Close your eyes for a moment and try to picture in your mind these instances that illustrate the power of God's Word at work:

Cave: Imagine yourself in a cave where darkness is thicker than any other black hole on earth. Suddenly you hear the voice of God speak into the darkness, "Let there be Light!" and BANG! Instantly, darkness turns to light. This is the power of God's Word described in Gen 1 when He spoke the world into being. God's Word invades darkness and brings about light.

Cemetery: Dead bodies lined up, grave upon grave, in a dark cemetery as far as the eye can see. Without warning, you hear a voice speak two simple words: "Come forth". All of a sudden, dead corps are coming back to life as each soul is restored and united with its body and the Day of Judgment has arrived. This is the power of God's Word as described in John 5:29, overcoming death and bringing new life.

Baptism: Picture your parents and sponsors gathering at the Baptismal font and yourself as an infant in the arms of your pastor. With one hand he holds your body above the font and with the other hand he pours water three times over your head calling out your name and speaking these words: "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit". Then your pastor lays his hand upon your head and speaks this powerful blessing: "Almighty God, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who has given you the new birth of water and of the Spirit and has forgiven you all your sins, strengthen you with grace to life everlasting. Peace be with you. Amen."

Most human beings find themselves drawn to the spectacular. The people who followed Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry did so because they wanted to see him perform miracles and witness his spectacular deeds. They wanted to see magic and watch Jesus pull a rabbit out of a hat. Even King Herod urges Jesus: "Walk across my swimming pool."

In our Baptism, God speaks His word into the ordinary water and makes it Holy in order to accomplish the extraordinary. What a Ordinary Holy Miracle. It is not the water, nor the amount of water, that does what God wants done. Rather, His word, His promise to us as children or adults, that provides the power to make the water of Baptism so dynamic. The Trinitarian formula (In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit) employed in Baptism is, of course, drawn from Christ's Great Commission to All Nations in Mathew 28:19.

Now open your eyes for a moment, wake from your imagination and take a good look at this real picture with real people as children from All Nations enter the Kingdom of God through the ordinary but holy water of Baptism. Because of the Great Commission and for the sake of the Gospel, the doors of All Nations Lutheran Church in Dallas will remain open for all peoples to enter the Kingdom of God through this Ordinary but Holy Gift of Baptism. In the sacrament of Holy Baptism, we become precious to God and therefore, strongly secure and unified with all His people from all nations as one big family on the face of the earth. "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.". Deuteronomy 7:6

On June 29, 2008, during our International Service, we sang our faith and celebrated the spectacular power of God's Word at work, as children from All Nations, Joshua and Jerusha, entered the Kingdom of God through ordinary yet Holy water of Baptism.

This gift and mystery of baptism, is indeed, the Ordinary Holy Gift for All Nations. As God's chosen people from all nations, precious in His sight and secure in the grace and knowledge or our baptism, we are reminded in I Peter 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

As we continue to remain faithful to the great commission, thousands from many Nations will come to Salvation and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit just as Peter replied in Acts 2:38-41 "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."

Amen Pastor Karim

POBLO-TX & Lord of Life in Plano launch ESL program bringing community together

As burgers and hot dogs cook on the grill, kids climb to the top of an inflatable water slide, and adults chat with each other at picnic tables in the shade next to Lord of Life Lutheran Church.

The church, which has hosted an English as a Second Language program during the school year for the past six years, began its first summer version of the program Monday. “This is for international students, immigrants, and people looking for survival English, friends, or a place to belong,” said Pastor Karim.

The ESL Summer Connect, held every other Monday starting June 2, is an extension of the church’s regular ESL program and helps students practice their social and speaking skills outside of the classroom. The program has attracted students who speak languages such as Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, and Swahili.

According to Kimberly Idrees, a missionary at Lord of Life, the idea came from the church’s Board of Outreach, which discusses ways to help the community. Members of the board asked themselves if they were offering something that could benefit the community or provide something people need.

Another factor in establishing a summer program was to maintain activity level in the church. “A lot of churches go dormant in the summer,” said Pastor Karim. “There’s no activity in the church and the community.”

The word “connect” in the summer program’s name reflects some of the church’s main goals in establishing the program.

