The Birth of Christ

~Luke 2:7~And she brought forth her Firstborn Son-[this is meant to

 emphasize the fact that there were no other children up to this time;

as well it refutes the error of the Catholic Church, which claims that

Mary, thereafter, had no other children, and remained A Virgin

throughout her life, actually, Jesus'/Yeshua' had four brothers,

"James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude," as well as two or three sisters

[Matthew 13:55-56], and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid,

Him in a manger [spoke of a feeding place for animals]; because there

was no room for them in the inn [the Inn of Bethlehem was of ancient

duration, being mentioned in Jer, 41:17; this type of "Inn" was for the

poorest of the poor, and offered little more than the shelter of its walls

and roof].

No room in the inn… and she laid Him in a manger. Away in a manger, but

not a stable? We know the Christmas story so well. Mary and Joseph

traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem and were turned away from the village

inn by the innkeeper. They took refuge in a barn, where baby Jesus was

born and laid in a manger. A very early church tradition says the site of the

nativity was a cave near Bethlehem.

The Biblical story of the birth of Jesus is found primarily in Luke 2. Dr. Luke

neither quotes nor mentions an innkeeper. We suggest the story does not refer

to an inn, a cave or even a barn, but rather a house!

The text of Luke 2 notes there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the “inn.” Un-
fortunately, the Greek term translated inn (kataluma) had multiple

meanings, among them inn or caravansary. Used only one other time in

the New Testament (Luke 22:11 and the parallel passage, Mark 14:14), it was

the place where Jesus observed the Last Supper with His disciples. Here, Dr.

Luke gave additional information about the kataluma. He said it was a

furnished large upper story room within a private Jerusalem house. The

kataluma of the last night of Jesus’ Earthly ministry was the “upper room.”

We suggest the kataluma of Jesus’ first night was a similar room in Bethlehem.

Mary and Joseph came into town with Mary ready to deliver. Arriving at

Joseph’s ancestral home, they found it already full of other family members

who had arrived earlier. While the exact reason space was not made for a

pregnant woman is unknown, it probably indicates the house was full of elder

members of Joseph’s family, who had priority.

So that is when Mary and Joseph went to the barn, right? Not exactly. The

Biblical account mentions neither barn nor cave—it is assumed because of

the manger. Mangers are animal feeding troughs, and barns are where one

would expect to find them.

But in the ancient world, as well as in primitive modern cultures, mangers

are also found within the house itself. Animals are regularly kept in homes

at night. A small number of flock animals were housed, not in attached

exterior sheds, but inside the house in one of the ground floor rooms. Here,

animals, tools and agricultural produce were stored. Here, too, food was

prepared and possibly consumed.

Family sleeping quarters were on the second floor (an upper room). By

being inside, the animals were protected from the elements and theft. In

addition, their presence provided body heat for cool nights, access to milk

for the daily meal and dung as a critical fuel source. Excavations in Israel

have uncovered numerous installations within domestic structures which

probably represent ancient mangers. Some are carved, but most are stone

built.

Wooden mangers, of course, have not survived in the archaeological record.

Consequently, Mary and Joseph did not find space in the living quarters of

the ancestral family home. Instead, they stayed downstairs in the domestic

stable, still within the ancestral home, where a manger or two was located.

Here they were visited by the shepherds, and maybe the wise men some time

later.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that

whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life

(John 3:16).

Read more at:
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a012.html

Prayer For Christians To Vote, Scripture Tells us To Chose our Leaders Amen

Dear Heavenly Father, I do not take lightly what You have done in our nation. I appreciate not only the right but the privilege I have to Vote. I pray that i, as well as others, will use that privilege wisely, seeking Your will as we consider the qualifications of those for whom we are to Vote.

I pray for my Christian family [the body of Christ] that they would see the right to vote as a gift from Your hand and avail themselves of this opportunity.

May there arise such a force of righteousness in our electoral system that it would affect every realm and level of government in our nation.

I pray in Jesus'/Yeshua' Name that the powers that be would gain a profound respect not only for the political strength of the Christian community but for our spiritual influence in our nation as well.

Scripture References:

~Luke 6:13~And when it was day,.... Or morning; having spent the whole night in prayer to God, no doubt for his disciples, whom he was about to send forth as his apostles, to preach his Gospel, and work miracles, and for their success therein:

he called unto him his disciples; the whole company of them, as in Luk_6:17 all that were his followers, and professed to believe in him, or as many as he pleased; see Mar_3:13.

