Exloring Life Eternal

(This news flash is best read / heard outloud.)

Nowadays you can get eggs from vegetarian fed hens, free-range chickens, or regular old hot-house hens.

Q. Do you know what the difference is between a vegetarian chicken and a real chicken, a free chicken?

=. The vegetarian chicken is made of tofu? No, I don't know.

A. Nope. The vegetarian chicken doesn't prey. But the free chicken, the real kind, does.

....

It is kind of like the old saying, "There are no atheists in fox-holes." Which brings us to the next question:

Q. Do you know what happens when a fox gets into a hen-house?

A. It eats chicken.

Q. Ah, yes, but do you know why?

=. No, why?

A. Because despite their noise, the fox preys better than the chickens in this case.

==> The lesson then is: Pray while you can!

"Seek the Lord while He can be found. For the night is coming when no-one can work!" - See Isaiah 55

http://www.leaderu.com/truth/1truth22.html
Truth Journal
Contemporary Scholarship and the Historical Evidence
for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
by William Lane Craig
William Lane Craig is a leading apologist today in the USA.

============
http://www.xenos.org/classes/papers/doubt.htm
Historical Evidence for
the Resurrection of Christ:
by Christopher Louis Lang

============
http://www.wcg.org/lit/disc/11evidence.htm
Discipleship 101
a beginner's guide to Christianity
Evidence of Jesus' resurrection
by the Worldwide Church of God
(A group that returned to "salvation by grace through faith")

==========
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrection_of_Jesus
This text includes arguments for & against the resurrection.

==> Also, there are numerous links at the end to various Christian apologists. I think your magazine editors would find this part of the sight most helpful!

It is very much a pick & choose sight - discernment needed! The most
value is the links. One must note though that there are more reasons listed to believe the resurrection than to disbelieve & that they present an overall argument that is fully coherent, whereas many of the others are contradictory & mutually exclusive.

Hope that helps,
Mert Hershberger

Today I asked some folks where I work a simple question:

What is the simplest thing you have ever learned?

Some responses:
How to breathe.
How to walk.
Language.
How to love.
How to eat.

For me, the most important/simplest thing I have learned was:
The answer to this question:

"Whose ya Daddy?"

To know God as our Father is such a joy.

He gives us breath.
Fills us with love.
Enables to speak.
Feeds us with His Word.
& Has shown us how to walk.

Q: Why did Peter deny the Lord after insisting that he wouldn't??

A: He was a sinner. One example of this that is recorded is that he had just sliced off the ear of the high priest where he ended up denying the Lord. Perhaps he saw the healed servant there. Perhaps it was one more example of the ups & downs of his (& our) human nature.

In John 18:10 Peter is recorded as being the disciple who sliced off Malchus' ear.

"Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.)" (NIV)
(Cross reference: Matt 26:51; Mark 14:47)
(I'm aware of no textual variants on John 18:10).

One online commentary:
18:10 The incident mentioned in this verse again contains details which imply eyewitness testimony. It is mentioned in all three of
the synoptic gospels, but only John records that the disciple involved was Peter, whose impulsive behavior has already been alluded to (13:37). Likewise only John tells us the name of the victim, Malchus, who is described as “the servant of the high priest.” John and Mark (14:47) both use a double diminutive to describe what was cut off,
and this may indicate only part of the right ear (for example, the earlobe).
http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=2714

The right earlobe was to be atoned in the ordination of the high priest according to OT Levitical law.

It is my opinion that the synoptic Gospels did not include Peter's name for 2 reasons:
A. Peter was still alive at the time of their writing.
B. The writers of the synoptics did not want Peter to get in trouble with the Law.

Lesson: put away all violence, both verbal & physical. Do not retaliate. May God enable me to do this in my heart as well as actions & words.

- MJH.

It seems that CAIR is joining in the ranks of many others who survey as a method of changing popular opinion. However, they also are like other political groups in that they spin the feedback to say what they want it to say. I will therefore respond in kind at first to show the foolishness of interpreting results in a loose fashion.
http://www.cair.com/CAIRSurveyReport.pdf

DATA: Only 2% describe themselves as "very knowledgeable" [of Islam].

Hmmm ... this roughly equates to 1/2 of the Muslim population. I suppose the men.
==> Are we to conclude then that Muslim American men are "very knowledgeable" of Islam?

Hmmm ... this also roughly equates to the percentage of the population that is diagnosed with Bipolar &/ Schizophrenia.
==> Are Muslim American men then most likely to be afflicted with serious mental disorders?

Hmmm ... fewer now consider themselves knowledgeable about Islam than before.
==> Are more Muslims turning to Jesus?

