To my Muslim readers, this page is dedicated to helping you in your search for truth. As I have been reading the Qur'an, it has become plain to me that the Qur'an teaches that Muslims are to seek the truth, even searching the Book, as the Qur'an refers to the Bible. Following are some questions that have been asked by Muslims in their quest to find the truth. May God bless you as you search for and seek truthful answers to your questions.

Here is a list of the following articles on this page.

How can I, as a Muslim, be assured of paradise? Scroll down.

Video of a Muslim who saw and heard Jesus in a vision, click immediately below,

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/vod/AL32v1_WS

Can keeping the Five Pillars of Islam get me to heaven? Click Here!

Do the Qur'an and Muhammad affirm or reject the Bible? Should a Muslim read the Bible? Click here!

Is Jesus God's Son? How could Allah, being one, have a Son? Click here!

I Am A Muslim. Why Should I Consider Converting to Christ? Click here!

If I Convert to Christ, My Family Will Disown Me. Should I follow Christ? Click here!

Muslims All Over the World Having Dreams and Visions of Isa. Click here!

Comparisons of some beliefs held by Muslims and Christians pertaining to various spiritual aspects of life. Click here!

The Love of God for Muslims Core Convictions 1-5 Five articles. Click here! 

Posted June 17, 2011

More and More Muslims Having Visions of Jesus Christ

One of the most dramatic developments in prophecy is seen in what God is doing through Muslims throughout the Middle East and even in the United States.  Many Muslims are seeing dreams and visions of Jesus.  They are coming into churches explaining that they have already converted and now need a Bible and guidance on how to follow Jesus. This is in fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.  Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward ,that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions" This is what is happening in these last days.

Muslims Encountering Jesus In Unusual Dreams Reported that among African Muslims, "42 percent of the new believers come to Christ through visions, dreams, angelic appearances and hearing God's voice."  Over one-fourth of those surveyed state quite emphatically that dreams and visions were key in drawing them to Christ and sustaining them through difficult times. Rick Love, International Director of Frontiers, has recognized the pattern as well. He writes that, "Just as God used a vision to convert Paul, in like manner He reveals Himself to Muslims through dreams and visions. Just as God prepared Cornelius to hear the Gospel through a vision, so God is preparing a multitude of Muslims to respond to His good news."

The great majority of dreams seem to fall into one of two broad categories. The first could be considered the preparatory dream.  For example like Christ appearing in a white robe, the vision confirms thoughts or conversations one has been having about Christ or the Christian faith.  The second could be called the empowering dream. Here the dream or vision commonly gives the believer strength in the face of persecution.  Short of persecution, it may embolden believers, strengthening the nature of their witness.

An Afghan court may sentence Abdul Rahman to death for converting from Islam to Christianity.

*In Afghanistan, for example, there were only 17 known evangelical Christians in the country before al-Qaeda attacked the United States. Today, there are well over 10,000 Afghan followers of Christ.

*Uzbekistan- There were no known Muslim converts to Christ there in 1990. There have been more than 30,000 converts to Christ there since 1990.

* In Iraq, there was only a handful of Muslim converts to Christianity back in 1979 when Saddam Hussein took full control of that country. Yet today, there are more than 70,000 Iraqi Muslim background believers in Jesus (MBBs). Approximately 50,000 MFFS came to Christ as refugees in Jordan after the first Gulf War in 1990-91, and another 20,000 who have come to Christ since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

*In Kazakhstan, there were only three known evangelical Christian believers before the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today there are more than 15,000 Kazakh Christians, and more than 100,000 Christians of all ethnicities.

* Egypt- More than 1 million Egyptians have trusted in Christ over the past decade or so. The Egyptian Bible Society reports that they used to sell about 3,000 copies of the Jesus film a year in the early 1990s. But in 2005 they sold 600,000 copies, plus 750,000 copies of the Bible on tape (in Arabic) and about a half million copies of the Arabic New Testament. "Egyptians are increasingly hungry for God's Word," an Egyptian Christian leader said. Last Christmas, I had the privilege of visiting the largest Christian congregation in the Middle East, which meets in an enormous cave on the outskirts of Cairo. Some 10,000 believers worship there every weekend. A prayer conference the church held in May 2005 drew some 20,000 believers.

* Iran- In 1979 when the Ayatollah Khomeini led the Islamic Revolution, there were only about 500 known Muslim converts to Christianity. Today, interviews with two dozen Iranian pastors and church leaders reveals that there are well over 1 million Shia Muslim converts to Christianity.

* Sudan- More than 1 million Sudanese have made decisions to follow Jesus Christ just since 2001. Since the early 1990s, more than 5 million Sudanese have become followers of Jesus. Muslims were turning to Jesus in alarming numbers. "In every hour, 667 Muslims convert to Christianity," Al Qataani warned. "Every day, 16,000 Muslims convert to Christianity. Every year, 6 million Muslims convert to Christianity." Stunned, the interviewer interrupted the cleric. "Hold on! Let me clarify. Do we have six million converting from Islam to Christianity?" Al Qataani repeated his assertion. "Every year," the cleric confirmed, adding, "a tragedy has happened."

Filipino Muslims Report Dreams of Jesus, Dreams and visions move Muslims to Christ. Central Asian Muslims dream about Jesus, Accounts multiply of Muslims who have encountered Christ in unusual dreams. Over 600 ex-Muslims now follow Jesus after seeing Christ in dreams.

In Mina's book she tells of the Lord Jesus' miraculous radiant appearance to an elderly Muslim theologian in Iran., and about Jesus telling this man he is not Allah! Jesus then tells this man that He is "the Bread of Life", and words similar to His (Jesus') blood washes sins away. Realizing whom he is dealing with, the man asks Jesus to accept him.

A North African believer found the needed strength to face his imprisonment from a dream he had while imprisoned for his faith. In it, he saw thousands of believers pouring through the streets of his city, openly proclaiming their faith in his restricted country. While in prison, he was tortured, suspended upside-down naked for hours, beaten with electrified rods and repeatedly threatened with execution. His vision of a day when people of his country would openly proclaim their faith in the streets gave him great strength to persevere.

One Egyptian Muslim was reading the Injil (Gospel), when he came to Luke 3, where the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. God said, "This is my son, in whom I am well pleased." As he read those words, a stormy wind broke into his room. A voice spoke to him saying, "I am Jesus Christ, whom you hate. I am the Lord whom you are looking for." He recalls that he "wept and wept, accepting Jesus from that time."

A lady named Karen Dunham organizes Christian baptism services and worship celebrations for Muslims who come to Christ through dreams and visions. These celebrations, an outgrowth of her ministry, are one of a kind in the Middle East. A few years ago, Dunham established a church for Muslim converts in the West Bank city of Jericho. "We have a church that reaches sometimes 600," Dunham said. "And what you'll see is just Muslims lifting their hands to the Lord. And they're not there because I went house to house and invited any of them. They're there because they've had a dream or a vision, or a visitation from the Spirit of the Lord. And so they've come to find out about Jesus." Latifa is one of the people from Jericho who has had a dream about Jesus. She explained, "The dream, when I was sleeping -- I see a Man dressed in white and He comes to ask me, 'What is your name?' And I am afraid at first. But He told me, 'Don't be afraid. I am Jesus.'" Others have experienced miracles. "Tuesday, I think there was either two or three who had deaf ears -- one had never spoke before," Dunham said. "Tuesday was just full of miracles. A lot of the people here were at our service Tuesday - they were here, they were talking, they were moving. I've just seen the Lord move. Even we think sometimes that they have to be fasting and they have to be Christians to get healed, but I'm telling you today that God's healing the Muslims." Jan, a helper at the event, said, "People need to know that it's not a bad report all the time. God does good things in spite of what the news shows. People need to know that God is busy, He's at work. He's good." But establishing a church in Jericho was not easy for Dunham. "When I first went to Jericho about four years ago, they talked about me in every mosque," Dunham said. "They wanted to execute me. They were giving us death threats by way of letters -- me and my son -- because we were handing out Gospel tracts. Well, the governor of Jericho called me into his office. He said, "we had a meeting and we feel if you want to give out Bibles and you want to give out those booklets, we don't consider it evangelism any more. Go ahead, Karen." Dunham now tapes a television program out of Jericho. She says the best language to speak in these areas is the language of love. "The biggest lesson I've learned in the West Bank is that Jesus Christ loves everybody," Dunham said. "Jesus loves them all. There's nobody He don't love. And there's not a soul He can't save." "They've heard me when I'm preaching, speaking in their own language," she continued. "You can't sit on a pew or sit at home and say I don't have the language. The Lord said the language is love: 'Just give them the Word, they'll hear you, Karen.' The language is love. There's no reason why we can't reach out to those Arab nations, reach out and show them what the arms of Jesus Christ - how big and how great and how awesome God is."

Question: "How can I, as a Muslim, be assured of paradise?"

Answer: Although our sins separate us from the holy God and His paradise, He sent a sinless One to intercede for us!

A Muslim believes that his choices on earth affect his entrance to either heaven or hell. A wise man once said, "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). This wise man was Isa/Jesus.

No doubt Isa will be in paradise. But He warned that heaven wasn't easily obtained. He said, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:13-15). The one way to paradise is not easy to find. Many people, deceived by false prophets, try to enter heaven the wrong way. Their end is hell.

If you doubt that you can make it to paradise, the Qur'an instructs you where to find out: "And if you are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto you, then question those who read the Scripture (that was) before you. . ." (Surah 10:94).

