Islam and Christianity

It is important that we, the Christian, understand the world’s view on Christianity – or at least try to be generally knowledgeable. Often in the media Christians are portrayed as uneducated, radical, cave dwelling, alligator wrestlin,’ even racist type cavemen. It simply isn’t true. Given the religious climate in the United States right now (not that we need reminded of the Boston explosions) it is even more important. A recent article stated, "I think it is fair to say that most Christians are fairly uninformed about Islamic beliefs. In a similar way, many Muslims have no idea about the real reason Christians worship Christ Jesus and are also widely uninformed on Christian teaching about Him. Most Muslims believe that Jesus (whom they call Sidna Isa) was a remarkably good prophet who was sent to the Jews to bring them back to an Israeli form of Islam."  Muslims believe that Islam was the religion which was practiced by all the prophets (Abraham, David, Moses, Solomon, Jonah and others). Afterwards their followers corrupted the true faith. {This is a Christian blog; therefore, the reader understands I personally reject that philosophy with my entire being. While it is true, that Jesus was a good man, He was certainly God in the flesh!}

I learned in researching more specific information -check out the following paragraph I found online, "Muslims think of Jesus as a prophet who is reputed to have done miracles, but most of them have no knowledge of most of His life and ministry. Jesus is highly honored by Muslims as a holy man, but is not seen to be divine. In recent times many Muslims have pointed to the so-called Gospel of Barnabas as being a source document about the Muslim Jesus. This document portrays a Jesus who is radically Islamic. Many believe that this so-called Gospel was possibly written around the year 1600 by a Muslim living in Spain. It was certainly not written by the disciple Barnabas who was a contemporary of Paul."

In my research I came across a large grid of comparisons between Islam and Christianity. I think it is a valuable tool for self-learning. Diane S. Dew did a great job in comparing the 2 beliefs.

Copyright © 2001 Diane S. Dew   Also See http://www.dianedew.com/creation.htm

Z Islam Teaches...	† Christianity Teaches...
The Genesis account should not be taken literally, as it contains discrepancies.[9] The earth is billions of years old. Creation took eight days, it says in Surah 41:9, 10, 12. Surah 10:3, however, states creation took six days.	A literal interpretation of Scripture indicates the earth is only a few thousand years old. God created the universe in six days and rested on the seventh day. (Genesis 1:1 to 2:2)
The universe was produced by a "big bang" (Koran 21:30), produced by a kind of gas.[10] (Koran 41:11) The Koran states God created every living thing from water.[11 (Koran 21:30; 24:45)	"In the beginning, God" (Genesis 1:1) alone existed. God spoke the universe into existence by a word. Genesis 1:20-21, 24 "And God said... and it was so." ( Psalm 148:5)
The Creator did not rest: "We created the heavens and the earth and all between them in six days, nor did any sense of weariness touch us." (Koran 50:38)	God rested on the seventh day: "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed."  (Exodus 31:17).
Z Islam Teaches...	† Christianity Teaches...
Islam is monotheistic (Koran 3:64). The first phrase in the Declaration of the Faith states: "I bear witness that there is no God but the Almighty God and that Mohammad is a messenger of God."[1] "For God hath said, 'Take not to yourselves two Gods, for He is one God.'" (Sura 16:53; cp. 20:7) "Verily God will not forgive the union of other gods with Himself." (Sura 4:51) Islam rejects the concept of the Trinity. The Koran misrepresents the teaching of Christianity regarding the Godhead, claiming Christians believe in "three Gods" - Father, Mother, and Son. (Sura 5:116, 5:73-75; cp. (Koran 5:114)	In the account of creation recorded in the book of Genesis, God speaks plurally of His own Person. (Genesis 1:26, 27; cp. Genesis 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:3, 8) The Christian Scriptures, both New and Old Testaments, teach that the Godhead consists of three persons in one: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2 "...the Spirit... the Lord... Him" Isaiah 42:1 "My Servant... I... My Spirit... upon Him" Isaiah 48:16 "The Lord God... His Spirit... sent Me" Isaiah 61:1 "Spirit of the Lord God... upon Me ... the Lord" Isaiah 63:9 "He...the Angel of His Presence... His Holy Spirit" Matthew 1:20, 21 "the Lord (the Father)... the Holy Spirit ... Jesus" Matthew 3:16, 17 "Jesus... the Spirit of God... a Voice from heaven (the Father)" Matthew 12:18 "I... My Spirit... on Him" Matthew 22:42, 43 "Christ... the Spirit... Lord (the Father)" Acts 11:16, 17 "the Lord... the Holy Spirit... God... the Lord Jesus Christ" Acts 20:21-23 "God... Jesus... the Holy Spirit" Romans 1:1, 3, 4 "God... His Son, Jesus Christ... the Spirit

