A CALL TO ACTION…. (Parts 1 & Correction Part 2 Added)

Part 1 - Here are some alarming demographics which I just received via a YouTube video.  (OK, OK,  I know that I shouldn’t believe everything that I see on the internet, but I will admit, this does start my mind to wondering…) 

I would like to hear some comments on this.  Check out the video below and let me know what you think. 

Islam could overwhelm Christiandom unless Christians recognize the demographic realities, begin reproducing again, and share the gospel with Muslims.

Some statistics from the video:

• They say that to sustain a culture that there needs to be a fertility rate of 2.11
• Canada’s fertility rate is currently at 1.6. 
• From 2001 – 2006 there was a Canadian population increase of 1.6 million, 1.2 million was from immigration (Do the math - Only 0.4 million from Live Births… Not from the aborted births by the way.)

• Quote from Islamic Strategy Conference in Chicago “We must prepare ourselves that in 30 years there will be 50 million Muslims living in America.”

Of course, Divine Wisdom says that God is in control even of this… but I must admit that these facts do draw my mind to wondering what God is up to…. Where will Canada be in the next generation… or the generation after that?  What will the world that we are leaving to our children look like?

“Where am I going with all of this?” you may be asking….  Well, ultimately, it all comes down to this.

“Do you know who your neighbours are?” and “Have you told them about JESUS?!!”

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Part 2 - After Posting this Blog I received an Email from Maureen Smith, Aglow International Canada National Director (maureens@aglowcanada.com)
I wanted to share the new information for the purpose of accuracy, and apologize for not taking the time to verify the facts beforehand.

From: Jervae Brooks 
Sent: May-06-09 3:12 PM
Subject: Regarding video on www.youtube.com - "Muslim Demographics" (An important correction)
Importance: High

Dear Aglow National Leaders,

We are forwarding the following email to you, from Diane Moder, in case you have received the “youtube” video titled “Muslim Demographics”.

Hi everyone,
On Monday, April 27 I viewed a DVD called “Muslim Demographics.”  After seeing it, the gentleman involved in producing it was contacted. He asked us not to use it because some of the information is incorrect.  He said the material is currently being updated to correct the information. He assured us when that is done we will get a copy.  

That same evening I received my first email that sent a link to YouTube. This same “Muslim Demographics” video has been uploaded to this site. I sent the information to Scarlet Stone, our Researcher and she verified that the material is not accurate in many places. This is her response:

From Scarlet (in red):

Many of the numbers are wrong...for instance the video says that 25% of Belgium is Muslim. The BBC says Muslims are only 4% of the population, and Wikipedia says 6%. That's a pretty big mistake. They are more than likely getting the numbers from Muslim sources which are always higher than reality . . . the picture that they are trying to paint is not complete or correct. I looked into this a while back when we were using this same type of information.

Out of 225 nations that I have fertility rates for, only 121 nations have replacement rates higher than 2.11, and the vast majority of those nations are third world countries where many of the children born will never reach maturity. Not surprisingly, the highest replacement rates are in sub-Saharan Africa. Also, the lowest rates of adult literacy correspond to the highest population growth rate. In other words, if you are uneducated, you are more likely to stay barefoot and pregnant.

According to an article by Asia Times Online, the Muslim birth rate today is the world's second highest, but IT IS FALLING FASTER THAN THE BIRTH RATE OF ANY OTHER CULTURE! Why? Because Muslims (and especially female Muslims) have learned to read. Literacy alone explains 58% of the variation in birth rates among Muslim countries. Also keep in mind although we tend to focus on the influence of Islam on western society, the opposite is also occurring. Western society is influencing the Muslim world.

Now could some European countries have Islamic majorities in the future...of course, but we can not honestly make the kind of predictions that are in the video. There are too many variables in population studies. With all God is doing in the Middle East, they can become Christian nations!