I don't rank among those very knowledgeable or even moderately knowledgeable of Islam & I am not a flaming evangelist to Muslims not having directly planted any Muslim congregation, nor have I ever been a follower of Muhammed. I simply write the above three suppositions to indicate that self-regard is a poor measure of reality. It is not how we regard ourselves, but how God regards us. This is the fundamental error of Islam: it is a merely social movement which uses God's name in vain & draws near to God with their lips & with their motions while the heart of the follower of Muhammid remains far from God. Again, it is a social movement, not a movement towards God.

??
How then does one gage being "very knowledgeable about Islam" other than self-regard?
??

====
Some critiques of CAIR's survey.

First, I will note a very clearly biased interpretation that CAIR gives which conceals the actual results of the survey:

On the Palestinian-Israeli Issue more are said to be "even-handed."
- Actually, what the statistics show is that people are now more opinionated: 13% fewer gave "no opinion" as their response; 13% more gave the "both equally right" response ... which would roughly mean the same as "both equally wrong." What CAIR did _not_ note was that _more_ believe that Israel is totally right now than last year. So, I suppose that CAIR now considers it "even-handed" to have an opinion rathat than no opinion ... or to support Israel? I hear an machine SPINning on that one. But, who am I to decide what is propaganda and what is not?

===
- Only 16% expressed a willingness to receive a Quran if offered one for free, even though a mere 6% have a Quran at home.

- Since 91% already have a Bible, and there are 10% who are willing to receive a Bible for free.
... Could it be that those virtually all those who do NOT yet have a Bible would be willing to receive a Bible??

CAIR seems to be gearing up for a "Q" document campaign. Liberal Bible "scholars" have waged a similar campaign for years. The main problem: There is a lack of factual & historical basis for many of the Quranic pronouncements just as there is a lack of basis for the many statements in the "Q" document. Since CAIR has Muslims as their primary constituents, May I recommend that they adapt a simpler approach:

CAIR should distribute Bibles to any interested Muslim for free. Perhaps they would like to purchase Bibles at a discount from the American Bible Society or the International Bible Society. This is one way that CAIR could show that they really do care about the Muslims who pay their bills.

==
This is a list of poorly worded questions/statements that they give, or an expansion on some questions that indicate the inherent bias of the questions:

"Almost all Muslims are Arabs."
- A change is noted in the numbers who believe this. This is simply a matter of increased media coverage & dispersion of information. People are realizing the spread of Islam. The fact that the Tsunami of Aceh happened in the "most populous Muslims nation on earth" and was talked about for a while could account for part of this dissemination of information.

"Contributions to civilization."
- This is difficult to measure: algebra, alchemy / chemistry, & alcohol are all words rooted in times of Islamic dominance in one area. One should note that at those times, there were many more Christians in the areas where governments were run by Muslims. Thus, the actual contributions of those cultures would be hard to gage: who was a Christian & who was a Muslim? (Which scientist, mathemetician, geographer, historian was a follower of the Lord Jesus or a follower of Muhammed in the given historical periods?) Also, one must recall, that one of the main reasons for this contribution was translation of earlier writings & interaction with learning from the Meditteranean Basin & the Indian Subcontinent & various other areas affected by the Islamic Empire which rose around 700 years after the birth of the Lord Jesus and began to decline sometime later due to internal moral decadence. Thus, To say that Islamic cultures contributed is not to say that it was the Islamic faith/ideology or even that Muslims were the primary source of the benefaction, though Muslims & all those under Islamic domination have benefitted by the contributions of those who sought to be a blessing to those around them.

"Deserts"
- This is listed as a neutral comment. Now, for those of us who enjoy the comfort of rain & plant & animal life around us, deserts is NOT a positive comment!! Environmentalists will generally not say that desertification is a good thing. It is a very difficult condition for an environment to recover from. Arabs who live in Arabia in the heat of the sun do _not_ want to spend eternity in a desert. Having been in various deserts, including in Arabia ... I agree: Nobody wants to spend eternity in a dry & dusty land!! People want to enter a land of promise where there is life & life more abundant. The Lord Jesus offers that & fills our hearts with living water as we turn to Him. Jesus satisfies.

"It's OK to lock them up."
- Yes, of course. Anyone who commits crime & does wrong deserves to be put in prison, whether Muslim, Jew, "christian," Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, Atheist, or Scientologist. The question is framed in such a way that people who do not consider the question will not want to "appear" as biased.

"They're just like everyone else."
- This is a meaningless question. All are sinners, yes. Yet each sins in a unique way. However, to say that Muslims are just like "everyone else implies that there is no reason for Muslims to remain followers of Muhammed ... which I do agree with. I.e. they need to become different. They need to be made holy, like Jesus. (Interestingly, fewer believe that Muslims are "just like everyone else." I think that the cartoon incident would increase this differential.

