(21) I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. (22) Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. (23) Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. (24) But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

INTRODUCTION: Scripture reading: Acts 2:1-21

We are living in interesting and exciting times. There is a very real sense that God wants to do something great and wonderful in our time. So much has happened and we have been through so much. The reality is that God wants to do more and I believe He wants to visit His people in a special and significant way.
The question is: if God was to touch us and use us in a significant way, would we be ready? A 100 years ago, God touched a small group of people in what has become known as the Azusa Street Revival.

INTRODUCTION

1. In previous studies, we have directed our focus on Islam...
a. The beginnings and early history of Islam
b. The origin, importance and content of the Qur'an
c. The faith and practices of Islam
d. The issue as to whether Islam is a religion of peace

2. It may be beneficial to look at Islam in comparison with Christianity...
a. What might they have in common?
b. How do they differ on fundamental issues?

[In this study, we shall consider what the two religions believe on various issues as we seek to gain a better understanding of Islam. We begin with...]

1. WORSHIPING

Romans 11 : 33 – 36
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, indiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!

For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has (ever) been His counselor?

Or who has first given God anything that he might be paid back or that he could claim a recompense?

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. (For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him). To Him be glory forever! Amen

Matthew 6 : 9
Pray, therefore, like this: Our Father Who is in heaven, hallowed (kept holy) be Your name.

1 Timothy 1 : 17
Now the King of eternity, incorruptible and immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever (to the ages of ages). Amen (so be it). Read Psalm 8.

1. FAITH

James 1 : 6a
Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting).

Hebrews 11 : 6
But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must (necessarily) believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him (out).

Luke 22:35-38
(35) And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing. (36) Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. (37) For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end. (38) And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.

At first glance, Jesus Christ seems to be commanding His followers to sell even their clothing, if necessary, to buy weapons. But if we examine this scripture more closely, as well as the preceding and following events, we can better understand His instruction.

"Buy the truth, and sell it not."
-- Proverbs 23:23 --

JOHN Bunyan pictures the pilgrims as passing at one time through Vanity Fair, and in Vanity Fair there were to be found all kinds of merchandise, consisting of the pomps and vanities, the lusts and pleasures of this present life and of the flesh. Now all the dealers, when they saw these strange pilgrims come into the fair began to cry, as shopmen will do, "Buy, buy, buy--buy this, and buy that." There were the priests in the Italian row with their crucifixes and their beads. There were those in the German row with their philosophies and their metaphysics. There were those in the French row with their fashions and with their prettinesses. But the one answer that the pilgrims gave to all the dealers was this--they looked up and they said, "We buy the truth; we buy the truth," and they would have gone on their way if the men of the Fair had not laid them by the heels in the cage, and kept them there, one to go to heaven in a chariot of fire, and the other afterwards to pursue his journey alone. This is very much the description of the genuine Christian at all times. He is surrounded by vendors of all sorts of things, beautifully got up and looking exceedingly like the true article, and the only way in which he will be able to pass through Vanity Fair safely is to keep to this, that he buys the truth, and if he adds to that the second advice of the text, and never sells it, he will, under divine guidance, find his way rightly to the skies. "Buy the truth, and sell it not."

Judas was a preacher; nay, he was a foremost preacher, "he obtained part of this ministry," said the Apostle Peter. He was not simply one of the seventy; he had been selected by the Lord himself as one of the twelve, an honorable member of the college of the apostles.

With many reports of the wonderful way that God has started moving across our nation and abroad, we read in Hosea 6:1-3 the following;

"Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn so that He may heal us; He has stricken so that He may bind us up. After two days He will revive us -- quicken us, give us life; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live before Him. Yes, let us know -- recognise, be acquainted with and understand Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord -- to appreciate, give heed to and cherish Him. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the heavy rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth."

I am writing this urgent message because very soon our children here in the United States and elsewhere in the world are going to experience a bewitching and a deceptive occult indoctrination.

On December 9th, 2005, a new Disney movie will be released entitled “The Chronicles of Narnia.” The movie is based on the book by C.S. Lewis entitled The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It is a sad fact that mainstream “Christianity” esteems C.S. Lewis as a great “Christian” author and his writings as edifying with profound themes of “Christian” teachings. The C.S. Lewis books can be found in “Christian” bookstores everywhere, and even Dr. James Dobson’s Focus on the Family organization is offering and promoting the works of C.S. Lewis. These same books, however, can also be found in occult bookstores everywhere!