fell into a deep trance reflecting on the bold mission God is preparing for me. With anxiety prowling, I said to myself "Oh my God, this is going to be a long journey. This is not going to be an easy. This is going to be hard. Very hard.. I am only at the starting line!!!" God never once said our mission would be easy, rather He clearly warned us of the many difficulties we are to face, even being hated by the world. I thought about all the obstacles, struggles and sacrifices. I doubted my ability, but most heart piercing was that I doubted the power of God at work within me. As I sat pondering these thoughts giving every opportunity to the enemy, I suddenly noticed a note at one of the last empty pages of my Bible that I had written to myself only 4 days before I took the leap of faith and came to KC on Wednesday, June 13th, 2012.  I did not see or remember the note until that very moment. The service came to an end, and I sat there overcome with tears. God is so good. Here is a picture of the note. It reads:

Just when I doubted my ability and the journey in which I know God has called me to, my Lord reminded me of the promise I made to Him on June 9th, 2012, weeping on the floor behind the closed door of my sister's room. Thank you Lord. I pray you continue to hold me accountable to the promise I made you.

Yesterday, my friend, mentor and pastor Jeff Adams went to Tulsa to attend the funeral service for Dr.Clifford Clark. Jeff spoke to me briefly about the service and the man. Dr.Clifford Clark passed away at the age of 88 years old and was on the short list of the five most influential people in Jeff's life. In my opinion, you must be one extraordinary person to be on Jeff's list.  I woke up this morning in deep thought. When Jeff made that profound statement to me "He was one of the top five most influential people in my life," I took it in with my mind, but not with my heart. I woke up convicted about it. This man who I look up to so admirably just lost one of his great mentors, and I didn't inquire. I didn't ask questions. Instead of reflecting on the effect of Dr.Clifford Clark on Jeff's life, my mind had focused on the race he endured. I choose not to even fathom this thought, but I am forced to think about that dreadful day when it will be me telling about the passing of one of my mentors. 

This morning, God took me back to my thoughts and tears at the Wednesday Spanish service about the tough road ahead and the promise I made to Him. He connected it to Jeff's blog this morning about the life of Dr. Clifford Clark, using his life as a reminder and example of a hard and enduring life of a Christian soldier.  He said to me, "Look at the story of this man, my child Clifford. He was a loyal servant. He served me. He delighted in me. He trusted me. He obeyed me. His journey was long. His journey was hard. His journey was so so hard. But he endured. For my sake."

This is what Dr.Clifford Clark did as a Christ soldier: "From his base in Tulsa, Clifford helped begin 14 other churches in Eastern Oklahoma and he would go on to minister in over 40 countries. From his own church, no less than 177 people entered some form of Christian vocational ministry through the years. He became a friend and mentor to pastors and missionaries spanning the globe. He resigned the pastorate in 1985 and became a senior missionary spokesman and minister until the very end. The fire in his belly to seek God’s glory in his global mission was never extinguished until the day of his death." ((http://drjeffadams.com/2012/08/31/people-of-great-influence/)

Lord, I pray that in my last breath, in my last thought, in my last reflection, through my last words, that I may confidently and peacefully say with full conviction: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

A Bold Sacrifice.

BOLDNESS

 "And the Lord said to Paul  one night in a vision: Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people" Acts 18:9

This is the confidence the Lord puts before us to go out into the world boldly proclaiming the Word of God without fear.

Once again, a question emerged that has the potential to shatter the very foundation of my faith. With a trembling heart I say, answering this question with pure honesty can rip the veil off any Christian's spiritual existence. WOULD YOU TRULY LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST? 

 

We say "yes" to this question with words, 
but the early martyrs said “yes” with their lives.

In the book of John, Peter says to Jesus, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” He wants to follow Jesus even to the point of giving up his life. Peter's words mimic the statement many Christians proclaim in their faith, with mere words, rather than a true declaration and seal upon the tablet of the heart.  But Jesus replies,  "Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.” We can see the reflection of ourselves in this powerful and intimate scene.  Are we like Peter, promising our lives to Christ to the point of death, only to deny Him when the moment of truth is faced?

