The Reason For The Season
One of our Missionaries in the Mideast that we support shared the following experience:
“I received a call from a man working in the army. His name was Mohammed*, and he asked me about Christianity. We communicated for several weeks, discussing some chapters from the Bible, but he was extremely hostile and kept attacking me personally.
This soldier whom I shall call Mohammed, invited me to leave Christianity and follow Islam. When I refused, he began to curse and swear, and to insult me. Finally, he hung up the call. I was hurt.
About 3:00 A.M He called me again. Now mind you this was on the same night he had hung up on me.
Now Mohammed was calling me again.
I refused to answer.
He called me again at 6:00 A.M., and once more I refused to reply.
Then he sent me a text message saying, “I had a dream last night: I saw Jesus! He told me to call you—would you please answer when I call?”
After that message, I decided to call Mohammed back.
He said he was asleep and dreamed that he was entering a gate. He saw a wonderful place, so very beautiful that he couldn’t even describe it.
Mohammed saw Jesus from far away, yet felt that Jesus was very close to him. This place was full of people.
Mohammed said he kept trying to say the Islamic Shahada, but found that he couldn’t even speak.
When Mohammed tried to enter, one of two angels at the gate said to him, “No, you can’t go in.”
At that moment, Mohammed felt as if someone had taken his old heart and given him a new one. Mohammed suddenly realised that Islam was wrong, and that Jesus Christ only was the way to the true God.
Mohammed kept crying in his dream and then he said,—I don’t really know why.I looked at Jesus and said, “I want you Jesus, how can I come to you and how can I get to know you better? How can I follow you?”
God answered Mohammed.
God told Mohammed, “Get in touch with that missionary you’ve been speaking to on the phone, “she will tell you.
”Mohammed went on to say, “When I woke up, my pillow was wet from my tears, and I couldn’t go back to sleep. I tried to call you at 3:00 A.M.and then again at 6:00 A.M..I wanted to tell you that I’m really so sorry for the things I said to you yesterday, and the way I insulted and hurt you. I wanted to let you know that now I believe Jesus Christ is God and I’ve become a new person.
“Can you tell me again about Jesus Christ? Will you consider that I am a different person now, and please answer me?”
The missionary and Mohammed started to talk again. They spoke for about three hours and Mohammed was crying the entire time. Near the end of their conversation the missionary told him, “You need to receive the salvation of Christ in order to follow him.”
Mohammed answered, “No wonder the angel refused to let me in the gate in my dream—I hadn’t received the salvation of Christ. I love Jesus Christ and I don’t need anything but him. I want to follow him for the rest of my life!”
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Merry Christmas. Mohammed has received the best Christmas gift available. The eternal gift of salvation.
Merry Christmas. Mohammed has received the best Christmas gift available. The eternal gift of salvation.
This is the reason for the season.