"They oppress women."
- Again, this is a simple thing to answer: Do non-muslims oppress women? Yes. Do women oppress women? Yes. Do abusive husbands oppress women? Yes. If some muslims oppress women all the time out of their convictions, then the answer is yes. If all muslims oppress women sometimes, then the answer is yes. If they are like everyone else and others oppress women, then the answer is yes. Basically, CAIR is setting themselves up for failure & hypocricy: Generalize in your questioning & try to deceive using the same methods that the serpent used when tricking Eve. ... Interestingly, MORE believe that Islam oppresses women now than before. Why? Are the facts getting out? Perhaps the statements of some women who were raised in Islam is one reason for this.

"Their civil rights have been limited since 9/11."
- Again, a no-brainer. All Americans have had their civil liberties restricted since 9/11. At times this has affected Muslims more, at times it has affected others more. But all have indeed been affected by 9/11.

"They worship the same God as Christians and Jews."
- This is a surface question. It approaches things at the level of linguistics. The real question is "do those who honor Muhammed as the 'last & greatest'" _know_ the true & living God. The answer to that question is know. Whether a Muslim worships the same God or not is to some degree very peripheral. One can bow down to the same King, without ever acknowledging that King or ever having peace with the King.

==> Peace only comes in Jesus.

======
MERT's OPINION (Which I believe is biblical & Christian):
Torture is never justifiable:
Execute those deserving of capital punishment if needed.
Redeem those who will receive grace.
======

CAIR seems to have a campaign to improve their image (i.e. their institutional idol):
1. Condemn terror more strongly.
2. Improve the status of women.
3. Improve America's image in the Mid-East.
4. Demonstrate more concern for other Americans.
5. Emphasize shared values. (family, ethics, piety, ??)

MERT's recommendations for how CAIR could have a better & more enduring name:

1. Edit the Hadith & Quran: Burn all copies that include reference to violence & remove all calls to jihad war against infidels, etc. Correct all poor history in the Quran & renounce the historical fiction that has been published as truth in the past.

2. Renounce Muhammed as their last & greatest prophet. Following a man who at one time was married to more than 4 women is not setting a good example.

3. Get beyond America. Look to the King who was born in Bethlehem.

4. Follow Jesus Christ (Isa Al-Masih) by loving your neighbor (American, German, Brazilian, Israeli, Korean, Kurd, Russian, Chinese, tribal) as yourself.

5. Value the crucifixion & resurrection of Jesus as the basis for our forgiveness & reconciliation & hope.

When CAIR adopts the above 5 recommendations, I am convinced that they will be empowered by the grace that He gives. (But they will probably have to change their name & purpose statement then.)

====
Finally, some concerns, that I believe have a bearing on how the church is relating to Muslims:

Notably, fewer Americans believe that immigrants are a not a burden. I.e. more believe that immigrants are a burden.

==> I believe that this reveals a fundamental problem: relying on & offering too many government programs. The result is a decline in fiscal health of the US government while giving excuses for blame-shifting.

Jesus offers a fundamental solution: The Good News!! Therefore, Christians ought to love their neighbors.

The survey showed that FEWER non-muslims indicate having friends / colleagues who are Muslims.
Why?? Here are some possible reasons:

A. Muslims are converting to _?_.
B. Muslims are becoming less friendly or avoiding friendships
C. Muslims are emmigrating elsewhere.
C. Non-Muslims are less interested in befriending Muslims.
D. The definition of friendship is changing.
E. Muslims are starting their own businesses.
F. Muslims are being fired more.
G. Muslims are getting lazy.
H. The definition of colleague is changing.

Q. What is Dr. Dobson's connection to Jack Abramoff?

A. There is no connection. Dr. Dobson has never met Mr. Abramoff and, in fact, has never even spoken to him.

http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0039768.cfm

=====
There is a popular method of insulting people needlessly: person x is friends with person z. Person z is a bad person. Therefore, do not trust anything that Person x says.

As you can see from the example above: Dr. Dobson denies any association with Mr. Abramoff.

Some folks tried this same method with Jesus:

A. Jesus spent time with people who were sinners. (True - we all are.)
B. Jesus is therefore a sinner. (False.)

The ironic thing is that if we deny that we have any sinful actions ... then we deny that Jesus is willing to have anything to do with us.

Here is a better syllogism.

A. Jesus spends time with sinners who acknowledge their guilt. (True.)
B. We are all sinners & have each gone our own way. (True.)
=> We are made holy by spending time with Jesus in honesty. (True.)