Scripture (the Bible) tells us how we can be assured of paradise.

Can good works earn us a place in heaven?
A true Muslim is submitted to Allah. That means Allah controls all he thinks, acts, speaks. If a Muslim does something Allah would not do (such as lie, worry, covet), he is not fully surrendered to Allah. That is sin. Can good works make up for sin?

The Bible says, "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. . . . for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:20, 23).

God is just and will not let sin go unpunished-regardless of how well the Five Pillars are kept or how many good deeds are done. Even one sin is enough to merit hell fire (James 2:10). Since sin prevents our entrance to heaven, and God, being just, will not arbitrarily forgive sin, who will help us?

Can Muhammad intercede for us?
While some hadiths suggest that Muhammad may intercede for them, Muslims accept the Qur'an as their ultimate authority. It teaches that a mere man-even Muhammad-cannot mediate on behalf of sinful men (Surah 2:48; 6:51; 35:18).

Can Isa intercede for us?
A mediator to the holy God must be perfect himself. He must be no ordinary person. Thankfully, God sent the holy Jesus to intercede for sinful man: "For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all" (1 Timothy 2:5-6a).

Many people witnessed Jesus Christ as a prophet, teacher, and miracle worker. They told "how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins" (Acts 10:38-43).

All true prophets witness that Jesus is the only way sinners can be forgiven. Without Jesus as your Savior from sin, you will face Him as Judge with your sins exposed. Jesus says, "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (John 8:24).

You must turn from your sin and realize that you cannot earn paradise through good deeds. Believe that Jesus is the Savior sent from God to save you from the penalty and power of sin. If you refuse to follow Him, you must be separated from the holy God in hell.

Those who trust in Jesus-not merely knowing about Him but relying on Him for salvation, submitting to Him as Master, and loving Him as the greatest treasure-will be saved from sin and hell.

Jesus assures those who follow Him of heaven! "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes [on Me] has eternal life" (John 6:47).

Have you trusted Jesus as Savior and Lord through reading this article? If so, please click on the Contact Button in the Main Menu and send me an email letting me know.

Question: "Can keeping the Five Pillars of Islam get me to heaven?"

Answer: Because God is just, He requires a payment for sin - regardless of how well the Five Pillars are kept.

Are you a faithful Muslim? If so, you truly believe in one Allah, Creator of the universe, and Muhammad, His prophet. After your death, you long to reach paradise, but how will you escape hell? "Ah!" you say, "My faithfulness in keeping the Five Pillars will outweigh my sins." Five times a day you kneel towards Mecca. The creed (shahadah) often forms on your lips. To your mouth comes no bread or water during the daylight of Ramadan. You are saving up money for the pilgrimage to Mecca, while freely giving alms to the poor.

But still, you question, "Is it enough?" Your conscience convicts you of failing God's standard of holiness. How could the holy God accept to paradise someone stained with even a little sin? God is a righteous Judge. Even on earth, a judge must punish sin. A judge can't pardon someone who has stolen - just because the criminal claims to visit the mosque every Friday and fast during Ramadan. If sin goes unpunished, the law would be disregarded, and Allah would be dishonored.

God is just and will not let sin go unpunished - regardless of how well the Five Pillars are kept or how many good deeds are done. Heaven is for the perfect alone. Only one sin caused the first man's downfall. This sin was not a "big sin" like adultery, murder, or blasphemy. By eating the forbidden fruit, Adam's one disobedience brought the curse of sin on the world.

Shall we escape? We who have dishonored our parents, lied to our neighbors, or cheated our customers? We sin routinely by putting selfish interests ahead of loving God. Will we go to heaven with sin - even if we keep the Five Pillars?

If we were honest, we would admit that our rightful home is hell. We need Allah's mercy. But how can Allah be both merciful and just? The Qur'an instructs you to turn to the Bible with such questions (Surah 10:94).

The Bible explains how God's mercy fits with His justice: "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it - the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." (Injeel Sharif Romans 3:20-22).

Keeping the law cannot get us to heaven. Instead, the law reveals our sin. God's justice requires death for sin, but His mercy provided a substitute - Jesus - to die for our sin.

Since Jesus/Isa was born by the power of the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, He didn't inherit Adam's sin nature. Jesus is called the second Adam (Al-Imran 3:59; 1 Corinthians 15:22). While Adam's one disobedience brought the curse of sin on the world, Jesus' perfect life brings the hope of paradise.

He died on the cross to pay the punishment of sin for those who believe in Him. God proved the sacrifice conquered sin by raising Jesus from the dead. He saves all who turn from sin and trust Jesus, not good works. Our sin triumphed over, we can have a relationship with God and go to heaven.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. . . . For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 3:23-31; 6:23).

To receive God's free gift of eternal life, trust Jesus as your crucified Savior and follow Him as your resurrected Lord!

Do you have assurance of heaven through reading this article? If so, please click on the Contact Button on the Main Menu and send me an email.

Question: "Do the Qur'an and Muhammad affirm or reject the Bible? Should a Muslim read the Bible?"

Answer: In the Qur'an, Muhammad commanded Muslims to read the Bible.

What is your guide? If hadiths or imams differ with the Qur'an, which would you believe? Most likely, the Qur'an is your ultimate authority. As a Muslim, does the Qur'an give you permission to learn from the Bible?
· "Lo! We did reveal the Torah, wherein is guidance and a light" (Surah 5:44a).
· "And We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow in their footsteps, confirming that which was (revealed) before him in the Torah, and We bestowed on him the Gospel wherein is guidance and a light, confirming that which was (revealed) before it in the Torah - a guidance and an admonition unto those who ward off (evil)" (Surah 5:46).
· "It is He Who sent down to thee (step by step), in truth, the Book, confirming what went before it; and He sent down the Law (of Moses) and the Gospel (of Jesus) before this, as a guide to mankind, and He sent down the criterion (of judgment between right and wrong)" (Surah 3:3).
· "And be not thou of those who deny the revelations of Allah, for then wert thou of the losers" (Surah 10:95).
If you are a Muslim, you have no excuse not to read the Bible. The Qur'an commands and praises it. Why don't you start today? Begin with the Gospel of Luke which tells the story of Isa. He alone can give you assurance of paradise.

As the Qur'an says, reading the Bible will answer your questions: "If thou wert in doubt as to what We have revealed unto thee, then ask those who have been reading the Book from before thee: the Truth hath indeed come to thee from thy Lord: so be in no wise of those in doubt" (Surah 10:94)

Question: "Is Jesus God's Son? How could Allah, being one, have a Son?"

Answer: Being from God, Jesus is called God's Son. Jesus is one with His Father in deity yet distinct in the Trinity.

One God, one Lord:
As monotheists, Muslims, Christians, and Jews all agree that there is only one true God. Jesus Himself upheld monotheism. When asked for the greatest command, Jesus responded, ". . . The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:29-30).

The Apostle Paul, leader of the early church, also taught monotheism: "There is no God but one. . . the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him (1 Corinthians 8:4-6).

As followers of Jesus, the early Christians preferred to reserve the title "God" for the one whom Jesus called "my Father and your Father" (John 20:17) and the title "Lord" for Jesus. This title indicates that Jesus is both Master and deity.

The Son of God
Christians alone believe that Jesus is God's Son. Rest assured, the Bible (which the Qur'an commends in Surah 4:136) does not teach a parental relationship between God and Mary. That idea is as blasphemous to Christians as it is to Muslims. Rather, the concept of Christ's being God's Son demonstrates the relationship between the two and the shared nature of deity. At Isa's (Muslim name for Jesus) was conceived, the angel told the virgin Mary: 

"‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!' But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. . . . of his kingdom there will be no end.' And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?' And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy-the Son of God'" (Luke 1:26-35). 

Previously, God had spoken to man through His prophets, but then He sent One from Himself: 

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers by the prophets at many times and in various ways. But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son whom He has appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in the heaven" (Hebrews 1:1-3). 

This Jesus, who came to provide "purification for sins", has the exact same essence as God yet is distinct in Person as His Son. He was the instrument through whom God created the universe (John 1). Sharing the nature of God, Jesus is one with His Father in deity.

The doctrine of Jesus as God's Son is hard to understand, but the Word of God clearly teaches it. Who are we to limit God to our own understanding? God has revealed Himself as one God manifest in three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.

Man's testimony that Jesus is divine:
Is Jesus really God's Son? When people witnessed His miracles, teaching, death, and resurrection, they believed and testified that He was divine: "And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God" (1 John 4:14-15).

Followers of Jesus testified after he calmed a storm: "And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God'" (Matthew 14:32-33).

Peter, Jesus' disciple, testified: "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?' And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?' Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven'" (Matthew 16:13-17).

A woman testified: "Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?' She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world'" (John 11:25-27).
Military officer and soldiers who were guarding Jesus at his death on the cross testified: "When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!'" (Matthew 27:54).

Thomas testified after God raised Jesus from the dead: "Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.' Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.' Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.' Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:24-31).

Jesus' own testimony

When some Jews were plotting to kill Jesus, He testified: "This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill [Jesus], because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life'" (John 5:18-24).

At Jesus' trial, He testified: ". . . Again the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?' And Jesus said, ‘I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven'" (Mark 14:61-62).

 
God the Father's testimony

God testified at Jesus' baptism: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17; see also Luke 9:35).

God's testimony is truth: "If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:9-13).