And of them he chose twelve; and ordained them, and sent them out to preach, heal sicknesses, and cast out devils:

whom he also named apostles; or "messengers", from their being sent by him on such important business; and their names are as follow.

~Acts 6:1~Acts 6:1

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied,.... From an hundred and twenty to three thousand more, from thence to five thousand more, and after that a multitude of men and women were added, and still they were increasing; see Act_1:15 Act_2:41. This increase of the disciples agrees with what Maimonides says (z), before observed, that

"in the days of Gamaliel, רבו מינים, "the heretics were multiplied in Israel".''

The word "disciples" was a common name to all Christians, to all that believed in Christ, and was the name they went by, before they were called Christians, Act_11:26

there arose a murmuring of the Grecians, or Hellenists, against the Hebrews; by the Hebrews are meant the Jews that dwelt in Judea, and were the inhabitants of that country, and chiefly of Jerusalem, who spoke the Hebrew, or rather the Syriac language; and by the Grecians, or Hellenists, are meant, not the Greeks that were proselyted to the Jewish religion, though there might be some few among them; but Jews who were born, and had dwelt, in some parts of Greece, and spoke the Greek language, and used the Septuagint version of the Bible; between these two a murmuring arose, a complaint was made by one against the other: so that, as it appears from the instance of Ananias and Sapphira, that this first and pure Gospel church was not free from hypocrites; it is also manifest, that though they were at first so united and harmonious in their affections and judgments, yet they were not always clear of feuds, animosities, and contentions; Satan bestirred himself, and got footing among them, as he commonly does where the Gospel is preached, and there is an increase of it: the reason of this uneasiness was,

because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration; that is, they had not that distributed which was necessary for them, nor so much as the Hebrew widows; they complained of partiality, as if because the Hebrew widows were the natives of the country, and might be nearly related to many of the community, that therefore they were more regarded and better supplied every day, than their widows were, whose husbands had dwelt in foreign lands, and were not so well known, and had fewer acquaintance and relations; for it seems the ministration or distribution was made every day: and such a practice obtained among the Jews in common, who used to collect every day for the poor, and give it daily to them. Maimonides (a) speaks of it in this manner;

"they appoint collectors, who receive "every day", from every court, a piece of bread, or any sort of food, or fruit, or money, from whomsoever that offers freely for the time; and they divide that which is collected, "in the evening", among the poor, and they give to every poor person of it "his daily sustenance"; and this is called תמחוי, "Tamchui", or "the alms dish".''

And from hence the apostles might take up this custom, and follow it. The Ethiopic version renders it, "because they saw their widows minister", or "employed daily"; as if the complaint was, that their widows were too much made use of, and obliged to more frequent and to harder service in taking care of the poor, the sick, and helpless, than the other widows were, who had not their share of labour with them, but lived more at ease. Though others rather think the murmur was, because the Grecian widows were not taken into the number, and employed in taking care of the poor, as the Hebrew widows were; but the sense first given, of not having so good a share in the distribution, seems to be the best.

(z) Hilchot Tephilla, c. 2. sect. 1. (a) Hilchot Mattanot Annayim, c. 9. sect.

~Act 6:3~"So, brothers and sisters, choose seven men whom the people know are spiritually wise. We will put them in charge of this problem."~

~Act 6:4~However, we will devote ourselves to praying and to serving in ways that are related to the word."

~Act 6:5~"The suggestion pleased the whole group. So they chose Stephen, who was a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, who had converted to Judaism in the city of Antioch".~

~Act 6:6~"The disciples had these men stand in front of the apostles, who prayed and placed their hands on these seven men".~

~Act 6:7~"The word of God continued to spread, and the number of disciples in Jerusalem grew very large. A large number of priests accepted the faith".~

~Act 6:8~"Stephen was a man filled with God's favor and power. He did amazing things and performed miracles".~

~Act 6:9~"One day some men from the cities of Cyrene and Alexandria and the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started an argument with Stephen. They belonged to a synagogue called Freedmen's Synagogue".~

~Act 6:10~"They couldn't argue with Stephen because he spoke with the wisdom that the Spirit had given him".~