A friend asked about "Alexander/Iskandar" the pagan Grecian conqueror being mentioned in the Quran. A Muslim acquaintance had never heard of such.

===
A. Are Abraham Lincoln, Lenin & Stalin, or Columbus mentioned in the Q
document, in the same conquistadorian vein of reasoning? Ah, but they
are post-Mo folks (though I doubt Islam would have reached the
Americans without Columbus).

B. Are any Chinese leaders mentioned in the Q document?

C. What about Indian leaders / conquerors that spread regional
ideologies before Islam hit the subcontinent?

Rhetorical questions ... but the idea of conquest as Islam / Islam as
conquest seems to keep the problem in focus rather than providing any
solution.

Here are some more sober questions:
1. How does one conquer the human heart & tongue, and their fallen tendencies?

2. What does this reveal of the uniquely Goodness of the News which we share?

When a soul savors the Flavor of forgiveness,
it knows the Father's favor in the Lord.
This is the kind of salt that
removes the rot & makes right.

In Christ Jesus the Victor,
Mert H.

Perhaps some seeking the Truth will find a hint in the following Q & A format:

Q. What cartoons are okay for the serious sharia-minded Muslim?

A. Depictions of the destruction of non-Muslim nations is completely okay.

Conclusion:
The law condemns and gives no life.
It merely generates more strife.

==
Q. If depictions of Muhammed are ruled out as a general rule, would there be any cartoon depicting God which would be acceptable?

A. Caricatures of God would have to be in an Arabic font to be permissible, but to prevent any fatal fatwas against a cartoonist, it would need to be signed by Muhammed.

Conclusion:
The Truth is true in any tongue,
And tunes are shared among the young.

A desert script shall bear God's Word,
Where cartoon clammer is still heard.

A poet dead is social shame.
The Living Word gains global fame.

The Lord arose and shall return.
Mere ink on paper shall then burn.

Muhammed left a heap of scraps.
But Jesus gives escape from wrath.


==
Q. Are any foods named after Muhammed halal or is this a sort of canabalism which would be non-halal?

A. "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad" may be purchased from Iran. Formerly these were called Danishes. This indicates that a virtual communion is permitted, as long as lots of sugar is involved, there is a subtext of jihad/dawah in renaming foreign or otherwise non-halal foods.

Conclusion:
The comfort of sweet food
Can slow down your fleet foot.

Old David found mere pleasure fails.
But Jesus Christ who rose prevails!

Why are there more & more laws against smoking in the "West,"
but a decreasing / lowering standard of sexual morality?

Why are there more & more laws for child-safety in cars & fetal alcohol,
but abortion & drugs which stimulate abortion are still regarded as permissible?

Why are there so many who cry out for peace,
but who do not seem to care to make peace with God?

Why is anti-semitism an instant black mark on your record,
but confession of the Lord Jesus, the rightful heir to the leadership over the Jews, other Semitic peoples, & all nations is an instant taboo?

Ah, but Jesus said, Rejoice & be glad when you are persecuted!!
-- (Matthew 5:1-16)

May He raise up more laborers & purify our hearts day by day!!

In Christ,
Mert H.

(What follows is a letter written by a friend in South Africa who cares deeply for Muslims & seeks to convey the truth in a gentle way. -MJH)

The cartoon crisis is another tragic historic milestone – perhaps on a par with 9/11 and the Iraq war. Like these two earlier events, this one has escalated tensions between the Muslim and ‘Christian world’ (better term ‘western civilization’).

In the wake of the cartoon crisis, Muslims feel they are once again victims of western prejudicial attitudes. They believe that the principle of religious sanctity – particularly in relation to Muhammad – should be upheld in western nations. The grounds on which Muslims feel these caricatures of Muhammad are insulting, has a kernel of truth to it, nevertheless, there has been considerable dishonesty and hypocrisy shown by Muslim leaders who’ve been integrally involved in this story.

Let me explain. Two months after the ‘insulting’ cartoons were printed in Denmark, Ahmed Abu Laban, leader of the Islamic Society of Denmark, took the 12 offending caricatures and compiled them into a booklet – along with 3 fabricated cartoons – which were far more insulting than the genuine ones. He and another imam showed this booklet to three highly reputed Muslim leaders in the Middle East; Amr Moussa – Arab league Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Sayyad Tantawi – Grand Immam of Al Azhar, Yusuf al Qaradawi – Sunni Islam’s most influential scholar. By showing these cartoons to these eminent leaders, Laban harnessed their support towards promoting a groundswell of spontaneous(?) Muslim protest against the Danish newspaper.

If Laban was a man of integrity, “Why did he resort to using 3 hoax cartoons to bolster his argument?” The fact is: Abu Laban believes “mockery against Mohamed deserves the death penalty.” 1 Convinced of this, it seems he rationalized it was insignificant to add some fake cartoons to his booklet. And, besides this, Islamists, like Abu Mazen, regard lying as a permissible tactic of war (Jihad).

Unfolding events have shown how effective Abu Laban’s strategy was. It enraged Muslims so much that they attacked American bases in Afghanistan which had no real connection with the Danish newspaper and resulted in the deaths of 11 Muslims – most, if not all of them, killed by Afghani security forces.

Abu Laban and his colleague have been questioned about who gave them these 3 fabricated cartoons, but they have refused to identify the culprits. However, they claimed that the false cartoons were genuinely Danish and had been added to “give an insight in how hateful the atmosphere in Denmark is towards Muslims.”2 Subsequent research has revealed that one of these cartoons was fabricated and it is doubtful the other two are genuine Danish productions. The one allegedly portraying Muhammad with a pigsnout was from a photo of a pig squealing contest in France. 3 Holding this kind of contest at a carnival seems very strange to me, as I’m sure it does to many other readers, nevertheless, that is exactly what it was.

The BBC notes “the ‘pigface’ photocopy was later filmed in Gaza at the end of January when gunmen took over EU offices, and so somehow it had been lifted out and given importance.” 4This BBC report concludes that the ‘pigface’ picture “does seem to have played a role in the raising of the temperature.”

Bear in mind that this glaring example of dishonesty is not alone. The report that was circulated by Abu Laban purported to want “stable relations, and a flourishing Denmark for all that live here.” But it also maligned Danish people saying, “If you say that they are all infidels, then you are not wrong.” (BBC, ibid)

It is inexcusable that Abu Laban has circulated inflammatory lies but there is something else Muslim leaders have also been guilty of. They have been hypocritical in how they responded to two different newspapers which published the same cartoons of Muhammad. They condemned the Danish editor while turning a blind eye to the Muslim editor of El Fagr who published six of the original 12 caricatures (October 17 2005).

Notice how intense has been the condemnation against the ‘offending’ Danish editor and the ripple effects of these protests against the Danish embassies and exports, not to mention other countries. Why was the Muslim newspaper editor not rebuked, charged, shutdown (or whatever) for committing essentially the same wrong? Does this not smack of double standards and hypocrisy?

It is important to note that the editor of El Fagr criticized these 6 cartoons - as printed - “but it did not incite hatred protests” according to the Freedom for Egyptians blog6. No ‘spontaneous’ outrage broke out until 3 months later when Abu Laban’s efforts at stirring up widespread protest had taken effect. Apparently the people organizing the riots did not know of El Fagr’s article or if they did they overlooked it. However, as this hypocritical story is being publicized more widely I fear there may be serious consequences for the editor. As of this writing, the ‘offensive’ issue of El Fagr (#21) has been removed from the website http://www.elfagr.net./index.html but all the other issues up to early February 2006 can be seen.

What is clear from all this is that a double standard has been applied to editors of papers that published the ‘offending’ cartoons. Several editors operating in Middle East or Muslim countries have been shut down and punished, while others seem to have escaped the wrath of Islamists. The dishonest reporting and lobbying of certain Muslim leaders has certainly fanned the flames of these raging protests, precipitating a global crisis that is causing destruction and death.

Speaking to fellow Muslims who are responsible for provoking violent protests, senior cleric Mohammed Usman of the Ulama Council in Kabul, Afghanistan, declared, “these rioters are defaming the name of Islam.” This rebuke from a leading Muslim calls to mind the opening question of this article, and provides a profound answer: violence discredits and defames the reputation of Muslims.

In conclusion, “How should Christians and Muslims behave in this crisis?” “How should we respond when a revered leader is mocked?” Indeed we might do well to ask, “How did Muhammad and Jesus Christ respond to mockery?” The following articles provide valuable background information to help you explore these vital implications www.answering-islam.org/Silas/asma.htm
<http://www.desiringgod.org/library/sermons/06/012206.html>

Footnotes
1 http://counterterror.typepad.com/the_counterterrorism_blog/2006/02/fabricated_cart.html
2 http://www.neandernews.com/?p=54#comment-32
3 http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/775
4 http://counterterror.typepad.com/the_counterterrorism_blog/2006/02/fabricated_cart.html
5 http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21215
6 http://freedomforegyptians.blogspot.com/2006/02/cartoons-were-published-five-months.html

Another article which provides useful background information to this cartoon crisis is available at;
www.answering-islam.org/NonMuslims/islam_above_criticism.htm

NDT from South Africa asked about the recent PTAP news:
- Is it wise to have Koreans / Chinese / Westerners going into the Arabian Peninsula?
- What is the best langauge to learn? Egyptian (Modern Standard Arabic is fairly Egyptian). How easy is this? For example, would a Egyptian dialect course work?