"If you do not stand firm in faith, you will not be firm at all." Isaiah 7:9

What does the question of laying down our lives for the sake of Christ have to do with boldness? So, the Lord took me to the book of Acts where boldness is fully and passionately exemplified, to the point of death. Acts 3-4 details the church’s earliest efforts in evangelism as the disciples began proclaiming the good news post Pentecost. Peter and John were arrested for their presentation of Christ and the next day the two apostles were called to answer to the religious leaders for their actions. Peter did not dilute his boldness in any way, choosing instead to proclaim the good news again. "...Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with BOLDNESS." Acts 4:29  "...Now when they saw the BOLDNESS of Peter and John...."  Acts 4:13"And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with BOLDNESS" Acts 4:31

Boldness is the Spirit-given conviction that we must speak the power and truth of Christ as our Lord and savior.  Boldness comes from the confidence we have in Christ, for who He is, what He did for us, what He can do, and for what He will do. The Greek term translating bold or boldly or boldness, means “candor in the face of opposition.” Boldness is the biblical manner in which God wants the Gospel given. "...that words may be given to me in opening my mouth BOLDLY to proclaim the mystery of the gospel" Ephesians 6:19 The consequence of boldness in the book of Acts was BOTH life and death. Life IN Christ as “Many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to be about five thousand” Acts 4:4 The consequence was thousands attaining new life in Christ as saved souls inheriting the kingdom of God! Acts 13:48-9 Also, life to the church, "...So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily" Acts 16:5 The consequence of boldness in the book of Acts was also death, "He killed James the brother of John with the sword...." Acts 12:2 "And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep." Acts 7:59-60

Boldness is not a matter of arrogance, aggressiveness or forced ideals. We are not to develop our own methods based upon personality or passion.  Biblical boldness is a confidence and directness that is not discourteous, and a forthrightness that is not insensitive. "Let not corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear it." Ephesians 4:29 Yes, we are to open our mouths and unapologetically testify to the saving power of Jesus Christ, BUT as Jesus proclaimed, "...Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves" Matthew 10:16 Biblical boldness is standing firm in faith in Christ upon the foundation of love, for it is "for" the love of Christ that we proclaim the good news. Within His teachings, frustrations, anger, betrayal and even in the moment of death, EVERYTHING Christ did was IN love and in patience. Christ exemplified ultimate boldness, as all who heard Him were astonished at His teachings..."I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well, for I was sent for this purpose," Luke 4:43 We as His ambassadors were also sent for this purpose. Now consider this: If we are to share the Word of God boldly with the world as Jesus commanded us to do, and since WE ARE the living Word of God, in essence, we are commissioned to be bold. Consider Paul and Barnabas at Iconium, preaching the Word of God... "Now at Inconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed...... so they remained for a long time, speaking boldly FOR the Lord" Acts 14:1 !!

  A great example of Christ's boldness is found in the beginning of His ministry when He was rejected from the synagogue in Nazareth. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus quotes Isaiah declaring His mission, 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor."

Christ quoted this verse from the scroll of Isaiah to show grace by choosing to exclude the last verse from the original passage that included, "...and the day of vengeance of our Lord" Isaiah 61:2. He took the passage from one that was perceived by the Jews to declare God's vengeance against their enemies, to one that was transformed to embody grace. And to top it off, He sat down after reading the passage and said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:21 Wow, what boldness! When members of the synagogue , "....heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath.... and they rose up and drove Him out of town...." Luke 4:28-9

The dilemma with Christian evangelism today is that we want the fruit without the fallout. The matter of "offending" someone due to social hindrances is of higher concern and regards than truth. We stand accused of shying away from the gospel. "For who ever is ashamed of Me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the Holy Angels.” Mark 8:38 We want to be the aroma of life to those who are being saved without being the aroma of death to those who are perishing 2 Corinthians 2:15 We have lost the Biblical principal of boldness, where fear has no place! 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power. The pages of Acts speak about Peter (Acts 12:3) and John being imprisoned for their boldness, having power over fear! The pages of Acts speak about Paul and Silas being stoned and beaten for their boldness, firmly resisting fear! (Acts 14:19) (Acts 16:22-3) The pages of Acts speak about James (Acts 12;2) and Stephen dying for their boldness (Acts 7:60), thus trampling over fear!  Christ Himself was crucified for His boldness, conquering over both fear and death! How authentically bold is your Christianity against fear?

