Witnessing to a Muslim

I heard someone in a prison ministry say that when he was talking with a Muslim prisoner he said, “Isn’t it interesting that our God tells us to love our enemies and your god tells you to kill yours.”  He had a great opening to reach out with the truth.  How do you witness to Muslims?

Whether they’re Black Muslims in the Nation of Islam (Joseph Farrakhan’s group) or Middle Eastern Muslims, I talk about the Koran (I know it better than most of them do by the way) and Jesus.  I point out that their book calls Jesus perfect and it also says that Mohammed is not perfect.

So whether we agree on who Jesus is, at least Jesus in your book is perfect; and our books says he’s perfect.

2 Corinthians 5:21

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Hebrews 5:9

And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

1 Peter 1:19

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

We agree on that.  So then why wouldn’t you trust someone who is perfect?  They make a big deal about Mohammed, but Mohammed himself lays out some of his imperfections.

Muslims are very religious.  They like to talk about that stuff.  In the conversation just deal with Jesus.  That’s all I do.  Jesus is the issue.  They hold him in high respect.  They just think he’s a great prophet – not God – but a step below Mohammed.  You don’t even have to know the Koran.  Just talk to them about Jesus and that he’s perfect and you’ll get to them. 

Hopefully this helps! 

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Greater Light vs. lesser light

Besides the so-called signs of the Zodiac and astrology, how have pagan religions corrupted the intended symbolism of the cosmos in Scripture?

In addition to figures in the constellations being patterns for false gods (lions, calves, etc.) other heavenly bodies have been used to represent false gods and are counterfeits of God’s truth. 

In Scripture, the sun represents Jesus Christ (the greater light).

Genesis 1:16

And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

The moon (the lesser light) represents Satan (the name means ‘light bearer’) – the one who rules the darkness.  Night always typifies evil.

Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

2 Corinthians 11:14

And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

Allah, the desert moon god, is represented by a crescent moon.  Muslims don’t realize their moon god represents Satan—‘the lesser light who rules the darkness.’

Satan is the prince of the power of the air and he’s the ruler of this earth and its world system.  Satan has a kingdom.

Galatians 1:4

Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:

Ephesians 2:2

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this [present evil] world, according to the prince of the power of the air [Satan], the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Walid Shoebat is a well-known example of a Muslim who was converted to Christianity from Islam. When Walid read the Bible he realized that the god they were worshipping was Lucifer/Satan. He and others will tell you that many of the 99 names of Allah in the Koran are descriptions of Satan in Scripture, such as “The Great Deceiver.”

Why is their god called a great deceiver?  Because in Islam it’s permissible to lie to your enemy, the ‘infidel.’  That’s how the antichrist is going to deal with Israel.  He’ll say one thing to Israel, and another to his followers.

Hopefully this helps!

Golden Calf

Why did Aaron make a golden image to be worshipped in the form of a calf?

Egyptians made their gods based upon which constellation they were under at that time.  That’s why in Egypt some gods are in the image of lions, calves, etc.  In the time of the Exodus they were under the sign of Taurus (the bull).

Exodus 32:1, 4, 8

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

God created the stars and constellations perfectly, but since the fall of man His whole creation is out of whack because of sin.  It is said that the Gospel (of Jesus Christ) is pictured in the stars.  Astrology is a counterfeit of the real meaning of the constellations in the heavens.  Every one of them has some type of significance.

Hopefully this helps! 

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Israel's Flag

Why is the symbol on the flag of Israel called the Star of David and what does it symbolize?

David is their conquering hero.  The Lord Jesus Christ is called the Son of David.

Matthew 1:1

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

To the Jews, David is a type of Messiah.  If you look at David’s life you’ll see what they were expecting the Lord Jesus (Messiah) to do—defeat their enemies, particularly the Romans.  David was a king and a warrior.  They were looking for their Messiah to also be a warrior King.  The Jews took Jesus by force and tried to force him to be King. But he said, no, I’m the king but I have to die first. 

John 6:15

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

The banner of a country is on their flag.  In the Bible a real flag is called a banner.

Exodus 17:15-16

And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi [The Lord is our Banner]: For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

Psalm 20:5

We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

Isaiah 13:2

Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

When you conquer a territory you put your banner (plant your flag) in the land that you conquer, right?  So the star on Israel’s flag represents David to the Hebrew people.  What they’re saying is, “This land is David’s land.”  It’s his kingdom.  That’s the symbolism behind it.

But to New Agers and in witchcraft, that symbol has been ‘hijacked’  to represent their common saying, “as above, so below” (it points up and it points down). This has to do with the fallen angels that comingled with the daughters of men in Genesis 6.  They were above, and then they came down.

Genesis 6:4

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

So their use of the same symbol is extremely occultic. 

