Did God Really Say...
In the beginning, all the way back in Genesis, we were given FREEDOM.
THE LORD GOD laid before us a garden of trees with FRUIT to enjoy.
Yet in order for us to have FREEDOM, He told us of ONE tree. FORBIDDEN. A tree of which the FRUIT would lead to DEATH.
The command was CLEAR and Transparent as Volvic.
Yet there was a serpent... "more crafty than any other beast of the field".
His first words... “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” still are echoing around today.
Bringing QUESTION to the UNQUESTIONABLE. TRUTH.
She notices the ERROR... & SPRINTS to THE WORD. GOD'S WORD. For CORRECTION.
“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
Suddenly... the Serpant brings CONTRADICTION. "You will not surely die".
He kept his advertisement positive... "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil".
We, reading from the other side of the picture... within the fallen world they were unknowingly headed for... surrounded by death... a million miles from Eden... wish we could reach our hands through the screen into that snapshot in time. To shake them. Wake them up & cry out... "STOP !!! YOU WILL SURELY DIE". We know it. Yet... they could too. If only they had treasured the WORD of GOD, their Creator. It was right before their eyes. In their hearts and On their lips. They knew what The LORD had said. They held the Unshakable WORD of the Living GOD who had just formed them - along with the overflow of beauty they see around them - from nothing.
They listened to the lie. And here we are. Still facing the after effects in every step.
We awaken to a world where our purpose is still enwrapped by the cords of their curse.
From Playgroup to University, we download & install each of the necessary skills we'll need for every drop of sweat, the currency of our bread (Genesis 3:19). And when we're asked why we're all unique yet living for the same purpose, we point to the second curse... raising a family through childbirth, the cost of offspring (3:16).
Yet now, we face a very similar situation. We are called away from GOD's Word at every turn.
JESUS faced a battle with Satan, Reflective of the Genesis account. Yet this was the RISE. Not the FALL. JESUS stood unshaken on The WORD of God. Though Satan twisted it at every opportunity... Our King fired back with "It Is Written". And HE Won. No Contest. VICTORY through The WORD. Every "It is Written" was as the reload before the next GunShot. BOOM!!!
Now, we face the same battle. Will we stand by the UNSHAKEN WORD? Or will we be swayed by the thoughts and opinions and philosophies and views and religions around us? Christ is ALL. In Him, the Living WORD, we win !!! HE is our ANCHOR. In HIM we are rooted. established. unshaken. By HIS GRACE.
Satan comes in many forms today. He first appeared as a serpent. Today, he appears as Islam. That's only one appearance. But it's an example. And a major one. I hope you can see this as (beyond, Asa going on a tangent) a wake up call. This is real. Islam came to Muhammad as an angel of light. Or should I say... Satan came to Muhammad as an angel of light. And if you don't yet believe me... please follow the following few paragraphs. This is real. I don't write this for you as an excuse to bash muslims with yet another attack on their religion. I share this with the hope that you'll wake up to this reality and seek to share the GOOD NEWS with these guys. This was written by 'Aa'ishah, Muhammad's wife...
“The beginning of the Revelation that came to the Messenger of Allaah was good dreams; he never saw a dream but it came true like bright daylight. Then seclusion was made dear to him, and he used to go to the cave of Hiraa’ and worship there, which means that he went and devoted himself to worship for a number of nights before coming back to his family to collect more provisions, then he would go back again. Then he would go back to Khadeejah to collect more provisions. (This went on) until the truth came to him suddenly when he was in the cave of Hiraa’. The angel came and said, ‘Read!’ The Messenger of Allaah said, ‘I am not a reader.’ He said, Then he took hold of me and squeezed me until I could not bear it any more then he released me and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I am not a reader.’ He took hold of me and squeezed me a second time until I could not bear it any more, then he released me and said, ‘Read!’ I said, ‘I am not a reader.’ He took hold of me and squeezed me a third time until I could not bear it any more, then he released me and said, ‘Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists). He has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen.He has taught man that which he knew not.’
If he knew Genesis... that statement in orange would ring some warning bells. It is written, "Dust you are and to dust you shall return". It goes on...
“The Messenger of Allaah said, speaking of that period when the revelation ceased: ‘Whilst I was walking, I heard a voice from the sky. I looked up and saw the angel who had come to me in Hiraa’, sitting on a chair between the heavens and the earth. I felt scared of him, so I came home and said, “Cover me, cover me [with blankets]!” So they did."