Religion vs. relationship

Although mankind consists of many races and nations, speaking many languages and adhering to many religions, we all share a common need. Our greatest need is this: to know personally our Creator. If knowledge of Him depended upon man's investigations and experimentations, then it would be essential for us to find the answers to such questions as, "If God is one, how can Jesus be His Son?" But because knowledge of God depends upon His revelation of Himself, believing His revelation found in His Word, the Bible, is more important than having our difficult questions answered. In the Bible, trusting that God's revelation is true and obeying that truth is called faith.

We will die with many hard questions yet unanswered. But we must not die without responding personally to God's promise of salvation through His Son. Before Jesus came to earth in the form of man, He was with God the Father. God sent His Son to be born of a virgin. As God in the flesh, Jesus lived a perfect life.

He didn't deserve the punishment for sin: separation from God by death. But by dying on the cross and rising from the dead, he paid the penalty for sin and broke the dominance of sin for those who believe.

God is calling sinners to turn from their own way to the living Lord Jesus in repentance and faith. "God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God" (John 3:16-18).

Believe in God's Son today, trusting Jesus to save you from the penalty and power of sin and to give you eternal life in heaven.

Question: "I am a Muslim. Why should I consider becoming a Christian?"

Answer: People often follow the religion of their parents or culture, whether Muslim, Buddhist, or Catholic. But when we stand before God on Judgment Day, each person must give account for himself-whether he believed in God's truth. But among so many religions, what is the truth? "Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'" (John 14:6).

True Christians are followers of Jesus. How could Jesus claim to be the one and only way to God the Father? Let's find out in the Scripture, the Bible.

Jesus' life, death, and resurrection

The Bible records how Jesus fulfilled prophecy when He was born to the virgin Mary. He grew up unique from any other human because He never sinned (1 Peter 2:22). Crowds flocked to hear His teaching and marvel at His miracles. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and walked on water.

Of all people, Jesus did not deserve to die. Yet Jesus prophesied that He would be crucified and raised from the dead (Matthew 20:18-19). His words came to pass. Soldiers beat Jesus and put a crown of thorns on His head; people mocked and spit on Him; nails pierced His hands and feet into a wooden cross. Jesus had the power to save Himself, but He gave Himself, willingly dying on the cross (John 19:30). Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave!

Why the cross?
As a Muslim, you may ask, "Why would Allah allow His Prophet Isa to be mistreated and killed?" Jesus' death was essential because . . .

• Every person is a sinner: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Whether dishonoring parents, telling a lie, failing to love God best, or disbelieving God's Word, we each have sinned against the holy God.

• The punishment for sin is death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a). God pours out His wrath against unbelieving sinners by separating them forever in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9). As the just Judge, God will not overlook sin.

• We cannot save ourselves by good works: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). This is a key difference between Christianity and Islam. Islam teaches that a person can earn paradise by keeping the Five Pillars. Even if possible to outweigh bad deeds with good deeds, the Bible teaches that "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6b). Even one single sin makes a person guilty of breaking all God's law (James 2:10). Sinful humans can do nothing to merit heaven.

• God sacrificed His Son for sinners: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). God knew mankind's sin kept them from heaven. God knew the only way the sin debt could be paid was by a perfect One paying the price of death. God knew He alone could pay such an infinite price. So God's eternal plan was to send His Son Jesus to die in the believing sinner's place.

Becoming a Christian
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved" (Acts 16:31b).

As a Muslim, you may say, "Oh, I believe in Jesus. I believe Isa was a true teacher, a great prophet, and a good man."

But you cannot say Jesus was a true teacher and yet deny His teaching that He is the only way, truth, and life (John 14:6). You cannot believe Jesus was a great prophet and yet reject His prophecy that He would die and rise again in three days (Luke 18:31-33). You cannot admit Jesus is a good man yet disbelieve His claim to be the Son of God (Luke 22:70; John 5:18-47).

You cannot consider becoming a Christian without realizing that Christianity excludes all other religions (Acts 4:12). The inescapable conclusion of Christianity is this: either Jesus bears your sin on the cross or you bear your sin in hell. "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him" (John 3:36).

As you search the Bible, may God awaken your heart to turn from your sin and trust in Jesus. You may respond with a prayer like the one below. Remember, the prayer does not save you. God alone can save! But the prayer may be your expression of the faith God gives you in the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Dear God, I grieve that I have sinned against You. As a sinner, I'm worthy of death in hell. But I believe You sent Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for sin and rise from the dead in victory. I now turn from following my own sinful desires and from trying to reach heaven through my own works. I trust in the Lord Jesus alone as my Savior from sin. I love You, Lord, and submit myself to follow You by Your Word, the Bible. Amen!"

Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior and Lord because of what you have read here today? If so, click on the Contact Button to the left and let me know via email.

This article is from Got Questions Ministries

Question: "If I convert to Christianity, my family will disown me, and I will be persecuted. Should I follow Jesus?"

Answer: Converting to Christianity means becoming a follower of Jesus by faith (John 10:26-30). Crowds flocked to Jesus, but most were not His true followers. They just wanted to experience healing of their diseases, see Jesus cast out demons, and eat their fill of the bread He miraculously provided. Jesus warned them of the cost of following Him.

"Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels'" (Mark 8:34-38).

Would you follow your own fleshly desires, or would you deny yourself and follow Jesus? Do you value your earthly life or eternal life? Do you treasure the goods of this world or the salvation of your soul? Do you fear being ashamed of Jesus or fear Jesus being ashamed of you?

You pursue what you treasure. You go to work and sweat because you know the rewards of a paycheck outweigh the temporary pleasure of reclining at home in front of the T.V. If Jesus calls you, you will follow, knowing that losing your earthly life is worth gaining eternal life.

Would you follow Jesus? Count the cost (Luke 14:25-33):

• Following Jesus costs your own life. Jesus said you must deny yourself, taking up your cross. One who rejects the cross cannot be Christ's disciple (Luke 14:27).

• Following Jesus may cost the loss of family and friends. Jesus said His coming often brings division between His followers and their families, friends, and the world. Anyone who does not hate (meaning love less) his family is not worthy of Christ (Matthew 10:32-39).

• Following Jesus may cost the loss of your possessions. One rich man proudly thought he was good enough to go to heaven. "Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me'" (Matthew 19:21). Loving wealth more, the rich man sadly forsook Jesus.

• Following Jesus will cost facing persecution. Christians should expect suffering as a normal part of belonging to the "man of sorrows" (See Isaiah 53 and John 15:18-21). Jesus even called the persecuted one "blessed," saying "rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great" (See Matthew 5:10-12).

God's people have always faced persecution. The prophets were reviled, tortured, and killed (Hebrews 11:37). History records that ten of Jesus' disciples were executed for preaching Christ. Tradition states that Peter insisted on being crucified upside down because he counted himself unworthy to die in the same manner as his Lord. Yet he wrote, "If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you" (1 Peter 4:14). The apostle Paul was jailed, beaten, shipwrecked, and stoned numerous times for preaching Christ, but he considered suffering not even worth mentioning compared to the reward he knew awaited in paradise (Romans 8:18).

Following Jesus doesn't necessarily mean you'll lose your possessions, family, friends, and physical life, but are you willing?

While the cost of discipleship seems high, persecution brings earthly and heavenly rewards. Through persecution, the Lord stays with believers (Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5); He knows their limits and gives grace (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9); He rewards them in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12); He works persecution for good, shaping the believer's character and glorifying Himself (Romans 8:28). The rewards far outweigh the cost of following Jesus!

Jesus suffered and died on the cross to take the believer's punishment for sin. The only way of forgiveness and eternal life is through faith in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9). Although a Christian's enduring persecution does not add any saving merit to the perfect work of Christ, a true believer will faithfully follow Jesus through suffering.

"For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, ‘who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth' and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls" (1 Peter 2:21-25).

 This article is from Got Questions Ministries.

Muslims all over the world are having dreams and visions of Isa

The following is an excerpt from National & International Religion Report.

More and more Muslims are having dreams and visions of Christ, Christian ministries say. There is increasing evidence that the supernatural is playing a role in drawing Muslims to Christ.

Campus Crusade for Christ has received thousands of letters from Muslims, many of whom claim to have had a similar dream of Christ, according to the ministry's radio broadcast office in northern Africa. In the dream, Jesus appears and tells people, "I am the way," Campus Crusade founder and president Bill Bright said. Moved by the dreams, they contact the radio ministry and "freely respond" to the gospel message, he said. In Algeria, an imprisoned Muslim political radical said Jesus appeared to her in her cell. The woman now is a Christian and works with Campus Crusade ministering to Muslims.

In one African Muslim country, a young man violently tore up a Bible tract and threatened the life of the Every Home For Christ worker going door-to-door with the literature, Dick Eastman of Colorado Springs-based EHFC told NIRR. The next afternoon as the worker sat in his home, he was shocked to see the man knock at his door. "I must have another booklet," the Muslim told him. He explained that the previous night two hands awakened him, and when he turned on the light and asked who was there, a voice said, "You have torn up the truth." The voice instructed him to acquire another booklet, directing him to the EHFC worker's home, the young man said. There, the Muslim read the booklet and became a believer. He has since been expelled from his wealthy family, lives with EHFC's Africa director, and is preparing for ministry to Muslims.

In another incident, several EHFC workers were distributing literature in a marketplace. A man who received a booklet gasped and said he had a vision of the person pictured on the cover in his dream the night before, Eastman said. In the dream, the man was in a deep pit when a rope was thrown to him and two strong hands pulled him up. Upon climbing out, he looked into the face of the man who helped him: Jesus. The workers explained the meaning of the dream and the man was converted on the spot. Later, three other people recounted the same dream and two of them became Christians, Eastman said. God is preparing Muslims, and Christian workers follow through, he said.