In addition to connecting immigrant families with American families, the program is meant to connect working parents with their children. As a church, one purpose is to connect people to God, but also to connect people in the community with one another.

By combining food, activities for children and good people, the church hopes the summer program will become as successful as its school-year counterpart.

ESL during the school year is more classroom-oriented. Students are tested and placed into seven different levels. Most of the 45 students are adults, but anyone can participate. This year, the youngest student was 19 and the oldest was 84. “Everyone is welcome to come,” Idrees said.

To get the word out about the classes, church members distributed flyers to many local businesses, particularly ones owned by people with divers ethnic backgrounds.

Four years ago, sisters Fereshteh and Sherry Nowrouzi saw a sign advertising the ESL program in front of the church. For Fereshteh, who emigrated from Iran in 2001, and Sherry, who has been in the U.S. for 24 years, the ESL program has helped them get to know the community, improve their English, and make new friends. “I love the people. The pastor, everybody, are so kind,” Fereshteh said.

Although the classes are free, students like the Nowrouzis have to buy an English book and complete worksheets and exercises during the hour-and-a-half period. Once a week, one class is taken out of the classroom setting to practice social skills and build more confidence speaking English. “We ask them to share stories about their country,” said Idrees. “There’s a lot to talk about, especially around the holidays.” Every December, the church holds an ESL Christmas party where everyone brings a dish from their homeland. In addition, the names of the children of ESL students are placed on a Christmas tree. Members of the congregation buy gifts for the child they picked from the tree.

According to Sherry, gestures like these are why she continues to come to the ESL program and the church.“They are angels, these people,” she said.For more information about ESL Summer Connect, visit lol-plano.org or call 972-867-5588.

by Phoebe Wu, Staff Writer of Plano Courier Star Community Newspapers
(Created: Wednesday, June 04, 2008)

POBLO-TX 2nd Annual Banquet Update

We are so thankful for all our partners in the ministry who helped to make this year's Annual Banquet a success. Thank you for your generous gifts to POBLO-TX to help support our new missionaries. By the grace of God and the help of Thrivent, we were able to raise over $40,000. We hope to raise enough money to get Pastor Aamir Masih a full-time job as our newest POBLO-TX missionary. Ground work for the next mission site has already begun in Carrollton, TX. Please continue to keep Aamir in your prayers for this mission site.

The evening was blessed with representatives of more than 30 different congregations and mission societies, along with people from 12 different nations! We thank the Pastors Walt Weiser and John Lindner, Dr. Jim Dretke and our guest speaker, Jerry Rassamni for their powerful words of encouragement. Thank you for your continued prayers, your faithfulness to the Great Commission and your love and compassion for the lost. We thank the Lord for your partnership in bringing the Gospel to all nations! (Matt 28:19-20)

The Friendship of Jesus & Muslims Conference April 3-6, 2008 Detroit, Michigan

What an incredibly blessed and exciting event we experienced during the recent "Friendship of Jesus & Muslims Conference". With more than 180 people registered to attend, we had the pleasure of meeting with many LCMS (Lutheran Church Missouri Synod) representatives, the Mission Board, and POBLO Missionaries. LCMS President, Dr. Rev. Gerald Kieschnick set the tone with his words of encouragement our first evening together.


As this historical gathering got underway, we could not help but feel we were witnessing a small piece of heaven as the scriptures were being fulfilled "After this I saw a large number of people that no one could count, from all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues standing before the throne and the Lamb, dressed in white garments and holding in their hands palm branches." (Rev. 7:9) There were more than 20 nations represented at the conference.

We were privileged to hear from those faithful servants of the Lord who had been serving in the harvest field for untold years, offering their words of wisdom, gleaning from their experiences, offering us fresh insight to reaching the slaves of Allah. And what a joy it was to behold those captives set free from the chains of Islam, as Muslim converts to the Christian faith stood up from Morocco, Iraq, Lebanon, Indonesia, Pakistan, Kosovo, Bangladesh, Gambia and the U.S.

One by one, with each testimony, we were encouraged and emboldened by the Gospel and the FRIENDSHIP of JESUS, the friend to all sinners, to impact the lives of our Muslim neighbors with the Good News. They all shared of the One True Friend, who went the furthest distance, to the point of death, that they might have life. Many converts also told of the friend who cared enough to point them toward Jesus and His sacrificial love on the Cross.