=====
[edited slightly]

To answer your questions:
When it speaks of partnering: this can include sending workers,
helping with finances, building Korean / Chinese prayer networks /
prayer walking teams, and other types of things. Probably there were
well seasoned workers on the field who helped in connecting the people
at the right time & right place ... without compromising the position
of those unready to meet Korean saints.

Fear of death & suffering is a potent reality only prior to when a
person has a clear view of the risen Christ.

Actually, my Korean friends indicate that Hebrew is easier to learn
than English. Since Arabic is also a Semitic language, I would guess
that Arabic would be easier for them than an English speaker. However,
to my knowledge, it was not Koreans who were in language school.
Typically, each paragraph in the news is a separate prayer item.
Throughout the region, Christian workers are coming to see that it is
better to have a multitude of proclaimers rather than a few.

Did you have a country of particular interest?

So, for you, I would not suggest using the Egyptian (Modern Standard
Arabic - MSA) language in Yemen. In the Gulf (which includes the UAE &
really most all countries except Yemen) MSA should work fine initially.
Due to historic differences & conflict, the dialect is very offensive
to ordinary Yemeni people since Egypt was a former oppressor. There are language schools or universities offering language courses which you could attend if interested in studying in various Yemeni or Gulf Arabic dialects. However, I would suggest that you first take some serious steps praying & recruiting the support of a church / churches who will pray with you about which you are called to. Dishonoring a person's language will tend to lose their hearing.

They may not do actual harm to you, but you will be able to do much
less good.

Where do you worship with other saints? Actually, if you are sensing a call to the Arabian Peninsula, I suggest that you raise up 100+ prayer partners, as the Lord enables. If you need some verses describing God's promises concerning the region or resources to learn more about it, I would be glad to refer you to works. Pray. Share your vision with the leadership of your church. Pray with them. If you still are called to move ahead, pray & share the vision & raise up as many others who will join with you (& many others in PTAP) who will praise the name of the Lord as the work is accomplished.

In the mercy of Jesus,
Mert

=====
Thank you very much for your insight.
- NDT

"Do Muslims have the Strongest Argument after All?"
http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110007760
---
+ + + + + + + +

No.

The tomb is still empty.

Further rambling follows which contradicts all human reasons for
hopelessess:
Summary: the Lord is God, the Lord alone.
==> Let's love Him with our all everything.

...
The article had 1 major flaw: in reality trees don't have a much
better fate than people in Islam. (Have you ever seen a photo of a
lush garden in Mecca? The most famed fotos are of people whirling
around a vieled black building ... much like a mosh pit.). Pick fruit
from the wrong tree & the whole garden starts to shrivel. Mere
demography is death. Democracy unrestrained _always_ leads to
degenerate mob rule, just ask _anybody_ who has read classical works on
political science.

However, there is another City that is not governed by confusion. In
it there is a tree of Life, that always has fresh fruit. Perhaps you
know with crystal clarity the Road of gold I speak of?

Be fruitful & multiply, make disciples. Why be afraid merely because a
few people desire to have kids & impose law? Cannot every one of those
kids be redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ?

Remember, if we DO NOT LOSE HEART BUT REMAIN ALERT, WATCH & PRAY, we
could see a greater work come to Europe than in legendary days of Old.
See, God is doing new things even today. Look around you, yes. & Look
above you.

In the "historic heartlands" of Islam, the Good News is starting to
advance against the nonsense of Islam. Islam will fall. Not because
we possess better arguments, but because the earth is the LORD's.

NEVER get afraid because of a little war. Jesus said these things
would happen (Matthew 24). But he said, DO NOT BE DISTURBED!! Our
confidence is not in our DNA but in our Deliverer.

Missions were going along great & many were hopeful ... until WWI ...
then people thought "Oh, no ... people really are sinners. How can we
ever share the gospel?" The church began to drift. Some lost all hope
for the church in Russia as Communism was established under Lenin.

Slowly a little hope picked up between the battles, some folks started
getting excited about the Lord's work in China ... then WWII cam along
.. as did Communism .... then people though, "Oh no, ... people really
are sinners! No one seeks God, no not one. How can we ever share the
gospel & expect people to respond?" The church began to drift, people
lost hope for the church in China. The same sense of hopelessness set
in for many regarding Eastern Europe, after all, they had godless
leaders.

Yet, in other places & times, people were hopeful that there, surely there the gospel could spread. Meanwhile, the good news was really starting to take root in the very places that people had lost hope. The faith of Abraham was being displayed: a hope against hope. God's promises are so much more sure than man's certified & credentialed
doubts.