In Kawuri, Nigeria, a Christian was beaten nearly to death by his tribe for leaving Islam, according to Open Doors With Brother Andrew. As the man lay close to death, he asked God to forgive his attackers, unaware that they were listening in the next room. That night, two Islamic priests who participated in the beating had visions. One said Jesus showed him his three greatest and most private sins. The next day, the two mullahs repented and let 80 followers to a church, the Santa Ana, Calif.-based group said.

"Increased prayer on the home front" has had a large impact, Assemblies of God missionary Gordon Barnett said. Supernatural incidents playing a part in conversion have increased over the past 10 years due to more prayer, he said. Barnett, who has lived in the Middle East for 24 years, credited several prayer initiatives. They are the AG's Center for Ministry to Muslims, which has 500,000 people who pledge to pray for the Muslim world every Friday; AD 2000's Praying Through the Window (NIRR 10/2/95), which calls millions of Christians to pray for several Muslim countries each October; and Youth With A Mission's 30 days of prayer during Ramadan (NIRR 2/6/95).

Muslims who have such dreams or visions of Christ usually have had a Christian contact and are looking for spiritual answers, said one Assemblies of God missionary and anthropologist who has worked for 10 years in the Middle East and Northern Africa. "It all takes place in context--dreams are one step, a link in the chain" that leads to conversion, he said. God is using people as well as the supernatural to draw people to Him, he said.

Dreams and visions have, through recorded history, often guided mankind. God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The following special dreams are recorded in the Tawrat's Book of Genesis written by the Prophet Musa (Moses, pbuh):

Yaqub (Jacob, pbuh) (28:12 & 31:10)
Laban (31:24)
Yusuf (Joseph, pbuh) (37:9-11)
Abimelech (20:3-7)
Egypt's Pharaoh (41:1-8). (Pharaoh is also mentioned in the Qur'an in Surah 10, Ayat 90-92)
Egypt's Pharaoh's chief butler and baker (40:5)

And in other books of what is known as the Old Testament, also sometimes referred to as the Tawrat:
Gideon (Book of Judges, 7),
King Sulaiman (Solomon) (Book of 1 Kings, 3:5)
The Midianite People (Book fo Judges, 7:13)
King Nebuchadnezzar (Book of Daniel, 2:1; 4:10, 18)

And in the Injil (New Testament), we find:
Joseph, husband of Maryam (Mary), the mother of Jesus
"...an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.' 'She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.' Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,' which translated means, 'GOD WITH US.' (Book of Matthew, 1:20. See also 2:12, 13, 19)

The wise men from the east who were led to the birthplace of Isa al Masih (Jesus) (Book of Matthew. 2:12)
Pilate's wife (Book of Matthew 27:19)
Paul In a night vision a "man of Macedonia" stood before Paul and said, "Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9; see also 18:9; 27:23)

God is Great! Just as He did in the past, God is showing His mercy and guidance to Muslims throughout the world today! Read the following story portions from Muslims worldwide who have reported such dreams and now follow Isa al Masih as their Savior:

"...two angels dressed in white robes stood on top of the mountain. Jesus was standing between the angels. He left the angels and came to where I stood watching. As he approached me, I knelt down and he laid his hands on my head..."

"...['D.'] dreamt he was sitting with his arms tied to a chair. Then he saw a man he recognized as Jesus coming. Jesus touched the ropes and they fell from his arms..."

"...In the dream, Jesus told me to come to Him and read the Bible and He would show me the way, truth and the life..."

"...I was standing in a cross shape with a low wall around it. In my right hand, I had a big stack of white unwritten papers. I was standing at the cross beam, and I was looking to a small group of people who were standing at the top. They all wore long white clothing, but one of them was different. He was standing at the right side, and with his left hand he was leading the people through a door in the wall. Beyond the door was light, and I could not see what was in there. One moment I was standing in the dream, and the next moment I was seeing the cross from above..."
"...I saw some Christians standing in line to get into Heaven. I tried to get into this line also, but a very tall being blocked my path and I started to cry because the side I was on was really horrible but the side they were on was a beautiful place, so beautiful, so blue..."
"...I went back to bed after a short prayer and saw a second dream. This time it was Jesus as I saw him in the Jesus film years ago and I had trashed his video. He was hanging on the cross, the nails were in his hands and feet, yet he was smiling at me and talking to me. Though he was dying he seemed so beautiful. The cross was huge and I seemed like a little boy. My neck was falling back trying to see the whole face of Jesus and suddenly a huge big circle of light came from above the cross and down upon me

"...I was swimming. It was very dark, without any stars in the sky. After swimming for a while, I stopped and looked up at the sky. Suddenly, I saw a star shining. I closed my eyes and made a wish. I said, 'Morning Star, teach me the secret of life'...I kept having this dream for years almost every other month and this pattern continued until a few months after my conversion, when I read Rev. 22:16, which says, 'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star'..."

Other Stories:
Filipino Muslims. Stories from the Zamboanga and Basilan regions of the Southern Philippines are starting to come in. Yakan and Tausug Muslims are reporting having dreams of Isa during and after Ramadan.
A Vision. The story of one Malay's trip to Mecca for the hajj and the strange incidents that occurred there.
The Battle. The story of one Turkish man's spiritual journey while studying in the Caucasus.
From Mosque to Church. Yilmaz, a Turkish man, decides to follow after Isa Mesih.
Out of Kundalini. (non-Muslim) The story of one Indonesian man's journey to Christ
Power to Heal. (non-Muslim) The story of one Malaysian man's miraculous healing.

A magazine published in California reports the following (based on questionnaires completed by over 600 Muslims who placed their faith in Jesus) [1]:

"Though dreams may play an insignificant role in the conversion decisions of most Westerners, over one-fourth of those surveyed state quite emphatically that dreams and visions were key in drawing them to Christ and sustaining them through difficult times. Rick Love, International Director of Frontiers, has recognized the pattern as well. He writes that, 'Just as God used a vision to convert Paul, in like manner He reveals Himself to Muslims through dreams and visions. Just as God prepared Cornelius to hear the Gospel through a vision, so God is preparing a multitude of Muslims to respond to His good news.' [2]
One believer from Guinea recounts the dream of a figure whom he later believed to be Christ. The figure was in a white robe, calling the man to come to Him. In a related dream, he recalls that the same figure's arms were extended, beckoning him. Dreams of this type have become recognized as a pattern of work among Muslims. Though there are variations, Christ appearing in a white robe is a recurring image among those who have had dreams and visions. Similarly, a Muslim Malay woman was drawn by a vision she had of her Christian parents who had died. She saw them rejoicing with others in heaven. Jesus, appearing in a white robe, said, "If you want to come to me, just come." Feeling that she had tried her entire life to reach God without success, she now saw God initiating the effort to reach her through Jesus.

A convert from the Middle East who had been afflicted with severe headaches was lying on his bed after having prayed for his sick son. A man with a beautiful, peaceful face appeared. Dressed in white, the figure walked to the head of the man's bed and touched him three times on the head. The next morning his headaches were gone. His son, too, was fully healed. Understandably, he now recounts with confidence, "I believe in prayer in the name of the Christ."
The great majority of dreams seem to fall into one of two broad categories. The first could be considered the preparatory dream. Like Christ appearing in a white robe, the vision confirms thoughts or conversations one has been having about Christ or the Christian faith. The second could be called the empowering dream. Here the dream or vision commonly gives the believer strength in the face of persecution. Short of persecution, it may embolden believers, strengthening the nature of their witness.
Preparatory. One Sunni woman from the Arabian Peninsula had a figure appear to her in a dream, telling her to visit a Christian woman she knew. The figure, who she was later convinced was Christ, told her this woman would teach her.
Prior to his conversion, a Persian man had a vision. In it, he was falling in darkness over a cliff and was saved by a light holding onto his back.
In a fascinating twist on God's use of dreams and sleep, one Algerian recounted how she heard her sleeping Muslim grandmother say, "Jesus is not dead. I want to tell you He is here."
A West African man recounts a succinct, yet powerful vision he had prior to conversion. He saw a devout Muslim in hell and a poor Christian who couldn't afford to give alms in heaven. A voice explained to him that the difference was belief in Jesus.
Empowering. A North African believer found the needed strength to face his imprisonment from a dream he had while imprisoned for his faith. In it, he saw thousands of believers pouring through the streets of his city, openly proclaiming their faith in his restricted country. While in prison, he was tortured, suspended upside-down naked for hours, beaten with electrified rods and repeatedly threatened with execution. His vision of a day when people of his country would openly proclaim their faith in the streets gave him great strength to persevere through this most difficult time.
Encounter. Though not strictly a dream or a vision, a number of Muslim-background believers have had a significant supernatural encounter that was instrumental in drawing them to Jesus. One Egyptian Muslim was reading the Injil (Gospel), when he came to Luke 3, where the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. God said, "This is my son, in whom I am well pleased." As he read those words, a stormy wind broke into his room. A voice spoke to him saying, "I am Jesus Christ, whom you hate. I am the Lord whom you are looking for." He recalls that he "wept and wept, accepting Jesus from that time."
Whatever personal perspective one has on dreams and visions and the Christian walk of faith, it is difficult to consider engaging in ministry to Muslims without a recognition of and an openness for God to continue drawing people to Himself through what may be viewed as unconventional means.
The Story of Al-'Uris
Al-'Uris was a historical figure associated with the family of Saladin and the journals of the Ayyubids and their conflicts with the Crusaders. Muslim history records a dream he had which sounds very similar to the stories above:
"Al-'Uris saw in his sleep Christ Jesus Son of Mary, who seemed to turn his face toward him from heaven. Al-'Uris asked him, 'Did the crucifixion really happen?' Jesus said, 'Yes, the crucifixion really happened.' Al-'Uris then related his dream to an interpreter, who said, 'The man who saw this dream shall be crucified. For Jesus is infallible and can speak only the truth, yet the crucifixion he spoke of cannot refer to his own, because the Glorious Qur'an specifically states that Jesus was not crucified or killed. Accordingly, this must refer to the dreamer, and it is he who shall be crucified.' The matter turned out as the interpreter said. (p. 205)" [3]
Sadly, it is recorded that Al-'Uris met a horrific death sometime after telling his dream to someone who did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus. If this story is true, it is clear that Jesus was trying to tell him the truth of his death and resurrection to call Al-'Uris unto himself. Perhaps Al-'Uris put his faith in Jesus as his Savior as this account records that he himself was crucified. As a searcher of the truth, perhaps he was willing to follow the truth even though it led to an untimely death.
The Next Step
Have you had dreams or visions of Isa? He is trying to tell you something of great importance: the assurance of salvation and the acceptance of God. We would be happy to correspond with you via email if you have any questions. (See our contact information for details. Any correspondence will be kept confidential.). Or you may wish to tell someone you know about your dreams.
If you have not had dreams of Isa, don't be alarmed. He does not speak to everyone in such ways. Pray for guidance from God and ask that He would show you the way of truth in the person of Isa al Masih.
Footnotes:
This material is a portion of an article originally published in Mission Frontiers magazine, March 2001. www.missionfrontiers.org. Reprinted with permission.
Rick Love, Muslims, Magic and the Kingdom of God (Pasadena, William Carey Library, 2000), 156
The Muslim Jesus: Sayings and Stories in Islamic Literature by Tarif Khalidi, Harvard University Press, 2001. Jamal al-Din Wasil (d. 697/1298), Mufarrij al-Kurub, 1:248. Cf. al-Abshihi, al-Mustatraf, 2:83 (variant).

