Did you know that in the year 628, the Prophet Mohammed or Muhammad granted a letter to the monks of St. Catherine Monastery in Mt. Sinai?
The following is the English translation of that document:
“This is a message from Muhammad ibn Abdullah, as a covenant to those who adopt Christianity, near and far, we are with them.
Verily I, the servants, the helpers, and my followers defend them, because
Christians are my citizens; and by Allah! I hold out against anything that displeases them.
No compulsion is to be on them.
Neither are their judges to be removed from their jobs nor their monks from their monasteries.
No one is to destroy a house of their religion, to damage it, or to carry anything from it to the Muslims' houses.
Should anyone take any of these, he would spoil God's covenant and disobey His Prophet. Verily, they are my allies and have my secure charter against all that they hate.
No one is to force them to travel or to oblige them to fight.
The Muslims are to fight for them.
If a female Christian is married to a Muslim, it is not to take place without her approval. She is not to be prevented from visiting her church to pray.
Their churches are to be respected. They are neither to be prevented from repairing them nor the sacredness of their covenants.
No one of the nation (Muslims) is to disobey the covenant till the Last Day (end of the world).”
Reference:
http://www.islamicboard.com/comparative-religion/26117-prophet-muhammads-letter-christians.html
Friday, April 15, 2011
Boy Like Me/Man Like You
I think that the lyrics to the song, Boy Like Me/Man Like You, are very interesting because of the way the writer was trying to associate and compare his life and the way he grew up with the life of Jesus here on Earth according to the Scriptures. I hope you enjoy reading his thoughts which read as follows:
"You was a baby like I was once
You was cryin' in the early mornin'
You was born in a stable Lord
Reid Memorial is where I was born
They wrapped You in swaddling clothes
Me they dressed in baby blue
But I was twelve years old in the meeting house
Listening to the old men pray
And I was tryin' hard to figure out
What it was that they was tryin' to say
There You were in the temple
They said You weren't old enough
To know the things You knew
Well did You grow up hungry
Did You grow up fast
Did the little girls giggle when You walked past
Did You wonder what it was that made them laugh
And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old
Stories about their faith
They say stories like that make a boy grow bold
Stories like that make a man walk straight
And You was a boy like I was once
But was You a boy like me
Well I grew up around Indiana
You grew up around Galilee
And if I ever really do grow up
Lord I want to grow up and be just like You
Well did You wrestle with a dog and lick his nose
Did You play beneath the spray of a water hose
Did You ever make angels in the winter snow
And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old
Stories about their faith
They say stories like that make a boy grow bold
Stories like that make a man walk straight
Did You ever get scared playing hide and seek
Did You try not to cry when You scraped Your knee
Did You ever skip a rock across a quiet creek
And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old
Stories about their faith
They say stories like that make a boy grow bold
Stories like that make a man walk straight
And I really may just grow up and be like You someday"
Rich Mullins -Lyrics
"You was a baby like I was once
You was cryin' in the early mornin'
You was born in a stable Lord
Reid Memorial is where I was born
They wrapped You in swaddling clothes
Me they dressed in baby blue
But I was twelve years old in the meeting house
Listening to the old men pray
And I was tryin' hard to figure out
What it was that they was tryin' to say
There You were in the temple
They said You weren't old enough
To know the things You knew
Well did You grow up hungry
Did You grow up fast
Did the little girls giggle when You walked past
Did You wonder what it was that made them laugh
And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old
Stories about their faith
They say stories like that make a boy grow bold
Stories like that make a man walk straight
And You was a boy like I was once
But was You a boy like me
Well I grew up around Indiana
You grew up around Galilee
And if I ever really do grow up
Lord I want to grow up and be just like You
Well did You wrestle with a dog and lick his nose
Did You play beneath the spray of a water hose
Did You ever make angels in the winter snow
And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old
Stories about their faith
They say stories like that make a boy grow bold
Stories like that make a man walk straight
Did You ever get scared playing hide and seek
Did You try not to cry when You scraped Your knee
Did You ever skip a rock across a quiet creek
And did they tell You stories 'bout the saints of old
Stories about their faith
They say stories like that make a boy grow bold
Stories like that make a man walk straight
And I really may just grow up and be like You someday"
Rich Mullins -Lyrics
Monday, April 11, 2011
Something about Mary
Mary the mother of Jesus is mentioned most often in the New Testament in the Gospel of Luke. She is mentioned five times in Mathew. Mark mentions her by name once. In John she is mentioned twice. Mary is also mentioned in Acts 1:14.
Luke 1:26-38 reads as follows:
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.”
What did Mary say to the angel? "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
The story of the wedding at Cana of Galilee takes place in John 2:1–12. In this story, most of us know that Jesus converts water into wine. If you are not aware that was His first miracle, and it is a miracle because He transforms the molecules of the liquid.
John 2:5 reads: "His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
What did Mary tell the servants? "Do whatever he tells you."
During the Crucifixion of her son Jesus, what was Mary doing?
John 19:25 reads: "but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister..."
Acts 1:14 reads: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
What was Mary doing in Acts 1:14? She was devoting to prayer.
For some reason, I decided to ask four questions regarding Mary with relevance to what we find her doing within the context of Scriptures. My questions along with the answers were the following:
1. What did Mary say to the angel? "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
2. What did Mary tell the servants? "Do whatever he tells you."
3. During the Crucifixion of her son Jesus, what was Mary doing?
John 19:25 reads: "but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister..."
4. What was Mary doing in Acts 1:14? She was devoting to prayer.
I don’t know what goes through your mind when you read these passages with respect to Mary, but it seems to me that she was given a mission from God, and she went along with it all the way through no matter what the circumstance. I am sure we could draw many conclusions about her, but one thing is for sure, and it is that she was amazing….
References:
Holy Bible, ESV
Luke 1:26-38 reads as follows:
“In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.”
What did Mary say to the angel? "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
The story of the wedding at Cana of Galilee takes place in John 2:1–12. In this story, most of us know that Jesus converts water into wine. If you are not aware that was His first miracle, and it is a miracle because He transforms the molecules of the liquid.
John 2:5 reads: "His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
What did Mary tell the servants? "Do whatever he tells you."
During the Crucifixion of her son Jesus, what was Mary doing?
John 19:25 reads: "but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister..."
Acts 1:14 reads: “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”
What was Mary doing in Acts 1:14? She was devoting to prayer.
For some reason, I decided to ask four questions regarding Mary with relevance to what we find her doing within the context of Scriptures. My questions along with the answers were the following:
1. What did Mary say to the angel? "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
2. What did Mary tell the servants? "Do whatever he tells you."
3. During the Crucifixion of her son Jesus, what was Mary doing?
John 19:25 reads: "but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister..."
4. What was Mary doing in Acts 1:14? She was devoting to prayer.
I don’t know what goes through your mind when you read these passages with respect to Mary, but it seems to me that she was given a mission from God, and she went along with it all the way through no matter what the circumstance. I am sure we could draw many conclusions about her, but one thing is for sure, and it is that she was amazing….
References:
Holy Bible, ESV