Friday afternoon, we were given the opportunity to dialogue with three Muslim guest panelists who shared their perspectives and desires to deepen the friendships between Muslims and Christians. In hoping to offer a possible solution, one Muslim panelist closed with this comment, "The closer we get to God, the closer we get to each other." So much for religion. If only he knew that apart from Jesus, the Friend of sinners, no one can get closer to God. (Phil 2:6-8)

Christ came to us, that we might know HIM. Muslims, however, believe they must work their way toward God, through their own efforts and good deeds. The only reason we are close to God is because He became close to us in His Son, Jesus Christ, reconciling us to Himself. Therefore, our Muslim neighbor desperately needs Christ as much as we do, in order to get closer to God and to us.

Pastor Karim and Kimberly Idrees
Missionaries at Large

My Journey of Faith

by Rev. Abjar

I never anticipated coming to the United States. I never expected starting a career in the land of diversity, contradiction, richness, and opportunity. I never dreamed of becoming a minister of the Gospel in America! I was born in a small village in Northeastern Syria called Al-Malikieh. Following my primary school education, in 1986, I entered St. Ephraim Theological Seminary in Damascus. In 1993, I received a scholarship from the Secretary of Christian Unity, located in Vatican City, to study at the Salisian Pontifical University in Rome. In 1998, following the completion of my M.A. I successfully defended my Doctoral Dissertation. 1999 I was appointed by my church toserve as assistant bishop to the western archdioceses located in California. After working three years, I moved to Texas where in 2004 I enrolled in the Masters program in Theological Studies at Brite Divinity School at TCU, in Fort Worth, where I completed two semesters. In the summer of 2006 I enrolled at the Doctorate Program at the Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Rome, Italy. Since 2006 I have been a pastor of St. James Syrian Orthodox church in Corpus Christi TX. The reason I am writing this article is not to impress you with my resume, but to share how it was put to the test.

In 2006 I was introduced to POBLO through Rev. Karim Baidaoui. Recalling that meeting, I am confident that the meeting was arranged by God Himself, because it allowed me to acquire new spiritual, theological, and religious horizons. This experience really helped me discover the truth about how God works among his lost people. For the last year and half, through my work with POBLO-TX, I studied the Lutheran theology and learned how to apply it in the mission field where it counts the most.

The most amazing and recent eye opening endeavor was translating into Arabic the curriculum, Life with God, by Dr. Laurence L. White (300 pages). For the last two months, I was in a journey through the historic faith of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. The book consolidated my theology and helped me understand, better, the concepts of Justification, Redemption, Sanctification, Law and Gospel, Word and Sacrament. I have been working, as a volunteer with POBLO-TX, reaching out to our Muslims neighbors in North Texas; teaching about Islam and Christianity; sharing my testimony and connecting with Muslim students at the campus of the University of Texas in Arlington,and many other places.

Preaching Law and Gospel from behind the pulpit became speaking Law and Gospel face to face with the lost children of Abraham, my Muslim neighbors. This challenge really put my “resume of theology” to the test... We have no choice but to face this challenge because every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is from God “is the spirit of antichrist, which you heard is coming and, even now, already in the world” (1 John 4: 2 – 3).

Many years ago, only a few people in the U.S. or in Western Europe, knew any Muslims personally. But the situation has changed radically. Immigration has brought many Muslims to Europe and North America. Mosques have appeared in many cities in the U.S. and Muslims have applied for chaplaincy positions in the U.S military. For the first time in history, Americans must deal with the presence of Islam, because Muslims are here to stay (Acts 17:26). Please keep me and POBLO-TX in your prayers as we continue to grow in the Grace and knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ

Below is an article that has been circulating by email for a while now. I have felt compelled to address it in this Newsletter… I wonder what Obama folks would say about this. Why in the world are Americans voting Muslims into office? Seeing the Muslim sworn into the US Congress recently, brought this article to mind. To be sworn in, he refused the Bible and insisted on the Quran which was granted. What do you think? We are living in the twenty first century version of the "Crusades.” Have you ever thought -- Is Muslim-American really an oxymoron? Can a devout Muslim be an American patriot and a loyal citizen? I forwarded that question to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. The following is his forwarded reply:

Theologically, no. Because his allegiance is to Allah, the moon god of Arabia.