~Act 6:11~"Then they bribed some men to lie. These men said, "We heard him slander Moses and God."~

~Act 6:12~"The liars stirred up trouble among the people, the leaders, and the scribes. So they went to Stephen, took him by force, and brought him in front of the Jewish council".~

~Act 6:13~"Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, "This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses' Teachings".~

~Act 6:14~"We heard him say that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy the temple and change the customs that Moses gave us."~

~Act 6:15~"Everyone who sat in the council stared at him and saw that his face looked like an angel's face".~

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND FAITH

Never in the history of the world has it been more important for the Christian Warriors to know the truth of the Word of God & the authority we possess in Jesus Christ.

"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge."
[ Hosea 4:6]

Luke 10:19-"Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents & scorpions, & over all the power of the enemy, & nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[ Luke 10:19]

Mark 16:17 & 18-"And these signs will follow those who believe; In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18."They will take up serpents; & if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, & they will recover."
[ Mark 16:17 & 18 ]

(Matthew 12:28)
If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.

(Matthew 12:36 & 37)
I tell you that on the day of judgment people will have to account for every careless word they speak. 37. For by your words you will be acquitted, & by your words you will be condemned."

Biblical Truth
A church is to be a community of caring Christians.

Matthew 18:18-20
I assure you: Whatever you bind on earth is already bound in heaven, & whatever you loose on earth is already loosed in heaven. 19. Again, I assure you: If two of you on earth agree about any matter that you pray for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, I am there among them."



John 14:12-14-"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; & greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father."
13. "And whatever you ask in My Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
14,"If you ask anything in My Name, I will do it."[John 14:12-14]

Islamization of America
by Daniel Pipes ( New York Post)

Prominent U.S. Muslims speak in support of the Islamization of America. The killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.

"Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country," said President Bush shortly after Sept. 11, noting that they are "doctors, lawyers, law professors, members of the military, entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, moms and dads." He later added that "there are millions of good Americans who practice the Muslim faith who love their country as much as I love the country, who salute the flag as strongly as I salute the flag."

These soothing words were clearly appropriate for a moment of tension and mounting bias against Muslims living in the United States. And it is absolutely true that the number of militant Islamic operatives with plans to carry out terrorist attacks on the United States is a tiny proportion of the Muslim population as a whole.
Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country. But the situation is more complex than the president would have it. The Muslim population is not like any other, for it harbors a substantial body -- one many times larger than the agents of Osama bin Laden -- who have worrisome aspirations for the United States.

Although not responsible for the atrocities in September, these people share important goals with the suicide hijackers: Both despise the United States and ultimately wish to transform it into a Muslim country.

However bizarre this goal, the killing of 5,000 Americans requires that it be noted and seriously worried about.

ISLAMIZATION AGENDA

The ambition to take over the United States is hardly a new one. The first Islamic missionaries from abroad arrived in the 1920s and unblushingly declared, "Our plan is, we are going to conquer America." Such hopes have become commonplace in recent years.

Some examples:
Omar Abdel Rahman -- the blind sheikh later convicted of planning a "day of rage" by blowing up New York buildings and architecture -- in 1991 called on Muslims to "conquer the land of the infidels."

A native-born American who converted to Islam and helped fight the Soviets in Afghanistan, then proclaimed that "it is the duty of all Muslims to complete the march of jihad [holy war] until we reach America and liberate her."

Isma'il Al-Faruqi, the first academic theorist of a United States-made-fundamentalist-Muslim, argued in 1983 that "Nothing could be greater than this youthful, vigorous, and rich continent [of North America] turning away from its past evil and marching forward under the banner of Allahu Akbar [God is great]."

Siraj Wahaj, the first imam to deliver a Muslim prayer for the U.S. House of Representatives, holds that if Muslims unite, they could elect their own leader as president; "take my word, if 6-8 million Muslims unite in America, the country will come to us."

Zaid Shakir, formerly the Muslim chaplain at Yale University, believes the Koran "pushes us in the exact opposite direction as the forces at work in the American political spectrum," and from this argues that Muslims cannot accept the legitimacy of the existing order.

Masudul Alam Choudhury, a Canadian professor of business, matter-of-factly advocates the "Islamization agenda in North America."

Ahmad Nawfal, a Jordanian who spoke often at American rallies a few years ago, says that if fundamentalist Muslims stand up, "it will be very easy for us to preside over this world once again."

The existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted.
Shamim A. Siddiqi wrote a book on establishing "Islamic rule" in the United States, with the goal of Muslims creating "a strong lobby in Washington for the promotion of Islam in this country as well as elsewhere in the world." Some organizations also express a hope that one day Muslims will take over in the United States. The International Institute of Islamic Thought in Herndon, Virginia, aims for nothing less than "the Islamization of the humanities and the social sciences."

Just one month after the Sept. 11 atrocities, a delegate at the American Muslim Alliance convention, held in San Jose, announced: "By the year 2020, we should have an American Muslim president of the United States."

While there is no reason to suppose that the aspiration to replace the Constitution with Islamic law will succeed, the fact that this represents a not-insignificant body of opinion has major implications.

It means that the existing order -- religious freedom, democracy, women's rights -- can no longer be taken for granted. It now needs to be fought for.

 DOES ISLAM MEAN PEACE?

Some ignorant person will go on TV and tell us that Islam is peaceful or even that, "Islam means peace!" These people are either unbelievable ignorant about Islam, or they are simply liars, like President Obama and several other western leaders. Let me tell you that Islam is totally the opposite of the world peace. 

ALL MUSLIMS ARE NOT TERRORIST, BUT MUSLIMS THAT FOLLOW MUHAMMAD, THE QUR'AN, WILL FOLLOW THE ISLAMIC LAW THAT MAKES THEM TERRORIST. 

 THE ISLAMIC LAW TELLS US THAT IF YOU CONVERT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION THEN YOU HAVE BETRAYED ISLAM. 

IT IS OBLIGATORY FOR MUSLIMS TO FOLLOW SHARI'A IN ALL OF ITS ORDINANCES. ALLAH, IN FACT, DECLARES THOSE WHO DECLINE TO OPERATE ACCORDING TO HIS LAW AS STEPPING OUTSIDE OF THE FOLD OF ISLAM:

"IF ANY DO FAIL TO JUDGE BY [THE LIGHT OF] WHAT ALLAH HATH REVEALED, THEY ARE [NO BETTER THAN] UNBELIEVERS" QUR'AN 5:44-45. 

THIS MEANS THAT FOR THE DEVOUT MUSLIM ANY LEGAL SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT HAVE SHARI'A AT ITS CORE WILL BE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. 

THE QUR'AN SAYS AS MUCH: "JUDGE THOU BETWEEN THEM BY WHAT ALLAH HATH REVEALED, AND FOLLOW NOT THEIR VAIN DESIRES, BUT BEWARE OF THEM LEST THEY BEGUILE THEE FROM ANY OF THAT [TEACHING] WHICH ALLAH HATH SENT DOWN TO THEE." QUR'AN 5:49-50 

 THIS MEANS THAT FOR THE DEVOUT MUSLIMS ANY LEGAL SYSTEM THAT DOES NOT HAVE SHARI'A AT ITS CORE WILL BE TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.  THE QUR'AN SAYS AS MUCH: "JUDGE THOU BETWEEN THEM BY WHAT ALLAH HATH REVEALED, AND FOLLOW NOT THEIR VAIN DESIRES, BUT BEWARE OF THEM LEST THEY BEGUILE THEE FROM ANY OF THAT [TEACHING] WHICH ALLAH HATH SENT DOWN TO THEE." 

QUR'AN 5:49-50 

THIS POINT IS FURTHER REINFORCED IN THE FOLLOWING HADITH WHERE IT IS STATED CATEGORIZE THAT A MUSLIM IS ABSOLUTELY  FORBIDDEN FROM OBEYING LAWS AND DECREES THAT ARE NOT IN LINE WITH SHARI'A: 

"NARRATED 'ABDULLAH: 

THE PROPHET SAID, "A MUSLIM HAS TO LISTEN TO AND OBEY [THE ORDER OF HIS RULER] WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT, AS LONG AS HIS ORDERS INVOLVE NOT ONE IN DISOBEDIENCE [TO ALLAH], BUT IF AN ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE [TO ALLAH] IS IMPOSED ONE SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO IT OR OBEY IT.

SAHIH BUKHARI 9:89:258

THE UNASSAILABLE POSITION THAT SHARI'A IS SUPPOSED TO HOLD IN THE MINDS OF MUSLIMS IS, TO SAY THE LEAST, HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC.

