"One day during 1954, a man who I, Neil Verwey, had never seen before in my life, came to my door and asked if he could borrow my bicycle. "Yes, you can use my bicycle," I replied, thinking to myself that the man obviously did not know that I had the worst bicycle in the Japan Mission! Why should I have a new bicycle while the other evangelists went around on old ones, I had always reckoned.
"When I showed him my rusty bike, he looked disappointed as he studied the warped pedals and the weather-beaten saddle, but he wheeled it away, mumbling his thanks. "A few weeks later I happened to meet him on the street and asked him, "What happened to my bicycle?" "Oh," he replied, "I was rather short of money, so I decided to put it in a pawn shop."
"I almost exclaimed, "How on earth could you put my bicycle in a pawn shop." But instead I whispered inwardly, "Lord, what would You like me to do in this case?"
"Give him the money you have with you," the Lord said to me. What? Was I to give money to this rogue, I thought? Nevertheless, I gave him all the money I had.
"Several days later I learned that on that very day this man had been on his way to commit suicide, because he had no money to buy food for his family. Because of my gift, his life had been saved. I shuddered as I thought of what might have happened, if I had not listened to the Voice of God.
"I lost contact with him until some time during 1980, when Doi Sensei, one of the Japan Mission's evangelists, said to me one day, "A tuberculosis patient in one of the hospitals I am visiting says that he stole something from you and wants to make restitution."
"No Japanese ever stole anything from me," I assured Mr. Doi. But when the patient fell down on his face, pleading for me to forgive him, I suddenly recalled the bicycle episode of 22 years ago. At that time both Mr. Mimura and - very soon after - his wife made a profession of faith. "My next contact with Mr. Mimura was some sixteen years later at the beginning of 1996, when Mr. Mimura contacted me again and told me that he was dying of cancer.
"I arranged for him to go into a Christian hospice and it was so gratifying to visit him there and to sense his victory in the face of death. He told me about a terminally ill Christian professor in the hospice, who wept every time his wife visited him.
"My wife and I have Psalm 23 to carry us through this ordeal," he declared with the glow of heaven on his face. "How can I weep when my husband is so victorious?" his wife added.
"On September 22, 1996, Mr. Mimura peacefully slipped out of this world and into Eternity."
"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Ps. 23:4)

Witnessing God’s Faithfulness in Ethiopia

Hajj Mohammed was a man trained to be a militant. He was a member of the leading Islamic family in the area of southern Ethiopia where he lived. He had studied in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for two years and had memorized the Quran. He was also a persecutor of the Church. In fact, he was the leader of those who persecuted Christians in the area. There came a time, when Hajj and his cohorts planned to kill a particular evangelist, but God had other plans for Hajj.
In Islamic areas, it is not uncommon for God to get people’s attention through dreams. And that was the case for Hajj. As preparations to kill the evangelist came to fruition, he had two dreams. In one, Jesus showed his love to Mohammed. In the other, God revealed to him the reality of His judgment. Through those dreams and the ministry of the evangelist he intended to kill, Hajj came to faith in Jesus Christ. Sounds a lot like Paul on the road to Damascus, doesn’t it? What does it mean for someone from Hajj’s background to come to Christ? He was ex-communicated by his family. He spent time in jail because of false accusations against him. Those he led in attacks on Christians now turned on him. They destroyed his crops and stole his produce and oxen. As a subsistence farmer, living from season to season and plowing with oxen, his livelihood was taken from him. Two weeks before we arrived, someone attempted to burn down his house. The tell-tale burn marks on the house were still evident. He told us that he was getting little sleep since he had to stay awake to watch his compound all night. In his compound, Hajj has a small church building; a stick and mud hut similar to the houses in the area. Grass is spread on the floor and verses are written on the wall. Here, local Christians gather to worship. He told us how sixty people had recently expressed interest in knowing more about Christ and four of them were going to make a public profession of faith in Christ that coming Sunday. He intended to give the whole compound to the Lord for ministry and to start a kindergarten as a way to reach out to the community which had ex-communicated him and intended him harm.
We asked Hajj how we could pray for him. His prayer is echoed over and over by Ethiopian Christians we have met in the six years that we have ministered there. He asked that we pray for him and that the other Christians in the area would be established in their faith and stand firm for Jesus. That was their concern and desire above all else. Not deliverance but faithfulness!
From the April edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter and is used by permission. www.persecution.net