Iran fell to an Ayatollah ... and people thought, "Oh no, Muslims are sinners, too ... and secular governments cannot save us. Oh no, how will we ever save the world? We have propped up secular governments with our hands and now another has fallen. How ever can the gospel of Christ stand against such infamy?" Hopelessness again. More people became disappointed in the gospel.

The same thing has been happening again since 9/11 in the USA. Alas, we built these tall towers, but the fell. They weren't supposed to fall! Why did this happen? Just a few people? So religious? Oh me, O my, we are sinners, whatever will we do? We must build not two towers, but one big tower, a taller tower. We must send out bigger guns, bigger planes, bigger boats, a war to end all wars. Let us wave banners higher & sing our songs louder & die bravely on the battlefield." Yet people are finding that these & all their own methods & concepts do not win over Muslims. We are finding that sin still affects the vast majority of the sons of Adam. We are finding that sinners beget sinners, whether they wear the name Muslim or Buddhist, Hindu or Communist, Tribal or Tyrant. What ever will we do?

Across the earth, shame covers the face of so many who look in the mirror. Who will clothe us with dignity & strength? What are these few among so many? It would take years & years of wages to feed & clothe, much less save so many.

After the Tsunami in Aceh & affected areas over a year ago, people were distraught. Many died. Some were angry at God. Some were philosophical. Many were suffering. Some were faithful. Since then, what has happened? New openings for real, honest, down-to-earth service. A ceasefire has been called. New beginnings. And, for those who are climatologically inclined & can tell the difference between when it is raining & when it is not: It was raining more in Aceh than in had in a long time. Last I checked, these are the kinds of things the Lord God does.

So what does Jesus say, "You feed them. Go out as sheep among wolves. Take up the cross. Could you not stay awake & watch with me just one hour?"

Again, what does the Lord say? Watch & pray so that you don't enter into temptation / trial. If there are but two or three, I am in their midst.

So let us love one another, and watch & pray ... and we will see the salvation of our God.

Walking with the Lord,
Mert H.
mertaka@everybody.org

(Watch & pray does not equate to "Watch CNN & worry." Prayer implies faith in God's desire & ability to act decisively on behalf of those who look to Him.)

A Most Blessed 2006 to you all in this ministry, Amen. I am hoping that you can assist me in two things. The first is I would really like to receive some more tracts geared specifically to witnessing to Muslims about who Isa really is. The ones I had were titled "For My Muslim Friend." Are there any more like these? Or some diffferent ones? I would be most grateful to receive some of either kind, for there are quite a few Muslims (a lot from Yemen) living/working in my immediate community.

- Dr. I.R.

==
<+>< + ><+>

http://www.multilanguage.com
Look under Amharic or English or Arabic.
- MJH

===
I visited the site! and I am overjoyed! I am so thankful to our dear
Lord Jesus that all these resources are available. Thank you so much for providing this information. Of course, if at all possible, I still would like to have specific information about Ethiopian Muslim Women, and Ethiopian culture. I'll check the local library today. Again, thank you so much for your kind assistance. If I can be of any assistance to you, please do not hesitate to write me. My whole heart and life is given to seeing Muslims come to a saving knowledge of our beloved Lord Jesus, all for His glory, amen.

In Him who is our Life,

Dr. I.R.

===
<+>< + ><+>
Some resources I found via google's scholarly search page:

Search Page:
http://scholar.google.com/

====
Search terms: Ethiopia muslim women Christian Witness
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=Ethiopia+muslim+women+Christian+Witness

The resources that came up looked like they came at it from a variety
of theological perspectives.

=====
Search terms: Ethiopia muslim women
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Ethiopia+muslim+women&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en
This yielded some more medical pages.

====
Women’s Health and Life Events Study in Rural Ethiopia
http://www.cih.uib.no/journals/EJHD/ejhd17-special-issue-2/EJHD,2003,%202nd%20special%20issue.pdf

====
The prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of mental distress in
Butajira, Ethiopia.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10470355&dopt=Citation

====
Religion, male violence, and the control of women:
M Macey - Gender and Development, 1999

http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/(sbvp5mmtbtp4evitjwi4sw55)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,7,12;journal,18,30;linkingpublicationresults,1:103705,1

taylorandfrancis.metapress.com ... Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim
Relations: Birmingham ... eds.) (1992) Refusing Holy
Orders: Women and Fundam ... female genital mutilation in Ethiopia
using popular ...

====
Violence against women: global scope and magnitude -
http://www.hawaii.edu/hivandaids/Violence_Against_Women__Global_Scope_and_Magnitude.pdf
C Watts, C Zimmerman - Lancet, 2002 - hawaii.edu ... Bangladesh
Netherlands Barbados Israel Ethiopia ... For example, estimates of the
number
of Muslim women raped by Serb soldiers during the 1992–95 conflict in ...