You should know that the Qur'an says that Muslims are not allowed to take us as friends or protectors, as Qur'an 5:51 says:

Take not Christians and Jews as friends and protectors, they are friends to each other, and if any of you take them as friends, he is one of them an unjust to himself (which means he is out of Islam, and he will be punished by death). Now you may say well I have Muslim friends, well they are either ignorant of the Qur'an or they are just lying to you. Or they are not followers of the Quran or Muhammad. First of all I am talking about Islam, not Muslims. The word "Muslim" means nothing if the person doesn't practice Islam. Maybe he isn't playing the deception game. 

Yusuf Ali's translation of the Qur'an 5:51: O ye who believe! Take not the Jew and the Christians for your friends and protectors. They are but friends and protectors to each other, and he among you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily, Allah guides not the unjust people.

Oh, by the way, a Muslim may say to you that this is about not taking a friend from those who are at war with them! If you both were at war, why would that person take you as a friend anyway? The truth is "do not take anyone we are in war with" includes all Christians, all Jews and all unbelievers. Islam divides the entire world into two parts; Land of Peace and Land of War. (The house of war-is any land that is not submitting to Allah), where Muslims are in war and battle, is not protected."   

This was based of the prophet's words (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book 6, Hadith 387):

'i have been commanded to fight (fight to kill) all the people up to the time that they say: 'None should be worshiped but Allah.' And if they say so, and pray like we pray, face our Qibla (direction of the kaaba) and butcher and property will be protected from me..."

I believe that these words from Muhammad: convert or die. This will take us to the word "Islam" which Muslims claim means "peace".

Do you remember this hadith from Sahih Al-Bukh ari, Vol. I, p. 13 or Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book 8, Hadith 387.

"I have been ordered by Allah to fight to kill (do Jihad) all the people until they say that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is his messenger, and that they establish prayer and pay Zakat 9money). If they do it, their blood and their property (their Honor) are safe from me."

The same story can be found in Sahih Muslim, Book 1, #s 29, 30 and 32. 

Quran 2:191-193 - "And slay them wherever ye find them, and drive them out of the places whence they drove you out, for persecution [of Muslims] is worse than slaughter [of non-believers]...and fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is for Allah."

Quran 2:224 - "Then fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah Heareth and knoweth all things." 

Quran 2:216 - "Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knoweth, and ye know not."

Quran 3:56 - "As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help."

Quran 3:151 - "Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority"

Quran 4:74 - "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward."

Quran 4:76 - "Those who believe fight in the cause of Allah…"

Quran 4:74 - "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fighteth in the way of Allah, be he slain or be he victorious, on him We shall bestow a vast reward."  

Quran 4:95 - "Not equal are those believers who sit (at home) and receive no hurt, and those who strive and fight in the cause of Allah with their goods and their persons. Allah hath granted a grade higher to those who strive and fight with their goods and persons than to those who sit (at home). Unto all (in Faith) Hath Allah promised good: But those who strive and fight Hath He distinguished above those who sit (at home) by a special reward,-"

Quran 4:104 - "And be not weak hearted in pursuit of the enemy; if you suffer pain, then surely they (too) suffer pain as you suffer pain..."

Quran 5:33 - "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His messenger and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be imprisoned; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the hereafter they shall have a grievous chastisement"

Quran 8:12 - "I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them"

Quran 8:15 - "O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them. (8:16)Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless maneuvering for battle or intent to join a company, he truly hath incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end."     

Quran 8:39 - "And fight with them until there is no more persecution and religion should be only for Allah"

Quran 8:57 - "If thou comest on them in the war, deal with them so as to strike fear in those who are behind them, that haply they may remember." 

Quran 8:59-60 - "And let not those who disbelieve suppose that they can outstrip (Allah's Purpose). Lo! they cannot escape.  Make ready for them all thou canst of (armed) force and of horses tethered, that thereby ye may dismay the enemy of Allah and your enemy."

Quran 8:65 - "O Prophet, exhort the believers to fight..."

Quran 9:5 - "So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them."

   *According to this verse, the best way of staying safe from Muslim violence is to convert to Islam.

Prayer (salat) and the poor tax (zakat) are among the religions Five Pillars.*

Quran 9:14 - "Fight them, Allah will punish them by your hands and bring them to disgrace..."