It gets much worse than that, to the point where there are countless accounts from close friends, his wife and Muhammad himself where he describes revelations. He is said to turn red, sweat uncontrollably, snort like a camel, foam at the mouth, moan like a newborn calf, get really bad headaches, hear the "ringing of the bell" (which according to Muhammad was the 'hardest of all') and so on... Then there's even the 'satanic verses' which are (according to Muhammad himself), verses unknowingly inspired by Satan. They encourage the worship of pagan idols.
Just hold that up to the light of The WORD (same book Jesus quoted from to win triumph over Satan)... Deuteronomy 13:1-4:
“If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lordyour God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lordyour God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him."
We need to wake up. Islam is the fastest growing religion. WHAT??!! Growing faster than the everlasting Kingdom of God. We need to wake up!! 1.8 Billion muslims as of 2015, according to Pew Research, "if current demographic trends continue, the number of Muslims is expected to exceed the number of Christians by the end of this century". We need to wake up. Satan's simple deceptions can go unspotted, yet have vast corruption.
Worse Than Deception
8 of 10 Worst Countries for Persecution of Christians Have 50% or Greater Muslim Populations.
Do you see what Satan has done here? Though North Korea tops the list, labelled an "atheistic" nation... Each of the other 9 countries are "Islamic" (at least by majority). The second country among these top 10 (Afghanistan), being 99% Muslim followed by Somalia at 99.9% Muslim. Christian Mission organisation, Open Doors, noted "Islamic extremism" as the fuel of persecution in 35 of the 50 countries on their 2018 World Watch List. We are being killed off by the millions... mainly because of this "religion of peace". This is no side thing. This isn't an attack on them. If you simply Google search the "biggest threat to Christians", you'll see it's actually -- Christians. At least, "so-called" one's. The Catholic church. Satan used the Roman empire and mixed it in with the church to bring it down. It's sort of like the Roman emperors were poisoning (persecuting) individual Christians, then got the Roman empire to become the poison, mixing and stirring its own corruption into the pure water of the Church. Out came Catholicism. The largest growing religion with the mask of Truth and a heart of Deception. A mask of Genuine Salvation and heart of Religious tradition. A mask of Life and a heart of Death. We may feel "OH NO -- What if Islam overtakes Christianity in population one day and seeks to dominate the world". But while I hate to say it... and it brings tears to my heart... Islam is already bigger than us in population. As is Catholicism. They aren't legit. We're really small. The gospel is like a little mustard seed. Despised. Rejected. Forgotten in the corner of a crowded room. We need to wake up. One day it will become a tree, as Jesus shows us (here). But for now, we're pretty small to the world. Our voices drowned out by the BOOMing speakers. Our faces fading in the flashing lights. It's time to shine. To STAND UNASHAMED of THE GOSPEL. For it is the POWER of GOD UNTO SALVATION. For everyone who BELIEVES. (Romans 1:16).
Just for a moment now... let's dive a little deeper into the deception of the Islamic religion as exhibit A...
Was it Satanic Deception that birthed Islam?
As we have seen, there are countless sources which confirm that Muhammad was receiving his revelations from Satan. Now we will explore a few extra evidences for the doubtful or skeptical.
Click here for a series of evidences and other links to further evidences that Muhammad was widely recognised as demonically influenced and that Muhammad himself even acknowledged this.
From Genesis to The Cross
Muhammad was unsure if the revelations he received were demonic or from the Living GOD. That's just what Satan brings... Uncertainty. He ran to his wife for help. She told him it must be from God. He began to write... speaking well of the bible... then completely writing off it's foundations. Calling the Gospel a Light (Surah 5:46-47)... then completely covering it's bulb... it's heartbeat... the cross (Surah 4:157). Speaking well of Christians (Surah 5:69)... then commanding that we are attacked (Surah 9:29).
The Cross stands as our Victory. Overflowing with His Love. Truth, Clear as Volvic.
Yet the Quran was more crafty than any book of the library.
The Quran says, "did God really say that Jesus died for your sins?"
We say, "Yes, it is written... 'God demonstrates His own Love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'".
But the Quran replies... "He did not surely die."
Matter of fact, it turns God's Word to opinion and disguises itself as truth, by claiming Jesus was the One in disguise. Can't you see satan in this verse...