=====
Factors Influencing the Use of Maternal Healthcare Services in Ethiopia
http://www.icddrb.org/images/jhpn2104_factor-influencing.pdf
Y Mekonnen, A Mekonnen - J HEALTH POPUL NUTR, 2003 - phishare.org ...
unmarried women. Muslim women were 30% more likely to receive Page 4.
Use of
maternal healthcare in Ethiopia 377 professional antenatal ...

======
In the Shadows of the Twin Towers: Muslim Immigrant Women's Voices Emerge
http://www.springerlink.com/(pspnrlqeuz52ip55dy0eduu0)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,9,12;journal,16,102;linkingpublicationresults,1:101600,1
Journal: _Sex_Roles_

- MJH


=========
Again, I thank you most kindly for the wealth of sites you've provided here for me, perhaps I would have made it there eventually, but it makes a big difference knowing just what to plug in, does it not? I've not had a chance to begin looking at them yet, but I am most eager and full of joy to do so.

Thanks so much for your assistance, and may our dear Lord Jesus continue to richly supply you in this ministry, Amen.

In His Life,

Dr. I.R.

After sharing the following testimony with some fellow saints, there was a dialogue which I include below.

- MJH

=====
TESTIMONY:
While visiting with an expatriate Arab Christian brother, he told me several stories about his Christian friends from his home country. Several of these men are from Muslim backgrounds and now claim Jesus as their Savior and Lord. These men travel to Mecca to join the 2 million Muslims from their home country and dozens of other Islamic countries on the Hajj. These men go through the various stages of the Hajj, just as they did several times when they were Muslims–only now they do it to share the love of Jesus with Muslim pilgrims that are seeking for the truth. They go around the Ka’aba 7 times just like all the other Muslims, they throw stones at the 3 pillars representing Satan, climb Mount Arafat to pray from noon to dusk and all the other tasks required of those on pilgrimage. They have had many opportunities to talk with men, young and old, about the rituals they are performing all the while interjecting the truths of the Gospel. Several people have come to faith during these ‘visits’. Praise the Lord! Pray for their
protection and wisdom.

======
Food for thought?
G.L.

====
Did you ask these believers what they thought about Muhammad as God's rasul? I am interested to know how they sort all this out, since affirming Muhammad is certainly a big part of haj. I expect it is probably a non-issue for them. In other words, "of course he is a prophet!"

If so, it certainly challenges our Christian perspective on Muhammad.... how can someone be so zealous to tell others about the gospel and lordship of Christ and consider the the prophethood of Muhammad a non-issue? Can saving faith in Christ coexist with Islam from God's perspective?

Most of us grant that this is OK for 'beginners' in the faith, but eventually they should come out of the mosque. But what if they plan to stay in, forever? Might such faith among Muslims be used of God to encourage the development of Muslims submitted to Christ's reign? Might this be part of God's plan to bless Muslim peoples? What do you think?

Eid Mubarrak!
R.

===
Interesting questions. Now when you get answers, be sure to keep me in the
loop.
M.C.

======
You asked some good questions!! I would kinda like to know the answers
to some of them myself. But, I honestly don't have the answers as I
was not the one talking with the Arab pastor nor the "hajji." Lately I
have thought a bit about what Paul wrote to the Philippians: Some tell
it this way, some that. The important thing though is that the good
news gets out, so I am really happy! Who am I to criticize someone
else's boss? As long as the real King is acknowledged, that is key.

Actually, some would probably have objections to how I share the message of Christ on a state university cafeteria ... but some have shown a tad of interest: some jews, some muslims, some Christians, etc. The word is running. Pray 4 me.

I'll send your thoughts on to friends in the AP.

- MJH
=====

The email from last week's [lamp] oil - I don't have direct contact with the guys going into Mecca. I would suspect that they reconcile their presence in Mecca to share the love of Jesus with seeking Muslims depending on the grace that God gives believers when they step out in faith to present the gospel. I don't fully understand why Greg or the other fellow automatically believe that these brothers in Mecca are actively, mentally, spiritually invested in the activities going on around them. One can go around the Ka'aba 7 times with zero investment spiritually. One can throw stones at the 3 pillars representing shatan without spiritual engagement personally, as I heard the story from a reliable source - these guys spend their time watching for someone who is open to spiritual things - there is alot of time for discussion over the 4 - 6 days spent on the Hajj that could be redeemed for the kingdom. I stand in awe of these guys and their bold faith. PTL!

- From the pray-AP wire correspondent.