  *No further explanation needed*

Quran 9:20 - "Those who believe, and have left their homes and striven with their wealth and their lives in Allah's way are of much greater worth in Allah's sight. These are they who are triumphant."

Quran 9:29 - "Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued."

Quran 9:30 - "And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah; and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah; these are the words of their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before; may Allah destroy them; how they are turned away!"

   No further explanation needed

Quran 9:38-39 - "O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place."

Quran 9:41 - "Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew."  See also the verse that follows 9:42 - "If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them" 

Quran 9:73 - "O Prophet! strive hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination."

Quran 9:88 - "But the Messenger, and those who believe with him, strive and fight with their wealth and their persons: for them are (all) good things: and it is they who will prosper."

Quran 9:111 - "Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in His cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Quran: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme."

Quran 9:123 - "O you who believe! fight those of the unbelievers who are near to you and let them find in you hardness."

Quran 18:65-81 - This parable lays the theological groundwork for honor killings, in which a family member is murdered because they brought shame to the family, either through apostasy or perceived moral indiscretion.

The story, which is not found in any Jewish or Christian source, tells of Moses encountering a man with "special knowledge" who does things which don't seem to make sense on the surface, but are then justified according to later explanation.

One such action is to murder a youth for no apparent reason .

However, the wise man later explains that it was feared that the boy would "grieve" his parents by "disobedience and ingratitude." 

He was killed so that Allah could provide them a 'better' son.

Quran 21:44 - "We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?"

Quran 25:52  - "Therefore listen not to the Unbelievers, but strive against them with the utmost strenuousness..."

Quran 33:60-62- "If the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, and the alarmists in the city do not cease, We verily shall urge thee on against them, then they will be your neighbors in it but a little while.  Accursed, they will be seized wherever found and slain with a (fierce) slaughter."

    Hypocrites (Muslims who refuse to "fight in the way of Allah" (3:167) and hence don't act as Muslims should), those with "diseased hearts" (which include Jews and Christians (5:51-52), and "alarmists" or "agitators who include those who merely speak out against Islam, according to Muhammad's biographers.

It is worth noting that the victims are to be sought out by Muslims, which is what today's terrorists do.

If this passage is meant merely to apply to the city of Medina, then it is unclear why it is included in Allah's eternal word to Muslim generations.

Quran 47:3-4 - "Those who reject Allah follow vanities, while those who believe follow the truth from their lord.  Thus does Allah set forth form men their lessons by similtudes.  Therefore when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make (them) prisoners,"

Quran 47:35 - "Be not weary and faint-hearted, crying for peace, when ye should be uppermost (Shakir: "have the upper hand") for Allah is with you," 

Quran 48:17 - "There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom."

Quran 48:29 -  "Mohammed is the messenger of Allah. And those with him are hard (ruthless) against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves"

Quran 61:4 - "Surely Allah loves those who fight in His way" Religion of Peace, indeed!  This is followed by

Quran 61:9 - "He it is who has sent His Messenger (Mohammed) with guidance and the religion of truth (Islam) to make it victorious over all religions even though the infidels may resist."

Quran 61:10-12 - "O ye who believe! Shall I lead you to a bargain that will save you from a grievous Penalty?- That ye believe in Allah and His Messenger, and that ye strive (your utmost) in the Cause of Allah, with your property and your persons: That will be best for you, if ye but knew! He will forgive you your sins, and admit you to Gardens beneath which Rivers flow, and to beautiful mansions in Gardens of Eternity."

Quran 66:9 - "O Prophet! Strive against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. Hell will be their home, a hapless journey's end." 

  *"Many have said that Islam is not Violent, we are misunderstood and this is a picture of the  Muslims who follow the peaceful Islam, Mohammed and the Qur'an  today."*

 MY LIFE TODAY

I have lived as a Christian for several years now, devoting myself to giving Muslims and all people the same opportunity to learn about Jesus just as I did.

No one should ever be forced to accept any belief system. But everyone should have access to any information they want and also the opportunity to make a decision without  the fear of what other people might do to them. 

I pray that my words have supplied you with the light that will lead you toward peace, joy, and forgiveness from the God of salvation found in the LORD Jesus'/Yeshua', for He alone in the Christ.