I depart from the mini-series on zeal without knowledge to give a special update and request for prayer. On Thursday I last week I took a walk up to the little grocery store near our house to buy some milk and bread. I had determined in my heart that I was going to witness to someone, and asked the Lord to give me a soul for His glory. I spoke to a man along the way who was very responsive, but already a Christian of sorts (my prayer was not answered with that man). As I journeyed I saw another young man (26 years old) wearing a guard’s uniform sitting down outside the gate where he was working. He looked a little bored so I thought it was a great opportunity to talk to him. I walked over to where he was sitting and asked him how he was. I sat down next to him and began to talk to him. During our conversation he revealed to me that he was a Muslim. From there I asked him if he thought he was a good person. I took out a little coin that has the Ten Commandments on it, and we went through them together. As I asked him if he had ever told a lie, or stolen something, or lusted (adultery according to Jesus), he realized that he was quite guilty (as all of us are). I asked him if he would be innocent or guilty when he stood before God on judgment day and was judged according to those laws. He said “I would be guilty”. I asked him if he was guilty would he be going to heaven or hell. He said “Hell”. I asked him “does that concern you?” He said “yes it does”. I then proceeded to explain the Gospel to him, the good news that Christ came and paid the debt for him. I told him that he must repent of his sins, put the old religion away from him and put Jesus in his heart by trusting him alone for his salvation from hell. He was quite willing to do this, and so I led him in a prayer and he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. For many of us who are reading this we say “Hallelujah!” Praise the Lord! A new child of God has been born. But for this young man, we will call him “G”, this one momentous decision has provided some immediate and severe consequences in his life. I had given him some tracts and a pamphlet with our name and phone number written on it. I had encouraged him to read the Bible, and apparently he immediately borrowed one from a friend. His Muslim Step-Father, who is the only Family that “G” has left, caught him reading the Bible. He found the tracts with our name and number on it. The Father in law immediately told him that if he was going to be a Christian he had to move out. “G” has spent the night at work and with a friend since he accepted the Lord Jesus. His Step-father took his phone away from him so that he could not call me.
“G” went to the phone company the next day and got a sim card replacement and borrowed someone’s phone to call me and tell me what had happened. I have gone to visit him and pray with him and encourage him that these Tribulations that he is facing are actually NORMAL for a Christian to experience. I pointed him to the Acts of the Apostles and the early disciples. They had all formerly been in another religion, and when they were born again by the Spirit of God they faced tremendous persecution and trouble. Yet, they were vibrant in their faith, and God did tremendous miracles and wonders among them. I encouraged him that “it is through much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). Tribulation means “trouble”. We will face troubles in this life, but in comparison to the hell that we are saved from those troubles are very small, though they seem big to us right now. We want to hang in there and “Cleave unto the Lord”. I told him that he has made a new enemy, Satan, and that he would try to get him to give up. I pointed in to 1 John 4:4 where John reminds us that “he that is in us is greater than he that is in the world”. I said “the secret is to not give up, the enemy was defeated by Christ, and if we don’t give up we will win too”.
He is facing some tremendous challenges as he starts his new life with Christ, and I am asking all who read this blog to join in prayer for him. We are beginning a journey together through the New Believer’s Course. He is going to join a Bible Study that is meeting at our house tomorrow. I was able to encourage him that in the Body of Christ he has a very large family. I introduced him to one of my students, and am trying to get him plugged into another one of my student’s churches in the same hometown.
He has called me a number of times asking for prayer and explaining his situation. I believe I am getting a lesson in Spiritual parenting. Pray for me to have wisdom how to help him properly.
Muhammad is Dead, but Jesus is Alive! Hallelujah!
Blessings,
Pastor Justin
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