Religiously, no. Because no other religion is accepted by his Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)

Scripturally, no. Because his allegiance is to the five pillars of Islam and the Quran.

Geographically, no. Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially, no. Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews.

Politically, no. Because he must submit to the mullah (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America, the great Satan.


Domestically, no. Because he is instructed to marry four women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34).

Intellectually, no. Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically, no. Because Islam, Mohammed, and the Quran do not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually, no. Because when we declare "one nation under God," the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.

Therefore after much study and deliberation.... perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. They obviously cannot be both "good” Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish....it's still the truth. If you find yourself intellectually in agreement with the above statements, perhaps you will share this with your friends. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future. The religious war is bigger and more complex than most Americans currently know or understand. A Muslim cannot be an American. Their Quran prohibits it. (End of circulating email article)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many of you have received and read the email above or one similar and probably forwarded it to many others. You found it very attractive and appealing to your own core values. It is the type of article that speaks your language and runs in your blood streams and if you find yourself intellectually in agreement with it, you couldn’t wait to share it with your friends. You think the more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future. But today the bus stops right here. My hope and prayers are when you finish reading this newsletter; you will have a change of heart and mind.

I have been asked this question in many conferences and Bible studies and was convicted that this question has more of a political target than a religious one. To be really honest with you, Satan has everything to do with it right from the beginning. His purpose in this life is not only to deceive Muslims, but to stop Christians from reaching out to them with the Gospel. If he can move us one degree or a fraction from God’s word he wins. Satan is the best politician on the face of the earth and always has been. Scripturally speaking the Word of God is more powerful than politic "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD… 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” Isaiah 55:8-11 The article above is asking the wrong question. He has been had, but just doesn’t know it yet. People are asking the wrong questions because Satan has their minds twisted. Satan, the prince of this world has been asking the same old question over and over because it works, and you become his victim. Did God really say? Sounds familiar? Genesis 3:1 “Did God really say? Can a Muslim really be a Muslim American? The question we Christians must ask is this: Can the Triune God really change slaves of Allah into free Children of God? Can the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob transform the descendents of Ishmael into one big family of faith? How can God heal this broken family of Abraham? The answer is: Yes, He did indeed, on the cross, He changed me. He did it when I was baptized. Galatians 3:26 - 4:1 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

The Quran proves that Satan is a liar and a murderer. He lies to Muslim’s about the Cross (Quran 4:157) and he enticed them to holy war to murder other’s and to murder in Jihad (Quran 9:29). He has deceived 1.3 billion Muslims and now he is deceiving us Christians.

There is no politics in the Gospel, except the Cross of Christ. Jesus says in John 12:31-32 ...now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." The question we must ask ourselves is this: Why has God brought them to us? The answer is clear in Acts 17:26- 'From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live'. Why did God do this? God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' Acts 17:27

I was born and raised a Muslim. Today, I consider myself a good American citizen because I am first a Christian saved by Grace alone. Nothing good lives in me except what my Savior Jesus Christ gives me through faith. His own righteousness. Eph 2:8 This article is asking the wrong question. If Satan keeps us busy asking questions that have nothing to do with the Cross and eternal life, he wins. Let us be honest with ourselves: Are all Americans really loyal citizens? Or better yet: Are all Christians really honest American citizens. Philosophically or politically speaking I fell in love with this idea of freedom not because it was American, but because it was Christian in the first place. I am speaking about the freedom from sin, the world and Satan. This freedom from sin which only comes by Grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ my Savior and his love for me alone.

This is my question under the Cross: Can my un-neighborly Muslim neighbors become a child of God? To answer this question, I quote what a brother in Christ and a partner in the Gospel had to say after he read this article:

Our ultimate allegiance is not to the United States of America but to the Triune God. Jesus taught that apart from Him there is no access to God, i.e., every other religion is of no value. We believe that.

Pastor Karim

PLANTING CHURCHES

August Newsletter - NEIGHBORS

They’re in our news, they’re in our towns, they’re in our society, and they’re our neighbors. The people that many of us immediately judge and hate for actions brought upon our country in the form of September 11th. I’m talking about our neighbors the Muslims. I know the harsh feelings we have against their belief, especially the so-called “radicals” that are out for our blood. But we overlook the everyday followers of Islam here in our own country.