Spiritual boldness for Christ bursts forth from a satisfied and courage's soul that rejoices in His sacrifice and promise. Boldness is rooted from a deep inner conviction that gratefully and humbly clings to the promise of eternity. "I send you forth as lambs among wolves", therefore our boldness for the sake of Christ is the willingness to take rejection and to not shy away from the fear of offending an "offensive" generation. "When an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them (Peter and Baranbas)........ they continued to preach the gospel." Acts 14:4;7 Each time the apostles were rejected, persecuted, mistreated or ridiculed, they returned and continued to preach the Word of God, with even greater boldness, "offending," but also saving many. Even after being rejected, beaten, stoned and imprisoned, both Paul and Silas "were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners listened to them...." Acts 16:25 I replace my fear of "rejection" and "offending" another with the glorious image of angles watching in amazement and a heavenly father smiling down at His loyal servant. You and I have been placed in this world to boldly proclaim the grace of God.

The martyrism of Stephen especially sat heavy upon my heart. His death for the sake of Christ uniquely pierced me because of his dynamic strength as he was "full of faith" and "of the Holy Spirit." He was willing to face fear with unwavering boldness...to the point of death.  I connected with him as I desperately pray and seek to have the same strength to exemplify my faithful service. Apostle John saw in his vision of the millennium those martyred for their faith reigning with Christ for a thousand years Revelations 20:4. The Apostle Peter, who wrote the most about martyrdom and suffering for one’s faith, said, “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you... However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” Peter 4:14, 16 God does not call everyone to make the ultimate sacrifice, but the Bible calls all Christians to be "prepared" to give a defense of the hope within us.... IF needed, would we be "WILLING" to suffer and sacrifice our earthly lives? "The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are BOLD as a lion" Proverbs 28:1

"Fear not them which kill the body,
but are not able to kill the soul."

 

".....But they could not get to Stephen’s spirit. He continued to be a man of

grace to the very end because he kept Christ at the center. As they were venting

their fury at Stephen’s message, Stephen’s eyes were fixed on the risen Christ.

As the rocks crashed down on him and his life ebbed away, he called on Jesus to

extend the grace that he himself had received to those who were now executing

him."

The Bible does not teach us to seek to be martyrs for the cause of Christ, for man can deceive oneself even in the very act of martyrism by actually being motivated by self glory. Jesus said, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next” Matthew 10:23 We saw that the early church continually fled from intense persecution for the sake of survival Acts 8:1, 9:25, 30; 14:6 When Jesus says, “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” Matthew 10:39, He is not calling for people to make an attempt to lose their lives. Rather, He is calling us to be willing to lose our lives for His sake.

We often easily attach the word suffer to the Christian life, proclaiming that we will suffer for Christ. Well, lets take it to the next level.... lets take it to the cross! Would you not merely suffer, but also endure cruel tortures that take your mind and body to the very brink of death and beyond? Would you be so bold, with full courage and conviction to the point of death? Conviction without courage, like faith without works, is quite dead.We may preach with boldness, but would we die for His sake with boldness? The world is against Christ and will be against our boldness IN Him. But we are not of this world. We belong to the Kingdom of God.  "If you were of the world, the world would love you as it’s own; but because you are not of the world, but I choose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:19

I say again, one must answer this question from their deepest spiritual core, for the answer has the potential to rip "your" version of Christianity apart. All I know is this: "...By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us."  

 Would I do the same for Him? 