Dreams and Visions of Jesus

Testimonies of Muslims having dreams of Jesus
The so called Night of Power, or "Laylat ul-Qadr" as it is known in Arabic, is one of the most significant moments of the Islamic year (It is the 27th night of Ramadan which varies from country to country depending on when people start Ramadan). Muslims believe that groups of angels are sent out on the Night of Power to perform special acts. Some come down to earth to worship Allah, others come to bring about the requests of believing Muslims. Special angels are also said to descend to earth to make proclamations about the coming year. This night is also called the "Night of the Decree or Destiny" by some. This night of "blessing" is supposedly the same night of the month of Ramadan as when Mohammed first received the revelation of the Qur'an. Muslims are often encouraged to stay awake during the entire night, and pray for blessings and forgiveness. This is one moment of the year when Muslims are perhaps a bit less fatalistic and have increased confidence that God will hear and act on their behalf.
The "30 Days" movement wants to encourage Christians around the world to especially pray for Muslims especially during the next 48 hours that many Muslims will really meet the Lord in visions and dreams. We also want you to pray for the success of a special web site which tells the stories of several Muslims who met the Lord in incredible ways (www.DreamsAndVisions.com).
Testimony
A testimony from the site: Mohammed grew up in a Fulani tribe in Nigeria and started rearing cattle when he was six years old. He did this for almost 10 years until he went to an Arabic school to study the Qur'an. Prior to this, Mohammed had learned about Islam from his father. After several years of schooling, he returned home.
One night he had a frightening dream. Then as second and a third. Then for six nights, Mohammed had similar dreams. Each time, Mohammed saw himself in different places and, regardless of where he was, the same man in white came and helped him. In the last dream (the 9th dream), Mohammed was sitting under a tree reading books that he couldn't understand. The man in white (Jesus) was sitting beside him. Jesus took a book and said, "This book comes from the Lord and it has the message of God inside of it. In this book, I will show you verses which will help you." Jesus read scriptures to Mohammed, including John 14:6, which says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." The next day Mohammed told a Christian acquaintance about his dream. Mohammed suffered greatly for his new found faith. He was rejected by his father and several times he was in danger of death by persecution.
You can read his whole story on the dreamsandvisions.com web site.
Suggested prayers:
* Lord, may You break down all thoughts of self-righteousness through religious activity among Muslims who participate in the Night of Power. May You move them toward true humility before You (Dan 4:37).
* May all glory be Yours because of Your loving character and for all You have done. Lord, may You be acting during the Night of Power so that people may have a revelation of Jesus, the Messiah.
* Lord, remember those who are genuinely seeking Your help this night. May You give them the help they need in such a way that they will understand that help comes through the Messiah, Jesus (Ps 34:18, Zech 9:9).
* Lord, may the dreams and visions site (dreamsandvisions.com and morethandreams.org) become well known in the Muslim world. Open many doors so that many Muslims can have similar experiences and be encouraged by the testimonies on the site.

We have compiled several testimonies of former Muslim-background believers on our About Islam site.

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Posted by TDI
Filed under Middle East · Tagged with Laylat ul-Qadr, mohammed, Night of Power, qadr, qur
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January 2007
More Than Dreams: Muslims Coming to Christ Through Dreams and Visions

January 2007

"In the last days," says God, "I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." (Joel 2:28)

Throughout the Muslim world men and women without knowledge of the gospel or contact among Christians have experienced dreams and visions of Jesus Christ.

For decades, a well-documented phenomenon has been occurring in the Muslim world-men and women who, without knowledge of the gospel, or contact among Christians in their community, have experienced dreams and visions of Jesus Christ. The reports of these supernatural occurrences often come from "closed countries" where there is no preaching of the good news and where converting to Christianity can invoke the death sentence. But these are more than just dreams. Setting them apart is the intense reality of the experience and the surrender of one's heart and mind to Christ in the wake of the dream. A common denominator appears to be that the dreams come to those who are seeking-as best they can-to know and please God.

Beginning in 2002, a group of people interested in this phenomenon took initial steps in bringing it to the attention of a worldwide audience through a series of video programs. Numerous on-site interviews were conducted with former Muslims who had experienced a dream or vision of Jesus resulting in their conversion to Christianity. From the outset, the producers endeavored to represent a global cross-section of Islam in the series, and for that reason, stories were sought in Arabic-speaking countries, Muslim areas throughout Africa and Asia and the secular Muslim nation of Turkey.

The project's goal was to create versions of these stories in multiple languages, and, in league with ministry partners around the world, disseminate the product globally both to evangelize unbelievers and encourage those who have already experienced a dream or vision of Jesus that they are not alone. The following five stories were put together into the video series called More Than Dreams:

Khalil. In September 2004, production began in high-definition video on the first of five stories. It was the remarkable account of Khalil, a radical Egyptian terrorist who was changed from a murderous "Saul" to a forgiving "Paul." He set out to discredit the Bible but could not; and although he despised Christians and Jews, his heart was changed forever when the savior appeared to him in a dream that penetrated his soul.
Khosrow. Later that same month, production began on the story of Khosrow, who, as a teenager in Iran, despaired of life itself. That is, until he experienced a vision of Jesus Christ. In the vision, Christ extended his hand toward Khosrow, inviting him to take hold and promising him that his "life would change forever." Khosrow took Jesus' hand and, as he describes it, "waves of electricity flowed through my body over and over again. I wept for the first time since I was a child and joy filled my heart."
Dini. Dini also came to faith in Christ as a teenager in her native Indonesia. Feeling let down by family, friends and society and drifting into rebellion, Dini nonetheless yearned to know God and please him. On the night of Lailatur Qodar, when Muslims around the world make individualized prayers to Allah, Dini experienced a vision of Jesus Christ, who appeared before her and told her to follow him. Dini was hesitant. As a Muslim, she realized that following Christ would make her a Christian. But she overcame her fear and committed her life to Christ that same night. Peace filled her heart, even as persecution began.

Mohammed. Mohammed of northern Nigeria did not have just one dream of Jesus Christ-he had seven! Son of a prominent Fulani herdsman, Mohammed had studied the Qur'an in depth at several Muslim schools and was preparing to leave for advanced studies in Saudi Arabia when he experienced the series of dreams that convinced him of the deep love and lordship of Jesus Christ. Although his father tried to kill him in the wake of his conversion, Mohammed survived the various attempts on his life and persevered in his Christian walk, eventually leading his father to faith in Christ.
Ali. Ali grew up in an area of Turkey heavily influenced by communist ideology. As a boy, he talked to a god he surmised must be there, as evidenced by the beauty of the natural world around him. Married at a young age, he became an alcoholic. Desperate for a solution to his addiction, Ali went to Saudi Arabia to work in construction, reasoning that he would have to quit drinking because alcohol was forbidden there. To his dismay, friends showed him where to buy liquor on the night of his arrival. Not willing to give up easily, Ali made the pilgrimage to Mecca in hopes that God would free him of his addiction to alcohol and lead him in the way of a true and better Muslim. While sleeping a stone's throw from the Ka'aba, Ali experienced a dream of Jesus Christ that changed him forever.
your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Joel 2 v28 Muslims and Jesus.