Doesn’t this make you look at the Bible differently? It is certainly a reminder to me, that it is in fact the infallible Word of God! Doesn’t your soul cry out that God DID rest on the 7^th day? That we didn’t evolve from the “big bang” theory? We are CREATED in the image of God. Adam was literally created out of dust! Educate yourself! Don't fall asleep (like my cat below)  on our Christian duty to stand up for Jesus!

Please take time to read over the comparison grid posted above – It will INCREASE your knowledge. But, I’m hoping it will INCREASE your hunger for Biblical truth!!

Look UP my friend!

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Emotional Burn-Out

I don’t usually write on the same topic back to back, but I received a lot of feedback yesterday and this morning from people feeling “Stressed Out” in their lives. So I’ll say it again, “Really, it’s such a demanding time for most of us!”  Ironically, I myself have had a stressful 48 hours, so this helps me more than anyone. Life is just like that – it ebbs and flows beyond our control. If you can roll with it like the ocean tide, then that’s fantastic. However, if you find some hours and days a little harder to muddle through, then you’re in the majority. You are not alone. These are complex, high-impact, non-stop lives we lead!

So, I wanted to look a little deeper into stress – specifically examine emotional burn out. What causes burn out? I read seven different articles and looked at numerous blogs to gain insights into what professionals and ‘regular people’ identify as reasons for burn out.  

 I compiled my Top 6 Reasons for Emotional Burn Out -

Job Pressure:  Co-workers, bosses, unequal work distribution, tension among co-workers, perceived unfair treatment, and feeling overlooked

Relationships:  Loneliness, Inability to let go, Lingering hurt, Divorce, Unreciprocated love, Misunderstandings, and Giving not receiving

Money: Medical bills piling up, Pay scale below par, Needs of children, Loss of job, School debts, Unexpected bill comes due, No opportunity for vacation, Fixed incomes

Family with no money (joking!) Really, I was kidding – just seeing if you were paying attention. I heard a comedienne say that money was a stressor for her – but her family members with no money were her biggest stressors. It struck my funny bone. (I think there might be some truth in there somewhere!)

Lack of Sleep: Inability to fall asleep, Your mind wont’ turn off, Worried about “worst outcome” scenarios, and the Inability to let things go

Poor Nutrition: Coffee overload, Energy drinks addiction, Too many refined sugars, High amounts of greasy foods, Lack of fresh fruits and vegetables.

With ALL of these variables in our lives, it’s NO WONDER we’re often emotionally burnt out! Situations are challenging to say the least.

I recommend the following Biblical principles:

#1: Breathe! Stay focused on the future – not the present. No trial lasts forever. Take a deep breath…let it out. Exhale a deep, cleansing breath. Accept that you may not be treated fairly. Jesus was not treated fairly by the religious crowd. He understands what you’re going through.

#2: Find a “Still Space” Within!  Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Since Christ was able to calm the RAGING winds and sea…He can certainly still our troubled heart! He can calm our troubled minds.

#3: Talk with God – Pray! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray without ceasing. When you’re talking to God, you’re not talking to the negative thoughts in your mind. Do not allow yourself to believe the worst about yourself. If you’re a Christian, you really ARE redeemed. You’re a child of the King. Just keep talking to HIM until your unrest settles down. It may take a while. He understands your anxiousness.