Reflecting on my own personal walk with the Lord, I began to see my boldness come to life with great passion and conviction when I changed my mindset from merely "being a Christian" to "living for Christ" You may disagree, but there is a difference. My greatest example of my boldness came when I told my 6"3 Muslim father whom I was always afraid of growing up that I loved God more than I loved him. I stood firm in faith with unbridled confidence that, " In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..." Ephesians 6:16-17 This verse is an illustration of an equipped soldier ready for battle indeed!   The issue I faced from both believers and non believers, which eventually had me questioning my own boldness was this: Is my boldness for the glory of God or for my own glory? Was it my deceptive attempt to prove and showcase my faith to others? The enemy has the potential to do wonders with this moment of self questioning. After taking this to the Lord and talking to Him about it, I can stand with full peace and conviction of heart that my boldness is for the glory of God.  By nature I have an "activist" heart and God will use that for me to proclaim His Truth without fear. I have confidence that my boldness is for the glory of God and not Man because I am willing without a moment of thought to turn my back on my family, friends and anything else that has the potential to hold me back from truly living for Christ. I am joyfully willing to suffer for His sake, welcoming rejection, abandonment and ridicule, for the glory that awaits me in the kingdom.  Saying, knowing and truly living this truth with full conviction allows me to tearfully answer my question. Yes, I would lay down my life for the sake of Christ. 

 I have a picture in my mind. A heart throbbing, yet hopeful picture of faithful sacrifice by early followers of Christ. So often the brutal realities of genocides, persecutions and martyrisms merely signify statistics to us. There are no faces attached to those numbers, so we can go on living our daily lives uninterrupted. We hold no true emotional burden or anchor to those sacrifices. We are a numb generation to past and present tragedies.  Momentary grief and momentary reflection.  Over. Next.

As a follower of Christ, I must never lose sight of such ultimate sacrifices. I must never lose sight of the cross! "...Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" Acts 14:22 No matter the pain, no matter the heartbreaks, no matter the disappointments, and no matter the hardships.... I have not suffered enough. I am reminded that no matter how much I 'think' I am sacrificing and suffering for His sake, I have not had to give up my life for Him.  

But He did for me.

  
The book of Acts closes with: "He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance." Acts 28:30-1 Until the very last verse in Acts and Paul's life, the ministry of Christ was exemplified bravely. My concluding question is: When and why has the boldness in the great commission within our generations fizzled away? 

May God's love and truth be at the heart of our boldness. 

Bruised, beaten and battered to the gates......

"Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire. Make me thy fuel, O flame of God."

God’s presence is to forsake all for Him and to Him. Let go of everything. Relinquish all to Him. Maintain no control over anything! Just to have God in charge of all things FOR you is enough. Each prayer time must be submitted to God’s sovereign direction that His will be done, without objection! With this acceptance and obedience, we attain immeasurable joy and sweet peace. 

“Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Receive instruction from His mouth, and lay up His words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty you will be built up……. For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. You will decide on a matter and it will be established for you, and light will shine on your way.” Job 22:21-28

In the same breathe, I emphasize that we do not "obey" in order to get blessings. We obey as a reflection of our faithfulness, thus glorifying Him. He does not merely bless us because we obey, but rather He blesses us because He loves us for our faithfulness. I quote my friend Jay, "Obedience is faith put into practice." I REMIND MYSELF THAT MY LORD OWES ME NOTHING! I AM NOT DESERVING OF ANY BLESSING! Yet, He loves me, protects me, blesses me... because of His splendid grace.  (see my post http://mariyadost.blogspot.com/2012/06/faith-is.html )

I am at the end of my self-righteousness, self-effort, self-reliance… we must be at the end of SELF. Lean in on your thorns!!! Our Lord said: I am not going to deliver you out of your pain. I am going to deliver you THROUGH your pain. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

I cry out to God to help change my prayers from one that seeks to have Him fulfill my selfish desires which I have convinced myself to be pure, to prayers that only seek Him! Yes, I trust I can go to my Lord in prayer about anything, for nothing is too small. Yes, I pray for love, a wonderful husband, children, security, success etc. but I must FIRST seek Him. Yet, my prayers are often a check list of things I want and need. I "say" I seek Him first, but I don't. Do I truly pray with great honesty, passion and conviction to become more like Him?  Do I pray to praise Him with thanksgiving? I am blessed to know Him, to live for Him, and to hope in Him!! I have been given true freedom! Freedom in Christ, breaking away all chains from this paralyzing world. Focusing on God, knowing God, obeying God, trusting God, and LIVING for God's purpose in me and His glory, is the only thing I must desire for with my whole heart. His love is sufficient. THEN, "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you" John 15:7 Be a passionate and sincere seeker! “Lord, continue to ignite my heart for you, continue to feed my hunger!” Let your prayers be shouts of joy for your desperate need for Him! We pray with words, but God listens to our hearts, and it is not what we say to Him, but what He says to us.