'And [for] their saying, "Indeed, we have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of Allah ." And they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but another was made to resemble him to them. And indeed, those who differ over it are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it except the following of assumption. And they did not kill him, for certain. Rather, Allah raised him to Himself. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise." (Quran 4:157,8)
So when the Christian saw that this belief was "desirable to make one wise, she took of it's fruit and ate". She shared with her husband. Then the eyes of both were closed and they knew that they were naked. Unclothed from the garments of Christ's Perfect Salvation through the Everlasting Victory of the Cross.
Just picture it now... Ever since that moment in Genesis, Satan was cursed. GOD promised HE would destroy satan through the Seed... JESUS. One who would come as SAVIOUR to restore this world. He says of Jesus to Satan... "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
GOD promises to crush Satan through the cross.
The promise stretches through time. The Messiah is long-awaited. The LORD establishes prophecies as He begins to reveal more and more of this Light of the world, our Promised King. Abraham is established as God's chosen father of his new nation and people... Israel... who would house this promise as the lineage through which Jesus would come. Abraham is promised a son. Miraculously. At the age of 100 years old. Yet in disbelief, he is given another woman through which to have a son. Ishmael. Later on, The LORD gives them a son, Isaac. Isaac is the child of promise through whom God establishes His everlasting covenant. The Messiah would come through Isaac. Fast forward around 2 thousand years... Finally, just at the right moment in time, as perfectly established in God's Unshakable Word, He arrives. During His time on earth... Satan stepped on scene with a mission. To take. To steal. To destroy. To stop Jesus in any way he could. The moment came for war. Satan - hungry for glory - offered all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for Christ's everlasting KINGDOM. Yet there's good news. Jesus did not bow. Once again... the Unshakable Word of God won. Thousands of Miracles later... the moment arrives. The centre of time itself. The centerstage of God's Glory. The scene of Satan's defeat. Unstoppable... Jesus rises again !!
Now around 500 years have passed since the resurrection. Satan hasn't given up. The kingdoms of the world are his. Lions are on the attack. Romans giving their all to eliminate the faith & destroy Christians. Muhammad is born, a descendent of Ishmael. So Satan, hungry to build his kingdom, introduces a new religion. Claiming to have been around & true since Genesis. Claiming the Bible is true. Yet removing it's HEART & VICTORY... the cross. Claiming Jesus was a prophet, yet minimising Him to that. Just scanning a few verses after the claim Jesus didn't die I came across a verse which speaks volumes to me in backing this claim. He speaks of the great reward in coming to Allah. Just as Satan advertised the benefits of the forbidden fruit. Then in Surah 4:163, Muhammad is exalted and Jesus minimalised... Watch this:
"Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. And we revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, the Descendants, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the book [of Psalms]."
Did you catch it? First up, Muhammad lifts himself to being recognised among Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the prophets. Second, notice how he brings Ishmael into the picture BEFORE Isaac. The Bible always mentions Abraham, Isaac (the child of promise) and Jacob. But never Ishmael. Finally, notice how he puts Jesus right in the middle of his list. 5 before (from Abraham), 5 after (to David). Completely randomly ordered as if from the top of his head he tried to squeeze Jesus, THE KING OF KINGS, among the others. Another name between commas. Lost in the sentence. No special regard. To me this verse shows the intentions of Satan. Start to finish.
In a sense, this twisting & corrupting is depicted in the vision Muhammad had, recorded in the Hadith (Sahih Muslim 162). 'Gabriel came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, when he was a child playing with his friends. He took hold of him and laid him on the ground, then he tore open his chest, took out his heart, and extracted a blood clot from it. Gabriel said, “This was the measure of Satan inside you.” Gabriel washed the heart with Zamzam water in a golden vessel and it was joined together and restored. The boys came running to his mother and said, “Muhammad has been murdered!” They rushed to Muhammad and found that he was alive and his color had changed. Anas said, “I myself saw the marks of the needle on his chest."'
Do you see how this was Satan's picture painted throughout the Quran. That the Gospel was good but there was one lie which needed to be removed... the Cross. The very heart. Truth removed, twisted and replaced. Surely you can see the difference. Even the kid could see his 'colour had changed'. Wake up people !! "Rejoice in The Lord always, and again I will say, Rejoice" ! Satan has been out to deceive and twist The Perfect Plan of God from Genesis...yet Revelation is coming...
JESUS is RISEN !!! 🙌🙌
Stay Victorious :)
