Our oldest son asked, in a recent email, for my comments on the issues in the Middle East. Though I had studied in Pakistan during the years of 1956/57 and lived among dozens of Pakistani students, most of them Muslim by faith, I find that 50 years later I know even less about how the Muslim world thinks and works.
Keeping abreast of current times, even with modern communications abilities, would be a full time job. So much is unknown! So much of global thinking is hidden behind signs and demonstrations. Who is really calling for revolt? The mass media picks up a few demonstrators and that seems to create more demonstrators and more and more demonstrators. There are real issues, real needs that need to be addressed, political issues, labor issues, youth issues etc. etc. How is a person going to understand and decide - even here in the United States?
Being an "infant" in my understanding of Islam - I do not know Arabic and therefore cannot understand the Koran, according to some Muslims. I have read an English version of the Koran in an attempt to understand and make at least a modest response to the current global crises.
My fear is that the chaos will drag many into unwise actions from which there may be no way out of the chaos. Violence within Islam and its various sects and violence with other religions could easily become the norm. Some European nations have already declared that multicultural communities cannot coexist. Where will those positions lead those nations when and if Islam does not accept that position?
One last thought - none of us can neglect to understand Islam and the growing crises. At the battle of Tours in France the movement of Islam to capture Europe was stopped. Will expansion of Islam continue? According to Islamic doctine this current surge is only the beginning.
Bill
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Hebrews 1:14
Today, and in the recent past, a number of issues have been shared asking for prayer. Two good friends have recently had surgery for brain tumors, another has been placed into a medical facility ( his family do not believe that he will ever leave that place). An email today told of a death of one of the young students in Yetebon etc. etc.
My response to these requests has been Heb.1:14. Years ago, while teaching the book of Hebrews, I asked the men if they had anything to do with Angels. The typical response was something like, "Billy Graham wrote a book about angels" or something like that. It seems that very few of us think about Angels except for the guardian verity. So the question that the first chapter of Hebrews answers may give us, at least a hint, of what an angel is and what they do.
The whole first chapter compares Angels and Jesus ... and in the 14th verse gives us some answers. First, no Angel compares in any way with Jesus! The Angels are not dismissed as being irrelevant, it is just that they have a place in OUR plans as well, a place where they rightly do what they are commissioned to do. The Phillips translation stated the verse in this way,"Angels are spirits in the service of God, whom God commissions to to serve those who obtain His salvation." Other translations, "Are they (angels)not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation."
The morning of that teaching I stop and said,"Jesus if you have a dozen Angels sitting up there waiting for an assignment would you send a dozen to serve______.
From that day to this that is how I have prayed for people, for situations, for healing etc. etc. Like everyone I don't know how to pray - really - I just ask Jesus to send Angles to serve -- they know the issues, Jesus knows whom and how many to send. Jesus commissions Angles - they don't come on their own, they are sent!!!
So, the answer for today's requests has been - Jesus will you send a dozen Angels to serve that person, those people, that doctor, those nurses, that pastor/teacher/mentor, that business man, that person who is studying for the Bar exam,etc.
"Angles are spirits in the service of God, whom He sends forth to serve..." what a terrific fact - even for your situation and concern.
Much love,
Bill
My response to these requests has been Heb.1:14. Years ago, while teaching the book of Hebrews, I asked the men if they had anything to do with Angels. The typical response was something like, "Billy Graham wrote a book about angels" or something like that. It seems that very few of us think about Angels except for the guardian verity. So the question that the first chapter of Hebrews answers may give us, at least a hint, of what an angel is and what they do.
The whole first chapter compares Angels and Jesus ... and in the 14th verse gives us some answers. First, no Angel compares in any way with Jesus! The Angels are not dismissed as being irrelevant, it is just that they have a place in OUR plans as well, a place where they rightly do what they are commissioned to do. The Phillips translation stated the verse in this way,"Angels are spirits in the service of God, whom God commissions to to serve those who obtain His salvation." Other translations, "Are they (angels)not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation."
The morning of that teaching I stop and said,"Jesus if you have a dozen Angels sitting up there waiting for an assignment would you send a dozen to serve______.
From that day to this that is how I have prayed for people, for situations, for healing etc. etc. Like everyone I don't know how to pray - really - I just ask Jesus to send Angles to serve -- they know the issues, Jesus knows whom and how many to send. Jesus commissions Angles - they don't come on their own, they are sent!!!
So, the answer for today's requests has been - Jesus will you send a dozen Angels to serve that person, those people, that doctor, those nurses, that pastor/teacher/mentor, that business man, that person who is studying for the Bar exam,etc.
"Angles are spirits in the service of God, whom He sends forth to serve..." what a terrific fact - even for your situation and concern.
Much love,
Bill
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