Let us be wise in our perspective! When I graduated university, I asked my mentor/professor (who I remember to be a man of faith) to give me advice I could take into the world to guide me. He simply said, “Power is perspective. Power is position!” I did not really understand that until now. All power belongs to God. God IS all power. As we seek to imitate Christ in our Christian walk, we must also strive to see the world through the perspective and position of the Spirit and not the flesh. Therefore, power is perspective now means to me that as I think, act and react from the perspective of the Spirit of God that dwells in me, I stand strong in the presence of God’s power. That perspective is power! That position is power! God’s power!

I am learning to constantly examine my daily walk with you Lord, so that I may be assured that I am not deceiving myself. "Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves"( 2 Corinthians 13:5) I may be able to deceive myself and the world of unrighteous behavior, but not my all knowing and all powerful God. Examine one self! Every step of the way! For when I “believed” I was holy, I was not. For when I “thought” I was blameless, I was not. For the eyes of the Lord is always upon my heart, so I must examine my Christian walk everyday. Point out my transgressions and my foolish ways oh Lord!…. I shall repent and my heart will be transformed with your sweet grace and mercy. Let me see my sin!! Let it consume me and bring me to my knees. My daily sins must joyfully remind me that I am desperately needy of Him!! Discipline me Lord!! May I feel your wrath, for you say, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge!” Proverbs 12:1

“….But he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:10-11

May our road to the gates of heaven be hard, painful, full of suffering…. May we be mocked at, spit on, beaten and proclaimed insane! What an honor. Although we be tempted, we pray to never take the easy or cheating road. May the wound of every hurt, betrayal, abandonment, sorrow and grief be a reminder of the wounds inflicted on our savior. Through His wounds, we are healed. May we not forget! May we endure it! We shall walk through the narrow gate, you and I. Nothing shall break you and I. Nothing shall separate you and I from God’s infinite love. Nothing shall deter you and I from the race ahead. May we arrive to heavens gates bruised, beaten, battered and worn out. “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” 2 Timothy 2:3-4 Victory is already ours.

I am happily and willingly enslaved to Him who loves me without measure. Although we may finish the race bruised and full of dirt, His blood has cleansed us... His glory shines through us and His power radiates within us. In Him, we are complete.

Jeapordizing the truth of Scripture?

This blog post is in response to my last one about "Walking with God is a matter of the heart" I spent a good time talking about the matters of the heart and how important it is to focus on the heart when dealing with the issue of building "bridges" to bring the gospel to non believers.

I shared some of the points I highlighted on the post with a fellow brother in Christ. He agreed with all that I said, but I noticed his hesitation and so I inquired. His fear with focusing so much with the heart is that it could lead to losing focus on Scripture. I will have to be honest, I needed some time to reflect on this important and justifiable concern. How much of the issues of the heart is too much, steering us away from focusing on the Word of God? Some may argue that the Word of God is powerful and sufficient enough to open the heart to Christ, without having to focus so much on building relationships and working on the matters of the heart. PLEASE NOTE: the power of the Word of God is indescribable, unmeasurable, and without limits!!! The Word of God is always present, but before Scripture comes alive to an unwilling heart, the Word of God must first be demonstrated to a non believer.

After prayer and honest reflection, this is my response.

Think of this analogy. Christ standing at the door of a heart and He is knocking. The non believers heart has a door, but ALSO heavy duty chains on it, a master lock on the knob, and the key is no where to be found. Even if the heart hears the knock, the chains are too many and too twisted to remove. The love, trust and relationship equity invested by a Christian in the non believing heart slowly removes theses chains... one by one.... and what is the actual key to the door? The Holy Spirit! Once the chains are removed (that is our job as Christians!), the Lord uses the Holy Spirit key to finally unlock the door. How can the Word of God and truth of Scripture dwell IN the heart if the door is closed? ONCE the door is finally opened, it is THEN when Scripture resonates there. Maybe I am wrong and maybe as I continue to grow and mature in faith, maybe my perspective will change... But until then, I believe that we need to work with the heart through love, relationships, trust and demonstrating Christ... to remove all the chains and to set the heart FREE! The heart changes, but the Word of God in Scripture never does!!!! So, we do not have to worry about jeopardizing Scripture, because a free heart IN Christ will be able to truly let the Word of God come in and take refuge there for eternity.