Much of what we know about the attitude of Muslims towards Christians and Jews is very discouraging. However, one can meet Muslims who provide a very pleasant surprise. I had one such encounter on a train recently.
I was traveling home by train, having been reading Christine Darg's new book on the Jesus Visions. When I got on to an overcrowded train, the only seat for me was one of a pair of single seats facing each other over a small table. Seated in the other seat was a young Muslim man (Maybe 18 - 25 years old)
We smiled to each other as I sat down and he continued reading his Islamic study books. I settled down and re-read the first part of Christine's book in order to make some notes.

I prayed silently, saying that I was not going to start an un-anointed religious argument but that I was up for what the Spirit may have in mind. After a while this young man asked me what I was reading, so I could do nothing but spin the book around to show him and explain that it was written by my friend who ministers around the Middle East and it is all about Muslims who have been having dreams and visions of Jesus. He was quite excited, and replied that, "we talk about Jesus all the time." My young friend talked animatedly and he proved to be really friendly and very earnest about his faith. He told me he had just recently been to sit under the teaching of a Sufi Imam. He was most taken with one of the imam's teachings.

The Imam had taught him that if one is confused by religious arguments, one should go home, have a shower and sit in a dark room and pray that God would reveal the truth.

I obviously pray that this young man will go home and do just that, and that Jesus will reveal the truth to him.

I was interested to hear what he believes as he told me that all three faiths lead to God. He believes that if we are sincere, God will use a stay in Hell to make us all fit for heaven.

Although avoiding un-anointed religious argument, I gently declined to share this view and said that I know I am not good enough, but that I am trusting Jesus for forgiveness before I die.

Christine Darg's new Book, "The Jesus Visions" contains many amazing testimonies of how Jesus has appeared to Muslims and brought them to faith in Him.

This book contains so many clues for informed and hopeful prayer for the world and the 10-40 window.

Having read the Qur'an (in an approved English translation) I could see little chance of it leading people to Jesus, but this book contains the testimony of a man who found the Qur'an pointing him towards the Injil (the Gospels) and to Jesus the Messiah.

Here are a few wonderful things that this man discovered....

In the 114 Suras of the Qur'an, no sin is attributed to Jesus, but in Sura 40 Mohammed is commanded, "to ask protection and forgiveness for your fault." (you will also notice that Mohammed is not credited with any miracles, but Jesus is, and that Jesus is accorded the title of the Messiah - although its significance is not explored) This led this man to check out how special Jesus was, knowing that the fourth Sura said,
"They say we killed the Messiah, the son of Mary. He was not killed, he was not crucified. Another person who resembled him was killed in his stead. God raised a living Jesus into the sky."

But the next day he found in the third Sura,

"Oh Jesus I will make you taste death. I will raise you up unto me, and I will deliver you from the unbelievers and those who follow you will be above those who do not believe in you until the day of resurrection. You will return to me. I will judge your differences."

As he continued to seek the truth, he discovered, in Sura 19, the infant Jesus saying,

"Peace be with me on the day of my birth, on my place of death and on my place of resurrection."
He said, "After six months of investigation, I realized that the Qur'an confirms the Bible and that Jesus is above the other prophets. He is the Messiah, the Apostle of God, Mary's son, the Spirit of God, the Word of God. I was further convinced that He was crucified." The story continues with Jesus' appearing to him and the man coming to saving faith in Him.

The book is full of thrilling accounts such as this. It also contains a thorough discussion of the place of dreams and visions, throughout the Bible and in the "Last Days".
Get the whole story by ordering your own copy via www.exploits.tv .

The Jesus Visions is Christine Darg's web site account of the miraculous works Jesus is doing in the lives of Muslim people; appearing to them in dreams and visions and convincing them of His love for them. www.jesusvisions.org

Following are comparisons of some beliefs held by Muslims and Christians pertaining to various spiritual aspects of life. 

Comparing Beliefs: (1). What Muslims Believe; (2). What Christians Believe

Is Man Sinful

(1).Muslims believe that people are born sinless. They do not seek a Savior. They depend on their own good works to please Allah, who they worship. They hope Allah will forgive their sins.

(2).Christians believe and the Bible teaches that sin is part of human life:

Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned-- Romans 5:12

They also believe and the Bible teaches that Christ died for our sins to bring us to God.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 1 Peter 3:18

Christians also believe and the Bible teaches that by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, people can be forgiven of the sins that separate them from God as seen in Ephesians 2:8:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

Asking for forgiveness

(1).The Quran is the Muslims' holy book. It tells Muslims that they can do good deeds to cancel out bad deeds as stated in the Quran: Surah 11:114:

And keep up prayer in the two parts of the day and in the first hours of the night; surely good deeds take away evil deeds; this is a reminder of the mindful.

They believe they can ask Allah to forgive their sins. Allah may or may not forgive them. The Quran says,

"[Allah] punisheth whom he will and forgiveth whom he will" Surah 5:40.

(2).Christians believe and the Bible teaches that all sin is displeasing to God, whether or not it is "balanced" by good deeds. Romans 6:23 says:

...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

The Bible also says:

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" 1 John 1:9.

Salvation by works alone

(1).Muslims believe Allah will judge everyone on Judgment Day. If they have done enough good deeds, they believe they will go to paradise and be saved from hell

(2).Christians believe and the Bible teaches that humans are not righteous enough to save themselves through good works. All fall short of God's standard. Christians believe and the Bible teaches that it is not by works of righteousness, but faith in God's Son that guarantees a person eternal life. Ephesians 2:8&9:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph 2:8-9

and Titus 3:5:

(It is) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, Titus 3:5

God sent Jesus to redeem the lost from sin, so that those who believe in Him may have eternal life. Romans 3:21&22-25 promises:

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.

Beliefs

The Quran says Muslims should believe in: Allah, the prophets of Islam, the Quran, angels, and Judgment Day From Surah 4:136 we read'

O you who believe! Believe in Allah and His Apostle and the Book which He has revealed to His Apostle and the Book which He revealed before (the Holy Bible?); and whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His apostles and the last day, he indeed strays off into a remote error.

But believing in those things will not necessarily assure Muslims of salvation.

In the Bible a non believing Philippian jailer asked the Apostle Paul and another Evangelist named Silas this question, "What must I do to be saved?" They answered. "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved...." See Acts 16:31. In the most quoted Scripture verse in all the world Jesus himself told a Jewish leader this in John 3:16,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Where is salvation found?

The Quran says evildoers will have double doom unless they repent, believe, and do good works. Allah will "change their evil deeds to good deeds" if they do these things.

Except him who repents and believes and does a good deed; so these are they of whom Allah changes the evil deeds to good ones; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Quran 25:70. However their salvation is still not a sure thing.

The Bible says, "Salvation is found in no one else [but Jesus], for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved" Acts 4:12.

Following are five articles in the series, The Love of God for Muslims.

The Love of God for Muslims - Core Conviction #1 Starts below.

The Love of God for Muslims - Core Conviction #2

The Love of God for Muslims - Core Conviction #3

The Love of God for Muslims - Core Conviction #4

The Love of God for Muslims - Core Conviction #5

THE LOVE OF GOD FOR MUSLIMS

As I have been contemplating how I can conduct a dialogue with Muslims, hoping to convince them of God's love for them, I've come up with five truths about the one who would be the true God of the universe that I am going to call Core Convictions. These core convictions are the defining character traits that makes this God who He is and sets Him apart from all lesser gods and mere mortal beings. The very first defining character trait that I am calling Core Conviction #1 is: A True God Loves All of Mankind!  

Core Conviction Number One: A True God Loves All Mankind

I have here in my possession the Koran (Qur'an), the Bible, some of the sayings and writings of Tao, Confucius, et al, and I have available to me online just about every written word attributed to the gods and holy men and women since the beginning of time.

Search as we might, the God of the Bible is the only God in the History of the world and the history of mankind that states emphatically in His recorded Word that He loves every man, woman, and child on the face of the earth unconditionally.

In reading what is written by, for and of the other major deities of the world, I can find nowhere that any other god has spoken of his love for mankind or has demonstrated that love in any way, shape, form or fashion without conditions.

The Qur'an speaks of Allah's love for some men and the need on the believer's part to love him in return. A typical text in the Qur'an which speaks on the one hand of the love of Allah and on the other exhorts Muslims to respond to him in love in return reads:

Say: "If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful". Surah 3.31

In reading the Qur'an thus far, I am not finding many verses that speak of Allah's love for people. In my research I have found articles that compare Biblical and Qur'anic tenets and the writers, when noting the numbers of times that the Qur'an speaks of Allah's love for people, uses words like "numerous", and "host of passages", with one writer stating, "no less than twenty-one occasions". In every instance I have come across the verses in the Qur'an speak of Allah loving those who seek to do good, such as these verses:

"Surely, Allah loves the doers of good" (Surah 2:195); "Surely, Allah loves those who turn much to Him, and He loves those who purify themselves", (Surah 2:222); Allah loves those that guard against evil.(Surah 3:76)

In each of these passage the word used for "love" is yuhibbu from the basic Arabic word meaning to love, namely ahabba.

On the other hand the Qur'an speaks perhaps more often of those whom Allah does not love and in each case the negative simply precedes the same Arabic word, namely laa yuhibbu. He does not love transgressors (Surah 7.55), the treacherous (Surah 8.58), arrogant boasters (Surah 31.18), ungrateful traitors (Surah 22.38) and the like.