I have received many emails this week with this YouTube link and it is apparent that it is now being sent across the body of Christ. Because of this I want to alert and inform the leaders in our ministry that the information in various places on this video is incorrect and thereby brings a conclusion that is not accurate. At this point, until the DVD is updated I trust you will not use this information or forward the

YouTube link. If you already have received this link and information and forwarded this link to others, please feel free to share this email to tell them that the data is incorrect and the material is being updated.
As leaders we want to make certain that the information we share and forward is truthful and is able to be verified. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to get in touch with me.

Blessings,
Diane Moder
Aglow International Islamic Awareness and Education Director
DianeModer@aol.com

The "Aha" Moment

I was just watching a commercial for Mutual of Omaha.  They are having a contest in which people submit their "Aha Moments." 

One mother of a 6 year old boy was talking about their "Aha Moment."  After watching a show on stray animals the little boy decided to ask all of his birthday party guests to donate money to help homeless animals rather than bring gifts for his birthday.  He is now 9 years old and over the past three years he has raised $2700 for stray animals because he had a "aha moment." 

Another woman had her "Aha Moment" when her mother, the matriarch of her family,  was diagnosed with cancer.  The mother didn't want to die without grandchildren, so the woman decided to adopt a little girl to carry on the family legacy.    That little girl inherited their family name and and they created a legacy through adoption.    (More "Aha Moments"  see:  http://www.ahamoment.com/)

My "Aha Moment" came a couple of years ago... or should I say my "Ah Moment." 
I had been reading in Genesis 17 where God was  blessing Abram with a new name... a name that included part of God's own name... "Yahweh" or sometimes just "Yah."  He gave the "ah" to Abram and he became Abraham.  The LORD also gave His name to Abraham's wife Sarai when He changed her name from Sarai to Sarah.  God had offered Abraham and Sarah his name "Yah" as part of  their covenant ceremony as well. 

When we take someone's name through adoption, and we receive their blessing and their legacy, but we also receive their authority as well.  When Our Heavenly Father gives his children his name to use as part of His covenant, he also gives us the authority to use that name legally... He promises His "power of attorney" and says "All that I have, is yours." 

My own "ah moment" came when the LORD showed me that He had also given me His name, "Yah."  He then pointed out that my actual name already has "ah."  My given name is "Deborah."  When I was born, my parents wanted to name me "Debbie," but I was born in a Catholic hospital so the Sisters wrote my name down as "Deborah" on the birth certificate!!  God had given me His name even at my birth. 

I think back on it now and realize just how powerful that is.  Hebrew 1:14 says that "angels were sent out to minister on behalf of those who will inherit salvation. "  Even as I was a small baby God was showing that He had already chosen me.... That I would be adopted by Him, that I would inherit His Kingdom, and His name.  I am "Deborah." 

Our Quiver is full! We are truly blessed!

Our Quiver is full and we are truly blessed!  This weekend my daughter, Mikayla and I joined Grandma and Grandpa Dean as they journeyed down to Ladysmith for my nephew Ryan's birthday party. 

Ryan had some of his friends at the party of course, but what I noticed was the power of family.  There are now 8 grandchildren for John and Marnie with Ryan, at age 5, being the youngest.  Of those 8 kids, Mikayla, Samantha, Sierra, and Jacob were there to celebrate with Ryan.  

Add to that two grandmothers, a grandfather, two aunts, an uncle, a mom and a dad and you can see that the place gets FULL pretty quickly! The bible tells us that this is a blessing.... it a quiver FULL of arrows ready to take out the enemy!

The older kids and some of the adults took this imagery a step further.  While the young kids were inside playing an exciting game of "Pin the Hat on the Martian," we were outside with the Bow and Arrows taking aim at a make-shift balloon target.  Those balloons didn't stand a chance when they came up against the Deans!!

I'm declaring this to be a prophetic act.  As the mighty Dean's hit our targets  (those menacing balloons!), so too will we hit our targets in prayer!!  Our enemies will be put to shame and they will be swept right out the gate!!  The Message Bible puts it this way; "Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep!"

It's our mighty inheritance to receive!!

Lo, children are a heritage of God; And the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: They shall not be put to shame, When they speak with their enemies in the gate.   (Psa 127:3-5 ASV)