Israel’s star also represents the three pyramids at Giza.  I personally believe because those were prophetic times, the builders got the vision for them from fallen angels, as well as the power and capability to build them.  The architecture is so precise (think laser technology) and other-worldly that even today we can’t understand how they could do it.    And what is interesting is that they have no hieroglyphics in them at all.  They had to have had supernatural help by someone who was more than willing to have them worship him (Satan and his fallen angels).

Interestingly the pyramids built by the Egyptians copy that design, but they actually fall apart.  They aren’t built as well and they’re filled with hieroglyphs to their gods.

Likewise, the tower of Babel also represented ‘something above.’  They built it as a tower to reach into Heaven - not literally to reach to the stars, but as a representation of the way they would reach Heaven; and it wasn’t going to be God’s way, it would be their own way. 

Another counterfeit way to heaven is represented by a gateway (think Hollywood’s Stargate) that bridges earth and heaven.  That is an occult counterfeit of Jacob’s Ladder from Genesis.

Genesis 28:12

And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

The Lord talks about this:

John 1:51

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

The actual location where this will occur is where Jacob had his dream

Genesis 28:10

And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

It’s a like a ladder reaching to heaven literally.  So there is evidence in Scripture that there is an area on earth (in Israel) where the angels actually travel between heaven and earth.

Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!

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Robbing God

Hudson Taylor made the statement, “God’s work done in God’s time never lacks God’s funds.”  Isn’t that exemplified by Pharaoh’s daughter taking care of Moses?

Yes, that’s true to a point.  The Body of Christ operates like our physical bodies.  The Body of Christ is suffering right now because God’s money is being extorted and being given to ministries that do not rightly divide the Word.

Every red cent that a blood-bought believer gives to ministry is supposed to go to the Pauline Grace message, but we know it doesn’t.  Paul says a lot about money, for instance...

Philippians 4:17

Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

Ministries that don’t rightly divide are stealing God’s money, like the people did in Christ’s day.  Every member of the Body of Christ is to give back to the Pauline Grace message.  You’re not going to learn that in a denominational church.  You’re going to have to come to that understanding by seeking the truth from God.  You’ll hear someone like me give you the Word rightly divided.

God will provide; but the Body is still suffering because saints aren’t doing their part.  Just like your physical body – if one of your body parts isn’t operating right, you feel it; your body suffers.  So we have to make known the Mystery to our brethren.  We’ll get a few; not many, but a few will come over to this truth, and once they do they’ll begin to supply the need.  God will never have us lack.  He’ll  make a way; God’s grace abounds:

2 Corinthians 9:8

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

But most of God’s money is going to other causes.  People think they’re doing it for God but they’re not.  They don’t understand God’s Word.

2 Timothy 2:7

Consider what I [Paul] say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

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...Transcribed from an informal Q&A session at NCGF on 10/26/2011.

Consider…

2 Corinthians 8

1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;

2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves;

4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also.

7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.

8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.

12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:

14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:

15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you.

18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;

19 And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace ['this,' their offering: their ‘abounding in grace’ v7, the ‘proof of the sincerity of their love in faith’ v8, their ‘performance’ v11], which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

20 Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us:

21 Providing for honest things [Pauline doctrine], not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.

22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you.

23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love [v8], and of our boasting on your behalf.

Lifting holy hands

What is the significance of lifting up holy hands in Paul’s instruction regarding prayer in I Timothy?

1 Timothy 2:8

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

When Paul talks about lifting up holy hands, he’s referring to ‘defeating the flesh’ through prayer and the word. 

John 6:63

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Ephesians 6:17-18

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Paul is referencing Exodus 17 where Israel is fighting Amalek and would prevail only when Moses held up his hand.

Exodus: 11-12

And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek [a type of the flesh] prevailed. But Moses’ [who represents to Israel God’s Word, the Law] hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands [a symbol of prayer], the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

There is a lot of symbolism in this passage.  Moses represents—to Israel—God’s word,  the Law; and Moses’ upheld hands represent prayer.  Through the word and prayer you defeat the flesh (Amalek).

Galatians 5:16-17

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Romans 12:12

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

Hopefully this helps! 

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Job’s authorship

Who wrote the book of Job?

Some say it was written by one of his “three miserable, comforter” friends.  Eliphaz is the one usually accredited with penning it.  (However, of course, God, the Holy Spirit was the author!)

2 Peter 1:21

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Job is one of the grandsons of Jacob.  His father was Issachar, one of the 12 sons of Jacob and, thus, head of the 12 tribes of Israel.

Genesis 46:13

And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.

Job was written around the time when Jacob and his sons went down into Egypt.

Job means ‘persecute.’  The book of Job is actually a type of the future Tribulation when the Little Flock is persecuted.  How do we know that?  James tells us about Job and uses him as an example of how the Little Flock should endure.

James 5:10-11

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Hopefully this helps!

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