#4 Laugh a little! Ecclesiastes 3:4 - A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance  Force yourself to smile, even if you have to force it initially. Smiles are contagious. When you smile, someone else around you will automatically smile. You can’t stay miserable if you smile in the face of adversity. Find SOMETHING to laugh about. Perhaps the ridiculousness nature of a situation. A clean joke. A funny incident. Every situation has a funny side – we just need to look for it. (How about looking at your kids’ photo? A grandbaby picture? A beloved pet photo? Those things will MAKE you smile, right?!)

Part of the quality of our day depends on the quality of our thoughts! Burn-Out isn’t a good idea. Don’t do it!

Look UP my friends!

Stressed Out

John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

I think most of us could agree that we live in stressful times! Often it isn’t an isolated event that is stressing us out, but many things simultaneously! We experience that snowball effect. Things can pile on or add up quickly. Has your day ever started out well, but by Noon you're asking what happened? Things just fell apart and you're pushed to the max! Much to my chagrin, I admit that stress can be good. Perhaps even healthy. Stress can motivate us to get things done! It may propel us to stop procrastinating.  In my life I find myself dividing stressors into 2 categories – good stressors and bad stressors. (I know it’s overly simplistic, but it works for me).

A good stress might be that you volunteered to deliver “Meals on Wheels” for shut-ins or you volunteered to do the extra cleaning at your church. Or perhaps you're making sacrifices to get to your nephew's ballgame on time. You opted to stay late after work to do some needed tasks? Each requires extra time, effort, and organization to make it happen.

In my opinion, bad stressors occur to all of us. Bad stressors just happen. To the Christian; to the non-Believer. To you. To me. To everyone!  Through no fault or decision of your own, something scary, debilitating, or unjust happens.  It’s easier said than done, but hopefully the Christian will seek God’s counsel on how we may learn from the situation. Or you may crumble, fall, and stumble for a while. Based on my personal experience, I find that eventually you may GAIN more than you lost! However, this doesn’t mean that hurt doesn’t persist – that our memory fades from the stress and pain.  Moving on and succeeding does not always make up for all that you have lost. (Life Moment: Let’s look at a Biblical example… I doubt if Job stopped thinking about his first wife, sons and daughters who died, just because God gave him new ones later.)

Ask yourself, “Do I let go, and let God" handle those things that I cannot change? Do I ruminate over unresolved pain and frustration? Do I fixate and stew over things, trying to come up to answers for impossible questions? Like most of us, you probably do your fair share of ‘stressing out!’ We all know that letting go is the best way to handle daily or weekly obstacles; yet, it is often difficult to actually do so! I doubt anyone actually LIKES to sit in a quandary and fall apart thinking about all the "what ifs." Most likely, everyone has sleepless nights wondering how things will turn out and/or wishing we knew how to handle given situations. It is important that the Christian turn to God.

When faced with stressors, doubts, or even depression, don’t pretend they do not exist. Find someone you trust, and talk things out using the Bible for guidance. Do Bible readings together if possible. Seek out a prayer partner! If you can't do it in person, that’s okay. The telephone is a good option! Or text! I used “Facetime” a few days ago with someone, and it worked great. (Life Moment: Technology can be a blessing when used correctly!)
For instance on reading: My husband and I are reading the Bible together, one Book at a time, chosen indiscriminately.  This month our book is Psalm. It is amazing how we can both read the same chapter, but receive different insights and blessing from God. I highly recommend finding a “Reading Partner.” We can draw strength from God’s Word like NO other person or place!

The Christian understands that the ONLY true stress-relief to be found is through Jesus Christ. In the secular sense, there are thousands of “stress aids” available, but Jesus is the only answer.

‘Life is like a grammar lesson. You find the past perfect and the present tense.’

Look UP my friends!

Oh Yeah, I Love Lucy!