I recently had the wonderful opportunity of attending a Bible Study at my local church led by Rev. Karim, a Pastor with first hand experience with our Muslim neighbors. He was of the Muslim faith and is now a LCMS Lutheran Pastor that focuses on teaching his neighbors about who Christ really is. Because he was of the Islamic faith he has a very personal and first hand perspective of what we, as Christians, should do concerning the Islamic religion.

We are at war right now with Middle Eastern countries and Muslims are in most of our daily news reports. But, they are also in our very own communities. I was walking through the mall just the other day and saw quite a few Muslim families (identifiable by the Woman’s wardrobe). They are quite literally on our doorsteps.

Rev. Karim has a wonderful way of saying what the point I’m making is. He states that our Muslim neighbors are a product of how sick our world is. They are just like you and me, sinful and unclean. The Islamic religion is nothing but the symptom of a greater problem, SIN. It’s nothing new, but we as Christians know the answer to it. We know that we are saved from our sins through the grace of God, we as Lutherans know that we are shown mercy through His Holy Sacraments, and we know that through the shedding of Blood on the Cross eternal life is ours. Why then do we run from the duty that Christ gave us, saying, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Could our task not be made any easier, the nations have come to us, we don’t have to even leave town. We concentrate so much on overseas missions (don’t get me wrong I think they’re important also) that we overlook a growing problem here in our very own homes.

As John 16: 2 & 3 (ESV) says, “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming then whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.” We are so quick to want to sentence these people to death (yes I have heard many people say that we should just blow up all of the Middle East) when we are told instead to love them as our neighbors and pray for them, for they do not know the Triune God.

A very good example of this comes straight from the Bible. “When the days drew near to him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.” (Luke 9: 51-56) Rev. Karim calls the Samaritans in this story the Muslim people for our very situation is the same.

What James and John said is exactly what happened on September 11th. Our first reaction is always revenge, but Christ calls for mercy. In our sinful nature, we are incapable of showing any type of mercy towards our neighbors. Nothing good lives in us, for it is through Christ’s salvation that our works are good. It is through Him that we can show that mercy and tell others of His everlasting love.

Christ has already won all of our battles for us, now it is His salvation that has won our War. We are the victors through Christ, and the Muslim people should also know what Christ has done for them, for he did come to save ALL men from their sin. So, we should not damn them to hell, but instead share the Gospel. They are our neighbors, and they deserve to know the truth that God has given us through Word and Sacrament.

by Kelsey Fischer

JUNE Newsletter - Islam: The Religion of Peace

I had an interesting experience yesterday morning. I am a Missouri Synod Lutheran by creed, so when I heard that a former Muslim was going to be speaking at out church, teaching Adult Sunday School and delivering the sermon for this last Sunday, I will admit I was skeptical.

We were visited by an ordained Lutheran pastor named Reverend Karim, who was born a Muslim. This man moved to America to get an education and fell in love with a Christian woman whom he intended to marry. He was forestalled in his efforts by a Christian mother who would not accept her daughter marrying a Muslim. Thinking that he could convince her mother of his good intentions, but remain in his Muslim faith, he began attending Lutheran bible classes and over time realized the differences between the God that Christians and Jews recognize and the one that Muslims call Allah.

As I have stated before, I have read the Qur’an in an attempt to know more about the ideology that we are facing. I have worked with Muslims in the past who seemed to be genuinely kind and loving people. I have talked with them and read of the differences between the Greater Jihads and the Lesser Jihad. So I have always made the assumption that overall, Islam is not a violent religion, but it has been twisted to serve the needs of the extreme radicals in the faith. There are good teachings in the Qur’an about self struggle in an effort to be more God-like; these are typically seen as the first nine levels of jihad, the Greater Jihad. This defines a struggle within man against the Great Satan, or the sin that is within us all. The Lesser Jihad is the one of the sword. This has become the battle cry for these radical Islamic fascist who desire a caliphate state in every Muslim country and whose goal is world wide domination through Islam. I have always believed that these radicals were not part of the mainstream faith and had been corrupted by evil to turn their religion in to something horrible.

