WTC 1993 Bombing VictimWarning: Explicit Religiousity Ahead
~ ITEM: Adopt A Terrorist For Prayer
~ ITEM: More Than Dreams: Muslim Conversion Stories
~ ITEM: Google of Mahmoud Abouhalima, a.k.a. The Red
~ WHILST READING Peter Lance’s books on the two World Trade Center attacks, the terrorist scheming & FBI bunglings, I found myself getting.. well, extremely angry, and wishing to visit revenge & death on the terror-perps, and even their families. Grrr.
Whoa there, now, Binks. The rails are over there. Righteous anger against evil and evil-doers and causing suffering and death for innocents is one thing, but….
Thing is, if you react like that, the terrorists really have won. Alongside courage & chivalry, Christians are also supposed to love their enemies, pray for their persecutors, and bless those who curse them.
WTC 1993 Bombing Victim
Thus I came across a website: Adopt A Terrorist For Prayer.. and adopted one Mahmoud Abouhalima, a 1993 WTC co-conspirator, get-away driver for the Rabbi Kahane murder, and bodyguard for The Blind Shiekh (U.S. leader of Al Qaeda plots, and honcho of an Egyptian terror-group). “Mahmoud The Red” was also in plots to murder Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak and U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato, and schemes to blow up two major highway tunnels and other New York City landmarks in the mid-90s.
The formerly busy Jihadi, Egyptian Abouhalima is currently at a SuperMax prison in Colorado, scheduled for release in 2087.. when he’s a sprightly 128.
Ultimately, I’m praying for his conversion from Islam & from terrorism. If Jesus Christ, crucified & risen incarnate Son of God is our highest hope and good, then it’s not enough to hope or pray that Mahmoud Abouhalima merely becomes nicer. That leaves him dead in his sins, and still soaked in the blood of innocent victims. He needs a life-changing blood-transfusion from Jesus; to have his sins washed away, and to be cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world.
That is, Mahmoud needs what we all need– and even moreso. Forgiveness does not mean a Get Out of Jail Free card, nor absolution from trying to make amends–rather, it intensifies the offending sinner’s duty to redeem the time, to ask forgiveness of his victims, to humbly accept his punishments, to reach out to his fellow sinners, and to live a new life, via the grace & mercy of heaven. Infinitely harder, not easier.
Word has it– however unpalatable this may be to liberal Christians & secularists– that the risen Lord Jesus is alive, and appearing to Muslims in dreams and visions, and bringing about conversions. Who knew?
Whether the religious authorities in some Islamic countries would rather then chop the heads off such “apostates” than let them live in peace (possibly converting others) is a stark reminder to some comfy Westerners that multi-culti nicey is our delusion, and that some folks would indeed rather die than deny The Lord.
Lord have mercy upon me, a sinner, for hating and wishing to harm my enemies. Please pray for me, and consider adopting a terrorist for prayer yourself. After all, if it were you instead of them you’d sure stand in need of some amazing grace. ~
ATFP Examples of What To Pray For
• For heart changes – example: “Father, lead ___ to repent for rejecting Jesus and declaring war on your children.”
• For dreams and visions – example: “Jesus, reveal yourself in dreams and visions to ___. May he not sleep in peace until he surrenders to you.”
• For irresistible pursuit by God’s Spirit – example: “May your Holy Spirit relentlessly pursue ___ to the depths of his hideout, that he may not escape your grace.”
• For inescapable proclamation of God’s Word – example: “Jesus, may news of your free gift of eternal salvation reach the opened ears of ___.”
• For powerful demonstrations of God’s grace – example: “Lord, expose ___ to the precious testimony of Jesus’ followers.”
• For providential convergence of circumstances – example: “Father, orchestrate events (research and name some) around ___ and his friends to facilitate these prayers.”
• For vulnerability – example: “Dear God, strip from ___ all his defenses that he may turn to Jesus for hope and salvation.”
• For conviction of sin and sense of shame – example: “Jesus, confront and overwhelm ___ with his shameful deeds and sinful nature till he becomes desperate for righteousness from you.”
• For freedom to respond – example: “Father, provide an environment to ___ in which he is free to confess and believe in Jesus as Lord openly.”
• For follow-up resources – example: “Lord, surround ___ with devotional materials, gospel broadcasts, fellowship opportunities, and courageous mentors.”
• For God’s honor – example: “God, may the redemption of ___ clearly display your character and glory.”
• Against spiritual blindness and bondage – example: “Lord, release ___ from Satan’s grip and open him to sense and know your grace in Jesus.”
• Against enabling socio-economic conditions – example: “Father, destroy any economic and social situations (research and name some) that constrain gospel proclamation, limit free response, promote ignorance, and perpetuate rejection of Jesus in the environment of ___.”