Nevertheless one will search in vain through the Qur'an to find any text which defines Allah's love for mankind as something which rises from deep within his own heart. However, in the Word of God Jehovah, The Old and New Testament, one can find written down many, many times that God loves people unconditionally. The Hebrew word for God's love is 'ahabâ and the Greek word is Agape. Love is the highest mark of God's character, the one attribute in which all others harmoniously blend. The gracious love of God to men, even to sinful men, is most strongly declared in both the OT and NT (e.g., Exodus 34:6; Isaiah 63:9; Jeremiah 31:3; John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).

In the Bible I find that God loves all people - regardless of their race, color, nationality, tribe or language. I find these truths and realities coming from the mouth of God Himself:

He loves us with an everlasting love. Jeremiah 31:3

He loved all of us before we loved Him. 1 John 3:19

He so loved mankind that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in that Son shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16

He (God) is love. 1 John 4:13

He has demonstrated His love for each of us in that while we were yet sinners He sent His Son to die in our place. Romans 5:8

His love that He wants to bestow on us is so great that He wants us to be called His children. 1 John 3:1

He assures us that nothing or no one can separate us from His love. Romans 8:35

He loves us so much He wants to be infinitely involved in our lives on a daily basis:

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Whenever you pray, I will listen. When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me." Jeremiah 29:11-13.

"I came that You might have life, and have it more abundantly." John 10:10 

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:3-4.  

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10.

"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you." John 15:14-15 

These are just a glimmer of the promises from God's Holy Word that His love is sure and His love is eternal and His love is for everyone and His love is unconditional. Not to discredit any of the writings of the other gods in this world, but just to emphasize that only the Holy Bible, the true and unadulterated word of the God of the Universe, reveals the God who truly has an unconditional love for and commitment to all mankind. 

I welcome your thoughts, comments, criticisms and prayers. Use the Contact page to share what ever you choose to share.

The Love of God for Muslims. Core Conviction #2

My greatest resource for this article for helping Muslims and anyone else who doesn't know about the love of God understand and believe that God loves them infinitely, unconditionally and without reservation is the new book by Joel C. Rosenburg, Inside the Revolution: How The Followers of Jihad, Jefferson & Jesus are Battling to Dominate the Middle East and Transform the World.  

The Five Core Convictions that I am sharing in this series of articles come from the hearts of dozens of middle eastern men that Rosenburg calls Revivalists. These are evangelists, all Muslims, who have converted to Christ and are risking their lives daily that other Muslims might hear the Truth and have the Truth set them free. 

I want to share something that is so exciting that I can hardly wait to tell the whole world! The greatest number of supernatural events since the Lord Jesus walked this earth is taking place right now in the lives of Muslims all over the world, but predominantly in the middle east. These supernatural events were prophesied in the book of Joel, chapter 2, verse 28. 

"And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions." Joel 2:28. 

I'm talking about the phenomenon of millions of Muslims who are experiencing dreams and visions in which the Lord Jesus appears to them and convinces most that He is real and the words He speaks are true. I had been hearing for more than ten years from people who have close contact with Muslims all over the world that many are converting to Christ because of dreams and visions. In fact, I was so convinced that God was beginning to fulfill His promise in Joel that I began some time ago praying that God would send dreams and visions to Muslims in the six to seven Muslim countries I pray for daily. Apparently God is fulfilling His promise because, according to Rosenburg, He is bringing millions of Muslims to His Son through dreams and visions. 

If I were a Muslim reading this article, I would put the God of the Christians to the test. I would pause right now and pray. I would say something like this, "Jehovah God of the Christian. If you truly are sending dreams and visions to Muslims in which Jesus speaks words of truth would you please send one to me as soon as possible." And if I were an intelligent person I would lie down right where I was. Because, whether it is a dream or vision He is going to send, you don't want to be seated in a chair out of which you could fall when it happens. And I can assure you that it will happen because there is nothing the God of this Universe had rather do than to give you the truth you need to believe in the Truth. 

In my first article I covered Core Conviction #1, God Loves All Of Mankind. Core Conviction #2 is God is Perfectly, Infinitely Holy and Pure and All Mankind Is Sinful and Thus Separated From God Who Loves Them. 

One of the things that Muslim men and women, who are having dreams and visions in which the Lord Jesus appears and speaks to them, say happens either during the dream/vision or immediately afterwards is the recognition of their sins. Some have awakened from their dream to find their pillow drenched with tears. They were tears of remorse and shame brought about by the realization of how sinful they really were after having been in the presence of the Holy Son of God. 

The sin problem is not just with Muslims. It is the problem of all mankind. The bible teaches that every man, woman and child has sinned against God. Some may have gone through life basically just disregarding God, having no interest in Him or His word, or they have actively disobeyed Him. Regardless our attitude we were sinning.

None of us are innocent before God, though some have committed more sins than others and some more despicable sins than others. We are all guilty sinners. And because of our sins we are separated from God. I believe the Bible makes it clear that God wants a loving, personal relationship with each one of us. But because He is perfectly righteous, holy and good He can not allow sin or sinner into His Holy presence. Therefore, He will not let one person with even one sin into heaven. Why not? Because if He did, that persons sin would corrupt and disgrace His Holiness and destroy His Kingdom. As long as we have our sinful nature we cannot know and experience God's love and plan for our lives. 

Look at what the Bible says about man and his sin: 

For all (mankind) have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23  

"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Luke 12:4-5  

And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched-- where 'Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.' Mark 9:45-46 

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. Romans 5:12 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 

And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this (comes) the judgment, Heb 9:27 

As we read passages of scripture such as these we see the dilemma in which man finds himself. But man is not to despair, God has provided the way for man to come to Him and be forgiven his sins and to receive a infinitely valuable free gift, the gift of eternal life. As I have been writing this article a refrain from Jeremiah 31:3 kept running through my mind. I want to end on this note. This refrain from Jeremiah is a message from the very heart of God to you the reader. Read it and meditate on it. Let God's word to you penetrate down deep into your heart and soul. For in these words there is life, hope and truth to be found. 

The Lord has appeared ......., saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;"

Who is speaking? God! To whom is He speaking? To you and all the people of the world! What is His message? That He loves you with a love that will last through all eternity. There will be no end to His love! That is why it is called everlasting love! Until next time, God loves you. Tom 

The Love of God for Muslims - Core Conviction #3 

There are folks in this world who will not admit that they are sinners. I was once one of those people. From the age of seventeen until I was thirty four I professed to be an atheist. One of my mantras back then was, 'there is no God therefore there can not be sin. ' 

I was a fool in a lot of ways, one being that in my heart I said there is no God. Of course the writer of the Book of Psalms had correctly identified my sorry condition when He stated, 

"The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good." Psalms 14: 1 

That describes who I was in those lost, dark years of my life to a T. The truth is that all of us before our spiritual eyes are opened are sinners separated from God. No amount of denying it, forgetting it (if we can), or pretending that it is not so, will change the truth of who we are apart from God. 

In the article Core Conviction #2, I quoted a number of verses from the Bible that identifies who we are when we are separated from God. We are lost, depraved, disobedient, hopeless sinners who are greatly loved by their merciful, loving, caring creator God. We also learned that as lost, godless people our destination is death - eternal separation from God in hell. Yet, because God so loves us He has provided a way for us to experience an eternal, familial relationship with Him as our heavenly Father. The most familiar verse of scripture in the whole world, reveals this truth to us. 

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life". John 3:16 

And just to prove that He meant for all mankind to get the message that He loves them without conditions, completely, perfectly and eternally, He gave us many more scripture to convince us. Consider these verses: 

"For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:6 

"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 

"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, He was seen by Peter, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred" 1 Cor 15:3-6. 

Many Muslims who have converted to Christ, say that until Jesus appeared to them in a dream or until they discovered the truth for themselves while reading the New Testament, they had no idea that God wanted to be their friend. They said that this is something that a person would never learn from reading or teaching the Qur'an. Some also say that it was through their encounter with Jesus and/or through reading the Bible that they came to realize that they truly were sinners and were therefore eternally separated from this wonderful kind and loving God. 

The testimony of many converted Muslims is that at this point in their lives when they suddenly become aware of the truth that they were sinners and separated from God they are faced with a great dilemma. Which way do I go from here? Do I turn to and follow this loving God and discover how to be forgiven my sins and spend eternity with Him? Do I turn back to the religion I have always known and strive to find forgiveness of my sins through keeping the five pillars of Islam? What about accepting Jesus' death on the cross as the payment for my sins? What is the way I should go? How can I be saved from hell? Can I be assured of salvation by killing innocent people in the name of Allah whom I have followed all my life, or by accepting the truth that God allowed the sacrifice His Son on a cross that I might know forgiveness of my sins and come into an eternal relationship with Him as an adopted son? 

Almost to the person, the answer to all these questions confronting Muslims who have found that there is a man called Jesus who died on a cross that all men might know forgiveness and have eternal life have come to one conclusion. They must determine which book is true, the Qur'an or the Bible. If the Qur'an is right, then Islam was indeed the answer, and jihad is indeed the way to Allah and eternal salvation. But if the Bible is right, then Jesus was speaking the truth when He said, 

"I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." John 14:16.

How can you as a Muslim know which book is right? You can do exactly as Muslims have been doing for many, many years. Study the New Testament, perhaps beginning with the book of John, while asking God continually to reveal to You what the truth is. Here are some promises to you from God's word, the Bible:

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" James 1:5

"You will call upon me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord," Jeremiah 29:12-14

 "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11 :28-30 

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever" John 6:47-48,51 

As I have been reading of the many accounts of Muslims experiencing a visit from Jesus through dreams and visions I have been struck by the beautiful way in which God is demonstrating His love for Muslims. They are actually coming into the presence of God's precious, glorious Son. Wow! What a privilege and blessing that is! And to think, some of these Muslims were actually terrorist with the blood of innocent people on their hands. They did not know in their ignorance and sin that they were on the wrong path. But, down deep in their hearts, through radio, television, hearing a portion of scripture, reading a gospel tract, they began to yearn and search for the truth. And the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life heard their unspoken cries for help and came to them. 