Some may argue, the Word of God in Scripture is sufficient and powerful enough to break through the chains and the door.... Hmmmmm Is it not the power of the Holy Spirit that actually "makes" the Word of God in Scripture come alive? Without the Holy Spirit first opening the door of the heart, to a non believer, Scripture in the Bible is merely "Christian doctrine."Yes! The Word of God is powerful indeed!!! but it is the Holy Spirit that makes the Word of God come alive.... so it is love, relationships and Christianity being demonstrated that first slowly removes the callous that is formed on the heart... then the Holy Spirit opens the door and then the Word of God is ignited and dwells in the heart! This is not a step by step process of course! but I am merely trying to paint a simplified picture from my experience.

Believe in this picture. A Christian helps take down these chains as a loyal servant of God... then Jesus unlocks the door with the key of the Holy Spirit and opens the door as He turns back and says "Well done my loyal servant." and He and the power of the Holy Spirit BURST through the door and a life is forever changed. The Kingdom has just added another child of God....and all of heaven shouts with cheers of joy!!!!! What a privilege we have.

I often use the word "SOLDIER" in my posts. That is EXACTLY what scripture calls us. We are Christ's soldiers and ambassadors, so we must expect to face suffering and for the world to hate us. "SHARE IN SUFFERING AS A GOOD SOLDIER OF CHRIST JESUS. NO SOLDIER GETS ENTANGLED IN CIVILIAN PURSUITS, SINCE HIS AIM IS TO PLEASE THE ONE WHO ENLISTED HIM" - 2 TIMOTHY 2:3-4  Love this!! Christ is our commander and we are His soldiers and when we were enlisted in the body of Christ, He expects us to accomplish the mission with FULL endurance and strength. 

I trust and place my hope in this......

Let me see..... I can actually USE SCRIPTURE to prove this point..........

Our walk with God is always a matter of the heart.

God is always concerned with the heart. At times when I do not have words to express my emotions, I simply pray to my Lord, "You know my heart." He knows the sorrows, the bitterness and the joys that take refuge there. Due to sin, if the heart is not purified with the Word of God, like the mind, it can be deceitful, so constantly fill your heart with the Spirit of God through prayer, by imitating Christ at all times and by clinging desperately to the Word of God!!! "THE WORD OF GOD X-RAYS THE HUMAN HEART.... AND IT CONFRONTS THE INNER SELF!" "for out of it are the issues of life"

I don't know about you, but I sure do feel a wonderful sense of comfort and peace knowing that my Lord already knows the cries of my heart and He already knows what I need before I even come to Him concerning it. He is the ALL knowing, ALMIGHTY, Abba! Father! Who loves His children beyond measure!

Remember, we can be very religious while we withhold our hearts from true faith and worship of the Lord.

As I reflect on all that I have learned and come to know about my faith and about myself in the last month, I am wonderfully overwhelmed. Although in the process of thought, it "all" seems like an overload of information, it actually is not. I now realize that it all comes down to LOVE, RELATIONSHIPS, THE HEART.... all three stemming from the seed of GOD.

Think about this: What is God's first commandment? To love Him and to Love thy neighbor. To love Him - THAT IS A RELATIONSHIP! To love thy neighbor- THAT IS A RELATIONSHIP! The first commandment is ALL about relationships!!! God Himself is telling us that it is all about relationships! Therefore, when ministering to a Muslim person, we MUST demonstrate the loving Christlike relationship God demands from us!! Then..... how else can a Muslim person ever comprehend a  personal relationship with God (which is such a foreign concept to him/her!!!!)

