Battling Discouragement

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Someone might ask me, “Hey, Fady, do you ever get discouraged while you minister among Muslims?”

Yes, yes, and yes.

But what is it that encourages me to keep on going? Why don’t you give up? Those are good questions. For me personally, there are a few things that really discourage me. One thing in particular that I am often tempted to be discouraged in is my own flaws and sinfulness.

Self-debasing does not equal Christ-exalting.

Perhaps, I am my own worst critique…? But one thing is for sure: I am really thankful for other godly men who encourage me and point me to Christ.

These words from Hebrews 12:1-2 are words that I often heard from a good friend of mine:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

I would constantly hear, “Fady, stop looking at yourself and focusing on your own problems. Always look to the Lord Jesus Christ because in him we find joy and peace and hope!”

This little bit of encouragement, after being repeatedly sounded in my ears, continues to stay with me when I am tempted to be discouraged by my circumstances or by myself. Look to Jesus!

[posted by Fady]

Fighting Dreams and Science

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Just the other day, I had quite a long discussion with an agnostic-who-used-to-be Muslim sort of fellow. As I tried to talk to him about God’s power in creation, he kept coming back to science and asking for the proof of God’s existence.

So finally, after much discussion and looking at the Bible in Genesis and in Romans, etc. I encouraged him to read the Word for himself. Whether we believe in science or the Holy Book, we need faith to accept what it is that we read. He needed to come face to face with God’s Word, not mine. It was clear that I was powerless to change his heart/mind.

This reminded me of another guy that we know that claimed to have dreams of Jesus Christ. Whenever he would tell his story of how he came to faith in Christ, he wouldn’t really talk about how the Word impacted him but rather he would talk about his 3 dreams. Now he is completely questioning his faith and the Bible and Christianity because he has been directed to some Islamic websites and believes that there may be much more error in the Bible than he thought…

There is a foundation worth building on, and we must start there! What is it?

The Word of God, the holy book [which is how we refer to it in Arabic], the Bible!!!

Do not shun from using truth in discussions with Muslims, or with anyone for that matter! If it is the truth, we should start there. Let us not start by attacking their religion. If we start there, not only do they start listening to you on the defensive – but we can easily become lost and feel that we are doing a good job. If we start attacking a false religion and false ideas, of course we will have plenty of good arguments against falsehoods! But pointing out the flaws in lies and logic DOES NOT EQUAL talking about truth and Christ.

May we just talk about Jesus Christ and the truth. Start there. It can be very easy to think that attacking a religion is the same as talking about truth. IT IS NOT. We have a foundation worth building on. The Word of God is what we must start with, come back to, and build on as we evangelize, disciple, teach, and train.

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. – Romans 10:17

 

[Posted by Fady]

Do we minister to “Muslims”?

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Sometimes the vocabulary that we use like “Missionary to Muslims” or “Missionary to Buddhists” or “Missionary to Hindus” can often draw us away from the truth about missions.

Muslims – just like Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists, etc. – are simply non-believers. There are only two types of people in this world:

> Non-believers and Believers

> Enemies of God and Children of God

> Dead and Alive

I was reminded just recently that we must not forget that Muslims are just non-believers.

It would be good for us as missionaries to get out of our vocabulary that we minister to Muslims. We minister the Gospel to the lost and then we minister to believers who have been found.  There is no “Muslim Background” Believer. He is not special or different. He was a lost person who has been found.

That is the healthiest way to think because it is going to make him healthy while you are discipling him. He is not special from other believers. He was lost and now has been found. If you are a “Missionary to Muslims” then your focus is off. You are a minister of the Gospel of God concerning His Son. You are sent by Christ. You are his ambassador to all of the world and he has placed you where you are.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Yes, we minister to Muslims – but wherever you are in the world, may the Lord encourage you as you proclaim the gospel and minister to everyone that you meet!

- Fady