My favorite quote from Lucille Ball goes like this…”I’m not funny. The writers were funny. The directors were funny. I’m not funny. What I am is brave.”  When I first read that quote, I felt her humility and willingness to give others credit for a team effort are/were a great example of human character. You may be aware that Lucille Ball, after starring in more than 60 movies and being known as the “Queen of the B-movie,” found her identity as a clown on the long running TV series I Love Lucy. While I Love Lucy was before my time, I became a fan as a child. Most people I’ve spoken with have a favorite episode or two. I imagine it is easy to think of Lucille Ball in black and white as the “Vitameatavegamin” girl, or to remember her suffering through one lowly job after another as Lucy Ricardo, but there are a few lessons to be gleaned from this famous red-head.

1)     Persevere - Do it anyway attitude! How many times have we heard “No Lucy, you can’t be in the show!” from Ricky? How many times did people say “Lucy (Ricardo) has no talent, she can’t sing?”  Did she care? Absolutely not! Week after week she did everything she could to get into Ricky’s show. It takes grit and perseverance to push through obstacles.

2)     Remain Humble – Lucy had/let Ricky run the business, but Desilu Solutions was her brainchild. She promoted hard work and strong business ethics. She wasn’t a ‘glory hog.’

3)     Be Brave – Before Oprah, there was Lucy. Lucy was a maverick. Enough said.

4)     Work Hard - Lucille said, "Everyone’s definition of talent and success is different. Don’t let others put you in a box or try to define you."

I feel it’s a good idea to consider and apply these same principles in our Christian lives.

PERSEVERE – Ephesians 6:18 - Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints      The Christian must keep going – doing – walking – praying –serving -witnessing! Don’t stop, even when the adversary tells you there’s no point. Keep serving God.                                    

HUMILITY – Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

(Isn’t it a turn-off to be around someone who likes themselves too much? Someone who lifts themselves up, rather than give credit to others for a job well done?!)

BRAVERY - Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.  It is impossible (in my opinion) to be fearful and brave at the same moment. When we’re overly fearful in our day to day lives, God isn’t being magnified and His grace isn’t abounding like it could! I recommend quoting your favorite scriptures until those defeating, self-doubting thoughts subside. The adversary is no match for God’s Holy Word.    WORK HARD - Jeremiah 32:27  Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? There’s nothing TOO hard for God, so giving our best and doing our best is an automatic response for the Christian. One famous minister says, "Something is wrong, on the inside, if our heart’s desire isn’t to give the Lord our daily best!"

And last but not least, it is truly beneficial if we can look on the FUNNIER side of life! We need more compassion, more laughter, more joy, and more of God’s love in our lives…Personally; I want to contribute to that!

Look UP my friends!

Colors Have Meaning

Psalm 150:1 Praise ye the Lord

God’s marvelous handiworks are everywhere. What a stunning land we live in, here in the United States. We have states known for their splendor such as Wyoming – Big Sky Country, Minnesota – Land of 10,000 Lakes, California – the Golden State, Maine – the Pine Tree State, West Virginia – the Mountain State, Mississippi – the Magnolia State and the list goes on. We are simply blessed with a beautiful country!

The passing of each year brings seasonal changes in most time zones, some shorter than others. Here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains we usually have a glorious spring and fall season, each beautiful and heartwarming in their own right. Spring brings the promise of hope with budding trees and newly blossomed floras, and fall’s vivid hues paint a masterpiece of pigmented colors across a crisp, chilly sky.

Colors have meaning - both in the secular sense and the Biblical sense. This was something I had not been particularly familiar with until recently.

 I had an interesting conversation with a lady several weeks ago. She said, “I know this sounds crazy, but when I listen to you talk, I envision pinks and burgundy. You have a healing, soothing way when you speak.” Wow! I didn’t know what to think. Quite frankly, it sounded a little too “new age” for my initial preferences, but I continued the brief conversation and later began to research what the Bible tells us about color. (Those of you who personally know me understand that I am not magnifying myself whatsoever. I’m using a personal illustration for the unique ways that God often speaks or teaches us).

Lynda Georgeson’s book Scripture in Color outlines Biblical color in the diagram below.

