Does what you choose to believe about God really matter?

Recently, we have been learning about Islam. Islam is very different from most religions found around the world, but it also has something in common with all of them, except one.

No matter what religion is being examined, our worldview demands that we evaluate all of them with the same measuring stick, and that is King Jesus Himself. What a religion says about Jesus determines whether it is a Christian religion or a non-Christian religion.

1 John 4:1 commands us to test the spirits, to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets are in the world. But how are spirits tested? And how are prophets determined to be false? Again, the most biblical way is to examine what they say about Jesus. The people of Islam say that God's blessing went with Ismael, not Isaac. That by itself does not make them a non-Christian religion. But what do they say about our Savior? They say Jesus did not really die on the cross; someone else was substituted for him. That is the difference between a Christian religion and a non-Christian religion, and belief in that one “little detail” will, according to our Bible, keep millions upon millions from entering into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Yes, what you believe about God matters a great deal.

Pray:

Adoration: God is holy, mighty, gracious, and merciful. Spend time declaring your love for Him and expressing your thoughts of praise and worship.

Confession: Ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas of unconfessed sin. Acknowledge these to the Lord and thank Him for His forgiveness.

Thanksgiving: Express your thankfulness to God for the blessings He has given you. When we consider that we deserve punishment because of our sinfulness, and instead God gives to us His love and mercy, our only response should be one of thankfulness.

Supplication: Petition God for wisdom. Offer prayers for your activities for this day and any special concerns you might have. Intercede for your immediate family and other relatives regarding their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs.