Many of you know that we live in Syria. I had stopped blogging because there was a period of about 2 months when I had almost no internet connection (it was sporadic and very weak). After the connection got better I was just so busy with things here and trying to figure what we should do that the less important parts of my life (i.e blogging) got overlooked. After about 4 months or so, I had apparently loss my desire to blog. I didn’t even really think about it anymore (which is a serious handicap for generating new posts). Time just kept going and I stayed logged out (so to speak).

A few have commented or wrote to me wondering why I stopped and encouraged me to write again. That got me thinking again about the worth of a blog like mine. I still think it can have a valuable role in the whole issue of peace between Muslims and Christians and that it can bring honor to God by pointing towards his path of peace, namely, the Prince of Peace. I still want to help Christians and Muslims better understand one another and grow in being good neighbors to each other.

So, I’ve begun again. Things are still pretty unsettled here so I can’t make any promises about how frequently I’ll post, but perhaps this initial re-entry will spur me on for future posts.

D.A. Carson, on God and prayer in the midst of suffering:

The degree of our peace of mind is tied to our prayer life (Phil. 4:6-7). This is not because prayer is psychologically soothing, but because we address a prayer-answering God, a personal God, a responding God, a sovereign God whom we can trust with the outcomes of life’s confusions. And we learn, with time, that if God in this or that instance does not choose to take away the suffering, or utterly remove the evil, he does send grace and power. The result is praise; and that, of course, is itself enjoyable, in exactly the same way that lovers enjoy giving each other compliments.

I cannot tell you how many times I have visited some senior saint who is going through serious suffering, perhaps terminal illness, only to come away feeling that it was I who benefited from exposure to a believer who was already living in the felt presence of God.

D.A. Carson, How Long, Oh Lord? p. 217-218.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. – Isaiah 26:3

Beautiful truth.
Comforting promise.
Challenging charge.
Steadfast hope.

As similar as many of our values are, there are differences in our theology, especially regarding our beliefs about Jesus Christ. Who is Jesus Christ? What did he do? It is the answers to these questions that separate us (the separation is theological – it doesn’t have to be relational).

This morning as I read my Bible I came across a passage that defines the differences between us. When I read this text my heart fills with praise to God and gratefulness for his mercy and compassion. I am really happy that I am reconciled to God, that I have peace with the Lord of the worlds. Here are the verses:

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. – Colossians 1:19-20

Bismillah. Received today from rom Imtiaz Wajih:
—
I am a 49 year old Muslim living in London. I thought it might be a good idea to set up a Meetup group to focus on the shared ground between Christians and Muslims.

We would be delighted if you could join us (even if you are too busy to attend our meetings). Please see the link below:http://www.meetup.com/christianmuslims/

Also, please see our website: http://www.christianmuslims.co.uk

Your comments and feedback would be most welcome. It’s all about peace …

Warm regards,
Imtiaz

This looks interesting and I am glad for Christians and Muslims to gather together in order to better know one another. However, this particular group seems to be of the kind that glosses over all differences between the religions. That is one of the mistakes of modern day dialogues between religions. (The other side of the mistake is to see ourselves in a battle that must be won against those we view as enemies). I still think we can be genuine peacemakers while at the same time standing for truth. We don’t have to pretend we all agree in order to be at peace with one another.

While I don’t fully agree with all of what they say the Bible teaches regarding the nation of Israel, I really appreciated the grace and love they showed to each other.

Both of them saw that the main problem in the region starts within.

Conflict is something that starts in me. – Nizar

The question in peace treaties and peace movements is how much is really going on in the human heart? – Avner

You can watch it in four parts:

Part 1, Taking Sides
Part 2, Seeking Peace
Part 3, Chosen People
Part 4, Israel’s Future

I am linking to my most viewed posts, most commented on posts and my personal favorite posts. It has been good for me to write and I hope that this has been helpful for both Christians and Muslims. My desire is that we will learn from one another and better understand each other so that we will grow in our love for each other.

Thanks for reading.

Most Viewed Posts:
The Wonder of the Birth of the Messiah
Thanks for the Religion
Islamic View of the End Times

Most Commented Posts:
Technically, the most comments are on my About page, but I won’t count that.
Switzerland Moving Away from Peace
Islamic View of the End Times
The Wonder of the Birth of the Messiah

My Favorite Posts:
لسلام-عليكم-Why I Love the Islamic Greeting
What Is a Christian?
Sin Destroys Peace
Go in Peace

We are devoted to peacemaking & breaking down stereotypes by displaying the beauty of cultures around the world.

The International Guild of Visual Peacemakers (IGVP) was created to build bridges of peace across ethnic, cultural, and religious lines through visual communication that is both accountable to an ethical standard and created by those who authentically care about people.

On their site you can read their blog and see their work.

I would recommend that every church at least be familiar with Peacemaker Ministries and the resources that they offer. I recently had an opportunity to lead a group through their small-group DVD set and study guide, and the feedback was very encouraging, with tangible fruit produced.

They have a church resource set, which contains posters, sermon outlines, a DVD, leader’s guide, and small-group participants’ guides. This is a great way to introduce a “culture of peacemaking” throughout the church. A newer resource is a DVD-based group study designed specifically church leadership teams, called The Leadership Opportunity: Living Out the Gospel Where Conflict and Leadership Intersect.

Here are some free online resources that give you an idea about their approach:

• Getting to the Heart of Conflict – Conflict starts in the heart. Therefore, if we fail to address the heart in a conflict, then any solution will fall short of true reconciliation.
• The Four G’s – The biblical system for resolving conflict is captured by “The Four G’s”: Glorify God, Get the log out of your own eye, Gently Restore, and Go and be reconciled.
• The Slippery Slope – A visual tool for understanding the ways people tend to and ought to respond to conflict.
• The Seven A’s of Confession – A guide to making a sincere and complete confession.
• The PAUSE Principle – A biblical approach to negotiation.
• The Four Promises of Forgiveness – A great way to remember what you are really saying (and committing to) when you say “I forgive you.”
• The Peacemaker’s Pledge – Complete summary of biblical peacemaking, suitable for churches or organizations to commit to together.
• Relational Commitments – A way for a church to make a mutual commitment to work together to pursue unity, maintain friendships, preserve marriages, and build relationships that reflect the love of Christ.
• The Gospel of Peace Mirrored Through Peacemaking – A summary statement of how the gospel of Jesus Christ is at the core of biblical peacemaking.

Let me give you a quick outline of one of these resources (go here for the full version). They talk about The Slippery Slope, a very helpful visual for thinking about the different ways we can and should respond to conflict:

Escape Responses
On the left side are three responses typically used by those who want to avoid or get away from conflict instead of resolving it. Starting with the most extreme, they are:

1. Suicide
2. Flight
3. Denial

Attack Responses

On the other side of the slippery slope spectrum are attack responses, going to the most extreme:

1. Assault
2. Litigation
3. Murder

Peacemaking Responses

In the middle are responses of conciliation, recognizing that the gospel is the key to peace.

The six responses are divided into two categories:

Personal peacemaking:

1. Overlook an offense
2. Reconciliation
3. Negotiation

Assisted responses

1. Mediation
2. Arbitration
3. Accountability

Again, I find these sorts of tools very helpful for providing a grid of responses to conflict.

If you’re looking for helpful books applying peacemaking to various roles and aspects of life, here is what WTS Books carries:

• Ken Sande, Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, 3rd ed.
• Alfred Poirier, The Peacemaking Pastor: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Church Conflict
• Tara Klena Barthel and Judy Dabler, Peacemaking for Women: Biblical Hope for Resolving Conflict
• Ken Sande with Tom Raabe, Peacemaking for Families: A Biblical Guide to Managing Conflict in Your Home
• Ken Sande and Kevin Johnson, The Peacemaker Student Edition: Handling Conflict without Fighting Back or Running Away
• Corlette Sander, The Young Peacemaker: Teaching Students to Respond to Conflict in God’s Way

Peace was to be the main mark of the expected new creation that was foreseen by the Old Testament prophets. Isaiah’s well-known prophecy of the new heavens and earth include the image of antagonistic animals of the old creation lying peacefully with one another (Is. 65:17-25; see also Is. 11:6-9). The point of Isaiah’s depiction is to underscore that the crown of creation, formerly alienated as Jews and Gentiles, will be at peace with one another (Is 11:9-12). In fact, Gentiles even will become Levitical priests (Is. 66:18-22; so also Is. 56:3-8).

From Greg Beale’s The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God, p. 307.