I was apparently wrong.

Reverend Karim opened our eyes to some of the true teachings of Islam. Through out the lesson during our Adult Sunday School, he illustrated some of the more violent teachings of Islam. These were not just the ones who called for the unfaithful to be slaughtered. These were teachings that give husbands the right to abuse their wives if they become rebellious or speak out against them. One example of the treatment of women was Qur’an 4:34 “… and (as to) those on whose part you fear desertion, admonish them, and leave them alone in the sleeping-places and beat them; then if they obey you, do not seek a way against them;” This verse gives the husband the power over their wives to beat them until they obey. Another prime example of the violence in the religion is in the way they deal with a thief, Qur’an 5:38 “And (as for) the man who steals and the woman who steals, cut off their hands as a punishment for what they have earned, an exemplary punishment from Allah; and Allah is Mighty, Wise.” They do this even unto their children. If a child were to steal out of hunger, a true Muslim would not show compassion and feed the child; they would sever his hand at his wrist to drive home the lessons of Allah.

Others deal directly with how they handle non-believers. Qur’an 13:40, “And We will either let you see part of what We threaten them with or cause you to die, for only the delivery of the message is (incumbent) on you, while calling (them) to account is Our (business).” Another example is, Qur’an 7:97-99, “What! Do the people of the towns then feel secure from Our punishment coming to them by night while they sleep? (98) What! Do the people of the towns feel secure from Our punishment coming to them in the morning while they play? (99) What! Do they then feel secure from Allah's plan? But none feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish.”

I have pointed out before aspects of the so called Religion of Peace that were definitely not peaceful in any way. Still, I always assumed that we were seeing a small sect or radical ideology formed from a basically peaceful religion. Over the hours I heard this man speak yesterday and through the questions that he fielded, I began to change that view. The thing that worried me the most was his analogy about how many Christians read the Bible on a regular basis. He said that Islam is no different from Christianity in one aspect. About 10~15% of Christians regularly read the Bible and have a solid understanding of most of its teachings for themselves. The rest learn though their culture, family and services what they know of their religion. In this, he says, Muslims are no different. Only small percentages actually read and study the Qur’an as they should. Only about the same 10~15% actually understand the all the concepts in the book and follow its teachings. This is the element we are facing in what we consider to be radical Islam, the ones who actually follow the teachings of the Qur’an.

He warned us that this was not a struggle of Christianity or Judaism against Islam, but it was a struggle of everything non-Islamic against Islam. Yesterday he told us that in the coming days ahead we would see Islam lash out at all religions in all reaches of the Earth. This morning when I was driving to work, I heard the developing news coming out of Thailand. Buddhism is considered to be one of the most peaceful religions on Earth. Today in Thailand, Buddhist are arming themselves and forming militias in a response to more than 2,000 of them being slain at the hands of Islamic fundamentalists. Thailand has a strong Muslim population in the south and the Thailand government has begun gearing itself up to protect against a civil war. Thailand officials have stated that they believe it is the intent of al-Qaeda and other Islamic terrorist organizations within the country, to destabilize the region and foster a civil war between the religious factions. Sounds like a fairly similar tactic to the current situation in Iraq. This is the perfect example of how understanding and enlightenment mean nothing in the face of these radical Islamic groups. Buddhists are some of the most non-belligerent people on the planet who completely focus on enlightenment and understanding. When they are running for their guns, you know you have a problem.

This is the enemy that we face. This is the religion of Islam.

Posted by Concerned Citizen from http://blog.judgingtruth.com/

Our Needs...

POBLO-TX April 17, 2007 Seize the Moment! Banquet

As St. Paul was preaching to the pagans, he came to appreciate and cherish the new Christians that formed churches. Probably none was more dear to him than the Philippian church. He wrote in Philippians 1: "I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel…….all of you share in God’s grace with me and again in vs. 25 …….and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith".

I was called to witness in the world of Islam, and I value all of you who are standing with me “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God.” (vs.11)

Because of this grace we share, you came to listen to what the Holy Spirit is doing with His Word. It has not returned to Him empty, but has accomplished what He intended in Johnny, Hicham, David Crane and myself - and you were touched by the awe of these miracles of conversion.