The BODY OF CHRIST is a spiritual relationship we have as followers of Christ....we are all CONNECTED with the common thread being our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We are all brothers and sisters in Christ.... and this ETERNAL RELATIONSHIP connects our HEARTS for our love of Christ! Remember that the Lord said, BE A LIGHT TO THE WORLD. The light of Christ SHINES THROUGH OUR HEARTS AS WE EXEMPLIFY THE LOVE OF CHRIST THROUGH RELATIONSHIPS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. WE MUST POUR OUT THAT LOVE IN RELATIONSHIPS WITH NON BELIEVERS TO ILLUMINATE GODS LOVE.

Let me explain......

Pastor Tim from Graceway recently explained to me in a wonderful and enlightening way that although each one of us represent ourselves to the world through our behaviors and our beliefs and values.......it is actually relationships and our hearts that hold our true essence, where God is most visible.  We often hold a view of someone through their behavior and the values they associate themselves with......yet, giving little value to relationships and the heart of the individual. Proverbs 4:23 says: KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE; FOR OUT OF IT ARE THE ISSUES OF LIFE" We need to look into the HEART of a person because it is WHERE JESUS STARTS..... the beliefs, values and behaviors of an individual are often hijacked by the flesh, succumbing to the world.... therefore burying the true struggles, pure desires and love that is in the heart. 

Scripture clearly teaches us that the real issues of life are spiritual and are really matters of the heart, the inner man. Did you know that the Bible mentions the heart 963 in the KJV and only mentions the head 360 times and the mind 156 times.... The word "heart" is first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 6:5:

"THE LORD SAW THAT THE WICKEDNESS OF MAN WAS GREAT IN THE EARTH, AND THAT EVERY INTENTION OF THE THOUGHT OF HIS HEART WAS ONLY EVIL CONTINUALLY"

Notice how specific and how intentional the Word of God is!! "Thought of his heart..." The Law of First Mention (that wherever you find a doctrine, a word or a theme mentioned in the Bible for the first time, that passage can be understood to set the tone for understanding it throughout all of the Bible) states: "Thought of his heart"... not thought of his mind. The first time the Lord talks about the HEART, He connects it with thinking. In the last 10 years, science has finally proved that the heart has the capability to think, yet the Bible states this clearly in Genesis! I don't know about you, but information like that excites me!!

ALSO NOTICE: In Genesis 8:21, it says, ".........The Lord said IN HIS HEART, I will never again curse the ground because of man......" Notice that the Lord's BIG promise to man was made IN HIS HEART!! God's words are intentional, and He could have just said, "The Lord said, I will......." but He made that promise in His heart as a "seal". The heart is sacred, confirmed in Proverbs 7:3, "...write them on the tablet of your HEART." We can obviously see the importance of the theme of the heart in the Bible..... so why is it that in society, we often forget and give little attention to the heart of others, but rather we focus on the external elements of man? God keeps His eyes on our hearts.... shouldn't we do the same? 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “.........for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” I choose to look into the hearts of those whom have pained me or have caused me to suffer, rather than their external behaviors, actions and worldly/flesh consumed beliefs. Why? Because the heart will show me WHY I must forgive!!  Their hearts will show and confirm to me that my fellow man is seeking and crying out to God just like mine is..........

Once I understood this, I asked myself an honest question: Why do I want to minister to Muslims? Why do I think that the Lord has truly called me to bring His truth to the Muslim heart? So, I wanted to answer this question by thinking from my heart..... and not my mind.

Answer: I WANT TO BRING GOD'S WORD AND TRUTH NOT INTO THE MIND OF A MUSLIM, BUT INTO HIS OR HER HEART. The secret is not to transform their mind, but to transform their heart!!! Remember, you can not argue or debate someone into the kingdom of God..... but you can LOVE them and open their heart into the kingdom of God. I TRULY BELIEVE THAT EVERY MUSLIM HEART (THAT THE FATHER CHOOSES TO DRAW HIS SON TO) IS DESPERATELY "SEEKING" THE LOVE OF GOD. THE MUSLIM HEART IS SEEKING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP AND INTIMACY WITH GOD THAT IS NOT PROVIDED IN ISLAM. YET, THE SOCIAL/CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS CHAINS OF ISLAM HOLDS THEM CAPTIVE. As missionaries, our primary role as soldiers of Christ is to break these chains with the power of the Holy Spirit and set the Muslim heart FREE IN CHRIST. This is not a matter of conversion!!! IT IS A MATTER OF THE HEART! And to get to the heart, one must build a bridge through RELATIONSHIPS. I would say that the closest "silver bullet" to open the heart of a Muslim person to Christ is: RELATIONSHIP EQUITY COMBINED WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. When I was first presented the gospel, there were relentless attempts to DEFINE Christianity to me.... which is a matter of the MIND!!! What really brought me down to my knees? It was Christianity DEMONSTRATED to me through RELATIONSHIPS! Which is a matter of the HEART!!!! Hope that makes sense...... :)