Some of you, reading these words, know in your heart of hearts and have known for some time deep down inside that You were being drawn by an invisible force toward the source of all truth. Jesus said in John chapter six, verse forty four these precious words: 

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." John 6:44 

Yes, the God of the Universe has been drawing you to His Son. If you want to continue that journey with the hope of soon experiencing love such as you have never known, then why don't you right now, audibly or in the quietness of your heart just ask Him to reveal Himself to you where you are and as you are.

The Love of God for Muslims: Core Conviction #4 A person Must Individually Choose to Follow Jesus Christ as Personal Savior and Lord

God is sovereign. His sovereignty is one of God's great prerogatives and it is based upon the perfections of His divine Being. Sovereignty expresses the supreme rulership of God. God is under no external restraints whatsoever. He is the Supreme Dispenser of all events. All forms of existence are within the scope of His dominion. And yet His sovereignty is not to be viewed in any such way as to lesson or curtail the reality of the moral freedom of God's responsible creatures or to make men anything else than the determiner of their own eternal destinies. God has seen fit to create beings with the power of choice between good and evil. He rules over them in justice and wisdom and grace.1 

It is not enough for Muslims to simply realize that God loves them. It isn't enough for a Muslim to realize that he/she is a sinner. Every man, every woman who has ever become a child of God has come as a result of their acting on their faith. Let me put it this way. The Bible in Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 and 9 states:

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Eph 2:8-9  

Note: It is by God's grace through each person's faith that the person is saved. We can't believe for someone else and they can't believe for us. Thus, Muslims must individually receive Jesus Christ as his or her own personal Savior and Lord. He or she must believe in their hearts that Jesus died for them on that cross and it was there that He paid for their sins. That means that Jesus bore the punishment for every person's sins. There is therefore no condemnation, no judicial punishment, now or evermore, for anyone who believes in Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. Muslims must believe that Jesus rose from the grave proving that He is the Messiah. A Muslim must choose by faith to become a disciple of Jesus Christ and accept the free gift of salvation. 

Muslims, just as every person who has ever come to faith in Christ, must be willing to declare to others his or her allegiance to Jesus Christ, telling them that Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of lords.  

Consider the following verses: 

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12  

".... if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:9-10, 13, 17 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Rev 3:20  

To their eternal joy, any Muslim who hears Jesus knocking on the door to their heart and who opens that door and invites Jesus into his or her heart will be adopted into God's forever family. Because Jesus will answer any prayer of faith and He will come into that person and will forgive them their sins, will sanctify, justify, redeem and possess them for all eternity through the free gift of eternal life. 

Would you like to make that kind of decision? If you are willing to repent - that is turn away from your sins and from living in disobedience to God's will- and begin following the God of the Bible, you can receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord right now. Here is a suggested prayer that has been helpful to many sinners (Muslims, Jews and others) including yours truly. The key is not so much the precise words as the attitude of your heart. 

Lord Jesus, thank You for loving me. Thank You for having a wonderful plan and purpose for my life. Please forgive me all my sins. Thank you for dying on the cross in my place and paying the penalty for my sins. Thank You for rising from the grave and for proving that You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life and the only way by which any man or woman can be saved and go to heaven. 

Jesus, I confess that You are the King of kings and the Lord of lords. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. I now open my hearts door and the door to my life and ask You to come in and take control of my life. 

I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me the free gift of eternal life. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit that He might take control of my life and make me the person You want me to be. I want to serve You and please You forever. Thank You so much. I love You and want to follow You all the days of my life. Amen 

If you just prayed that prayer with sincere faith in Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, you have just been adopted into the family of God and angels are rejoicing in heaven over this miraculous event. The Bible teaches that many wonderful things have just happened to you: 

You have just been adopted into God's family: (Romans 8:15) (Ephesians 1:5) 

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15  

having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, Eph 1:5  

You are accepted in the Beloved Son (Ephesians 1:6) 

.......to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Eph 1:6 

You have just been Redeemed (Romans 4:24) (Ephesians 1:7) (Colossians 1:14)

And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, Romans 4:22 - 24 

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Eph 1:7 

......the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Col 1:13-14 

You have forgiveness of our sins (Ephesians 1:7) (Colossians 1:14) 

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace Eph 1:7

In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Col 1:14 

You have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13) 

Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Eph 1:13 

You are justified before God by faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26) (Romans 3:24) 

to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:26 

being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, Romans 3:24

You are a new creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17) 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17

You are indwelt by God's Spirit (Galatians 4:6) 

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" Gal 4:6 

You have been consecrated, sanctified, made holy (Hebrews 10:10) 

then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second.0 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Heb 10:9-10  

I encourage you to began immediately studying God's Word and claiming His precious promises. Each time you go to read the Bible, begin in prayer asking God to reveal His truths to You. Ask the Holy Spirit living in You to use God's word to shape and mold You into the image of Jesus Christ. There or so many wonderful things that you have just received when you believed in Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord. To get an idea of other blessings that are yours, in addition to the few listed above, I invite you to click on Reflections/Bible Study and copy the article Riches of God's Grace Through Jesus Christ and begin a study of the wonderful blessings that are ours the moment we believed. 

I also would appreciate your emailing me and letting me know about your decision for the Lord. Go to the Contact Page. I will be glad to answer any spiritual question that you might have or I will help you find the answer. Grow in God's grace precious new child of His.  

The Love of God for Muslims: Core Conviction #5 

Christ - Followers Are Commanded to Love Their Neighbors and Their Enemies and to Make Disciples of All Nations 

Because one of God's attributes is His perfect love, He wants His children to love others as they love themselves. In fact, when asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus answered,  

"'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matt 22:37-39) 

Now think about that for a moment. In fact, let us cogitate on this verse if you will. That is, think seriously about what Jesus is saying. Wrap your heart and mind around this truth. The greatest thing you and I can do to please God is to love Him completely, totally and with all that we are and to do it unconditionally. There is nothing more important that we, the Children of God, can do than love the Lord God with all our hearts, souls and minds. Jesus emphatically states that this is the first and great commandment. But wait! The first and great commandment has a co-equal commandment! Did you grasp that? Look what Jesus said immediately after telling us what is the first and great commandment. He said, "And the second is like the first." What could Jesus possibly mean? Doesn't He mean that in the eyes of God it is just as pleasing to Him for us to love our neighbors as it is for us to love Him? 

Wow! Does Jesus really mean that? Yes, He means what He says, "Love the Lord God with everything thing you have and everything you are and your neighbor in like manner." And if you think that is a heavy responsibility hang on to your head.  

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons (and daughters) of your Father in heaven." Matt 5:43-45 

Has your head stopped spinning yet? As a child of the living God, we are to turn the world upside down. How do we best do that? Start loving people the way God loves them. God is not pleased with the sinful actions of lost people, but He does not hate them for being lost and sinful. He loves them in spite of their sinfulness. Look at Romans 5:8, 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8  

May I take some liberties and rephrase this verse to give it more poignancy and make it very personal? 

God showed you and me how much He loved us while we were dirty, rotten scum bags. He sent His only Son to suffer and die on that horrible cross in our place!  

It should have been you and me, especially me, hanging there on that cross, but because He wanted a loving relationship with you and me He sent the Lord Jesus from His home in heaven to earth to die in our place. Now that is not only how much He loves us, but it is also how much he wants us to love others. Are you and I up to it?

Joel Rosenberg in his book, Inside the Revolution, tells the stories of many Muslim terrorists who come to faith in Jesus Christ and commit their lives and ministries to loving and ministering to those who hate them and want to kill them because of their love for the Lord. Now that is a difficult type of love. But with God's grace and the Lord Jesus living His life through us we can do it. We take one step at a time as we follow the model and pattern that the Lord Jesus Himself set for us. 

Jesus knew that only people who are supernaturally transformed by being born from above and filled with God's love and power could and would obey such commands as those quoted above and this one, 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matt 28:19-20  

Note that Jesus did not say, "Go to those with whom you are comfortable being around." Nor did He say, "Go to those who live in opulence, or in a moderate, pleasant climate." Nor did He say, "Go to those who will embrace you immediately and love you for bringing the message of the Gospel to them." In fact, I believe He was saying, "As you allow Me to live My life through You, we are going to go forth and make disciples of all nations.....and where ever I lead you, you are to follow" Therefore, we are to go while taking just one step at a time. 

I pray that those of you who have made a commitment to follow hard after Jesus Christ will be running full speed ahead when He calls for you. And He will call, either with that great trumpet sound, or with the loving whisper that says, "Come on home my good and faithful servant. Your trials on earth are o're." 

If you have not visited my Reflections and Bible Study page, please do and let me know what you think about the Bible Study, Riches of God's Grace Through Christ. Let me hear from you. I pray God's blessings on you and your household. Tom 

Footnotes:

1Based on the definition of The Sovereignty of God from Unger's Bible Dictionary

Through reading these articles, have you trusted Jesus as Savior from your sin and Leader of your life? If so, please open the contact page and send me an email telling me about your decision, or sharing anything that is on your heart. God bless you, Tom