We thank you all for attending the banquet and program so that you could see what POBLO wants to do for our Savior. My Monday evening Bible class at the Lutheran Student Center at UTA is beginning to bear fruit. Many students attend and ask questions. I have made many Muslim contacts through my visits to your churches, as some of you have led me to them. Men have come to me and want to be a part of POBLO. We urgently need men who can speak other languages, especially Arabic. We need a woman who could witness to women.

To train these people in our doctrines and to offer them a position on the POBLO staff takes money. Your pledges to be in partnership with us in these endeavors are so very helpful and encouraging to me. You are now in partnership with me in the Gospel. This is what I came away with from the banquet: I am not alone; God will use our partnership as we progress in the faith with those lost souls he brings to us. Just as the Philippians were always ready to support St. Paul, I feel like you fellow Christians will support me in prayer and monetary gifts as you can. To God be the glory!

Visit to a Mosque by David Crane

This visit started from a long professional relationship and personal friendship with a, Muslim man named Farid. Our friendship has caused each of us to try to save the other. Upon my diagnosis of ALS, I began my effort anew to try to reach him with the Gospel, and he, in a sincere act of compassion, offered to pray for me. My efforts have been prayer, arguments against Islam, and information that proves the Bible is true. Much of this is via email. Nothing has worked.

At work I have often said since my diagnosis that my coworkers are invited to come to my church, but please come before my funeral. This may seem extreme, but I felt it was warranted as my disease is advancing rapidly. After my last bout with this disease, whereupon I chose to be ventilated rather than die, a group of my fellow employees and friends did come to my church, and Farid was one of them. It was a real blessing to see him in my church, and although he had to leave early, I know the bible readings always do some good. Isaiah 55:8-11 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

After this, I wrote a letter to Farid reminding him of our long history and my desire for us to discuss our faiths, and that unless we determine which of our faiths is true, one of us is going to hell. I told him I cannot stand the thought of him not going to heaven, and that I was sure he felt the same about me. To renew this dialog, I requested to go to his Mosque. I promised to respect their customs. Almost immediately, Farid invited me to his Mosque, on the upcoming Friday night, when it was their custom to have a dinner between prayer times and a final lecture.

I was a bit nervous about this so I emailed Pastor Baidaoui for advice, and was surprised at the immediate response that he would go with me! Part of my nervousness is that I cannot speak any more due to the progression of my disease. I had planned to take a tablet to write my conversations for them to read. Having Pastor Karim with me made that situation very comfortable. When the day came, Pastor Karim came to my house and we visited and prayed before we traveled to Fort Worth. NIV 1 Corinthians 2:1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

We walked in to the Mosque and sat down at a table. It was just before dinner was to be served. Soon after, Farid met us, and graciously introduced us to his friends and gave us a quick tour. Everyone was friendly and we felt comfortable, except for the obvious contradictions between our faiths that we were cautious about.

When we met the Imam, he asked us in to his office, along with Farid and his friends. Pastor Karim had some good questions concerning sin and their belief that they are not ever sure if they are saved. Romans 3:22-23 There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We talked of our belief in original sin contrasted with their belief of being born without sin. I referenced Psalm 51 where King David states that he sinned against God and was sinful since conception. The Imam corrected me saying that David was a prophet, therefore did not sin like all other prophets in the Quran. He explained that the Bible has many errors, and that is one of them. This shocked me, and we agreed to disagree on this. Pastor Karim continued with some hard questions to the Imam, in a kind way, and did raise some doubt about whether a man could do enough good deeds to make up for his sins. This kind dialog despite our differences made this meeting a success. Even Farid agreed later by email, that this was a good start for a dialog.


When it was prayer time, we discontinued our discussion and were allowed in the men’s prayer room, and witnessed their practice of prayer. Pastor Karim and I sat in the back and prayed in the name of Jesus as we had planned all along. At least one prayer was answered in the mosque that night.

I invited Pastor Karim over after the visit, and we had a kind of debriefing, with Pastor Karim emphasizing Eph 2:8-9 that we are saved by grace, and not of ourselves, it is a gift of God. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Pastor Karim also gave me books which are giving me very good advice on how to reach Muslims with the Gospel. Pastor Karim led my son and I in prayer before he departed, quite late. It was one of those experiences that you just can't stop thanking the Lord for or stop talking about

Don’t wait until God get’s your attention with a terrible disease. Let us be faithful to the Great commission and faithfully pray for our Muslim neighbors. May the Lord bless your effort in the Gospel to save one that many of 1.3 billion Muslim may be saved.