Consider this!! Paul too looked at the heart when he went to proclaim the gospel to the world! We can see the importance of first looking into the heart with the example of Apostle Paul's speech to the Greek's in Athens. As he walked around and saw all the idols being worshiped, he was disturbed. However, when he said his speech in the courtyard, he DID NOT proclaim with frustration and anger that they were idol worshipers. Rather, he CHOSE to look into the heart of the Greeks instead of WHAT they were worshiping. He focused on their hearts and recognized the THEIR HEART'S were "seeking" and that their hearts were not satisfied, spiritually empty. They were looking for a God that could satisfy their heart's desires. We need to truly think about this and hope to do the same.

PLEASE NOTE: Only God through His Spirit can draw anyone to Himself. "YOU CAN NOT BUILD THE KINGDOM OF GOD. ONLY GOD CAN. YOU CAN ONLY REFLECT IT THROUGH YOUR WITNESS AND LIFE." Although we plant the seed, God alone can give the growth. "The man who plants, waters and reaps KNOWS NOT HOW the seed sprouts and grows!!!"

 I will use my own story as an example: For almost two years when I was first presented the gospel, I refused to embrace Christ. My mind, my education, and my own intelligence would not allow me to see the light of faith. I had in essence rejected the constraints of Islam and looked in distrust at the face of Western Christianity. Therefore, I was living as my own God. God fully knows us from the inside out. Therefore, He too knew that my stubbornness would be a problem. So, He knew to capture my mind because IT WAS MY MIND THAT WAS REJECTING CHRIST and IT WAS MY MIND THAT WAS NOT ALLOWING MY HEART TO HAVE ANY SAY IN THE MATTER. Therefore, the Lord needed to capture my heart and give it greater strength so that it could LEAD my MIND to His light...... As He set my HEART free with John 17, my MIND also began to be transformed. As missionaries, we must focus on the heart.... igniting the heart for the Lord, then the heart can lead the person's mind to Truth. It is then when all those lingering questions and debates that consume the mind, holding back a person to come to the Lord are answered THROUGH faith... in God's time! Jesus in all His love and mercy comforted my heart and mind, but in different ways because they were thinking differently!

It is obvious then to realize as Westerners that it is ALL ABOUT BUILDING A REALTIONSHIP WITH A MUSLIM PERSON IN ORDER TO KNOW THE HEART..... SEPARATE FROM THE MIND BECAUSE THE MUSLIM MIND HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO REJECT THE GOOD NEWS, AND HE OR SHE WILL REJECT CHRIST FIRST WITH THE MIND!!! KNOW THE STRUGGLE WITHIN THAT SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL'S HEART.... AND THEN EXPLAIN HOW JESUS CAN AND WILL RESOLVE AND GIVE COMFORT TO THAT STRUGGLE!!!! Know the Muslim heart!!  "Since the heart is so important to what we think, say, and do, we each need to regularly do open heart surgery with the scalpel of the Word under the guiding hand of the great physician, the Lord Jesus. We accomplish this through the teaching, guiding, convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. Like a sharp two-edged sword, the Word divides the inner man asunder to reveal the true condition and needs of our hearts" (http://bible.org/article/guarding-heart )

"Christianity and the promises of the Bible are matters of trust, and trust is a matter of the heart" (And remember, trust comes from building a solid "relationship")

We may worship our Lord with words, thoughts from the mind, or hymns, but OUR HEARTS MAY WORSHIP THE LORD WITHOUT WORDS.

FOR MORE ON THE "MATTER OF THE HEART", GO TO  http://bible.org/article/guarding-heart