A Pakistani Muslim comes face to face with Jesus Christ

Khalid Mansoor Soomro is from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was an ardent follower of Mohammed until the results of a challenge he laid out before some Christian students. Please read this powerful testimony of how this man was converted to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior! And He said unto them: "Go into the world, and preach the gospel to every Creature." (Mark 16:15) When I was 14 years old I was studying in a convent school at Saddar Karachi Pakistan. I belong to a Muslim family.
My parents forced me to learn the Qur'an by heart when I was seven and so I did. I had a lot of Christian fellows (or acquaintances) at school. I was surprised to see them studying while I always found Christians of low profile in the society. I discussed and argued a lot with them about the accuracy of Qur'an and rejection of Bible by Allah in Holy Qur'an. I always forced them to accept Islam. Often my Christian teacher told me not to do so. He said, "God may choose you as he chose the Apostle Paulus." I asked them who is Paulus, I know Muhammad only. One day during our discussion I challenged them to burn the Holy Books of each other. They should burn the Qur'an and I should do the same with the Bible. We agreed: "The book which would burn, would be false. The book, which would not burn, has the Truth in it. God Himself would save His Word." Unfortunately they were not ready to do this because they were frightened. Living in an Islamic Country and doing such a thing could lead them to face the law and meet its consequences. I told them I could do this by myself.
First I set the Qur'an on fire and it got burnt before our eyes. Then I tried to do the same with the Bible. As soon as I tried it, the Bible struck my chest and I fell on the ground. There was smoke all around my body. I was burning, but from a spiritual fire. Suddenly I saw a man with golden hair, wrapped in light on my side. He placed his hand on my head and said to me "You are my son and from now on you will preach the Gospel in your nation. Go! Your Lord is with you."
Then I saw the stone on the grave, which was removed. Mariam Magdalene spoke to the gardener who probably took the body of my Lord. The gardener was Jesus Himself. He kissed the hand of Mariam and I woke up. I felt very strong as if when someone would strike me, I could not be hurt.
I went home and I told my parents about all what happened. But they did not believe it. They thought that the Christians got me under magic, but I told them that all this happened before my very own eyes and that many people were watching this. They still did not believe and they turned me out of my home and refused to accept me as their family member. I went to a Church close to my home; I told the Father there all about what happened. I asked him to show me the Bible. He gave me one and I read about the event of Mariam Magdalene and I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior on 02-17-85.
My Family refused to accept me. I went to various churches and got more knowledge about the Word of God. I also followed many Bible Courses and then I got a ministry. Now after 21 years, I have seen many people come to the Lord and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Thanks to the Lord, I am now married and have a Christian family. Me and my wife Khalida are involved in the work of the Lord and able to share the miracles God has been doing in our lives.
Even though it is not easy and we face many hardships, we feel like Paul who went through hardships and suffering for the Glory of His Savior, who went Himself through suffering during His walk on earth and on the cross. We thank God the Father for sending His Son to this earth and giving us free life through Him. We thank God for His Spirit who encourages us day by day to live for Him

Prayer Request to pray for Pakistani Muslims

I bless God the Father in Christ, for His Grace, that He called me from The darkness into His Holy Light, during 1985?, when the Divine Power of The Lord God just drew me to Him, in spite of my anti-Christian activities Being a devoted Muslim. I thank God that now He has shown me His Love for Christ, for the Gospel and the Spirit of Witness of Christ urges me to reach to my Ex-Muslim brothers and sisters, that I may reach to them, like Paul of The New Testament.
I offer all my life, my ability, my talents, all myself to the Cross of Christ, so that I may preach Christ to Muslims, with all my heart, mind, soul, And strength. Please accept me as a fellow-worker and allow me a chance to serve God and His people. With your prayers, I can start door-to-door visit, near and far corners of this city and near by places, correspondence service with Muslims, e-mail reply and can reply to Muslims in Pakistan to their Islamic web sites.
May our Lord God, fulfill me with His Divine Wisdom, with His Divine Holy Word and with the Courageous Strength of His Holy Spirit, so that I can obey the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus to the all nations, especially the Muslims of Pakistan.
Thanks that you pray for the Work of the Lord God in Pakistan and I offer my service for the same to glorify the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Remaining Faithful to the Call of God,
Yours in Him
Khalid Mansoor Soomro

Add to: Add To Any Service!