I heard a pastor say, regarding people of the Muslim faith, Too bad they are praying to the wrong God! This was during a Sunday morning sermon. I flinched. Doesnt the Bible say that there is only one God? I believe it does. I found at least six scripture references:

Mal 2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

Mar 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

1Cr 8:6 But to us [there is but] one God, the Father, of whom [are] all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom [are] all things, and we by him.

Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all.

1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Jam 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

I recall Osama Bin Laden asking, during one of his taped messages, Where was your God . . .? (during the September 11 attacks in 2001). I also recall that only about 10% of the number of people that are usually in the twin towers died that day. Did our God not take care of the other 90%? Did their God not help them in their mission? It seems to me that one God dealt with both factions the best He could and still keep His promises.

Does it matter that some call God Jehovah? Should it matter if some label their Lord by the name Buddha, or Mohammed, or Jesus? Should it matter if they refer to the Bible or to the Koran? Is not a rose by any other name still a rose? Are we not all brothers and sisters, regardless of religion, or politics, or color of our skin, or geography? I remember a scene in the movie, "Oh, God!", in which George Burns, as God, answers a question from religious leaders about Jesus, Mohammed, and Buddha. He stated, as best I recall, "They were all my sons." Of course, that was just a movie, wasn't it?

I, and my wife, Carolyn Richards, attempt to get the message across during our Christian concerts that "Prayer Works!" Prayer works for everyone, regardless of religion, or politics, or skin color, or sex, or any other physical or emotional difference. It seems to be a law of the universe as surely as the Law of Gravity is. There can be only one "god", one "force", one "cosmic consciousness", or one "higher power" that makes prayer work, regardless what labels we put on it! Perhaps we would all get along better if everyone realized this. The differences here on earth are ours, not God's.

2004 David M. Butcher