1 John 3:16 [NIV] – ‘This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.’
DAILY READING; Mark 4:21-41; 2 Samuel 11-12; Daniel 6
CIRA International is a global Christian ministry founded by Abd Al Fadi, a former Muslim from Saudi Arabia.
Interestingly Al Fadi grew up harboring intense hatred for Christians. He was born and raised as a militant Muslim and trained to become a Jihadist.
As a teenager, his hero was Osama bin Laden and it was his goal to fight in a “holy war”, against infidels.
After finishing college in Saudi Arabia, Al Fadi desired to attend an American university so as to receive the best education. But he was apprehensive because that meant having to interact with Christians whom he hated.
In 1989, he arrived in the United States filled with fear and discomfort. He enrolled in the International Friendship Program, which paired foreign students with local volunteers who would provide help and hospitality.
He was assigned to a young American couple and for the next seven months, this family showed him love that far exceeded his expectations. During Thanksgiving celebration, he was invited to their home for dinner. Only then did Al Fadi realize that they were a Christian family because this family had never shared the Gospel with him, but rather had shown him practically the love of Christ.
He walked out of their home with great doubts about his own beliefs and began to do research on Christianity.
A few years later, after joining a local engineering firm, he met another born-again Christian man and again was impressed by the faith, joy, peace, and light that radiated from this Christian.
After this man shared his testimony with Al Fadi, in May 2001, going against everything his Muslim faith had taught him, Al Fadi made his first visit to a Christian church. Over the course of the next six months, he learned more about Christ and in November 2001, without a shadow of a doubt, he accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. During this time, God revealed His awesome glory to him in ways he could not deny or doubt. Though he faced great persecutions, he remained steadfast in his decision to follow Christ.
Today, Al Fadi leads CIRA [The Center for Islamic Research and Awareness], which he founded in 2010, with the mission to reach Muslims for Christ.
Despite his fanaticism and hatred of Christians, Al Fadi was won to Christ through simple acts of love shown to him by followers of Christ.
People will not know that we are Christians because we wear Christian T-shirts, adorn WWJD bracelets, display Church stickers, or have a fish decal on our cars.
A watching world will be persuaded about our faith when we become purveyors of Christ’s love.
Christian love will always be the best advertisement for our faith. Unbelievers may not understand theology or dogma, but they will understands love when they see it.
Truly, love breaks down barriers. Love is a powerful force that can conquer the impregnable stronghold of the human heart.
In John 13:35, Jesus said that it is through the show of love that all people will know that we are His disciples.
Love is the best investment you will ever make towards the spread of the Gospel. Love is primarily an active interest in the well-being of others which compels us to act for their benefits.
When we perform selfless acts of love, it melts the heart, leaves an impression on the soul and makes a statement that remains unforgotten in the mind.
It is God’s plan that we reflect His character of love to the world.
1 John 4:16-17says “God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.”
When we show love to others, we are showing them God and this is what attracts them to the Gospel. We are never more like God than when we are loving others.
1 Corinthians 16:13-14 commands us to ‘do everything in love.”
Doing everything in love means we look for every opportunity to bless and encourage others. Love has the eyes to see pain, ears to listen, the hands to help others and the feet to hasten to their need.
Loving selflessly runs counter to our self-centered human nature, but as believers we can love unconditionally because of the love of Christ which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Through redemption, Jesus has given us a new mind that is able to overlook people’s shortcomings and see them with the eyes of love.
At the Cross Christ showed us mercy and love we didn’t deserve. Let us show same to people by loving them even when they prove to be difficult and unlovable.
When we love others unconditionally as Christ loves us, it will melt the hardness in them, break the barriers in their hearts and draw them closer to God.
PRAYER; Lord, I thank You for Your deep love for me that made You to sacrifice Your life at the Cross to save and deliver me. May Your love flow through me to bless men and draw them closer to You in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
There is something that God has placed within you that the world is eagerly awaiting to see. WORDBITE 222
Shalom!
@GOODHEART- EKWUEME .
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