RED/SCARLET	Blood of Jesus, Atonement, Sacrifice, God the Son
BLUE	Holiness, God With Us, His presence, God the Father
YELLOW	Faith, Joy, God's Glory, God the Holy Spirit
PURPLE	Kingship, Royalty, Authority
GOLD	The Glory of God, Everlasting God
SILVER	Redemption
WHITE	Righteousness, Purity, Harvest, Bride, Surrender
GREEN	New life, Growth, Healing life
MAROON/WINE	New Wine, Infilling of the Holy Spirit
PINK	Health, Healing, God's Work On Our Hearts
BROWN	Our Righteousness as Filthy Rags, Humility, Earthy
BLACK	Sin, Death

What do you think? I researched several scriptures and it seems pretty accurate. To equate sin and death with black. Green – new life, Purple with royalty.  As you probably know, there is a very solid correlation between the subject of royalty and the color purple in the scriptures. The word, royal, means that which belongs or pertains to a king. An article online said, "The children of a king are said to be his royal seed. The clothing of a king is his royal apparel. The cities of the king are referred to as royal cities. Thus, all the possessions of a king are royal possessions." (IF you’re a child of God, you’re HIS possession! A royal possession that is!)

Research went on to say, "Purple is a mixture of blue and red. Blue is associated with law or commandment and red is associated with war, blood, and judgment. Our King, Jesus Christ, kept the law (blue) to a jot and a tittle and then conquered sin, satan, death, hell, and the grave through shedding his blood upon the cross of Calvary and satisfying the judgment of God upon the imputed sins of his elect people." (Can I get an Amen right here?!) Amen!  

The inscription above the head of Jesus on the cross read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." He was and is indeed the King of the Kingdom of heaven! But do NOT forget, the adversary is an imitator. He tries to imitate Christ, but in a wicked way. We see in the scriptures where his false or idol gods are clothed in purple: Jer. 10:8 Lynda's book said, "But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities."

So, let’s look at “Color” from a Biblical perspective…Isn’t it miraculous that God can take a black sin-sick heart and make it white as snow, by the scarlet blood of Jesus?!

Look UP my friends!

Jesus loves ME?!

"Jesus Loves Me" simply states the deep truth of God's love for mankind. Although in our country it is usually taught to little children, it is also a blessing to adults around the world.  You may not know that it was originally written in 1860 as a poem by Anna B. Warner and included as part of a story meant to comfort the heart of a dying child. One author says, "In 1861 Mr. William Bradbury put the poem to music, and he added the chorus.  It was published it as a part of his hymnal collection, The Golden Sower."

Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.  Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak but He is strong.

 Chorus: 
Yes, Jesus loves me! 
Yes, Jesus loves me! 
Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me!  Loves me still,
Tho I'm very weak and ill, That I might from sin be free,
Bled and died upon the tree.

Jesus loves me! He who died - Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin, Let His little child come in.

Jesus loves me! He will stay. Close beside me all the way. 
Thou hast bled and died for me; I will henceforth live for Thee.

When our nieces and nephew were little children, I repeatedly sang this song to them at bedtime. I would inset their name in the place of ‘me’. Jesus loves Scott. Jesus loves Samantha. Jesus loves Allana. It really personalizes the hymn! Try inserting YOUR name…it will increase the intimacy and depth of the song. It does for me at least.  Jesus loves ME – as unlovable and unworthy I am. He loves ME.

Reader, you understand that it was a personal ‘thing’ that Jesus did…His dying for you! Willingly paying your sin debt. My sin debt. Yes, insert your name here….”For God so loved _______ that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 (Arguably the most quoted verse from the Bible) How does it make you feel to truly know that Jesus died for YOU? God have His ONLY Son to die…for you.

 I can’t explain it. It’s quite challenging to understand WHY Jesus loves us so much…but He really does! I encourage you to thank HIM for what He has done for you.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray to You in the name of your Son, Jesus. I want to lift you up! I want to thank You for loving me, my faults, failures, and all that I am. Thank You for allowing me to be YOUR child – for your great love!  I am immeasurably blessed to be a part of your family. Thank You, O’ God, for giving your Son to die for me. Thank you, Father, for all of the graces you have given me this day. Help me to be a light to a lost and dying world. We need you, Father. I need you. And I thank YOU for loving ME. Amen.

Look UP my friends!