David Crane,
An ambassador for Christ to Muslims

YES to the Gospel!

During my Bible study, “Islam in the Light of the Cross”, people laugh when they hear my joke about how I became a Christian , “My wife was the bate and her mother was the hook”. Some times a parent will come to me at the end of the Bible study and say something like this: “My daughter is dating a young Muslim man in college; they are engaged and about to get married. We are so happy and exited for them because we heard your joke”. But they are often shocked and disappointed to hear the rest of my story, especially when I point them to 2 Corinthians 6:14-15 “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

These parents expect me to say congratulations and yes to this pseudo marriage. If I did that it could be the worst mistake they could ever make. It certainly could have been for my wife if it were not for her faithful mother, whose confidence in Christ Jesus empowered her to invite me to come to church when I asked to marry her daughter. This should be the first invitation every parent who really loves their daughter must ask. As a former Muslim, I believe this is an invitation every Muslim fiancée or boyfriend ought to answer with a “Yes”. We do not know for sure if this young Muslim man will in the future become a Christian, and we certainly can't expect that he will. I know of many Christian women whose children are forced to attend Muslim schools by their Muslim fathers. These wives and mothers detest their marriage and wished their children were raised as Christians. When they realize that marriage without Christ is not as God planned it to be (Eph 5:21-23), it is almost too late for them to save the day.

The Quran teaches about marriage in Chap 4:34 “ Men are in charge of women, because Allah has made some of them to excel others… and (as to) those on whose part you fear rebellion, admonish them, and leave them alone in beds apart, and beat them.

By the Grace of God, saying yes to my mother- in- law’s invitation to come and see Jesus (John 1:46) has indeed brought me from a world of darkness and wickedness into a world of light. Unlike what the Quran teaches, the Bible has taught me that the wife is to be loved as Christ has loved the church and died for her. Eph 5:25

I remember a pastor who asked me the same question, who knew and also received the same answer, but he still performed the marriage ceremony. Two years later the Christian girl asked for a divorce because her Muslim husband verbally and physically abused her as the Quran says above in Chap 4:34. Being afraid of losing members in their churches today, pastors would rather choose the easy way out, as Luther calls it “The way of the Glory”. They would rather spend one hour performing a pseudo marriage ceremony than catechizing the slaves of Allah teaching and baptizing them in the name of the one and only Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thus turning them into children of the living God. Gal 3:27.

Ezekiel 3:18-19 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.” This is the Way of the Cross. Before you say “yes” to your future Muslim son-in-law, here is a verse you can share with your beloved daughters. This is what the satanic prophet of Islam had to say about women: “I looked at Paradise and found poor people forming the majority of its inhabitants; and I looked at Hell and saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women”.

The Bible however teaches the opposite. When my mother-in-law boldly told me that Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God and invited me to come to church to see Jesus, my eyes were opened to what the Bible teaches about marriage in Christ: Ephesians 5:25-28 “ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. Before I could say yes for Suzy to be my wife, and before I could ever become the husband who loves her as Christ Loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, first he had to cleanse me by the washing water through the Word in my Baptism.

~Yes to those who remain faithful in Christ Jesus. 1 Tim 1:12
~Yes to my first class in catechism. Deut 11:19
~Yes to God’s promise in my Baptism Gal 3:27
~Yes to growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 3:18
~Yes to knowing the truth about Jesus and him crucified. 1 Cor 1:13
~Yes to Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) and Yes to the Gospel, the power of salvation to everyone who believes. Rom 1:16.

Amen.

"Islam in the Light Of the Cross”

Bible Study

What does this mean?

The purpose of this Bible study is to:

* Inform christians about Islam, but to form them as disciples of the Cross by means of the Word of God.
* Catch the vision of reaching a specific people, beyond just sending and supporting missionaries.
* To discover that God can use everyone in some special way.
* To understand that the great commission still stands for every believer in the church.

For more information please email Pastor Karim at PobloTX@Gmail.com